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Updated on Wednesday, June 19 at 02:34 PM EST
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Hoary Redpoll,©Tony Disley

19 Jun Full Report from Plains II BBS - 17 June 2013 [Anthony Hewetson ]
19 Jun Higlights from Plains II BBS [Anthony Hewetson ]
19 Jun West Nile Virus and birds ["Collins, Fred (Commissioner Pct. 3)" ]
19 Jun Re: Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas []
19 Jun Re: Bushtits [Tripp Davenport ]
19 Jun Re: Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas [Matthew Sim ]
19 Jun UFO birds [Jamie ]
19 Jun Bushtits ["Terry Hibbitts" ]
18 Jun Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas []
18 Jun Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding [Cecilia-home ]
18 Jun Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival []
18 Jun Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding [Eric Carpenter ]
18 Jun Steve Stewart [Steve Stewart ]
18 Jun Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival [Kelly Bryan ]
18 Jun Green-tailed Towhee [Susan Knock ]
18 Jun Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival [Heidi Trudell ]
18 Jun Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival [Heidi Trudell ]
18 Jun Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival []
18 Jun Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival ["Judy Sharp" ]
18 Jun Re: Larry Kirby []
18 Jun Larry Kirby [Larry Kirby ]
18 Jun Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding [Martin Reid ]
18 Jun Bushtits in eastern Edwards Plateau? [Chuck Sexton ]
18 Jun Re: ABA area Photo Big Year update [alan olson ]
18 Jun Llano County Breeding Bird surprises - Sunday 6-16-13 - Belted Kingfishers and White-tailed Kite []
17 Jun Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding [Susan Schaezler ]
17 Jun Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding [Susan Schaezler ]
17 Jun Texbirds and South Texas birding [Jon McIntyre ]
17 Jun Christmas Mountains and Big Bend trip 6/15-17/13 []
17 Jun Austin (Travis/Williamson Co.) - breeding birds of note (local interest) [Rich Kostecke ]
17 Jun Photos from April and May 2013 [paul sellin ]
17 Jun Re: ABA area Photo Big Year update [Jon McIntyre ]
17 Jun ABA area Photo Big Year update ["Sanchez, Isaac C" ]
17 Jun Interesting bird photography [Dan Smith ]
17 Jun Sulphur-bellied Flycater from 15 June 2013, blog entry. [Matthew York ]
17 Jun Looking for kites yesterday [Joseph Kennedy ]
17 Jun New Utopia Yard Bird [Judy Bailey ]
16 Jun Verdin, Hooded Orioles and Yellow-Green Vireo [Robert Becker ]
16 Jun Mitchell lake , San Antonio June 16 ["Georgina Schwartz" ]
16 Jun Zone-tailed Hawks [Michael Stewart ]
16 Jun Green-tailed towhee [Susan Knock ]
16 Jun Ful Report from Post BBS - 15 June 2013 [Anthony Hewetson ]
16 Jun Full Report from Dougherty BBS - 2 June 2013 [Anthony Hewetson ]
16 Jun Full Report from Circle BBS - 1 June 2013 [Anthony Hewetson ]
16 Jun Some highlights from the Post BBS - yesterday [Anthony Hewetson ]
16 Jun SPI Convention Center & Sheepshead Lots - 6/10/2013 (late report) [Brad Lirette ]
16 Jun Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher---- NO []
16 Jun Correction on Quinta Parrot []
15 Jun Bachman's Sparrow? [Marie Stewart ]
15 Jun Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher []
15 Jun NEW YARD BIRD: PEARLAND [Mira M Pellerin ]
15 Jun Varied Bunting YES (Bentsen SP) []
15 Jun Leakey Hacienda birds. [Collins & Charmaine Ganson ]
15 Jun Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher at Christmas Mountains Oasis []
15 Jun Summer birds at Quinta Mazatlan [John Brush ]
15 Jun Utley [Brush Freeman ]
15 Jun Bill Trelc [Bill Trelc ]
15 Jun Valley Nature Center Trip to Starr Co. Next Week []
14 Jun Re: RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - June 14, 2013 [Tim Brush ]
14 Jun RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - June 14, 2013 [Mary Gustafson ]
14 Jun yesterdays pictures, youngsters and mostly mystery shorebirds, and 200+ pelicans [Joseph Kennedy ]
14 Jun Lubbock Area Birding Summary for May - Long [Anthony Hewetson ]
14 Jun Recent Sightings @ the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands ["Monica Barrera" ]
14 Jun yard birding, slow but hawks and owls etc [Joseph Kennedy ]
14 Jun West Nile Virus near Lake Houston and musings about Fish Crows ["Collins, Fred (Commissioner Pct. 3)" ]
14 Jun Clapp Park, Lubbock...and moving on... [L Markoff ]
14 Jun Re: Anhuac to Quintana today, summer doldrums, but lingering birds [Ruth ]
13 Jun Anhuac to Quintana today, summer doldrums, but lingering birds [Joseph Kennedy ]
13 Jun Austin Area RBA [Kenny Anderson ]
13 Jun Cameron Co. (06/12/13): shorebirds incl. late Whimbrels + more ["Rex Stanford" ]
13 Jun Re: Brush Comes Out of The Closet? [Brush Freeman ]
13 Jun Brush Comes Out of The Closet? [Ron Weeks ]
13 Jun King, Knox and Haskell Co.s [Brush Freeman ]
13 Jun Lake Somerville birds (Lee and Burleson Counties) - Wood Storks, cormorants and an Eastern Phoebe - from Saturday 6-8-13 []
12 Jun Baytown Nature Center Bird Count 6/20/13 []
12 Jun Trinity River birding. [David Bryant ]

Subject: Full Report from Plains II BBS - 17 June 2013
From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:18:33 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings All:
I completed the Plains II BBS (Yoakum and Cochran Counties) on 75 June 2013. 
The route 

which runs generally northward from a point a few miles northwest of Plains was 
surprisingly damp with lots of flooded ditches, damp fields, and difficult to 
negotiate stretches of road. This stretch of habitat was fairly green by the 
drought-stricken region's standards and there was a decent supply of critters 
about - much better than last year. 



The entire list of critters seen on the Plains II BBS:

1 Common Checkered Skipper
1 Common Sootywing
2 Dotted Roadside Skippers
1 Nysa Roadside Skipper
1 Pipevine Swallowtail
1 Black Swallowtail
3 Checkered Whites
2 Dainty Sulphurs
1 Gray Hairstreak
2 Marine Blues
4 Reakirt's Blues
3 Variegated Fritillaries

1 Yellow Mud Turtle
1 Side-blotched Lizard
1 Texas Horned Lizard
1 Checkered Garter Snake
1 Eastern Glossy Snake
1 Prairie Rattlesnake

7 Scaled Quails
12 Northern Bobwhites
1 Lesser Prairie Chicken
8 Turkey Vultures
8 Swainson's Hawks
3 Killdeers
6 Eurasian Collared Doves
109 Mourning Doves
1 Greater Roadrunner
29 Burrowing Owls
34 Common Nighthawks
1 Black-chinned Hummingbird
2 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers
1 American Kestrel
3 Ash-throated Flycatchers
114 Western Kingbirds
13 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers
1 Loggerhead Shrike
3 Chihuahuan Ravens
10 Horned Larks
12 Barn Swallows
13 Northern Mockingbirds
1 Curve-billed Thrasher
7 European Starlings
2 Canyon Towhees
30 Cassin's Sparrows
9 Lark Sparrows
1 Grasshopper Sparrow
5 Blue Grosbeaks
1 Painted Bunting
1 Dickcissel
2 Red-winged Blackbirds
3 meadowlarks
11 Eastern Meadowlarks
7 Western Meadowlarks
2 Great-tailed Grackles
2 Brown-headed Cowbirds
12 Bullock's Orioles
1 House Finch
3 House Sparrows

1 Black-tailed Jackrabbit
4 Desert Cottontails
8 Black-tailed Prairie Dogs
4 Spotted Ground Squirrels
1 North American Porcupine
3 Pronghorns

Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
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Subject: Higlights from Plains II BBS
From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:56:24 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings All:
On Monday, 17 June 2013, I completed the Plains II Breeding Bird Survey which 
runs north from a point northwest of Plains from Yoakum County into Cochran 
County. It was fairly good birding (a full report will follow) but yielded 
little in the way of highlights. 


I did see 1 Lesser Prairie Chicken, ambling across a chunk of oak-infested 
grassland, on the Yoakum County side of the route. 


I also had 2 Canyon Towhees in a yard dotted with farm equipment, on the 
Cochran County side of the route. This is a species that is rarely seen away 
from canyons or isolated chunks of rimrock. These birds were a long way from 
either, the first I have ever recorded along the route, and probably represent 
my second sighting for the county. 


Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock

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Subject: West Nile Virus and birds
From: "Collins, Fred (Commissioner Pct. 3)" <Fred_Collins AT hctx.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:47:39 +0000
If you have ever wondered about the connection between birds and West Nile 
Virus we will have a program tomorrow at Kleb Woods that will explain that. The 
session will start with a bird catching, bleeding and banding demonstration. 
Hope you will join us. The announcement for the program is below. 


Hello all,
 
Kleb Woods will be having a special presentation, Everything you don't want to 
know about mosquitos but should. The program will be from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM 
this Thursday, June 20th. Vence Salvato, Technical Operations Analyst for 
Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services Mosquito Control Division, 
will be presenting. We will start by setting mist nets to catch birds. 
Technicians then band the birds and take blood from them to test for disease. 
Vence will then give a presentation in the auditorium on mosquito biology and 
the diseases they transmit, including West Nile Virus and St. Louis 
Encephalitis. 

 
This program is free and open to the public. It will be a great way for 
everyone, young and old, to learn about both bird banding and mosquitos. We 
hope to see you all there. 



Fred Collins
             (281) 357-5324
Director: Kleb Woods Nature Center 
             Cypress Top Historical Park 
Commissioner Steve Radack
Harris County Precinct 3
www.pct3.hctx.net
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Subject: Re: Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas
From: MBB22222 AT aol.com
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:17:30 -0400 (EDT)
Hi Matthew,
 
I am delight to see that so young person can be more mature than some of  
those who walk on Earth already 2-6 times longer …
 
All the best,
 
Mark
 
Mark B Bartosik
Houston, Texas
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field
 
 
In a message dated 6/19/2013 11:48:24 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
redcrossbills AT yahoo.com writes:
I am  going to weigh into this simply because I am, quite frankly, tired of 
it  all.

I am 15 and have been birding for 4 years now in which time  I've 
joined several birding listserves. Sure, there have been minor disagreements on 

all of them however nothing like on texbirds. To be honest  and rather 
blunt, I find this rather childish and immature. As many have mentioned before, 

if you do not want to read a post, don't! I delete  half the posts 
without opening them because they are of no interest to me. If  you do open a 
post you didn't want to read, by all means, write up a  reply; just 
don't send it!! Think about it overnight, ask yourself if it is really a 
good 

idea to send it and if you would be doing the birding  community any good. 
If you still think it's a good idea the next day,  perhaps the original 
post is not the problem...

By starting all this,  we are doing absolutely no good, and in fact, 
we're losing out.  Beginning birders won't want to wade into this and 
others, including young birders like myself, will feel alienated and leave. We 

are only hurting  ourselves. I think Mark is completely right in that we 
need to accept and  respect everyone's right to post. So come one, lets be 
more tolerant  and focus on the birds.

Matthew Sim, a young, disgruntled  birder
Houston, Texas


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Subject: Re: Bushtits
From: Tripp Davenport <tripp.davenport AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:16:27 -0500
ditto for Real Co. Big Springs Ranch, still have canyon towhee around our deep 
creek ranch and have seen a couple (usual numbers) at big springs ranch but 
bushtits have been absent this year, I noticed that Charmaine G. had seen some 
at their Leakey property weeks back... 


Tripp Davenport Uvalde Texas


On Jun 19, 2013, at 9:06 AM, "Terry Hibbitts"  wrote:

> I have lived in Camp Wood Hills since June of 2005.  The first few years I
> saw Bushtits at least once or twice a year.  I have not seen any on the
> property now for three years.  On a bird survey last year 20 Feb 2012 I saw
> a small group on a hillside north of Barksdale.  These are the only ones I
> have seen on the three properties I do surveys.  So I guess I would agree
> with Chuck that the Bushtit population tends to be down in eastern Edwards
> County.  Another bird that has dropped in population in this area (I think)
> is Canyon Towhee.
> 
> Terry Hibbitts
> Camp Wood, TX
> www.thehibbitts.net
> 
> 
> 
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> 
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
> from the List Owner
> 
> 
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Subject: Re: Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas
From: Matthew Sim <redcrossbills AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:47:41 -0700 (PDT)
I am going to weigh into this simply because I am, quite frankly, tired of it 
all. 


I am 15 and have been birding for 4 years now in which time I've joined 
several birding listserves. Sure, there have been minor disagreements on all of 
them however nothing like on texbirds. To be honest and rather blunt, I find 
this rather childish and immature. As many have mentioned before, if you do not 
want to read a post, don't! I delete half the posts without opening them 
because they are of no interest to me. If you do open a post you didn't 
want to read, by all means, write up a reply; just don't send it!! Think 
about it overnight, ask yourself if it is really a good idea to send it and if 
you would be doing the birding community any good. If you still think it's 
a good idea the next day, perhaps the original post is not the problem... 


By starting all this, we are doing absolutely no good, and in fact, we're 
losing out. Beginning birders won't want to wade into this and others, 
including young birders like myself, will feel alienated and leave. We are only 
hurting ourselves. I think Mark is completely right in that we need to accept 
and respect everyone's right to post. So come one, lets be more tolerant 
and focus on the birds. 


Matthew Sim, a young, disgruntled birder
Houston, Texas



--- On Wed, 6/19/13, MBB22222 AT aol.com  wrote:

> From: MBB22222 AT aol.com 
> Subject: [texbirds] Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas
> To: texbirds AT freelists.org
> Date: Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 2:40 AM
> I read original post about
> “Texbirds and South Texas birding” after seeing 
>  a few replies in my email box and accidentally clicking on
> one (original 
> title  did not trigger my interest).
>  
> I am not on this listserv from the beginning but I noted
> some sad changes  
> over past few years. I think, perhaps I am wrong, that this
> community just 
> grown  too big and in consequence many small
> sub-communities evolved; each 
> one having  members that seem to believe that only
> their group represents 
> great values,  serves the whole community right and
> fits perfectly into Texbirds 
> rules. With  deferent approach to birds; birders vs.
> birdwatchers vs. bird 
> guides vs.  equipment salesmen vs. photographers,
> evolutionists vs. 
> creationists, green vs.  I do not care, etc there are
> enough members now to form  
> large  sub-communities. Some members are silent but
> unhappy seeing posts from 
> other  groups and some groups have leaders who, from
> time to time, are 
> loudly  protesting and trying to criticize approach to
> birds that they do not 
> like for  whatever reason. It was posted before - there
> is no reason to not let 
> somebody  enjoying a cardinal that visited his/her
> backyard - one does not 
> have to read  every post …  Being a member of a
> very large community require 
> acceptance  of the fact that many (most) other members
> might have different 
> opinions on many  subjects (this has nothing to do who
> is right or wrong), 
> enjoy different  approach to birds and find different
> posts interesting. 
> Trying to force our own  opinions to be accepted by
> others is not only rude but 
> tells me, IMHO, that one  who does that might have many
> weaknesses and 
> cannot be happy no matter what  …
>  
> And birds that we can find and see in TEXAS are incredible.
> Not long time  
> ago I found one alien that visited the state. Recently 
> I found and add to  
> my collection another one.
>  
> These who are easy to get scare, do not like photos or read
> but do not like 
>  my post - they do not have to click on the link below. If
> some believe 
> these are  not birds but extraterrestrial beings - I
> cannot guarantee that 
> those two  are  birds`but both were seen in Texas
> …
>  
> http://www.pbase.com/image/150870101
>  
> If only a few would like them I did not waste my time. BTW,
> somebody else  
> have seen and photographed other alien birds in Texas?
>  
> Mark B Bartosik
> Houston, Texas
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> 
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without
> seeking permission 
> from the List Owner
> 
> 
>
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Subject: UFO birds
From: Jamie <j.c.fairchild AT earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:44:58 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
I like.  :)  Your mission accomplished.

From: MBB22222 AT aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:40:58 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [texbirds] Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas

Jamie
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Subject: Bushtits
From: "Terry Hibbitts" <thibb AT swtexas.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:06:04 -0500
I have lived in Camp Wood Hills since June of 2005.  The first few years I
saw Bushtits at least once or twice a year.  I have not seen any on the
property now for three years.  On a bird survey last year 20 Feb 2012 I saw
a small group on a hillside north of Barksdale.  These are the only ones I
have seen on the three properties I do surveys.  So I guess I would agree
with Chuck that the Bushtit population tends to be down in eastern Edwards
County.  Another bird that has dropped in population in this area (I think)
is Canyon Towhee.

Terry Hibbitts
Camp Wood, TX
www.thehibbitts.net



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Subject: Texbirds posts and UFOs in Texas
From: MBB22222 AT aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:40:58 -0400 (EDT)
I read original post about “Texbirds and South Texas birding” after seeing 
 a few replies in my email box and accidentally clicking on one (original 
title  did not trigger my interest).
 
I am not on this listserv from the beginning but I noted some sad changes  
over past few years. I think, perhaps I am wrong, that this community just 
grown  too big and in consequence many small sub-communities evolved; each 
one having  members that seem to believe that only their group represents 
great values, serves the whole community right and fits perfectly into Texbirds 

rules. With  deferent approach to birds; birders vs. birdwatchers vs. bird 
guides vs.  equipment salesmen vs. photographers, evolutionists vs. 
creationists, green vs. I do not care, etc there are enough members now to form 

large  sub-communities. Some members are silent but unhappy seeing posts from 
other  groups and some groups have leaders who, from time to time, are 
loudly  protesting and trying to criticize approach to birds that they do not 
like for whatever reason. It was posted before - there is no reason to not let 

somebody  enjoying a cardinal that visited his/her backyard - one does not 
have to read  every post …  Being a member of a very large community require 
acceptance  of the fact that many (most) other members might have different 
opinions on many  subjects (this has nothing to do who is right or wrong), 
enjoy different  approach to birds and find different posts interesting. 
Trying to force our own opinions to be accepted by others is not only rude but 

tells me, IMHO, that one  who does that might have many weaknesses and 
cannot be happy no matter what  …
 
And birds that we can find and see in TEXAS are incredible. Not long time  
ago I found one alien that visited the state. Recently  I found and add to  
my collection another one.
 
These who are easy to get scare, do not like photos or read but do not like 
 my post - they do not have to click on the link below. If some believe 
these are  not birds but extraterrestrial beings - I cannot guarantee that 
those two  are  birds`but both were seen in Texas …
 
http://www.pbase.com/image/150870101
 
If only a few would like them I did not waste my time. BTW, somebody else  
have seen and photographed other alien birds in Texas?
 
Mark B Bartosik
Houston, Texas
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field
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Subject: Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding
From: Cecilia-home <criley02 AT earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:38:00 -0500
All of us would benefit from a bit of patience. Tolerance (and the use of the 
delete key) would serve as a good moderator. Let's all concentrate on the big 
picture, birds, their conservation, and big life lists. That should keep us all 
happily posting with respect for all. 



Life is better with birds!
Cecilia M Riley
Sent from my iPad

On Jun 18, 2013, at 11:08 AM, Martin Reid  wrote:

> Dear All,
> I'm with John on this, even though I might have tried (and maybe failed...) 
to be less blunt! Perhaps it should have been left to the List Moderator to 
make a statement about the Photo Big Year post, but such admonitions have not 
always been forthcoming so it's hard to sit on ones hands, especially if you've 
been the recipient of rapid Moderator admonitions in the past ;-) 

> I can only speculate that John has received some ugly emails about his post. 
If so, do any of those emailers have the guts to make their comments to him 
public? 

> 
> This medium is a minefield for those of us who are prone to knee-jerk 
reactions. This is a classic occurrence in EmailLand, where person X breaks the 
rules, then person Y else tells them so without using carefully parsed 
ultra-neutral language so that no-one could possibly be upset by it... - then 
person Y gets slammed for offending some people (usually a very small but vocal 
number of people) rather than the focus remaining on the original breaking of 
the rules! ugh! 

> 
> Personally I think John's post was accurate, blunt and a bit terse, but 
certainly not offensive. I can understand his frustrated reaction because this 
seems to be a recurring issue with many of the groups I belong to. 

