Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Texas Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Sunday, September 7 at 10:10 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Marbled Murrelet,©Shawneen Finnegan

7 Sep Reeve in Willacy County [Sheridan Coffey ] 8 Sep Jefferson County birds and behavior question [steve mayes ] 7 Sep Re: Documentation for Fall Ebird-reported White-rumped Sandpiper Record [Brush Freeman ] 7 Sep Smith Point Hawk Watch - September 7, 2008 [Bill Saulmon ] 7 Sep Orange-throated Ruby-throated Hummingbird [Patricia Wight ] 7 Sep Re: Documentation for Fall Ebird-reported White-rumped Sandpipers [John Berner ] 7 Sep Documentation for Fall Ebird-reported White-rumped Sandpiper Record [John Berner ] 7 Sep Frontera Audubon survey Results [Wayne Bartholomew ] 7 Sep Good birding northwest of Lubbock today [Anthony Flyd ] 7 Sep white-faced cardinal photos [Theresa Bayoud ] 7 Sep Crested Caracara near Marfa yesterday. [Brady Surber ] 7 Sep Uvalde Cook's Slough Ani ["[Bob Rasa]" ] 7 Sep Granger Lake (9.7.08) Shorebirds and Mourning Warblers [Tim Fennell ] 7 Sep Re: Diurnal Screech Owl?? [KEITH ARNOLD ] 7 Sep Banding at the Land of Ortego-Zalk [Brent Ortego ] 7 Sep Identification of possible Lark Bunting [jipseez ] 7 Sep Swifts Over Houston 9/2-5/08 [Pam Smolen ] 7 Sep Banding at the Fork of the Rivers [Brent Ortego ] 7 Sep Corpus Christi, TX Hawk Watch (06 Sep) 70 raptors [Patty Waits Beasley ] 7 Sep Quintana, Sun. a.m. [JOHN ARVlN ] 7 Sep Birding in the Navasota Bottoms- 9/1 & 9/6 [Darrell Vollert ] 7 Sep South Padre Island pelagic results 6 Sep 08 ["bradmckinney AT juno.com" ] 6 Sep Re: Diurnal Screech Owl?? [Ted Drozdowski ] 6 Sep Re: Photos of the Lesser Magnificent Frigatebird - Please confirm [Bill Duke ] 6 Sep Quintana/Bryan's/Follet's [Jack Coker ] 6 Sep Photos of the Lesser Magnificent Frigatebird - Please confirm [Bill Duke ] 6 Sep banding hummingbirds--Kingsland--Llano county [David Bryant ] 6 Sep Birding Trivia [Mark Cranford ] 6 Sep Pictures from Quintana to Texas City Wednesday [Joseph Kennedy ] 6 Sep Calliope Hummingbird in Lubbock Today [Anthony Flyd ] 6 Sep Re: Banding at GCBO 9-6 [Cecilia Riley ] 6 Sep Richland Creek WMA, Sept 6, 2008 ["Barnes, Peter" ] 6 Sep Hummer/Bird Celebration in Rockport [Bron Rorex ] 6 Sep Frontera Audubon Thicket, 9/6/08 [Daniel Jones ] 6 Sep Banding at GCBO 9-6 [JOHN ARVlN ] 6 Sep Re: Diurnal Screech Owl?? [Robert White ] 6 Sep 9-6-08 Mourning Warbler @ Warbler Woods [Susan Schaezler ] 6 Sep Re: Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston [Rex Stanford ] 6 Sep Corpus Christi, TX Hawk Watch (05 Sep) 148 raptors [Patty Waits Beasley ] 6 Sep Smith Point Hawk Watch Yesterday [Joseph Kennedy ] 6 Sep Pearland Monks, Swifts, Purple Martin [Miranne Merritt-Pellerin ] 6 Sep Re: Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston [KEITH ARNOLD ] 6 Sep Bastrop Co. Wood Storks [Philip Rostron ] 6 Sep Diurnal Screech Owl?? [Mary Beth Stowe ] 6 Sep turkey vultures [Lee ] 6 Sep Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston [Joseph Kennedy ] 6 Sep Re: Birding at Granger Lake [Don Richardson ] 5 Sep Birding at Granger Lake [jipseez ] 6 Sep Smith Point images [Wayne Nicholas ] 5 Sep Pink-billed, One-eyed, Odd-Vented Frigatebird and How To Find It [Ron Weeks ] 5 Sep Re: Heard Museum Bird Banding Report 9/5/2008 [Linda Francis ] 5 Sep Aberrant chickadee? (white supercilium) in Ellis County [Ted Drozdowski ] Subject: Reeve in Willacy County From: Sheridan Coffey <sngcanary AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 20:08:03 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Dear all, This morning Martin got a call from Eric Carpenter advising him that Eric and Randy Pinkston had re-found the Reeve at the Jabiru spot in Willacy County. Martin and I were at Frontera Audubon at the time and I didn't have the patience to text message to Texbirds. (Sorry about that) Martin and I stopped there on our way home at about 4PM and the Reeve was just where Eric had seen it earlier. Its in the field on the corner of Hwys 490 and 1425. The bird was about half way down the field close enough to see with binoculars, which was good, as we didn't have our scope. Martin will be posting photos later. This field is still packed with shorebirds. In fact the habitat is even better, as there is more mud, which produced more diversity of species. The field next to it was just as packed! Sheridan Coffey and Martin Reid San Antonio For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Jefferson County birds and behavior question From: steve mayes <sgmayes AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2008 02:59:28 +0000 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- TEXBirders, There has been some decent birding in the Jefferson County hotspots as of late. On Saturday I had eleven species of warbler and other migrants at Sabine Woods. Highlights among those included a Prairie Warbler, two Mourning Warblers and only the second fall Swainson's Warbler that I have ever seen there. The last one was almost ten years ago on 9/19/98. Flycatchers (Pewees, Empids and Great Cressted) were numerous along with a smattering of other migrants including Red-eyed Vireo, Baltimore Oriole and Chuck-will's-widow. Be warned, the bugs were pretty fierce so, if you go, come armed with the insect repellant of your choice. Pleasure Island (UTC #22) is holding some birds as well. The area on the left as you come off the bridge when coming onto the island has shorebirds and other wading birds. Lots of peeps, Short-billed Dowitchers and Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers. There were also good numbers of Black Skimmers (adults and immatures) and a total of four Reddish Egrets (a good number for Jefferson County), all young birds. A lone Buff-breasted Sandpiper looked out of place on the mud flats. I witnessed a behavior at Sabine Woods a couple of weeks ago that I have not seen before and would like your opinions on. My friend John Haynes had described seeing it to me previously but this was my first time to see it myself. A Kentucky Warbler and a Hooded Warbler seemed to be following an armadillo around as it scrambled through the underbrush in the woods and appeared to be catching invertebrates stirred up by the 'dillo. I watched this behavior for ~five minutes. I left that part of the woods to scout other areas and when I came back (~30 minutes later), the birds were still following the armadillo. John said that when he witnessed it, it was also with a Kentucky Warbler following an armadillo. Has anyone else ever seen this before? Is this behavior documented? I would appreciate any thoughts on the subject. Steve Mayes Port Arthur, TX _________________________________________________________________ Get more out of the Web. Learn 10 hidden secrets of Windows Live. http://windowslive.com/connect/post/jamiethomson.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!550F681DAD532637!5295.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_domore_092008 For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Documentation for Fall Ebird-reported White-rumped Sandpiper Record From: Brush Freeman <brushf AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 21:17:53 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Thanks John ET AL. All that I have requested WRSA details from for the purposes of Ebird have responded very graciously. Thank you so much. Please allow me to clarify that I/we am not TBRC nor pretend to be. IMHO such sightings of fall WRSAs should go to the TBRC for review as should a few other species...... I realize that likely won't happen though given that they are "just" non-review species. All I have queried have been extremely helpful as far as nailing down some WRSAs as valid Ebirds entries. I guess that is all that I can personally do and I don't know if even with that these details to Ebird. they will meet the "standard" required to make them "records" even with the excellent photos provided by Glenda. It is for someone higher up on the food chain to decide to archive these finds outside the realm of Ebird or Texbirds.....whoever that is if not the TBRC. I would always suggest first sending reports of similar non-review rarities to the TBRC and if not that at least to NAB (North American Birds)...But heck that is just me!. A couple of submissions to Ebird/Clearinghouse of fall WRSAs in Texas are from those now deceased, I left those to stand as is in that data and for others to contest if they choose to do so.. ...A final comment is that the Texas Bird Records Committee does not mean the Texas Rare Birds Committee as some seem to view it. If in doubt on any unusual find ...send it in. Brush Freeman For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Smith Point Hawk Watch - September 7, 2008 From: Bill Saulmon <DEAN1960 AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 22:03:41 EDT ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Texbirders: We enjoyed the pleasant weather today at the Smith Point Hawk Watch although more hawks would have been even better. Plenty of other migrant action kept things interesting for the crew and our visitors. Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbirds, Blue Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Dickcissels and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were plentiful along with the ever present flow of Swallows. Several species of Empid Flycatchers were flitting around the bushes by the tower. A flock of about 100 Anhingas and several groups of Magnificent Frigatebirds were also seen. Todays raptor list: Broad-winged Hawk - 15 Coopers Hawk - 3 Mississippi Kite - 22 Swallow-tailed Kite - 2 Kestrel - 2 Unidentified Falcon - 1 Northern Harrier - 1 Total Raptors - 46 Bill Saulmon Houston **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Orange-throated Ruby-throated Hummingbird From: Patricia Wight <TheQuails AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 21:16:54 EDT ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Re: Orange-throated Ruby-throated Hummingbird observed at the King Home Garden in Cypress, Texas Aug. 30 - Sept. 02 friends and fellow hummer enthusiasts, Jim and Pat King, had a male ruby-throated hummingbird with an unusual yellow-orange gorget coming to their feeders. Other experienced birders have confirmed it as a ruby-throated. No matter what angle the bird was seen from, the gorget appeared to be the same bright orange; I was able to stand about 3-4 feet from it and watched it for an hour. Photos available: _Click here: Hummer pictures from gardens photos on webshots_ (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/566484868QiDppB) Submitted by: Patricia Wight, West Houston, Texas 77095 **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Documentation for Fall Ebird-reported White-rumped Sandpipers From: John Berner <bernerjc AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 19:52:58 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Oops sorry for the double post! Texbirders: Brush has begun looking into the ebird observations. Below are links to photos documenting the 2006 fall white-rumped sandpiper record(s) in ebird (the only such report to ebird in 2006) Aug 5,12,18,26 2006 at Village Creek Drying Beds (Arlington)(PPW-W 083) (Tarant Co.) (2-5 birds) by Glenda Keilstrup Thanks to Glenda & Brush & Ted Eubanks (who originally reviewed these particular ebird observations(& created Texas ebird) John Berner W.Houston/Katy ************************************************************************* It is Ok John if you want to forward to Texbirds as Glenda is fine with that. Brush Freeman > [Original Message] From: Brush Freeman To: tx-ornithology Cc: (various other personal