This is the Wilson's Snipe at Utopia Park. It
was called Common Snipe recently but it has changed
back to the original name. It was lumped during the
lumping craze with the Eurasian species, Common Snipe,
so had to take that name. Now they realize the lump
was not justified (was bs), so it was recently re-split
and the old name then revived.
Dec. 4 ~ A chilly 27F to start the day. At least
the wind finally laid down. Can tell there is a
Sharpy or two out there early by the dearth of
birds on the seed. Eventually most of the regulars
came in. Town run and a park check. Kingfishers
showed well around the pond, Ringed, Belted, and
Green (male) were all present. First Green I have
seen in a month. The Zone-tailed Hawk was circling
around too. It briefly landed right at edge of
pond in a big Cypress. The best bird was a Wilson's
Snipe, which is very hard to get at the park, I
have only seen a couple or few. It was at a
wet spot up by the island, in habitat any would
say is better for Woodcock with trees all around.
Alas, it was a snipe. I have seen fewer Snipe at
the park than Timberdoodle. Hardly any birds in
the woods, they are bare for bugs and such. We
hit a toasty 60F in the afternoon, pretty nice.
A pairacara flew by at last sun.
Dec. 3 ~ It was 29F just before 7 a.m., so might
have dropped another dF. Thin layer of ice on the
birdbath. The wind blew much of the night, was calmish
early in the moring but picked up again fairly soon
and was 10-15mph gusting 20-25 much of the day.
A blower of a day. Just as well to be inside
working. The temp may have broken 50F but it never
felt like it. Birds are the same gang. About 20
each of Am. Goldfinch and Pine Siskin today.
Seems cold enough to see a Junco but still looking.
The aquatic plants in the tub pond are not liking
the chill. I expect most to die off, hopefully
some will come back, but collecting more is easy.
The river water temp generally does not get much
below 60F, save at surface during prolonged freezes.
The tub is below that now.
Dec. 2 ~ A toasty 37F low, 20F warmer than yesterday!
Another front passed after noon, dry, but more wind.
Was 15-20 gusting to 25 mph, pretty blown out. Too
much work to do but see the same gang around the yard.
Before it was light when I went to spread seed, there
was an unseen Turkey gobbling right across the road
from the gate, real close. Whaddabird! Was nice to
open and warm up, air out with some dry. In plants,
the tender-leafed stuff is shot after that hard freeze.
Wilted leaves with that purple tinge of death on the
Lantana and Frostweed. And of course the tomatoes,
though we had grabbed the last few the day before.
Saw nothing different in yard, but was at desk all day.
It was the same there too. Typing, writing, phone calls,
emails, spreadsheets, you know the drill.
Dec. 1 ~ The new month arrived from the North Pole
apparently, it was 17F here this morning. I saw KERV
showed 20. Cold air sinks into the bottom half of
the valley here, so we are in a cold spot. It is
warmer up at Vanderpool a few hundred feet higher.
Bird bath was frozen rock solid. I hang a gallon jug
of warmed water over it to drip on it which seems to
work well enough that the birds can get sips quickly,
until it thaws. The record low at SAT this date is 28F,
so I can't imagine that this was not record
cold. Nothing different for birds. About 15 each
of Pine Siskin and Am. Goldfinch spent much of the
day sucking seed down here. The rest was the same
gang of repeat offenders. One imm. Golden-fronted
Woodpecker is visiting the sunflower seed feeder,
so you know the pecan crop is over and out. Did
finally warm up late in afternoon, to 58F or so.
I missed the highlight of the day. Kathy saw a
Gray Fox up in a Juniper eating berries! They are
great climbers. TPWD published a pic about 15 years
ago of one once 15' up in the top of a Century
Plant (the Agave with the tall spike of yellow flowers)
eating pollen and nectar off the flowers.
We got an inch of rain at the end of the month, finally.
The river is more than a couple feet below going over
the spillway, closer to three. We are at about D3 for
drought level, extreme. It is bad out there. Generally
it was mild with only a couple barely freezes, more often
it was slightly above average temperatures. The weak
pecan crop seemed exhausted by the end of the month
at least around our place. Hackberries are few now too.
There are no bugs save Cucumber Beetles, the insectivores
and frugivores will not stick around long is my guess.
Butterflies were low in overall numbers, but ok for
diversity. Due to the mild temps, we got a slightly
extended season. It was 42 species, which is in the
bottom half of November diversity totals, though thrilling
after last years' worst ever Nov. at 20 species.
Most was at the last of the Blue Mist Eupatorium bloom
at our front porch which kept going all month. Best
was a White-patched Skipper which allowed photos. It
is the 3rd or 4th I have seen this year, of this LTA -
less-than-annual, species. Mimosa Yellow and Ocola
Skipper were the next best. The best one got away.
I saw a very large black swalowtail with color only on
the hindwing, which was surely a Ruby-spotted Swallowtail.
