Idaho

This is our second family trip in less than a month.  This time we headed to Idaho to celebrate my Mom's 80th birthday!  We also got to see nieces and their partners and my sister.

Susan, Mom, and sister Sandra.  Yes, I guess it was purple shirt day.

Happy Birthday!

It is fortunate that my Mom's birthday is close to the best bloom time for flowers.  We took her out to see the Camas Lilies at Camas Prairie Centennial MarshWildlife Management Area.  Not only were the lilies wonderful, the bird life was great as well.  Bird list here.  The highlight was a displaying American Bittern.  He put on a show, thunder pumping and showing his breeding finery as he tried to impress a female.  She was not impressed, but we certainly were.

Camas Prairie with the Centennial Mountains in the background.

A close up of Camas Lily

American Bittern

Camas Prairie

Western Meadowlark

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson's Snipe

Yellow-headed Blackbird

We also went to Brockman's Hummingbird Feeding Station.  Bird list here.  This is a parcel of private property in the forest with many hummingbird feeders.  We spent several happy hours here watching the pugnacious little combatants.  As the feeding station is in the South Hills, home of the Cassia Crossbill, we went to look for them after our fill of hummingbirds.  We heard them with my Mom, but didn't see them until a later trip.

The hummingbird feeding station

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Bob and I did a loop hike through Wahlstrom Hollow in the South Hills.  We needed a bit of exercise and this came recommended as a good flower hike.  The mules ears were lovely and we enjoyed the hike.  Afterwards we went back for the crossbills, this time finding a couple family groups.  On our way we stopped at Shoshone Falls.  They were mighty impressive at peak run off.

Hike track link

Checker lily Fritillaria affinis?

Male Cassia Crossbill

Immature Cassia Crossbill