Al Larson Photography

On the road from Jordan Valley, OR to DeLamar, ID we pass through a short narrow canyon with rocks on either side. I shot this photo about an hour before sunset.

I was fortunate to have a pair of Lewis’ Woodpecker nest in an old pine tree snag close to a bluebird nestbox. This one paused for a portrait before delivering a snack to one of its nestlings.

Exploring the deserts of Idaho will give a person a different perspective on what is often called a “barren waste.” Beauty lies at your feet in the spring with nearly every step. Here we have the beautiful Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva). The leaves of this plant appear quite early in the season but wither away as it bursts into bloom. It looks like the blossoms rise directly from the soil.

Fourth  of July is the time to display patriotic colors. With the cooperation of our favorite bird we find here the red, white and blue. Mr. Mountain Bluebird helps us celebrate the Fourth.

Keep your camera at the ready and capture moments like this. When you are out and about you never know what you will find. How many times have you heard, “Oh rats! I left my camera in the car?”

My notes told me that on my last visit to this nestbox there were five tiny Mountain Bluebird nestlings. On this trip I expected to find a brood of healthy nestlings old enough to band. Instead I found this healthy Gopher Snake about 30 inches long sporting an enlarged body. There were two dead bluebird nestlings in the nest beneath the snake. So, I presume three birds had already been devoured. It was a sad day for the bluebirds. The box was mounted on a pine tree about 14 inches in diameter and about 5 feet from the ground. Reptiles have no problem climbing the rough bark of the Ponderosa Pine.

Quite often I come upon an empty nest with nest material seemingly undisturbed. I have concluded this may have been predation by a snake.

High in the Owyhee mountains at this time of year, especialliy after a wet spring, we occasionally come across a beautiful flower garden. Many species of flowers are in bloom. Here we have Lupine and Indian Paintbrush. In the distance we see the Snake river plain.

I’ve heard many times from people traveling through southern Idaho that it is only sagebrush and lava rock. They would tell a different story if they would  get off of the beaten track and open their eyes.

I just had to share this photo with you. It is a Northern Flying Squirrel.

Every once in a while one of these little critters decides to use one of my nest boxes for its home. They pack in fine grasses and other vegetation until they have enough to cover themselves. They burrow into this ball of vegetation, to give birth and nurse their young to fledging.

Notice the large bulbous eyes. Eyes like this indicate the critter is nocturnal. This explains why we seldom see them. Most of their activity is at night.

I went down to Mores Creek today and found this little guy. This American Dipper had a nest nearby and was bringing food to a couple of nestlings. These are fascinating little birds in that they have partially reverted back to water. They find their food under water. It’s fun to see one of them dive into a fast flowing stream in search of food and emerge in the same spot with their prey. One would expect the bird to be swept down stream.

Most of the Western Tanagers have moved on now. Weather improved and the birds headed north. As always we have a couple pairs of tanagers that call our home their home. They find a place to nest and rear their young nearby. Providing nectar is a little easier now. With all of the sugar water consumed there must have been a lot of sweet birds out there. Hummingbirds can feed more freely too.

This picture was taken just a few minutes ago. The sun had set. I am shooting through the kitchen window. The background shows too much blue and green but the bird shows up nicely.

Yesterday I went out to the Owyhee mountains to check nest boxes. The bluebirds are recovering from the loss of their first clutch of eggs. Many of the birds had started their nesting cycle on schedule. Cold inclement weather came at a criticle time and chilled most of the eggs before the start of incubation. I found many nests abandoned with cold eggs. Now the birds have started over again with nests built on top of the old ones. Hopefully the fickle weather will settle down and provide conditions more favorable for nesting.

Many of the new nests have a full clutch of eggs and female bluebirds are sitting tight. Colder weather is not much of a factor as long as the female bird is incubating the eggs unless she has to leave the nest for long periods of time in search of nourishment.

Many times when I am looking into the nest to observe the nesting progress I have a nervous parent closeby monitoring my activities. Such was the case with this female Mountain Bluebird. She posed nicely for this photo.