Current Bird (and nature) News

MOST RECENT UPDATE: January 24, 2020
(prior updates: January 17, 10, 3, December 27, 20, 13, 6, November 29, 22, 15, 8, 1


January. We birded around Sabinal Jan. 5 and saw: 1 Prairie Falcon, 7 Green Jay, 12 Long-billed Thrasher, a couple Olive Sparrow, heard a Kiskadee or two, saw a Harlan's Hawk, a Swamp Sparrow, and 5 Harris's Hawk, Verdins and Pyrrhuloxias. Great birding down there now. Up here, we got rain! Finally some precip Jan. 16 & 17, about 3"! Another half-inch overnight on Jan. 21-22. Might have lifted us out of D2 level drought to D1. Jan. 24 at Utopia Park there was a nice bright male Pine Warbler and a Ringed Kingfisher.

December started with a Verdin at Little Creek on the 1st. Then on the 4th at the park, a WOODCOCK! But I have not reseen it in ten attempts. A Sora on the 7th is a great bird locally. Green Kingfisher, White-tipped Dove, two Olive Sparrow and a couple Golden-crowned Kinglet were seen at Lost Maples Dec. 8. We had record heat in the mid-80's the 14th-15th, and record cold (16dF) on the 18th and 19th! Finally saw my FOS Sapsucker on the 19th. There is some Cedar (Juniper) pollen starting to get going. From perusing ebird I see the 18th was the Love Creek Christmas Bird Count which covers parts of Lost Maples. A Louisiana Waterthrush was found on a private ranch NE of Vanderpool, a very rare winter record on the Edwards Plateau. A couple Winter Wren and Verdin were also turned up in Bandera Co. Fair numbers of Pyrrhuloxia and Verdin are around this winter. Finally had a Pine Warbler, at the park on Dec. 27th.

• Jump To Bird & Nature News

For some detailed 2019 Lost Maples reports see the dated entries for Jan. 5, March 17, 30, 31, April 21 & 28, May 12, June 2 and 29, July 28, September 15, Oct. 13, and Dec. 8.

For 2018 check the Old Bird News pages (#29 and #30 now) for reports from April 1, 9, 10, 15, 29, May 13, June 3 and 24, July 29, Aug. 26, Sept. 30 and Dec. 2. (Old Bird News pages link below)

Pro Tip: Ignore the ebird Chihuahuan Raven reports at Lost Maples, they are mis-ID'd Common Ravens which are common residents. You would think with so many reports, ONE could be proven. Guess again.

There is a page up now with a long discussion, called "The Birds of Utopia Park," which includes the park bird list. If you can't sleep it may be just the ticket. It will be getting some fixes and changes still, but the basic is up. I have been making corrections here and there, and will likely add to it as time goes on, but for now it gets some info out there.
The Birds of Utopia Park

A quick note about Utopia Park. There have been some changes in management and rules. It is now $5 per person to enter, during the off-season. Peak, from spring break until Labor Day it will be $10 per person to enter. No charge for Utopia or Vanderpool residents.

Note we also have a fairly new 'where to stay' page, with contact info, links and names of many of the local lodging options. It is linked at top above in the NavBar under the Sites and Misc. section, and below in the link section just above the current bird news.

You may want to scroll down to the date of the last update you read, and scroll or read UP day-to-day to read in chronological sequence, some references might make more sense that way. For repeat offenders there is a link just below to jump straight to newest update. There is a broken line of tildes (~) to denote prior update breaks, if you are lucky with a photo. Sometimes this header is archived within body of news as well since it changes. Seperated by tildes as well, as are monthly summaries.

For visiting cell phone users, often only AT&T works here, or Concan, and many local areas Sabinal to Leakey, etc. Often around Hwys. 10 or 90 (Hondo, Uvalde) you can get other signals. Then wi-fi is available at the Utopia Library, the store in Vanderpool had a sign saying they have it there too. State Park headquarters may have it? Don't tell them I told you.   ;)

Please holler if you see something good locally! THANKS!  :)  (local 830 Utopia landline WON~2349)
E-dress clickably linked at bottom of most pages: mitchATutopianatureDOTcom

Note on navbar at top of this page and the home page, and somewhere around the chat picture below is a link to a new LINKS page that is a quick handy way outta here. Who loves ya baby? It is a collection of some of the links I will publicly admit to using, though a couple with no small amount of trepidation. Space, weather, bugs, birds, blogs, bird cams, and other stuff...   Enjoy!

• Jump To Bird & Nature News

This page has the current bird and nature news from the area around Utopia, the Sabinal River Valley (SRV), and occasionally elsewhere in the area, such as Uvalde, Concan, Lost Maples, etc. Often very unusual sightings will be in CAPS. There will also be occasional mention of butterfly (lep) or dragonfly (ode) sightings when they are out and about. Or anything natural history of interest.

If you are a frequent flier scroll down past the Rufous-backed Robin sketch and a few 'recent' highlight photos below that, and you'll quickly be at the most recent news. Or hit the " jump to bird news " link just above. Entries are in reverse chronological order, with most recent day, date, and weekly post at top.

I have been fairly good for a few years now about posting a weekly update Friday evenings. Since weekend night life is so exciting here. Usually it is minor local (often yard) notes from nearly every day. Some daily or near-daily notes of what is going on with birds, or butterflies, dragonflies, fish, flowers, reptiles, triops, cerambycids, buprestids, bombyliads, and so on. Anything might get mentioned. Usually just yard notes. Unless you got to be stationed at the park all day, one site of observation locally is about as good as another. The big picture only becomes amazingly fascinating by filling all the little details in, one tiny bit at a time.

If you're in the area and see something, please don't hesitate to let us know. For instance, we would be happy to post Lost Maples SNA bird news, if it were reported to us. Perhaps other visitors might better know where to look for something of interest. E-mail link in next (pale yellow) box, and at bottom of most pages. Local (eight-three-zero) landline WON~2349. I can be at the park in 10 minutes, 8 if I was dressed with shoes on, 5 if it is a Sabine's Gull, but I might not be fully dressed.

Thanks and enjoy! Some rudimentary maps of the area are at the bottom of the "site guide" page, if you need help locating any of the places mentioned.

Anyone birding the area should get a copy of June Osborne's neat local birding guide, "Birding the Concan Area." It is an invaluable reference for birding the local area. It covers Uvalde to Concan, Sabinal, and the Utopia area. If you're not familiar with the area, it will show you lots of the productive local roads and spots to check. Neal's Lodges has it, as well as lots of birding stuff at their store. We do have some informational stuff on the local birding sites page.

There are now 16+ (!) years and growing worth of nature notes here, mostly in the bird news archives pages linked at the bottom of this page in 6 month segments. You can fairly easily check, 10 fall or spring periods, etc., and get a good idea of what goes on when, where, or how weak migration is here.   :) If you're coming in April, you can check several years out and see when different species arrive.  For instance for Painted Buntings not till later April, earliest numbers about the 18-20th, later is better, some years not till the 21-22 are the first back locally.  Often a few days earlier down in lower altitude brush country (earlier still down on the coast) etc. Adult males mostly depart territories and the area the first week of August.

Be sure to check out the Bird List page, which is updated (2018) with seasonal status and abundance for each species. It lists all 350 plus species (!) known from the upper Sabinal River drainage.

The 10th (!) winter bird count totals are up on the Bird Count Page

A newer page is the butterfly rarity photos: Rare Butterflies

NOTE: The FOS (First of Season) dates given are for the Utopia area. That may be the first of spring, first of fall, or first of winter, etc. In spring for example, for many species (birds, butterflies, flowers, etc.) Concan may run a week or more earlier, and Uvalde 1 to 2 weeks or so, earlier than the Utopia area does for some spring arrivals sometimes. In any given year some species will be "early" and others will be "late," compared to averages.

And here's something else.......
Sometimes I may be available as eyes and ears for hire. Send an E-mail if you desire professional expert level birding guide services while in the area. Take out the spaces around the at if you copy this instead of clicking it: mitch @ utopianature.com

Or check out the Bird Guide page.

The BIRDING SITES, HUMMINGBIRDS, BIRD LIST, and LM REPORTS, and RARITIES pages have all been recently updated!

With apologies, I am not interested in photos from other areas for identification. Please please please do not send unsolicited out of area photos. Contact your local Audubon Society if you have pictures of a bird that you would like identified, every area has one. From Houston to Travis to Ft. Worth, Big Sky, Llano Estacado, no matter where you are there are other local folks interested in your local birds, and since you are (to have a pic that you want ID'd) you should want to know them.  :)  Thank you in advance.

First a 2011 highlight ...






Some things from 2012 ...





Finally..... a good (and favorite) bird.....


Something from 2013 ...

Yellow-breasted Chat

Here are links to some new pages added in the last couple years:

Here is a master index page of 'Old Bird News' links:
Bird News Archives INDEX
It has links to all the 'Bird News' pages, in 6 month increments.

~ ~ ~ ~
***  Here is a new page for visitors with ideas, links, phones, contacts, etc., about where to stay locally.
Where to Stay
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
***  Here is a major new page I have been working on for half of last year, and which compiles over a decade of my study at the site. It is a long discussion about the how and why of birds at Utopia Park, and the park bird list.
The Birds of Utopia Park
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here are assorted links of all manner, and a handy way outta here.
Mitch's Links


The photos used for the weekly breaks are compiled in one place for each year (just for the last few years).
2015 pix
2016 pix
2017 pix
2018 pix
2019 pix

~ ~ ~ finally, current bird news from the greater and lesser Utopia area ~ ~ ~

BIRD & NATURE NEWS 2020


Notes without location cited are in or from yard which is a couple miles south of town at edge of the river habitat corridor. If it doesn't say where it was, it was in or from the yard. Usually a few daily yard notes is all the drivel you get. But you never know what that can lead to. Ready, steady, go!

Commonly used ABBREVIATIONS are:

To repeat since commonly used:
sps.=species; FOS=First of season (can be any season); FOY=First of Year; FOF=First of fall; LTA=Less than Annual; UP=Utopia Park; SLC=So. Little Creek Rd.; dF=degrees Farenheit; (ph.)=photo obtained; ad.=adult; imm.=immature.; ma.=male; fem.=female; juv.=juvenile; odes=Odonata = dragonflies and damselflies; leps=Lepidoptera (butterflies), town=Utopia; the park= Utopia Park at SW corner of town. WU = Weather Underground (sometimes local station readings referenced) BanCo = Bandera Co.; UvCo = Uvalde Co.

---

Just to have this handy again for reference, recent prior updates:
Jan. 17, 10, 3, Dec. 27, 20, 13, 6, November 29, 22, 15, 8, 1
Each week's update break is marked with a bad bird photo.

You may want to scroll down to last prior update and scroll
up to read in chrono order day to day.
~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ and now for the news ~ ~ ~

 * OMG, ANOTHER page has been re-done! The BRUSH COUNTRY bird photo page has been buffed and polished with many new photos and much new text. It is the last of what I thought were the four worst pages needing updating. It will likely be the last of these for a bit now. I am too busy. We got HUMMERS, WARBLERS, and SPARROWS re-done in 2019, and now the BRUSH COUNTRY page is much improved. Get to these pages from the bird photo index page:
Bird Photos


Jan. 24 ~ About 36dF for a low, a bit chilly. Mostly sunny and got up to the mid-to-upper 60's dF. Saw two Robin up in the big Pecan early. About 8 waxwing were around too. Town run for errands. At the park there was the Coot, 3 Gadwall, a Ringed Kingfisher, and best was a super bright male Pine Warbler. In fresh plumage they can really light up in the right sunlight. There have not been many around this winter, so a treat. Maybe a half-dozen Myrtle Warbler, 45 Chipping Sparrow, a Kinglet (Ruby), missed the P-b Grebes. There was one Belted Kingfisher below the spillway.

Jan. 23 ~ About 50dF for a low and sunny, calm, so a very pleasant break between winter systems. No freeze showing on the 10-day, which takes us to February. I see the first little reddish budlets of new growing Agarita flower clusters breaking stem. One of the first earliest signs of spring being on the horizon. Some parts of it happen very early a way down south. There are some green leaves poking up out of the ground, and I have seen a few open Straggler Daisy flowers here and there. But they can pop a flower any week of the year with a few warm days and a little bit of water. Heard a wee bit of Cardinal song, a couple White-winged Dove sang, several Carolina Wren and a Bewick's Wren were singing, and Chickadee and Titmouse both gave snippets of song. I heard six species sing today. Very nice.

Jan. 22 ~ Held steady around 50 all night, with drizzle and eventually a few showers pre-dawn. Foggy after that. We got another .6 of an inch of rain all told. Fantastic. We need it badly. Winter rains are critical for spring sprouting. Stayed in the 50's all day. I saw a small group of 13 Cedar Waxwing in the big pecan. Later one imm. Sharp-shinned Hawk dive-bombed another imm. sitting in top of the tree. This is why the seedeaters keep flushing. The rest was the regulars.

Jan. 21 ~ About 35dF for a low, mostly cloudy, light breeze and chilly early, stronger southerlies most of the day as something approaches that might give rain overnight. Got up to low-mid 50's but with the wind was still chilly. The ground is still wet from all the rain a few days ago. We were at D2 per the U.S. Drought Monitor, which is severe drought. We likely improved a level to D1 with the 3" rain event. Just south of us along and below Hwy. 90 and toward Mexico is some D3 which is extreme drought. I did not see anything but the regular cast today, hence the drought news. LOL

Jan. 20 ~ A brief freeze, about 30dF for a low. Mostly sunny, got up to about 60dF at peak heat. A quick look at park in town since I had to run up there. Little Creek Larry said he had a small flock of Robin and a flock of 50 or so Cedar Waxwing around town earlier. I asked and he said he too has not seen one flicker all fall and winter yet. There were 3 Gadwall and the Pied-billed Grebe on the park pond, one Great Blue Heron, and a Green Kingfisher up in the slough by the island. One Myrtle Warbler. Slowsville. Best thing today was hearing White-winged Doves singing, a couple at least, maybe three, giving full 'who-cooks-for-you' song. Great to hear again after months of not. One month since the solstice and they are triggered.

Jan. 19 ~ About 35dF for a low and sunny, but with a northerly breeze on it, so chilly. Actually was 10-20 mph until later afternoon. Got up to about 58dF or so, nice when the wind finally stopped. Same stuff around the yard, but there were 7 Cedar Waxwing in a small group in a Hackberry. I walked around up the hill behind us a bit. Glimpsed a Spotted Towhee tail, saw some Titmice and Cardinal, flushed a pig. At least got a mile in for the legs. Only a month until blooming Redbuds, Agarita flowers and Elfins. In two months Golden-cheeked Warblers will be arriving back in numbers.

Jan. 18 ~ Was in the 40's early a.m. as the last few drizzles finally cleared. It was over 3" of rain total here for the event. Probably 3.25 or so. The ground needed that, though it is a bit mucky out there now. A second front overtook the first and cleared us out noonish, bringing with it the post-frontal blow. Was 10-20 mph gusting higher the rest of the day until dusk when it finally laid down. So worked on stuff inside. The Bewick's Wren was singing a bit, and heard a Cardinal doing 'quiet song', that under-the-breath gibberish they do especially early in the singing season.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Jan. 17 ~ Stayed in 50's all day and rained, and no one complained. There was about 1.5" from the event as of early morning. Then by 3 p.m. we were at 3" here! Most of it a good slow-soaker as they call them, so just what the aquifer needed. It was getting grim, this is more than welcome relief, at last! Especially for the early sprouting stuff, these winter rains are critical. Some gets going in a few weeks. Only thing in the yard was a heard White-crowned Sparrow singing in the rain, which was nice.

Town errand run. Checked the park briefly in the rain. Saw a Zone-tailed Hawk that had adult tail feathers with white bands. Wondering if it is a different bird than the imm. that has been around, or is that one getting adult tail feathers now. Also saw one Green Kingfisher, the 5 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, and the Coot. One Turkey Vulture was in with the Black Vultures. It has not been with them all winter so far and I suspect just showed up recently. They are very rare here in winter. Most winters they are (or were) absent mid-November to mid-February. The last couple or few winters I have seen a very few in that period.

Jan. 16 ~ It was about 65dF just before dawn, and by mid-morn 55 as the cold air arrived. But we got rain! Supposed to be a couple days of it as the front moves over us southward, stalls, and returns tomorrow moving north. It was off and on drizzle and showers all day. We were nearing an inch by dusk. We were so parched it is great. Heard a Robin. Kathy heard some Waxwings. Had a good flock of Chipping Sparrow come in for the seed, about 120, surely my highest count so far this winter. If I tried to chase the flock around the weeds and brush down the road, I would not likely see half of them. But with bait, I can scrutinize them at a level simply not possible in the field chasing them around. Still no Clay-colored Sparrow in with them, never saw it again after Thanksgiving weekend. Had hopes for it wintering.

Jan. 15 ~ Wow a 65dF low is a bit balmy for this time of year. Muggy, in January. Too busy to lookabout. Will mention a report I saw from early Jan. of a Rufous-backed Robin seen at the same spot as last winter just west of Uvalde. This seems very likely a returning bird, where UvCoRd 202 hits the Nueces River. Was the same gang around the yard. I drove through the park early in the drizzle, saw four Gadwall, that was it.

Jan. 14 ~ Low of about 55dF and low overcast. At least it is not cold. Heard a few measures of Cardinal song this morning, the first wisps of that this year. Great to hear again for the first time in months. Clouds finally cleared in afternoon, about 3 p.m. it was 74dF on the cool shady front porch, hotter in the sun. I saw an 80 reading at KRVL and at least one Utopia station was 79dF! So this is Jan.? Did not see anything but the usual suspects today.

Jan. 13 ~ Was upper 30's dF at midnight last night, lower 50's by sunup, with a dense fog advisory. Might have hit lowest 60's dF for a high. The lone waxwing continues to whistle for friends, to no avail so far. As in birding, the key is perserverance. At least I am getting to hear one a little bit this winter. The rest was the usual gang. Heard a Kinglet (Ruby), the Myrtle Warbler was out there, Caracara cruising over, some Field Sparrow among the Chippies. Too busy at work to bird.

Jan. 12 ~ Barely froze, maybe 30dF and overcast with low clouds early. Most of the day was breezy and slowly warmed back to about 60 barely, briefly. The birds were the same gang. Same as it ever was, it is the winter doldrums here. Too much work to do here. Carolina Wrens are getting a lot more vociferous. Nothing else is really going yet like they are.