The photo record I have here that is the only UvCo
record was in November. I watched it fly away across the
yard, having just departed the Blue Mistflower and
Tropical Sage area. That will sting awhile.
Odes were mostly done for the month early. Just a few
strays left flying in November. A few Variegated and
Autumn Meadowhawk showed up as expected, some late straggler
Red Saddlebags and Green Darner, and that was about it.
A couple days there were some Bluets out over the pond
at the park, Familiar or Stream, probably the former.
The ode of the month was a Great Spreadwing in yard on
Nov. 1. Six species for the month, and it won't
get any better until March at the earliest, if lucky.
Birds were great for only seeing 79 species for the
month. Didn't get out much. Several scarcer things
were seen, and of course lots of the winter birds show up
in November. The 3 Green Jays which appeared Oct. 19
continued through the month off and on around our place.
More were at the park in town, I saw one in town itself
fly across Cypress St. The other mega rary was a Cactus
Wren on Nov. 1, my first local photo record, it is
accidental here. Also on the 1st, a Sage Thrasher on
UvCo 361 was good (LTA). A Red-breasted Nuthatch was
here Nov. 1-6. A Calliope Hummingbird from Oct. 31 made
it to Nov. 2. It was followed by a Broad-tailed Nov. 4-6,
and a Rufous Nov. 8-16. Great was a Winter Wren (LTA) at
the park Nov. 2. A couple Gambell's White-crowned
Sparrow were in our yard. So a handful of LTA species
provided a little bit of interesting data spice.
~ ~ ~ update header Nov. archive copy ~ ~ ~
November! On the 1st, a CACTUS WREN was at the
golf course pond by W'vl, providing my first
photo record locally. I have only seen a couple
poorly in 17 years here. Then on UvCo361 the 1st,
a SAGE THRASHER was great, far less than annual
here for me. Kathy spotted the FOS Red-breasted
Nuthatch at the bath the 1st, which continued to
Nov. 6. A CALLIOPE Hummingbird from Oct. 31
continued to Nov. 2. Also Nov. 2 there was a
WINTER WREN at the park in town, first in a few
years here for me. An imm. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
was at our feeders Nov. 4-6. A FOS Golden-crowned
Kinglet was at the park Nov. 6, two were there on
Nov. 13. American Goldfinch FOS was heard on
Nov. 6, seen Nov. 7. At least 4 (and probably 6)
GREEN JAY were at Utopia Park Nov. 8, two were
across the river from park Nov. 11, and I heard
at least one there on Nov. 13. A Zone-tailed
Hawk has been at the park lately, and Ringed
Kingfisher has been regular, often upriver a
bit by island. A pair of Wood Duck were on the
river a couple miles south of town Nov. 15, they
have been absent locally lately. A couple Verdin
were south of town, also the 15th. An imm. or female
Rufous or Allen's Hummingbird was at our
feeders Nov. 8-16. My FOS Cedar Waxwing were 25
on Nov. 17. Saw a Green Jay in town Nov. 20, and
three again in our yard Nov. 21 and 22. A White-patched
Skipper Nov. 22-25 was great. The 22nd a Pine
Siskin flock numbered 25. Some Red-naped Sapsucker
have been around, have seen a few this fall so far.
On the 26th I was thankful for a single flock of
waxwings of a hundred plus birds, with Robins at
80+, which all seemed to visit the birdbath for
a great show.
Nov. 30 ~ And there went another one, just one to go.
It was a chilly start at 36F with 10-15 mph winds
on it, so chills in upper 20's F. Feels like
winter. In the afternoon the winds laid down and
it warmed to near 60F and was quite nice. As soon
as the sun went down you could tell it is going to
be a cold one. Hard freeze predicted tomorrow morn.
Was the same gang here, nothing different to report.
Statewide however, it is red hot for rare birds.
There are all sorts of spectacular bird reports
around the state. A Clark's Nutcracker out
in Alpine, TX, and a flocklet of Common Redpoll at
Smith Pt. on the east side of Galveston Bay. There
are Pacific-slope Flycatchers at San Antonio, and I
think Karnes City. The Rio Grande Valley way down
south has Elegant Trogon and Rose-throated Becards,
and Del Rio a Rufous-capped Warbler. It is pretty
hoppin' out there for rare birds if you are in
the right place, a vagrant magnet. I wish we were.
Nov. 29 ~ A sunny chilly 36F here at dawn. Amazing
to see the ground wet, that inch of rain yesterday
was awesome. After a quiet couple hours, around
10 a.m. the northerlies began arriving, let the
blowout commence. I bet there are some new birds
out there behind this frontal passage though. In
the afternoon it really got going at 20 mph with
gusts at 25-30. A good day to hunker down. The
Cardinals number a couple dozen now. At least a
couple Field Sparrow still here, Chipping Sparrow
are about 30 today, a couple White-crowned and a
Lincoln's sneaking are around the edges of
cover. Half-dozen House Finch, 3 Am. Goldfinch,
8 Pine Siskin, some Robin and Waxwing, but not a
lot. Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker.
