Thursday, September 2, 2010

Idaho Rare Bird: Long-tailed Jaeger


Heidi Ware along with Jay Carlisle and Jack found this Long-tailed Jaeger at Black's Creek Reservoir just southeast of Boise on Sunday.  It has been sticking around allowing several Idaho birders the opportunity to enjoy this poor misguided migrating young bird.  The Idaho Bird Records Committee has approved just five other sightings in the last decade.  Jaeger is pronounced "YAY-gur" if anyone else besides me was wondering.  They are called "skua" in other parts of the world.

Like the others reporting on IBLE, I observed it eating grasshoppers.  It flew a few loops directly over my head and when I left it was floating on the water.

I include the pictures below to help in any plumage analysis for species and age that may be needed.


I was also delighted to find a White-faced Ibis out there tonight too.  In addition, I saw a first-of-year (FOY) Sage Thrasher just at the turn-in to the reservoir.



7 comments:

  1. It's always nice to see a rare bird but even better when you can get good photos!

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  2. Terrific to get great photos of a Rare bird like that.

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  3. Congrats on the sightings! That 3rd shot of the jaeger's really nice...kudos!

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  4. Wow, a jaeger found inland! Lucky you to have gotten photos of it.

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  5. Yay! I sometimes get migrators at my feeder, but never anything as rare as this. What a treat!

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  6. Wow, what a capture! I would have been completely stumped if I had seen this bird!

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