Jan. 11 ~ It was the post-frontal blow today, 10-20 mph gusting higher northerlies. Too windy to bird. Low was 40dF so chills were around freezing early. Got up to 64 or so. Heard that single Waxwing up in the Hackberry again. Were about 15 House Finch in the big Pecan, they are increasing in the yard lately after being scarce for a couple months. A few each American Goldfinch and Field Sparrow. One Caracara flew over and some buteo I wish I would have seen before it was the north end of a southbound bird. Saw the Lo-Hi record temps for this date at SAT are 10 and 80dF. So you only have to be prepared for a 70dF temp spread. Great Horned and Barred Owl were calling at the same time out front after dark.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Jan. 10 ~ Low was about 64dF (!) with heavy overcast and southerly gulf flow. Winds picked up to 10-20 mph gusting 25 and higher. Got up to about 80dF in the afternoon! A few dF short of a record methinks, which at SAT for this date is 84dF. Weird when it is this warm and all the trees are leafless. Save the Junipers, which are really spewing pollen now, you can see the rust color on the males. Park had the Coot and 5 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, but that was it. The woods are dead this winter, no bugs. Saw a very few Mayflies. Heard one Cedar Waxwing in yard. The rest was the same gang. A line of thunderstorms went by around dark from a front passing central Texas. The Utopia rain kryptonite held and we got a half a tracelet of rain. Just 15-20 miles east they had 2-3 inches.

Jan. 9 ~ A low of 58dF with some fog was balmy, high was about 72. A few American Goldfinch were around but the rest seemed the same. Heard the Ground Doves. Which are no longer hyphenated (was Ground-Dove). It is official, lose the hyphen. When can we lose the 'Common' part? I already did. Either the Sharpy or the Coop flushed all the seedeaters a couple times. A Caracara went by.

Jan. 8 ~ We were 26dF again, chilly with iced birdbath. NOAA had KRVL for a 34 low, they had 25! Then zonal flow returned, gusty southerlies, warmer moist air, near 60dF by noon. Heard one Cedar Waxwing in a Hackberry mid-morn. The rest looked the same out the office window. It is back to the salt mine time for me. Heard Chickadee singing song briefly. Late afternoon I had a quick zip through town and at the park pond saw the Coot and 5 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, my first water birds of the year.

Jan. 7 ~ Was about 32-70dF temp spread, sunny after some clouds in a.m. Was all the same gang around the yard. It is back at the desk and computer for me. Ready to go back to bird around Sabinal again, took two days. I really would like to see that pale small hawk north of town, and more better looks at that big female Harlan's would be nice too. No way can I get down there this weekend. Maybe the one after?

Jan. 6 ~ Ran about 30-75dF for a temp spread today. Nice. But it is back to the salt mine Monday after the holiday break. I heard a White-throated Sparrow out there a couple times, surely the tan-striped bird I saw yesterday morning. A few Field and about 75 Chipping Sparrow as usual. Other than hearing a Verdin over in the draw, there was nothing different. Same yard gang. That's OK, I am still fairly drunk on all of yesterday's great birds.

Jan. 5 ~ A 26dF low! NOAA had KRVL for 38, they were 29, off by a category again. We rolled down the hill to bird the Sabinal area about 9:30, in no hurry for that cold. As I threw out the noon batch of seed right before we left I saw a tan-striped White-throated Sparrow out back. The one here in Nov. and Dec. was a white-striped type, so this is a new one.

The short version around Sabinal: Prairie Falcon, Kiskadee, Green Jay, Olive Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Long-billed Thrasher, Harris's Hawk, an awesome female Harlan's Hawk, Verdin, Pyrrhuloxia, etc. It was a great half-day of barely scratching the surface down there in the sticks of the flatlands. Could not find any Geese, only had a couple Cranes fly over, no Mountain Plover. Due to the drought and much of the farming being rain-fed, there was little corn this year. I did not see one good fallow corn field. Lots of cotton, some sorghum or somesuch. Lots of fields were left fallow.

As we approached the high spot a few mi. north of Sabinal I said "this is Harris's Hill" to Kathy. By time we got over it we had two Harris's Hawks on tele poles. Stopping to view one an orange-billed, black-lored White-crowned Sparrow popped up, as in the Rocky Mtn. oriantha type. Always nice here. The big Russian Sunflower field just north of Sabinal that had the 500 Am. Goldfinch last year is not yet harvested, still dried seedheads intact, so the clouds of birds are not there yet. Should be by the end of January. There were birds there but not like after they harvest the seed heads. Some Cardinal and a couple Pyrrhuloxia were hitting them at SE corner of field.

We heard an Audubon's Oriole as we drove around the NE quadrant of residential Sabinal. Nothing at the city park. At the dry Sabinal River crossing just southwest of the school where the Western and Couch's Kingbirds and Rusty Blackbird were last Jan., we saw none of that. It was bone dry, no water. There was a very tame Roadrunner there, a flock of at least 160 White-winged Dove, one Myrtle Warbler, a Verdin, couple Titmouse and a Kinglet (Ruby). Might have heard a Pine Warbler there.

Further east on that road past the water treatment plant out in the pastures there was a flock of over 100 American Pipit, and a few Killdeer. Kathy looked up to look for the Cranes calling overhead and spotted what was the rarity of the day, a Prairie Falcon up high moving fast. Always a great bird to see. It moved west too quickly for a pic. Appeared to go down somewhere west of 2730. Saw some Savannah Sparrow. Couldn't pick anything out of the pipits but you could mostly only see them when they flushed. Thought I heard a Sprague's. Another Harris's Hawk was soaring way high with a couple Black Vulture there.

We then went out Lower Sabinal Rd., the one that goes to Uvalde south of Hwy. 90. Saw more major brush clearing and loss of habitat. It is like they are at war against habitat. Only had a couple tiny small groups of White-crowned Sparrow which was odd. Very few sparrows everywhere we went. Lots of Red-tailed Hawk, mostly fuertesi, but a couple belly-banded eastern types. Tallied a dozen Red-tails over the half-day. Couple more Harris's Hawk, one a sub-adult, and now at 5 in a couple hours. Some Kestrel. About 8-9 Bobwhite were nice. Some Long-billed Thrasher, but best was some Green Jay. A house (with martin houses) on the road about half-way between Sabinal and Knippa has some planted ornamental oaks in the front yard. The Green Jays were harvesting the acorns. There were at least 4 and probably 5 right at once in the group. They were crossing the road, grabbing acorns, and heading back over into the brush. They were doing their hawk call imitation too. What species of hawk is that they imitate? There was one imm. male Vermilion Flycatcher in the corral across the road from the house. Heard a few more Verdin along the road. Did more fields, nothing.

Then we went to UvCo 309 which is about 3 miles south of Sabinal. A couple hundred yards west of 187 it crosses the Sabinal River, which is a creeklet there. You can walk some dirt tracks upriver a bit, south side is better, you can get further. As last January here, we had Great Kiskadee (heard 2) and I saw a Swamp Sparrow, my first this winter. There were at least 6 Long-billed Thrasher in the area, and I might have had a Brown. It was rufous to and over the crown. There were at least a couple Olive Sparrow in the area, (easiest ones to see ever) as well. Perfect place for a rare Robin or somesuch. At least a couple more Green Jays were nice too. Another couple Myrtle Warbler and Kinglet (Ruby), at least two Common Yellowthroat also there. Someone dumps poached deer carcass remains just south of the crossing at the start of the track on that side of creeklet, and I suspect the jays and thrashers are working on them. Also there we saw one Variegated Fritillary, one Reakirt's Blue, two Dainty Sulphur for butterflies, and two 2 Autumnal Meadowhawk for dragonflies.

Then we checked almost a mile south on 187 around the Ranchero Crk. crossing but it was dry. It can be good when water. Another half mile south is UvCo 312a running east off 187. It is farly well vegetated on both sides for much of the public mile and change. More Long-billed Thrasher, over a hundred Meadowlark, most looked Western, 5-6 more Bobwhite in the road, more Verdin and White-crowned Sparrow, lots of Cardinal. A half-mile or so out this road is where the female Harlan's Hawk was. It first came up from low, and later in the poor blurry pix you can see its crop is well distended so it must have just finished eating something.

Along the various roads over the day we saw 5 Roadrunner, heard at least 7-8 Verdin, only saw a half-dozen Pyrrhuloxia, 2-3 Say's Phoebe, only a couple Vesper and no Lark Sparrow, maybe a couple dozen Savannah Sparrow, 8 Kestrel, a couple N. Harrier, 7 Caracara, about a dozen Long-billed Thrasher, 3 Olive Sparrow, 7 Green Jay, 2 heard Kiskadee, 75-100 each of Mockingbird and Cardinal, 8 L. Shrike, 15+ Bobwhite, and some lesser things. Did not see any Cactus Wren or Curve-billed Thrasher, did not hear an Orange-crowned Warbler or a White-eyed Vireo. Somewhere had a quick view Cooper's Hawk. Lots of Mourning Dove, a few Collared-Dove, cowbirds and blackbirds, prolly some other stuff I didn't pay attention to. Like some Titmice, a Lincoln's Sparrow, a couple Ladder-backed Woodpecker, etc..

Amazing what an entirely different environment it is just 20 miles away down off the plateau and into the brush country. On the way back we had cold stuff in an icechest so could not stop for a compact buteo on 187 north of Sabinal. It looked like a pale morph Harlan's Hawk, in fact very like the one I saw in Utopia 5 years ago. It was where a UvCo county road crosses 187 in both directions, about 3 miles north of Sabinal. Lots of hawks down there this winter, which was great to see.

Jan. 4 ~ A chilly one here, about 28dF briefly just after sunup. Birdbath iced over. NOAA had KRVL for 36dF low, it was 26! Off by a category again. About the fifth time so far this cold season. Keep it in mind if headed out thisaway in winter. Long johns, check. It warmed up though, above average to about 74dF or so here, so 50dF diurnals again. Great to be able to open everything up and air it out. Kathy heard a chickadee whistle a short bit of song notes. FOY for that. Worked on stuff here since planning on skipping out for a half-day birding tomorrow.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Jan. 3 ~ We ran about 44-64dF for a temp spread today. The post-frontal blow got here about 10 a.m. and it was 15-25 mph all day, gusting to 30. Sunny, but blown out. Town run and park check. A flock of 50+ meadowlark on UvCo 360 east of the river looked like Eastern. At the park did not see the Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Whistling-Ducks, any kingfisher, or Great Blue Heron. The new year list remains waterbird free. There was a winter flock in the park, a few Robin, some E. Bluebird, a couple dozen Chipping Sparrow, 6+ Myrtle Warbler, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Heard a Pine Warbler. Didn't see anything different in the yard, Kathy saw a Hermit Thrush at the bath. Planning to bird the flatlands of the Sabinal area down in the brush country on Sunday.

Jan. 2 ~ Still hovering around 50dF, won't go up or down, overcast and foggy early. It is Thursdays back at the salt mine here anyway. Just the regular cast outside. The main yard inhabitants are Carolina and Bewick's Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Chipping and Field Sparrow, Cardinal, Eastern Phoebe and Bluebird, Mockingbird, House Finch (just 1 pr.), American Goldfinch (2 or so) plus Ground, White-winged and Mourning Dove. Then daily a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Myrtle Warbler or two pass through, and Common Raven and Black Vulture fly over. Either a Sharp-shinned or the Cooper's Hawk flushes all the seedeaters a couple times per day. Both are regular. Those are the basic winter gang here. Seeming like we lost our Rufous Hummers that were here. Every couple or few days we see Red-tailed Hawk, Caracara, and an Orange-crowned Warbler. Most nights we hear Great Horned, Screech-, and often Barred Owl. Some years we are covered in Robin, Waxwing, Siskin, and American Goldfinch, but not this year. Barely any of any of them.

January 1 ~ Happy New Year! Here we go again! Sure that was so fun, heck ya, let's do that again. But can we take a different route this time? Did not cool down much last night, was about 48dF for a low, cloudy, misted a couple hundredths over the day, might have gotten into low 50's dF for a high. Still not seeing the Rufous Hummingbirds, about two weeks for the female and four days now for the male. Did work about 80 Chipping Sparrow and had only a few Field among them, no Lark, no Clay-colored. The rest was the same gang. Since coolish and wettish worked inside on things. So far it looks very birdable next weekend though. Finally.

~ ~ ~ above is 2020 ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ below is 2019 ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ 2019 summary ~ ~ ~

Well there went another one. It was very dry overall with a brief very wet period in spring. Drought has reared its ugly head again. Much of the year much of the river between Lost Maples and Utopia existed only below ground. We remain unrecovered from the prior exceptional event despite a respite of a few years with some rain. Trees are still dropping like flies at Lost Maples for example. It looks to me like desertification in slow motion. Of course natural history study is fascinating no matter what is going on. As long as you keep looking you will keep seeing interesting things. Then record and document.

Butterflies were about 83 species for the entire year, we have had better months. Last year was worst ever with only 80 species, so this year is barely better. Most of the regular expected types, but not all. No vagrants, no fall invasion from the south. It was over and pitiful by October. It was weird in fall seeing all the flowers without any hairstreaks, blues, crescents, and skippers on them. Drought kills it for butterflies here. Still a few things missing since the epic exceptional drought that sorta ended a few years ago but we never yet recovered from. Still no sign of Common Wood-Nymph, Silvery Checkerspot, or Carolina Satyr for isntance. They all remain MIA. Only saw a few Arizona Sister early in season. No Soldier, Zebra, or Mourning Cloaks this year. There were several Laviana White-Skipper, which was the only LTA - less than annual - thing to show up from southward. The fall Monarch movement missed us this fall. Snouts never got bad, we had no rain for them to chase. Found a huge wild patch of Flame Acanthus at Garner S.P., likely explaining the Crimson Patch population there.

First a single one day, then an emerging another day, then finally a pair, of mating Luna Moth on Pecan right off front porch were a major highlight of the year, and my life. It was like a dream come true to be able to watch them more than just fly by. And get pix. A Vine Sphinx was nice too, found dying on the front porch! Saw two, photo'd one of the Aellopos sphinx moths, probably clavipes. A couple Black Witch were seen in summer, always a treat here. Saw an Imperial Moth somewhere. So some great moths made up for the lack of any unusual butterflies.

It should be noted, night lighting for insects was nearly pitiful the several times I tried over the summer (monthly). So few insects I could not believe it. Scary. It is nothing like it was, that is for sure. What is disappearing all the bugs? Is it just drought? Not at the lights, I did photo a couple Neoclytus sps. Cerambycids in the yard this year, and a Mesquite Borer (Placosternus) in town. A couple 'bycids to ease the pain, but saw no gigas 'bycid this year. Saw several of the gold Dicerca sps. Buprestids, and good numbers of Eyed Elaterid. A live female Dobsonfly at the gas station was awesome.

Odes were barely OK and are still very low in numbers like butterflies. They too have never yet recovered from the major epic drought of 2008-15 or so. It looks like 53 species: 20 damsels, 33 dragons. There were only a few items of interest. A Cyrano Darner at Lost Maples was nice. Lots of Plateau Spreadwing and Band-winged Dragonlet at the usual ephemeral floodpond spots on S. Little Creek Rd. (BanCo) when late April or early May rains hit. A Great Spreadwing in the yard was er, great, the first. Another Twelve-spotted Skimmer here too. Did see a few Black-shouldered Spinyleg which have been scarce. Barely any Smoky Rubyspot. The Orange-striped Threadtail continue at Utopia Park, but their numbers are far lower than before. As are most species.

Birds for me were about 195 species locally in the upper Sabinal River drainage (USRD). That is to say no brush-country off-the-plateau flatlands stuff is included in that total. Just strictly up here in the valley, Lost Maples to Clayton Grade, and mostly just around Utopia. Last year ('18) was 210 species, so it was down a fair bit. Lots more rain last year. I think Little Creek Larry saw at least 5 sps. I did not see this year. I do not think I added any species to the local USRD area list this year. It took 16 years to get to that point. I was still getting one or two a year the last five years. The USRD list is about 359 currently. One big lake with a little marsh, an island, and some mudflat and we'd have 400 here. The Utopia Park list is stuck at about 269. Our (2 acre) yard list is stuck at about 220 NIB. No introduced birds. Here are the best 2019 bird highlights.

In Jan. a Western Kingbird with a couple Couch's not in the USRD, but down in the flatlands at Sabinal, plus 500 Am.Go in one flock there were both outstanding. Also in Jan. a Black-n-White Warbler at Lost Maples is very rare on plateau in winter. A Brown Creeper wintered at Utopia Park, my first to stick for the winter locally. Same goes for the three Red-breasted Nuthatch that spent the winter visiting our yard. April 15 was the last date for the last one. May 2 saw a Northern Goshawk northbound over the house. A Wilson's Phalarope at the SLC ponds May 11 was outstanding in BanCo. Another pair of Cassin's Kingbird were here, May 9, after a single in April. The June highlight was nesting Grasshopper Sparrow in Bandera Co. on W. Sabinal Rd. Others were suspected in a few other places. Pretty clear Olive Sparrow and White-tipped Dove are now breeding if not resident at Lost Maples, for probably their 4th years or so each now, at least if not more. Several pairs of each are there. Some still there in December.

The second half of the year... Over the whole fall we probably had 10 Rufous Hummingbird at our place alone. Which is a much higher than average number (double or more). On July 7 Leslie Calvert had a Roseate spoonbill sw of town a few miles at their pond. August 15 we had a Common Pauraque at our place, which stayed to Sept. 15. A juvenile Acadian Flycatcher Aug. 25 was great in the yard as a passage migrant off breeding territory whence very rare. Seven Mourning Warbler around Utopia Sept. 22 was great, as was the dozen count for the month. A Wood Thrush on Oct. 25 at the park that let me have pix was awesome. A heard only Long-eared Owl the night of Oct. 21st was also great, not my first here. A Clay-colored Sparrow seen to late Nov. is my latest ever here. A second-of-the-fall Broad-tailed Hummer was around a few days in November. The American Woodcock at the park Dec. 4 was a major highlight of the year, thankfully letting me get a few docushots. Seems a nice wave of Pyrrhuloxia and Verdin have moved in for the winter. Warblers were weak spring and fall. None of the scarcer eastern or western types showed. However the five Black-throated Green over the fall was a good fall total for here.

Like most journeys of a million steps, nature data collecting is one point at a time. It never ceases to amaze me how it all adds up. Currently the overall biodiveristy and output here are obviously severely drought-reduced. Whence it seems slow going at times. Still when you add it all up at the end of the year, we got a bunch of awesome data points. Lots of new earliest ever and latest ever dates, peak numbers for a passage, etc. All kinds of great stuff was seen, much to most photographed, and we filled in a bunch of blanks, some we didn't even know we had. The key is to be looking, you will find and see. Then document.

~ ~ ~ end 2019 summary ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ oh no, not another summary!?!? ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ December summary ~ ~ ~

It was a dry month, with record heat and cold within a few days of each other mid-month. We did not get an inch of rain, probably about a half-inch at our place, should be two inches. The drought continues, it is parched out there. The river is running very slow and low (dry - only underground - in many areas).

Butterflies were 9 species, the lowest diversity of any of my 17 Decembers here now. After a very poor fall more weakness was expected, this though being exceptional. It was all only and just the expected last flyers. Dragonflies were the two usual December species, Variegated and Autumnal Meadowhawk, plus one Green Darner, and a couple damsels that got away before I could ID them. The winter Mayfly hatch seems fairly weak so far.

