May 14 - City Creek Management Area, Pocatello ID

We stayed overnight in Pocatello and had a short drive to the City Creek Management Area, a city park that had walking and biking trails, as well as lots of good natural habitat. Our target bird was the Juniper Titmouse, a small skulker that hides out in the underbrush. We'd have partial success in this quest.

Chris spotted a hummingbird that I was unable to photograph. I've asked him to confirm the sighting before I post it on the blog.

The next bird was identifiable and is one of my favourite sparrows, the eye-catching Lark Sparrow.


Lark Sparrow - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID - 2019 Bird #128

Next we heard and saw the stunning male Lazuli Bunting. We'd seen a female on the previous day, this was the first male.


Lazuli Bunting - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID

Chris spotted a bird I'd not seen since Point Pelee in 2012, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. I didn't know this bird ranged this far west. The field guides show them in southern Idaho, but no further northwest.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID

2019 Bird #129

Here's a nice shot of a common bird

American Robin - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID

We'd seen Chipping Sparrow the day before, but the photo was poor. The photos today were better.

Chipping Sparrow - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID

Chipping Sparrow - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID

We were on a good roll and next saw a Warbling Vireo, another new one for myself in 2019.

Warbling Vireo - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID - 2019 Bird #130

This Hummingbird was clearly visible and easily identified, a Calliope Hummingbird.

Calliope Hummingbird - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID - 2019 Bird #131

Here's another Lazuli Bunting, this one a singing male.

Lazuli Bunting - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID 

Lazuli Bunting - City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID 

We'd walked all the way to the end of the park and back. But we had not seen or heard our target bird, the Juniper Titmouse. We were resigned to giving up, when we heard a bird calling.  We tried really hard but could not get a photo of the bird. I only saw movement, but Chris was able to see and confirm the identity. I hate adding a lifer to my list that I have not seen, but that's allowed under the ABA rules of bird listing.

Below is a photo courtesy of Wikipedia or the species.

Juniper Titmouse (wikipedia photo)

Heard at City Creek Mgt Area, Pocatello ID

Life Bird #432 - 2019 Bird #132

We left Pocatello and headed north towards St. Anthony ID. We made a couple of stops along the way, as detailed in the next post.