Rare Bird Report 5-A-08

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Whooping Swan

HOW MANY: 1 adult

REPORTER: Seren Askew (IDFG) Idaho Fish and Game Region 4 324 S. 417 E. Jerome ID, 83338

OTHER OBSERVERS: Justin Barrett (Idaho Fish and Game)informed me of the bird. Jeff Stephenson (U of I lab in Hagerman) with me during observation, took some photos

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 2/17/09 DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 2/4/09

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Owsley Bridge, Hagerman Idaho WGS84 42.76337/114.89694

HABITAT: Snake River/ water

CONDITIONS: Half hour of observation in the morning. Weather: sunny, no wind. Distance to bird: 300 meters. Nikon binoculars and Nikon D40 camera w/ 70-300mm zoom lense.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, during the observation

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, during the observation

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: Peterson's "Western Birds" Roger Tory Peterson

DESCRIPTION: Anatidae

BEHAVIOR: Mostly feeding, one flight then landed agian in same area

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? The yellow beak with black tip, lack of knob on the beak so not a mute

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? Trumpeter, Tundra, and Mute were present

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): Swan counts for Idaho Fish and Game

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: Intermidiate

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo