BY KAREN BOSSICK

This winter’s sparse snowfall and unseasonably warm temperatures has skiers sporting upside-down smiles. But they’ve pasted a big grin across the faces of birders.

Birders are seeing far more birds in the Wood River Valley this winter than last winter when the snow just wouldn’t let up—just think of the number of people who have already sighted robins.

Bohemian Waxwings are nibbling on chokecherry shrubs and mountain ash trees. Clark’s nutcrackers are using their dagger-like bills to rip into pine cones, stashing the seeds under their tongues. And red crossbills are serenading passers with their “kip kip” calls in downtown Ketchum.

See what else you can see when local birding enthusiast Poo Wright-Pulliam leads a Hailey Winter Bird Walk from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Lions Park in Hailey.

Wright-Pulliam will offer a mini-lesson on how to sight your binoculars, in addition to describing the birds who make the Wood River Valley their winter home. She also will show how to identify them.

The bird walk is the last of the Environmental Resource Center’s 2020 winter bird walks. Pre-registration is encouraged at 208-726-4333 or alisa@ercsv.org. Participants should bring water, snacks and warm clothes.

To get to Lions Park, turn west off Hailey’s Main Street onto Bullion Street. Just after it crosses the river turn left into Lions Park.