Pinyon Jays of Madison County

Pinyon Jays are a noisy bunch as they flock together in the winter in southeastern Madison County.  They usually travel with a flock of starlings and with the two flocks, they can go through a lot of food for a friend of mine. 

They love sunflower seeds and are skilled at feeding on pine cones.  Their long strong bill can break through the pine cones and harvest the seeds.

Some people believe that they migrate to Yellowstone Park in the summer, but expert birders think they become very quiet when paired up and raising their young.  Experts believe that they stay in the same general area, but scatter through the local groves of junipers for the summer.

Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron has always been a fascinating bird to me.  I do not like them invading my favorite fishing areas, but they are such a beautiful graceful bird in flight.  Their colors change with the season and are always beautiful.  Here a young one flies along the shore of Henrys Lake.

Several years ago this one speered a catfish and wore it for at least two days.

Here a young one hunts for minnow in the shallows.

This adult is chasing a rodent in a stubble field near Rexburg, but did not catch it.

Just another year around resident bird of Madison County.

White-faced Ibis

 This year with all the flooding and high water, the White-faced ibis has invaded Madison County.  Flooded fields and pastures that have never been available for these birds to feed in still have water standing in them.  These create new feeding area for the long billed birds looking for worms and snails to feed on. 

Here a flock of ibis fly into a flooded pasture to look for food.

They are not really black, but their iridescent body and wing feathers are set off by a rusty brown back.

Flocks of over 300 would gather in fields and pastures.

Their long sensitive bill probes the flooded ground looking for lunch.  Here one finds a snail.  The trick is to get their food from the end of a six to eight inch bill into its throat.  Practice makes perfect.

Long-billed curlews of Madison County

Shore  birds and wading birds have always been a challenge for me to identify.  They all look the same except for their bills and sometimes I forget which way they should turn. 

The Long-billed curlew is one I have always been able to identify as the bill, flight and sounds were common to me when growing up.  Here three migrating curlews are displaying during breeding season.

They show up in Madison County in April as they search the muddy fields and marshes for worms; their probbing bills searching the soft ground. 

By the first of June, those that have raise young here are teaching them to fly, eat and protect themselves.

A rather large bird, but usually a shy and ellusive one.