Weird out there for birds. Numbers are down. Still barely any Waxwing, Robin, or Siskin. A few American Goldfinch, no nuthatch, and no flicker yet for me, only a couple Sapsucker sps. flying away. A few Golden-crowned Kinglet, no Junco, very very few waterfowl. There seem to be very few bugs compared to usual too. The male Wilson's Warbler that returned for a second winter at Utopia Park in September left after mid-November, after a couple months. Not enough bugs to stick. The American Woodcock was the bird of the month, at the park on the 4th only. Always good to get in December, Olive Sparrow and White-tipped Dove were still at Lost Maples. I count about 81 species of birds locally for the month that I saw. But did not get out much. I am sure over 90 are around the area, and nearer a hundred would not surprise me.

~ ~ ~ end December summary ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~

Dec. 31 ~ Holy smokes, another year gone by! They just keep getting faster and faster as I get older and slower. Another cold morn with 25dF at 7 a.m., it often drops another dF by 7:30 but I don't hang around out there to watch it. Tossing the bird seed before sunup is enough wakeup chill for me. These late sunups are nice though. I'm gonna miss them. A Carolina Wren was 25' up in the pecan belting out song, just to make sure the others around knew it was serious about it. Saw an Eastern Bluebird at the box hole at the far corner of the front yard.

Dec. 30 ~ A chilly 26dF low with ice on the birdbath. Did not see any hummer today, for the second day, but it sometimes goes in and out quickly and does not hang around long. Worked on stuff in the office, but nice it warmed to about 62 or so at peak heat. Very low humidity, great blue skies, of a sort we just do not see in summer when always very humid. Night sky is great too for the same reason. Mocker and Kinglet (Ruby) came into the bath. Heard some cranes southbound late afternoon, and heard the Barred Owl after dark.

Dec. 29 ~ Low 40's dF for a low, calm early but by 9-10 a.m. the northerlies began to blow. Will be a blowout today, so will work on stuff here. Next weeked looks more birdable. Have been dyin' get down to the brush country around Sabinal. Maybe cranes, geese, Sprague's and sparrows, even Mountain Plover if real lucky... plus all the south Texas stuff. It is great down there in the winter. Lots more activity and numbers down in those flatlands where just a few dF warmer, than up here in the colder hills. By 11 a.m. it was about 55dF and wind was 20 mph gusting to 30. Got up to 62 or so, but howlin'.

Dec. 28 ~ About 60dF for a low, which means fog, mist, and wet. We might have gotten a tenth of an inch of precip as the thickest part of it went by over a couple hours. Knocks the dust and cedar (Juniper) pollen down anyway. Saw the male Rufous Hummer out there early. Was low 60's about 1:30 when the leading edge of the front hit with northerlies and a 10dF temp drop in 15 minutes. But the real wind, the post-frontal blow, is not arriving until tomorrow. Checked the park in the afternoon. Sure neat now to often be the only one there again. There was a flock of at least 50 Robin there moving fast through the live oaks. They were not there yesterday and is the first double-digit flock I have seen this winter. It's movement. The imm. Zone-tailed Hawk was in the live-oaks hunting a very nervous squirrel. Saw the Coot, the 5 Whistling-Duck, a few Myrtle Warbler, couple Kinglet (Ruby), Hermit Thrush, and one Sapsucker sps. flew off, my second of the season, again unidentified as to species.

~ ~ ~

Howsabout we finish the last mystery bird and start a new one? The prior mystery bird of which there have been three pix posted now, is an immature Audubon's Oriole. That is, a hatch-year, bird-of-the-year, maybe three months old. It was taken September 18 so could be 4 months old maybe. It is just getting the first few scattered black feathers. Note the stepped, graduated tail, e.g., the graduacauda. Especially on the closed undertail shot this shows well.

Wasn't that fun? So let's do another. This one is another example of one of my favorite types of bird poses, what I call the 'Audubon pose'. Positions that seem 'not natural'. Audubon painted lots of birds in poses people called odd and weird and said things like 'they don't really do that'. Those folks just have not watched as long and hard as John James did. If you painted this frame those same folks would ask what the heck you were thinking making it like this. Yet this is a photograph of a real bird in action.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Dec. 27 ~ Stayed about 60 overnight, still gray, was some fog early, they keep backing up, down, and off on the rain forecast. We need some badly, it is parched out there. Town run, e.g., park check. On way at the corrals on 360 east of the river there was a flock of 350 to 400 Brewer's Blackbird, at least 75 Red-winged in with them, which is the biggest number of Red-wings I have seen at once ever here in winter. About 4 Eurasian Starling there too. At the park, the family of 5 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck continue, missed the Coot, saw the Pied-billed Grebe, three ginchy Gadwall were there briefly. Great was a Pine Warbler, finally, above the screen shelters. My FOS but a NMD - not meaningful date, save for its lateness. Heard one Robin singing, nice since there have not been many around, this my first in a couple weeks. Nothing was up in the woods save a Green Kingfisher at the island. On way home another GreenKing was fishing at the 360 crossing.

Dec. 26 ~ Happy Boxing Day! At 11 p.m. last night it was 50dF, at 7 a.m. this morning it was 60! It seems backwards to my hardwired programming. Some fog and overcast, those nice sunny days are gone for a few now. Saw the male Rufous Hummer early-thirty. The Carolina Wrens seem to be getting much noisier, three were seriously counter-singing at once this morning. Photo-period is increasing, not even a minute per day yet so far, but several of our resident species will commence singing very shortly. Was a bout of mist once or twice over the day, got up to mid-60's maybe. Saw a couple Field Sparrow. The rest was the same gang. Some Eastern Bluebirds messing around along front fence in area of the box a pair uses, probably the pair. A pair of Black Vulture were in love, er, pair-bond, flight. They are great graceful flyers, ungainly as they may appear on the ground at roadkill.

Dec. 25 ~ Merry Christmas! Or as proper birders might greet this time of year: Merry Vagrants! Hope you got some good birds for presents. Was foggy and about 52dF for a low. We took a couple hour spinaround in the peak heat of afternoon, the low 70's, and sunny, nice. At the park were the 5 or so Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, the Coot, a few Myrtle Warbler, a couple Kinglet, and a few Blue Jay. The jays had just bathed and were preening it out, up in sunny holes up in the live-oak canopy. A few Mayfly were out in the heat. No birds on them though.

On 359 at the first corner south of 1050 there was a small group of birds. Kathy saw an imm. White-crowned Sparrow, there were Field and Chipping there too, some Cardinal, and a Long-billed Thrasher stopped for a photo in the open, in the shade of course, but close. We then drove around up on the knoll behind us and saw some of the common species, but nothing different. One close Hutton's Vireo. Had a quick look at what was likely a Spotted Towhee shooting between bushes. By then it was peak heat and getting quiet. Lots of Eastern Phoebe and Cardinal, everywhere you go. As we returned a couple hundred yards down road had a short binoc look at a sparrow along the corral that may well have been the missing from the yard a month now Clay-colored Sparrow.

Dec. 24 ~ A dF warmer at 25 this morning, and again got to about 75 on the sunny south side of the house. Third day straight with mid-20's lows and mid-70's highs. Weewow. At least we can open, air, and warm up house in the afternoons. Only seeing the male Rufous Hummingbird now for over a week, nearing two. The female probably moved to a neighbors, if it didn't leave. Couple Field Sparrow among the 75 or so Chipping on the seed. One Red-tailed Hawk. Too busy working on stuff here, maybe tomorrow we'll sneak a peek in.

Dec. 23 ~ Another cold one, we had 24dF this a.m. here. I saw a flock of 15 American Goldfinch nearing the feeder, most I have seen at once so far this winter. Only a couple came in before they left. About noon a Verdin was in the Mesquite-Hackberry combo tree out by the gate. Love seeing them in the yard. Otherwise the same, trying to get work stuff wrapped up. Never saw the sapsucker again after the initial sighting on the 19th. Have not seen the Clay-colored Sparrow all month. Got up to about 74dF, another 50dF diurnals day. Incredible.

Dec. 22 ~ A 23dF low, I saw KRVL hit 24, they were predicted at 29 for a low. Nice frozen bird bath. We took an hour walk upslope behind us into the Live-oak, Juniper, and Agarita. Got a mile of motion for the muscles in anyway. One Rufous-crowned and two Field Sparrow, a couple Ruby-crowned Kinglet, heard a Bewick's Wren and Black-crested Titmouse. No Spotted Towhee. Very few birds. In bugs only saw two of the 1.5-inch light green-winged Acridid Grasshopper. More birds in the yard. Afternoon got up to 74dF or so, for some 50dF diurnals!

Dec. 21 ~ A chilly 29dF low, but sunny, and afternoon got up to about 65dF and pretty nice. All seemed the same here in a.m. We took a spin around about noon. Kathy spotted some Turkey just down the road a bit. At the pond on golf course next to Waresville Cmty. was one Wilson's Snipe and about 40 some Red-winged Blackbird. Along UvCo 363 a hundred yards W. off 187 there were a couple male Pyrrhuloxia and a Verdin. Park in town had 9 Egyptian Goose, 1 Coot, a Great Blue Heron, couple Myrtle Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, slow. There were some mayflies though, and one Autumnal Meadowhawk. It was Rosie's last day before her couple or few week holiday shutdown and vacation so I grabbed some stuff to freeze for while she is gone. Nice to have an extra dozen of those tamales and some tacos stashed. Best tamales this side of Durango. A small winter flocklet right out front of the former Utopia on the River had some Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, a few Myrtle Warbler, and at least a half-dozen American Goldfinch, all eating crushed pecans on the road.

here is a big end-of-year bonus break

First a couple of our winter visitors. We can suppose they are from nearest or nearer-by populations, but that of course is pure speculation. We don't know. Both are remarkably seasonal here and do not breed locally in the upper Sabinal River drainage. But both, varying in numbers annually, move into the area in fall, spend the winter, and leave early in spring.






~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Dec. 20 ~ Before midnight last night it was in the upper 30's dF, whence the southerly flow began and by morning it was upper 40's, and misting. Gray and damp all day, no real rain as of 3 p.m. and it does not look like we will get any. Maybe got up to about 52dF. Town run and park check where nothing new. Six each Egyptian Goose and Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, the one, our, Coot continues. The Whistling-Duck were 3 adult and 3 immature. One Myrtle Warbler and two Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the woods. Left town with some of Rosie's tacos and a dozen tamales, man it's like Christmas. Kathy saw the male Rufous Hummingbird. Chipping Sparrow flock was 75 plus.

Dec. 19 ~ Weewow another 16dF low this morning, has to be another record. Two days in a row! Way colder than forecast, as so often here. Saw the male Rufous Hummer out there just after 9 a.m. whence in the 20's. Better was finally seeing a FOS Sapsucker! Better late than never. Not sure what type it was though. It flew out of the big dying Hackberry over into the corral. If it was over 25dF I might have chased it, but hoping it hangs a bit until it gets warmer out there. Mid-morn I heard a single Cedar Waxwing, a single American Goldfinch, and about noon a Long-billed Thrasher over in the corral. Sure was nice to hit that 50dF mark in the sun, might have made 56dF at peak heat, for some 40dF diurnals again. Counted four Common Ground-Dove at one flushing. Never saw the Sapsucker again dang it. In my binoc view it looked most like a first winter Red-naped. The years they occur, December is usually when they show up. Will have to go down as Sap sp. though for now, which stinks on a FOS. A great Cardinal count was had at last light when they all show up for last seed, 40! Gotta be my highest single flock count here. I presume we get additional birds from northward for the winter.

Dec. 18 ~ It was record-range low of 16dF this morning here. I saw 17 at KRVL (where 22 was forecast). Being south of the 30N line, this is cold, it will freeze yer fern. Extra seed rations and a dose of 'scrap' Pecans. Afternoon was about 58dF or so, and humidity was about 15%! Just the same gang for birds in the little bit o' peekin' I did. It was another work-the-day-away Wednesday here. One single lone White-winged Dove was around the seed. That flock seemed to depart when the accipiters were being relentless. Eastern Screech-Owl (Tex-Mex mccallii) was calling at first dark. There is some Cedar (Juniper) pollen starting to flow. Kathy's nose knows. Some male flower buds have been visible ten days now.

Dec. 17 ~ About 32dF for a low, got up to about 52dF at peak heat. The wind still has not stopped since the front arrived yesterday morning. Now you can feel the cold air advection, with next two mornings forecast in low 20's. Saw the male Rufous Hummer, heard some Cranes haulin' donkey south with the tailwind. Orange-crowned Warbler and Field Sparrow both out there. Saw the Ground-Doves but they have gotten real ginchy, must be the accipiters. Only saw about 75 Chipping Sparrow, and have not seen the Clay-colored since late November.

Dec. 16 ~ Front was coming through as day broke. A bit of mist fell, just a trace or two. Northerlies cleared it out quickly, not cold yet but will be the next few mornings. Wind blew all day, but had lots of work to do at the desk anyway. Saw the ad.ma. Rufous Hummingbird. Over 70 Chippy and over 30 Cardinal are the bulk of the seedeaters here. Titmice (Black-crested) and Chickadees (Carolina) work the pecans and hit the sunflower feeder daily. Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker are also in the yard pecans daily.

At last sun I go out on back porch to catch a few rays as we used to say in socal. Looked up in the pecan and there are a couple Chipping Sparrow, eyes closed, doing the same thing. And I think about that teeny reptilian part of their brain, which is apparently shared with me, and us, and with those few shared cells, we do the same thing at the same time. And I feel more connected. To them, earth, and the dinosaurs.

Dec. 15 ~ Low about 40dF, the story was the highs, record or near-record for many areas locally, for second day in a row. The record at SAT for this date was 81dF. I saw Del Rio and Junction were at 87 about 3 p.m., we were 84-85 (81 on cool shady front porch), KRVL and Uvalde were 84dF. Amazing for the date. Humidity was only 20%, so nice and dry anyway. Saw the male Rufous Hummer, and thought I saw the female too. So they are visiting neighbors places, cheatin' on us. Otherwise seemed the same gang. In butterflies saw singles of Gulf Fritillary, male Little Yellow, and a Lyside Sulphur, which was first of the month, Had a bunch of biz to do, Sunday afternoons are the Monday morning of the work week here, and it started early this week.

Dec. 14 ~ A low of 35 and a high of 85dF making for a 50dF diurnal spread is amazing. Was right around record high for the date. Amazing. We did not see any hummingbirds today. Presume they are at neighbors. Before noon I checked the park again in town, and had nothing different. The imm. fem. Green Kingfisher was at the boatramp and caught a fish in the shallows there. Looked a little Lepomis sunfish. They dive full throtle into less than a foot of water. They have to keep going full speed ahead until strike point. They must be able to stop on a dime and give 9.9 cents change underwater. Whaddabird. A few Myrtle and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, the Chipping Sparrow flock in the live-oaks. There were some Meadowlarks on 359, I got some pics, so we'll see, might maybe be able to tell what one of them was anyway. They didn't call, which I am fairly sure is a conspiracy amongst them. Kathy saw a Hermit Thrush at the bird bath. I saw a Snout fly by the porch, first of the month. It was so warm a bunch of crickets were singing at dusk.

A couple more pics of two of the best birds of the fall...


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Dec. 13 ~ Hope it was a lucky Friday the 13th to all. Started chilly at 29dF here. NOAA had KRVL progged for a low of 40, they froze. A category off, again. We have 3 nice sunny warm days lined up though, which is great. But which decreases activity around the yard and feeders. Town run and park check. Nothing there but 3 great chicken tacos to bring home for lunch. The Coot at the park was maybe the highlight. Not many places you can say that. The least seen kingfisher locally was on the spillway, a Belted. Oh, and an Orange-crowned Warbler. I think the Wilson's bugged out due to lack of bugs. Can't believe I have not yet seen any Flicker or Sapsucker this fall. It was a dry breezy 75dF in the afternoon.

Dec. 12 ~ Another 29dF low and an iced-over birdbath. Fog rolled in after sunup and didn't burn off until nearly noon. But that 62dF felt nice in the afternoon. Kathy saw the male Rufous Hummer today. The female could be at neighbors' places. Nothing different in birds today, and Thursday is hectic at the desk day. Sorry to see the news that the ABA blog is ending and being archived. Sad to see methinks. Well, we have outlasted the ABA blog (among many others), which started in 2010. These Utopia nature notes go back 16 years to 2004! Dare I say they contain the most detailed record ever recorded of the natural history of the area.

Dec. 11 ~ A chilly morning at 29dF here, and we were the coldest reading I saw locally. I had to run to town early, the windsheild and windows were coated solid in ice from the condensation freezing. Took five minutes of defrost to get drivable. Was hoping an early look at the park would give me a better shot for the Woodcock, nope, guess again. So far it remains a 5 minute miracle. The 6 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck continue, as does the Coot. There was a Green Kingfisher in the slough by the island. The immature Zone-tailed Hawk was also there again, presumedly it is roosting in the area. It was calling a fair bit, which you hardly ever hear, especially in winter. Compared to Red-tailed or Red-shouldered, Zoneys are quite quiet. Any day you get to hear one is a good day. Was able to get over the Woodcock miss by stopping at the taco trailer and hitting Rosie up for a couple breakfast tacos to bring home. The egg, chorizo, and cheese are awesome.

Dec. 10 ~ Temps dropped from about 60dF at midnight to lowest 40's by dawn. A little bit of drizzle, by noon was maybe a tenth of an inch. Holding fairly steady all day with temps, don't think we hit 50dF. The birds were the same gang, nothing different here at the hovelita. Saw the two Rufous Hummingbirds. Too busy with work though. Dec. is a messed-up month for our biz, we have a couple weeks of hectic prior to a couple wondering where they all went. Moving perishable aircargo (live fish and corals) out of LAX is not recommended during the Christmas shipping rush. But which is great for giving some breathing room to try to finish anything undone before the end of the year.

Dec. 9 ~ Low was about 52 dF. Today is the warmup before the next front. Scheduled arrival is overnight tonight, with some rain advertised, windy with a cool day tomorrow probably not reaching this morning's low. So this 81dF afternoon is quite nice. That imm. male Sharpy was out there first thing diving on the seed-eaters. Kathy saw a Field Sparrow at the bath. So warm the Anoles were sticking their heads out of the cracks in the stone wall of the house outside. One was heavilly shedding. I saw a young female Eastern Fence Lizard run up to a bee on the ground, mouth it, and release it. It was not stung, just decided against it, perhaps from experience. The northerlies from the front hit in the evening after dark, just light winds and no rain yet.

Dec. 8 ~ Ran about the same as yesterday, about 37-72dF. We went up to Lost Maples for a walk, about 9 to 1:30. Did maybe 1.5 miles each way up Can Creek to past the second pond a bit. Saw a few Kestrel and a couple Red-tailed Hawk on the way up the valley. Not many sparrows along road. At the trailhead parking lot feeding station one White-tipped Dove flew off. A fair number of little flocks with a few Titmouse and often a couple Chickadee were encountered. Ruby-crowned Kinglets with most of those flocklets, at least four Hutton's Vireo seen with the flocks, heard a couple Orange-crowned Warbler but not a Myrtle. The flocklet at the second pond had at least two Golden-crowned Kinglet chasing around together. A Green Kingfisher was at the second pond, looked a hatch-year (imm.) female to me. Had great looks at Olive Sparrow at the brushy (lower) end of the main big (first) pond, there were two together, at times on the mud and one went into the cattails. Heard Scrub-Jay and Canyon Wren, couple Ladder-backed Woodpecker, saw one Black Vulture and 2 Common Raven. saw two and heard another Hermit Thrush.