> Martin
> 
> ---
> Martin Reid
> San Antonio
> www.martinreid.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> 
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
> from the List Owner
> 
> 
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Subject: Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
From: carolynohl AT aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:30:17 -0400 (EDT)
Thank you Heidi and Kelly for providing more accurate information than I was 
able to. I now remember Kelly telling me about the Chamber of Commerce trying 
to put together the festival. I think having my phone and computer down for 3 
days, and counting, has stressed me to the point of affecting my memory,not to 
mention my ability to gather the facts, so I should have just let that one go 
by. My intention was to stimulate a response. Did that anyway, but in 
hindsight, I realize it would've happened without my help/hindrance. 


So do not contact the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute. Sorry if I caused 
anyone inconvenience. 




Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
Big Bend area


 



-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly Bryan 
To: texbirds 
Sent: Tue, Jun 18, 2013 3:06 pm
Subject: [texbirds] Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival


Heidi is right about what I know of the details.  Please be advised that
the Fort Davis thing does not have anything what-so-ever to do with the
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute.  A new Chamber director took over a
few months ago and the Limpia Hotel hired a new PR person.  They are the
ones who put the dates on the calendar without consulting anyone at all.
 The contact location is the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce and I have
already had a thorough discussion with them.  The plan as I know it is just
as Heidi described with no presentations of note.  Furthermore, there will
be no access to the high country except in one location, the Davis
Mountains Preserve.  That is already one of my sampling sites for my
hummingbird banding project.
I am committed to the Birds and Butterflies Festival at the Gage Hotel in
Marathon.  I too do not know the schedule of events but I believe that Joel
Simon is the keynote speaker.  We will be banding hummingbirds at this
festival and hope to get at least Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed,
Ruby-throated, and Lucifer.

I would advise that you check out the details before committing to either.
 KBB


On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:29 PM, Heidi Trudell wrote:

> Not to give contact info preference re: the festivals, but I do not have
> the name nor contact info of the main contact for the hummingbird festival.
> Apologies if there seems to be a bias there! Last year we did serve as
> consultants and leaders for the Gage event but this year have only fielded
> the occasional email question... that may change at the last minute, but
> for now we do not anticipate any change of status!
> -h
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:22 PM, Heidi Trudell  >wrote:
>
> > Excellent points - West Texas is festival rich this August, but
> > information poor!
> >
> > I have heard that the Fort Davis hummingbird festival will be held the
> > same weekend as the Gage's event - one of the organizers contacted me and
> > it sounds like there will be some sort of initial gathering/registration
> > and maps will be handed out so folks can go to various residences that
> have
> > feeders up and subsequent evening activities will involve comparing notes
> > to see who saw what. Considering the Gage event snagged their hummingbird
> > expert for a banding session, it might be a little strange!
> >
> > The Gage coordinator did email me a 'save the date' pdf; still not sure
> > how to register (I suppose one could email and ask about pre-reservation
> or
> > have a space held) and their site doesn't say anything. Ann Urban is the
> > new event coordinator and the contact person for the event:
> > ann AT gagehotel.com - she can at least send y'all the 'save the date' info
> > that has (or should have) been sent to last year's participants.
> >
> > Good luck, everyone!
> >
> > -h
> >
> > Heidi Trudell
> > Marathon, TX
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:50 PM,  wrote:
> >
> >> I hadn't heard that the Davis Mountains festival is going to be held.
> You
> >> would need to check with Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute for
> >> information. Just google it.  I hear the Marathon festival will be held
> >> this year. I'm sure Heidi Trudell will respond about that. (My computer
> is
> >> down or I would provide more info on both festivals).
> >>
> >> Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
> >> Big Bend area
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Judy Sharp 
> >> To: texbirds 
> >> Sent: Tue, Jun 18, 2013 12:19 pm
> >> Subject: [texbirds] Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
> >>
> >>
> >> Does anyone know if the Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival will be
> held
> >> this year?  I thought it had been discontinued a few years back, but
> >> several
> >> Fort Davis websites have it listed as being held August 9-11, 2013.  If
> it
> >> is being held, can you provide a link for more information?  I also
> found
> >> a
> >> mention of a nature/birding festival at the Gage Hotel in Marathon
> August
> >> 8-11 on www.westtexashummingbirds.com but didn't see any further info
> on
> >> the
> >> link listed.
> >>
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Judy Sharp
> >>
> >> Houston
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> >> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> >>
> >> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking
> >> permission
> >> from the List Owner
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> >> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> >>
> >> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking
> >> permission
> >> from the List Owner
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities.
> -
> > Mark Twain
> > Big Bend Birds & Nature - http://www.bigbendnature.com
> >
>
>
>
> --
>
> Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. -
> Mark Twain
> Big Bend Birds & Nature - http://www.bigbendnature.com
>
>
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
> from the List Owner
>
>
>


-- 
Kelly B Bryan
Fort Davis, Texas

To follow the progress of my hummingbird project go to:
http://westtexashummingbirds.com/
To support this project, other bird projects and our educational outreach
in west Texas go to:  http://www.westtexasavianresearch.org/


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Subject: Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding
From: Eric Carpenter <ecarpe AT gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:36:29 -0500
I like Isaac's photos and also enjoy reading Jon's posts.  I see
nothing wrong with Isaac's note in regard to the rules of this list,
which are:

"TEXBIRDS encourages the open discussion of Texas birds and birding.
In general, we ask that participants limit their messages to matters
related to birds and birding within our state, although information
about bird-related issues in other states that may interest Texas
birders and has a Texas tie-in are welcomed."

If you read the post that started this, you'll see where it mentions
over 200 species were photographed in Texas.  It's not surprising
since Isaac lives and birds mostly in Texas and if you go to his site,
you'll see that there are indeed a large number of birds photo'ed in
Texas.  Yes, not exclusively about Texas but certainly the note is
germane and does include easy tie-ins to Texas birding.

Jon and others may have legitimate gripes about what folks post to
different groups they belong to, but linking those issues with Isaac's
post seems to be a stretch.

-- Eric

Eric Carpenter
Austin

On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 11:08 AM, Martin Reid  wrote:
> Dear All,
> I'm with John on this, even though I might have tried (and maybe failed...) 
to be less blunt! Perhaps it should have been left to the List Moderator to 
make a statement about the Photo Big Year post, but such admonitions have not 
always been forthcoming so it's hard to sit on ones hands, especially if you've 
been the recipient of rapid Moderator admonitions in the past ;-) 

> I can only speculate that John has received some ugly emails about his post. 
If so, do any of those emailers have the guts to make their comments to him 
public? 

>
> This medium is a minefield for those of us who are prone to knee-jerk 
reactions. This is a classic occurrence in EmailLand, where person X breaks the 
rules, then person Y else tells them so without using carefully parsed 
ultra-neutral language so that no-one could possibly be upset by it... - then 
person Y gets slammed for offending some people (usually a very small but vocal 
number of people) rather than the focus remaining on the original breaking of 
the rules! ugh! 

>
> Personally I think John's post was accurate, blunt and a bit terse, but 
certainly not offensive. I can understand his frustrated reaction because this 
seems to be a recurring issue with many of the groups I belong to. 

> Martin
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Subject: Steve Stewart
From: Steve Stewart <ss4275 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:04:10 -0700 (PDT)
wer    
http://impact49.crispmail.com/ywb/spjladssnvrcedq/tbldwoui/hwbauhqomcj.php 
Steve Stewart 


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Subject: Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
From: Kelly Bryan <kelly.b.bryan AT gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:05:33 -0500
Heidi is right about what I know of the details.  Please be advised that
the Fort Davis thing does not have anything what-so-ever to do with the
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute.  A new Chamber director took over a
few months ago and the Limpia Hotel hired a new PR person.  They are the
ones who put the dates on the calendar without consulting anyone at all.
 The contact location is the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce and I have
already had a thorough discussion with them.  The plan as I know it is just
as Heidi described with no presentations of note.  Furthermore, there will
be no access to the high country except in one location, the Davis
Mountains Preserve.  That is already one of my sampling sites for my
hummingbird banding project.
I am committed to the Birds and Butterflies Festival at the Gage Hotel in
Marathon.  I too do not know the schedule of events but I believe that Joel
Simon is the keynote speaker.  We will be banding hummingbirds at this
festival and hope to get at least Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed,
Ruby-throated, and Lucifer.

I would advise that you check out the details before committing to either.
 KBB


On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:29 PM, Heidi Trudell wrote:

> Not to give contact info preference re: the festivals, but I do not have
> the name nor contact info of the main contact for the hummingbird festival.
> Apologies if there seems to be a bias there! Last year we did serve as
> consultants and leaders for the Gage event but this year have only fielded
> the occasional email question... that may change at the last minute, but
> for now we do not anticipate any change of status!
> -h
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:22 PM, Heidi Trudell  >wrote:
>
> > Excellent points - West Texas is festival rich this August, but
> > information poor!
> >
> > I have heard that the Fort Davis hummingbird festival will be held the
> > same weekend as the Gage's event - one of the organizers contacted me and
> > it sounds like there will be some sort of initial gathering/registration
> > and maps will be handed out so folks can go to various residences that
> have
> > feeders up and subsequent evening activities will involve comparing notes
> > to see who saw what. Considering the Gage event snagged their hummingbird
> > expert for a banding session, it might be a little strange!
> >
> > The Gage coordinator did email me a 'save the date' pdf; still not sure
> > how to register (I suppose one could email and ask about pre-reservation
> or
> > have a space held) and their site doesn't say anything. Ann Urban is the
> > new event coordinator and the contact person for the event:
> > ann AT gagehotel.com - she can at least send y'all the 'save the date' info
> > that has (or should have) been sent to last year's participants.
> >
> > Good luck, everyone!
> >
> > -h
> >
> > Heidi Trudell
> > Marathon, TX
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:50 PM,  wrote:
> >
> >> I hadn't heard that the Davis Mountains festival is going to be held.
> You
> >> would need to check with Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute for
> >> information. Just google it.  I hear the Marathon festival will be held
> >> this year. I'm sure Heidi Trudell will respond about that. (My computer
> is
> >> down or I would provide more info on both festivals).
> >>
> >> Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
> >> Big Bend area
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Judy Sharp 
> >> To: texbirds 
> >> Sent: Tue, Jun 18, 2013 12:19 pm
> >> Subject: [texbirds] Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
> >>
> >>
> >> Does anyone know if the Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival will be
> held
> >> this year?  I thought it had been discontinued a few years back, but
> >> several
> >> Fort Davis websites have it listed as being held August 9-11, 2013.  If
> it
> >> is being held, can you provide a link for more information?  I also
> found
> >> a
> >> mention of a nature/birding festival at the Gage Hotel in Marathon
> August
> >> 8-11 on www.westtexashummingbirds.com but didn't see any further info
> on
> >> the
> >> link listed.
> >>
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Judy Sharp
> >>
> >> Houston
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> >> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> >>
> >> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking
> >> permission
> >> from the List Owner
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> >> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> >>
> >> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking
> >> permission
> >> from the List Owner
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities.
> -
> > Mark Twain
> > Big Bend Birds & Nature - http://www.bigbendnature.com
> >
>
>
>
> --
>
> Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. -
> Mark Twain
> Big Bend Birds & Nature - http://www.bigbendnature.com
>
>
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
> from the List Owner
>
>
>


-- 
Kelly B Bryan
Fort Davis, Texas

To follow the progress of my hummingbird project go to:
http://westtexashummingbirds.com/
To support this project, other bird projects and our educational outreach
in west Texas go to:  http://www.westtexasavianresearch.org/


Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
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Subject: Green-tailed Towhee
From: Susan Knock <knocks AT tamug.edu>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:42:26 +0000
I had a green-tailed towhee in my birdbath on Sunday morning in Bastrop County. 
This was a new Yard Bird for me. Unfortunately it did not stay around long 
enough for me to get a photo. 



Susan L. Knock in Smithville, TXEdit your Freelists account settings for 
TEXBIRDS at 

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Subject: Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
From: Heidi Trudell <heidi AT bigbendnature.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:29:23 -0500
Not to give contact info preference re: the festivals, but I do not have
the name nor contact info of the main contact for the hummingbird festival.
Apologies if there seems to be a bias there! Last year we did serve as
consultants and leaders for the Gage event but this year have only fielded
the occasional email question... that may change at the last minute, but
for now we do not anticipate any change of status!
-h


On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:22 PM, Heidi Trudell wrote:

> Excellent points - West Texas is festival rich this August, but
> information poor!
>
> I have heard that the Fort Davis hummingbird festival will be held the
> same weekend as the Gage's event - one of the organizers contacted me and
> it sounds like there will be some sort of initial gathering/registration
> and maps will be handed out so folks can go to various residences that have
> feeders up and subsequent evening activities will involve comparing notes
> to see who saw what. Considering the Gage event snagged their hummingbird
> expert for a banding session, it might be a little strange!
>
> The Gage coordinator did email me a 'save the date' pdf; still not sure
> how to register (I suppose one could email and ask about pre-reservation or
> have a space held) and their site doesn't say anything. Ann Urban is the
> new event coordinator and the contact person for the event:
> ann AT gagehotel.com - she can at least send y'all the 'save the date' info
> that has (or should have) been sent to last year's participants.
>
> Good luck, everyone!
>
> -h
>
> Heidi Trudell
> Marathon, TX
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:50 PM,  wrote:
>
>> I hadn't heard that the Davis Mountains festival is going to be held. You
>> would need to check with Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute for
>> information. Just google it.  I hear the Marathon festival will be held
>> this year. I'm sure Heidi Trudell will respond about that. (My computer is
>> down or I would provide more info on both festivals).
>>
>> Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
>> Big Bend area
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Judy Sharp 
>> To: texbirds 
>> Sent: Tue, Jun 18, 2013 12:19 pm
>> Subject: [texbirds] Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
>>
>>
>> Does anyone know if the Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival will be held
>> this year?  I thought it had been discontinued a few years back, but
>> several
>> Fort Davis websites have it listed as being held August 9-11, 2013.  If it
>> is being held, can you provide a link for more information?  I also found
>> a
>> mention of a nature/birding festival at the Gage Hotel in Marathon August
>> 8-11 on www.westtexashummingbirds.com but didn't see any further info on
>> the
>> link listed.
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>>
>>
>> Judy Sharp
>>
>> Houston
>>
>>
>>
>> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
>> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>>
>> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking
>> permission
>> from the List Owner
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
>> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>>
>> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking
>> permission
>> from the List Owner
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
>
> Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. -
> Mark Twain
> Big Bend Birds & Nature - http://www.bigbendnature.com
>



-- 

Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. -
Mark Twain
Big Bend Birds & Nature - http://www.bigbendnature.com


Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
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Subject: Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
From: Heidi Trudell <heidi AT bigbendnature.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:22:42 -0500
Excellent points - West Texas is festival rich this August, but information
poor!
I have heard that the Fort Davis hummingbird festival will be held the same
weekend as the Gage's event - one of the organizers contacted me and it
sounds like there will be some sort of initial gathering/registration and
maps will be handed out so folks can go to various residences that have
feeders up and subsequent evening activities will involve comparing notes
to see who saw what. Considering the Gage event snagged their hummingbird
expert for a banding session, it might be a little strange!

The Gage coordinator did email me a 'save the date' pdf; still not sure how
to register (I suppose one could email and ask about pre-reservation or
have a space held) and their site doesn't say anything. Ann Urban is the
new event coordinator and the contact person for the event:
ann AT gagehotel.com - she can at least send y'all the 'save the date' info
that has (or should have) been sent to last year's participants.

Good luck, everyone!

-h

Heidi Trudell
Marathon, TX




On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:50 PM,  wrote:

> I hadn't heard that the Davis Mountains festival is going to be held. You
> would need to check with Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute for
> information. Just google it.  I hear the Marathon festival will be held
> this year. I'm sure Heidi Trudell will respond about that. (My computer is
> down or I would provide more info on both festivals).
>
> Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
> Big Bend area
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Judy Sharp 
> To: texbirds 
> Sent: Tue, Jun 18, 2013 12:19 pm
> Subject: [texbirds] Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
>
>
> Does anyone know if the Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival will be held
> this year?  I thought it had been discontinued a few years back, but
> several
> Fort Davis websites have it listed as being held August 9-11, 2013.  If it
> is being held, can you provide a link for more information?  I also found a
> mention of a nature/birding festival at the Gage Hotel in Marathon August
> 8-11 on www.westtexashummingbirds.com but didn't see any further info on
> the
> link listed.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Judy Sharp
>
> Houston
>
>
>
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
> from the List Owner
>
>
>
>
>
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
> from the List Owner
>
>
>


-- 

Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. -
Mark Twain
Big Bend Birds & Nature - http://www.bigbendnature.com


Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
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Subject: Re: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
From: carolynohl AT aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:50:27 -0400 (EDT)
I hadn't heard that the Davis Mountains festival is going to be held. You would 
need to check with Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute for information. Just 
google it. I hear the Marathon festival will be held this year. I'm sure Heidi 
Trudell will respond about that. (My computer is down or I would provide more 
info on both festivals). 


Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
Big Bend area


 



-----Original Message-----
From: Judy Sharp 
To: texbirds 
Sent: Tue, Jun 18, 2013 12:19 pm
Subject: [texbirds] Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival


Does anyone know if the Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival will be held
this year?  I thought it had been discontinued a few years back, but several
Fort Davis websites have it listed as being held August 9-11, 2013.  If it
is being held, can you provide a link for more information?  I also found a
mention of a nature/birding festival at the Gage Hotel in Marathon August
8-11 on www.westtexashummingbirds.com but didn't see any further info on the
link listed.
 

Thanks,

 

Judy Sharp

Houston      



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Subject: Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
From: "Judy Sharp" <catbird7 AT att.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:18:24 -0500
Does anyone know if the Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival will be held
this year?  I thought it had been discontinued a few years back, but several
Fort Davis websites have it listed as being held August 9-11, 2013.  If it
is being held, can you provide a link for more information?  I also found a
mention of a nature/birding festival at the Gage Hotel in Marathon August
8-11 on www.westtexashummingbirds.com but didn't see any further info on the
link listed.
 

Thanks,

 

Judy Sharp

Houston      



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Subject: Re: Larry Kirby
From: Stenmead AT aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:44:46 -0400 (EDT)
Likely a hack.
 
 
In a message dated 6/18/2013 11:30:45 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
lkirbytx AT yahoo.com writes:
orai  

http://glenbrookpets.com/cyxzag/RNDCHR,3,15%/btwenndilvetg/vgnbo/jdbbqqmwyrdogwc.htm 




hbk  

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Subject: Larry Kirby
From: Larry Kirby <lkirbytx AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:30:02 -0700 (PDT)
orai 
http://glenbrookpets.com/cyxzag/RNDCHR,3,15%/btwenndilvetg/vgnbo/jdbbqqmwyrdogwc.htm 




hbk 

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Subject: Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding
From: Martin Reid <upupa AT airmail.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:08:45 -0500
Dear All,
I'm with John on this, even though I might have tried (and maybe failed...) to 
be less blunt! Perhaps it should have been left to the List Moderator to make a 
statement about the Photo Big Year post, but such admonitions have not always 
been forthcoming so it's hard to sit on ones hands, especially if you've been 
the recipient of rapid Moderator admonitions in the past ;-) 

I can only speculate that John has received some ugly emails about his post. If 
so, do any of those emailers have the guts to make their comments to him 
public? 


This medium is a minefield for those of us who are prone to knee-jerk 
reactions. This is a classic occurrence in EmailLand, where person X breaks the 
rules, then person Y else tells them so without using carefully parsed 
ultra-neutral language so that no-one could possibly be upset by it... - then 
person Y gets slammed for offending some people (usually a very small but vocal 
number of people) rather than the focus remaining on the original breaking of 
the rules! ugh! 


Personally I think John's post was accurate, blunt and a bit terse, but 
certainly not offensive. I can understand his frustrated reaction because this 
seems to be a recurring issue with many of the groups I belong to. 

Martin

---
Martin Reid
San Antonio
www.martinreid.com






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Subject: Bushtits in eastern Edwards Plateau?
From: Chuck Sexton <gcwarbler AT austin.rr.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:06:32 -0500
TexBirders,

As I was compiling my notes for the Spring report for North American  
Birds, it occurred to me that I had seen very few Bushtits away from  
the Trans-Pecos in the past year or so.  I began to wonder if the  
species has been especially hard hit by the drought conditions,  
particularly in the eastern Edwards Plateau.  I began to study eBird  
reports and it seems to confirm my impressions.

There is only one report in 2013 of a Bushtit in the region  
substantially N and E of Interstate 10: a single report at Fort Hood  
(Coryell Co.) in February.  There is a small handful of reports in  
the San Antonio region and points W and slightly NW.  The species is  
still being seen (apparently) in the Trans-Pecos, but it's hard to  
judge the abundance without a more detailed analysis.