Nov. 28 ~ Temps dropped from about 56F at midnight
to 52 or so at sunup, with rain beginning prior to
dawn. It was a cold slow soaker all day. About
11 a.m. I had my FOS Brewer's Blackbirds, a dozen
were over the yard. They were late to get here this
fall. By 4 p.m. we had an inch of the precious holy
wet stuff. I checked the park noonish in the light
showers, saw Ringed and Belted Kingfisher but that
was it. As usual in drought times, it will be a winter
of fewer passerines. Little Creek Larry said the (park)
pond came up over an inch though. We needed this
worse than badly. Stayed in the low 50's all
day, it was a cold wet one. Should clear and get
cold before tomorrow morning, with a strong northerly
post-frontal blow. So a washout followed by a
blowout for the weekend.
This is a first fall Red-naped Sapsucker. Of the
Yellow-bellied and Red-naped, adults have a big
black chest crescent not present here yet, and clean
unmuddied underparts. So it is a young bird of the
year. Young Yellow-bellied do not get adult type
black and white head until the first spring, staying
muddy brown washed of head through the first fall and
winter until spring. So far it has been an above
average year for Red-naped here, I have seen a few,
and do not get one every fall or winter.
~ ~ ~ last prior udate below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 27 ~ Was in the low 50's around midnight,
about 60F at daybreak. With some mist and drizzle,
which is supposed to become actual rain tonight.
Saw the Texan Crescent (butterfly) on the Blue Mist
again today, and the tiny Sleepy Orange as well.
First bird I heard whilst tossing seed as it gets
light was a White-crowned Sparrow. Saw a Lincoln's
Sparrow out back, so one still here. Town run day
and a look at the park. One Red-shouldered Hawk
out front of park. Ringed and Belted Kingfisher
were at the pond. Heard one and saw another (at
same time) sapsucker, presumedly Yellow-bellied,
but the one I saw was too far across river to tell.
Heard Blue Jay. At least 5 Mestra (butterfly) in
the woods. One Red-tailed Hawk. The rest was the
regulars. Back here at the hovelita in the afternoon
there were about 3 dozen Robin that came in for a
drink, a few Waxwing with them. Another Red-shouldered
Hawk was calling toward river here. Saw three Am.
Goldfinch. The skunk (Striped) was scavenging
sunflower seeds at dusk, so neat to see.
Nov. 26 ~ Happy big bird day Turkeys! Hope all had
a stuffed day! A chilly start here at 37F. A small
flock of Robin (20+) and Waxwing (20+) were around a
bit in the Hackberry and Juniper for berries before
9 a.m., which grew over the morning to the most of
each I have seen together all at once so far this fall.
They all seemed to hit the birdbath to wash down (juniper
or hack-) berries. Had to refill the bath, which is a
manual, not an automatic. After 10 it was over 100 waxwing
in the single flock that flushed and returned to the
big pecan. Robins were 80+. At least a few
White-crowned Sparrow still around, they seem to be
sticking, which is nice. Saw the Scrub-Jay move
through yard silently. Misted a bit before noon.
Didn't get sunny until later afternoon, but
then finally did get to about 72F or so. Did not see
the White-patched Skipper today, maybe 37F was too
cold for its sub-tropical blood. Did have a Texan
Crescent and an Elada Checkerspot though. Both are
new for the month. We took an hour walk over to
river and checked the wet spot with some flowers
at peak heat but they were mostly toast. One Little
Yellow and a Mestra was it. Saw maybe a dozen
Cardinal, and over at river an Eastern Phoebe, four
Titmouse (B-c), Carolina Chickadee, Field Sparrow,
one probable Lincoln's Sparrow got away.
Nov. 25 ~ About 54F for a low, light northeast flow,
dry and sunny, wonderful. Heard Audubon's
Oriole and Ringed Kingfisher out there early.
Maybe 20 Robin mid-morn, a few Waxwing, a few
Siskin, two American Goldfinch, a couple White-crowned
Sparrow, a Myrtle Warbler and a Kinglet (Ruby).
In the afternoon saw the White-patched Skipper, now
at day 4 here. Other butterflies were an Orange
Sulphur, a few So. Dogface, a Queen, a Sleepy Orange,
and a few dozen Snout, single Gulf and a Variegated
Frits. Still Cucumber Beetle flying. Too work busy.
Nov. 24 ~ It was about 64F at dawn, but was lower
at midnight. Lots of low stratus with strong
southerlies 10-20 mph. Heard a Ringed Kingfisher
over at river early in morning. Heard a Flicker
out there too, nice to hear, a sound of winter here.
The deer are eating sunflower seeds off the patio
and where we toss them. I saw one nose the feeder.
We have never had this before. There are a thousand
acres of browse in any direction. There was a great
spring and summer flower bloom, so it looks like
there is a good browse crop despite the fall failure.