Weird walking through the place and seeing no flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, or herps (reptiles and amphibians). Actually did manage to muster one Sleepy Orange butterfly, and one Autumnal Meadowhawk dragonfly. Mayflies were very few and far between. Still some color on a few of the Buckley Oaks, but it is mostly over and out. Maples are done, only a few Lacey Oaks with a little yellow left. The Buckley are often great to late Dec., I think the drought did them in early this year. Heard a couple different chip notes that got away. One sounded like a Pine Warbler. It is amazing how loud people are on the trail. You would think they are trying to be heard in a high school hallway. You can watch your flocklets melt into the background away from the trail as the noise bubble goes by. The one time I said something (humorously of course) Mr. Muscles got louder and made more noise, of course. Citiots.

Dec. 7 ~ We ran about 37-72dF for a temp spread, sunny and nice. Took a couple hour spinaround noonish, primarily to look for the Woodcock at the park. No love there, came up empty. In the woods, heard an Orange-crowned Warbler, saw a few Myrtle and one Audubon's Warbler, one Hermit Thrush. On way out of park there was a Pyrrhuloxia in the deco garden under the entrance sign. Then over by the Methodist Church there was another one right in town. Looks a good winter for them here this year. Though they are resident in the brush country just south of us, they are only a winter visitor here. My question is are these wintering birds that invade most winters from close, or far?

Then we checked the pond on the golf course by Waresville. I had a quick look at a Sora, which is a great bird locally, I have only seen a few here. It flushed and plopped down in the water momentarily before disappearing into the reeds. I would presume it is the one we glimpsed a couple weeks ago since they are so scarce here. Other things there were an Eastern Meadowlark, the 45 or so Red-winged Blackbird continue, one Wilson's Snipe. Plus about 6 Autumnal Meadowhawk dragonflies.



And now for just a little more squirming I wish I could see...  ;) ~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Dec. 6 ~ A front came through at daybreak with northlies but dry and not cold. Low was 50dF and it got up to 75 or so. Pretty breezy. Did not see anything different around yard. Town run and park check did not turn up the Woodcock. It could be on the island where unless at near edge (like when I spotted it the other day) we can't see much. There was a pair of Gadwall on the pond, the FOS I have seen this fall. One Coot and 1 or 2 Pied-billed Grebe was it. Not much moving. A few Myrtle Warbler, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Guess I need to get out and look somewhere else. I see some color on some Red Oaks now, the last big hurrah of fall color. Out west at dusk that is Venus shining bright, with Saturn up above it.

Dec. 5 ~ It was light northerly flow and mid-40's dF about 2 a.m., whence southerly flow got here warming to low 50's by sunup, and fog followed shortly after. The gulf flow. Today will be excruciating knowing there is a Woodcock at the park and I have to be here at desk in office. Town run tomorrow so will just have to bear the pain. I hope I make it. Saw the two Rufous Hummers, the 2 Myrtle Warbler, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, no doubt the same one each Robin and Am. Goldfinch. Heard the Robin squawking over in the corral at dusk so it is roosting there, then hits the top of the big pecan to squawk at first sun every morning. Saw a Checkered White and a Variegated Fritillary fly across the yard.

Dec. 4 ~ Another nice sunny one, about 38-74 for a temp spread. It was the same gang around the house save one orange-billed immature White-crowned Sparrow. Probably a western Gambell's type. We get a few regularly. I had to run to town to get Sunflower seed, so a look at the park. Not seeing the Wilson's Warbler, it may have bugged out due to the lack of bugs. It was here mid-Sept. to mid-November or so. The returning Black-and-white Warbler we had several years there did that the last year it was there. Returned again for a couple months in fall, but the extreme drought meant no bugs and it left, it did not stick for the winter. You have to be flexible.

However up on the island in the woods there was one rather rotund bit of excitement. A WOODCOCK! Timberdoodle! Best hunter's name ever for a bird. It was shady and I had to jack ISO up to grainy but got a couple fuzzy docushots anyway. It was doodling about the timber. Once it jumped up on a log upslope from where it was, at least 16" of upward motion, which it did by hopping with both legs at once, wings remaining closed. It doodled right over that fallen timber. Whaddabird. This is the fifth one I have had here. Now three of my sightings form a date cluster of Dec. 4, Dec. 5, and Dec. 9, giving a clear signal of arrival timing. Considering detection rates of Woodcock, certainly having seen 5 here, many more have occurred. Most folks would say we don't see 10% of them. It is one of the most easily overlooked birds in America. You can look straight at one and not see it.

A funny thing is that on the way into the park Little Creek Larry was at the spillway, I told him I was going into the woods to look for a Woodcock. Darn if he wasn't gone when I came back out. When Kathy and I checked it Sunday a few days ago, I said to her, watch out for Woodcock. Ya see, my Birdinator ™ software had been pinging me. Which then gives me bird pangs. It is the most amazing app, it called the bird days before it got there when it was still on its way!

A fresh Texan Crescent butterfly was in the woods. A genetic dead-end due to mis-timed emergence due to the warmth. One Green Darner dragonfly flew by over the pond. Later afternoon at the house I heard Cranes going south.

Dec. 3 ~ We were 28dF this morn, NOAA had forecast 37 for KRVL, where they were 30, most of a category off, again. Single Robin, American Goldfinch, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, plus the same two (daily) Myrtle Warbler were it early. Mid-morn an Orange-crowned Warbler was around, surely the one Kathy saw last week, our one winterer apparently. Hit the mid-70's in the afternoon, I saw KRVL at 77dF! Which means about a 45dF diurnal temp spread. The seed eaters are not as tied to our place when it is nice out, they seem to forage in the natural habitats all around more. Which are mostly pretty weedy and seedy. Plus the imm. Sharpy and Cooper's Hawks were about as usual.

Dec. 2 ~ About 7 a.m. it was 31dF, I saw an hour earlier KRVL had a 28dF. So a sunny chilly morning. One Robin was squawking from up top of the big pecan at first sun. Mid-morn I had one lone blackbird fly over that looked like a Rusty (bare-eyed). Always key in on lone blackbirds. Otherwise it seemed the usual cast. Got up to about 66dF in the afternoon, dry, sunny, nice. I was of course inside stuck on the computer at the desk working. A whopping 3 species of butterflies visited the one Lantana that still has a few flowers: Gulf Fritillary, American Lady, and Sleepy Orange. Saw both Rufous Hummingbird, and the big herd of Cardinal (30+).

December 1 ~ Meteorological winter starts today, though climatological starts the 21st on the solstice. December through February are meteorological winter. The cool air from the front finally arrived, 45dF for a low with breezy north winds on it. Sunny and nice though, warmed up to mid-60's dF in the afternoon. Was all the same gang around the casita. We took a couple hour spinabout in the afternoon.

Just down the road a hundred yards we had a Long-billed Thrasher fly across in front of us. Nothing at Utopia Pk., it is dead a lot lately, methinks no bugs. There was one Audubon's Warbler and that was it for passerines. We went out UvCo 355 to look at Little Creek. Right where 355 hits the creek is always good for some reason. A dozen Black-bellied Whistling-Duck were there. By the ranch gate there we had a flock of at least 45 American (Water) Pipit. Also there was a Verdin, always nice to see. It was not a half-mile from Bandera County where rare. One Towhee got away that was a male Rufous-sided type, but I can't tell you if it was Eastern or Spotted, though did not see any spots. A Belted Kingfisher was on the powerline that crosses the creek. I heard a couple and saw one Pyrrhuloxia just south of Little Creek Larry's place. There were some Field Sparrow around, an adult Red-shouldered Hawk, heard a White-crowned Sparrow. Lots of Cardinal and Mockingbird, seemingly everywhere all along all the roads. Did see one Autumnal and two Variegated Meadowhawk dragonflies, a few Sleepy Orange butterfly, and one Blanchard's Cricket-Frog.

~ ~ ~ November summary ~ ~ ~

November was fairly dry with a couple inches of precip if you were lucky when the few cells went by. The river is way down, dry in many sections up-valley. After the early freeze in October, there were a few days of freeze in first half of Nov., the last half was fairly mild. As for two main key winter wildlife forage items, it is not a robust Pecan or Hackberry crop year here. Some trees are good, but many more are not very. Juniper berry crop looks good though. So, gin it is.

Butterflies were 20 species, and nothing unusual, all just the last stragglers of the most likely common expected types. There was no southern invasion this fall. Likely due to the drought. Odes were 3 species: Green Darner, plus Autumnal and Variegated Meadowhawk. That was it. Turn out the bug lights, that party is over for the year.

Birds were fair, probably better than what I saw as there was not much time for looking. We again skipped Lost Maples in Nov. due to leaf-peepers. The trails are so loud the birds move away from them. Mostly Nov. here is about the returning of the winter species. Everything showing up hasn't been here since last winter, so a treat to see again. It was about 16 FOS species I saw over the month, so about every other day on average, there is a new arrival. Not much for Robins or Waxwings yet, just a very very few, same for American Goldfinch and Pine Siskin. Looks like they sent scouts and since they haven't returned with good food news they went somewhere else. We have two Rufous Hummingbird apparently wintering at our feeders.

The only thing really unusual was the Clay-colored Sparrow that has stayed with the Chipping flock around our place into late in the month. Don't think I ever had a November record before, and certainly have no winter record, so of interest. A second Broad-tailed Hummingbird for the fall was good Nov. 9-12. A Grasshopper Sparrow late in month was nice, easy to miss most falls. A flyover calling Sprague's Pipit is always great from the house. An Indigo Bunting (1st yr. male) stayed to mid-month, much later than usual. My FIFTH Black-throated Green Warbler of the fall here was tardy on Nov. 6. Little Creek Larry had a male Bufflehead with Ring-necked Ducks at the park after the big feeze and ice day mid-month. Looks like I saw about 86 species of birds locally for the month, and a few others were reported locally. Bird were 108 sps. at peak passage in September, dialed back to 97 sps. for October, and now have calmed to 86 sps. in November. See why I like September?

~ ~ ~ end November summary ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ November update header archive ~ ~ ~

November is when wintering stuff really starts to fill in. We started with a 26dF low, and the first rare bird of the month was... a Coot, at the park, on the 1st. Which might be a bird returning for its third winter there. There was also a FOS (first of season) Wood Duck there the 1st. Another FOS on the 1st were 2 Northern Harrier. FOS on Nov. 2 was Eastern Meadowlark, American Robin, and White-throated Sparrow. Nov. 4 saw my FOS Rufous-sided, oops, Spotted Towhee and American Pipit. Nov. 6 there was another Black-throated Green Warbler here at the bath. Better yet, late afternoon on the 6th a FOS Sprague's Pipit flew over giving a few calls. The 9th was my FOS Merlin. The second Broad-tailed Hummingbird of the fall here was present Nov. 9-12. We had hard freezes the 12th (chill was 13dF!) and 13th, windy with highs barely 40dF, so cold season is here, be prepared (long johns). An FOS Song Sparrow showed on the 14th. Saw my first Shoveler on the 15th. A male Wilson's Warbler at Utopia Park a month or two now is surely a returning winterer, often up in woods or on island. Saw my FOS Wilson's Snipe on Nov. 16. My FOS Brewer's Blackbird was Nov. 17. FOS American Goldfinch was the 22nd. A Grasshopper Sparrow on Nov. 24 is only I have seen this fall.

~ ~ ~ end Nov. header update archive copy ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~


Nov. 30 ~ Another month shot by. We barely knew thee. It was in the upper 60's dF all night with heavy fog-mist. The couple day heavy mist total is about .25 of an inch of precip. The approaching front cleared skies about noon, rather passively but dry air finally. Got up to an amazing lower-to-mid 80's dF in the afternoon! The cold air stalled northward and the temp drop won't happen until after dark, a roughly 40dF drop overnight to morning tomorrow. Saw the two Rufous Hummers. Heard a Long-billed Thrasher over in the corral which is my first detection here in five weeks. Have to wonder if related to the prior two that were here a month until about 24 October, and unseen or heard since.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Nov. 29 ~ That was a fast week, eh? Today we spent in the 60's with drizzle. Pretty soppy out there. Along 360 saw a small group of Meadowlark which flushed before I could ID them, and a group of 7 Killdeer, which are surely migrants from the north that winter hereabouts. At the park the continuing Coot, and Black-bellied Whistling-Duck family of 6, and one Green Kingfisher was it. Woods were dead. Around the yard it all looked the same. Supposed to stay soppy until tomorrow afternoon when the front is supposed to pass and clear it out. By dark it was heavy mist, like about 120% humidity.

Nov. 28 ~ Happy Turkey Day! Hope you had a nice tryptophan. We ran about 45-58dF for a temp spread, 3 days now mostly in the 50's. Overcast and humid, on the chilly side, no rain yet. A Merlin shot over early. The two Rufous Hummers were here. Saw an adult White-crowned, and had a quick look at the Clay-colored Sparrow! Amazing it is still here. Thought I heard a Pine Warbler but didn't go looking for it. Saw one was reported over near Bandera over a week ago. It is time for them to show. Heard some Brewer's Blackbird over in the corral. Otherwise was the regulars. Couple dozen Cardinal at minimum, a Caracara, a couple Ground-Dove... sure couldn't get much stuffing in one of those.

Nov. 27 ~ A weak front came in late yesterday with no precip but light northerlies. About 49dF this a.m. and might have made 58dF under the cloud cover. Rain is said to be inbound Thursday and Friday. I worked about 70 or so Chipping Sparrow when they were down on the seed, and did not see the Clay-colored Sparrow, just one adult White-crowned and a Field for other types.

Nov. 26 ~ A low of 60dF, and some sprinkles first half of morning. A tracelet of precip. I heard the White-throated Sparrow again, so it is around but not up for photos apparently. Saw the two Rufous Hummers. Too busy with work to look much today. Short week so swamped trying to cram it all in.

Nov. 25 ~ A low of 45dF, and by noon it was 80dF! Saw humidity at KRVL was 11%! Amazing. Great flaming pink sunrise. Saw one American Goldfinch at the sunflower feeder, first one ON the feeder so far this fall. Have lots to do in this short week, and now there is rain forecast Thursday when I hoped to sneak in a lookabout. The two Rufous Hummingbird were here, the rest was the regular repeat offenders. Looking like late fall out there, lots of sticks (bare trees). We can see the Cypress along the river from the living room sofa again now that the pecans are bare.

Nov. 24 ~ Saw 35dF around sunup. That birdbath water is cold first thing. When ya get back in from it and the 7 a.m. (ya gotta love these late sunrises) seed toss, you do not need a handle on the coffee mug. Mostly the same gang around the house, but Kathy saw an Orange-crowned Warbler at the bath, I have not seen one in at least a couple weeks. A small group of about 10 American Goldfinch came by briefly. Thought I heard the White-throated Sparrow. Saw both Rufous Hummingbird, the adult male and ad. female are both still here.

We took a spin around for a couple hours mid-day. At UP there was the family of 6 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (I must have missed one young a couple times) that has been there a couple weeks. Saw the Pied-billed Grebe, missed the Coot. Below spillway were two Lesser Goldfinch, most of which are gone a few weeks now, they have become very scarce as usual once it gets cold and starts freezing. A few stay around feeders. Seems like there are very few bugs around, both in the woods, and along the riveredge. It's the drought. The Buckley (aka Spanish or Red) Oaks are getting some color on the ridges now, mostly yellows to oranges, but they will turn real red in a week or two.

We checked the cattail pond on the golf course by the Waresville Cmty. Great was a Grasshopper Sparrow we had great views of, only one I have seen this fall. A male Pyrrhuloxia also flew in to one of the little hackberries and offered views. About 45 Red-winged Blackbird is a big uptick in their numbers here now. I had a glimpse of a white butt disappearing into the reeds that looked like a Sora's arse to me. It got away. We saw a few Autumnal and Variegated Meadowhawk. Then we cruised UvCo 361 south of our place a couple miles. No hawks, no water, hardly any sparrows, no Say's Phoebe. Saw a couple Kestrel, a couple Shrike, at least 20 Common Raven in a big tight flock, some Field Sparrow, 50 Brewer's Blackbird, and at end of road one Spotted Towhee and a Rufous-crowned Sparrow.

There were a few butterflies along 361 in the warm low to mid 70's dF warmth. At least a half-dozen Orange Sulphur were the first I have seen all month. Kathy thought she had a Mestra. There were Gulf and Variegated Fritillary, a few Sleepy Orange, a couple American Lady, and a Comm. Checkered-Skipper. One Dogface flew across the yard later. The butterflies and odes are all but over for the year. It is a long wait until they get good again. March and April for butterflies, April and May for odes. Winter is for working on the pix you took of them from spring to fall.

Nov. 23 ~ Low was 38dF in wake of the dry for us cold front. Sunny and got up to 73dF or so in afternoon. Pretty darn nice, and dry air too. Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks are harrassing everything. Heard American Goldfinch again overhead, saw 30 some Brewer's Blackbird. Only saw the male Rufous Hummingbird today. Trees are sure getting leafless. Got a chigger, sure was nice to go without any for over a month. These winter ones always seem like they must be pissed off. They irritate right away when they go in. Must have been waiting forever for an idiot to walk by. Always get a few in winter from walking in dry grass. Had a distant view of a Zone-tailed Hawk moving along the ridge behind us. Had one of the small sphinx moths buzz me when I was smoking pipe just at dark.

Hey Imma let you squirm another week on the mystery bird. Hope you don't mind.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Nov. 22 ~ Was about 67dF all night until about 6 a.m. when the cold front arrived. Was about 52dF by 8 a.m. with breezy north winds, but not a real strong blow. In the morning I had 5 calling American Goldfinch fly over, my FOS for them. In town at the park I flushed about 10 Wood Duck out of the slough in the woods, and a couple Blue Jay were there. Saw Little Creek Larry. He said the day after the ice (would be 13th) there was a small flock of Ring-necked Duck at the park with one Bufflehead amongst them! The buffle is a great fall bird here. He also mentioned he was still seeing a White-tailed Kite out 355 toward Little Creek. Heard a Barn Owl right after dark. At dusk there is a great conjunction of Venus and Jupiter very close together, low to the southwest, with Saturn higher over them a little southward. Nice.

Nov. 21 ~ A low if you can call it that of 66dF, in strong southerly flow ahead of the next front to hit tomorrow morning. Cloudy, breezy, might sprinkle, and not hot or cold. Saw the imm. fem. Cooper's Hawk out there, the seed eaters are nervous. The White-winged Dove have barely been around. Too many attempts, they departed for safer grounds. I see some in town. Otherwise the same gang. Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker are working the pecans. Not much for a crop this year, some for wildlife, but in our yard with 7 decent trees we got about zip. Some trees around town seem to have done well though.