I'm wondering if other TexBirders have noticed a decrease in  
Bushtits, particularly in the eastern Edwards Plateau.  This can be a  
difficult question because the species is so nomadic and sporadic in  
occurrence in this region to start with.  Is this just a sampling  
bias?  An eBird bias?  Or have Bushtits actually declined in this  
region?

Two additional thoughts:

1.  The drought has actually been worse in the western part of the  
Hill Country, but that is where the species has historically been  
more numerous.  Are the more westerly Bushtits simply better adapted  
to withstand such a long stretch of harsh habitat conditions?

2.  The (apparent) Bushtit pattern seems to contrast with the  
Hutton's Vireo situation, a species I might think had similar  
ecological adaptations and habitat preferences, but which seems to be  
continuing its increase in abundance and distribution eastward.  Why  
the difference in the two?

Chuck Sexton
Austin
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Subject: Re: ABA area Photo Big Year update
From: alan olson <alanolson270 AT hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:05:31 -0500
BRAVO  AT !
> Subject: [texbirds] Re: ABA area Photo Big Year update
> From: mcintyrebirds AT hotmail.com
> Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:15:26 -0500
> To: sanchez AT che.utexas.edu; texbirds AT freelists.org
> 
> I'm pretty sure Texbirds is for Texas bird sightings. Lets at least keep it 
in the right country for crying out loud. If you want to show off your year 
list, find another place to do it. 

> 
> Jon McIntyre 
> Ingelside
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Jun 17, 2013, at 4:52 PM, "Sanchez, Isaac C"  
wrote: 

> 
> > Hi Fellow TEXBIRDERS:
> > 
> > Just got back from Canada: birded 7 days in Calgary, Banff NP, and Jasper 
NP. Added 18 birds to my year list (490 total). All 490 can be seen on my 
Flickr site (one image per species in chronological order): 

> > 
> > http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/sets/72157632513641635/
> > 
> > If you click on the photo and scroll down you will find location info (over 
200 birds in Texas). Total number of year birds seen and/or heard is 502; so I 
have only missed 12 birds (there is always tomorrow). 

> > 
> > Best trip birds:
> > 
> > GREAT GRAY OWL, 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070027652/in/set-72157634182458430 
) 

> > 
> > AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070029234/in/set-72157634182458430 

> > 
> > BOREAL CHICKADEE 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070027630/in/set-72157634182458430 

> > 
> > Next birding adventure will take my wife and I on a short 3 day trip to New 
England. 

> > 
> > Bird on,
> > 
> > Isaac Sanchez
> > Austin
> > 
> > Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
> > http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> > 
> > Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 

> > from the List Owner
> > 
> > 
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> 
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
> from the List Owner
> 
> 
 		 	   		  
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Subject: Llano County Breeding Bird surprises - Sunday 6-16-13 - Belted Kingfishers and White-tailed Kite
From: drbirdie AT aol.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:25:52 -0400 (EDT)
Hi Texbirders,
I conducted the Valley Spring BBS on Sunday morning June 16, and wanted to 
share a brief report and a couple of surprises. 

Range conditions looked surprisingly good, especially grasses, and especially 
in the eastern part of this route, which starts in San Saba County near 
Cherokee. The wildflower show is mostly over, and perhaps wasn't as good as 
usual, but numbers of Northern Bobwhite were surprisingly good. 

Painted Buntings put on a great show as usual, and Summer Tanager numbers seem 
up a bit. 

I had 4 species of sparrows (Lark, Chipping and singles of Black-throated and 
Field), but missed Canyon Towhee and Rufous-crowned Sparrow, neither of which 
are ever numerous on this route. I also missed Cassin's Sparrow, which was a 
bit of a surprise given the good condition of native grasses. 

The biggest surprises were on a stretch of Llano CR 408 northeast of Valley 
Spring, where I had a brief look at a hovering White-tailed Kite, and then 
three stops later I had a pair (male and female) of Belted Kingfishers near a 
series of stock tanks, one of which has a utility wire that runs across it. The 
pair were initially perched on the utility wire and I was able to snap a 
picture of the female. I don't think that either of these species have ever 
been recorded on this BBS route. 


No other major surprises, except that the skies were a bit overcast and it was 
slightly cooler than usual, and a light rain started just as I wrapped up the 
survey in late morning. 

It was a good morning to be afield in the Llano Uplift.
Good birding ya'll,
Byron Stone, Austin

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Subject: Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding
From: Susan Schaezler <warblerwoods AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:15:38 -0500
I'm confused, wasn't the discussion on posting on Texas Birds to TXBirds? I had 
to dig the old post out of trash to check, so why are you leaving? I thought 
that was the rule and other than you bringing it up instead of David, it was 
ok. 

I learn from all of you and hate to lose any of you. Some of you are indicators 
on what is coming my way, hopefully. 


Susan Schaezler
WarblerWoods.org
501(c)(3) Cibolo/Schertz
Lone Star Land Steward Winner 2011. GCBO Site Partner
Life member TOS, SAAS, TAS

On Jun 17, 2013, at 10:24 PM, Jon McIntyre  wrote:

> Due to some posts and responses from fellow Texbirders, this will be my final 
post to Texbirds. 

> 
> Both Texbirds and the Facebook Texbirds page has become a place for showing 
off pictures or year lists to others instead of simply posting sightings. 

> 
> I'm sure that I have had many people enjoy my posts over the years, as well 
as dislike them. Hopefully I've helped some birders find some life or year 
birds. If anyone would like to continue to see my posts they can view my 
website which I will keep up to date (I can not post the address due to 
Texbirds rules). You may check the Facebook Texbirds to find the website 
address. 

> 
> Jon McIntyre 


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Subject: Re: Texbirds and South Texas birding
From: Susan Schaezler <warblerwoods AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:41:29 -0500
I'm confused, wasn't the discussion on posting on Texas Birds to TXBirds? I had 
to dig the old post out of trash to check, so why are you leaving? I thought 
that was the rule and other than you bringing it up instead of David, it was 
ok. 


I learn from all of you and hate to lose any of you. Some of you are indicators 
on what is coming my way, hopefully. 


Susan Schaezler
WarblerWoods.org
501(c)(3) Cibolo/Schertz
Lone Star Land Steward Winner 2011. GCBO Site Partner
Life member TOS, SAAS, TAS

On Jun 17, 2013, at 10:24 PM, Jon McIntyre  wrote:

> Due to some posts and responses from fellow Texbirders, this will be my final 
post to Texbirds. 

> 
> Both Texbirds and the Facebook Texbirds page has become a place for showing 
off pictures or year lists to others instead of simply posting sightings. 

> 
> I'm sure that I have had many people enjoy my posts over the years, as well 
as dislike them. Hopefully I've helped some birders find some life or year 
birds. If anyone would like to continue to see my posts they can view my 
website which I will keep up to date (I can not post the address due to 
Texbirds rules). You may check the Facebook Texbirds to find the website 
address. 

> 
> Jon McIntyre 
> Ingelside, Texas 
> 
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Subject: Texbirds and South Texas birding
From: Jon McIntyre <mcintyrebirds AT hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:24:46 -0500
Due to some posts and responses from fellow Texbirders, this will be my final 
post to Texbirds. 


Both Texbirds and the Facebook Texbirds page has become a place for showing off 
pictures or year lists to others instead of simply posting sightings. 


I'm sure that I have had many people enjoy my posts over the years, as well as 
dislike them. Hopefully I've helped some birders find some life or year birds. 
If anyone would like to continue to see my posts they can view my website which 
I will keep up to date (I can not post the address due to Texbirds rules). You 
may check the Facebook Texbirds to find the website address. 


Jon McIntyre 
Ingelside, Texas 

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Subject: Christmas Mountains and Big Bend trip 6/15-17/13
From: dhanson139 AT aol.com
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:46:28 -0400 (EDT)
rolyn Ohl-Johnson's place and yes we saw some Black-chinned and Lucifers 
Hummingbirds as well as?Scaled Quail, Black-throated Sparrow, House Finches, WW 
Doves, Bronze Cowbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds. Before we left Alpine though 
we went out to the Cemetery and saw Bronze Cowbirds, Western Tanagers, Cactus 
Wren, Curve-billed Thrashers, and of course European Starlings. 

?
Yesterday 6/16 we took the hike up to Boot Canyon in Big Bend and after Jan 
gave up and went down a ways and sat down for awhile I finally after 1.5 hrs 
found the Western and Flame Colored Tanagers. The bird was eventually a little 
further down the trail but is was very actively chasing the female Western 
Tanager through the trees and was very hard to get a good look at. I had heard 
the bird several times before finally catching a very quick look at both of 
them I finally saw them about 3 different times but was never able to catch up 
to them and get a picture and finally gave up because it was getting late. We 
also saw Bush Tit's, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Black-crested Titmice, 
Black-headed Grosbeaks, Scotts Orioles, Mexican Jays and on the way down a 
Hepatic Tanager which I did get pictures of. Also a couple of Flycatchers I 
might need help ID'ing later. I think one was a Ash-throated Flycatcher but I 
need to look at the pictures when I get time. None of the flycatchers were 

  calling at all. It was mid afternoon after all.
?
Today 6/17 we drove from Big Bend to Fort Davis with plans to stay at the state 
park. It was so early we decided to go out and check out the Madera Canyon 
Trail the Natures Conservancy owns, It had been raining when we got to Fort 
Davis and it was nice maybe mid 70's. We started the hike and had gone to the 
pond and were making the loop when another thunderstorm threatened so we were 
walking real fast to get back before it hit. The wind was blowing real hard so 
singing birds were hard to hear and we saw very few up there. About 600 yds 
from making it down the bottom fell out and we ended up making it back to the 
car in a downpour and hail storm. It rained so hard the road was already 
starting to go under at the creek crossing and numerous other places along the 
way back. By the way that trail head is about 8 miles past the McDonald 
Observatory. 

?
Pictures when I get time and better internet access.
?
David and Jan Hanson
Baytown/Mont Belvieu Area
currently in Fort Davis

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Subject: Austin (Travis/Williamson Co.) - breeding birds of note (local interest)
From: Rich Kostecke <rkost73 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:05:23 -0700 (PDT)
I just wanted to report a few locally breeding birds that I found interesting 
here in Austin. In my NW Austin (Williamson Co.) neighborhood, there appears 
to be a pair of Broad-winged Hawks. They were circling overhead and calling 
yesterday and this evening I observed one being mobbed by a grackle. 

On Saturday June 15th, after a nice hike led by Mikael Behrens on behalf of the 
Hill Country Conservancy at their Nalle Bunny Run Preserve (Travis Co.) where I 
got Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Yellow-throated Warbler, Veena Mohan and I 
did a little exploring of some other nearby areas. Namely, Emma Long Park, the 
north end of which is in my patch. We did not actually spend much time in the 
park, but we did drive Pearce Road, along which there was a singing Northern 
Parula down by the river and a singing Chipping Sparrow up on the mesa top. 


Rich





Richard Kostecke, Ph.D.
The Nature Conservancy
318 Congress Ave., Austin,Texas 78701
Email: rkost73 AT yahoo.com or rkostecke AT tnc.org
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Subject: Photos from April and May 2013
From: paul sellin <pjsellin AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:17:11 -0700 (PDT)
I've added 34 photos to my Flickr photostream. They cover the period from 
mid-April to the end of May 2013. Photos are from LaFitte's Cove 
(Galveston),Quintana NBS, Kerr WMA, Judge Roy Bean SP, Big Bend NP, Davis 
Mountains SP, Franklin Mountains SP, and a few Portal/Paradise, AZ birds. The 
AZ photos are of birds that have been seen inTX this spring, except, I 
believe,the Yellow-eyed Junco. 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/43703131 AT N05/

I welcome comments.

Take care,
Paul Sellin
SW Houston
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Subject: Re: ABA area Photo Big Year update
From: Jon McIntyre <mcintyrebirds AT hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:15:26 -0500
I'm pretty sure Texbirds is for Texas bird sightings. Lets at least keep it in 
the right country for crying out loud. If you want to show off your year list, 
find another place to do it. 


Jon McIntyre 
Ingelside


Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 17, 2013, at 4:52 PM, "Sanchez, Isaac C"  wrote:

> Hi Fellow TEXBIRDERS:
> 
> Just got back from Canada: birded 7 days in Calgary, Banff NP, and Jasper NP. 
Added 18 birds to my year list (490 total). All 490 can be seen on my Flickr 
site (one image per species in chronological order): 

> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/sets/72157632513641635/
> 
> If you click on the photo and scroll down you will find location info (over 
200 birds in Texas). Total number of year birds seen and/or heard is 502; so I 
have only missed 12 birds (there is always tomorrow). 

> 
> Best trip birds:
> 
> GREAT GRAY OWL, 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070027652/in/set-72157634182458430 
) 

> 
> AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070029234/in/set-72157634182458430 

> 
> BOREAL CHICKADEE 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070027630/in/set-72157634182458430 

> 
> Next birding adventure will take my wife and I on a short 3 day trip to New 
England. 

> 
> Bird on,
> 
> Isaac Sanchez
> Austin
> 
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
> 
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
> from the List Owner
> 
> 
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Subject: ABA area Photo Big Year update
From: "Sanchez, Isaac C" <sanchez AT che.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:51:19 +0000
 Hi Fellow TEXBIRDERS:

Just got back from Canada: birded 7 days in Calgary, Banff NP, and Jasper NP. 
Added 18 birds to my year list (490 total). All 490 can be seen on my Flickr 
site (one image per species in chronological order): 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/sets/72157632513641635/

If you click on the photo and scroll down you will find location info (over 200 
birds in Texas). Total number of year birds seen and/or heard is 502; so I have 
only missed 12 birds (there is always tomorrow). 


Best trip birds:

GREAT GRAY OWL, 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070027652/in/set-72157634182458430 
) 


AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070029234/in/set-72157634182458430 


BOREAL CHICKADEE 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/isaaccsanchez/9070027630/in/set-72157634182458430 


Next birding adventure will take my wife and I on a short 3 day trip to New 
England. 


Bird on,

Isaac Sanchez
Austin

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Subject: Interesting bird photography
From: Dan Smith <dan AT wordsmithofaustin.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:07:23 -0500
There is an interesting photo essay in today's Slate on birds in flight. 
Captures them in a kind of flight disarray that we (or at least I) do not 
perceive when watching them in motion. 


http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2013/06/14/_aviary_is_a_study_of_birds_in_flight_captured_in_photo_booth_style_photos.html 



Dan Smith
dan AT wordsmithofaustin.com
512-451-2632
http://www.wordsmithofaustin.com




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Subject: Sulphur-bellied Flycater from 15 June 2013, blog entry.
From: Matthew York <mwayork AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:16:40 -0500
http://www.bigbendnature.com/2013/06/a-funny-thing-happened.html
A meager entry, no ecology nor elegant prose.  However, I thought some
might like to see a few more images from Carolyn Ohl's Christmas Mtns Oasis
in south Brewster County.

What a great record for the trans-Pecos!  Only record number two for the
region.  I certainly wish it would have stayed around a little longer.

Thanks again, Carolyn, for all the work you've done and continue to do for
the habitat you've created and maintain.  We know it isn't easy.

Matt York
Marathon
Brewster Co.

-- 
www.bigbendnature.com


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Subject: Looking for kites yesterday
From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:27:26 -0500
I worked the area going north from cove and then the Dayton-liberty stretch
for kites and other good birds yesterday morning without seeing any except
for a single Mississippi kite on travis street in liberty which flew to
what appeared to be a nest in a backyard. Lots of common birds singing but
no kites.
The best bird of the day was a male painted bunting down at the deck in the
park service land in the trinity bottoms. It hung around the portapotty
attracted by eau de portapotty or the bugs attracted to that. It used the
signs and my car for a song perch. Your mother probably told you always to
wear clean underwear in case you get taken to the emergency room but you
should also wash your car in the event birds use it as a photographed song
perch.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827439

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827437

It also sang from the posts
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827440

signs
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827434

and hopped around my feet, often too close to photograph
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827432

I headed home by way of Crosby and did find swallow-tailed kites there.
They were up and about but covering large areas. One had a 15 inch snake
which it took off to the south and this bird was carrying the remains of a
meal around for a good bit
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827426

Which are the very used hindquarters of a squab or other young bird
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827425

the kites kept getting higher
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150827424

and eventually went above the clouds and vanished. 4 birds were in sight at
one time but the there may have been a couple more as the snake eater
vanished off and did not seem to return.

-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com


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Subject: New Utopia Yard Bird
From: Judy Bailey <jubailey AT ista-na.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:36:35 -0500
We had a yellow-billed cuckoo near the road Saturday morning.



Judy Bailey
Utopia/Houston


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Subject: Verdin, Hooded Orioles and Yellow-Green Vireo
From: Robert Becker <robertjbecker AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:18:24 -0700 (PDT)



I birded Palo Alto National Historical Park this morning and I found two pairs 
of Verdin calling to one another near the park headquarters and out on the 
walking trail near where it splits into a Y. I got good looks at the birds, 
which have always been very elusive for me. There also was a pair of Caracaras 
doing a flyover and a separate raptor flying over that I think was a 
White-tailed Hawk. Wrens also were calling but I did not get a good look. 


Yesterday I birded the UTB campus and located a brilliantly-colored male and a 
female Hooded Oriole that I have been observing for several weeks. I think they 
are nestingnear the Fort Brown Resaca. There also was a Muscovy Duck in the 
Resaca, and a few regulars including Tri-colored Heron and Snowy Egret. There 
also is a Mourning Dove sitting on her second clutch of eggs this spring. 


Last weekend I found the Yellow-green Vireo and managed a poor photo by 
standing next to a tree trunk and shooting upwards through the foliage. The 
bird was calling and moving about the parking island area adjacent to the 
Visitor's Center. I also photographed a Carolina Wren that was up and singing. 


Photo highlights are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13451078 AT N03/

Bob Becker
Rancho Viejo. 


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Subject: Mitchell lake , San Antonio June 16
From: "Georgina Schwartz" <gbird AT att.net>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:02:18 -0500
Since several ladies from Houston Joined us this morning on our 
regular 3rd Sunday tour, I am posting the list. We have had lots of 
rain and the basins are all full, no shoreline for our shorebirds that 
we had before May 25. Still there were several interesting sightings. 
I thought 54 species was pretty good for June.

Georgina Schwartz
San Antonio



Mitchell Lake, Bexar, US-TX
Jun 16, 2013 7:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Mike Creese, Helen Rejzek, Chris Bailey, Marilyn 
McCullum, Georgina Schwartz
54 species

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  3
Blue-winged Teal  1
Ruddy Duck  2
Neotropic Cormorant  40
Double-crested Cormorant  1     This bird is not rare at the Mitchell 
Lake
They often spend the summer here
American White Pelican  35
Great Blue Heron  1
Great Egret  13
Snowy Egret  40
Tricolored Heron  1
Cattle Egret  7
Green Heron  2
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  2
Turkey Vulture  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
American Coot  4
Killdeer  1
White-winged Dove  26
Mourning Dove  50
Inca Dove  2
Common Ground-Dove  4
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  4     one on a nest in basin 2
Chimney Swift  3
Black-chinned Hummingbird  6
Golden-fronted Woodpecker  1
Ladder-backed Woodpecker  1
Crested Caracara  1
Ash-throated Flycatcher  1
Brown-crested Flycatcher  1
Western Kingbird  1
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  6
White-eyed Vireo  3
Bell's Vireo  2
Purple Martin  6
Barn Swallow  16
Cliff Swallow  1
Cave Swallow  1
Black-crested Titmouse  1
Verdin  3
Bewick's Wren  1
Carolina Wren  1
Northern Mockingbird  12
Long-billed Thrasher  2     seen by Chris near the center
Yellow-breasted Chat  1     seen along bird pond road north of Ernie's 
bridge
Olive Sparrow  1     Heard
Northern Cardinal  15
Painted Bunting  5
Dickcissel  12
Red-winged Blackbird  16
Great-tailed Grackle  10
Brown-headed Cowbird  15
Bullock's Oriole  2
House Finch  16
House Sparrow  12

View this checklist online at 
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14436612

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org) 

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Subject: Zone-tailed Hawks
From: Michael Stewart <acridotheres.tristis AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:22:49 -0500
I have seen a Zone-tailed Hawk on two other visits to Colorado Bend SP, but 
yesterday I saw one fly to its nest. A pair has a nest with two young in it 
right across the river from the southeast parking lot near the river group 
camping area, and they're very easy to see. 


Mike Stewart
Ft. Hood

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Subject: Green-tailed towhee
From: Susan Knock <knocks AT TAMUG.EDU>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:31:08 -0500
****** MESSAGE POSTED TO THE OLD LIST *******

I don't know how common a green-tailed towhee is for the rest of Bastrop
County, but we had our first taking a bath in the birdbath today. Sadly, he
finished before I could get to the camera.

TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at: http://moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds

Subject: Ful Report from Post BBS - 15 June 2013
From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:04:36 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings All:
I completed the Post BBS (Garza County) on 15 June 2013. The route 
which runs generally eastward from the Lynn/Garza County line to Post and then 
northeastward along FM 651, was almost as dry as I have ever seen it and, 
though birding wasn't as bad as last year, the ongoing drought has really had a 
negative impact on butterflies, 

amphibians, reptiles, water-loving birds, and small mammals. Some 
relief had come the night before in the shape of very spotty showers and I 
actually had one overflowing stock pond, one muddy playa, and several 
water-filled ditches to contend with.. 



The entire list of critters seen on the Post BBS:

2 Reakirt's Blue

many Spotted Chorus Frogs

1 Round-tailed Horned Lizard
1 Common Kingsnake


8 Northern Bobwhites
2 Black-crowned Night Herons
7 Turkey Vultures
7 Mississippi Kite

2 Swainson's Hawks
2 Red-tailed Hawks

5 Killdeers
2 Black-necked Stilts
14 Rock Pigeons

29 Eurasian Collared Doves
2 White-winged Doves

48 Mourning Doves
1 Burrowing Owl
12 Common Nighthawks
5 Chimney Swifts
1 Black-chinned Hummingbird
1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker
3 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers
4 American Kestrels
9 Ash-throated Flycatchers

62 Western Kingbirds
28 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers
3 Bell's Vireos
3 Blue Jays
3 Chihuahuan Ravens

9 Horned Larks
1 Purple Martin

27 Barn Swallows
370 Cliff Swallows
28 Cave Swallows
1 Bewick's Wren
2 American Robins

24 Northern Mockingbirds
3 Curve-billed Thrashers

8 European Starlings

2 Cassin's Sparrows
1 Field Sparrow

9 Lark Sparrows
2 Grasshopper Sparrows
5 Northern Cardinals
3 Pyrrhuloxias

4 Blue Grosbeaks
15 Painted Buntings

1 Dickcissel
19 Red-winged Blackbirds
1 Eastern Meadowlark
5 Western Meadowlarks
3 Common Grackles
24 Great-tailed Grackles
5 Bronzed Cowbirds
9 Brown-headed Cowbirds

7 Bullock's Orioles
13 House Finches
6 Lesser Goldfinches

2 House Sparrows

1 Black-tailed Jackrabbit
1 Plains Pocket Gopher
1 Coyote

Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
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Subject: Full Report from Dougherty BBS - 2 June 2013
From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:52:30 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings All:
I completed the Dougherty BBS (Floyd County) on 2 June 2013. The route which 
runs generally westward from Dougherty to well southwest of Floydada was almost 
as dry as I have ever seen it and, though birding wasn't as bad as last year, 
the ongoing drought has really had a negative impact on butterflies, 

amphibians, reptiles, water-loving birds, and small mammals. Some relief had 
come the night before in the shape of very spotty showers and I actually had 
one damp playa and one water-filled ditch along the route. 



The entire list of critters seen on the Dougherty BBS:

1 Common Checkered Skipper
1 Gray Hairstreak

many Plains Spadefoots


2 Mallards

5 Northern Bobwhites
1 Ring-necked Pheasant
37 Cattle Egrets
42 White-faced Ibises
2 Turkey Vultures
1 Mississippi Kite

2 Swainson's Hawks
5 Killdeers
3 Eurasian Collared Doves
48 Mourning Doves
1 Greater Roadrunner

5 Burrowing Owls
1 Common Nighthawk
1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker

5 American Kestrels
1 Western Wood Pewee
3 Ash-throated Flycatchers

92 Western Kingbirds
6 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers
2 Common Ravens
64 Horned Larks
8 Barn Swallows
2 Cliff Swallows
1 Bewick's Wren

9 Northern Mockingbirds
1 Curve-billed Thrasher

5 European Starlings
1 MacGillivray's Warbler

1 Cassin's Sparrow
17 Lark Sparrows
3 Grasshopper Sparrows

5 Blue Grosbeaks
3 Painted Buntings

5 Dickcissels
18 Red-winged Blackbirds
7 Eastern Meadowlarks
31 Western Meadowlarks
1 Common Grackle
12 Great-tailed Grackles
2 Bronzed Cowbirds
1 Orchard Oriole

7 Bullock's Orioles
2 House Finches
16 House Sparrows

1 Black-tailed Jackrabbit

1 Desert Cottontail
24 Black-tailed Prairie Dogs

Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
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Subject: Full Report from Circle BBS - 1 June 2013
From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:41:46 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings All:
I completed the Circle BBS (Lamb County) on 1 June 2013. The route which runs 
generally westward from Circle to well west of Earth was as dry as I have ever 
seen it and, though birding wasn't as bad as last year, the ongoing drought has 
really had a negative impact on butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, water-loving 
birds, and small mammals. 


The entire list of critters seen on the Circle BBS:

1 Common Checkered Skipper
1 Dainty Sulphur

7 Northern Bobwhites
5 Ring-necked Pheasants
8 Black-crowned Night Herons
6 Swainson's Hawks
5 Killdeers
20 Eurasian Collared Doves
74 Mourning Doves
2 Burrowing Owls
3 American Kestrels
1 Willow Flycatcher
160 Western Kingbirds
2 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers
1 Loggerhead Shrike
1 Blue Jay
2 Chihuahuan Ravens
104 Horned Larks
33 Barn Swallows
2 Cliff Swallows
1 American Robin
5 Northern Mockingbirds
4 European Starlings
6 Cassin's Sparrows
5 Lark Sparrows
6 Lark Buntings
5 Blue Grosbeaks
1 Dickcissel
74 Red-winged Blackbirds
5 meadowlarks
6 Eastern Meadowlarks
22 Western Meadowlarks
1 Yellow-headed Blackbird
2 Common Grackles
41 Great-tailed Grackles
2 Bronzed Cowbirds
6 Brown-headed Cowbirds
12 Bullock's Orioles
2 House Finches
63 House Sparrows

7 Desert Cottontails
1 Hispid Cotton Rat
1 Coyote
1 Striped Skunk
1 Mule Deer

Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock

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Subject: Some highlights from the Post BBS - yesterday
From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:21:52 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings All:
I ran the Post Breeding Bird Survey (Garza County) yesterday. Highlights from 
the route (multiple listings of certain species involve sighting at different 
points) included: 2 Black-necked Stilts west of Post, 2 Cave Swallows west of 
Post, 8 Cave Swallows west of Post, 8 Cave Swallows west of Post, 2 Lesser 
Goldfinches west of Post, 2 Bell's Vireos in Post, 1 Purple Martin in Post, 2 
Cave Swallows in Post, 1 Bell's Vireo northeast of Post, 2 Cave Swallows 
northeast of Post, 4 Cave Swallows northeast of Post, 2 Cave Swallows northeast 
of Post, 1 Field Sparrow northeast of Post, 1 Pyrrhuloxia northeast of Post, 2 
Pyrrhuloxias northeast of Post, 1 male Bronzed Cowbird northeast of Post, 2 
male Bronzed Cowbirds northeast of Post, 1 male Bronzed Cowbird northeast of 
Post. 


Some incidental highlights from Lubbock County: 6 Snowy Egrets and 22 Cattle 
Egrets at Leroy Elmore Park. 


Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock

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Subject: SPI Convention Center & Sheepshead Lots - 6/10/2013 (late report)
From: Brad Lirette <lirettb AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:26:31 -0700 (PDT)
Texbirders,
I spent a week with the family vacationing in SPI last week and did manage to 
bird a little bit. After taking the kids on a Dolphin Tour with Scarlet Colley 

(highly recommended - kids loved it and Scarlet pointed out many birds I needed 

for my county list), I went to the SPI convention center on Scarlet's 
recommendation and found a silent Empid and a Northern Waterthrush. I then 
stopped at the Sheepshead lots and had a singing Black-and-White Warbler. I 
left the camera at the hotel room so did not get pictures of the Empid:-( I 
was 

planning a try for the Mangrove Warbler, but the winds stayed in the 15-20 mph 
range which would make the warbler hard to find.....GuessI will have to 
returnnext year:-)

Good Birding!

Brad Lirette
Pearland, Texas
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Subject: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher---- NO
From: carolynohl AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:16:31 -0400 (EDT)
Last seen around 8:30 PM yesterday. Not seen today and the birders have all 
left now. 


It was first seen around 11:AM yesterday at the same time as the Western 
Wood-Pewee was seen. Both were here thereafter, and neither today. Maybe 
they're travelling together. 



Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
Big Bend area



 

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Subject: Correction on Quinta Parrot
From: MiriamEagl AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 09:40:54 -0400 (EDT)
Hi, all!
 
Yep--several people concurred that the parrot I photographed and assumed  
was a Redcrown was actually a Lilac-crowned (another field mark that frankly  
bothered me for not fitting Redcrown, and pointed out by Rex Stanford, was 
the  lack of a yellow terminal bank on the tail).  Website is being 
corrected as  soon as it connects with the server! :-)
 
Thanks for the feedback,
 
MB  
Mary Beth  Stowe
McAllen, TX
_www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) 



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Subject: Bachman's Sparrow?
From: Marie Stewart <littlebitrv AT fastmail.net>
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:25:56 -0500
Hi,
I am going to be in Conroe TX area for 3 weeks starting 19 June. A 
friend will be joining me from the Rio Grand Valley to bird. We will be 
looking for a Bachman's Sparrow which will be a Life bird for her. What 
I am trying to find out is the best places to look for them and if you 
have seen them there and when. We will be very thankful for any 
information you can provide.

Thanks for your time,
Marie Stewart


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Subject: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
From: carolynohl AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:54:37 -0400 (EDT)
It's still present at Christmas Mountains Oasis and hopefully will be tomorrow, 
since quite a few people are coming to see it. We didn't get rain today so the 
roads won't be muddy tomorrow. 


I posted a photo of it on my blog http://cmoasis.blogspot.com for those of you 
that don't do facebook. 



Speculating, perhaps floods, drought, fires, or something caused the flycatcher 
to leave its territory. If it finds enough to eat here it may stay around until 
it migrates south in the fall. Normally, there isn't much competition here, as 
far as flycatchers go, but this year I have kingbirds nesting for the first 
time, and a batch of Ash-throated Flycatchers just fledged. The Say's Phoebe is 
on her second nest. We'll just have to see... I don't know how long it has been 
here. No one has birded here since June 7, including me. 



Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
Big Bend area


 

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Subject: NEW YARD BIRD: PEARLAND
From: Mira M Pellerin <mirampellerin AT aol.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:00:11 -0400 (EDT)
I saw my first yard bird this AM:  a Tufted Titmouse!

I know that this is a common bird in this part of Texas, but I had never seen 
one in my yard or in my neighborhood until today. 


I was beginning to wonder why.

Mira M. Pellerin
Pearland, TX

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Subject: Varied Bunting YES (Bentsen SP)
From: MiriamEagl AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:34:53 -0400 (EDT)
Hi, all!
 
First off, I wanted to pass on that the Varied Bunting was very visible  
today, but along the RIGHT fork of the Rio Grande Trail; I first heard the 
bird  at the traditional spot by Marker 10 along the left fork, but he was WAY 
out  there, so on the way out I decided to check out the right fork, and 
there he  was, not yards off the trail!  There were really no landmarks along 
to  trail to point out his position; best advice I can give is to familiarize 
 yourself with the song and let your ears guide you!  Other Bentsen  
highlights included a pair of soaring Anhingas, and a Bronzed Cowbird 
performing 

"The Helicopter" at the Rio Grande Trailhead tram stop.
 
I actually started at Quinta Mazatlan, where the best bird was a  
female-type Black-and-white Warbler!  Ran into John Brush and friend, where  a 
Red-crowned Parrot obligingly came in (although in the photos the red crown 
looks 

rather dark, yet it doesn't strike me as a Lilac-crowned; feedback is  
welcome).  At any rate, real Red-crowns were calling up a storm early  on!  
Dipped on Dan Jones' odes, but a pretty Bordered Patch was the  consolation 
prize.
 
Pictures and a recording of the Varied Bunting are here:
 
http://miriameaglemon.com/photo_gallery/2013%20Field%20Trips/June/Quinta%20M
azatlan.html
 
Bird List (those seen only at one location or the other are  annotated):
 
QM:  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  Dendrocygna  autumnalis
Plain  Chachalaca                       Ortalis vetula
BSP:    Anhinga                                Anhinga anhinga
QM:  Black-necked  Stilt                     Himantopus mexicanus
White-winged  Dove                      Zenaida asiatica
Mourning  Dove                          Zenaida macroura
Inca  Dove                              Columbina inca
White-tipped  Dove                      Leptotila verreauxi
BSP:  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo                   Coccyzus americanus
Chimney  Swift                          Chaetura pelagica
Buff-bellied  Hummingbird               Amazilia yucatanensis
Golden-fronted  Woodpecker              Melanerpes aurifrons
Ladder-backed  Woodpecker               Picoides scalaris
QM:  Green  Parakeet                         Aratinga holochlora
QM:   Red-crowned  Parrot                     Amazona viridigenalis\
BSP:  Northern  Beardless-Tyrannulet         Camptostoma  imberbe
Brown-crested  Flycatcher               Myiarchus tyrannulus
Great  Kiskadee                         Pitangus sulphuratus
Couch's  Kingbird                       Tyrannus couchii
BSP:  Green  Jay                              Cyanocorax yncas
BSP:  Cave  Swallow                           Petrochelidon fulva
BSP:  Black-crested  Titmouse                 Baeolophus atricristatus
BSP:   Verdin                                 Auriparus flaviceps
QM:  Carolina  Wren                          Thryothorus ludovicianus
BSP:  Bewick's  Wren                          Thryomanes bewickii
QM:  Clay-colored  Thrush                    Turdus grayi
Northern  Mockingbird                   Mimus polyglottos
QM:  Long-billed  Thrasher                   Toxostoma longirostre
QM:  Curve-billed  Thrasher                  Toxostoma curvirostre
QM:   European  Starling                      Sturnus vulgaris
QM:   Black-and-white  Warbler                Mniotilta varia
Olive  Sparrow                          Arremonops rufivirgatus
Northern  Cardinal                      Cardinalis cardinalis
BSP:  Varied  Bunting                         Passerina versicolor
QM:  Red-winged  Blackbird                   Agelaius phoeniceus
Great-tailed  Grackle                   Quiscalus mexicanus
BSP:  Bronzed  Cowbird                        Molothrus aeneus
QM:  Brown-headed  Cowbird                   Molothrus ater
QM:  Hooded  Oriole                          Icterus cucullatus
BSP:  Altamira  Oriole                        Icterus gularis
QM:  Lesser  Goldfinch                       Spinus psaltria
QM:  House  Sparrow                          Passer domesticus
42 SPECIES

Mary Beth  Stowe
McAllen, TX
_www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) 



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Subject: Leakey Hacienda birds.
From: Collins & Charmaine Ganson <cgtimes2 AT ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:43:14 -0500 (GMT-05:00)

Had a great day so far off the back porch and deck here in Leakey. 32 species 
so far. The highlights of the day had to be a flock of Bush Tits and a male 
Black & White Warbler. The Golden-fronted Woodpeckers have fledged 2 
youngsters. All day the adult male is staying with the young female & mom is 
staying with the young male. The list of birds seen follows. 


32 species

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  2
Wild Turkey  1
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
White-winged Dove  4
Mourning Dove  1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1
Black-chinned Hummingbird  2     Female & Male
Golden-fronted Woodpecker  3     Male & Female with young.
Eastern Phoebe  2
Vermilion Flycatcher  1     Female
Ash-throated Flycatcher  2     Male & Female
Brown-crested Flycatcher  1
Bell's Vireo  1     Short stubby beak compared to other Vireos.
Western Scrub-Jay  1
Common Raven  1
Carolina Chickadee  1
Black-crested Titmouse  4     2 adults with young.
Bushtit  5
Bewick's Wren  1
Eastern Bluebird  2     A pair
Black-and-white Warbler  1     Adult male
Chipping Sparrow  3
Field Sparrow  1     Male singing.
Summer Tanager  2     2 Males chasing each other.
Northern Cardinal  3     2 Males & Female
Blue Grosbeak  1     Immature male.
Painted Bunting  1     Male
Brown-headed Cowbird  2     Male & Female
House Finch  7     3 adult Males, 2 Adult female 2juvenile females
Lesser Goldfinch  2     Male & Female

Charmaine & Collins Ganson
Leakey, Texas
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Subject: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher at Christmas Mountains Oasis
From: carolynohl AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:10:12 -0400 (EDT)
We found the bird about an hour ago. David and Jan Hanson are here birding and 
I took time out from my water pumping to chat with them. Dave saw a Western 
Wood-Pewee that disappeared before he could photograph it. He expressed the 
desire to get photos of it, so I went looking for it. I didn't find it but did 
get a quick glimpse of a flycatcher I couldn't ID. After a couple times of 
that, Dave got a good look and said it was a Sulphur-bellied. He and Jan got 
good photos of it. I posted (TEXBIRDS facebook) a poor photo I took of it. Am 
going to try for better photos. 



Carolyn Ohl-Johnson
Big Bend area

 

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Subject: Summer birds at Quinta Mazatlan
From: John Brush <jsbrush10 AT gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:31:01 -0500
Summer is in full swing here at Quinta Mazatlan. Lots of breeding activity
continues in the park, as some birds are on their second brood.
Over the past couple weeks the *Red-crowned Parrots* (with a *Lilac-crowned
Parrot* often with them) have been seen fairly regularly in the park. You
can also drive through some South McAllen neighborhoods to try for them. *Green
Parakeets* have also been more regular in the park the past few weeks as
well.

*Tropical Kingbirds* are nesting on the adjacent golf course.

At least one *Clay-colored Thrush* is nesting the park, still sitting on
eggs.

Regards,

-- 
John Brush
Edinburg, Texas
Interpretive Guide
Quinta Mazatlan WBC


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Subject: Utley
From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman AT gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 11:04:17 -0500
************************************************************************************************************* 

After a long stint away from home I returned home for a bit.  Within
minutes of arriving and even before I unlocked the house, I could hear
a Brown-crested Flycatcher down the way on a neighboring property.

I am out watering the parched remainders of what plants I figure might
still make it and had it calling just moments ago from a dead oak just
down the road to the house on my property.   A little over a decade
ago someone reporting a BCFL from around here would have been stoned
to a pulp for reporting one in the area without photos....I guess they
are now just junk birds.

  The Crow people successfully reared two new members for the tribe
while I was away.  A Northern. Parula is here singing and enjoying the
water sprinklers.


Brush Freeman
361-655-7641 Cell
http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/
Finca Alacranes., Utley,Texas
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Subject: Bill Trelc
From: Bill Trelc <trelcjr AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 05:54:37 -0700 (PDT)
yrfe
  http://www.willakanada.pl/phqqgnj/radmurjuaajzny/dgqmm.php
 Bill Trelc
 ipbtu

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Subject: Valley Nature Center Trip to Starr Co. Next Week
From: MiriamEagl AT aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 06:57:35 -0400 (EDT)
Hi, all!
 
VNC's monthly field trip for June (Saturday the 22nd) will be to Salineno  
and Falcon Parks (both state and county), and if time and energy permits, a 
stop  at Roma on the way back for Black-chinned Hummingbird and butterflies 
(due to  the heat, the plan is for a half-day only).  Target birds (not 
guaranteed by a long shot but we can hope) include Red-billed Pigeon, Audubon's 

Oriole,  Muscovy Duck, Scaled Quail, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, 
Black-throated Sparrow,  and whatever else may show up.
 
Meet at the Whataburger in La Joya at 6:00 to carpool.  Cost is $5.00  and 
all proceeds go to sponsor a school field trip to VNC.  
 
See you there!
 
