Great American Road Trip of 2025 - Part 4 - Great Gray Owl in Idaho

Turns out Idaho is just as gorgeous as Montana, if not more so. In another life I could be very into fishing but the birding bug hit hard instead. If I was into fishing, I can't think of a nicer spot to fly fish than the Lochsa River in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. I kept scanning for American Dippers when we would get out at a particularly nice viewpoint but was denied that lifer for the time being.

Lochsa River, Idaho

Our reason for stopping in Idaho was to see some family there. In the past our host had shared photos of her resident backyard Great Gray Owl, which is one of the most sought after birds in North America. I was optimistic we would see the bird but knew how difficult owls were to see in the best of times.

 

 The first morning I marched out and was rewarded with a once in a lifetime treat of a Great Gray Owl in front of me at close range. I called a couple other family members and got to see the owl with them, it made for an incredible experience. Here are some photos of the incredible owl.

Incredibly Regal

I also managed to see some Red Crossbills, I imagine a staple of the area. 

Being able to spend some time in this Spruce Bog habitat was a lovely experience.

My dogs enjoying the open space