Nov. 20 ~ Low was about 62dF! Maybe a little mist, very damp. But not cold. We have low-end chances for rain for a couple days, which usually means we don't get much but drizzle-mist, but so, it is wettish out. Stuck at the desk in office anyway. No matter. Still raining leaves, it was 20 mph winds with gusts to 30 from the south for a few hours. All the birds I saw were the same gang. Sharpy was floating around.

Few things make birding harder than falling leaves. We are so keyed in on picking up motion, and this just totally screws that. We also key on color, and that is shot too. You have to mentally re-calibrate to just key on motion other than the leaf motion. More easily said than done. It would be easier if the falling leaves didn't look so darn pretty. The leaves generally have a certain pattern of motion, so you dial that in as the standard, and then run your search pattern app for non-standard movements.

Nov. 19 ~ About 40dF and foggy at sunup, but burned off mostly by 10 or so, making for a nice sunny day. We were around 75 by noon. It was a work day, as they all are, so didn't see but the usual gang outside. Saw only Chipping, Lincoln's, and Field Sparrow, but did not work the flock hard. The two Rufous Hummers were around. Too busy to bird. There ought to be a law...  ;)    It is raining leaves as it turns to sticks out there. Hackberries, and even the Maples for that matter, vary tremendously as to what colors they turn as they change in fall. Some of our hackberries turn brown, some nearly black, others a great yellow. A guy here that knows things told me there is a genetic reason certain maples are always red no matter what every fall, while others are not. Seems the same with Hackberries. It is more than just environmental as seen by different trees in different colors, side by side, repeatedly year after year. There is a Maple at Lost Maples they call 'old faithful' because it turns flaming red no matter what every year. Drought or floods, or how it gets cold (fast or slow, wet or dry), doesn't matter, it is the same color every year.

Nov. 18 ~ A 36dF low was nearly chilly. Got up to an outstanding 75 or so! Sunny, skies bluer than you ever see spring to fall when humidity in the air. After the FOS at last light yesterday, a flock of 20+ Brewer's Blackbird flew by southbound. They are back. A couple Robin were at the bath. Heard the Lark, and saw one ad. White-crowned Sparrow. Have not been seeing the Inca Dove lately but still a couple Ground-Dove around. Besides office work, got some more outside and yard stuff done whilst not too hot or cold. Harder to do now that we go straight from summer to winter with just a wee bit o' fall between.

Nov. 17 ~ A 42dF low was a big warmup. Overcast early. In the morning saw two adult and one imm. White-crowned, and a couple ea. Lincoln's and some Field Sparrow amongst the Chippies. Some dang House Sparrow too. The two Rufous Hummingbird continue. Had a flock of Meadowlark fly over, but no calls for any IDs. A N. Harrier went by too. They might have been connected. Couple Myrtle Warbler, a Kinglet or two, 3-4 Pine Siskin flew over calling. Must be a non-local Golden-fronted Woodpecker out there because the male was chasing the dickens out of one to get it out of the yard pecans. Worked on stuff here all day, it got up to a wonderful 70dF late in day when sun finally showed. Last light I heard then saw my FOS Brewer's Blackbird fly over (two) heading west toward wherever they roost is.

Nov. 16 ~ A chilly 26dF low. This second front was so weak of wind or rain as to be barely noticeable, but it packed a cold punch. I took a couple hour spin-around mid-day. At the golf course pond by Waresville I saw my FOS Wilson's Snipe, a Savannah Sparrow, about 10 Red-winged Blackbird, and one male Common Grackle which departed alone. I had several random Myrtle Warbler flocks, one at the county-line crossing just NW of town, another near the Utopia Hill Ranch cattleguard, another at the Spring Branch crossing, totalling about 40 Myrtles, plus two Audubon's. No Orange-crowned around, the cold may have pushed them out. A big influx of Myrtles. As were the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, about a dozen were seen in the same three flocks. No Pine Warbler yet. At least a dozen Eastern Bluebird were at the Spring Branch crossing. Water sure is low, just wet holes. A mile past that crossing a Canyon Towhee was in an area of big brush piles. A couple flyover flocks of Meadowlark were seen, out of one group I heard only Eastern and out of the other only several Western called. Saw a Zone-tailed Hawk just south of town which looked like the one I got a grabshot of at the park a week or so ago. It is an immature. Wonder if it was locally hatched, so then one that is still here hanging? Probably. Most if not all of my prior wintering birds are adults. We'll see if it sticks. The local breeding birds seem to depart in fall as the regular near-daily sightings over the town or yard cease, in October.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Nov. 15 ~ A weak front went through yesterday late which cleared it out finally, and we had a 28dF low. Was 45 by 10 a.m., which feels great. The whole few days event precip might have been .25 of an inch. But lots of real cold. Finally broke not just 50dF but 60dF this afternoon! Local stations were reading 61, 63, and 65dF about 3 p.m., the thrill of it all. Opened up, warmed and dried out the house and cottage. Town run fer errands. One female Shoveler was the excitement at the park, first I have seen this fall, though Little Creek Larry said he had a few a month or so ago. The Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, and male Wilson's Warbler continue. Here at the hovelita the Song Sparrow was heard a few times, finally seen again late, so still about. Heard the White-throated Sparrow a couple times, saw the one remaining Lark Sparrow, one adult White-crowned and the Clay-colored Sparrow, a hundred Chipping, couple Field, and late one Lincoln's Sparrow showed. Eight species of sparrow in the yard today here at sparrowtopia. There are Vesper, Savannah, and Rufous-crowned within a mile or less. And surely others around as well. The two Rufous Hummers are only hummers here now. Had a couple Myrtle Warbler and a couple Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Hermit Thrush, and Kathy had a few Robin at the bath while I was in town.

Nov. 14 ~ About 40dF for a low was nice, to not be freezing. A bit of drizzle in morn. Outstanding was a FOS Song Sparrow on the seed out the office window. It is the first I have seen in the yard in 6 years here, only had one in yard before, Nov. of '13. They are so strictly of riverside (or pondedge) habitat here, they are absent 500 yards away. Heard my second Golden-crowned Kinglet of the fall. Saw one adult White-crowned and the Clay-colored Sparrow today. Hear the Rufous Hummers, the big green one seems to have departed. It was a Broad-tailed. Smart to keep going. We have been at or below 40dF for most of 3 days now. This is way early in season for this cold of an event (mid-20's with chills below 15dF) for this duration. Hope it is not a sign. Average for now is low 70's for highs. I saw a good solid 47dF in the afternoon today. Great to be out of the 30's!

Nov. 13 ~ About 31dF for a low, and the winds were fairly calm to very light, so not as bad as yesterday morn. Overcast and chilly. Saw the imm. Sharpy out there. Heard the hummers. Fortunately it is a desk day, near a heater. It might have gotten up to 38dF or so peak heat, but supposed to hold fairly steady and not freeze in the morning. Two days of 30's! I think it did break some earliest ever cold records in central Texas. Over a hundred cold records were broken over east half of U.S.

No Lincoln's Sparrow again today, amazing, they must have left. There were three for several days up to Sunday. In the afternoon I did see two adult and one imm. White-crowned Sparrow at once. After 4 p.m. I picked the Clay-colored Sparrow out of the Chippies, so it is still here, but no Indigo Bunting. This is my latest staying Clay-colored here ever (n~16 falls). The Rufous Hummers were around, not sure I had the apparent Broad-tailed though besides thinking I heard it in the morning. Wasn't outside much though, was not a day for lollygagging about out there.

Nov. 12 ~ Low was about 26dF, I saw at 8:30 KRVL was 25dF with a chill factor of 13! It's lovely out, come on down. Saw the hummers out there early after checking feeders, bird bath was iced over, wind still blowing but we seemed to have missed most of the precip. It was about .2 here. But a little ice on the porch where roof dripped. Windows are fogged, gonna be hard to see stuff out there. Icicles got about 3" long from the mist-drizzle along the eaves. It really warmed up, just after noon it was a sizzling 28dF. Arctic air. Extra bird seed rations today. The Chipping Sparrow count I would put at a hundred now. They really thickened up in the last couple days. Late afternoon saw an adult White-crowned Sparrow, briefly bare-eyed, it seemed to have an orange bill. Did not see the Indigo Bunting or the Clay-colored Sparrow. It allegedly got up to about 40dF, but was below freezing again by 7 p.m., gonna be a long cold night.

Nov. 11 ~ Low was about 65dF, warm moist southerly flow being sucked up in front of the cold front inbound. I saw 5 Robin early, then a bit later Kathy had 11 birds fly over high she thought were Robins. Saw the big hummer again, still looks Broad-tailed, still no good looks or pix, again I heard soft Broadie chips though. Mid-morn I first heard, then saw the adult White-throated Sparrow (white-striped morph), which is surely the one that showed up here Nov. 2 and I have thought I heard a few times since then. Sure love to have one stick for a winter, or at least a picture. These white-striped adults are one of the prettiest birds in America. That head is spectacular.

The front hit after 1 p.m. and when the first major gusts arrived it was a blizzard of yellow leaves. Thousands of them at once from the Pecans, Hackberry, and Mulberry, it was incredible. By 3 p.m. KRVL was 39dF with a chill of 30 with light rain. Supposed to blow all night until the morning. Will look a different place out there tomorrow. At midnight it was 29dF or so, and some of that 'unknown winter precip' was falling. Some seemed like ice pellets, some was sleet, some seemed pretty close to flaky.

Nov. 10 ~ Was 45-65dF for a temp spread, cloudy all day, front coming in tomorrow. Worked on stuff here mostly, supposed to get real windy and real cold. Also spent an inordinate amount of time watching hummer feeders. We saw the big green one a few times, and I got some shots, far and high against a white-gray sky, am not sure of any ID help, unless you do shape and structure. I still think it is a Broad-tailed, especially because I heard some soft Broad-tail chips. It is too white below for an Anna's, has a big bill, and a big long rear-body, tail, and big wings. Kathy saw it near last light so another chance for study tomorrow. I saw the rusty Indigo Bunting again. Great was a FOS Golden-crowned Kinglet, a couple Ruby-crowned were around, one Orange-crowned Warbler and a male Yellow-rumped Warbler that was an intergrade. Was at the park briefly to 'free Willie' and saw the 5 Whistling-Ducks still there. I acclimated and returned a Red-breasted Sunfish I had raised from under 2" to about 6", back into the pond below the dam from whence he came.

Nov. 9 ~ Low about 45dF, high was maybe 71 or so, sunny, pretty darn nice out. In the a.m. there were at least 3 Robins here in the yard, first day with more than one. An imm. fem. Cooper's Hawk was sitting on the power pole over in corral. When it left, it was about 60 yards out, just past the road out front, a FOS Merlin buzzed it! Kathy had seen something shoot by earlier, very near the Coop, surely this was it. It must have been soaring around with an eye peeled, and when the Coop left, it strafed it! Ya gotta love a Merlin! I could hear the wind in the Merlins wings as it stooped, it was doin' a hundred when it buzzed by the Coop. Too cool. The Coop thinks it is all that, Mr. Bad, and owns the place, and here comes a bullet by so fast, it could only dream of achieving such speeds.

Went to town and checked park again. The Coot remains. Nothing in the woods. A few Myrtle Warbler and Chipping Sparrow up by entrance live-oaks. Butterfly garden was dead, a few Gray Hairstreak, one Pipevine, one Sleepy Orange, one Am. Lady. Pitiful. But Big Ern was in town so I left happy, with a pound of BBQ pork. Talk to ya after the siesta. It is really looking fall out there, lots of stuff is yellow and the Cypresses are really getting really rusty now. Not seeing anything on the Red Oaks yet, the real sure thing annual color show here. Some of the deco Maples around town and along 187 are looking good. I hear so-so for color at Lost Maples. As you read here first back in mid-October.   ;)

The two Rufous Hummers were here, and are the only species here the last few weeks. Until... nearing last light a big hummingbird was on the feeder out office window. Too little light to ID it! I hate when that happens. Green above, and big. It was either Broad-tailed or Anna's. Obviously way bigger than a Ruby-throat or Black-chinned. Hope to nail it down in the morning. Looked like a Broad-tailed.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Nov. 8 ~ About 40dF for a low, drizzly, light showers, at least the wind laid down. By 10 a.m. there was a little less than a centimeter of new precip, from the overnight and early morn. We are a bit under an inch then since yesterday, about .8. NOAA radar shows under .2 for here. Sometimes it is close, other times way way off, due to the hills, and somewhat, the nature of the rain. I would go .85 by the afternoon for precip total here since yesterday.

Heard the two Rufous Hummers out there early. Amazing was seeing a Clay-colored Sparrow and an Indigo Bunting. It is surely the latest Clay-colored date I have here, and the one here the last couple days of October. Never had one winter here yet so far (n~16). The Bunting is surely the rusty one of the two here a couple days ago. Both are great late dates. Town run in the drizzle, so a park check. A great late date was a family group of five Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 2 adults, 3 juveniles. I have not seen any here for months. The Coot continues. A Zone-tailed Hawk was sitting in the Cypress trees across the pond at the park. Must have been a hawk through the woods, they were dead. At the south end of the island in the tangle was the male Wilson's Warbler, amazingly back wintering for its second winter here.

Nov. 7 ~ Some drizzle and about 67dF for a low, a front is inbound. Thought I heard the White-throated Sparrow out there early at first seed toss. Heard an Audubon's Oriole whistling out there early morning. Front got here before noon with a little bit of rain and wind. There went the high temp for the day. The first blast of wind rained yellow leaves off the pecans. By the afternoon the rain seemed to have mostly passed, we got a half-inch, which is great. About 3 p.m. temps were upper 40's, chills in lower 40's, and dropping. The two adult Rufous Hummers were around, male and female. The rest was the same gang. Saw one Queen early before the front hit. The Mulberry is really yellow and dropping leaves now, and so are many of the pecans, and some of the hackberries. Some of the Cypress along river are going rusty, others still greenish but yellowing.

Nov. 6 ~ Low was 69dF, was cooler at 11 p.m. last night. A moist tropical airmass is over us, again. Sure could use some rain. Front due in tomorrow morning. Saw a N. Harrier go over low again about 9 a.m. A Kinglet (Ruby) was trying to go to the bath but the crowd of Cards made it too nervous. Just after 11:30 Kathy spotted a Black-throated Green Warbler coming into the bath! This is the FIFTH one I have seen locally this fall, surely the best showing in 16 falls. It was the start of a bathing frenzy which lasted 10 minutes. Amazing was two Indigo Buntings coming in, females methinks an adult and an immature which were interacting, well sorta fighting. Kathy asked if that suggested they were related. I reminded her we must not be anthropomorphic in our animal behavior interpatations. Those were the first two Indigos in a week, and running on the tardy side for them here. Got pix of the buntings and the warbler. Otherwise slow until just before 5 p.m. when I was outside and heard first, then looked up to see a Sprague's Pipit right overhead, which continued calling a couple more times as it flew off. Probably came up off the grass airstrip. Always a great bird from the yard. I have worked hard for them many a time before. So I would say the day ahead of the front was very good. I bet there was more good stuff out there, like at the park. Stuck at the desk on Wednesdays and Thursdays here.

Nov. 5 ~ It was about 60dF at midnight, and 65 by dawn. Mostly cloudy, got up to about 76dF. There was nothing goin' on around the yard most of the day. A pile of plucked White-winged Dove feathers over under the big Mulberry tree indicated why. One of the accipters was here. It should be gone a couple days now anyway. It was the deadest day here for birds in months. Saw a couple Queens on the Blue Mist Eupatorium. Counted at least 45 Chipping Sparrow, only saw one imm. White-crowned Sparrow, no adults, no White-throated, one Lark Sparrow, a few Field. Heard Screech-Owls and Barred Owl after dark.

Nov. 4 ~ About 47dF for a low is fine. Mostly sunny is nice too. When tossing seed first thing I heard a FOS Rufous-sided Towhee upslope behind us from the Agarita under the live-oaks. Saw one imm. White-crowned Sparrow and neither adult White-crowned or White-throated. About 10:30 or so at least a couple FOS American (was called Water) Pipit flew over. I missed a hawk heading south fast. Heard a Kestrel out there. Noonish there was one of the Aellopos Sphinx moths (Hummingbird Hawkmoth) on the Blue Mist Eup but when I got back with camera it was gone and never came back. Other things on the Blue Mist were a Monarch, a Gray Hairstreak, an American Lady, a Sachem and a Clouded Skipper. One Cloudless Sulphur was bouncing around yard again, a Little Yellow went by. Heard a Kinglet (Ruby), an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Myrtle Warbler. Since warm out I caught the Anole inside the cottage the last week since it got cold, and put it outside. Both adult Rufous Hummer still here, male and female. Saw 3 Lincoln's Sparrow at once out the office window, within 8' of each other.

Nov. 3 ~ Another 35dF low, clear and sunny. Heard the Robin early morn, it must have roosted in the corral Hackberries. I did not see the White-throated or the adult White-crowned Sparrow. I did see TWO imm. White-crowned Sparrow. Turnover. I'll have the passerine turnover please. The Chipping Sparrow flock is 40+ birds now, and there are at least 3 Lincoln's Sparrow around the yard. Saw a Field Sparrow with the Chippies, no Clay-colored, one Lark Sparrow, a couple each Ground-Dove, and Inca Dove. One Myrtle Warbler was at the bath briefly, heard another later. Still the two adult Rufous Hummers here, male and female. Butterflies on the Blue Mist Eup were a Clouded Skipper, a Queen, an American Lady, and a Gray Hairstreak. One Cloudless Sulphur blasted past. One Swift Setwing dragonfly still out there. Got up to low 70's dF briefly at peak heat around 4 p.m. Worked on things around here that need doing before it gets too cold out.

Nov. 2 ~ A 35dF low is chilly but warm compared to yesterday. Around 9:30 my FOS Meadowlarks flew low over the patio and house, a couple dozen at least. The only flight notes I heard were Eastern Meadowlark. The biggest ID problem is back. In muted fresh plumage they can be tough when silent. Mid-morn a lone Robin called from the front yard, my FOS. Four Pine Siskin were on the seed out back, first in yard this fall, though our FOS were two at Garner last Sunday, Oct. 27th. There were TWO White-crowned Sparrow out back. I presume the first adult from a couple days ago stuck and another showed up. The second bird is an immature, both are the default type here, eastern nominate leucophrys.

Then shortly before noon there was an adult White-throated Sparrow, FOS, which was the much sharper looking IMHO white-striped morph with a big yellow lore, such a striking head. Audubon's Oriole went through the yard a couple times. We walked out on the road for an hour noonish. Lots of Chipping Sparrow, some Field, several Lincoln's, one Vesper, lots of Cardinals, a few Mockingbird, some Lesser Goldfinch, Carolina Wren and Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, the usual gang. Thought I heard a Long-billed Thrasher. After we got back I heard the Pyrrhuloxia across the road.

