! 
I Idaho & Western Montana 
I t was a spring season of unusually incon- 
sistent weather across the Region, with 
several observers reporting slightly cooler 
and wetter than normal conditions overall. A 
Bozeman, Montana weather station recorded 
an amazing 127 cm of snowfall in April, the 
most ever reported there in any month! At 
some locations, unseasonably cool tempera- 
tures in late April and early May were thought 
to have delayed northbound passerine migra- 
tion and plant phenology by about two 
weeks. But the season will probably be best 
remembered for the many rarities found in 
both states and the continuing presence of 
Pine Grosbeaks and White-winged Crossbills 
at many locations. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH GULLS 
Single extralimital Greater Wbite-fronted 
Geese made news in Flathead, MT 21 Mar 
(DC) and Warm Springs, MT 23 Mar-3 Apr 
(NK). Reports of Cackling Geese were rela- 
tively numerous, with up to 3 in Flathead, MT 
21 Mar-8 Apr (DC), up to 5 taverneri in 
Moscow, ID 22 Mar-5 Apr (CS), and a mini- 
ma photographed in Jefferson, ID 8 May (SB). 
A Whooper Swan that wintered near Hager- 
man, ID was last reported 12 Mar. The sea- 
son’s tally of Eurasian Wigeons was just under 
last year’s record count, with at least 7 report- 
ed in Idaho and 10 in w. Montana. A wayward 
pair of Harlequin Ducks was a notable find in 
Nez Perce, ID 4 May (KCl). Three Long-tailed 
Ducks represented an average spring season 
total. Providing a hrst for Latilong 39, an out- 
of-range Snowy Egret was seen n. of Liv- 
ingston, MT 25 May (MD). Especially rare in 
spring was a Broad-winged Hawk in Fremont, 
ID 24 Apr (TCW). 
A flock of 7 Whimbrels in Flathead, MT 22 
May (DC) was unusual, as the species is only 
expected as a rare fall migrant. Long-billed 
Curlews are scarce in n. Idaho, so 2 near 
Moscow 5 Apr (WG) were noteworthy. Two 
Mew Gulls, rare but regular, were identified in 
Canyon, ID 3-5 Mar. Up to 3 other Mews in 
Somers, MT 6-12 May (DC) represented the 
Region’s latest spring report ever. Always un- 
usual, Thayer’s Gulls had a great showing: 6 
were in Canyon, Idaho 3 Mar-11 Apr OO, 
one was in Flathead, MT 17 Mar (DC), and 2 
were at American Tails, ID 26 Mar QC). Two 
rare Glaucous-winged Gulls were document- 
ed in Canyon, ID 3-5 Mar (tJC). Glaucous 
Gull numbers were also relatively high, with 
2 in Canyon, ID 3 Mar (JC), one in the Hele- 
na Valley, MT 11 Mar-8 Apr (BM), one in 
Twin Falls, ID 5 Apr (ZW), and 2 in Flathead, 
MT 8-14 Apr (DC). Idaho’s 4th Iceland Gull, 
an ad., was in Canyon 3-5 Mar (+JC). Mon- 
tana’s celebrated wintering first-cycle Iceland 
Gull was last reported in Flathead 8 Apr (DC). 
Altbougb Lesser Black-backed Gull is now 
nearly annual in Idaho, 2 reported in Ada and 
Canyon 5 Mar-11 Apr (tJC) were still sensa- 
tional news. 
DOVES THROUGH FINCHES 
Montana’s 13th White-winged Dove stopped 
in Gardiner 3-8 May (ph. MD) . A lost Vaux’s 
Swift in Gardner, MT 4 May (MD, JP) provid- 
ed Montana’s easternmost report. A flock of 5 
White-throated Swifts in Bonner, ID 10 Apr 
(TG) made only the 3rd local record. Rare 
Northern Mockingbirds visited Gem, ID 1 
Mar-5 Apr OU, Bozeman, MT 1-5 May (DG), 
and near Somers, MT 22-23 May (DC). A 
Brown Thrasher, less than annual in the Re- 
gion, was photographed at Boise, ID 30 May 
(WC). The tally of rare “eastern” warblers at 
Camas N.W.R., Jefferson, ID was impressive 
and included 2 Tennessee Warblers 18 & 22 I 
May, single Northern Parulas 23 & 26 May, a 
Black-and-white Warbler 23 May, and 2 
Ovenbirds 22 May (GW). Elsewhere in Idaho, 
a casual Chestnut-sided Warbler was big 
news in Blaine 27 May QC). If accepted, a 
male Hermit Warbler discovered in Owyhee 8 
May (TJH) would establish Idaho’s 2nd , 
record. With only five accepted precedents in |j 
Idaho, a pair of Clay-colored Sparrows de- ii 
fending territory in Latah 25 May (CS) was 
significant. Idaho’s 2nd Chestnut-collared 
Longspur was a sensational discovery in 
Canyon 25 Apr (ph. JC). Rose-breasted Gros- 
beaks, rare but regular in both states, were de- 
tected at Red Lodge, MT 20 May (SH), in ’ 
Blaine, ID 23 May OC), and at Camas N.W.R., » 
Jefferson, ID 26 May (GW). A lost Dickcissel ^ 
e. of Bozeman 18 May (JPe) provided a local !| 
first record. Unexpected but not unprecedent- Ij 
ed was a pair of Common Crackles in Blaine, I' 
ID 4 May (PWP). Single Idaho Great-tailed jj 
Crackles were notable in Elmore 15 May (HK) || 
and Jefferson 28 May (RD). Adding to only a II 
few previous reports of Lesser Goldfinch in 
Montana was one in Livingston 19 May i 
(tSHu). I 
Contributors: (subregional editors in bold- i 
face): Steve Butterworth, Wayne Camacho, i 
Kathleen Cameron, Jay Carlisle, Keith Carl- j 
son (KCl), Dan Casey, Rich Deen, Mark Don- 
ahue, William Goodsoe, Terry Gray, Daryl 
Gustafson, Stanley Heath, Jim Holcomb, 
Steven Hughes (SHu), Nate Kohler, Harry 
Krueger, Joanie Leyba, Bob Martinka, John 
Parker, Jeff Pentel QPe). Shirley Sturts, 
Chuck Trost, Zeke Watkins, Cliff Weisse, Poo ' 
Wright-Pulliam. O 
David Trochlell, 2409 East N Avenue 
La Grande, Oregon 97850, (dtrochlell@verizon.net) 
Visit the American Birding Association website 
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