MB  
Mary Beth  Stowe
McAllen, TX
_www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) 



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Subject: Re: RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - June 14, 2013
From: Tim Brush <txbrush5 AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:20:08 -0500
Update on the Varied Bunting--in the same area as before along the Rio
Grande Hiking Trail, at Bentsen, this morning (June 14)--still singing
quite a bit.
Regards,
Tim and John Brush
Edinburg, TX



On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 4:03 PM, Mary Gustafson  wrote:

> .
> * Texas
> * Lower Rio Grande Valley
> * June 13, 2013
> .
> To report rare birds, e-mail rgvbirds AT hotmail.com(preferred) or call
> (956)584-2731 option 3.
> .
> Updates can be seen on the web athttp://rgvbirds.blogspot.com
> .
> Capitalized birds marked with a + are Review Species forTexas. Please send
> sightings/photographs to the Texas Bird Review Committee:ecarpeATgmail.com.
> .
> NOTE: Monday-Wednesday bothBentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park and Resaca
> de la Palma State Park willhave their offices closed but the park open (NO
> TRAM, self check-in at the IronRanger) and full services Thursday-Sunday.
> .
> NOTE: Monday-Tuesday EsteroLlano Grande State Park offices will be closed
> but the park open (self check-inat the Iron Ranger) and full services
> Wednesday-Sunday.
> .
> Our rare bird alert this week includes:
> .
> Yellow-green Vireo
> Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
> Varied Bunting
> .
> This is a general reminder that playing recordings is notallowed in Texas
> State Parks nor in many LRGV birding sites. All State Park andNational
> Wildlife Refuge visitors must stay on trails. Thank you for not
> disturbing the wildlife or damaging the vegetation.
> .
> The Valley from east to west.
> .
> Mangrove Warbler, a well-marked subspecies of YellowWarbler that may be
> distinct enough to warrant full species status, can be seenby contacting
> the Sealife Center at (956) 299-1957.
> .
> A Yellow-green Vireo was found at Resaca de la PalmaState Park on May 26
> and continues near the parking lot.  Another was found in urban Brownsville
> June6, no more recent reports.  And a thirdwas in a closed area in Hidalgo
> County! Keep your eyes and ears open!
> .
> A Chestnut-sided Warbler was a surprise singing away inEdinburg on 6/13!
>  The local Blue Jayshave been detected a few times, but they are not easy
> to locate.
> .
> A male Varied Bunting was found at Bentsen-Rio GrandeValley State Park on
> May 22 and continued through at least June 4 on the RioGrande Trail (take
> the left fork and look for the bird between signposts 10-14).
> .
> PARROT REPORT
> Red-crowned Parrots are sometimes seen in the areas ofQuinta Mazatlan in
> McAllen, Valley Nature Center in Weslaco in the evening,Calvary Baptist
> Church in Harlingen (1815 N 7th Street). Brownsvilles OliveiraPark (Los
> Ebanos Road/El Paso Road across from Pace High School) hasRed-crowned
> Parrots as well, mingling at dusk with escaped Yellow-headed,White-fronted,
> Lilac-crowned and Red-lored Parrots. Red-crowned Parrots andGreen Parakeets
> are seen in urban areas irregularly all over the Valley.
> .
> Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10thand Dove in the
> evening, sometimes winging a few blocks over to Nolana xMcColl. Watch for a
> couple of Mitred Parakeets that sometimes mingle with them.
> .
> In Hidalgo, at 5th and Gardenia near the HidalgoPumphouse World Birding
> Center, a few Monk Parakeets have taken up residencebuilding nests on
> telephone poles, keeping company with an escaped Rose-ringedParakeet. These
> birds have been present since winter 2010.
> .
> WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATER INFORMATION - Most sites forWhite-collared
> Seedeaters are in Zapata and Webb counties. Information isprovided as a
> service to visiting birders. Sites to check include the SanYgnacio County
> Park/Seedeater Sanctuary at the foot of Washington Street in SanYgnacio,
> the Raptor Trail at the west end of San Ygnacio, the library pond inZapata,
> and Laredo's Las Palmas Trail, North Central and Father McNaboe Park.Access
> to La Laja Ranch, also a Seedeater site, is by advance reservationsonly.
> E-mail the owner at Edward.herbst AT att.net. This is a fee site.
> .
> FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - FerruginousPygmy-Owls are present at
> El Canelo, San Miguelito Ranch and King Ranch (NoriasDivision only). Recent
> reports have *not* found Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls at SanMiguelito Ranch or El
> Canelo. This owl is very difficult to find at any otherlocation at present
> and has not been seen or heard at Bentsen-Rio Grande ValleyState Park since
> the summer of 2010, when the park was inundated by the RioGrande.
> .
> Seehttp://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/p/ferruginous-pygmy-owl-sites.html for
> moreinformation.
> .
> Directions are provided only for sites not included inthe ABA Birders'
> Guide to the Rio Grande Valley or the Birders' Guide to theTexas Coast.
> These guides are indispensable for visiting birders.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Site Closures:
>
> Allen Williams Wildscape, Pharr, open by appointmentONLY; Call or text
> 956-460-9864.
>
> Bentsen-RGV State Park, building/store closed/no trams onMonday-Wednesday
> but the grounds are open (self-pay station).
>
> Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds both
> closed on Sundays.
>
> Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store openWednesday-Sunday.
>
> Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday morningsand all day
> Mondays except by appointment.
>
> Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY;956-241-2494.
>
> Methodist Camp Thicket, Weslaco, group reservations (fee)only. Contact
> Estero LlanoGrande State Park.
>
> Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays.
>
> Resaca de la Palma State Park, building/store closed/notrams
> Monday-Wednesday starting June 1, grounds open (self-pay station).
>  Building/store closed/no trams Monday & Tuesdayin May.
>
> Salineno feeding station closed for the summer.
>
> San Miguelito Ranch  Closed until March 2014.
>
> Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles
>
> Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings andMondays.
>
>
> Mary Gustafson
> Mission, Texas
>
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> http://www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
> from the List Owner
>
>
>

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Subject: RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - June 14, 2013
From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds AT aol.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:03:38 -0400 (EDT)
. 
* Texas 
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* June 13, 2013
.
To report rare birds, e-mail rgvbirds AT hotmail.com(preferred) or call 
(956)584-2731 option 3. 

.
Updates can be seen on the web athttp://rgvbirds.blogspot.com
. 
Capitalized birds marked with a + are Review Species forTexas. Please send 
sightings/photographs to the Texas Bird Review Committee:ecarpeATgmail.com. 

.
NOTE: Monday-Wednesday bothBentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park and Resaca de 
la Palma State Park willhave their offices closed but the park open (NO TRAM, 
self check-in at the IronRanger) and full services Thursday-Sunday. 

.
NOTE: Monday-Tuesday EsteroLlano Grande State Park offices will be closed but 
the park open (self check-inat the Iron Ranger) and full services 
Wednesday-Sunday. 

.
Our rare bird alert this week includes: 
.
Yellow-green Vireo 
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
Varied Bunting
.
This is a general reminder that playing recordings is notallowed in Texas State 
Parks nor in many LRGV birding sites. All State Park andNational Wildlife 
Refuge visitors must stay on trails. Thank you for not 

disturbing the wildlife or damaging the vegetation. 
.
The Valley from east to west.  
.
Mangrove Warbler, a well-marked subspecies of YellowWarbler that may be 
distinct enough to warrant full species status, can be seenby contacting the 
Sealife Center at (956) 299-1957. 

.    
A Yellow-green Vireo was found at Resaca de la PalmaState Park on May 26 and 
continues near the parking lot. Another was found in urban Brownsville June6, 
no more recent reports. And a thirdwas in a closed area in Hidalgo County! Keep 
your eyes and ears open! 

.
A Chestnut-sided Warbler was a surprise singing away inEdinburg on 6/13! The 
local Blue Jayshave been detected a few times, but they are not easy to locate. 

.
A male Varied Bunting was found at Bentsen-Rio GrandeValley State Park on May 
22 and continued through at least June 4 on the RioGrande Trail (take the left 
fork and look for the bird between signposts 10-14). 

. 
PARROT REPORT
Red-crowned Parrots are sometimes seen in the areas ofQuinta Mazatlan in 
McAllen, Valley Nature Center in Weslaco in the evening,Calvary Baptist Church 
in Harlingen (1815 N 7th Street). Brownsville’s OliveiraPark (Los Ebanos 
Road/El Paso Road across from Pace High School) hasRed-crowned Parrots as well, 
mingling at dusk with escaped Yellow-headed,White-fronted, Lilac-crowned and 
Red-lored Parrots. Red-crowned Parrots andGreen Parakeets are seen in urban 
areas irregularly all over the Valley. 

.
Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10thand Dove in the 
evening, sometimes winging a few blocks over to Nolana xMcColl. Watch for a 
couple of Mitred Parakeets that sometimes mingle with them. 

.
In Hidalgo, at 5th and Gardenia near the HidalgoPumphouse World Birding Center, 
a few Monk Parakeets have taken up residencebuilding nests on telephone poles, 
keeping company with an escaped Rose-ringedParakeet. These birds have been 
present since winter 2010. 

.
WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATER INFORMATION - Most sites forWhite-collared Seedeaters 
are in Zapata and Webb counties. Information isprovided as a service to 
visiting birders. Sites to check include the SanYgnacio County Park/Seedeater 
Sanctuary at the foot of Washington Street in SanYgnacio, the Raptor Trail at 
the west end of San Ygnacio, the library pond inZapata, and Laredo's Las Palmas 
Trail, North Central and Father McNaboe Park.Access to La Laja Ranch, also a 
Seedeater site, is by advance reservationsonly. E-mail the owner at 
Edward.herbst AT att.net. This is a fee site. 

. 
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - FerruginousPygmy-Owls are present at El 
Canelo, San Miguelito Ranch and King Ranch (NoriasDivision only). Recent 
reports have *not* found Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls at SanMiguelito Ranch or El 
Canelo. This owl is very difficult to find at any otherlocation at present and 
has not been seen or heard at Bentsen-Rio Grande ValleyState Park since the 
summer of 2010, when the park was inundated by the RioGrande. 

.
Seehttp://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/p/ferruginous-pygmy-owl-sites.html for 
moreinformation. 

.
Directions are provided only for sites not included inthe ABA Birders' Guide to 
the Rio Grande Valley or the Birders' Guide to theTexas Coast. These guides are 
indispensable for visiting birders. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Site Closures: 
 
Allen Williams Wildscape, Pharr, open by appointmentONLY; Call or text 
956-460-9864. 

 
Bentsen-RGV State Park, building/store closed/no trams onMonday-Wednesday but 
the grounds are open (self-pay station). 

 
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds both closed 
on Sundays. 

 
Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store openWednesday-Sunday. 
 
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday morningsand all day Mondays 
except by appointment. 

 
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY;956-241-2494. 
 
Methodist Camp Thicket, Weslaco, group reservations (fee)only. Contact Estero 
LlanoGrande State Park. 

 
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays. 
 
Resaca de la Palma State Park, building/store closed/notrams Monday-Wednesday 
starting June 1, grounds open (self-pay station). Building/store closed/no 
trams Monday & Tuesdayin May. 

 
Salineno –feeding station closed for the summer. 
 
San Miguelito Ranch – Closed until March 2014.  
 
Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles 
 
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings andMondays.


Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas

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Subject: yesterdays pictures, youngsters and mostly mystery shorebirds, and 200+ pelicans
From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:32:12 -0500
The seasons are changing. The first of the year's crop of cattle egrets
were out at Anahuac
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787965
And last year's young black-crowned night herons are molting into adult
plumage starting at the back
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787962

Lots of cliff swallows were sitting on the wires
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787969

the numbers became lots as they were being joined by youngsters and the
parents could sit around a little. Still lots of birds in nests
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787967

Marsh wrens were harder to squeak out
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787966

Reddish egrets are gathering but no youngsters seen yesterday
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787978

I counted just short of 200 white pelicans at rollover pass. There are
additional birds behind the island but all I got was a glimpse of a head
popping up now and then. By far the most summering birds I have seen. There
are 2 more pictures to get this group in with another flock further along
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787979

The breeding plumage horned grebe at the Quintana hurricane levee appears
to be losing a little of his color but never stopped preening to really
pose. Far away in lots of haze and shimmer
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150788003

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150788002

The peeps in the lagoons were really hard to id due to distance and light.
I think that this bird was a western
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787988

but it has no semipalmations
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787987

It is good that semipalmated sandpipers are much smaller
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787989

A couple of snowy plovers. Both appear to be males but there was a young
bird that apparently did not get into a picture or had its back to me
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787990

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787991

This bird was a western sandpiper
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787993

And there were several white-rumped sandpipers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787994

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787995

A young of the year Wilson's plover looked like it could fly well but did
not. Note the sort of crest where downy feathers remain among the new
feathers. This will last for a month or so and can be even more distinct.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/150787996

Challenging birding to say the least.

-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com


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Subject: Lubbock Area Birding Summary for May - Long
From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:27:17 -0700 (PDT)
MAY 2013 SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS:
With 1.15 inches of rain during 
the month, far below the average rainfall 
for the month of 2.31 inches, Lubbock is now at 3.42 inches for the 
year, over two inches below the average year-to-date total of 5.57 inches. 
Drought 

monitors still have the bulk of the region in the two worst drought 
categories and long range forecasts continue to be discouraging. May 
highlights 

 were an interesting mix wandering waterbirds, the typical mix of eastern and 
western 

migrant shorebirds/songbirds the region is blessed with (albeit more 
concentrated 

 at the few remaining riparian areas than is typical), quite a few late 
migrants and persistently lingering sparrows, and a startling delay in the flip 
flog of our three goldfinch species. The combination 

of intense
 observer effort at some locations and the increase in data due to 
e-bird has made it somewhat more difficult to separate individuals 
sightings - the algorithm I am using is relatively conservative and I am
 willing to share it with anybody who is interested.

As always the county follows the site in () and birds
 are mentioned by virtue of rarity, atypical abundance, or atypical 
scarcity.

CACKLING GOOSE: 2-9 birds, mostly injured, persisted at Lake Six (Lubbock) 
through the end of the month (SC, AnH, CR), 1 injured bird persisted at Leroy 
Elmore Park (Lubbock) through the end of the month (SC), and 6 were reported 
from MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (RW) - MORE THAN EXPECTED THIS LATE IN 
THE YEAR BUT TYPICAL OF THE PATTERN OF INJURED GEESE PERSISTING AT PROTECTED 
AREAS IN THE REGION. 


WOOD
 DUCK: 1-2 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) through 5/12/13 (CC, HT) the only 
reports - ABOUT AVERAGE. 


AMERICAN WIGEON: 1-2 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) through 5/11/13 (PB, CC, CR), 
1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (SC), 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/3 
(SC), 1 at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), and 1 at the Smyer Playa 
(Hockley) on 5/26/13 (BS) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE LINGERER INTO MAY. 


CINNAMON TEAL: 1 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC) the only report
 - VERY LOW; ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE ABUNDANCE AND CONCENTRATION OF BLUE-WINGED 
TEALS IN THE REGION THIS SPRING. 


GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 2-5 at Reese Center (Lubbock) through 5/8/13 (CC, SC, AnH, 
HT), 20 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), 1 at the Smyer Playa 
(Hockley) on 5/19/13 (CC), and 3 at the Springlake Sewage Pond (Lamb) on 
5/25/13 (BS) - GOOD NUMBERS FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON. 


REDHEAD: 1-3 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) through 5/19/13 (CC, SC, QE, NM) the only 
reports - LOW. 


RING-NECKED DUCK: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC, CR), 2 at the 
Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), 1 male at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 
5/8/13 (AnH), 2 at Post City Park (Garza) on 5/13/13 (PB), and2 at the Smyer 
Playa (Hockley) on 5/19/13 (CC) - GOOD NUMBERS AND SCATTER FOR THIS LATE IN THE 
SEASON. 


LESSER SCAUP: 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) through 5/8/13 (CC, SC, HT) - LOW.

BUFFLEHEAD: 1 at Huneke Park (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (HT) - ACCIDENTAL FOR THE 
MONTH. THE 5th MAY RECORD FOR OUR REGION. 



EARED GREBE: 1-2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) through the end of the month (CC, SC, 
AnH, CR), 3 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), and 1 at the Smyer 
Playa (Hockley) on 5/19/13 (CC) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS VERY 
RARE BREEDER IN THE REGION. 


NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 2 persisted at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) through the 
month (CC, SC, HT) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; NOW SEEMS TO BE 
ESTABLISHED AS A VERY RARE SUMMER RESIDENT. 


GREAT EGRET: 1 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) through the month (CC, AnH), 1 at 
Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH), and 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 
(AnH) the only reports - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS; BREEDING OF THIS 
SPECIES IN OUR REGION APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER CASUALTY OF ONGOING DROUGHT. 



SNOWY EGRET: 2-8 at or immediately below Lake Six (Lubbock) throughout the 
month (PB, CC, SC, AnH, CR), 2-15 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the 
month (CC, SC, AnH, HT), 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) throughout the month 
(PB, CC, CR, RW), 1-3 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) throughout the month (CC, SC, 
AnH, HT), 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), and 1 

 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC) -
 ABOUT AVERAGE; THIS SPECIES SEEMS TO BE
 SUMMERING IN THE REGION IN REASONABLE NUMBERS
 DESPITE THE DROUGHT.

LITTLE BLUE HERON: 1 persisted in the area below Lake Six (Lubbock) through 
5/3/13 (AnH) - RARE BUT ANNUAL IN THE REGION WITH REPORTS INCREASING DURING THE 
LAST DECADE. 



CATTLE EGRET: 1-6 at or below Lake Six (Lubbock) throughout the month (PB, CC, 
SC, AnH, CR), 6 steadily rose to 38 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) during the 
month (CC, SC, AnH), 7 near Petersburg (Hale) on 5/6/13 (KH), 7 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (CC), 18 at Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 
and 1 at Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 5/25/13 (AnH) - NOT UP TO HISTORICAL NUMBERS 
BUT NOT ALL THAT BAD CONSIDERING THE DRYNESS OF IT ALL. 


YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through at least 5/16/13 
(CC, QE, AnH), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) through at least 5/19/13 (CC, SC), 
and 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC) the only reports - LOW BY 
HISTORICAL STANDARDS BUT PRETTY GOOD FOR THIS HORRIBLY DRY YEAR. 


WHITE-FACED IBIS: 37 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (CC, 
AnH), 26 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (SC), 1 at the Smyer Playa 
(Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), 2 at Tech Terrace on 5/11/13 (CC), 2-8 at Lake 

 Six (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (PB, SC, CR), 2 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 
5/12/13 (CC), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH), 10 below Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (CC), 5 in (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 10 in Plainview 
(Hale) on 5/20/13 (RR), 5 at Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/24/13 (JL), 7 below 
Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/26/13 (SC), 3 in Brownfield (Terry) on 5/27/13 (BS), 
and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/31/13 (SC) - A DECENT NUMBER OF REPORTS AND 
A GOOD SPREAD BUT NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW THIS SEASON. 


GLOSSYxWHITE-FACED IBIS: 2 well photographed birds at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 
5/5/13 (SC) - A RARE BUT REGULAR HYBRID EVENT FOR OUR REGION. 


OSPREY: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH) and 1 near Maxey Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (JL) - CASUAL, AT BEST, THIS LATE IN THE MIGRATORY SEASON. 


NORTHERN HARRIER: 1 at Bole's Lake Road (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (SC, QE, NM), 1 at 
Lubbock City Farm (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC), 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 
(CC), and 1 at Quitaque Creek Canyon (Floyd) on 5/4/13 (KH) the last reports of 
the season - NOT BAD OFR THIS LATE IN THE SPRING. 


COOPER'S HAWK: 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (SC) and 
1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH) the last reports of the season - 
NOTEWORTHY AS THE SPECIES IS CASUAL, AT BEST, IN MAY. 


COMMON GALLINULE: 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (AnH) were quite a ways 
downstream from Mae Simmons Park; the only known breeding site in our region. 


SNOWY PLOVER: 2 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/19/13 (CC0 the only report - 
LOW. 


SEMIPALMATED PLOVER: 2 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (SC) and 1 at Reese 
Center (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 (AnH) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE 
MIGRANT. 


BLACK-NECKED STILT and AMERICAN AVOCET: SURPRISINGLY GOOD NUMBERS OF BOTH 
SPECIES PERSIST THROUGHOUT THE REGION IN THE FEW REFUGIA LEFT BY ONGOING 
DROUGHT. 


SPOTTED SANDPIPER: Roughly thirty reports of 1-4 birds at at least fourteen 
sites scattered across the region (Garza, Hale, Hockley, Lubbock, Terry) during 
the period (PB, BB, CC, SC, QE, AnH, CR, RR, BS, HT) - A SURPRISINGLY GOOD 
NUMBER AND SCATTER GIVEN THE DROUGHT - THANK GOODNESS FOR EXPOSED ROCKS, I 
GUESS. 


SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 1-2 below Lake Six (Lubbock) through 5/7/13 (CC, SC, AnH, 
CR), 2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) 
from 5/6/13 to 5/7/13 (SC, AnH), and 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 
(AnH), and 1 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/26/13 (BS) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR 
THIS UNCOMMON SPRING MIGRANT. 


GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH) and 1 at the Smyer 
Playa (Hockley) on 5/26/13 (BS) the only reports - VERY LOW. 


WILLET: 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC, JT) and 1 at the Smyer 
Playa (Hockley) on 5/19/13 (CC) - THE VERY GOOD PASSAGE OF WILLETS ESTABLISHED 
IN APRIL CONTINUED THROUGH MAY AS WELL. 