I ran to town late in the afternoon, today was the annual craft fair so it was packed, and surely way worse earlier. Got some of granny's jellies: Agarita, Mesquite Bean, Dewberry, and Wild (Escarpment) Cherry. Just drive down the road and spot granny, it's like utopia. I felt like I robbed the jelly bank. Checked the park, it was dead at 4 p.m. but for a few residents and six stinkin' Egyptian Goose. One Monarch though. Went to the library butterfly garden and a few butterflies were there. A Queen, a Buckeye, a few Pipevine Swallowtail, a Sachem and a Whirlabout, a Dusky-blue Groundstreak, one Painted and 6 American Lady, a Sleepy Orange, man it is a bad butterfly fall.

Saving the day was a Cerambycid (Longhorn) Beetle, apparently a Mesquite Borer (Placosternus erythropus). Got pix, was on Thoroughwort Eupatorium. Have not seen one in a number of years locally, probably a decade or so. My only photos were at Big Springs Ranch above Leakey, and low res, so this was great to have one drunk on Eupatorium and not care about my lens 2" away. It appeared to be raking the flowers with its front legs and then wiping them off on mouth. There were also a few Ailanthus webworm moths on the Eup.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Nov. 1 ~ We were welcomed to November with ice on the birdbath. It was about 26.5dF at 8 a.m.! One local in town said they had 26 as well. KRVL showed a 25 briefly! Cold all morn. At least it did warm into lowest 60's later afternoon. Did not see anything unusual around the yard, but two FOS Northern Harrier flew over low at treetop level, both immatures. Town run day. At the post office when I got out of car there was an Audubon's Oriole singing and calling up top in the sun on the big live-oak at NE corner of parking lot. Man it is like utopia here. Checked the park and it was slow but for a couple low-end FOS's. The FOS Coot there may well be the bird that wintered the last two years, and as such significant. If so it is a Maverick Coot, a loner choosing to winter hanging out with a Pied-billed Grebe. What if the other Coots knew? They all probably wonder what happens to Fred in the winter. He is hanging out with a grebe! Their lobed toes match anyway. The other FOS was Wood Duck calling as it flushed out of the swampy slough as I walked back into the woods. I heard the Wilson's Warbler over on the island. There was a small winter flock of E. Bluebird, Chipping Sparrow, and Myrtle Warbler up at the live-oaks by the entrance, one Audubon's Warbler with them. Some Cypress and Pecan trees are still green, others turning yellow or brown, a few fairly leafless already. Maxmillian Sunflower is the yellow flower blooming along riversedge, showing quite well now.

~ ~ ~ October summary ~ ~ ~

The drought continues, we are way behind on water since the tap turned off in June. Was 1.8" of precip for us here in October. The river is very low flow, the fall flower bloom is very restricted, weak blooms from a few species, mostly those in riverside or flood zone habitats. Pecan and Hackberry crops are weak, though some trees have fruit or nuts. Persimmon crop was fair but mostly gone now. First freeze of the fall was late in month, briefly the 27th, and a good 6 hours on the morning of the 31st.

Butterflies were about 46 species, a very poor showing, only twice in last 16 falls was it less diversity. There is no fall flight and invasion from the south this year. In years of good fall invasions I have had 46 species in one stop in 45 minutes. Not the whole month. And many this month were OOI: 'only one individual' seen. Numbers are way down with the rain and flowers. A few Laviana White-Skipper were around, which are LTA - less than annual here, so the highlight of the month. Otherwise it was just the most expected usual normal common stuff. Had to scrape for a Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, a Metalmark, any blue, it was amazing really how few butterflies were around. There was no big Monarch flight for us here this year, they missed us too. The FOS Monarch was Oct. 2, there were no early ones this year. I missed one shiny satiny white thing that was likely a Florida (Tropical) White.

Odes were a weak showing this month as well. I count 22 species, and it was the statistically most likely. The first Autumn Meadowhawk of the fall showed up late in the month. No raries, nothing even scarce, and the numbers crashed fast early in the month. The ode season is all but over for the year.

At least the birds were good in October! I am coming up with about 97 species for the month locally, so not as much diversity as September, but it was good. The best two birds were a WOOD THRUSH at the park on the 25th (ph.), and a LONG-EARED OWL calling for over an hour here the evening of the 21st. A couple Long-billed Thrasher were around our place, and we had a couple at Garner S.P. A Broad-tailed Hummingbird from the last few days of Sept. made it to Oct. 1 before departing. A few Rufous Hummingbird are seeming to stick and may well winter. A couple Black-throated Green Warbler were nice.

~ ~ ~ end October summary ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ October update header archive copy ~ ~ ~

October started with a couple left-overs from September, four Rufous (1 may be Allen's), and one Broad-tailed Hummingbird were at our feeders Oct. 1. The big hummer blowout finally happened, Oct. 3. Ruby-throats are still around, but not the ridiculous numbers we had early in the week. My first Monarch was Oct. 2, a Bell's Vireo was here on the 3rd. The 4th there was a Black-throated Green Warbler, and first of fall of both Blue-headed Vireo and Common Yellowthroat in the yard. October 5th had four FOS (first of season) sps., virtually all what are 'winter' species here: Kestrel, House Wren, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Orange-crowned Warbler. Finally the first front of fall arrived Oct. 7. My FOS Sharp-shinned Hawk was the 8th. A White-tailed Kite was reported at Vanderpool on the 8th (Laura Levy). Two Long-billed Thrasher have been around our place the last week, one has been present since late August. The 2nd fall front, a stronger one, hit early a.m. on the 11th, with a high of about 50dF, 45dF or so colder than the 10th! On the 12th I saw my FOS Pied-billed Grebe, Vesper Sparrow, and Myrtle Warbler. Also on the 12th was a great late date for Common Nighthawk. The 13th we had our FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet after probably hearing them a couple days. The evening of the 15th and pre-dawn on the 16th we got 1.2" of rain! Saw my FOS Swainson's Hawks (2) liftoff the 16th. The 18th was the first 'winter flocks' of Myrtle Warbler, Chipping Sparrow and Eastern Bluebird. The 19th we had FOS Hermit Thrush, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Pyrrhuloxia. Late evening the 21st there was a LONG-EARED OWL calling near our place, among 5 species of owls that evening. My FOS Cedar Waxwing was a single, on morning of the 22nd. Major cold front and blow Oct. 24-5, about .6 of rain, 39dF and sub-freezing chill factors morning of 25th. A WOOD THRUSH at Utopia Park the 25th is the best passerine vagrant of the fall so far. My FOS Sandhill Crane was the 26th. Our FOS freeze was an un-forecasted surprise on Oct. 27! We had two FOS Pine Siskin at Garner S.P., also on Oct. 27. An adult White-crowned Sparrow was my FOS on Oct. 30. We had a 5-6 hour freeze (got down to 29dF!) on Oct. 31!

~ ~ ~ end Oct. header archive copy ~ ~ ~

~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~

Oct. 31 ~ Saw 29dF on the front porch about 8 a.m., KRVL had the same. Wind chill at KRVL at 9 when 31dF was 22dF. So a cold end to October with a 5-6 hour freeze. Chilly willy. Hit 40dF about noon, but with a cold breeze on it. it is like winter out there. High and low were about 25dF below average. Heard two Rufous Hummers, two Inca Dove, thought sure I heard the White-crowned Sparrow too. Should be some raptor, crane, and goose movement today or tomorrow behind the front. It did climb into lowest 50's dF later in the afternoon. I saw the Clay-colored Sparrow in with the Chippies on the patio, the Lincoln's is hanging around the stick piles. The imm. fem. Sharp-shinned is still here. At least two adult Rufous Hummingbird (ma. and fem.) remain present. The LRGV has a Green-breasted Mango!

Oct. 30 ~ It was low 50's dF at midnight, by dawn the low 40's, with drizzle and mist. Intermittent winds at 10-20mph had the chill factors just over freezing. Not sure it will warm up much, a stronger front is set to arrive this afternoon or evening with real rain. As of 5 p.m. or so it was just over a half-inch of precip (14mm) so far, and that includes the .14 or so from yesterday. At least the ground and plants are getting a little water. We sure went from too hot to too cold quickly. Never got above 43dF, flatlined all day. By 4 or so the winds got here to seriously advect cold air, but will keep it from getting too cold. A first of season for most (barely) freeze is predicted, though we kissed 32 for two hours last Sunday morning.

Always a great FOS to see was an adult White-crowned Sparrow on the seed out back! Like seeing an old friend. There was also a Clay-colored Sparrow in with the Chippies, an imm., which is at the tardy end of the fall window for them here. They pass through in fall, I have never seen one winter locally. Lincoln's, Lark, and Field Sparrows too makes six species of sparrows. Now where are that Vesper and Rufous-crowned? Adult male and female Rufous Hummingbird are here. May have seen that imm. male as well.

Oct. 29 ~ A shallow cold front moved in dropping temps from just below 60dF pre-dawn to low-50's shortly after. Might have gotten to 56dF for a high. No wind, just a thousand foot thick layer of cold air ahead of a real front tomorrow. So drizzling a little, a light shower here and there, fairly fallish for here. Might have been .14 of an inch of precip over the day. Good weather for being indoors. I will let you know if anything shows up out the office window behind the monitor. At the noon seed toss (so exciting here in Utopia) in the drizzle there was a Mocker singing in the rain. They will always be there for you, brightening up even a wet gray day.

Late afternoon in a spent patch of weedy Mexican Hat I was supposed to cut, there were a Lincoln's Sparrow and two Orange-crowned Warbler foraging. Weedy patches are great for birds. Unfortunately people treat them like any dead branch, get rid of it asap, and remove lots of great bird habitat in the process. Weedy patches are full of bugs and seeds, like hedgerows. Heard the Hutton's Vireo out back in the live-oaks. Counted 17 Turkey over in the corral, early morning I heard one gobble. They maybe ought to put the kabosh on that the next few weeks?

Oct. 28 ~ It was in the low 50's around midnight, warmed into 60's by dawn, and got up to mid-upper 70's dF for a high. Was too busy working, no migration motion noted. The adult male and ad. female Rufous Hummingbird were both here. The rest was the regular gang. Still 2 Lark Sparrow here with a dozen Chipping and some Field. One Kinglet (Ruby) and a heard Orange-crowned Warbler. The Inca Dove were out there, a few Ground-Dove, White-wings might number 35 or so, Cardinals the same. I heard a Rufous-crowned Sparrow just upslope behind us again later in afternoon.

Oct. 27 ~ Astonishing was an un-forecasted brief freeze this morn! NOAA had KRVL for a 41dF low. It was just below 40dF around 6 a.m., but as sun warmed uppermost atmosphere and all that cold air sunk, we plummeted to 32dF before 8 a.m.! Holy cow! I saw KRVL had 33dF. It was amazing, I saw dew on surfaces as light broke, and a while later I noticed it had gotten colder and had gone to frost! By time I got back to thermometer it was 32dF and actually freezing! Funny, we planned to go to Garner S.P. this morning instead of yesterday because it was going to be a bit warmer low today. Guess again. Saw an adult male Rufous Hummer at the office feeder early! Wonder if our bird was gone a few days at a neighbors and came back? It looked purely Rufous of back like the one that was here. I don't get why it would be gone a few days and reappear. It did not sit where the other one sat on the Hackberry.

We were up earlyish to have a look at Garner S.P. as we avoid it most of the spring and summer due to crowds. It is still pretty busy with lots of people, a real circus compared to Lost Maples usually. But Maples is entering its busiest month due to the leaf lookyloo season, despite there not being much to see in that regard. Maples is hard to bird with herds of hominids going by all the time. Be there at opening and you might get an hour or two, maybe, especially during week.

I can't believe how low Bear Creek Pond is just east of the 1050 pass (ca. 4 miles west of Utopia). We are wayyyy behind on rain. One Great Blue Heron and some pigs was it. No ducks. Fair numbers of Chipping Sparrow flushing up from verges on way, just like winter. No color to speak of on the hills yet.

At Garner we had one good Chipping Sparrow flock of about a hundred birds. A few Field Sparrow with them, did not see a Clay-colored though. Some Bluebirds with them too, one Myrtle Warbler. Only a couple scattered single Myrtle were heard. There are more at Utopia Park. We had a few Rufous-crowned Sparrow calling at various areas around the park. One Canyon Towhee was at the visitors center (not HQ), did not see a hummer at the feeders there. Most of the stuff is working pecans now, and lots crushed on roads. Pro tip: drive the edges to crush more for them. Good numbers of White-winged Dove, Cardinal, Chickadees and Titmice, a few Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Carolina and Bewick's Wren, dozen+ Eastern Bluebird scattered around, some Lesser Goldfinch, one Red-shouldered Hawk. Below the spillway at the south end of park we saw a Green and heard a Ringed Kingfisher. I glimpsed a Black Rock Squirrel as it dove into, er, the rocks. One Spotted Sandpiper was on the rocks below the spillway. Sure be a good place for a vagrant Dipper. Saw a couple Common Raven. Wild Horse Creek and Madrone Walkway trails were quiet. Persimmon Hill seemed mostly cleaned out of fruit, missed it by a week or two I'd guess, but some random others elsewhere still had fruit.

We slowly cruise around listening for flocks, hoping to find a close place to park, repeat. Parking is quite controlled so lots of it is hard to cover actually. By noon the campground loops are more than half cleared out. We did one (Rio Frio) loop where there is a drawlet that drains into the Frio River (off southeast corner of that loop). Amazingly perhaps the most common, the dominant shrub, in the draw is Flame Acanthus! We did not see any Crimson Patch, or cats, but surely this is ground zero for the Garner population. It is the biggest wild patch I have found locally. Many dozens of big old bushes, but only a few flowers left on each this late in season. In that area Kathy spotted the only Elada Checkerspot of the month, and so was an Orange Sulphur. There were also two Long-billed Thrasher calling back and forth (were Persimmons with fruit there). Great was 2 FOS Pine Siskin! In odes lots of Green Darner around, a few Variegated and one Autumnal Meadowhawk was it for dragons and damsels. Acquired a few obligitory Frio River photos. P.S. later at house a Swift Setwing was in front yard.

Garner is actually closer to us than Maples, maybe by about 8 minutes on the road. It is a harder windier drive up and over all the hills of the divide, you really have to watch it on 1050. Whereas 187 can be driven with eyes closed. Just kiddin' sherrif. Hwy. 1050 itself is great when the Buckley Oaks go red later November into December. Garner differs from Lost Maples primarily in being a citified very manmade altered park. But there are little jewels scattered about if you can find them, like Sycamore-leaf Snowbells and the above mentioned Flame Acanthus. This morning its population was likely twice that of Utopia, and all of them were out, something you never see here. LOL. There are a lot of people there. Most of the trails away from park roads are toward and in earshot of Hwy. 83, which has big truck traffic. So it is not the feeling of a wild place or natural wilderness that you get at Maples. Regardless, there are breeding Golden-cheeked Warbler on the trails, though long gone this time of year of course. I am sure Garner gets lots of good birds going through it. Lots. It is kind of hard to bird though. These river habitat corridors are major migrant corridors.

Oct. 26 ~ At least the wind quit blowing sometime overnight. Was about 41dF for a low, nice and brisk, KRVL had 38 for a bit. Weewow! No migrant motion in yard, the fall party is about over. I hear the big girl warming up. Yesterday's Wood Thrush at the park might be the last big hurrah. The juvenile female Sharp-shinned is still terrorizing everything here. I saw only the adult fem. Rufous-Allen's Hummer in the morning. Late afternoon Kathy spotted a new imm. or female Ruby-throated at a feeder. It looked thrilled to find it the way it just sat on it forever. I think the Cardinal flock is 35 or so. Lots of green leaves down. Pecans and acorns are falling. Cypress are sure turning now, first going yellow, pecans too, lots of yellow, and lots of leaves down.

I went to the park hoping to get better pix of the Wood Thrush, but could not refind it. It seemingly was like most out-of-range (vagrant) Wood Thrush, a one-day wonder. But we don't know if it was there the day before. They and Great Crested Flycatcher are two birds famous for not being there on day 2 when they occur as vagrants west of their normal ranges. Park woods were dead, heard a Green King. The first live-oak patch near entrance had a flock of E. Bluebird, chippies, and Myrtle Warbler.

Checked the library butterfly garden, since so few flowers around. It is ratty looking but there were a few flowers. I can't believe they killed some Lantanas. Thought they were indestructible. Saw a couple Fatal Metalmark, several Gray Hairstreak and one Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, a couple Whirlabout, a couple C.Checkered-Skipper, a Clouded and a Dun Skipper, a few Sleepy Orange, 2 Gulf and a Variegated Fritillary, two Queen, several American and one Painted Lady, one Monarch, a Fiery Skipper, pretty pitiful actually for October. Later in yard saw Clouded and Dun Skipper, a Large Orange Sulphur, So. Dogface, a Red Admiral and a few of the more common things. In the late afternoon here at the house I heard Sandhill Crane going over heading south, my FOS. Heard a Barn Owl heading south after dark. Coyotes got something, they went off bonkers, it is incredible, I love it.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Oct. 25 ~ No more rain after the quick blast yesterday evening, the wind blew hard all night, supposed to go all day until the evening. This is a real blower. I know of nowhere that goes from too hot to too cold so fast so often so regularly as Texas. I saw 39dF at 7 a.m.! Methinks March was the last temps in the 30's, seven months ago. The chill factors were sub-freezing with the 20-30+ mph northerlies, some may have been in the highest 20's! Gadzooks! Where's me longjohns!?! It made it up to 60dF or so but the winds were still at 15-25 mph at sundown.

I did hear a Ruby-throated Hummingbird early, and then later saw a Rufous of some sort. If they are smart they will ride this wind wave to a warmer clime. Town run. Lots of green leaves down is how hard it blew. Cypress and Pecans lost lots of greenery. Water barely going over spillway at park. Saw one male Green Kingfisher in the slough by the island, and a Ringed King flew by while I was standing around looking stupid. There was a winter passerine flock with a dozen Eastern Bluebird, 18 or so Chipping Sparrow, 15+ Myrtle and 2 Audubon's Warbler.

The bird of the day, week, and month, actually the rarest passerine of the whole fall passage so far, was a WOOD THRUSH by the screen enclosures up at north end of parking area. It flushed off the ground before I saw it. A while later I found it on top of the screen shelter (!), got a half-arsed grabshot and 10 OOFs - out-of-focus (throwaways). Hattie Barham pulled up while I was looking at it so handed her my binocs for a view. The only other fall Wood Thrush record I know in the area is one I briefly saw Sept. 14, 2016, here at Utopia Park. I did not get a pic of that one though (was on the island), so any kind of docushot moves it to the next level. There are a few spring records nearby, one at Park Chalk Bluff, another at Big Springs.

Interesting was ebird revealing yesterday the 24th TWO Wood Thrush were reported nearish in cental Texas, one in Bexar Co., and one at Ft. Clark Springs! Another was near Lake Corpus Christi yesterday as well, nearer the coast where it is scarce but regular in fall. It is an accidental species in fall in the west half of Texas, the Ft. Clark bird the only reported in ebird this fall that I could see for the west half of the state.

I went back to the park at 5 p.m. hoping to get a better pic. Refound it by the blind eating those American Beautyberry in the fenced-in area. But was mostly very shady in the woods so had to use high ISO which means grainy, but got better shots of it anyway, and got to watch it for 10 minutes before it dematerialized again. Back here at the hovelita at sundown there were over 30 Cardinal on the seed.