e-mails removed) Date: 9/7/2008 2:30:48 PM Subject: Fall White-rumped Sandpiper pictures posted Glenda Keilstrup was kind enough to provide these wonderful images of a rare sight in Texas, a fall White-rumped Sandpiper. From what we can figure these were taken on Aug. 5, 2006, up to 5 of birds remained for almost 3 weeks at Village Creek Drying basin. Since so few of us have seen WRSA's in Texas at all, I am wondering what your thoughts are on the age of this bird. Am I correct in thinking that this is an adult sliding off into basic? Aug. 5 seems early to be so far down that road but I don't have a handle on these fall birds. Here are two links Glenda was kind enough to share. Thanks Glenda for this rare documentation of a rare fall species. Brush Freeman For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Documentation for Fall Ebird-reported White-rumped Sandpiper Record From: John Berner <bernerjc AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 19:38:39 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Texbirders: Brush has begun looking into the ebird observations. Below are links to photos documenting the 2006 fall white-rumped sandpiper record(s) in ebird (the only such report to ebird in 2006) Aug 5,12,18,26 2006 at Village Creek Drying Beds (Arlington)(PPW-W 083) (Tarant Co.) (2-5 birds) by Glenda Keilstrup Thanks Glenda & Brush! John Berner W.Houston/Katy ************************************************************************* It is Ok John if you want to forward to Texbirds as Glenda is fine with that. Brush Freeman > [Original Message] From: Brush Freeman To: tx-ornithology Cc: (various other personal e-mails removed) Date: 9/7/2008 2:30:48 PM Subject: Fall White-rumped Sandpiper pictures posted Glenda Keilstrup was kind enough to provide these wonderful images of a rare sight in Texas, a fall White-rumped Sandpiper. From what we can figure these were taken on Aug. 5, 2006, up to 5 of birds remained for almost 3 weeks at Village Creek Drying basin. Since so few of us have seen WRSA's in Texas at all, I am wondering what your thoughts are on the age of this bird. Am I correct in thinking that this is an adult sliding off into basic? Aug. 5 seems early to be so far down that road but I don't have a handle on these fall birds. Here are two links Glenda was kind enough to share. http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL98/734416/20495150/333562417.jpg http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL98/734416/20495150/333562419.jpg Thanks Glenda for this rare documentation of a rare fall species. Brush Freeman For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Frontera Audubon survey Results From: Wayne Bartholomew <fronteraaudubon AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 17:39:06 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Location: Frontera Audubon Center Observation dates: 9/6 & 9/7/08 Number of species: 48 Complied by Dan Jones & Wayne Bartholomew Results of both days recordings combined to produce the following list: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Plain Chachalaca 15 Green Heron 2 Harris's Hawk 1 Gray Hawk 1 Killdeer 1 White-winged Dove 825 Mourning Dove 1 Inca Dove 5 White-tipped Dove 7 Groove-billed Ani 1 Chimney Swift 4 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 8 Archilochus sp. 2 Selasphorus sp. 1 Belted Kingfisher 2 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Empidonax sp. 5 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Brown-crested Flycatcher 3 Great Kiskadee 4 Couch's Kingbird 1 White-eyed Vireo 3 Bell's Vireo 1 Blue-headed Vireo - 1 Warbling Vireo - 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 7 Barn Swallow 1 Black-crested Titmouse 5 Carolina Wren 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 Long-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 2 Yellow Warbler 8 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 2 Yellow-breasted Chat 2 Summer Tanager 1 Olive Sparrow 3 Northern Cardinal 2 Great-tailed Grackle 3 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Altamira Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 6 Note: Prothonotary Warbler & Painted Bunting reported by visitor's Wayne Bartholomew Executive Director Frontera Audubon Society Weslaco, Texas (956) 968-3275 ofc. (956) 975-8514 cell (956) 968-1388 fax For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Good birding northwest of Lubbock today From: Anthony Flyd <terrverts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 16:50:40 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Greetings All: I spent the day chasing butterflies and birds across Hockley, Lamb, and Lubbock Counties. Highlights from Hockley County: 8 White-faced Ibises, 6 Greater Yellowlegs, 8 Lesser Yellowlegs, 4 Baird's Sandpipers, 7 Western Sandpipers, 12 Least Sandpipers, 19 Stilt Sandpipers, and 16 Wilson's Phalaropes near the rest area north of Levelland; 1 Osprey (FOS) near the intersection of FM 384 and CR 1294; 1 Sage Thrasher (FOS) near Opdyke west; 1 Northern Waterthrush (FOS), 1 Wilson's Warbler, and 2 Chipping Sparrows at the rest area north of Levelland. Highlights from Lamb County: 2 Ferruginous Hawks (FOS) just south of Springlake; 7 Greater Yellowlegs, 8 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 WILLETS (FOS), 2 Baird's Sandpipers, 4 Western Sandpipers, 2 Least Sandpipers, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 14 Stilt Sandpipers, and 2 Wilson's Phalaropes at the intersection of FM 385 and CR 242; 1 male Calliope Hummingbird, 1 Western Wood Pewee, and 1 Least Flycatcher at the intersection of CR 1843 and CR 135; 1 Western Wood Pewee at the intersection of FM 385 and CR 335; 2 Willow Flycatchers, 3 Least Flycatchers, 1 Cordilleran Flycatcher, 1 GRAY FLYCATCHER (FOS), 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER (FOS), 2 Yellow Warblers, 1 Wilson's Warbler, and 1 male Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Lamb County Sandhills Historical Marker. Lubbock County Highlights: 14 Double-crested Cormorants and 8 Snowy Egrets at Maxey Park; 2 American Wigeons (FOS), 1 Solitary Sandpiper, 2 Baird's Sandpipers, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, 18 Cedar Waxwings (FOS), 1 Orange-crowned Warbler, 8 Yellow Warblers, and 1 male SCARLET TANAGER (FOS) at Clapp Park. Things are really starting to kick. Some good stalling by any of the number of storms allegedly heading our way and things could get very interesting this fall. Anthony Hewetson; Lubbock For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: white-faced cardinal photos From: Theresa Bayoud <blubayou2001 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 14:08:32 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- I took these today at Pedernales State Park birdblind. Is this unusual? http://www.pbase.com/blubayou/white-faced_cardinal Theresa Bayoud Austin, Texas For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Crested Caracara near Marfa yesterday. From: Brady Surber <supersurber AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 15:45:19 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi all, While on a field trip south of Marfa yesterday we encountered a Crested Caracara. I know this isn't the first Trans-Pecos record but I certainly wasn't expecting to see one out here. The bird was about 21 miles south of Marfa on 169. Good birdin, Brady Surber Alpine, TX _________________________________________________________________ Want to do more with Windows Live? Learn “10 hidden secrets” from Jamie. http://windowslive.com/connect/post/jamiethomson.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!550F681DAD532637!5295.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_domore_092008 For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Uvalde Cook's Slough Ani From: "[Bob Rasa]" <bobolink AT STX.RR.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 15:31:34 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- The San Antonio Club is visiting Uvalde next Sunday and I decided to scout a bit...I walked for hour around the wetlands before finally a Groove-billed Ani whined at me. I got some upclose pictures...they take a while to be created on my web page. In the same tree with the Ani was a Great Kiskadee. Common Ground Doves were both vocal and flying all around me today. I will go out Wednesday and Saturday and scout some more. Very nice out there today...I hope IKE goes to South America :) http://www.pbase.com/bobsnature/image/102804687 Groove-billed Ani Bob Rasa Uvalde County Cook's Slough For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Granger Lake (9.7.08) Shorebirds and Mourning Warblers From: Tim Fennell <tfennell AT FLASH.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 13:32:13 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Texbirders, Today (9/7/08), I spent from 7:00 am- 12:30 pm birding the Granger Lake area of eastern Williamson Co. (~ 30 miles NE of Austin). Highlights included 14 Roseate Spoonbills, 16 shorebird species (including a Sanderling and Buff-breasted Sandpipers), and 17+ Mourning Warblers, the most I’ve ever had in a single day. Most of the shorebirds were at the mouth of the San Gabriel River in San Gabriel WMA. The Mourning Warblers were in stands of Giant Ragweed. The list and some details follow. Maps and directions to most of the locations in the species list can be found at Bert Frenz’s excellent web site on the area at http://www.bafrenz.com/birds/Granger.htm Cheers, Tim Fennell tfennell AT flash.net Travis Audubon Society Round Rock, TX (15 miles north of Austin) 9/7/08; 62-84 F, pc, calm to light breeze; 70 species SG= San Gabriel WMA WCP= Willis Creek Park F= Friendship Park HO= heard only Blue-winged Teal 22 SG Northern Shoveler 6 SG Northern Pintail 3 SG cormorant sp. 1 Great Blue Heron 12 Great Egret 10 Snowy Egret 6 Cattle Egret 30+ Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 immature WCP Roseate Spoonbill 14 WCP Black Vulture 5+ Turkey Vulture 50+ Osprey 1 WCP Red-shouldered Hawk 1 HO SG Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 1 Semipalmated Plover 1 SG Killdeer 50+ Spotted Sandpiper 3 SG, WCP Greater Yellowlegs 1 SG Lesser Yellowlegs 4 SG Upland Sandpiper 14 Long-billed Curlew 1 juvenile SG Sanderling 1 juvenile Granger Dam Semipalmated Sandpiper 6 SG Western Sandpiper 15 SG Least Sandpiper 50+ Peep species 250+ Baird's Sandpiper 2 SG Pectoral Sandpiper 20+ SG Stilt Sandpiper 8 mostly juveniles SG Buff-breasted Sandpiper 4 SG Wilson's Phalarope 1 SG Sterna sp. 4 Eurasian Collared-Dove 2 White-winged Dove 1 SG Mourning Dove 30+ Inca Dove 1 Common Nighthawk 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 SG Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2 SG, WCP Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 WCP Empidonax sp. 2 SG Eastern Phoebe 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 15+ Loggerhead Shrike 3 White-eyed Vireo 8+ Blue Jay 4 American Crow 1 Cliff Swallow 20+ Cave Swallow 5+ Barn Swallow 1 Carolina Chickadee 10+ Tufted Titmouse 1 apparently pure bird by plumage SG Tufted x Black-crested Titmouse (hybrid) 1 SG Carolina Wren 6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8+ Eastern Bluebird 9 Northern Mockingbird 12 Nashville Warbler 1 SG Yellow Warbler 30+ Black-and-white Warbler 1 WCP Mourning Warbler 17+ ; 14+ SG (with 2 adult males, 2 HO and the rest females and immatures); 3 WCP (all females and immatures) Wilson's Warbler 8; 6 SG, 2 WCP Lark Sparrow 12+ Northern Cardinal 10+ Indigo Bunting 1 SG Dickcissel 5+ Red-winged Blackbird 30 Baltimore Oriole 6; 3 SG (1 adult male); 3 F (1 adult male) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Diurnal Screech Owl?? From: KEITH ARNOLD <kbarnold2 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 14:42:10 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Ted, and others, I have had Eastern Screech-Owls [the only screech-owl we have in this area] in a nearby park calling during daylight hours; it is almost always associated with fledged young. Keith Arnold Bryan [Brazos county] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ted Drozdowski" To: Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 11:20 PM Subject: Re: [TEXBIRDS] Diurnal Screech Owl?? ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hello, Last January, several of us heard an Eastern Screech-Owl calling in the late morning at Granger Lake during the Granger Lake CBC. What surprised me was not that the screech owl was calling, but the reaction from one of the birders who was impressed that the owl was calling in broad daylight. (This birder is very experienced.) I told this birder that I have heard screech owls call during daylight hours many times back in southeastern PA. (Penn's woods are loaded with Eastern Screech Owls. Christmas Count circles in SE PA often tally 50 or more screech owls, sometimes approaching 100 screech owls in some of the better circles.) This person expressed mild astonishment that I claimed to have heard them "many times" during daylight hours. Now I'm not saying this is a common occurence, but to me it is not extraordinary either, at least not back in SE PA. Of course there are many differences too numerous to mention here, between the dark, damp, mature hardwood forests back in Pennsylvania, and the habitat for screech owls here in Texas. Population densities of screech owls probably play a role as well, along with time of year and other factors. One morning I remember fondly, my friend John McNamara and I were participating in the NAMC, (North American Migration Count). In 3 hours before dawn we called in almost 20 screech owls. But as the morning wore on and the dawn chorus slowly subsided, screech owls continued calling (now unprovoked) throughout the remainder of the morning at nearly every place we stopped to listen. It got to a point where John would just crack a smile everytime one started up. Something was in the air that morning in Penn's Woods and only those owls knew what it was. Ted Drozdowski Midlothian, Ellis County (who does not yet have an Eastern Screech-Owl in Ellis County. . . . .been here two years!) --- On Sat, 9/6/08, Mary Beth Stowe wrote: From: Mary Beth Stowe Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Diurnal Screech Owl?? To: TEXBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UH.EDU Date: Saturday, September 6, 2008, 2:09 PM ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi, all! I was taking my exercise walk around the property this morning when at about 8:15 (about an hour after sunrise here) I heard what sounded like a trilling Screech Owl, a slower cadence than what I would expect from a Lesser Nighthawk. Has anyone else ever heard an Eastern Screech calling after sunrise, or was it just something in my cereal?? ;-) Thanks! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Banding at the Land of Ortego-Zalk From: Brent Ortego <brentortego AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 13:22:26 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- I netted this morning at my banding station near Raisin, TX. I caught 15 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 67 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Rufous Hummingbird 5 Traill's Flycatcher 6 White-eyed Vireo 1 Warbling Vireo 2 Carolina Chickadee 3 Tufted Titmouse 3 Wilson's Warbler 2 Yellow-breasted Chat 9 N. Cardinal Brent Ortego Come join us enjoy the Hummer/Bird Celbration in Rockport _________________________________________________________________ See how Windows Mobile brings your life together—at home, work, or on the go. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093182mrt/direct/01/ For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Identification of possible Lark Bunting From: jipseez <jipseez AT MAC.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 11:59:06 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi Birders, If anyone has time, I would like some help in identifying this bird which came to my feeding area with House Sparrows. Please go to www.pbase.com/carolbrenda/larkbunting? Leave a message there or reply to me off-line. Thanks for the help...would this be a little unusual? Carol Ferguson Sunshine RV Park Leander, TX For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Swifts Over Houston 9/2-5/08 From: Pam Smolen <pjsmolen AT ATT.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 18:11:02 +0000 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Swifts were still present in Houston this past week. We counted 520 swifts at Whole Foods on Tuesday night, 9/2. I went to Wharton Elementary School on West Gray on Wednesday night, 9/3, and counted 350 swifts. On Friday night I checked the AT&T building in Pasadena near the high school and 225. This building has a nice ventilation stack, but no swifts! The swifts may be discouraged by a bright light right next to the stack. The site also has some loud equipment continuously running. We will be counting swifts at the Whole Foods parking lot at 7:25 pm on Tuesday, 9/7. We expect another week of high numbers, since this is the peak of migration. We may be surprised with low numbers, based on reports of early departures of swifts. Pam Smolen Houston For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Banding at the Fork of the Rivers From: Brent Ortego <brentortego AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 12:55:38 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- During the 80's I worked out of Jasper and spent lots of time at the junction of the Angelina and Neches rivers. This fork was almost mythical in its quality for wildlife with oldgrowth forests and bald cypress swamps. Since 1995 I have beeen working at the fork of two other rivers; the Guadalupe and San Antonio. This is an extremely productive site with large floodplains, abundant wetlands and quality upland habitats. We use the ranches near McFaddin as our hub for the Guadalupe Delta - McFaddin Family Ranches CBC. I netted there Saturday morning and caught: 2 Chuck-will's-widow 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 23 Traill's Flycatcher 1 Least Flycatcher 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 4 E. Kingbird 8 White-eyed Vireo 1 Carolina Wren 1 Carolina Chickadee 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9 Yellow Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Prothonotary Warbler 9 N. Waterthrush 5 Mourning Warbler 9 Com. Yellowthroat 1 Wilson's Warbler 2 Yellow-breasted Chat 7 N. Cardinal 2 Painted Bunting Brent Ortego near Raisin, TX _________________________________________________________________ See how Windows connects the people, information, and fun that are part of your life. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093175mrt/direct/01/ For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Corpus Christi, TX Hawk Watch (06 Sep) 70 raptors From: Patty Waits Beasley <patty AT CCBIRDING.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 10:40:18 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Greetings, all! 09/06/08 Turkey Vultures = 1 Ospreys = 7 Mississippi Kites = 17 Broad-winged Hawks = 41 Red-tailed Hawks = 2 Unknown Raptors = 2 Total = 70 A pleasant day with nice clouds - but not too many Raptors going through. Our best Osprey day so far, and we counted our first TV of the Season. Other highlights included an excellent look at our local Zone-tailed Hawk, and a migrating Red-tailed Hawk (immie) that gave us a couple of point-blank looks. Awesome! A point of interest that I have been meaning to mention; for the past few weeks we have had an immie Broad-winged Hawk acting very local. This Broad-winged has provided escort-service for numerous migrating Broad-winged Hawks. Adding to the intrigue is an adult Broad-winged Hawk that has been acting local for the past 10 days or so as well. These 2 Birds have been seen together several times, and appear to be quite friendly. During my first 4 Seasons at Hazel, I do not recall any Broad-winged Hawk hanging around for more than 3 to 5 days. We will see what happens. Non-Raptor highlights included Groove-billed Ani, Great-crested Flycatcher, Wilson's Warbler, and Long-billed Thrasher. Also an awesome Roseate Spoonbill that wowed us as it circled around in a perfect viewing sky - a very pretty sight indeed. Hazel Rocks... Dane ---------------------------------- Thanks, Dane! Got some more photos from the hill from Lynn Guerra and his quick snapping camera! Links to the photos are on the web site daily report (www.ccbirding.com/thw/2008/09-sep.html). Thanks, Lynn!! Cheers, Patty Waits Beasley Corpus Christi, TX Season totals to date: 0...........Black vulture 1...........Turkey vulture 15..........Osprey 340.........Swallow-tailed kite 4...........White-tailed kite 20132.......Mississippi kite 0...........Hook-billed kite 0...........Bald eagle 3...........Northern harrier 1...........Sharp-shinned hawk 14..........Cooper's hawk 0...........Northern goshawk 5...........Red-shouldered hawk 392.........Broad-winged hawk 12..........Swainson's hawk 3...........Red-tailed hawk 0...........Ferruginous hawk 5...........White-tailed hawk 1...........Short-tailed hawk 7...........Zone-tailed hawk 1...........Harris's hawk 0...........Rough-legged hawk 0...........Common black hawk 0...........Golden eagle 14..........American kestrel 3...........Merlin 11..........Peregrine falcon 1...........Prairie falcon 0...........Aplomado falcon 0...........Crested caracara 2...........Unknown accipiters 11..........Unknown buteos 0...........Unknown falcons 0 ..........Unknown eagles 18..........Unknown raptors ------------------------ 20999.... Season total to 09/06 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Our 2008 HWI crew: Dane Ferrell, Libby Even, Leslie Parks, Joel Simon (Emeritus) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ All reports, including photographs and videos, are posted on our web site. Drop on by the Texas Hawk Watches web site at http://www.ccbirding.