consulting the oracle....eBird map showing accepted observations.....

https://ebird.org/map/lesgol?bmo=1&emo=12&byr=1900&eyr=2020&env.minX=-117.032&env.minY=43.113&env.maxX=-115.974&env.maxY=43.883&gp=true

Larry

From: "Denise Hughes" <deniseh449@...>
To: "IBLE" <IBLE@groups.io>
Sent: Sunday, August 2, 2020 3:13:53 PM
Subject: Re: [IBLE] Lesser Goldfinch

If I remember correctly that neighborhood was on Teresa Drive. It’s just west of the Warm Springs and Hwy 21 intersection.  That’s where I saw my first lesser goldfinch.  Since then they can be found as far west as Caldwell. I’m not sure if they have been seen west of here. 



When I first joined IBLE (lo, these many years ago), I went birding with RL and he directed me to a small neighborhood out Warm Springs, near where Idaho 21 now crosses the Boise River. We went there to see the Lesser Goldfinches that--apparently-- could be found nowhere else in the Treasure Valley.

Within a few years, I started seeing Lesser Goldfinches at my feeders in the North End. Now, I see and hear them all along the Boise River, at least to Eagle Road. (Going to Eagle Road is a LONG bike ride for me, and I have rarely ventured beyond it.)

Long story short—I think they have been expanding their range in the valley for some time. If I were you I would greet them warmly, maybe put out an extra sock feeder (they love nyger thistle), and sit back and enjoy. Their year round yellow is a delight on a dreary winter day.

Tom McCabe, Boise  

 

From: IBLE@groups.io [mailto:IBLE@groups.io] On Behalf Of rbird1286 via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2020 2:12 PM
To: IBLE@groups.io
Subject: [IBLE] Lesser Goldfinch

 

This morning I saw a lesser goldfinch in my neighbors front yard in North Meridian.  Never having seen one in 25 years of living in Idaho I was wondering if his was unusual or not?

We have a couple of yards that have sunflowers in them, but I grew sunflowers at my other home in Meridian and never saw them...would just get American Goldfinches.

Ruthann Greene