Out of my office window at Avimor, I've been watching four Brewer's Blackbird resting in the cool shade of some low shrubs and chasing grasshoppers around in the grass and on the sidewalk. I have not seen them in their usualy spot along the side of Highway 55 near Shadow Valley Golf Course for a couple of weeks, so I figured they had migrated. Seeing them this afternoon made me curious, so I went to one of my favorite websites, All About Birds, to learn more. They are listed as seed eating birds, but do consume a lot of insects. Looking at an eBird report, Brewer's Blackbirds are see in Idaho all year, but observations decrease dramatically by mid-October until they return in greater numbers in March. This is also only my second sighting of Brewer's at Avimor this year.
The large female Swainson's Hawk has been riding some afternoon thermals. A Black-chinned Hummingbird visited the purple flowers just below my window. Barn Swallow's have been cruising the vacant lots across from me and perching on the yellow parking area rope all day.
A rather large flock of Brewer's Blackbirds was on the empty lot across from my home this morning. Do they flock together for the winter like Robins, or to migrate?
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