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Quintana, Sun. a.m. From: JOHN ARVlN <jarvin1 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 16:20:37 +0000 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- I made my rounds at the Neotropical Migrant Sanctuary and adjacent GCBO holdings this morning from 8:00 - 10:30. We have been under the influence of stalled high pressure which has given us cool mornings, warm, but low humidity days, and light offshore winds, arguably the most pleasant weather of the year, but rather devoid of migrating birds. This is changing. The humidity shot up this morning and a cluster of thunderstorms were visible off to the south. Late next week Hurricane Ike may be a factor in the equation. Migrants, while not abundant, are increasing. Especially noticeable was an influx of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. The Sanctuary alone held 20 or so and yesterday we were unable to band more than two at nearby GCBO. Orioles were numerous in shifting flocks and seemed about equally Orchard female plumaged birds and Baltimores of both sexes. A Traill's-type Empidonax and Red-eyed Vireo were present as was at least one Yellow Warbler. While mosquitos have been much reduced in most of the area, they remain a real nuisance at the Sanctuary and are not conducive to spending a great deal of time there to make sure you are seeing all birds present. The Xeriscape Park added nothing but a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Eastern Kingbirds were in moderate numbers (~25) along the Freeport Port Authority levee along with ~10 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. These were feeding on the fruits of "Toothache Trees" (Xanthoxylem sp.). One Eastern Wood-Pewee was flycatching. A flock of ~20 Brown-headed Cowbirds were feeding on the mowed lawn at the Quintana County Park. John Arvin Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Lake Jackson, Texas For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Birding in the Navasota Bottoms- 9/1 & 9/6 From: Darrell Vollert <dvollert1967 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 08:00:08 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hello TexBirders, On the mornings of the 1st and 2nd I birded a privately-owned tract of bottomland forest near the Peach Creek community in southern Brazos County. It was toasty outdoors on the 1st, but very pleasant on the 6th. The temperature was 65 degrees when I started birding on Saturday morning. The empidonax flycatchers, Wilson's Warblers, Mourning Warbler, and Indigo Buntings that I observed on Saturday were foraging in ragweed. Below is the complete bird list for both dates with the Sept. 1st sightings listed first. Wood Duck- 20+, 15+ Anhinga- 1, 0 Great Blue Heron- 2, 1 Great Egret- 3, 2 Snowy Egret- 1, 1 Cattle Egret- 5, 6 Green Heron- 1, 0 Yellow-crowned Night Heron- 0, 1 White Ibis- 10, 7 Roseate Spoonbill- 1, 1 Black Vulture- 7, 8 Turkey Vulture- 3, 3 Red-shouldered Hawk- 0, 1 Killdeer- 0, 4 Upland Sandpiper- 0, 1 overhead Mourning Dove- 2, 1 Barred Owl- 2, 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird- 5, 6 Red-headed Woodpecker- 2 juveniles, 1 adult Red-bellied Woodpecker- 3, 3 Downy Woodpecker- 5, 6 Hairy Woodpecker- 1, 1 Pileated Woodpecker- 3, 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee- 0, 2 Least Flycatcher- 1, 2 Unidentified empidonax species- 1(Traill's), 2(1 Traill's) Eastern Phoebe- 1, 1 Great Crested Flycatcher- 2, 2 Eastern Kingbird- 0, 3 White-eyed Vireo- 15+, 12+ Yellow-throated Vireo- 3 singing, 3 singing Blue Jay- 0, 1 American Crow- 5, 6 Cave Swallow- 10+, 10+ Carolina Chickadee- 8, 9 Tufted Titmouse- 6, 7 White-breasted Nuthatch- 2, 3 Carolina Wren- 4, 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher- 20+, 25+ Eastern Bluebird- 0, 4 Northern Mockingbird- 0, 1 overhead Northern Parula- 5, 4 Black-and-white Warbler- 0, 1 female Swainson's Warbler- 1 observed singing, 0 Northern Waterthrush- 2, 1 Mourning Warbler- 0, 1 Wilson's Warbler- 0, 2 Yellow-breasted Chat- 2, 5 Summer Tanager- 0, 1 adult male singing softly Northern Cardinal- 10+, 12+ Indigo Bunting- 6, 8+ Dickcissel- 1, 2 overhead Baltimore Oriole- 0, 3 Best regards, Darrell Vollert Chappell Hill For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: South Padre Island pelagic results 6 Sep 08 From: "bradmckinney AT juno.com" <bradmckinney@JUNO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:26:20 GMT ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Good evening, Like the July pelagic, this South Padre Island pelagic went down to wire. With a forecast of mild seas just days after landfall of Hurricane Gustav in the northern Gulf, the pelagic crew left the dock with high hopes. At first light a distant Cory’s Shearwater was spotted just a mile or two from the jetties. Blue water was close in and flying fish were erupting in large numbers. Things were looking good. Although we saw coastal terns (Black, Royal, Sandwich, and Common) near a shrimp boat on the way out to the deepwater curve, it was not until well past noon that we got our first good looks at a shearwater, our only Audubon’s Shearwater of the trip. After returning to the relatively shallow waters of the continental shelf in early afternoon, things finally started to pick up. After close up views of a Bridled Tern at 1400, we made our way to three shrimp boats. The first two shrimp boats held more Royal, Sandwich, and Common Terns. After circling the last shrimp boat, a smallish jaeger was spotted bullying a Black Tern before wheeling falcon-like in pursuit of other nearby terns. The Long-tailed Jaeger allowed for close, extended views. Not satisfied with harassing birds its own size, the jaeger boldly dive-bombed a much larger Masked Booby. It was kind of like watching a feisty Chihuahua chasing a Great Dane. Shortly thereafter, we had close views of five Bridled Terns, which are rarely seen so close to shore (about 25 miles out). Just minutes before reaching the jetties, we had excellent looks at a Cory’s Shearwater of the Mediterranean race (Scolopi’s Shearwater), which shows more white in underwing than the Atlantic race. (Although both races occur in the western Gulf of Mexico, it is believed that Atlantic Cory’s is more common). The shearwater was a nice way to end the day. Thanks to Eric Carpenter who organized another great trip. Looking forward to the November 9 pelagic organized by the Rio Grande Birding Festival in Harlingen where there are still spaces available. Brad McKinney Rancho Viejo Seabird list for 6 Sep 08: Cory’s Shearwater (2) Audubon’s Shearwater (1) Unidentified Shearwater (2) Masked Booby (2) Long-tailed Jaeger (1) Bridled Tern (6) Maybe three passerines in deepwater, including Louisiana Waterthrush. For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Diurnal Screech Owl?? From: Ted Drozdowski <drozdovekie AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 21:20:50 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hello,            Last January, several of us heard an Eastern Screech-Owl calling in the late morning at Granger Lake during the Granger Lake CBC.  What surprised me was not that the screech owl was calling, but the reaction from one of the birders who was impressed that the owl was calling in broad daylight.  (This birder is very experienced.)  I told this birder that I have heard screech owls call during daylight hours many times back in southeastern PA.  (Penn's woods are loaded with Eastern Screech Owls.  Christmas Count circles in SE PA often tally 50 or more screech owls, sometimes approaching 100 screech owls in some of the better circles.) This person expressed mild astonishment that I claimed to have heard them "many times" during daylight hours.  Now I'm not saying this is a common occurence, but to me it is not extraordinary either, at least not back in SE PA.       Of course there are many differences too numerous to mention here, between the dark, damp, mature hardwood forests back in Pennsylvania, and the habitat for screech owls here in Texas.  Population densities of screech owls probably play a role as well, along with time of year and other factors.           One morning I remember fondly, my friend John McNamara and I were participating in the NAMC, (North American Migration Count).  In 3 hours before dawn we called in almost 20 screech owls.  But as the morning wore on and the dawn chorus slowly subsided, screech owls continued calling (now unprovoked) throughout the remainder of the morning at nearly every place we stopped to listen.  It got to a point where John would just crack a smile everytime one started up.  Something was in the air that morning in Penn's Woods and only those owls knew what it was.           Ted Drozdowski      Midlothian, Ellis County      (who does not yet have an Eastern Screech-Owl in Ellis County. . . . .been here two years!) --- On Sat, 9/6/08, Mary Beth Stowe wrote: From: Mary Beth Stowe Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Diurnal Screech Owl?? To: TEXBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UH.EDU Date: Saturday, September 6, 2008, 2:09 PM ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi, all! I was taking my exercise walk around the property this morning when at about 8:15 (about an hour after sunrise here) I heard what sounded like a trilling Screech Owl, a slower cadence than what I would expect from a Lesser Nighthawk. Has anyone else ever heard an Eastern Screech calling after sunrise, or was it just something in my cereal?? ;-) Thanks! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Photos of the Lesser Magnificent Frigatebird - Please confirm From: Bill Duke <photosbyduke AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:42:32 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Ok, I've been corrected in the spelling and the ID of the Magnificent Frigatebird. (Spell check changed it on me) In any case. Jim Stevenson has offered the correction and identification as a female. Hopefully someone will find and photograph and identify the correct one. Thanks Jim. Regards, Bill Duke, www.pbase.com/photosbyduke -----Original Message----- From: Birding discussion list for Texas [mailto:TEXBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UH.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill Duke Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 10:00 PM To: TEXBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UH.EDU Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Photos of the Lesser Magnificent Frigatebird - Please confirm ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- All, Today I took many photographs of Magnificent Frigate birds and think that perhaps one of them is the Lesser Magnificent that everyone has been talking about and looking for. The one I have has a ping tipped beak/bill where as all the other photos that I took of other Frigate birds was pale white with no discoloration on the beak/bill. I must admit that I'm no expert and am coming in rather late on the Frigate "party." So, please go to the link below and see if we have a consensus on what the bird I photographed is. I appreciate your review. Thanks. http://www.pbase.com/photosbyduke/frigatebird Bill Duke, www.pbase.com/photosbyduke For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Quintana/Bryan's/Follet's From: Jack Coker <lorellpeace AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:10:04 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Finally got to go birding and fishing. Please let me know if my id's are incorrect. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22016074 AT N02/sets/72157607149761474/ 1. Reddish Egret 2. Eastern Kingbird 3. Willet 4. Yellow crowned Night Heron 5. Wilson's Warbler 6. Black bellied Plover Jack Coker Sugar Land For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Photos of the Lesser Magnificent Frigatebird - Please confirm From: Bill Duke <photosbyduke AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 21:59:39 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- All, Today I took many photographs of Magnificent Frigate birds and think that perhaps one of them is the Lesser Magnificent that everyone has been talking about and looking for. The one I have has a ping tipped beak/bill where as all the other photos that I took of other Frigate birds was pale white with no discoloration on the beak/bill. I must admit that I'm no expert and am coming in rather late on the Frigate "party." So, please go to the link below and see if we have a consensus on what the bird I photographed is. I appreciate your review. Thanks. http://www.pbase.com/photosbyduke/frigatebird Bill Duke, www.pbase.com/photosbyduke For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: banding hummingbirds--Kingsland--Llano county From: David Bryant <davidjbryant AT DISHMAIL.