Saw the White-patched Skipper on the Blue Mist Eup
again today, day 3. It got up to 80F in the afternoon
here. Saw a few Robin and Waxwing in morn, one Hermit
Thrush over in Junipers. Kathy saw an adult White-crowned
Sparrow at the bath. After dark saw a Firefly
larvae glowing in the grass, and the (Striped) skunk.
Nov. 23 ~ A bit of a front passed overnight, dry
northerlies briefly. Low was about 52F or so, but
winds had turned back to south quickly and low
stratus is here. There were a couple dozen Robin
and nearly as many Cedar Waxwing feeding in the
Junipers just over the north fence. The Hermit
Thrush that is hanging out in them is probably not
thrilled to see the berry raiders. Kathy spotted a
flicker at the bath, but it flew before I got there
with camera. It had a gray face and a red moustache
but Kathy said wings were orangish when it flew,
so it was likely an intergrade. Which are regular
here. Sure would love a flicker pic at the bath.
Then Kathy spotted an Orange-crowned Warbler at
the bath. It went in for the full monty spa treatment,
allowing my best-ever shots of the orange crown
as it bathed (below). In the afternoon it was about 70F
when I saw the White-patched Skipper again. It
was only there briefly, but I got a shot or two in
focus to make up for yesterday. Not super sharp,
but good enough for ID and illustration. Only had some
low-res Mavica shots of them prior. Late in the
afternoon saw an ad. male Sharp-shinned Hawk get
a small bird but I couldn't tell what for
sure, it seemed a Titmouse maybe.
Nov. 22 ~ Was a repeat of the 52F or so, clear and
cool at midnight, and 60F, and misting at dawn.
A flock of Pine Siskin here in the a.m. was 25
birds, the most I have seen so far this fall.
Seems a bit slow out there. In the afternoon there
was a White-patched Skipper on the few Blue Mist
flowers left. Have I mentioned lately how the
Canon autofocus on the SX40 blows. Maybe the 3rd or
4th of this LTA - less-than-annual, species this year.
There was a Kestrel and an imm. Sharp-shinned Hawk in
a full blown fight right over the house in the afternoon.
Kestrel was screaming, they went after each other
several times as they circled. The Green Jays
came in for a drink in the afternoon, I had heard
them over in draw earlier. Got a couple better shots
at the bath. We did an hour walk to crossing and
back. Figured might be some sun for pix in the
afternoon. About 3:30 as we were leaving it showered,
the advertised sunny afternoon did not materialize.
There was one area with some birds, where there were
some Hackberry with berries. A couple dozen Cardinal,
a handful of Robin, couple Kinglet (Ruby), couple
Myrtle Warbler, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, some
Titmouse (Black-crested), and a sapsucker. Which
looked like the same first-fall Red-naped I had
in the yard and photo'd in corral ten days ago.
Nov. 21 ~ Low was just after midnight, about 50F,
I saw KERV was 48F! By 7 a.m. it was 62 or more.
The gulf flow is back with its low stratus, e.g.,
humidity. Pretty slow over the morning until
around 10 when 3 Green Jay showed up. I got a
couple pics that show a very distended gular pouch,
so they are cacheing sunflower seeds. Whaddabird!
After a half hour of them in and out of yard, it
fairly promptly went back to mundane. So it went:
dead, dead, nothing, dead, followed by a brief
flurry of WOW, OMG, Cheeses!, Holy smokes!, and
epic, and then I was returned to the regular
programming. This is birding in a nutshell.
After all day of nothing, about 4 p.m. Kathy
saw them at the bath, they flew north toward
the draw after drinks. I got one shot of
the last one at the bath. Sure seems weird
to watch three Green Jay fly out of the pecan
over to the junipers on their way to the draw.
I still cannot get over we are seeing them in
our yard! For me, this is the stuff dreams are
made of. Heard a couple Pyrrhuloxia over in the
corral late in afternoon.
For the photo break this week you get what
is often considered one of the most dull and
unimpressive of warblers, that hides a secret.
Seeing the common bird in an uncommon way is
every bit as rewarding as any super-mega rarity.
The Orange-crowned Warbler was named after the part
you are least likely to see. Normally the orange
feathers are concealed under an outer layer of olive
crown feathers. Your best chance to see it is when
they bathe. This is the full monty of orange, and
crown. The BurgerKing style crown effect is a fluke
of bathing. The wet head feathers when seperated
to wash, buff and polish the orange fuzz ball of a
pileum, turned into an actual crownish type affair.
This photo shows maximum orange, and crown. You can
see hundreds over years and not see this much orange,
or crown. This is apparently the king of Orange-crowned
Warblers.
and because one is not enough...
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 20 ~ Low was about 60F, some low stratus,
breezy southerlies. Saw the skunk go into a
burrow under the old unused well at dawn.
After 10 a.m. I heard both Green Jay and
Audubon's Oriole upslope behind us in the
live-oaks and juniper. They went silent after
a Sharpy dove and missed on the sunflower feeder.
