As you travel along the Payette River Scenic Byway you will be mesmerized by its mountain views and the rolling rapids of the Payette River. The byway offers excellent wildlife and bird viewing. Follow the river through the Boise and Payette National Forests and catch a glance of the areas' birds. Hembrey Creek Wetlands provides a habitat for many types of migratory birds and waterfowl. Each year, ospreys nest on transmission towers in the wetlands.
When you enter the Payette National Forest make sure you look for Red-tailed Hawks circling over rocky peaks or Red-crested Pileated Woodpeckers in old growth forests. With glossy black bodies and red heads and beards, Merriams Turkeys are native to the southwest but you have the chance to see it here in Idaho in the forest. Pull out your binoculars and watch carefully to see Boreal Owls, which are no more than 8 inches high.
On the other hand, if you miss the Boreal Owls in Payette National Forest, don't be discouraged. Boise National Forest will thrill any birdwatcher who passes through its borders. Boise Ridge lays along a migration route for Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, Red-Tailed Hawks, American Kestrel, and other raptors. Here, you’ll see Western Screech Owls, Pileated Woodpeckers, Western Tanagers, Broad-Tailed Hummingbirds, Canada Geese, or California Quail. The forest is teeming with a variety of bird life.
The Payette River Scenic Byway promises you many adventures and skies full of raptors, waterfowl and much more. Don't be shy in entering the Payette and Boise National Forests; they offer some of the best birding along the byway. Hembrey Creek Wetlands is also a great place to pull out your binoculars and scope. So come and be mesmerized on your drive along the Payette River Scenic Byway.