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 21:12:26 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Susan Beree and Ray Little from Rockport stopped by for about an hour this afternoon and banded 7 male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. They could have probably caught more, but Susan said she wanted to put my feeders back up so the hummers could get more to eat before dark. There were 4 adult birds and 3 hatch year birds caught. Their weights varied from 3.1g to 4.2 g with very little fat on any of them. The first hummer was captured at about 6:30 and they were packing up to leave by 7:30. I put some pictures of the process at the following url http://community.webshots.com/user/mr_b37 David J. Bryant Kingsland TX 78639 For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Birding Trivia From: Mark Cranford <n5xxd AT APEX2000.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 21:04:22 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Ok, well since I got absolutely no response from the last Bird of the Month post on the Midland Naturalists Web site, Even though over 200 people looked at the photos, I have decided to try something a little different. Courtesy of the fine folks at Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company, we now have a Birding Trivia page at http://www.midnats.org/Birding%20Trivia.html Check it out and I'll post the results and answer next week. Enjoy Mark Cranford Midland Naturalists, Inc. www.midnats.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Pictures from Quintana to Texas City Wednesday From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 20:06:20 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- It was a good day for snowy plovers all along the beach Wednesday. This group of birds was just getting up in the morning. Some went to feed and others stayed in bed. http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760657 This bird could not decide which to do http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760649 They were very tame and did not pay much attention to cars passing between me and their roost in soft sand. http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760645 You can often pick out distant snowies by the silhouette, they hunch more than piping plover and scrunch down flat when running http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760640 The run more like mice http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760639 Where the piping plover keeps its head up http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760597 Except where it finds a good worm http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760599 A ruddy turnstone on the beach had a bad foot problem http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760591 This newly fledge royal tern is probably the youngest bird I saw all summer. Last year all birds at this time had lost their juvenile plumage. Note that the youngsters still have orange legs with only a few tiny spots http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760590 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760588 Other youngsters were still begging http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760582 And whining http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760580 This bird has dark legs and is losing the juvenile feathering http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760578 And there are young sandwich terns around too http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760595 When looking at digital pictures, one must be very aware that there can be a great variation in color as birds move around, clouds pass and light changes. These pictures of a lesser black-backed gull were taken at the same spot and the gull turned or walked a few inches in the early morning sun. Here it is quite black looking http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760391 And switches to gray http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760389 And another set http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760387 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760578 Some of the fishermen clean their catch as the go to the great pleasure of a herring gull http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760380 One young skimmer spent 10 minutes looking at its image in the water http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760372 But most slept http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760374 This black-bellied plover ran across in front of the car and really looked like a golden with a very brown back and white crescent on the head. With molting birds the can be inconsistent but summering black-bellied plovers are sunburned http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760367 But the white tail and large bill cinches that they are black-bellies http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760370 Yellow feet on the snowy egret arguing with the odd reddish egret http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760712 A very hot white-tailed kite was on a wire around the corner on Galveston http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760716 And used it white tail to help balance in the wind http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760718 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760715 A ruddy turnstone on the texas city dike has about completed its molt and has normal feet http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760755 The influx of adult ring-billed gulls to the coast at this time of your would indicate that they might nest nearby but no young birds come with them http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760757 The dike had a number of more normal plumage black-bellied plovers http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760763 as well as sunburned birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760762 The highlight birding on dike was a flock of 3 species of young of the year, yellow-legged, freshwater shorebirds feeding in the bay http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760851 The lesser yellowlegs was a very belligerent bird that repeated bit or bit at the other birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760854 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760855 During the spring, all of the stilt sandpipers I saw were feeding in deeper water like dowitchers. These birds show the long shanks that got them the stilt name http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760865 They tried feeding a little but the structure did not work well http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760861 Very different from the spring birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760860 Here a pectoral sandpiper and a stilt sandpiper flee from the yellowlegs http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760876 But the yellowlegs kept coming and the pectoral was well trained http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760880 Nice fresh plumage http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760883 I think that the 2 pectorals in the group were male and female since there was a sizable size difference. http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102760885 All the pictures can be browsed from http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Calliope Hummingbird in Lubbock Today From: Anthony Flyd <terrverts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 16:29:16 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Greetings All: In addition to the immature, male Black-chinned Hummingbird that has been hanging out in my yard for the last week or so - invariably hitting lantana instead of my well-stocked hummingbird feeders, I picked up an adult, female Calliope Hummingbird (at the feeders) today. Despite his complete lack of interest in the feeders over the course of the last week, the Black-chinned is now attempting to defend both feeders from the Calliope's depredations - and is using both of them. As the two feeders are about 30-35 feet apart, it's been an amusing afternoon/evening for the observer. Anthony Hewetson; Lubbock For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Banding at GCBO 9-6 From: Cecilia Riley <criley02 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 17:10:48 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Today we had one more bird to add to the species John listed in the GCBO banding report-a Northern Waterthrush...also netted in the sunflower patch. Cecilia Cecilia M. Riley Gulf Coast Bird Observatory 103 West Hwy. 332 Lake Jackson, TX 77566 www.gcbo.org ----- Original Message ----- From: "JOHN ARVlN" To: Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 1:26 PM Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Banding at GCBO 9-6 > ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- > > GCBO's annual Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza where the fall migration of > Ruby-throated Hummingbirds is celebrated with a banding session and other > exhibits is scheduled for each Saturday in September this year. The main > reason for this change is that for the past three years straight our > traditional one day event has been coincident with a very heavy rain > event that has closed down the event after a couple of hours. > > We had beautiful early fall weather today without a cloud in the sky. The > only element lacking was hummingbirds. It is rare that one can say that > 100% of a species present was caught and banded, but that proved to be the > case today - we got both of them. Anticipating that this might be the case > because low numbers of hummers had been observed on site for the past > several days, we also opened most of our mist nets and banded passerines > as well. Besides the usual resident Carolina Chickadees and Northern > Cardinals we caught 2 Traill's-type Empidonax flycatchers and 5 Blue > Grosbeaks. This was thanks to a new net lane cut through a patch of 12-15 > ft. tall sunflowers. Tall sunflowers and Giant Ragweed patches are prime > habitat for fall migrants. > > My money is on next Saturday (the 13th) to be a great hummingbird day so > come on out! > > John Arvin > Gulf Coast Bird Observatory > Lake Jackson, Texas > > For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas > Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at > http://www.texbirds.org > For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Richland Creek WMA, Sept 6, 2008 From: "Barnes, Peter" <Peter.Barnes AT UTHCT.EDU> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 16:49:48 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Tyler Audubon Society had a field trip to Richland Creek WMA today. There were fewer large wading birds and shorebirds than 9 days ago, but still a good variety, and we observed 70+ species. Shorebirds included 14 Buff-breasted Sandpipers in the fields by the ponds in the far back of the north unit, 1 Willet in the first pond to the right in the north unit, 3 Upland, 2 Stilt and 1 Solitary Sandpiper, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 2 Dowitcher species, approximately 100 each of Pectoral and Least Sandpipers, and 50 Semipalmated Sandpipers. There were 6 Anhingas, approximately 100 Wood Storks, 40 Roseate Spoonbills, single Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night Herons, 2 Tricolored Herons, 4 Plegadis Ibis, 4 Mottled Duck, 1 Osprey and 1 Olive-sided Flycatcher in the north unit. The south unit had a few migrants and lingering breeders, including approximately 5 Northern Parulas, 1 Black-and-White and 1 Wilson's Warbler, 1 Yellow-throated and 1 Warbling Vireo, and 3 Baltimore Orioles. ! There were 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 1 each in the north and south units. Peter Barnes, Tyler For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Hummer/Bird Celebration in Rockport From: Bron Rorex <bronr AT CHARTER.