Town run, so a park check. Four Myrtle Warbler,
a couple Kinglet (Ruby) and one Hutton's
Vireo was it for the park. In town on Cypress St.
a Green Jay flew across the street in front of me,
just north of Jackson. So they are in town!
Weewow! Little Creek Larry said out on 355
(Lee St.) he has had a Harris's Hawk, and
a couple Pyrrhuloxia.
Nov. 19 ~ It was mid-50's at midnight, and
almost 60 at dawn with some low stratus. Last
step outside at midnight last night the Striped
Skunk was scavenging sunflower seeds under the
Mulberry by the cottage. I love seeing them.
What a beautiful animal. I heard a Ringed
Kingfisher over at the river first thing early.
Looked like 4 White-crowned Sparrow out back.
A couple Robin, a half-dozen Pine Siskin, a
Myrtle Warbler, the regulars. In the afternoon
a Hermit Thrush was eating the Lantana berries
at the front porch. First of that I have seen.
Seems a bit quiet out there. Maybe some accipters
around again.
Nov. 18 ~ Wow it froze! Low was 30F here! NOAA
progged KERV for 40, off by a category again! I
told Kathy last night at 9 p.m. it was going to get
way colder than they said. Bummer was finding a
dead imm. White-crowned Sparrow out back by the
fenceline. Especially since it was an orange-billed,
gray-lored, Gambell's (western) type. Thought
I saw an orange bill on one of the immatures the
other day but it flew off quickly. This is not
the way I wanted to photograph it. Then in the
afternoon Kathy saw an orange-billed gray-lored
adult White-crowned Sparrow at the bath. So there
were probably two Gambell's here at once.
On the orange-billed birds, the bill is much deeper
at the base, so more of an equilateral triangle.
The usual and more common here pink-billed
black-lored eastern type (leucophrys) has a much
longer thinner-based bill. The Gambell's
seems fairly regular here (most years I see
a few) in low numbers. More as you go south
and westward into the brush country. Scarce in
the hills.
Nov. 17 ~ Low of 38F, dry, clear and crisp, great.
Kathy spotted a Striped Skunk out back right before
I went to toss seed before 7 a.m. Sure would like
a good pic of one. What a beautiful animal. At
least a dozen Pine Siskin on the sunflower seed.
Heard one of the White-crowned Sparrow giving a
couple intro notes of song. Four ought to be
enough for a chorus. Mid-morn a flock of 25
Cedar Waxwing were my FOS, though thought I might
have heard a single a couple times in last week.
A dozen Robin were with them. Not much for
Hackberries here for them. Some Junipers have
decent berry crops, but many around us do not,
presumedly from that hail storm in May that
wiped out the Pecan and Hackberry crops locally.
In the afternoon an American Pipit flew low over
the house calling, looking like it was going to
go down on the grass airstrip maybe. Saw 3 imm.
White-crowned Sparrow at once, so with the two
adults, there are 5 here. It's a flocklet!
We did not see any hummingbird today. Heard a
Kinglet (Ruby). Kathy killed a record-late I
think Scorpion tonight.
Nov. 16 ~ I saw 34F at 7 a.m., KERV hit 31 at 7:30
so it may have been colder than what I saw here.
Sunny and clear, without the stiff breeze and so
pretty nice. Got up to about 74F. White-crowned
Sparrows still out there. The Pine Siskin flock
was 11 birds in the afternoon. A few Robin around.
Heard a Verdin about 3 p.m., saw two American
Goldfinch. Mostly too busy at the desk. Saw a
Reakirt's Blue and a Mimosa Yellow on the Blue
Mist Eupatorium. Still a couple Lesser Goldfinch
around, several House Finch are about as well.
Saw an Anole take a Cucumber Beetle.
Nov. 15 ~ Front hit after midnight sometime. Low
was about 55F, with 10-15 mph northerlies, gusting
20-30. Shoulda run out yesterday, too much work.
It is rough birding when all the trees are shaking.
I know I have said it before but the two things we
tend to use and key in most on for avian detection
are sound and motion. Lots of wind kills both.
Toss in falling leaves in fall to add to the confusion,
and the birds themselves hunkering down in it, and
detection can become a challenge. You have to reset
your filter for avian motion only, and work the lees.
We had 4 White-crowned Sparrow at once at the bath,
2 ad. and 2 imm., so it seems they are kinda sorta
sticking. It is the stick piles we have around
the yard since no understory for most of it. Just
enough cover. Did not detect the Ruf-All Hummer
again today. We walked over to and around the river
from here and at least moved for a mile. There is a
low spot that always has water in an overflow channel
we checked. There was a patch of still-blooming
Aster and Bluehearts there that had butterflies.
At least 5 Mestra, an Orange Skipperling, a False
Duskywing, several each Vesta and Phaon Crescent,
Sleepy Orange and Little Yellow, Lyside Sulphur,
Vareigated Frit, one Ceraunus Blue, numbers of Snout,
a Queen. A nice little patch of action.