LESSER YELLOWLEGS: 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (CC, SC, HT), 2 at the 
Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 
(SC), 1 at Post City Park (Garza) on 5/9/13 (BB), 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) 
from 5/11/13 through 5/16/13 (PB, CC, SC, AnH, CR), 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) 
on 5/12/13 (SC), 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (SC), 1 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) frm 5/15/13 through 5/16/13 (CC, AnH), and 1 at the Smyer Playa 
(Hockley) from 5/19/13 through 5/26/13 (CC, BS) - GOOD NUMBERS AND SCATTER; 
ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO THE PAUCITY OF GREATER YELLOWLEGS. 


UPLAND SANDPIPER: 3 flying over Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH) the only 
report - VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. 


SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CR), 14 at 
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC, RW), and 1 at Guy Park (Lubbock) on 
5/16/13 (AnH) the only reports - VERY LOW. 



WESTERN SANDPIPER: 1 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), 1 at Clapp 
Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH), 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 
(AnH), and 10 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/19/13 (CC) the only reports - 
INCREDIBLY LOW. 


LEAST SANDPIPER: Ten reports of 1-8 birds at various sites in (Lubbock) during 
the period (PB, CC, SC, AnH, CR, HT, RW) the only reports - VERY LOW. 


WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: 2 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) from 5/12/13 thoguh 
5/16/13 (CC, SC, AnH) the only reports - LOW. 


BAIRD'S SANDPIPER: 3 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), 3 at 
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC, RW), 8 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 
5/19/13 (CC), 1 at Guy Park (Lubbock) on 5/25/13 (AnH), and 1 at the Smyer 
Playa (Hockley) on 5/26/13 (BS) the only reports - LOW. 


PECTORAL SANDPIPER: 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (CC, HT), 4 at 
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC, SC, RW), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 
5/15/13 (AnH), and 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (AnH) - A BIT 
BETTER THAN AVERAGE - SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH! 


STILT SANDPIPER: 2 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 (SC), 3 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH), 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (AnH), 6 
at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/19/13 CC), and 1 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) 
on 5/26/13 (BS) the only reports - VERY LOW. 



LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: 2 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (CC, HT), 7 at 
Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (SC), 2 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/8/13 
(SC), and 1-2 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 (SC, AnH) the only reports - 
INCREDIBLY LOW. 


WILSON'S PHALAROPE: 1-3 at Lake Six (Lubbock) through 5/16/13 (CC, SC, AnH, CR, 
WW) with a spike of 37 on 5/9/13 (AnH), 60 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 
(CC, HT) declined to 2-19 on 5/8/13 (SC, AnH), 400 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) 
on 5/8/13 (SC) declined to 100 on 5/19/13 (CC) and then down to 5 on 5/26/13 
(BS), 4 near Brownfield (Terry) on 5/9/13 (HT), 6 at Whisperwood Pond 
(Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), and 2 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (AnH) - 
AVERAGE NUMBERS BUT VERY SHORT STAYS WITH LITTLE, IF ANY, EVIDENCE OF BIRDS 
REMAINING IN THE REGION TO BREED. 



BONAPARTE'S GULL: 1 bird in subadult plumage at Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/2/13 
through 5/3/13 CC, SC, AnH, CR) - ACCIDENTAL THIS LATE IN THE SEASON; THE 
REGION'S VERY FIRST MAY RECORD. 


FRANKLIN'S GULL: 4-5 adult birds at Lake Six (Lubbock) through 5/11/13 (PB, 
CC, SC, AnH, CR, WW) and 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (RW) - ABOUT 
AVERAGE FOR THIS INCREASINGLY RARE SPRING MIGRANT. 


RING-BILLED GULL: 22 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 peaked at 26 on 5/11/13 
and then declined to 1 by 5/26/13 (PB, CC, SC, AnH, CR), 10 at Leroy Elmore 
Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 peaked at 11 on 5/11/13 and then declined to 1 by 
5/31/13 (CC, SC, AnH, HT), 1 at Huneke Park (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (HT), and 4 at 
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (RW) - QUITE GOOD FOR THIS LATE IN THE 
SEASON. 


LEAST TERN: 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (PB, CC, SC, CR) - CASUAL, 
CLOSING IN ON ANNUAL, IN THE 

 REGION DURING SPRING MIGRATION.

CASPIAN TERN: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/3/13 through 5/4/13 (CC, SC, AnH, 
CR) - 

 ACCIDENTAL; THE 7th RECORD FOR THE REGION AND THE FIRST RECORD IN OVER A 
DECADE! 


BLACK TERN: 2-7 at Lake
 Six (Lubbock) daily from 5/11/13 through 5/16/13 (PB, CC, SC, AnH, CR, WW) - 
LOW. 


FORSTER'S TERN: 2-8 at Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/2/13 through 5/12/13 (CC, SC, 
AnH, CR) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE. 


INCA DOVE: 4 in Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC), 6 in Tech Terrace 
(Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC), and 1 at 
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC) the only reports - AT THIS POINT, THE 
SPECIES IS CLOSE TO VANISHING IN OUR REGION. 


YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH) and 1 at 
Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 5/31/13 (BN) the only reports - LATE TO 
ARRIVE AND VERY POOR NUMBERS. 


COMMON NIGHTHAWK: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 5/9/13 (KH) was the first of 
the season and numbers remained low throughout the remainder of the month - ON 
TIME, MORE OR LESS, BUT VERY LOW NUMBERS. 


COMMON POORWILL: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/6/13 (SC) and 1 at Clapp
 Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH) the only reports - LOW.

CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (fide RL) was 
brought into the SPWRC but had to be euthanized - A VERY LOW DENSITY MIGRANT TO 
AND BREEDER IN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES; RECORDS FROM ATOP THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT 
ARE FEW INDEED. 


BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD: 1 at Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 5/9/13 (CC, HT), and 1 
below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC, SC) the only reports - LOW. 


PEREGRINE FALCON: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (SC, QE, NM) and 1 at 
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (SC) - CASUAL, AT BEST, IN MAY. FORMERLY BRED, 
ALBEIT RARELY, AT TWO SITES IN LUBBOCK: LATE SPRING AND SUMMER RECORDS NOW SEEM 
TO INVOLVE NON-REPRODUCTIVE BIRDS. 


OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (CC, QE), 1 
possibly different bird at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), 1 at Ransom 
Lake (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 1 at the Purina Mountain 

 Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/22/13 (QE), and 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 
5/26/13 (BS) the only reports - LATE AND LOW. 


WESTERN WOOD PEWEE: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 1 below Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (PB, CR), 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 
5/11/13 (CC), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (CC), 1 at MacKenzie Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (AnH), 3 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), 2 at 
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC, 
AnH), 1 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 6 in Teck Terrace 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/20/13 (JD), 1 in 
(Hale) on 5/21/13 (RR), 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS), 1 at 
Cochran County Park (Cochran) on 5/26/13 (BS), and 4 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 
5/31/13 (SC) - LATE TO ARRIVE BUT CLOSE TO AVERAGE NUMBERS ONCE THEY FINALLY 
SHOWED UP. 


WILLOW FLYCATCHER: 1 below Lake Six
 (Lubbock) from 5/9/13 through 5/10/13 (CC, AnH), 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 
5/19/13 (AnH), 2-3 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC, AnH), 2 at Ransom Lake 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 2 near Spade (Lamb) on 5/20/13 (AR), 1 at Muleshoe 
NWR (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS), and 1 at Windmill Motte (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS) 
the only reports - LATE TO ARRIVE AND A TAD LOW THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. 


LEAST FLYCATCHER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 1 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5?19/13 (CC, AnH) , and 
1 at Cochran County Park (Cochran) on 5/27/13 (BS) the only reports - LATE TO 
ARRIVE AND VERY LOW THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. 


DUSKY FLYCATCHER: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC) and 1 at Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC, AnH) - FORMERLY CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; 
NOW KNOWN TO BE A REGULAR MIGRANT; THE 32nd and 33rd RECORDS FOR THE REGION. 


GRAY FLYCATCHER: 1 in Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on
 5/25/13 (AvH, TT) the only report - LATE AND LOW.

CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH) and 1 below 
Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC) the only reports - LATE TO ARRIVE AND LOW IN 
NUMBER. 


EASTERN PHOEBE: 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (SC), 1 at Silver Falls 
Rest Area (Crosby) on 5/14/13 (BN), 1 in Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/25/13 
(AvH, TT), 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS), and 2 at Silver Falls 
Rest Area (Crosby) on 5/31/13 (BN) - A BIT OF A PICK UP OVER LAST SPRING; 
CONDITIONS ARE MARGINALLY DAMPER AND THERE MAY BE MORE IN THE WAY OF GOOD 
BREEDING SITES THIS YEAR. 


SAY'S PHOEBE: 2 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS) the only report - LOW.

VERMILION FLYCATCHER: 1 at Windmill Motte (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS) - FORMERLY 
CASUAL IN THE REGION, NOW ANNUAL AND CAN BE EXPECTED IN ANY PART OF THE REGION 
AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR - A SITUATION WELL WORTH WATCHING. 


EASTERN KINGBIRD:
 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock)on 5/11/13 (CC, SC) may be the same bird that was 
seen in late April - VERY RARE IN THE REGION OVERALL; CLOSE TO ACCIDENTAL ABOVE 
THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT. 


BELL'S VIREO: 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL 
IN THE REGION, ON THE WAY TO BECOMING A WIDESPREAD, ALBEIT IN VERY LOW NUMBERS, 
BREEDER THROUGHOUT. 


CASSIN'S VIREO: 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (CC, 
AnH) the second report for the spring - AN ANNUAL, ALBEIT RARE, STRAY TO THE 
REGION. 


PLUMBEOUS VIREO: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC) and 1 at Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC) were the second and third reports for the spring - AN 
ANNUAL, IF SPARSE, MIGRANT THROUGH THE REGION. 


WARBLING VIREO: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH), 1 at Stanford Park 
(Yoakum) on 5/9/13 (CC, HT), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (PB, CC, SC, 
CR), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), and 

 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS) - BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS, NICE 
SCATTER AND GOOD NUMBERS FOR THIS FORMERLY MUCH MORE COMMON MIGRANT. 


COMMON RAVEN: 1 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 5/3/13 (KK), 2 in Floydada (Floyd) on 
5/4/13 (KH), 1 in Lakeview (Floyd) on 5/4/13 (KH), and 1-2 at the Himmel Farm 
(Crosby) from 5/5/13 through 5/30/13 (KH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RESURGENT 
RESIDENT IN THE REGION. 


PURPLE MARTIN: 1-2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC, SC) the only report 
- VERY LOW THIS YEAR. 


TREE SWALLOW: 2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (SC, QE, NM), 3 at Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC, CR), 1 at/below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 SC, AnH, 
CR), and 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 (AnH) - A TAD LOW. 


BANK SWALLOW: 4 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (SC, QE, NM), 4 at Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC, CR), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC, CR), 
1-2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (SC, AnH), 2-6 

 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC, AnH, CR), 1 at Leroy Elmore Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, HT), 8 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 ( CC, HT), 
2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (SC), 10-12 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 
(CC, SC), and 1 at Post City Park (Garza) on 5/13/13 (PB) - VERY GOOD NUMBERS 
AND SPREAD FOR SO LATE IN THE SEASON. 


CAVE SWALLOW: 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (AnH) , 15 at theSilver Falls 
Rest Area (Crosby) on 5/14/13 (BN), and 28 at the Silver Falls Rest Area 
(Crosby) on 5/31/13 (BN) the only reports - LOW NUMBERS AND ALMOST NO SCATTER. 


RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (KD) and 1 in 
another Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/20/13 (JD) - ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION THIS 
LATE IN THE SEASON; OUR 3rd and 4th MAY RECORDS. 


HOUSE WREN: Twenty-four reports of 1-3 birds throughout the region (Crosby, 
Hale, Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (PB, CC, SC, NG, AnH, KH, BN, CR, RR, 
HT) - 

 AN EXCELLENT MOVEMENT OF THIS SPECIES THROUGH THE REGION THIS SPRING.

BEWICK'S WREN: Eight reports of 1-3 birds throughout the region (Bailey, 
Crosby, Hale, Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (CC, AnH, BN, RR, BS) - THIS 
SPECIES SEEMS TO BE ON THE DECLINE IN THE REGION; INCREASINGLY SCATTERED AND 
HARD TO FIND. 


CAROLINA WREN: 1-2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) through the month (PB, CC, CR) 
and 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/22/13 (QE) - ABOUT 
AVERAGE FOR THIS LOW DENSITY - ATOP THE CAPROCK - BREEDER. 


BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 4 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 
(SC), 2 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/5/15 (AnH), and 1 at 
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC) the only reports - A PRECIPITOUS DECLINE 
FROM THE RECORD NUMBERS SEEN, IN PASSAGE, DURING APRIL OF THIS YEAR. 


RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 1-2 persisted at/below Lake Six (Lubbock) through 5/19/13 
(CC, AnH), 1 at Clapp 

 Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 
and 1 on the TTU campus (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 (SC) - PRETTY GOOD FOR THIS LATE IN 
THE SEASON. 


TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE: 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 5/213 (CR) - 
ACCIDENTAL THIS LATE IN THE SEASON; THE REGION'S 2nd MAY RECORD! 


SWAINSON'S THRUSH: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 and 5/3/13 (CC, SC, CR), 
1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CR), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 
(AnH), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/6/13 (AnH), 1 in Plainview (Hale) on 
5/8/13 (RR), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH), 2 in Plainview (Hale) 
on 5/11/13 (RR), 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC)1 
at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH), 3 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 
(AnH)1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), and 1 at the CR 60 Pond 
(Hale) on 5/21/13 (RR) - EVEN ASSUMING SOME OVERLAP, A VERY GOOD SPRING SHOWING 
FOR THIS SPECIES IN OUR 

 REGION.

HERMIT THRUSH: Nineteen reports of 1-5 birds throughout the region (Bailey, 
Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (CC, SC, JC, AnH, KH, JL, CR, HT) - A TAD 
ABOVE AVERAGE, PERHAPS - NOTHING SO STELLAR AS THE SWAINSON'S THRUSH MOVEMENT. 


GRAY CATBIRD: 2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 1 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (AnH), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 (DH), 1 at 
Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), and 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 
(AnH) - AVERAGE NUMBERS; BETTER THAN AVERAGE NUMBER OF REPORTS. 


BROWN THRASHER: 1-2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) throughout the period (SC, AnH, CR) 
and 1 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/7/13 (RR) - THE ONLY REPORTS FROM ABOVE THE 
CAPROCK ESCARPMENT. 


CEDAR WAXWING: 75 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (CR) peaked at 100 on 
5/3/13 (CC, SC) and then declined to 2 by 5/16/13 (CC). There was also 1 seen 
in Tech Terrace on 5/19/13 (CC) - A MIGRATORY FLUSH AFTER A POOR 

 WINTER/EARLY SPRING.

OVENBIRD: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CR), 1 at Mae Simmons Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH) - 
CASUAL, AT BEST, DURING SPRING MIGRATION - THREE SEPARATE REPORTS IS A GOOD 
SEASON! 


WORM-EATING WARBLER: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 and 5/3/13 (SC, CR) - 
CASUAL OR ACCIDENTAL FOR THE REGION; OUR 24th RECORD. 


NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH: Six reports of 1-2 birds spread across four sites in 
(Lubbock) during the first three weeks of the period (PB, CC, SC, QE, AnH, CR) 
- A TAD LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS BUT DROUGHT HAS ELIMINATED SEVERAL OF 
OUR BETTER SITES FROM CONSIDERATION. 


BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH) - VERY LOW 
BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS; HARDER TO FIND DURING DROUGHT YEARS. 


TENNESSEE WARBLER: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (PB, CC, SC, CR) the 
only report for the month - A TAD LOW BY HISTORICAL 

 STANDARDS; ANOTHER SPECIES THAT SEEMS TO BE MORE FREQUENTLY FOUND DURING 
DAMPER - GREENER- SPRINGS. 


ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: Seventeen reports of 1-10 birds in the region (Lubbock, 
Yoakum) during the period (PB, CC, SC, AnH, NM, CR, HT) - EVEN ASSUMING NO 
OVERLAP AT ALL, LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND LOW NUMBERS. 


NASHVILLE WARBLER: Twenty-three reports of 1-6 birds in the region (Hale, 
Lubbock) during the period (PB, CC, SC, QE, NM, NP, CR, RR) - EVEN ALLOWING FOR 
SOME OVERLAP, A GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS AND GENERALLY GOOD NUMBERS. CONSIDERING 
APRIL'S NUMBERS, A VERY GOOD SEASON FOR THIS SPECIES. 


MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER: Thirty-two reports of 1-10 birds and one report of 26 
birds from at least twenty-three sites in (Bailey, Crosby, Hale, Hockley, Lamb, 
Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (CC, SC,JC, KD, NG, AnH, KH, GJ, NM, CR, 
RR, AR, BS, HT) - I BELIEVE THE CONTEMPORARY TERM IS 'OFF THE HOOK' - A 
REMARKABLE MOVEMENT OF THIS 

 SPECIES FOR OUR REGION; THE BEST I HAVE SEEN IN FIFTEEN YEARS!

KENTUCKY WARBLER: 1 persisted at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) from 4/30/13 through 
5/2/13 (CR, SC) - ACCIDENTAL FOR THE REGION; OUR 14th RECORD. 


COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 male below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH), 1 male at 
Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (AnH), 1 female and 1 male below Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/10/13 through 
5/11/13 (PB, CC, SC, CR)), 1-2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC, SC), 2 at 
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 1-2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 
5/11/13 (PB, CC, CR), 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 
(CC), and 1 female and 1 male at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH) - NOT A 
STELLAR MIGRATORY PERFORMANCE FOR THIS SPECIES. 


HOODED WARBLER: 1 male at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH) the only report - 
A TAD LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. 


AMERICAN REDSTART: 1 female in a
 Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (NG , photograph) the only report - A TAD 
LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. 


NORTHERN PARULA: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH, CR) and 1 below 
Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/10/13 through 5/11/13 (PB, CC, SC, CR) - FORMERLY 
CASUAL IN THE REGION DURING SPRING MIGRATION; NOW ANNUAL ALBEIT IN SMALL 
NUMBERS. 


BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER: 1 male in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/18/13 (NG, 
photograph) - ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; OUR 23rd RECORD. 


YELLOW WARBLER: Twenty-six reports of 1-9 birds at eleven sites in the region 
(Bailey, Cochran, Lamb, Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (PB, CC, SC, QE, 
AnH, CR, AR, BS, HT) - EVEN ASSUMING SOME OVERLAP IN SIGHTINGS, GOOD NUMBERS 
AND SCATTER DESPITE AT RELATIVELY LATE PASSAGE. 


CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (PB, CC, SC, CR), 1 
at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 5/19/13 (CC), and 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 
5/19/13 (CC) - 

 CASUAL IN THE REGION DURING SPRING MIGRATION; THREE REPORTS IN A SINGLE SEASON 
IS QUITE REMARKABLE. 


BLACKPOLL WARBELR: 1 male below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/2/13 through 5/3/13 
(CC, SC, CR, photograph) and 1 female below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH, 
CR, photograph) - FORMERLY CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; THIS SPECIES IS 
EITHER MOVING THROUGH THE REGION MORE REGULARLY OR IS BEING DETECTED MORE 
EFFECTIVELY; OUR 27th AND 28th RECORDS FOLLOWING FOUR SPRING RECORDS FROM 2012. 


YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER: WE EXPECT DECENT NUMBERS OF THIS SPECIES TO LINGER 
THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY BUT THEY GENERALLY THIN OUT QUICKLY AND 
THOROUGHLY SHORTLY THEREAFTER. IT WAS POSSIBLE TO LOCATE DOUBLE DIGIT NUMBERS 
OF THE SPECIES WELL INTO THE THIRD WEEK AND I AM INCLUDING SOME OF THE MORE 
REMARKABLE REPORTS - 50 were seen at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 
75-110 birds were below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC, AnH, 

 CR), 11 were below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH), 16 were at Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (SC) 6 were below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), 11 
were at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 1 was at the Purina Mountain 
Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/22/13 (QE) - PERSISTED IN GOOD NUMBERS LONGER THAN 
USUAL THIS SEASON AND SOME NUMBERS WERE TRULY ASTOUNDING. 


TOWNSEND'S WARBLER: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC, AnH, CR) the 
only report - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. 


WILSON'S WARBLER: Single to low double digit numbers of this species could be 
encountered at favored sites throughout the region through the first three 
weeks of the period - AVERAGE BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS; GOOD NUMBERS AND SPREAD 
BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. 


YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock)on 5/3/13 (AnH), 1 at Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/11/13 9CC, SC), and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH) - 
THESE WERE MOST LIKELY MIGRANTS - 

 LOCAL BREEDING SITES HAVE NOT BEEN SURVEYED YET THIS YEAR.

GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 5/1/13 through 5/5/13 
(KD), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) 
on 5/9/13 (AnH), 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (PB, CC, CR), and 
1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE SPRING 
MIGRANT. 


SPOTTED TOWHEE: 1 in a Lubbok yard (Lubbock) from 5/1/13 through 5/5/13 (KD), 6 
at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 
5/2/13 (CR), 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC), 1 below Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH), 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 
5/5/13 (CC, AnH), 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (AnH), and 1 in Plainview 
(Hale) on 5/12/13 (RR) - GOOD NUMBERS AND PERSISTENCE FOR THIS LATE IN THE 
SEASON. 


CHIPPING SPARROW: Thirty-one reports of 1-10 birds, fifteen reports of 11-50 
birds, and 

 one report of 78 birds spread across eighteen sites in the region (Crosby, 
Hale, Lubbock, Terry, Yoakum) during the first three weeks of the period (PB, 
CC, SC, QE, AnH, KH, CH, RH, NM, CR, RR, HT) - GOOD NUMBERS AND SPREAD RUNNING 
A LITTLE LATE INTO THE PERIOD. 


CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: Thirty-six reports of 1-10 birds spread across sixteen 
sites in the region (Crosby, Floyd, Hale, Lubbock) during the first three weeks 
of the period (PB, CC, SC, KD, QE, AnH, KH, RR) - GOOD NUMBERS AND SPREAD 
RUNNING A LITTLE LATE INTO THE PERIOD. NOTE THE TYPICAL NUMERICAL RELATIONSHIP 
TO THE GENERALLY MUCH MORE COMMON CHIPPING SPAROW. 


BREWER'S SPARROW: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (CR), 1 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (SC), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/6/13 and 5/7/13 (SC, 
AnH), and 1 below Lake Six on 5/11/13 (PB, CR) - CASUAL IN MAY; THIS SPECIES 
RAN A LITTLE LATE INTO THE SEASON AS 

 WELL.

VESPER SPARROW: 15-20 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC, SC), 5 at the 
Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (SC), 1 at the Purina Mountain 
Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (SC), 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/6/13 (KH), 
4 at the CR 209 Playa (Crosby) on 5/9/13 (KH), and 2 at the Himmel Farm 
(Crosby) on 5/12/13 (KH) - A BIT BETTER THAN AVERAGE LINGERING BY RECENT YEARS' 
STANDARDS. 


SAVANNAH SPARROW: 5 at Bole's Lake Road (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (SC, QE, NM), 2 at 
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), and 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/10/13 
(CC) - MORE IN THE WAY OF SPARROWS LINGERING LATER THAN USUAL. 


SONG SPARROW: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH) - VERY LATE IN THE 
SEASON FOR THIS SPECIES. 


LINCOLN'S SPARROW: The many reports in the first half of May were not terribly 
surprising but 3 lingering at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through 5/19/13 (AnH), 4 
lingering at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) through 5/19/13 (CC), 1 

 lingering below Lake Six (Lubbock) through 5/19/13 (CC), 1 lingering in 
Plainview (Hale) through 5/21/13 (RR), and 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) 
on 5/31/13 (BN) - WERE ALL QUITE LATE IN THE SEASON. 


SWAMP SPARROW: 1 lingered at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through 5/15/13 (CC, SC, AnH) 
and 1 was below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (CC) - ACCIDENTAL THIS LATE IN 
THE SEASON; THE TWO LATEST RECORDS ON FILE AT THIS POINT. 


WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 1 persisted at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through 5/6/13 (SC, 
CR) and 1 persisted at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) through 5/11/13 (PB, CC, CR) 
- ACCIDENTAL THIS LATE IN THE SEASON; SOME OF THE LATEST RECORDS ON FILE. 


SUMMER TANAGER: 1 first spring male was at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through 5/19/13 
(CC, SC, QE, AnH, CR), 1 male at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (AnH, CR), 1 in 
Plainview (Hale) on 5/7/13 (RR), 1 female below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/9/13 
through 5/11/13 (CC, SC, AnH), and 1 at Ransom Lake 

 (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC) - FORMERLY CASUAL IN THE REGION; NOW ANNUAL AS A 
MIGRANT AND BREEDING IN AT LEAS TWO OF OUR EASTERN COUNTIES. 


HEPATIC TANAGER: 1 female at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 
(SC, AnH, photographs) - ACCIDENTAL FOR THE REGION; THE BIRD OF THE MONTH WITH 
ONLY THREE PREVIOUS RECORDS IN THE REGION - THE LAST WAY BACK IN 1993. 


WESTERN TANAGER: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (SC), 1 male below Lake 
Six (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (AnH), 2 males below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 
(CC, AnH), 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 2 in Tech Terrace 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 1 in Littlefield (Lamb) on 5/20/13 (AR, JR), 2 males 
in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/20/13 (JD), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 
5/25/13 through 5/27/13 (SC), and 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/26/13 (AnH) 
- A BIT LATE TO ARRIVE BUT GOOD NUMBERS. 


PYRRHULOXIA: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 5/24/13 through 5/25/13
 (Di) - VERY RARE ABOVE THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT DURING THE BREEDING SEASON.

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 1 in Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC), 1 female at 
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (SC, AnH), 1 at Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 5/9/13 
(CC, HT), 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC, SC), 1 in Plainview (Hale) on 
5/11/13 (RR), and 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC) - ABOUT AVERAGE 
FOR THIS RARE SPRING MIGRANT. 


BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK: 1 at Clapp Park from 5/6/13 through 5/7/13 (SC, AnH), 1 
at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC, SC), 1 female at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 
5/15/13 (AnH), and 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (JC) - A TAD LOW; 
GENERALLY A BIT MORE COMMON THAN ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK IN MAY. 


LAZULI BUNTING: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC0, 1 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (SC0, 1 male on the TTU Campus (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (AB), 1 
female below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 
5/11/13 (CC), 1-2 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (PB, CC, CR), 1 at the 
Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), a copulating pair at 
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH) were also seen on 5/16/13 9CC), a first 
spring male at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), 1 below Lake Six 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/26/13 (BS0, and 1 
at Cochran County Park (Cochran) on 5/27/13 (BS) - A BIT BETTER THAN AVERAGE. 


INDIGO BUNTING: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (CR), 2 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (CR), 3 
below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC, CR), 1-4 males below Lake Six (Lubbock) 
on 5/3/13 (CC, SC, AnH, CR), 3 in Tech Terrace on 5/3/13 (CC), 1 female and 2 
males below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (AnH) 1 female at Clapp Park (Lubbock) 
on 5/7/13 (SC, AnH), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (SC), 1 female and 2 
males below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH), 1-2 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 
5/11/13 (PB, CC, SC, CR), 1 in Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 1 male 
at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 (AnH), 1 female and 1 male at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (AnH), 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), and 1 at 
Cochran County Park (Cochran) on 5/27/13 (BS) - EVEN ALLOWING FOR SOME OVERLAP, 
BETTER THAN AVERAGE NUMBERS. 


DICKCISSEL: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH) the first and only 
report for the period - LATE AND VERY LOW. 


YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: Ten reports of 1-10 birds, ten reports of 11-50 birds, 
two reports of 51-100 birds, two reports of 101-250 birds, 1 report of 350 
birds, and one report of 410 birds in the region (Crosby, Hockley, Lubbock) 
during the period (PB, CC, SC, DH, AnH, KH, CR) - GOOD SCATTER AND VERY GOOD 
NUMBERS FOR MAY; THIS SPECIES GENERALLY PEAKS IN APRIL - NOT SO THIS YEAR. 


BRONZED COWBIRD: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CR), 1 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) throughout the period (CC, SC, AnH), 2 males at the Purina Mountain 
Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (AnH), 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 
(SC), 2 males below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/9/13 (AnH), 2 at Stanford Park 
(Yoakum) on 5/9/13 (CC, HT), 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CR), 5 at 
Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 
(AnH)1 male in Littlefield (Lamb) on 5/20/13 (AR), and 1 in (Bailey) on 5/25/13 
(BS) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED BREEDER. 


PINE SISKIN: 6-12 in Littlefield (Lamb) through 5/6/13 (AR, JR), 1-2 in a 
Lubbock yard (Lubbock) through 5/7/13 (SC)2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 
(SC, NM), 2 below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 5/2/13 through 5/3/13 (CC, SC, AnH, 
CR), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (SC), 35 in Tech Terrace on 5/3/13 
(CC), 18- 20 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (SC, AnH), 9 in Plainview (Hale) 
on 5/8/13 (RR), 2 at TTU (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 (SC), 7 in Plainview (Hale) on 
5/9/13 (RR), 5 in Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 5/9/13 (CC, HT), 16 in Plainview 
(Hale) on 5/11/13 (RR), 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (SB), 33 in 
Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 6 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/12/13 (RR), 
1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (SC), 9 at Silver Falls Rest Area 
(Crosby) on 5/14/13 (BN), 2-3 in Plainview from 5/15/13 through 5/19/13 (RR), 
1-3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 5/19/13 through 5/21/12 (Di), 2 in 
Littlefield (Lamb) on 5/20/13 (AR, JR) - 

 INCREDIBLY GOOD NUMBERS AND SCATTER FOR MAY - PERSISTING VERY LATE IN THE 
REGION THIS YEAR. 


LESSER GOLDFINCH: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (AnH), 1 in a Lubbock 
yard (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (SB), 2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (CC, SC), 
1-2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 5/17/13 through 5/31/13 (Di), and 1 in 
Plainview (Hale) on 5/21/13 (RR) the only reports - LATE TO ARRIVE THIS YEAR 
AND VERY LOW NUMBERS EVEN AT THE END OF THE PERIOD. 


AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 10 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (CR), 1 at Ransom Lake 
(Lubbock) on 5/1/13 (SC, QE, NM), 3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC), 
6 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/2/13 (SC, NM), 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 
5/3/13 (CC, HT), 4 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (SC), 20 in Tech 
Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/3/13 (CC), 3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/4/13 (SC), 
2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/5/13 (Di), 35 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/6/13 
(RR), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/6/13 (SC), 3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) 
on 5/6/13 (SC), 30 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/7/13 (RR), 5-10 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (SC, AnH), in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/7/13 (SC), 70 
in Plainview (Hale) on 5/8/13 (RR), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/8/13 
(SC), 20 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/9/13 (RR), 5 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/10/13 
(RR), 4 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 5/10/13 (CC), 20 in Plainview (Hale) on 
5/11/13 (RR), 3 in a Lubbock yard 

 (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (SB), 10 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 5/11/13 (CC), 10 in 
Plainview (Hale) on 5/12/13 (RR), 1-2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (PB, 
CC, SC, CR), 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/12/13 (SC), 2 in a Lubbock yard 
(Lubbock) on 5/13/13 (Di), 3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/13/13 (SC), 5 in 
Plainview (Hale) on 5/15/13 (RR), 3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/15/13 
(Di), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (Di), 3-10 at Clapp Park 
(Lubbock) on 5/16/13 (CC, QE), 5 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/17/13 (RR), 1 in a 
Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/17/13 (Di), 5 in Plainview (Hale) on 5/18/13 (RR), 
1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 
5/19/13 (AnH), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 5/17/13 (AnH), 2 below Lake 
Six (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 3 in Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 5/19/13 (CC), 9 
in Plainview (Hale) on 5/20/13 (RR), 2 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 5/22/13 
(KH), 2 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 

 5/26/13 (AnH), and 1 at Cochran County Park (Cochran) on 5/27/13 (BS) - EVEN 
ALLOWING FOR SOME OVERLAP, A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF REPORTS AND VERY LARGE 
NUMBERS FOR MAY. 


MAY IS USUALLY THE MONTH DURING WHICH LESSER GOLDFINCHES INCREASE TO UNCOMMON 
STATUS AND PINE SISKINS AND AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES VANISH - NOT SO THIS YEAR. 


OBSERVERS: PB=Peter Barnes, ABron Benson, SB=Susan Bergeson, BBnji Brooks, 
CCmeron Carver, SC=Steve Collins, JC=Jim Crites, KD=Ken Dixon, JD=Jewel 
Downing, QE=Quinn Emmering, NG=Natasja Gestel, DHnny Hancock, AnH=Anthony 
Hewetson, AvH=Aveline Hewetson, KH=Kelly Himmel, Di=Donn ianuzi, GJ=George 
Jury, JL=Jimmy Lovering, NM=Nancy McIntyre, BN=Bob Neiman, NP=Niler Pyeatt, 
CR=Clayton (Ross) 

Rickett, RR=Robert Rios, AR=Anona Roberts, JR=Jerry Roberts, BS=Brady Surber, 
TT=Tess Trost, HT=Heidi Trudell, RW=Ryan Webb, WW=William Wenthe. 


Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson
terrverts AT yahoo.com
Bird Records Compiler,
Llano Estacado Audubon Society
www.llanoestacadoaudubon.org
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Subject: Recent Sightings @ the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
From: "Monica Barrera" <mbarrera AT cityofedinburg.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:22:25 +0000
 Hello All! 

Pretty humid morning today, but I'm glad we got a bit of rain! 

I took a group of camp kids grades 1st-5th out on a bird walk the other day 
andthey were incredible on their bird knowledge! They knew pretty much every 
localbird we came across along the grounds. Very exciting to see such young 
kids beso knowledgeable and enthusiastic about birds and nature! The grounds 
wereactive with the songs/calls of the Long-billed Thrashers, Northern 
Mockingbirdsand White-eyed Vireos as they ventured along the gardens. The North 
Pond waspretty empty without the migrating ducks, but Snowy Egrets, Great 
Egrets,Neotropic Cormorants, American Coots and the Great Blue Heron were still 
seenhanging around the pond. At our soon-to-be new overlook area along our 
canalswe saw Killdeer, Black-necked Stilts and of course Great-tailed Grackles 
whoseem to get a kick out of chasing the poor Killdeer away from time to time. 
Weobserved many dove species nesting on various trees, in particular the 
Ebonytrees, and Buff-bellied Hummingbirds were zooming their way through 

 thevegetation, frequently stopping at the flowers (and our feeders) to get a 
sipof nectar. We also saw the Black-chinned hummingbird at what seems to be 
hisusual spot our by South Pond, and a few Fulvous Whistling Ducks were 
spottedout there as well. 

I have also occasionally been spotting a Yellow-crowned Night Heron along the 
trails (I usually see them at the canal but this one was walking along North 
Pond for a bit until it saw me and flew off), and a Green Heron at our 
Dragonfly Pond. I also saw a few Scissor-tailed Flycatchers the other day as 
well, beautiful birds! 


Have a great day!


Monica Barrera
Interpretive Naturalist

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center
P.O. Box 1079 
Edinburg, Texas 78540
956.381.9922 O 956.381.0715 F
mbarrera AT cityofedinburg.com
www.cityofedinburg.com 




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Subject: yard birding, slow but hawks and owls etc
From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:51:56 -0500
Not much happening around the house as many of the nesting birds are
getting quiet for a bit as they work second broods. The titmice and
chickadee young have figured out how to get food from the feeders for
themselves.
The red-headed woodpeckers are still keeping a distance, maybe due to too
many red-bellies but they dominate red-bellies when they are together.
Crested flycatchers have learned not to trespass but that will end when the
young fledge.

The barred owl family moved after the young fledged and are in a woodier
area rather than a wooded back yard. Not much calling either although one
adult was noisy this morning.

I had thought that the red-tailed hawks had moved on as I had not heard nor
seen a bird for over a month and more. Then about 10 days ago I heard
calling but since the alarm jay does a good imitation I could not be sure
if it was young red-tails. They fledged a week ago and I still have not
seen much but lots of hearing. There are 3 and they are sitting in
different spots and squealing much of the day for food. The parents are
sneaky this year in feeding them and not much soaring either. One youngster
is using the same tree that a youngster chose last year.

Swainson's hawks are a good ways up the street along Voss north of Woodway
north of Buffalo Bayou. Based on birds seen carrying stuff, the nest is off
to the east. Randalls closed its store on Voss and that will be hard on the
hawks as they fed at the dumpsters off and on for more than 30 years.

A pine warbler is singing out along the bayou off and on for my first
summer singer following the female that brought a youngster to the feeder
for the first time.

It has been joined by a white-eyed vireo that only whisper sings from deep
in cover but has been doing it for several days. Another yard summer first.
Stuff is growing up very dense and thick after Ike greatly pruned the
upperstory making for a different local habitat. Do not need that to happen
again though for the sake of a couple of new birds.

-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com


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Subject: West Nile Virus near Lake Houston and musings about Fish Crows
From: "Collins, Fred (Commissioner Pct. 3)" <Fred_Collins AT hctx.net>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:49:18 +0000
Today on my e-mail this notice popped up. I suggest birders chasing birds in NE 
Harris County should be cautious. 


"Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services (HCPHES) Mosquito Control 
has confirmed that a Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito sample has tested positive 
for West Nile Virus (WNV) in Harris County. 

The positive sample was collected from a mosquito trapping site in northeast 
Harris County, ZIP Code 77346. 

This is the first confirmed mosquito sample in Harris County this year that has 
tested positive for West Nile Virus. " 



If you do not have proper respect for mosquito borne diseases I have a reading 
suggestion for you, An American Plague by Jim Murphy. This book while 
non-fiction reads more like a sci-fi thriller with a little horror thrown in. 
It's a great who done it, a great story of extreme dedication. 


I have made a couple of recent jaunts into NE Harris County very near the area 
where the mosquito was detected. One bird I was particularly interested in was 
Fish Crow. I have found them in several locations on each trip. One on the very 
busy commercial section of 1960, some in a neighborhood in Summerwood and of 
course the reliable boat ramp birds at Deusen Park. I got my lifer Fish Crow at 
the Lake Houston Dam in 1971 so the birds have long been in the area. However, 
they were very limited in number and range in 1971. Today they seem common 
throughout the area. Most jays and crows have had population declines since 
West Nile became common. The Fish Crow seems to buck that trend. Are Fish Crows 
less affected by West Nile? Are they taking advantage of less competition from 
other corvids whose populations are depressed by West Nile? 


If this is a redundant and a well-known fact, I apologize. These thoughts just 
popped up and I have not tried to research the topic. 


Cross posted to TX-Ornithology

Fred Collins
             (281) 357-5324
Director: Kleb Woods Nature Center
             Cypress Top Historical Park
Commissioner Steve Radack
Harris County Precinct 3
www.pct3.hctx.net







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Subject: Clapp Park, Lubbock...and moving on...
From: L Markoff <canyoneaglej AT gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:07:13 -0500
Hi Texbirds,
Reading Anthony Hewetson's reports about Clapp Park piqued my interest in
visiting the place.  This morning I finally had the opportunity to do so.
Thanks to Anthony's tips about parking and the best spots to check, I was
able to make the most of my short time there.  I found some good birds such
as Black-crowned Night-Heron (1), Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (1), and
Black-necked Stilt (2).  But the best was NESTING Mississippi Kites.  For
over an hour I was immersed in the beauty of those birds.  I have included
a few photos of one that had a dragonfly.  It seemed to be preparing it,
rather than eating it, so I wondered if it was taking it back to its
nestlings.  A squirrel came on to the scene and it moved away and waited.
That made me wonder if it didn't want the squirrel to see where its nest
was, fearful that the industrious rodent might pilfer the nest.  It was
dawn so the light was low, resulting in somewhat blurry photos, but they
give you the idea.

http://flickr.com/gp/canyoneagle/i0r5G7/

Thank you Anthony, you have given me a grand finale to my Texas birding
adventures.  We are moving to Eugene, OR, and will hit the road in a few
minutes, headed northwest.  Thanks to all the wonderful folks on Texbirds
who have helped me learn about Texas birds over the last decade.

Love and best wishes to all,

Lori Markoff
of no fixed address at the moment,
but migrating to Eugene, OR...will say hi once in a while...feel free to
say hi if you visit Oregon...


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Subject: Re: Anhuac to Quintana today, summer doldrums, but lingering birds
From: Ruth <twofried AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 07:37:14 -0500
Joseph and Texbirders,

We made a quick run to Quintana and Bryan Beach yesterday after work. Our 
primary target was the full cycle Lesser Back-backed Gull that you reported 
last week. No luck on that species although we did see many of the same nice 
species you report below. A few additional sightings include Semi-palmated 
Plover (1) at the lagoons, Painted Bunting (3) in brush along the levee and 
Magnificent Frigatebirds (12) soaring just offshore in several spots. 


We made 2 passes around the lagoons; the first at about 5 and the second at 
about 6:30. On the second pass we picked up the SPPL, a pair of Fulvous 
Whistling Duck and a few additional Blue-winged Teal. I suppose some of these 
birds are using the lagoons to roost overnight. It was also very cool to see 
some young ones that must have been in the grass on our first pass around the 
lagoon. We had 2 pair of almost fledged Willet young and 3 Black-necked Stilt 
young that appeared to be about a week old. Momma Stilt was quite concerned for 
the little ones and let us know that we were not welcome, even viewing from 
them from our car on the road. 


