Field Notes 

Compiled by Jon Isacoff

August 28, 2025

One of the coolest summers of recent decades is winding down and migration is in full force. Shorebirds have been migrating through the region since early July and songbirds are now joining them. Early September is the peak time for rare Eastern passerine migrants to pass through. This is the time of year when we see alpine and other specialized birds out of habitat looking for food as they migrate South. Look for mixed flocks of different species flitting in trees and bushes and you never know what you might find! Often these flocks will temporarily hook up with chickadees and nuthatches for security. Hopefully by the time this goes to press some additional neat rare sightings will already have happened! Especially rare sightings are in all caps.

Sandhill Crane: Moose Creek Reservoir (8/7-GL); Sheep Lake (8/20-RB)

Willet: Cataldo (7/31-eBird)

Marbled Godwit: Sandpoint (7/27-RDC)

Clark’s Grebe: Medimont (8/12-eBird)

Boreal Owl: Watch Lake (7/26-eBird)

Lewis’s Woodpecker: Heyburn SP (6/14-LPM); Little Spokane NA (8/1-eBird); Calispell Lake (8/6-AS); Moose Creek Reservoir (8/7-GL); Laird Park (8/25-eBird); Kamiak Butte (8/28-AS)

Black-backed Woodpecker: Odessa (6/10-eBird); Bonner’s Ferry (7/31-RDC)

American Three-toed Woodpecker: Colville National Forest (8/14-GL); Mt. Spokane SP (8/14-JI)

Prairie Falcon: Moose Creek Reservoir (8/7-GL)

Blue Jay: Bonner’s Ferry (8/11-eBird)

White-winged Crossbill: Coeur D’Alene (7/19-eBird)

Clay-colored Sparrow: Monster Farm (6/27-MW)

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: Wawawai Count Park (8/23-AS)

Observers: RB-R.J. Baltierra; BB-Ben Bright; BD-Brenda Day; MC-Marlene Cashen; FC-Forest Corcoran; RC-River Corcoran; JC-Justin Cottrell; RDC-Rich Del Carlo; KD-Kas Dumroese; TD-Tim Durnell; SE-Shannon Ehlers; JE-Jacob Elonen; SF-Shaina French; MC-Micah Grove; BH-Bea Harrison; CH-Cameron Heusser; JI-Jon Isacoff; SJ-Steve Joyce; BK-Bob Kemp; DK-Dave Koehler; GL-Greg Lambeth; CL-Casey Lowder; LPM-Larry and Patty March; AM-Alan McCoy; CM-Curtis Mahon; WM-Will Merg; JM-Jody Morehouse; TO-Tim O’Brien; JP-Jared Peck; JR-Jethro Runco; SS-Sandy Schreven; AS-Alex Sowers; CS-Charles Swift; AT-Andrew Thomas; DW-Doug Ward; MW-Michael Woodruff; RW-Roger Woodruff