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 15:47:06 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Texbirders, The 20th annual Rockport Hummer/Bird Celebration is set for this Thursday through Sunday (Sep 11-14). Check our website for information: www.rockporthummingbird.com Scheduled Keynote speakers: 5pm Thursday - Bob Sargent "All about Hummingbird Migration" 5pm Friday - Last Chance Forever auditorium program featuring raptors flying overhead 5pm Saturday - Sheri Williamson "Texas Hummingbirds: Art & Science of Attracting & Feeding Them" 17 speakers covering 21 topics, including hummers, warblers, raptors & shorebirds; and yard landscaping & water features for the above. Field trips with professional bird guides, including Victor Emanuel & Barry Lyon (of VENT), Mike Freiberg (of Nikon), Jim Booker (of Estero Llano Grande SP, David Dauphin (of the RGV), Bill Lindemann (of Fredericksburg), & Joel Simon (of Hawk Watch). Activities of interest include guided Hummer Home bus tour (including an exclusive hummingbird banding stop), boat trips on the bay, a Butterfly tent Friday & Saturday with butterfly release late Saturday afternoon, photo workshop, a hummingbird bander for all, butterfly walks, and over 90 vendors offering hummer, bird, & butterfly oriented items & major optics company displays. See you next weekend! Bron Rorex, Co-Chair Hummer/Bird Celebration For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Frontera Audubon Thicket, 9/6/08 From: Daniel Jones <antshrike1 AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 14:11:29 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Not too many birds at Frontera Audubon Thicket in Weslca this morning. Hundred of White-winged Doves passed overhead on their way to get blasted by the dove hunters. The young Gray Hawk appeared a couple of times. A Green Kingfisher was on the pond. Tons of butterflies about. Location: Frontera Audubon Center Observation date: 9/6/08 Number of species: 37 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Plain Chachalaca 15 Green Heron 2 Harris's Hawk 1 Gray Hawk 1 Killdeer 1 White-winged Dove 825 Mourning Dove 1 Inca Dove 5 White-tipped Dove 5 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 8 Belted Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 4 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Empidonax sp. 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Brown-crested Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 4 Couch's Kingbird 1 White-eyed Vireo 3 Bell's Vireo 1 Barn Swallow 1 Black-crested Titmouse 5 Carolina Wren 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 Long-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 2 Yellow Warbler 8 Wilson's Warbler 2 Yellow-breasted Chat 2 Olive Sparrow 3 Northern Cardinal 1 Great-tailed Grackle 3 Lesser Goldfinch 6 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/tx) Dan Jones in Weslaco http://antshrike.blogspot.com/ For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Banding at GCBO 9-6 From: JOHN ARVlN <jarvin1 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 18:26:42 +0000 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- GCBO's annual Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza where the fall migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds is celebrated with a banding session and other exhibits is scheduled for each Saturday in September this year. The main reason for this change is that for the past three years straight our traditional one day event has been coincident with a very heavy rain event that has closed down the event after a couple of hours. We had beautiful early fall weather today without a cloud in the sky. The only element lacking was hummingbirds. It is rare that one can say that 100% of a species present was caught and banded, but that proved to be the case today - we got both of them. Anticipating that this might be the case because low numbers of hummers had been observed on site for the past several days, we also opened most of our mist nets and banded passerines as well. Besides the usual resident Carolina Chickadees and Northern Cardinals we caught 2 Traill's-type Empidonax flycatchers and 5 Blue Grosbeaks. This was thanks to a new net lane cut through a patch of 12-15 ft. tall sunflowers. Tall sunflowers and Giant Ragweed patches are prime habitat for fall migrants. My money is on next Saturday (the 13th) to be a great hummingbird day so come on out! John Arvin Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Lake Jackson, Texas For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Diurnal Screech Owl?? From: Robert White <glqman AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 11:30:48 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- This spring I heard the male trilling softly throughout the day in a live oak tree in my front yard, but it was during nesting season.  I knew they were using the box I had placed in that tree, but it took several days to finally locate where the male had tucked himself away.  Only because it was over my driveway was I able to find him, about 4 feet over my head.  He would trill softly while I'd be walking back and forth beneath the tree doing yardwork.  But again, they were nesting.  I don't know about this time of year.   I take that back.  Two weeks ago I was in Jacksonville, Texas at my in-laws' home.  When I walked out to get the paper - I'd guess around 8:30 or 9:00 AM - there were several chickadees, wrens, titmice, etc., so I started whistling screech-owl style.  In no time I had nearly 40 small bird mobbing me.  When I stopped, so did they.  That's when I heard a screech-owl calling from the woods across the road.  I don't know if it was normal behavior or only because I started it.   -Bob White  Spring, TX --- On Sat, 9/6/08, Mary Beth Stowe wrote: From: Mary Beth Stowe Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Diurnal Screech Owl?? To: TEXBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UH.EDU Date: Saturday, September 6, 2008, 9:09 AM ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi, all! I was taking my exercise walk around the property this morning when at about 8:15 (about an hour after sunrise here) I heard what sounded like a trilling Screech Owl, a slower cadence than what I would expect from a Lesser Nighthawk. Has anyone else ever heard an Eastern Screech calling after sunrise, or was it just something in my cereal?? ;-) Thanks! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: 9-6-08 Mourning Warbler @ Warbler Woods From: Susan Schaezler <susan AT SCHAEZLER.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 12:42:34 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- 9-6-08 Mourning Warbler AT Warbler Woods Quick list of the more interesting birds--beautiful morning and quite comfortable. I also had a waterthrush, but didn't get my eyes on it fast enough--I have new eyeglasses and haven't mastered my binoculars and glasses yet! Susan Schaezler Warbler Woods Bird Sanctuary San Antonio/New Braunfels GCBO Site Partner Location: Warbler Woods Observation date: 9/6/08 Notes: waterthrush Number of species: 8 Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors 1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker - Picoides scalaris 1 Great Crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 5 Long-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma longirostre 1 Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia 1 Mourning Warbler - Oporornis philadelphia 1 Wilson's Warbler - Wilsonia pusilla 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/GCBO) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston From: Rex Stanford <calidris AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 12:02:47 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- It is interesting to read the posting on this very odd Reddish Egret and to the study Joseph Kennedy's wonderful documentation photos. The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America (Fifth Edition, p. 110) notes that a small number of Reddish Egret dark morphs show substantial white on the wings and may suggest Little Blue Heron immatures in molt. This, though, is the first photo-documentation of such an individual that I personally have seen. Thanks! Rex Stanford McAllen, TX ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph Kennedy" To: Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 7:23 AM Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston > ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- > > On Wednesday I passed by the Ruff patch which was ruff-less but still has > water in back of the trees and went on out to Sportsman's Road. I was near > the little one way bridge watching some white ibis when a heron and a > snowy > egret got into an altercation at the bridge. My first impression of the > bird > was of a molting little blue heron. When it flew across the road, it had a > white belly like a tricolored heron. Then I noticed plumes. > > When I pulled up to the bridge, the bird was back in the grass a ways and > was truly a strange looking bird > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733351 > > A while later it was on one of the docks > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733350 > > And in flight > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733349 > > The reddish egret has a white belly like a tricolored heron > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733346 > > And lots of white in the wing like a molting little blue > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733347 > > Another reddish egret from Brazos Mouth that looks like the book > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733343 > > And reddish egret feet > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733342 > > It was territorial and tame at the bridge when I was there and is an > interesting bird to watch if you are on Galveston. > > > -- > Joseph C. Kennedy > on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston > Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com > > For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas > Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at > http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Corpus Christi, TX Hawk Watch (05 Sep) 148 raptors From: Patty Waits Beasley <patty AT CCBIRDING.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 11:27:32 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Greetings, all! 09/05/08 Osprey: 1 White-tailed Hawk: 1 Mississippi Kite: 25 Coopers Hawk: 2 Red-shouldered Hawk: 1 Broad-winged Hawk: 116 American Kestral Male: 1 Unknown Accipiter: 1 Total: 148 It was a beautiful day to HawkWatch today with plenty of cloud cover. Kites are slacking off and broadies are starting to come in in small streams. We had great local escort action by two adult Red-Shouldered hawk on a third adult and a juvie White-tailed Hawk on another juvie. We had Great-crested Flycatcher and Wilsons Warbler at Hazel for the first time this year and have had a pair of very pink spoonbills on the pond. The Zone-tail also made one quick appearance. Thanks for all the spotting by Karen, Bob, Jo, and Mike and to our visitors from Katy, Texas. Our locals gave everyone some great, low, looks. Leslie ---------------------------------- Thanks, Leslie! Cheers, Patty Waits Beasley Corpus Christi, TX Season totals to date: 0...........Black vulture 0...........Turkey vulture 8...........Osprey 340.........Swallow-tailed kite 4...........White-tailed kite 20115.......Mississippi kite 0...........Hook-billed kite 0...........Bald eagle 3...........Northern harrier 1...........Sharp-shinned hawk 14..........Cooper's hawk 0...........Northern goshawk 5...........Red-shouldered hawk 351.........Broad-winged hawk 12..........Swainson's hawk 3...........Red-tailed hawk 0...........Ferruginous hawk 5...........White-tailed hawk 1...........Short-tailed hawk 7...........Zone-tailed hawk 1...........Harris's hawk 0...........Rough-legged hawk 0...........Common black hawk 0...........Golden eagle 14..........American kestrel 3...........Merlin 11..........Peregrine falcon 1...........Prairie falcon 0...........Aplomado falcon 0...........Crested caracara 2...........Unknown accipiters 11..........Unknown buteos 0...........Unknown falcons 0 ..........Unknown eagles 17..........Unknown raptors ------------------------ 20929.... Season total to 09/05 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Our 2008 HWI crew: Dane Ferrell, Libby Even, Leslie Parks, Joel Simon (Emeritus) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ All reports, including photographs and videos, are posted on our web site. Drop on by the Texas Hawk Watches web site at http://www.ccbirding.