Then over on the river a pair of Wood Duck flushed
before I saw them durnit. Watched them fly away upriver,
where they went down around the corner. They have been
absent, as usual when we are in drought. These surely
are migrants from northward and not local birds. A
great FOS date for them. In wet times when we have some
locally, you can't easily tell when the wintering
birds from northward arrive. We also had a sapsucker
that was an immature Red-naped. It may have been the
one that was in the corral Friday. A Golden-fronted
Woodpecker kept displacing it, not too happy about its
presence.
Late afternoon I heard Verdin out front, which I have
not been seeing lately. Grabbed binocs, it was TWO
Verdin! Twice as many as I have ever seen together
here. One was flitting its wings at the other, as
they called lots, while on either side of an old
Lesser Goldfinch nest. I'd love if they made a
roost nest here. A couple Caracara flew by. Just
before last sun a Gray Fox worked across the yard,
haven't seen one in a while. Now that it is
cooler in the day, they can be active before dark.
Nov. 14 ~ Low was 68F with some fog-mist early. Did
not cool off last night. Was busy with biz work in
the office so no out and about. Saw those 6 big
bearded Toms (Turkey) over in the corral. They walk
around like it is not November. Kathy saw the Lincoln's
Sparrow at the bath. I heard Kinglet (Ruby) and Myrtle
Warbler. Butterflies were good in the 80F afternoon
heat. First of month was an Orange Skipperling on the
Blue Mist Eupatorium which still has a few flowers, and
Anoles hunting them. Also saw a Fiery Skipper, a
Sachem, a Mestra, great was a late Soldier, even if
the smallest one I have ever seen. Saw Gulf, and Variegated
Frits, Large Orange and Lyside Sulphur, Sleepy Orange,
So. Dogface, Snout, and a big Swallowtail that got away
which looked like a Ruby-spotted. That one sorta stings.
The mccallii screech-owls were calling after dark. I did
not see or hear the Ruf-All Hummer today.
this week you get a couple moths ...
This is an Obscure Sphinx (Erinnyis obscura) moth.
The orange-red is the hindwing, only a bit of the base shows.
In normal perched posture the wings are closed over them,
imagine trying to spot that on a tree trunk.
This is a Texas Wasp Moth (Horama panthalon texana), a moth that
mimics a wasp. Most would be hesitant to grab this harmless moth.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 13 ~ Happy Friday the 13th! In 2020, what
could go wrong? Low about 54F, some clear in skies
at first, but only for an hour or so, whence clouded up.
Saw the hummer this morning, but not well enough
to tell anything new about its identity. Saw a
couple Jays fly from the big live-oaks behind us
towards the draw. Was bad light but they looked
like Green Jays, and seems like if they were Scrub-Jay
one would have called when they flew. Edit update:
flight was level and entirely powered, not undulating
with close-winged glides, so they were Green Jays.
Then had a sapsucker which flew over the house and
into the Mulberry, then into corral. Where I found it
mining sap wells in a Hackberry. It is another (!)
first-fall (hatch-year) Red-naped Sapsucker. It is not
the one I had earlier which was more advanced of pluamge.
It is likely that other sap I have seen zip around
a few times but not gotten a look at yet.
Town run so a park check. There was a great chorus
of Red-winged Blackbird out front of the park on
Cypress St. in the big XXL Mulberry tree. At park
in the woods there were a couple Golden-crowned
Kinglet, a Ringed Kingfisher upriver of the island,
a Zone-tailed Hawk circled over the woods when I was
in them, and a sapsucker got away that looked like
another (!) first-fall Red-naped. An Audubon's
Oriole called from the willows across the river just
above spillway. I heard a Green Jay up on the island
right when I got out of the car, then as I was leaving
I heard a Green Jay across the river. Also heard Blue
Jay as usual. Nice list of birds for a quick stop.
There were at least 4 Myrtle Warbler in the trees
around Rosie's taco trailer, recorded as part
of my ongoing research at that site.
Nov. 12 ~ Low was about 57F, low clouds, some mist.
Heard the hummer again, only. Saw 15 or so Robin,
heard an Am. Goldfinch, I presume the one here
several days now. Heard Siskin squeak over. Still
raining leaves. A couple White-crowned Sparrow
are an ad. and an immature. Saw the Texas
Powdered-Skipper again, a couple Monarch went
through, one Orange Sulphur, a couple Sleepy
Orange, a couple Queen, probably the same
Vesta Crescent and Comm. Checkered-Skipper as
the last couple days. Not much left flying out
there now. It got up to about 80F, but nice since
dry, in the afternoon. One accipiter-induced
flushing of the Chipping Sparrow flock seemed like
50 birds now. At least a half-dozen Field here,
one Lincoln's and no Lark Sparrow. Time for
a White-throated and a Swamp.
Nov. 11 ~ Low was about 48f! I saw KERV was
in upper 40's from midnight to 7:30 a.m.
