One of the Top Ten Days of the Year

Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

Today was a truly glorious day. Sunny and 68 degrees with no wind.  We traveled across the northern section of Idaho from Coeur d'Alene to Sand Point and then East into Montana. Our major stop was at Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. I have never been here but I am definitely coming back sometime in the spring. The refuge is about five miles west of Sandpoint, ID on the Kootenai River. There are three habitats on this refuge which is what makes it such a potential for a wide variety of birds come breeding season. There is the river with its riparian habitat, and the flooded areas in the fields provide marsh habitat while the surrounding mountains give mountain forests for yet another habitat. We first walked some trails for about an hour and then drove the five mile loop road through the heart of the refuge.

Cedar Waxwing on Elderberries

42 Canada Goose, Hwy 93 Idaho

43 Cinnamon Teal, Hwy 93 Idaho

44 Northern Pintail, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

45 Hooded Merganser, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

46 Common Merganser, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

47 Ruddy Duck, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

48 Common Loon, Loon Lake along Rt 2 in Montana

49 Pied-billed Grebe, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

50 Bald Eagle, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

51 Northern Harrier, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

52 Sharp-shinned Hawk, Rt 2 Montana

53 Golden Eagle, on a deer carcass on Rt 2 Montana

54 American Coot, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

55 Sandhill Crane, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

56 Caspian Tern, On the Columbia River near Boardman, Oregon, I forgot this on the list yesterday

57 Belted Kingfisher, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

58 Downy Woodpecker, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

59 Northern Flicker, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

60 White-crowned Sparrow, Warbler Woods, near Houston Texas

61 Eastern Kingbird, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

62 Violet Green Swallow, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

63 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

64 Black-capped Chickadee, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

65 Swainson's Thrush, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

66 Common Yellowthroat, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

67 Song Sparrow, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

68 Savannah Sparrow, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

69 American Goldfinch, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

Beautiful dark Red-tailed Hawk