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Smith Point Hawk Watch Yesterday From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 11:30:13 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hawks at the tower were not all that numerous during the day but improved a little after lunch. We did get 14 species overhead when counting the vultures so there was great variety. I only saw one small group of early birds actually cross the bay from out near the point but the birds were way up there and could easily have gone without being seen. I had my first sharp-shinned hawks and merlin for the year. The merlin harassed a bird on the way by. A cooper's hawk also took great umbrage with one of the young red-shouldered hawks resident near the tower and later objected to the existence of a swainson's hawk. There were several swainson's hawks passing and most had unique plumage which allowed a good idea as to whether they were new arrivals or repeat birds coming back from the water's edge. And can a day at the tower be bad if there are swallow-tailed kites. The weather and everything was great for migrants but something was missing that would bring the numbers of birds. The mississippi kites should have been moving much more but it could still be an effect of Gustave. Not too many shorebirds at the point but young of the year least sandpipers and semipalmated sandpipers had joined the group as well as young semipalmated plover. They worked on the docks which probably kept birds away but a clapper rail was using the dock at the time and had trouble figuring how to get away so it swam. Good numbers of upland sandpipers were calling and leaving the area early on but I did not hear any later in the day. Several got motivated to leave when the gray water sprinklers came on out by the spoonbill. Land birds included flocks of eastern kingbirds, a much reduced swallow stream which did have a couple of rough-winged swallows, dickcissels were around until about 9am, a baltimore oriole passed the tower, and a couple of indigo buntings were on the entrance road later in the afternoon. Good numbers of mainly silent empidonax were around with most least and a couple of alder (one calling). Warblers included chat, waterthrush, and yellow warbler. The weed area that had been so attractive recently has been mowed. One adult couch's kingbird spent much of the day on Ouisa street and is mostly molted. Very yellow on the belly and the last tail feathers appear half grown. Very much tamer now that it has its feathers back. No sign of the youngsters or a second adult. Lower humidity made it a great day. Checked out many of the northern and eastern hawk watches and they all have very low birds for the day and season. -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Pearland Monks, Swifts, Purple Martin From: Miranne Merritt-Pellerin <Mirampellerin AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 11:56:40 EDT ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- While walking south on my street at 7:30 AM, I heard then saw three Monk Parakeets flying from north to south. They were probably leaving my feeders, as I also heard several American Crows vocalizing in the vicinity of my yard. I need to start looking for their nest, since I had one Monk show up at my feeders in early August. Yesterday afternoon, while stuck in a line of traffic on County Road 101 near FM 1128, I used the time to look for birds. I saw an estimated 35 Chimney Swifts flying over the field south of Massey Ranch Elementary School on FM 1128. This morning, I saw one Chimney Swift flying overhead, and one Purple Martin leaving the vicinity of my neighbor's PM house. Miranne Merritt-Pellerin Pearland, TX **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston From: KEITH ARNOLD <kbarnold2 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 10:15:27 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- That is one wierd-looking bird, but such abberancies do happen from time-to-time. I have slides of an American Coot that has scattered white feathers as seen in this egret; in fact, I believe one photo of the coot appeared in my article in Texas Birds on such plumage anomalies. Keith Arnold Bryan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph Kennedy" To: Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 7:23 AM Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston > ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- > > On Wednesday I passed by the Ruff patch which was ruff-less but still has > water in back of the trees and went on out to Sportsman's Road. I was near > the little one way bridge watching some white ibis when a heron and a > snowy > egret got into an altercation at the bridge. My first impression of the > bird > was of a molting little blue heron. When it flew across the road, it had a > white belly like a tricolored heron. Then I noticed plumes. > > When I pulled up to the bridge, the bird was back in the grass a ways and > was truly a strange looking bird > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733351 > > A while later it was on one of the docks > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733350 > > And in flight > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733349 > > The reddish egret has a white belly like a tricolored heron > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733346 > > And lots of white in the wing like a molting little blue > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733347 > > Another reddish egret from Brazos Mouth that looks like the book > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733343 > > And reddish egret feet > http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733342 > > It was territorial and tame at the bridge when I was there and is an > interesting bird to watch if you are on Galveston. > > > -- > Joseph C. Kennedy > on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston > Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com > > For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas > Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at > http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Bastrop Co. Wood Storks From: Philip Rostron <philiprostron AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 09:43:26 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Shipp Lake in far eastern Bastrop County is slowly drying out and is attracting a good number of wading birds. Wood Stork numbers are picking up from a few earlier in the week to over a dozen today. Also present : 20+ Roseate Spoonbill 10+ White Ibis 6 White-faced Ibis several Tricolored Heron (had 20+ a week ago) I would expect Wood Stork numbers to increase over the next couple of weeks as the lake continues to dry out. The south side of the lake is visible from Hwy 71 and the north side from the RR tracks just to the north of 71. Phil. (Smithville) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Diurnal Screech Owl?? From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 10:09:26 EDT ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi, all! I was taking my exercise walk around the property this morning when at about 8:15 (about an hour after sunrise here) I heard what sounded like a trilling Screech Owl, a slower cadence than what I would expect from a Lesser Nighthawk. Has anyone else ever heard an Eastern Screech calling after sunrise, or was it just something in my cereal?? ;-) Thanks! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: turkey vultures From: Lee <fankhauserlee AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 06:11:12 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- My husband and I were walking our dog this morning around 7 a.m. in a residential area of McAllen and spotted 3 turkey vultures. I've never seen one in town. Has anyone else seen them around, or does someone know why they would be in the middle of a residential area? lee fankhauser McAllen For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Red and White (and Blue) Reddish Egret on Galveston From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 07:23:32 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- On Wednesday I passed by the Ruff patch which was ruff-less but still has water in back of the trees and went on out to Sportsman's Road. I was near the little one way bridge watching some white ibis when a heron and a snowy egret got into an altercation at the bridge. My first impression of the bird was of a molting little blue heron. When it flew across the road, it had a white belly like a tricolored heron. Then I noticed plumes. When I pulled up to the bridge, the bird was back in the grass a ways and was truly a strange looking bird http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733351 A while later it was on one of the docks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733350 And in flight http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733349 The reddish egret has a white belly like a tricolored heron http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733346 And lots of white in the wing like a molting little blue http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733347 Another reddish egret from Brazos Mouth that looks like the book http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733343 And reddish egret feet http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/102733342 It was territorial and tame at the bridge when I was there and is an interesting bird to watch if you are on Galveston. -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Birding at Granger Lake From: Don Richardson <donrich514 AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 02:48:35 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Interesting! The Upland Sandpipers that travel through my area often fly but I've never seen them drive. (:-)  Don Richardson Pearland Texas ----- Original Message ---- From: jipseez To: TEXBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UH.EDU Sent: Saturday, September 6, 2008 3:45:37 AM Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Birding at Granger Lake ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi Birders, Birding was good this morning at Willis Creek Park at Granger Lake near Granger, TX in Williamson County.  Nothing much on the lake but did see 2 Upland Sandpipers driving into the park.  Other good birds were 3 Dickcissels, 2 Yellow Warblers, 6 Least Sandpipers, and a Tricolored Heron Good Birding, Carol Ferguson & Brenda Prothro Leander, TX-back to Texas after birding in Utah, Nevada, and Calif this summer. For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Birding at Granger Lake From: jipseez <jipseez AT MAC.