All in all and very nice couple of hours at the coast. Let us know if the LBBG 
re-appears. 


Thanks,
Bob Friedrichs
Houston, Texas

On Jun 13, 2013, at 7:42 PM, Joseph Kennedy  wrote:

> The forecast for a nice sunny day was a little wrong with 2 rain showers
> and one additional thunder session. Not much wind until the pm so there was
> very little soaring or birds along the ferry ride etc.
> Normal birds at Anahuac featuring the purple gallinules, least bitterns,
> rails etc.
> 
> The neatest birds were several tree swallows using or at least poking into
> the cliff swallow nests on the refuge. Tree swallows are hole nesters and
> the cliff swallow nest fills the bill. I did not get close so could not
> tell if they were staying in the nests.
> 
> A couple of years ago I had fledged tree swallows sitting next to the
> colony despite having no trees or holes nearby. I also have pictures of
> tree swallows exploring cliff swallow nests at the old boathouse at searim
> state park but did not go back later to see if they stayed. Maybe an
> adaptation to lack of trees in coastal areas when the birds are spreading
> their nesting range south.
> 
> I worked most of the day counting shorebirds. Or trying to as there is a
> considerable lack of summering birds except at the Bryan Beach lagoons.
> 
> Rollover pass was again covered with both pelican species. Over 100 white
> pelicans on the island where I wondered if they might try nesting a couple
> of years ago. Took some distant pictures to get an accurate count.
> 
> Started with 1 sanderling east of high island out to the start of the
> wildlife refuge. 2 black-bellied plovers at rollover pass along with zero
> other non-willets. 11 black-bellied plovers did fly over yacht basin road
> which also had only willets. Bob road was high water with several Wilson's
> plovers and 1 semipalmated plover.
> 
> No birds on the crystal beach beach but lots of drunks and near drunks. The
> area between Magnolia and Retillon roads had 25 all white sanderlings and 1
> western willet. Bolivar flats had 5 greater yellowlegs, 12 sanderlings and
> 13 western willets. The only black terns of the day were there with over
> 100 birds including many all black birds.
> The pelican island tropical kingbirds are still trying for nesting success
> on their 3rd try for the year. Very quiet around noon.
> 
> Headed down to Brazoria where Olney pond had dried entirely. One wet area
> in Crossroads was the only wet. It had avocets, willets, blue-winged teals
> and both species of yellowlegs.
> 
> On Quintana, the neotropic sanctuary loggerhead shrikelets were out and
> about along with young grackles and mourning doves. The beaches had as many
> people as I have seen a real lack of birds. There was little gulfweed on
> the beaches of Bolivar and almost no fresh but there are huge piles of
> fresh weed all along Quintana and bryan beaches.
> 
> The lagoons are really drying but still had lots of birds (for the summer).
> The 14 redheads are still lingering. Maybe 35 peeps including western and
> white-rumped. Took pictures of others to the west in the sun so may have
> some other id's. Also short-billed dowitchers, both yellowlegs including 12
> greaters, avocets etc. There were crabbers along the road so birds were off
> a way.
> 
> The best birds were at least 4 snowy plovers out there, one of which is
> likely a young of the year bird but I need to remind myself what they look
> like. A very strange plover finally called and was revealed by a concerned
> parent to be an almost fledged Wilson's plover.
> 
> Last stop was on the hurricane levee where the breeding plumage horned
> grebe was in close to the shoreline vegetation along with 7 ruddy ducks.
> They were hard to see except when they moved out a little with the grebe
> preening the entire time.
> 
> Summer is here and the summer doldrums have set in. It is another 2 weeks
> until the shorebirds start returning and migration really get going.
> 
> -- 
> Joseph C. Kennedy
> on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
> Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com
> 
> 
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Subject: Anhuac to Quintana today, summer doldrums, but lingering birds
From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:42:16 -0500
The forecast for a nice sunny day was a little wrong with 2 rain showers
and one additional thunder session. Not much wind until the pm so there was
very little soaring or birds along the ferry ride etc.
Normal birds at Anahuac featuring the purple gallinules, least bitterns,
rails etc.

The neatest birds were several tree swallows using or at least poking into
the cliff swallow nests on the refuge. Tree swallows are hole nesters and
the cliff swallow nest fills the bill. I did not get close so could not
tell if they were staying in the nests.

A couple of years ago I had fledged tree swallows sitting next to the
colony despite having no trees or holes nearby. I also have pictures of
tree swallows exploring cliff swallow nests at the old boathouse at searim
state park but did not go back later to see if they stayed. Maybe an
adaptation to lack of trees in coastal areas when the birds are spreading
their nesting range south.

I worked most of the day counting shorebirds. Or trying to as there is a
considerable lack of summering birds except at the Bryan Beach lagoons.

Rollover pass was again covered with both pelican species. Over 100 white
pelicans on the island where I wondered if they might try nesting a couple
of years ago. Took some distant pictures to get an accurate count.

Started with 1 sanderling east of high island out to the start of the
wildlife refuge. 2 black-bellied plovers at rollover pass along with zero
other non-willets. 11 black-bellied plovers did fly over yacht basin road
which also had only willets. Bob road was high water with several Wilson's
plovers and 1 semipalmated plover.

No birds on the crystal beach beach but lots of drunks and near drunks. The
area between Magnolia and Retillon roads had 25 all white sanderlings and 1
western willet. Bolivar flats had 5 greater yellowlegs, 12 sanderlings and
13 western willets. The only black terns of the day were there with over
100 birds including many all black birds.
The pelican island tropical kingbirds are still trying for nesting success
on their 3rd try for the year. Very quiet around noon.

Headed down to Brazoria where Olney pond had dried entirely. One wet area
in Crossroads was the only wet. It had avocets, willets, blue-winged teals
and both species of yellowlegs.

On Quintana, the neotropic sanctuary loggerhead shrikelets were out and
about along with young grackles and mourning doves. The beaches had as many
people as I have seen a real lack of birds. There was little gulfweed on
the beaches of Bolivar and almost no fresh but there are huge piles of
fresh weed all along Quintana and bryan beaches.

The lagoons are really drying but still had lots of birds (for the summer).
The 14 redheads are still lingering. Maybe 35 peeps including western and
white-rumped. Took pictures of others to the west in the sun so may have
some other id's. Also short-billed dowitchers, both yellowlegs including 12
greaters, avocets etc. There were crabbers along the road so birds were off
a way.

The best birds were at least 4 snowy plovers out there, one of which is
likely a young of the year bird but I need to remind myself what they look
like. A very strange plover finally called and was revealed by a concerned
parent to be an almost fledged Wilson's plover.

Last stop was on the hurricane levee where the breeding plumage horned
grebe was in close to the shoreline vegetation along with 7 ruddy ducks.
They were hard to see except when they moved out a little with the grebe
preening the entire time.

Summer is here and the summer doldrums have set in. It is another 2 weeks
until the shorebirds start returning and migration really get going.

-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36 AT gmail.com


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Subject: Austin Area RBA
From: Kenny Anderson <kennya290 AT gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:33:40 -0500
The Austin area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society.
This update is as of 6:50 on June 13, 2013. Send interesting sightings-
complete with species name, LOCATION, and contact information- to Kenny
Anderson at kennya290 AT gmail.com
-Rarities Found This Week-

A Brown Pelican photographed at Lake Bastrop is a very nice inland find 6/1
(Bastrop County).

A 2nd cycle Herring Gull was photographed at Friendship Park on Granger
Lake in Williamson County on 5/31.  A 1st cycle Herring Gull was
photographed on 6/4,8 at Decker Lake in Travis County.

A Caspian Tern described at Hornsby Bend on 6/4 was a good find.

A pair of Brown-crested Flycatchers were on Kellam Lane in the Elroy area
of Travis County on 6/9.

An Osprey is a nice bird to see in June in the area.  One was described at
Lake Bastrop on 6/8.

A Willet was described at Hornsby Bend on 6/2.

American Redstarts are getting late with reports from an Austin home 6/9
and a bird photographed at Warbler Woods 6/5 in Guadalupe County.

I would love to hear reports from the area.  There's stuff out there, but
it is hard to see from the sofa.

Reports for the Austin area RBA cover a 60 mile radius, centered from the
Capitol in downtown Austin. Bird sightings mentioned here have been
filtered and scrutinized by the compiler and are believed to be genuine.
When documentation or photographs were provided that is mentioned, along
with the other information about the bird(s) being seen.  For questions or
updates about birds mentioned here or to report rare or unusual bird
sightings in the Austin area, please send an e-mail to kennya290 AT gmail.com

Kenny Anderson

Austin


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Subject: Cameron Co. (06/12/13): shorebirds incl. late Whimbrels + more
From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris AT mindspring.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:11:57 -0500
Yesterday (Wednesday, 06/12/13), after far too long an absence from 
shorebirding, we visited Cameron County, Hwy. 4 (Boca Chica Blvd.), studying 
the bayshore area to its south (to the north was dry) as one approaches the 
Gulf and, in late afternoon, the Hwy. 48 boat launch (east side of highway) 
between Brownsville and Port Isabel. Given that the spring shorebird 
migration was coming to a close, we were not surprised to find relatively 
few species (along with local breeders), but our finds included some quite 
late surprise species that we were delighted to see.

HWY. 4 (BOCA CHICA BLVD.): Shorebirds were not easy to find here and were 
usually few and far between, and places safely to pull off the road without 
a nasty encounter with mud were even fewer. We found only 7 species of 
shorebirds. Nonetheless there were two pleasant surprises. One was PIPING 
PLOVER (1, possibly 2), a very late migratory species that we had had 
trouble finding during the major spring migration. The other substantially 
late migrant was a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (1), possibly the same individual 
as had been seen by Mary Beth Stowe and Pat Heirs on Sunday, June 9 (see 
MB's TEXBIRDS REPORT). This individual was surprising by its lateness and 
because it was found on the shore of this shallow bay, although they most 
often are found in watery areas with some grass or vegetation, or on such 
substrates as sod fields. This individual foraged on a long finger of 
sandbar with something of a green tinge to it (but what created that 
coloration could not be determined). Our four other shorebird species along 
Hwy. 4 were: SNOWY PLOVER (1), WILSON'S PLOVER (6 or 7), KILLDEER (1), 
BLACK-NECKED STILT (2, at least), and WILLET (widely distributed but not 
counted). Just as we left the area, the overflight of a beautiful adult 
WHITE-TAILED HAWK was a thrilling sight.

HWY. 48 BOAT LAUNCH: Our visit began about 5:00 PM and provided by far the 
most gratifying birding of the day, including seeing all the birds in 
wonderful low-angle, relatively late day light--not to mention with cooling 
breezes right off the water. (Late afternoon on weekdays--too much 
disturbance on weekends and on holidays--is usually a good time to visit 
this site where the birds, shorebirds or whatever, will be lighted from more 
or less behind the birder, who mainly will be looking east or southeast.) 
Seeing the birds adequately here, as along Hwy. 4, requires, in most 
instances, a spotting scope. Our species of the day, an unexpected species 
at this date, was WHIMBREL (4). All the members of this curlew quartet were 
in spectacularly beautiful, clean, crisp breeding plumage, a joy to see and 
a pleasure to watch while they busily fed. Initially they were found on the 
south side of the channel but were flushed by the passage in the channel of 
a motorized boat. They then moved as a group to the north side of the 
channel, closer to our point of observation. Through our scope they were 
truly spiffy-looking birds. They remained there at least until we left, 
shortly after 6:00 PM, despite some brief harassment by a WILLET (dozens, 
widely distributed and heard resoundingly in the air). Despite that 
disturbance by a Willet, the Whimbrels quickly regained their composure and 
continued foraging.

The second best highlight of yesterday was, for us, 15 ROSEATE SPOONBILLS 
distributed in three groups of closely associated individuals situated 
northeast, southeast, and almost due east of the east end of the parking 
lot. All were in high breeding plumage of dazzling intensity. Our third 
highlight of this site was the continuing presence of 2 AMERICAN 
OYSTERCATCHERS, a fully adult parent bird and an immature offspring, 
individuals whom we have seen here on multiple visits (although missing this 
time, as quite often, was a second adult who sometimes is in their company, 
presumably the other parent). The youngster's lower mandible by now had half 
of its length a bright orange color instead of its original dusky color. 
Both oystercatchers fed much of the time on a large dead fish a short 
distance from the shoreline, possibly stranded in a tidal pool when the tide 
had receded. This offering of nature was much appreciated by both 
individuals. At one point something long and pinkish had been extracted from 
the fish, probably part of its digestive tract, and the youngster was 
allowed to take charge of it. Next, this youngster took the approximately 
9-10 inch long morsel over to the water and repeatedly doused and shook it 
in the water, apparently as an act of cleansing. The bird would hold onto it 
near one end, submerse most of the remainder, swish it about in the water 
and then seemly try to bite off for consumption the part of it that had been 
submersed. We, though, did not observe this with sufficient continuity or 
carefulness to be sure of what happened next. We had become distracted by 
watching the Whimbrels, and when we looked again later, the lengthy morsel 
was no longer seen. We were pretty sure of where it had gone! The other 
shorebirds at this boat-launch area were BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (8-10, widely 
dispersed north of the channel), SNOWY PLOVER (1), WILSON'S PLOVER (10-12, 
dashing about wildly in pursuit of prey), and PIPING PLOVER (1). The 
scenario was graced by the presence of several tern species, each in small 
numbers yesterday: CASPIAN, GULL-BILLED, ROYAL, and LEAST. Also present were 
BLACK SKIMMER (ca. 20-25) and 3 common wader species.

Inspired by a day of birding along the shores, we headed to SPI for a 
seafood dinner.

Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX

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Subject: Re: Brush Comes Out of The Closet?
From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman AT gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:08:19 -0500
Nope not just yet :-)...Just wanted to see the country again,
especially Guthrie....But I always bird every mile and every minute of
the day wherever I am when traveling about if only thru the
windshield...I had extremely little time for much out of truck
birding, except where I was designated.  I was driving and looking at
country I have not seen in decades, some places since I was just a kid
up that way, it did lead me into a sort of vain indulgence for old
times sake..Except in town(s) it looks as I pretty much remembered
except the trees in Guthrie seem a lot bigger.....I have a few photos
of some old landmarks I will post to my FB soon.......B.

************************************************************************************************************* 



Brush Freeman
361-655-7641 Cell
http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/
Finca Alacranes., Utley,Texas



On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 3:21 PM, Ron Weeks  wrote:
> TexBirders,
>
> Read with interest Brush's note stating "could not help myself but to glide 
over to King Co., the second least populated Co in the continental US...Am. 
Kestrel, 4 Long-billed Curlew, Horned Larks, Bullock's Orioles, and Western 
Meadowlarks....Added the most species seen in the "oasis" that is Gutherie but 
nothing uncommon." 

>
> Sure sounds like long distance county listing to me. Welcome to the club, 
Brush! :) 

>
> Ron Weeks
> Lake Jackson
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Subject: Brush Comes Out of The Closet?
From: Ron Weeks <ronweeks AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:21:56 -0700 (PDT)
TexBirders,

Read with interest Brush's notestating"could not help myself but to glide 
over to King Co., the second least populated Co in the continental US...Am. 
Kestrel, 4 Long-billed Curlew, Horned Larks, Bullock's Orioles, and Western 
Meadowlarks....Added the most species seen in the "oasis" that is Gutherie but 
nothing uncommon." 


Sure sounds like long distance county listing to me. Welcome to the club, 
Brush!:) 


Ron Weeks
Lake Jackson
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Subject: King, Knox and Haskell Co.s
From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman AT gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:42:27 -0500
************************************************************************************************************* 


I was in Knox Co. this morning and after wrapping up there, I could
not help myself but to glide over to King Co., the second least
populated Co in the continental US and maybe Canada. Loving Co.
precedes it as the least populated with Kenedy coming in as a near
runner up. Wheat fields and enormous skies. Hilites. ... Am. Kestrel,
4 Long-billed Curlew, Horned Larks, Bullock's Orioles, and Western
Meadowlarks....Added the most species seen in the "oasis" that is
Gutherie but nothing uncommon. Interesting country especially after
they actually got a bit of rain.  The King Co. visit was just a
tourist desire.

Brush Freeman
361-655-7641 Cell
http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/
Finca Alacranes., Utley,Texas
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Subject: Lake Somerville birds (Lee and Burleson Counties) - Wood Storks, cormorants and an Eastern Phoebe - from Saturday 6-8-13
From: drbirdie AT aol.com
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:32:51 -0400 (EDT)
Hi Texbirders,
I've been intrigued for several weeks about reports of unusual numbers of White 
Pelicans and large waders coming from the upper end of Lake Somerville, 
primarily from the Nail's Creek unit of Lake Somerville State Park, and I 
finally made it over there last Saturday afternoon to check it out. 

Lake Somerville had some good rain sometime between last fall and this spring, 
and the upper end,which is beginning to draw down now, is holding quite a few 
water birds, including transient Wood Storks and large numbers of Great Egrets, 
Great Blue Herons and smaller numbers of Snowy Egrets. 


I was especially interested to check out the cormorants, as there have been 
reports of Double-crested Cormorants there in good numbers. I had about 40 
cormorants there Saturday afternoon, but they all appeared to me to be 
Neotropic Cormorants (slender, long-tailed and with acute angles of the rear of 
the gular skin patch). Despite what the printed park bird checklist says, 
Neotropic Cormorant is the expected cormorant here during the summer, and DC 
Cormorants tend to be rare in the summer. If anyone visits there this summer 
and gets photos of one or more DC Cormorants, I would be interested to see 
them. 



I had 8 Wood Storks initially on the Lee County side of the lake, but they 
lifted off and soared away to the north, over Burleson County. I missed the 
Roseate Spoonbills that have been present periodically. There were at least 3 
Black-necked Stilts working the shoreline over in Burleson County, but they 
subsequently moved to a point that may be in Lee County or on the county line. 



Most of the waterbird action is visible from the area near the boat ramp at 
Nail's Creek Park. You will be standing in Lee County at the boat ramp, but 
many or most of the birds on the far shore (to the north) are actually in 
Burleson County. You can also walk along the trail(s) to the northwest of the 
boat ramp, and occasionally get a closer vantage point. To actually walk along 
the shore of the lake will require some bushwhacking, but could probably be 
done. 



Do NOT go over to Flagg Pond for water birds. Flagg Pond has been completely 
dry for a couple of years, and is grown up in brushy vegetation. It will take a 
lot of water to fill Flagg Pond, and it looks like there has been some work 
done there recently, so I don't even know if it will hold water now. There were 
a few Dickcissels over there, and the woods near there had Red-eyed and 
Yellow-throated Vireo and a Pileated Woodpecker. 



Another interesting bird was an Eastern Phoebe at a small horse corral along 
the entry road to Flagg Pond. 

This is not a regular summer breeder here, so I may try to get back over there 
sometime in the next month or so to see if I can find any evidence of breeding. 



Without additional rain this summer, the lake will continue to draw down, and I 
suspect the area will get even better for waders and shorebirds. 



Good birding ya'll,
Byron Stone, Austin





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Subject: Baytown Nature Center Bird Count 6/20/13
From: DHanson139 AT aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:34:51 -0400 (EDT)
This is a reminder that the Baytown Nature Center Bird Count will be  
Thursday June 20th and will start at 7 AM at the Entrance parking lot.
 
David Hanson
Baytown/Mont  Belvieu Area
Chambers Co
Galveston Bay Area Master Naturalist
TOS  Member
281-303-0166 hm
281-813-2657  cell
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Subject: Trinity River birding.
From: David Bryant <highlandbirds AT yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:35:28 -0700 (PDT)
I spent a few hours this morning mostly driving along the east and west sides 
of the Trinity below I10. 

Wallisville rookery had Anhinga and Egret nests with lots of baby birds.

At the Mayes tract, there were Fulvous Whistling ducks and numerous Morehens 
with chicks. 


We saw one strange heron that we decided might be a young Great Blue. It had a 
dark body with a white neck and head. It had the familiar dark streak along the 
top of the head. It was also on the small side for a Great Blue. 


Other birds seen during the morning:

Little Blue Heron
Cattle Egret
Snowey Egret
White Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Green Heron
Double_crested Comerant
Stilt
Black_bellied Whistling Duck
Mottled Duck
Red_winged Blackbird
All the grackles
Eastern Kingbird
Dicksissel
Brown_headed Cowbird
Coot
Mourning Dove
White Pelican
Swallows

In addition to lots of birds, we spotted an otter and a very large Alligator.

David Bryant

Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android



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