Neighborhood Birding

Great Horned Owls are pretty common in my Boise foothills neighborhood and can be seen most of the year.  Winter is prime time Great Horned Owl viewing here as they are roosting in the trees right along the entrance into my neighborhood and there aren't so many leaves to hide them.  We've been watching one on the very branch pictured above for the last month, but recently a mate has been found very nearby.  This is the time of year when they seem to hook up and often are sitting on a nest before the snow melts.

 Another nearby Boise foothills neighborhood has been hosting a Western Scrub-Jay which are very uncommon in the Boise area.  I went there with my wife and youngest daughter to find it.  I asked Claire, my three year old, to help me find the bigger blue bird.  Her reply was "That's too boring."  Her boredom however was overcome in seconds when we came upon a flock of Wild Turkeys!

After searching for the Western Scrub-Jay for an hour without luck, we were all bored and called it day. 

That's just the way birding is...sometimes there is boredom and disappointment, but almost always there's a surpirse...that's why Birding is Fun!