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 22:45:37 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hi Birders, Birding was good this morning at Willis Creek Park at Granger Lake near Granger, TX in Williamson County. Nothing much on the lake but did see 2 Upland Sandpipers driving into the park. Other good birds were 3 Dickcissels, 2 Yellow Warblers, 6 Least Sandpipers, and a Tricolored Heron Good Birding, Carol Ferguson & Brenda Prothro Leander, TX-back to Texas after birding in Utah, Nevada, and Calif this summer. For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Smith Point images From: Wayne Nicholas <wayne_nicholas AT MAC.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 02:10:57 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- The raptor count was low today, but the quality was pretty good with a few Swainson's and two Swallowtail Kites to go with the usual suspects. Photo opps for hawk were slim, but the hummers were more than willing to pick up the slack. I've posted a few photos on Pbase. http://www.pbase.com/wayne_nicholas/smith_point_hawk_watch_2008 Best, Wayne Nicholas NANPA Member www.NicholasNaturePhoto.com waynenicholas.naturescapes.net PhotoShelter Portfolio For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Pink-billed, One-eyed, Odd-Vented Frigatebird and How To Find It From: Ron Weeks <ronweeks AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 19:43:22 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- TexBirders, Couldn't believe my luck this evening on just my third frigatebird search since Martin came to town.  After checking the Brazos River mouth and getting an extension of my birding time from my wife (thank God for cell phones), I went to the Quintana Jetty.  As I got out of my car, there was the bird right in the middle of the channel escorting a shrimp boat out.  Got my scope out as it worked by and got some great views.  Saw it in the general area for the next 30 minutes. This bird (whatever it is) is VERY distinctive.  What stands out the most at this point are the messed feathers in the vent area that appeared off-white to me.  See Mark Bartosik's cropped shot posted to TexBirds.  This stands out at great distances.  It is even obvious as the bird flies directly away.  One just has to look for a female frigatebird and then look for that mark set off by dark areas all around it.  This can be done at a distance of about a mile I would guess.  Then track it until hopefully it comes in close. I watched the frigates for the next hour or so with Greg Lavaty and company not seeing the pink-billed bird.  But we did note the behavoir of the frigates.  They lounge around in the air along the beach and a dozen were even riding a shrimp boat outrigger.  When a boat of significant size comes through the jetties, they suddenly appear.  It seems almost like White-tailed Hawks finding a coastal burn.  They pirate the gulls and terns working the wake of the boat and then they drift away again.  The bigger the boat the better.  Shrimp boats also appear to be favoriate targets and a few have been working the area.  Interestingly, one fisherman told me four came down and starting taking their bait fish on the water in front of them. This bird has now been seen on four dates of which I am aware.  Mark Bartosik told me today he had the bird along Quintana Beach on the August 30th and on Labor Day.  This bird seems to be hanging in the same area.  If I really wanted to see this bird I would get my sun hat and buy some bait fish on my way to the jetties.  Then I would find a spot on the jetty and feed the gulls (other junk food may work for them) to get a frenzy going and watch the skies.  Talked with Martin tonight and we were speculating that the bird's ailments may be keeping this bird in relatively close quarters with known food sources. Martin has been studying the details of frigatebirds and commented that what has not been documented as yet is the relative size of the bird as compared to other frigatebirds.  Some dorsal shots would also be helpful - however hard that might be.  So take your cameras.  The bird flew right by as I was phoning Brad Lirette and never came by for the video I wanted again.  You may see me there tomorrow afternoon. Good luck if you go! Ron Weeks Lake Jackson For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Re: Heard Museum Bird Banding Report 9/5/2008 From: Linda Francis <lfrancisbirder AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 21:12:37 -0500 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- What is a Traill's Flycatcher? The Heard is about 50 miles south & east of my home which is in NE Denton County. This morning as I walked around the lake in my Subdivision which sits next to Lewisville Lake, I saw about 5 small flycatchers with noticibly yellow bellies. Their throats were all buff. Tails were tipped with white. They were all working off of a barbed wire fence, flying into the unmowed area to eat from the taller plants then usually back to the fence. I have been searching the Cornell site & others trying to decide if they might be Yellow Bellied or Acadian. Neither mentioned the white tips on the tails. When I saw this Heard report, I wondered if I might have overlooked something. I can't even find a Traill's to look at. Help would be appreciated!! Linda Francis NE Denton County On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 8:26 PM, Tom Heath wrote: > ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- > > > The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary Bird Banding Report > McKinney, TX > Friday, September 5, 2008 > > > ? Total species banded - 6 > ? Total birds banded?? - 16 > > > Traill's Flycatcher - 6 > Northern Cardinal - 3 > White-eyed Vireo - 2 > Mourning Warbler - 2 > Wilson's Warbler - 2 > Northern Mockingbird - 1 > --------------------------- > > > ? Total species recaptured - 3 > ? Total birds recaptured - 4 > > > Traill's Flycatcher - 1 > White-eyed Vireo - 2 > Eastern Tufted Titmouse? - 1 > --------------------------- > > > Species seen/heard > > > Location: Heard Nat. Sci. Mus.& Wildlife Sanct > Observation date: 9/5/08 > Number of species: 54 > > > Canada Goose???? 7 > Wood Duck???? 2 > Blue-winged Teal???? 1 > Great Blue Heron???? 4 > Great Egret???? 4 > Little Blue Heron???? 1 > Green Heron???? 1 > Black-crowned Night-Heron???? 1 > Turkey Vulture???? 1 > Red-shouldered Hawk???? 2 > Broad-winged Hawk???? 4 > Swainson's Hawk???? 1 > Red-tailed Hawk???? 1 > Killdeer???? 1 > Upland Sandpiper???? 2 > Mourning Dove???? 9 > Yellow-billed Cuckoo???? 1 > Chimney Swift???? 2 > Ruby-throated Hummingbird???? 1 > Belted Kingfisher???? 1 > Red-headed Woodpecker???? 2 > Red-bellied Woodpecker???? 10 > Downy Woodpecker???? 11 > Hairy Woodpecker???? 1 > Least Flycatcher???? 1 > Eastern Phoebe???? 1 > Great Crested Flycatcher???? 2 > Eastern Kingbird???? 1 > Scissor-tailed Flycatcher???? 1 > White-eyed Vireo???? 13 > Red-eyed Vireo???? 2 > Blue Jay???? 11 > American Crow???? 10 > Tree Swallow???? 1 > Carolina Chickadee???? 28 > Tufted Titmouse???? 7 > White-breasted Nuthatch???? 2 > Carolina Wren???? 22 > Blue-gray Gnatcatcher???? 8 > Eastern Bluebird???? 8 > Northern Mockingbird???? 3 > European Starling???? 3 > Nashville Warbler???? 1 > Northern Parula???? 2 > Yellow Warbler???? 1 > Black-and-white Warbler???? 1 > Mourning Warbler???? 2 > Wilson's Warbler???? 5 > Northern Cardinal???? 19 > Indigo Bunting???? 1 > Common Grackle???? 9 > Great-tailed Grackle???? 1 > Baltimore Oriole???? 7 > House Finch???? 1 > ---------------- > > Tom Heath > Plano, TX > > For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas > Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at > http://www.texbirds.org > For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org Subject: Aberrant chickadee? (white supercilium) in Ellis County From: Ted Drozdowski <drozdovekie AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 19:04:30 -0700 ---> Texbird help file http://www.texbirds.org <--- Hello,             This morning I was birding at the Buffalo Creek Wildlife Area which is located below the dam at Lake Bardwell in Ellis County.  The morning was very quiet and uneventful until I located a roving band of 5 or 6 chickadees.  I watched one chickadee that had a white lower forehead and a white supercilium, much like a Mountain Chickadee.  I only got two brief looks at this bird, and despite some pishing and enticement; I could not get a lengthy look at this chickadee before they all moved on. The birds were in dense shrubby trees and were difficult to view to begin with.  The whole bird was never in full view, but I saw the head very well, twice.  The lores were black, but the lower part of the forehead was extensively white. The white “flared up” over the eyes. The white line above the eye was not as bold as the white forehead, but is was plainly visible and reached behind the eye.  The bird did show some white on the secondaries. Looking through different field guides now, Mountain Chickadee seems to show a lot of white on the cheek reaching far back to the nape.  Not being aware of this field mark at the time, I did not take notice of the extent of the amount of white in this area. The black of the cap on this bird seemed prominent despite the white eyeline.  I did notice the line of demarcation on the black bib was sharp.  My initial thought was just an odd Carolina Chickadee. But when I finally looked in a field guide back in the car, the facial pattern of Mountain Chickadee just leaped off the page.  Admittedly, I have seen just one Mountain Chickadee in my life, in Utah, so it’s not a species that I know very well.  I do have experience with picking apart Carolina and Black-capped Chickadees after living and birding in the hybrid zone in southeastern Pennsylvania for 12 years.  This bird, however, caught me totally off guard and was gone before I had a chance to really look it over in full: not expecting anything other than Carolina Chickadee here in north central Texas. I had no camera with me at the time. I am well aware of the probability of a Mountain Chickadee south of Dallas in early September. Based on what I know and what I saw, I feel more comfortable calling it a possibly hybrid or just an aberrant Carolina Chickadee other than a possible Mountain Chickadee. On the bottom of page 375 in Sibley 2000, when discussing Mountain Chickadee, it states “other species rarely show traces of white supercilium.” So I guess that is a possibility. But this was more than just a “trace” of a white supercilium. It doesn’t seem that Carolina and Mountain Chickadee ranges overlap at all.  And I expect the bird would have appeared larger to me if it had been a Mountain / Black-capped hybrid, and what would it be doing here anyway? Could it possibly be a wayward descendant of a hybrid Mountain/Black-capped or Carolina Chickadee?  One thing is for sure: If this bird has no Mountain Chickadee in its blood, then its aberrant facial markings are uncanny to say the least.  I cannot go back and look for this bird until Tuesday, which is what I will be doing even though I have to cancel some plans.  If anybody wants more details or info on the location or sighting feel free to contact me.   Directions: The Buffalo Creek Wildlife area is off of Bardwell Dam Road on the south side of Lake Bardwell, south of the town of Ennis.  From the parking area nearest the bridge, take the well marked dirt/gravel trail that follows the edge of the creek until it enters the woods.  Right where the trail enters the woods is where I saw the chickadee.    Ted Drozdowski Midlothian Ellis County drozdovekie AT sbcglobal.net      (610) 209-6598 For answers to questions about this list, as well as current Texas Birding Links, visit the Texbirds Reference Page at http://www.texbirds.org