Oct. 24 ~ Low about 68dF and some drizzle, a cold front is due in this afternoon to early evening. No migrant motion. Maybe some things will come through in the wake of the front. Heard a Kinglet (Ruby), saw an Orange-crowned Warbler, Kathy heard the Long-billed Thrasher, saw the Inca Dove pair, Field and Lincoln's Sparrow, a couple Caracara crackled overhead. Waiting for the rain. Supposed to get real windy with this one so it will be a great de-leafer of a post-frontal blow. It will look a different world out there tomorrow. Lot more Raven around lately, say the last few weeks. There were few to none around most of the summer, the nesting Red-tails do not tolerate them. Go be smart and funny somewhere else seems to be their attitude towards them.

At least two Ruby-throat, and one ad.fem. Rufous-Allen's type remain in the way of Hummingbirds. I suspect the Rubies will ride the post-frontal blow out of town tomorrow. The front hit shortly before dark with 30+ mph northerlies, seemingly precluding the usual hummingbird last tank up for the night. The band of precip with it was quick and narrow here, building up and slowing down after it passed us. In the hour or so there was rain we got about five-eighths of an inch. Something anyway, we need it badly. Some lucky folks elsewhere got more. It dropped to 50dF or so in a little over an hour.

Oct 23 ~ We ran about 64-82dF for a temp spread, sunny, and still dryish, but pretty breezy out of the south now. No migrant movement that I saw. The adult female Rufous Hummer remains, and I saw 3 imm. ma. Ruby-throated at once. Saw the 3 Inca Dove again, nice to have them around. Heard the Long-billed Thrasher. Otherwise it was just the regular gang. Maybe 2 Lark Sparrow left here now. Turkey flock still hitting the oat line. The Titmice and Chickadees are barely hitting the sunflower feeder since there is lots of pecan available now. The coons go up in the trees and so the branches have bits of nuts in the bark and this seems to be what they are getting.

Oct. 22 ~ We had a 44dF low, coolest in 6 months, and all kinds of awesome. I saw KRVL showed a 40dF low! In the afternoon KRVL humidity was 10%! It was bone dry. Saw at least two imm. male Ruby-throated, and the Rufous Hummingbird here is not either of the two males that were here, so 3 hummers, at least, are still here. The Rufous today is another (!) new different one. Some Chipping Sparrow hit the patio for millet and one imm. Clay-colored was with them. Great for the FOS was one lone Cedar Waxwing that flew over calling, on the early side of arrival dates. Otherwise no migrant motion.

Afternoon had a Nashville Warbler and maybe it was the Hutton's Vireo that came in for a quick splash. Not hearing any White-eyed Vireo around, methinks they have flown the coup. After dark made the usual hourly sound checks outside. Heard the three resident owls, Screech-, Barred, and Great Horned, and on one step outside I heard one call from the Long-eared Owl, further down the habitat corridor. It is great to have seen enough of them that I don't feel the need to have to chase it down.   ;)

Oct. 21 ~ Front came through about 3 a.m. or so with some gusty winds, and about .2 of precipitation. Dry northerlies not too strong, a chamber of commerce weather day. Seems like everything rode the front out of Dodge, there was nothing going on this morning. A few hummers around but seems a few likely left yesterday. There were maybe 3 or 4 Ruby-throated tops. The big news is that we did not see the adult male Rufous Hummingbird that has been out the office window on that feeder since Aug. 8, 10 weeks and 3 days but who is counting. I presume it left late yesterday or first thing this morning on the front. So it was just fattening up for that long of a stay as a migratory stopover? Weird. Glimpsed a non-adult male Rufous today.

Saw the Laviana White-Skipper again. Three Inca Dove were on the patio in the afternoon. After 6 p.m. single Nashville and Orange-crowned Warbler hit the bath. Maybe tomorrow there will be migrant motion? Hoped the eternal optimist. Heard the Pyrrhuloxia out there again, saw it fly from out back to across road so maybe it is hitting the sunflower seed I toss at the back fence.

After dark the usual Screech-, and Great Horned got going quickly. A bit latter I heard a Barn Owl flying south down-valley, then the Barred Owl started. At 11 p.m. I heard a LONG-EARED OWL calling over in the river habitat corridor! It was giving the one long single note hoot that is a bit drawn out as if it has some wind blowing through it. At midnight it was still calling occasionally. So a whopping FIVE species of owls from the porch tonight. I have traipsed all over the mountains all night for that.

Oct. 20 ~ About 64dF for a low, winds were light and northerly much of the night, was hoping for migrant motion, but they turned southerly and gulf clouds got here, does not seem to be much motion. Front due in overnight, the hot day before today, some more record hot at some area stations for the second day in a row. Heard a Long-billed Thrasher early first thing before sunup. Over the morning a couple each Myrtle and Nashville, and one Orange-crowned Warbler were around briefly. Kathy spotted a Hutton's Vireo splash-bathing at the bath. I heard the Pyrrhuloxia across the road. A pair of Inca Dove were at the bath in the afternoon. Had both Rufous Hummers and maybe 6 or so Ruby-throated left, but fewer at dusk.

A few butterflies were around the Blue Mist (greggii) Eupatorium and a Lantana next to it. A few Monarch, a couple Clouded Skipper, Dun and Julia's Skipper, Celia's roadside-Skipper, a pale morph female Large Orange Sulphur (ph.), Gulf Frit, Queen, Gray Hairstreak, and later afternoon my first of month Orange Skipperling. A Buckeye flew by among other things. An introduced type (Asian) Praying Mantis caught a Monarch at a Lantana flower. I rescued the Monarch and dispatched the Mantis. The Monarch flew off seemingly OK. An Anole is still making diving leaps at the butterflies, and I chased a Leopard Frog off. Stuff just sits and waits at the few flowers, and wipes out the few butterflies. Not on my porch watch. Probably a half-dozen Monarch over the day.

Oct. 19 ~ Only about 67dF for a low, and got up to 87 in the cool shady, KRVL showed 92dF. But drier than the summer sopping. Today and tomorrow are the hot days before the next front Sunday overnight. Austin and Del Rio hit record high temps today. There was migrant movement last night. Early before sunup I heard the two Long-billed Thrasher calling back and forth out front. A few Scissor-tails around early again. Just before 9 a.m. I heard at least one, probably two Audubon's Oriole.

Then there was a flurry of activity at the birdbath. First Kathy called the FOS Hermit Thrush. By time I got there with camera there were two! So they arrived overnight. There were a bunch of Cardinal, a Nashville or two, an Orange-cronwed Warbler, Field Sparrow, some Chipping Sparrows, and then THREE Clay-colored Sparrow dropped down to the bath at once! FOS. Got a weak shot of them anyway (1 juv., 2 ad.) and a Hermit Thrush. While all this was going on I saw something high in the pecan over the bath, but at an angle I could not get camera on, a male Pyrrhuloxia! FOS. They show up in October here after being absent all spring and summer. Man I wish it would hit the bath for a photo session! A Ground-Dove flushed from near the bath I had not seen.

Went to town to check the park without a stack of errands overhead. On the way the 360 crossing had nothing but a Cicindellid (Tiger Beetle), always nice to see (ph.). The park had two little winter type passerine flocks consisting of Eastern Bluebird, Chipping Sparrow, and Yellow-rumped Warbler, which were not there yesterday. Each group had a half-dozen bluebird, a half-dozen to 10 Chipping Sparrow, and 18 or so Yellow-rumped Warbler between the two groups. Two were Audubon's Warbler. These are surely migrant bluebirds and chippies, not the locals. This was the first big Myrtle Warbler arrival day, I had only seen a few singles here and there so far.

Saw Kiowa Dancer at the 360 xing, a Roseate Skimmer at the park, fair numbers of Black Saddlebags, Green Darner, and Familiar bluet. A few Red Saddlebags. Nice was my first Autumnal Meadowhawk of the fall, three or four males. These things emerge locally in July, and then are not seen again until October. Those clearly depart and go somewhere else. Then we get a small wave in fall. Then where are these from?

Little Creek Larry said after the first front a week and change ago there were some Shoveler on the pond at the park, and currently there are some Blue-winged Teal on Little Creek. He mentioned he saw all three of the regular Kingfisher species lined up on the spillway the other day close enough together to have gotten them in one frame. He also saw a White-tailed Kite out 355 toward Little Creek in the big pasture off south side of road.

Saw about 10 Monarch over the day, a couple hit the Blue Mist Eupatorium. Early morn one went to Tube-tongue, hardly ever see that. Saw the Laviana White-Skipper cross yard again late in afternoon. The two male (ad. and imm.) Rufous Hummingbird continue, the Ruby-throated seem down to a half-dozen or so. In afternoon there were a couple Inca Dove on the patio.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Oct. 18 ~ Weewow a 48dF low! KRVL had a 45! Methinks the lowest temp since April, six months. Where are my socks, long pants and longsleeve shirts? Sunny and dry to go with the cool brisk, feels pretty autumnal. Nice. Saw a couple Nashville Warbler shoot through yard early, heard a Myrtle Warbler. Thought there might be movement behind the front today, second clear day after. Three Scissor-tailed Flycatcher were sallying from the big pecan in front yard for a while mid-morn. Saw a couple Monarchs go by.

Town supply run. No migrants at the park, maybe a hawk had been in woods? Only a male Wilson's Warbler which is surely the returning winterer, and likely present a month already. One Green Kingfisher in the slough by island. Not even a White-eyed Vireo. They are all but gone now. The Maxmillian Sunflower at riveredge is blooming great. Here in yard the Blue Mist Eup has some flowers. Saw Clouded and Dun Skipper, plus the Celia's Roadside-Skipper on it. The Cypress trees are really getting yellow, some brownish, the Pecans are yellowish too. A Laviana White-Skipper flew across yard about 4:30 p.m. Heard an Audubon's Oriole or two at dusk, but not the Long-billed Thrasher. Maybe the cold scared it away?

Oct. 17 ~ About 54dF for a low felt great. Just a few clouds, getting sunny and blue skies, the first clear day after the front. No passerine migrant motion early. About 9:30 saw two Monarchs, one lifting off, one up thermalling already, and two hawks went by. The close low hawk only a hundred feet up was a textbook adult Swainson's, which circled twice right over the yard, my FOS. What a beauty. If only we could know where the migrants we see are from, and where they are going. Mid-morn saw single Nashville, Orange-crowned, and a getting tardy Yellow Warbler, plus one Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Couple more Monarchs but not seeing any more hawks. Sparrows in yard are Vesper, Lincoln's, Chipping, Field, Lark, and Rufous-crowned, so six species. Couple more Monarch in the afternoon. Same three owl species calling again tonight, Screech-, Barred, and Great Horned.

Oct. 16 ~ Rained a little overnight, mostly early pre-dawn. About a half-inch. Which means an event total of about 1.2" here, I heard in town 1.2" was one reading, so I am stickin' with it. Low was a nice 62dF or so, and the ground got water! It was a nice slow-soaker, just what we needed. Was in town early, Green and Ringed Kings at the park but that was it. Save some Axis Deer in the woods. One big buck jumped straight into that 7-8' deer or hog fence at north end of the woods a few times. I'd say he might have cleared 5-6', which was pretty impressive for its size. Then it jumped into river and swam across to the other side.

Back here in the yard about 9 a.m. or so a couple Nashville and at least one Orange-crowned went through, heard a bunting which is surely the imm. male Indigo. The two Rufous Hummingbird continue, and about 8-10 Ruby-throated appear to be all imm. males. About 3:30 p.m. a small group of birds in the yard was a Kinglet (Ruby), a Hutton's Vireo, Nashville and Myrtle Warbler. Saw a Rufous-crowned Sparrow in the stick pile out in front yard, Kathy said she saw it at bath earlier in day. At 11 p.m. there were 2 pairs of Great Horned Owl counter-calling right across the road, a pair of Screech-Owl calling in back of house and a Barred Owl calling nearer the river. Seven individual owls of three species at once.

Oct. 15 ~ The hot day before the front tonight. Low was about 73dF, and humid of course. They are saying this is the last hurrah for the summer sub-tropical high that locks over us for 4 months or so now. It was closer to 5 months this year, and used to be 3 months. It was a sticky 88dF in the shade, 90somethin' in the sun. The perciptible water was in 90th percentile for the date. Which means instead of licking a stamp, you just wipe it across your forehead.

I thought there might be some movement ahead of it, but it seems not. At the bath there were single Nashville and Orange-crowned Warbler, and the imm. male Indigo Bunting. The latter we know is here a while, the warblers probably are holdovers as well. So no mig motion. Heard the Long-billed Thrasher, saw the Turkey flock in corral. Tragedy was seeing a flock of 7 House Sparrow circle high overhead, quite unlike city sparrows. They fly around like crossbills or other finches, way up high, calling. It looked like they kept going this morning. Then in the afternoon Kathy said she saw a group under our big truck out back. I can assure you they will not be hanging out here.

At least 4 Monarch through the yard over the day, one stopped on the Blue Mist Eup for a bit. Clouded Skipper and Celia's Roadside-Skipper on it as well. A Queen, a Gulf Fritillary, a Little Yellow, but not much action. Very nice was a two foot plus Western Ribbon Snake in the flower bed at front porch. Beautiful snake. Ahead of the front we got a couple rain cells between 7 and 9 p.m. and a whopping .75" of precip and took it down to low 70's finally!

Oct. 14 ~ Cloudy, low of 64dF. Great to get up and not be hot and sticky. The first half of morn around the yard was a little birdy. Heard Long-billed Thrasher and Audubon's Oriole. Saw the Chat again, in the Red Turks Cap at corner of house! It appears an imm. male and I wonder if it is the one hatched here, still present. At the bath I saw a male Wilson's, a Nashville, Kathy said she thought she had an Orange-crowned, and best was up in the pecans, a Black-throated Green Warbler! My fourth of the fall, which is a great showing, it appeared an imm. female to me. One Ruby-crowned Kinglet was the first seen in yard this fall, though probably heard a few times in last 5 days. A nice male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher flew over, bet they are glad to have their tails back.

There was at least one different, maybe two, other Nashville warbler over the day. I got pix of a pale Orange-crowned Warbler at the bath. There was a Blue Grosbeak out front in the afternoon. Saw the imm. male Rufous Hummer out front, the ad.ma. continues out back. Great was a flock of Eastern Bluebird decending on the bath, there must have been a dozen or more, eight at once at the bath in one single frame! They were in and out pretty quickly though. Lincoln's and Vesper Sparrow in yard, saw the Vesper on patio, wonder if it is the one that wintered around yard last year eating the millet. White-winged Dove count is 30 at least here now. Late afternoon an Audubon's Warbler went through yard. Made 5 species of warbler in the yard today. Plus the Chat. Couple Caracara went over. Have not been seeing the Zone-tailed Hawks lately. A Large Orange Sulphur stopped on the Lantana briefly.

Oct. 13 ~ Got up and first thing heard a Long-billed Thrasher well before sunup. Whadda great wakeup bird. We went to Lost Maples since it finally is not 90dF, and trying to beat the leaf peepers that crowd the place out most of November. HQ said it was like peak Nov. yesterday, totally packed, cars parked on grass. There is very little fall leaf color, a little yellow, a lot of brown, and my sense after seeing it today is there will not be a good color show this fall. Many maples are just turning brown and falling already. Sure there will be a good tree here and there, but it is not going to be a great color show year. It has been wayyy too dry, even Lacey Oaks are going brown.

On the way upvalley from Utopia to Lost Maples we had about 6 Caracara, a couple Kestrel, a Shrike, various sparrows including Lark, Vesper, Chipping, Field, and a FOS Savannah. A male Scissor-tail was south of Vanderpool a couple miles on the way up, a female was on 360 on the way back. A FOS Say's Phoebe was early on Jones Cmty Rd., one Red-tailed and one Cooper's Hawk were along 187.

The park was a bit busy, but apparently not like yesterday. Still there were times you best sit out groups going by if you want a chance of seeing birds along the trail. At HQ we heard the customary Inca Dove. Best to walk to the first crossing from there as nowhere else to park and check it. There is a great weedy seedy area below the road. We had a late Blue Grosbeak, Linclon's Sparrow, House Wren, and 20 Lesser Goldfinch in it. Heard a bunting. Sometimes there is a winter passerine or warbler flock around it but not when we were there. Kind of a lot of traffic by 9 a.m. too.

We parked in trailhead lot where feeding station, but which apparently continues to be not in use. On the slope between the lot and the road to it, back toward stream crossing near main road, was a pair of Rufous-crowned Sparrow. Heard others up the trail, but saw these close. We squiggled back and forth up the trail and did Can Creek to the second pond. About 3 miles or so for that part. Always amazing when all the breeding stuff is gone, it seems soooo quiet. And what is not there is to me of great interest. No Olive Sparrow or White-tipped Dove for instance. It is almost as if they are just here for the breeding season, like migratory species, which they are not considered. Did not hear or see a Canyon Wren but which I think do not leave, they just shut up real good. Heard about 3 Scrub-Jay, and one Audubon's Oriole.

A FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet was among a small group of warblers. I thought I heard one twice in the last 4 days but each time it just called once and I never saw it so I let 'em go. This one was fairly unvocal too, but showed. There were a few stray single Nashville Warbler and a single Orange-crowned Warbler, but mostly it was just one little group of warblers we encountered. It had about 4 Orange-crowned, maybe 6+ Nashville, and one Black-throated Green. We saw one Ruby-throated Hummer up near the pond gnatcatching over the stream.

There was very little in bloom, normally the Frostweed should be going great, it is wilted due to lack of rain. It is drying up, done blooming for the most part. We saw 5 Monarchs, looking for good Frostweed. Saw a couple more Monarchs on way home. There was a fair bit of Goldenrod showing well where in water, saw the last few Snapdragon Vine flowers, some Brickel-bush was open, Poverty Weed was going well, the best color along the trail though was Broomweed. There were some pastures with hundreds of acres of it off W. Sabinal Rd. west of 187 that look solid yellow.

The one good fruiting Escarpment Cherry just below the big pouroff below the main pond is still covered in Cherries. I do not get why there are not birds on it. Some cherries are being eaten, but this is twice in a month we were at it and saw nothing. So we ate some. OK, some more. They are bitter as they are cherry. Talk about cleaning your pallete. They are about half pit but still worth it if you like bitter cherry.

Saw 30 Black Saddlebags, 10 Red Saddlebags, 20 Green Darner, 10 FOS Variegated Meadowhawk, 1 Wandering Glider, 1 male Roseate Skimmer, 1 Checkered Setwing, 25 Familiar Bluet. Odes are fading fast. One male Black Swallowtail on Goldenrod looked good but would not sit for a pic. A few Sleepy Orange, a couple Queen, a Red Admiral, a Gulf Frit, a Clouded Skipper, it was weak for insects. They are flaming out fast. Drought. No reptiles were seen or heard, save turtles in the pond. Lots of Green Sunfish, single Bantam and Red-breasted Sunfish, but didn't look much really. Those are what are in the pondlet below the crossing a quarter or third mile or so below the main pond. The ones with the dark spot in posterior soft part of dorsal fin are the Green. It was great to walk the canyon without dripping.