Refreshing. Heard the hummer fly off early but
did not see it, again. Had to run to town early,
which is great, it means a couple of Rosie's
egg, chorizo and cheese breakfast tacos to bring home,
and a quick look at the park. Saw a Belted and heard
a Ringed Kingfisher upriver. Couple Myrtle Warbler.
Nearing leaving time I heard two Green Jay across
the river in the Cypresses. I saw branches moving
but could not spot them. Anyway at least two are
still there, and great to get another date for
them. Heard Blue Jays in the woods. A couple dozen
Robin scattered along the way. Was too busy here
to look much all day. Had a Monarch at the park,
and one here. Kathy saw a White-crowned Sparrow
come into bath, so at least one of them still here.
Heard a Kinglet (Ruby), at least one Myrtle Warbler
here too. At times it was raining leaves pretty
seriously. The Hackberry and Pecan trees in
particular are shedding heavy now.
Nov. 10 ~ Was clear and dry at midnight, low clouds
and mist at dawn. Low about 64F. Front due in
by noon whence northerlies. Heard a hummer fly away
again, still have not seen it. As the front was
approaching, about 11 a.m. I saw NOAA readings for
Del Rio were 22 percent humidity behind the front,
whilst in Uvalde it was 100 percent in fog. We
cleared about noon. Finally about 3:p I saw the
hummer just enough to say it is a Rufous or Allen's
type of Selasphorus. Nice Selasphorus wave here
lately after the last Ruby-throated left. First a
Calliope Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, then a Broad-tailed
Nov. 4-6, and now a Ruf-All Nov. 8-10 so far.
In the afternoon there were 6 Turkey in the corral.
A Texas Powdered-Skipper was on the few Blue Mist
flowers left. Saw a Vesta Crescent, a Checkered-Skipper
(Common), Sleepy Orange, Variegated Fritillary,
a Monarch, a Mestra, it is fading fast folks.
Watched the 3 hummer feeders at last sun and saw
nothing. Two imm. Sharp-shinned Hawk were in yard.
One Cooper's soared over high, likely a migrant.
Late 7 Sandhill Crane flew over silently southbound.
Nov. 9 ~ Low of 66F is a bit balmy for November.
A few specks of mist in the low stratus, and a
bit breezy. The front yard pecans are yellow
now, they were green last Monday. In one week. Of
course lots of wild (natural) ones are already fairly
leafless. The Hackberry are really dropping leaves now,
and what leaves are still on the Mulberry are at peak
yellow. Some of the Cypress along the river are in
full flaming rust, but not dropping needles (leaflets)
yet, so look great. It looks like winter is coming with
all the bare trees. We remain on the mild side for
temps though, still in mid-to-upper 70's to 80F
or so lately, and for this week again per forecast.
Benign is fine. Heard a hummingbird and did not
see it, again. A Kestrel was across road over in
river habitat corridor. Otherwise it was the same
gang. Contra the forecast, it stayed cloudy all day,
just a few peeks of sun late in day.
Nov. 8 ~ Again was clear and 55F at midnight, and
nearly foggy and 62F at dawn. The gulf flow. It
actually misted a few times early. Second day
without a hummer or nuthatch sighting here.
The Broad-tail did 3 days, just like the Calliope
a couple days before it. Enough time to pack some
pounds, er, nanograms, on for the next flight leg.
Which BTW, why do they call flight segments, legs?
Kathy has some hay fever or something bothering an
eye, so I went to park myself, dirty thankless job
and all that.
Got about the best new park bird I could ask for.
GREEN JAYS! With poor docushots, but a GJ pic in
the park. First I heard some across the river near
top of the island. I took a long distance shot of
one in a pecan across river, whence it promptly
took off, flew over river straight at me and landed
in a Cypress right over my head. At least two more
quickly followed into the northmost end of the natural
area in the woods. All kinds of calling, the full
monty of vocalizations as they foraged in the trees
kibbutzing. I could not believe what I was seeing and
hearing. Standing in a spot I stood a couple thousand
times, without any Green Jays except in my dreams. And
there they were calling seemingly every call type including
the hawk imitation call. As they moved away I counted
four birds. They went north into the (private prop.)
big live-oak motte adjacent north of park. I went south
through woods to main park area, where there were two
more Green Jay in the live-oaks there in main park area.
But only two. So it seems like there were six total.
I don't see how they would have split up, and two
got that far that fast, without me hearing them on the
way. While I was trying to get a docushot of those two,
an adult Zone-tailed Hawk flew over. Can't help but
wonder if it is the immature that wintered often roosting
in the park last year. When I first got to the park, I
watched an 5.5 foot Indigo Snake swim across the river
from the island to the other side. It was amazing how
fast it was in the water.
The golf course pond by the Waresville Cmty. had
nothing but 20 Red-winged Blackbird and a couple
Dainty Sulphur. A distant flock of Meadowlark was
on the driving range area. Heard a couple Audubon's
Oriole at the 360 xing. At last light I heard a
hummingbird fly off a feeder here, but did not see it.
Is the Broad-tailed still here or is there something
else? Stay tuned, don't touch that dial!
