~News and Upcoming Events~

• We had so much fun! Thank you Poo Wright-Pulliam

• Friday, November 15th - last day to order Bird Friendly Coffee for your family and friends! Coffee will be available at our December 5th Program in time for Christmas gift giving! MEMBER'S ONLY SALE 12 oz bags only $10 ORDER HERE

• November 16th ~ Vineyard Lake Cleanup with the Idaho Conservation League

• Winter Raptor Survey Project has Several Vacant Routes in Our Area ~ Volunteers Needed!

• December 5th PROGRAM ~ Birding Alaska (Gambell Island and the Pribilofs) ~ with Pat Weber ~ BIRD QUIZ ~ with prizes!

• Christmas Bird Count Schedule with Contact Information! Volunteers Needed!

SKETCHING WITH POO!

Thank you so much Poo for a perfect post-election program! We all tapped into our inner child (children?) and exercised our neglected observational and drawing skills. The results were hilarious, and yet, if you look at the sketches below, you will be able to identify, in an instant, the birds portrayed! I am sorry to report that I failed to note the artists names. We do have some great artists in our midst!

Long-eared Owl

Wilson's Warbler and Red-breasted Nuthatch

Birds and Beans Coffee - The Most Sustainable Coffee You can Buy!

Order bird Friendly Coffee NOW for Before-Christmas Delivery

ORDER HERE

Please submit your order ON or BEFORE

November 15th, 2024

By choosing to purchase Smithsonian certified bird-friendly coffee, you are supporting bird conservation and family farmers throughout the Americas. Organic and Fair Trade, this coffee is grown under a shade canopy of native trees, shrubs, and plants that provide critical refuge for migratory and local birds as well as the rich flora and fauna of the tropical forest. In short, this great tasting coffee rewards in the cup and helps ensure that the birds we all love return every spring.

1. We are offering a “MEMBERS ONLY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL” on all 12oz bags with hopes you will be sharing your passion for bird conservation with others. This month only: $10.00 for 12 oz. bags. Consider yourself a Bird Friendly Ambassador in your purchases this month. 

1. MEMBERS, be sure to log in. If you want to order other sizes, click on the Member Discount Icon. You will receive $1 off of each bag you purchase.
2. Our November coffee order deadline is November 15^th. 
3. A friendly reminder to stock your cupboards also…. March…is a long way off to be without bird friendly coffee.

Pick up the Coffee you ordered at our

December 5th Program meeting at CSI!

Vineyard Lake Cleanup

With the Idaho Conservation League

THIS Saturday, November 16th

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

If you want to carpool: Meet at the Garden of Eden (the Hansen Bridge exit) at 9:30.

We'll go from there.

Join ICL for a cleanup day at Vineyard Lake in the Snake River Canyon! As hidden as it is, Vineyard Lake sees a lot of recreationists – and the land there is feeling the impact. ICL and volunteers will meet at the trailhead, hike in together, and pick up trash in the area. Following the cleanup, we will eat lunch and hear from ICL’s Senior Conservation Associate, Josh Johnson, about the current state of the beloved Snake River. Space is limited, so RSVP today to secure your spot!

Call (208) 726-7485 ext. 302 to reserve your spot.

Trail condition: The trail begins on top of the canyon rim, passing through protected private property that is managed as active pastureland with livestock. From there, the path winds to the edge of the canyon before going down the canyon and over/around crumbled rocks. The 1.5-mile roundtrip hike takes about an hour and has a total elevation gain/drop of roughly 200 feet. A moderate level of physical fitness is required for this hike due to the nature of the terrain.

What to bring: Lunch, sun protection, plenty of water, sturdy hiking shoes, walking stick.

ICL will provide: Snacks, gloves and trash bags.

December Program

Birding the Holy Grail - Gambell, Nome, and the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

with Pat Weber

Thursday

December 5th, 2024

7:00 PM

Room 201, Shields Building

CSI

This will be an IN-PERSON program

ZOOM link available:

https://csi.zoom.us/j/2730389966

Registration is open for the 125th year of the National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. It's the world's longest-running community science project. Prairie Falcon Audubon organizes five counts in the Magic Valley area. Each occurs during the three weeks between Dec 14th and Jan 5th. There are two different ways you can participate and help collect valuable scientific data. 1.) Join one (or more) of the CBCs below by contacting the compiler. You will be put in a small group to survey a portion of a 15 mile diameter circle. If you are an inexperienced birder you will be teamed up with seasoned birders. Using e-bird, every species and each individual bird observed will be tallied. 2.) Alternatively, if your home is within the boundaries of one of the circles below, and you use eBird, you can stay at home and report the birds that visit your yard/feeder on count day as long as you register with the compiler. Sign up! Have fun! Stay warm and out of the wind at home or brave the elements! Either way we can use your help!

Pre-registration is required for all. Contact a compiler listed below:

Ways to help winter birds

From Penn State Extension

1. Leave leaf litter lie on the floor of your gardens.

Most overwintering songbirds spend much of their time foraging through the leaf litter on the floor of your garden looking for the tiny insects and insect eggs that will sustain them throughout the long cold. If you painstakingly clean every leaf off your garden in the fall, you are destroying the birds' main food source.

2. Provide thick growth.

Birds take shelter in the protective boughs of evergreens or within any shrubs that provide thick growth. Juncos and tree sparrows often take shelter on the ground under the warm boughs. They especially appreciate a stand of several evergreens massed together.

3. Clean your birdhouses, then leave them up for the winter.

Many birds take shelter from the wind in an empty birdhouse. Chickadees and downy woodpeckers especially enjoy enclosed cavities. Clean out your bird houses of any old nesting material at the end of the summer. To help prevent disease and possible parasite infestation, wipe them down or spray them with a ten percent Clorox solution.

4. Provide native plants with edible fruit, berries, and seeds.

Most native perennials provide seed heads which birds eat throughout the winter. Rudbeckia, coneflowers, Salvia, Coreopsis, sunflowers and most daisy-like flowers are some of their favorites. Also, asters, goldenrod, and many grasses provide needed food for the birds. Sure, you may want to deadhead some of these for prolonged blooms throughout the summer, but starting in late summer, let the seed heads stand.

Chokecherry, and Virginia creeper do their part by providing berries for hungry birds throughout the winter. In shopping for some of these shrubs, always look for the natives. Most have non-native cousins that the birds will ignore.

Some trees that provide fruit that birds love include American crabapples, serviceberry, mulberry, juniper, and dogwood. If you enjoy seeing songbirds in your garden, make it a late New Year's Resolution to add some of these plants to your property in the spring.

5. Keep bird feeders filled.

This is the time of year when bird feeders are really appreciated. They will probably need to be refilled every day. It's important for the feeders to be close to shelter where small birds can quickly find refuge from predators, however, not so close that a cat can hide within the thick branches then jump out to grab the unsuspecting bird.

Keep in mind that different bird species have different feeding requirements. Some prefer a hanging feeder while others require a

6. Provide drinkable water.

One of the most important things is providing water. Birds need drinkable water which is often difficult to find in icy weather. Use a birdbath heater to prevent the water from freezing, even on the very coldest days.

All these suggestions not only help our bird friends, but provide us with entertainment on long winter days. Obviously, planting native trees and shrubs is not something you can do today, but investing in a feeder, suet holder, birdbath heater, or birdhouse is something you could do immediately. Then plan ahead to invest in at least one native tree or shrub to add to your landscape in the spring.