Oct. 12 ~ A chilly 52dF for a low was great. The wind finally stopped last night around dark, but clouds stuck. Not much for migrant motion in the morning around yard though. One Nashville and the same imm. male Indigo Bunting with blue wings and tail was at the bath. That bird is about 5-6 days here now. Thankfully autofocus screwed my shots of it. Same less than a dozen Ruby-throated Hummers, and same two Rufous continue.

Went to the park and checked some fencelines and pastures about 11-1 or so. Might have had some migrant Chipping Sparrow on 360. In flycatchers saw one Vermilion and no Scissor-tails. The park had Ringed, Belted, and Green Kingfisher again, as yesterday. Heard a Wilson's Warbler, saw a Nashville. Four House Wren in the woods constitute a wave of them here. My FOS Pied-billed Grebe was in the lillies by the island, and was still stripey on the face, a very young juvenile. Some migrant Turkey Vulture were heading south.

Saw one Monarch at the park, another going down Main St., and later afternoon a third here at the house (makes 5 so far this fall). A couple Sachem were on Maxmillian Sunflower which is blooming well now at riveredge. The Goldenrod is going great too. The Frostweed, Fireweed, Boneset Eupatorium, and Snow-on-the-Mountain are all past peak and fading fast. The Cypress trees are getting some yellow tint to them, starting to go. The Sycamore leavess are half brown and falling. Lottsa Hackberry are turning, and lots of the Pecans are in yellow and shed mode too. Still some Persimmon fruit on some of those. Nut crop looks weak. That big last spring frontal blow right when they are blooming gets them every time.

Back here at the casita there was a brief flurry activity at the bath in early afternoon. Two Nashville joined the melee, and a FOS Vesper Sparrow came in! Then Kathy spotted a Chat, which is tardy and I wonder if it is one of the local breeding birds young? About 4 p.m. a Gnatcatcher went through yard. After 5 p.m. three warblers flew into the Hackberry-Mesquite combo tree by the gate. An Orange-crowned, a Nashville, and my FOS Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warbler. Saw Audubon's on Sept. 27 so not my first Yellow-rump of the fall, just the first Myrtle type. Right on time 2-3 weeks behind the first Audubon's. After 7 p.m. I was out on driveway and heard then saw a Common Nighthawk working south over the river habitat corridor. That is a great late date here. After dark the Barred Owl was calling just down the road a couple hundred yards. Later the Great Horned was calling from in the yard trees. After 9 p.m. I saw something I have not seen since April, when I came out of the shower, steam on the mirror!

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Oct. 11 ~ Fall has arrived, pre-dawn the cold front got here with a tenth of an inch of rain and chilly northerlies. It was 56dF before 7 a.m. and by 9 it was 49 or so and dropping. There went the high for the day, before it was light out. Winds are 15-20 gusting 25 to 30 and over. Gonna be a different world out there when this passes. We spent the day in the upper 40's, maybe a few spots hit 50, but with lots of wind on it.

Town run so park check. A Ringed Kingfisher on the spillway is always a nice touch as you enter. There were two Belted Kingfisher around the pond, male and female, and a male Green Kingfisher was in the slough by island. On my way out there were TWO Ring King on the spillway, one chased the other off. A Common Yellowthroat was in some Maxmillian Sunflower at riveredge. In the woods there was a new female Wilson's Warbler, an Orange-crowned Warbler, and a female Yellow Warbler. Four species of warbler with the Common Yellowthroat. There were some Common Grackle in the willows at south end of island.

Saw a flock of a dozen Common Raven over town. A few low flying Turkey Vulture still around. Here at the hovelita about 3 p.m. Kathy saw Orange-crowned and Nashville Warbler at the bath. The Nash makes five sps. of warbler around today, and surely there are more out there. No Yellow-rumps though, and the Yellow-throated are gone. Less than a dozen Ruby-throated Hummer left, maybe 8 or so. Plus the ad. male Rufous out back still here of course, who seems in for the long haul, present about a couple months now already.

Oct. 10 ~ A low of 74dF is more than 10 over normal for the date here, as is the high in low-mid 90's. It is like summer has not ended here yet. It was record hot at Austin, and within a dF at SAT and Del Rio. Today is the big warmup in front of the front, tomorrow will be in the 50's all day! But southerlies blowing hard ahead of it so no migration movement apparent in morning. In the morn it was about a dozen Ruby-throated Hummingbird left. The ad.ma. Rufous continues guarding its feeder in back. The new imm. male Rufous-Allen's continues visiting one of the front porch feeders. Saw what was likely the same Lincoln's Sparrow of late last evening around the yard today. Late afternoon I saw my second Monarch of the fall. A Goatweed Leafwing hit the sprayed about water. Julia's and Clouded Skipper on the Blue Mist Eupatorium, plus one Celia's Roadside-Skipper. A Large Orange Sulphur hit a Lantana briefly. It is mighty thin for butterflies out there. Thought I mighta heard a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Oct. 9 ~ the low was about 71dF, a category, 10dF over predicted. Actually it did get down to lower 60's about 2-3 a.m., but warmed 10dF by dawn due to strong southeast Gulf flow. Mostly cloudy then until afternoon. Not much for movement. Some Bluebirds going over high as has been the case for a couple weeks now. Hearing groups way up going south. Before noon heard a Gnatcatcher. About 1 p.m. a single Nashville Warbler came in to the bath. There was a different imm. male Rufous-Allen's type Selasphorus hummer out front. The ad. male continues out back. The tail-less and other Rufous-Allen's that were here prior to the front have not been around. Saw something different appearing at the back-office feeder that Rufous guards, but it got away, twice. It looked biggish to me. Nearing last sun the last drink scene at the bath besides herds of Cardinal and White-winged Dove, I was surprised to see an ad. female Blue Grosbeak, and a Lincoln's Sparrow. Then at last light again there were two Long-billed Thrasher calling out front.

Oct. 8 ~ A low of 58dF was fantastic, the first 50's since April methinks. Kerrville had a 56dF low. No wind, dryish, weewow. No migrant motion early in the morning. Noonish an Orchard Oriole and a Gnatcatcher went through. Heard the Long-billed Thrasher, the Turkeys were over in the corral. The big FOS for the day was a big imm. female Sharp-shinned Hawk that was in yard briefly.

The main IOI - item of interest - for the day, was watching a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at a Red Turks Cap flower when a Rio Grande Leopard Frog made an attempt on it. It is not even a second from ground to the flower when the frog launches, but the hummer saw it and was already gone when the frog hit the flower. Gadzooks. It was a big Leopard Frog, but really??? A hummer?!?!? It just barely got out of the way in time. About 5 p.m. I saw 83dF on the cool shady front porch, but dry out so very bearable. Finally. If we hit 60 or lower we can trap enough cold air in the stone house to keep it comfortable all day without a-c. After dark heard Great Horned, Barred, and E. Screech-, Owls. Laura Levy sent an email reporting a White-tailed Kite up at Vanderpool this date. Always a good bird here.

Oct. 7 ~ A fall front has arrived! It sprinkled a little pre-dawn as the winds came out of the north, but we got just a trace. A small cell upvalley gave some lucky folks a half to an inch near Vanderpool. It was 68 before 7 a.m. and by 9 a.m. 65dF as the cold air arrived. All kinds of awesome. Did not see any migrants though. I suspect all rode the wave out of town. Seemed about 18 Ruby-throated Hummingbird this morning at the two shared feeders on the front porch. I suspect some will jump on these northerlies over the day. Should be some hawk movement too. Kathy heard a Gnatcatcher out there, I heard a bunting of some sort. But there was no movement otherwise. The north winds were 10-15 mph, with periods of 15-20 gusting higher until later afternoon. Seemed about a dozen hummers around 3 p.m., and a high of 79dF. Finally feels like fall here. Saw some Turkey Vulture moving south, but that was it. They have been moving a few weeks.

Oct. 6 ~ Was roughly near about 64.3861058dF for a low. Today is the big warmup before the long-awaited first-of-fall front which is progged to hit between midnight to dawn. One last day of torture. Kathy spotted the Long-billed Thrasher in the brush pile next to the bath and I got a docushot. Was early and shady so high ISO and grainy. At least we know it is coming in. A couple or few Nashville, one Wilson's and one Yellow Warbler came in. A very very yellow below greenie Painted Bunting came in but auto focus foiled a good shot. A blue tailed first year male Indigo Bunting also came in. These two buntings definitely are new. One Orchard Oriole came in to the bath as well, looked an ad. female. I counted four Field Sparrow at the bath at once. The Hutton's Vireo was trying splash bathe a bit too. Did not see the Bell's Vireo.

Still 19 Turkey over in the corral working the oat line. The Indigo came back in late afternoon and again flushed before I could get a pic. The amazing thing was at dusk while the Long-billed Thrasher was calling over by the draw, a SECOND one called back. The sharp note, single and doubled. The draw bird responded and moved toward the other getting about to the gate, but on other side of the road and the second bird quit calling back. It was just about dark.

There were maybe three or four dozen hummers (all Rubies) much of the day, but, seemingly only a couple dozen or less at dark. One or two ad. male Ruby-throat is all of them that are left. One non-ad.ma. Rufous-Allen's was out front, and the ad. male continues at the office feeder. It was hot today, 89 on the shady front porch, probably about 94dF in the sun. Right about record heat for the date. The Screech-Owl was calling from right over the bath as soon as it got dark, as so often on hot days. Gotta figure out how to get a pic of it there.

Oct. 5 ~ About 67dF for a low is better than the 70's. First thing early I saw a FOS Kestrel flying south over river habitat corridor. Probably much of the same group as yesterday, at least 7 Nashville, a male Wilson's and a Yellow Warbler were around yard early, most visiting bath. New was a FOS Orange-crowned Warbler. Great was what seems the same Bell's Vireo for about 4 days now came into bath and at least I got a fuzzy shot. Neat bird at the bath. Had one juv. Orchard Oriole. Heard the Long-billed Thrasher right over north fence again. Heard a Gnatcat mid-day in yard.

Went to park after breakfast for a look. One Yellow and one Nashville Warbler were it for migrants. The male Wilson's is likely the returnee winterer. Then there were two FOS of what are 'winter' birds here, a House Wren and a Lincoln's Sparrow. Saw Roseate Skimmer (dragonfly). Out front at the Red Turks Cap by the sign there was an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (butterfly). Back here there was a Fatal Metalmark (lep) around the few Blue Mist Eupatorium flowers that made it. There was a Julia's Skipper at the 360 crossing, Celia's Roadside-Skipper at the park and here at the porch. A Laviana White-Skipper was here at the house briefly as well.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Oct. 4 ~ Finally a low below 70, we were 67dF! I saw KRVL had 63! Weewow! Bring it on, the people are ready. No strong southerly wind, a bit of migrant motion. Single Yellow, Nashville, heard Wilson's, and a Black-throated Green Warbler were great. A Blue-headed Vireo was my FOS. It splash bathed a few times at the bath. Later morn I had the three Nashville together again, methinks continuing birds. Appears to be migrant Turkey Vultures moving south. Some have looked like migrants for a couple weeks actually. The local population is largely departed.

Town run fer errands and stuff. Park had a Nashville and a Yellow Warbler, plus a male Wilson's which I think is the returnee winterer of last year. A big willow on the island fell and took out a big Mulberry! Gadzooks. A great loss, one of the big xxl female Mulberries. Big hole in the canopy, the willow now laying in slough. It could well live like that, but the broken off Mulberry won't.

When I got back Kathy said after 1 p.m. there was a male Common Yellowthroat bathing in the bath! Only the second ever in the nearly undergrowth-free yard. Also the first of fall, wish I'd have been here to get pix. Whaddabird. The only other prior here also came into the bath, no doubt due to the sound of the drip. Then about 2 p.m. a flock of 8 Nashville and 2 Yellow Warbler worked around the yard pecans, a few Nash went to the bath. Big single flock of Nashville for here in the fall. The only excitement in the afternoon was a F-7 Tigercat and a P-51 Mustang making a couple passes. My ISO was set to high for the bright white sky and blew out the images though.

Oct. 3 ~ Still 74dF for a low, with a hot, humid, and sticky afternoon. Today was the major hummingbird blowout day. We were swarmed first thing and a hundred must have left after tanking up, more left in the afternoon. Less than 50 present by dusk, was 175+- in the morning. There were no winds, the very strong southerlies stopped, they bolted. Second day without seeing the Broad-tailed Hummer, the 1st was its last day apparently. The ad. ma. Rufous is still at the office feeder, but some (at least two) of the 3 others that were out front seem to have departed.

In the a.m. there were three Nashville warbler together, which seem likely the same three seen a few days ago. One Wilson's and one Yellow Warbler, one Orchard Oriole, a Hutton's, a White-eyed, and one of those beautiful bright juvenile Bell's Vireo. The Bell's splash-bathed a few times. The Long-billed Thrasher called again just over north fence. Hope it is sneaking in to the bath, because I will catch him sooner or later. Heard a Dickcissel go over. Scissor-tails going over a dozen or two a day, generally a few calling as they do.

Oct. 2 ~ Still balmy at 73dF for a low, and still getting up to low 90's, so 10dF over normal average. Which I think we can say goodbye to. When you get a cold front in July and none in September, things are not normal. There was less wind last night and this morning, and a bit of migrant motion, as well as seemingly some of the hummers starting to leave.

One Yellow and 2 male Wilson's Warbler were around early. I am fairly certain these are the same two Wilson's males around for a week now. Mainly because one has a slightly different than the usual normal dry 'chit' for a chip note. It is a fuller, flatter and rounder note, almost Myrtle Warbler-ish . When I first heard it a week ago or so I thought sure it was not going to be a Wilson's. Same bird this morning.

I heard a Long-billed Thrasher right over the north fence which I wish would come in to the birdbath. Mid-morning a couple new migrants showed up at the bath, 2 Blue Grosbeak, which appeared an immature and an adult female, they were in and out quickly, followed by two Mockingbird. Which have not been around the yard lately. Often we get a good obvious wave of migrant Mockers, I presume the lack of a cold front is why nonesuch yet. A Black-and-white Warbler then came in, and a Gnatcatcher went through, and one juv. Orchard Oriole came to the bath.

There are migrant or winterer type Eastern Phoebe around a couple weeks now, though our resident pair seems to still be nesting (!) and is chasing them all out of the yard as they show up. Likely the same one as a week or two ago, a Downy Woodpecker went through the yard. Also probably the same individual the last two weeks was a Two-tailed Swallowtail (butterfly) floating around a bit. Great was my FOS MONARCH of the fall. Was odd not having any early ones in September as has been the usual case recently. No Broad-tailed Hummer today, and a third Rufous-Allen's type at the two neutral front porch feeders might be an Allen's.

October 1 ~ Gadzooks it is October!?!? How can it be with a 74dF low? This is a July or August heatwave low. The summer sub-tropical high remains locked over us. At 4 p.m. I saw 89dF on the cool shady front porch, so over 90 in the sun. Lots of Gulf moisture, low clouds, a showerlet or two and another tenth of an inch of precip, so .2 for the two days. Still strong southerlies and very little migrant motion. One Yellow Warbler and one Gnatcatcher was it all morn. The Scissor-tail flock flew over in the afternoon again.

The Broad-tailed Hummingbird came in a couple times in the rain and I got a couple poor (high ISO, high mag) docushots of it. I pulled the feeder in to refill it and when I got back out within less than two minutes, there was a hummer perched on the vertical wire holder. This is invariably done by an imm. male Ruby trying to guard a feeder. I gently reached up and pushed it off the hanger, it begrudingly moved as I gently pushed it with my fingers, calling in protest, it was the Broad-tailed Hummer! My official report: Distance from bird: none.



July through September 2019 is now at Bird News Archives 32.
Bird News Archive XXXII
July 1 - September so far, 2019

January through June 2019 is now at Bird News Archives 31.
Bird News Archive XXXI
January 1 - June 30, 2019




The older weekly break bird photos are now at the 2019 photos page. 2019 pix


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To Top of Recent Bird News
Back to Top

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Always read UP from bottom to go in chronological sequence. Weekly or so updates are generally noted with a break.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Links to all 15+ years of archived bird news pages below. Broken into 6 month increments. One day I'll quarter it out by season as well, so all 10 years of each season are together, perhaps making say, searching springs easier.

Odd numbered archives are January through June.
Even numbered archives are July through December.
(except a couple when the split missed, prolly due
to excessive amount of drivel in spring)


Here is a master index page of them:
Bird News Archives INDEX
Index page with links to all 'Old Bird News' pages.

Bird News Archive XXXII
July 1 - Dec. 31, 2019 (through Sept.so far)

Bird News Archive XXXI
January 1 - June 30, 2019

Bird News Archive XXX
July 1 - December 31, 2018

Bird News Archive XXIX
January 1, 2018 - June 30, 2018

Bird News Archive XXVIII
July 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017

Bird News Archive XXVII
January 1, 2017 - June 30, 2017

Bird News Archive XXVI
July 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

Bird News Archive XXV
January 1, 2016 - June 30, 2016

Bird News Archive XXIV
July 1, 2015 - Dec. 31, 2015

Bird News Archive XXIII
January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015

Bird News Archive XXII
July 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014

Bird News Archive XXI
January 1, 2014 - June 30, 2014

Bird News Archive XX
July 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013

Bird News Archive XIX
January 1, 2013 - June 30, 2013

Bird News Archive XVIII
July 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Bird News Archive XVII
January 1, 2012 - June 30, 2012

Bird News Archive XVI
July 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011

Bird News Archive XV
January 1, 2011 - June 30, 2011

Bird News Archive XIV
July 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010

Bird News Archive XIII
January 1, 2010 - June 30, 2010

Bird News Archive XII
June 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009

Bird News Archive XI
January 1, 2009 - May 31, 2009

Bird News Archive X
July 1, 2008 - Dec. 31, 2008

Bird News Archive IX
January 1, 2008 - June 30, 2008

Bird News Archive VIII
July 1, 2007 - Dec. 31, 2007

Bird News Archive VII
January 1, 2007 - June 30, 2007

Bird News Archive VI
July 1, 2006 - Dec. 31, 2006

Bird News Archive V
January 1, 2006 - June 30, 2006

Bird News Archive IV
July 1, 2005 - Dec. 31, 2005

Bird News Archive III
January 1, 2005 - June 30, 2005

Bird News Archive II
June 1, 2004 - Dec. 31, 2004

Bird News Archive I
Winter 2003-04 Summary Notes
and Mar. 31 - May 30, 2004

Birds
Utopia Birds
Birding Sites
Bird List
Bird Photos
Bird Guide
Reports from Lost Maples
Winter Bird Count

Butterflies
Butterfly Photos
Butterfly News
Butterfly List
Rare Butterflies
Dragonflies
Critters, Bugs, & Stuff
Lost Maples
Garner State Park
Local Site Guide

Home
Our E-mail

All photographs within this site are copyrighted
and may not be used without permission.
All Rights Reserved.
© M. and K. Heindel 2004-2018
www.utopianature.com