Nov. 7 ~ Low was about 52F for a few hours after
midnight, but was near 60 by sunup, the Gulf flow
return of low stratus. I did not see any hummer
early, nor did we detect the Nuthatch today. There
was a FOS American Goldfinch at the sunflower tube,
so I am beyond sure that is indeed what I heard
across the road yesterday. Some Robin around for
a bit, the two Scrub-Jay showed, a couple Kinglet
(Ruby). Best bird though Kathy saw at the bath,
a Nashville Warbler. A great late date, only a
very few early Nov. sightings. Had work biz to
do so didn't get out. Otherwise was just the
repeat offenders in the yard. Will make sure to
sneak out tomorrow.
This is a Green Jay at Utopia Park Nov. 8, in bad light.
Surprisingly easy to overlook, especially when silent.
It is species #270 for the park list, in 15 acres. There
were at least four, probably six that day. Two were heard
across the river from park on Nov. 11. The yellow is
the underside of the tail.
a bonus pic...
This one was at our birdbath Oct. 21. Green Jay is a bird worth seeing.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 6 ~ Low about 55F, some low stratus from the
Gulf. Saw the hummer early, and it finally called,
but not until after I could see it is absolutely a
Broad-tailed, now on day 3. A kinglet (Ruby) was
on the edge of birdbath a few times briefly. It
looked three White-crowned Sparrow out back, so,
still, for about 4 days now, as with the half-dozen
Pine Siskin. Kathy heard the Nuthatch. Afternoon
one (2nd winter) Audubon's Oriole came in for a
quick drink. Town run so a stop at the park. Only
new item was a FOS Golden-crowned Kinglet, always
great to hear. Barred Owl was there and called a bit
for ambiance. Little Creek Larry said he had some
Gadwall there last weekend one morning. He also said
he has never seen a Cactus Wren locally here, to put
that rarity in perspective, and he has been here forever.
Thought sure I heard an American Goldfinch across
the road in the draw a few times. Thought I might
have heard one yesterday too but blew it off since
distant.
Nov. 5 ~ It was about 51F at midnight last night,
and was 62F at sunup this morning. The south Gulf
flow and low stratus is back. Saw the hummer early,
before good light, but it is a Broad-tailed. Big
as an Anna's, bright green, peach wash on
sides, big tail extends past wings. Had another
brief look in afternoon, still looks Broad-tailed
in better light, and still has not called. About
6 Pine Siskin came in to sunflower seed feeder spillage.
A Robin was in the pecan squawking, the Red-breasted
Nuthatch was around a couple times at least.
Still White-crowned and Lincoln's Sparrows
to go with the Chipping and Field. The slow fall
defoliation continues. Got up to 80F at some WU
local stations, was 76 in shade on front porch.
Monarch was on the Blue Mist, plus a couple Queen.
Caught the Lincoln's Sparrow inside the
cottage and let it out. How does one come about
to repeatedly flying into a (an admittedly rustic)
building with a door open? Distance from bird: in
hand. Which I wish to report was distincly better
than two poor looks in the bush.
Nov. 4 ~ Low was 38F, still nice and dry and
sunny, but we need rain. Kathy saw the Nuthatch
come in to the bath a couple times between 9 and
10. Not seeing any hummingbird though. Still at
least a couple white-crowned Sparrow. At least
four (big bearded toms) Turkey over in the corral.
In the afternoon I was in the cottage with door
open getting birdseed to toss and a Linclon's
Sparrow flew in the doorway into the room, circled
around me and flew back out, landing on the patio
just off the step, which was when ID was made.
?A Hermit Thrush was at the bath, which is likely
one hanging around, some junipers right over the
fence have berries. Later Kathy spotted a hummer
at the feeders a couple times late in afternoon.
It must have just showed up, we were 48 hours of
hummer free since the Calliope left Monday afternoon.
The light was bad but it looked like a Broad-tailed.
Was an imm. male. I silently begged for it to call
as it flew off, but noooooo.
Nov. 3 ~ Low was 33F, sunny and dry, wonderful.
Early saw the Red-breasted Nuthatch but not the
Calliope Hummingbird. I think it left yesterday
but as quick-of-visit as it was, it will take a
couple days to be sure. There were two Scrub-Jay
at the bath, we haven't seen or heard more
than one in about a month. Kathy saw a couple
White-crowned Sparrow come into the bath too.
Couple Turkey in the corral. Nearing noon and
over 70F, I saw a Julia's Skipper and a
Mimosa Yellow on the Blue Mist Eup at front porch.
Then an Ocola Skipper came in! A couple Queen,
a Gulf Frit, Large Orange Sulphur, Dogface,
Sleepy Orange, but leps are fading fast.
Nov. 2 ~ I saw 36F but 30 min. before peak low, when
KERV hit 32 briefly, it probably hit 34 here. Dry
and sunny, great. Saw about 35 Robin go by early.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch is still here, as is the
Calliope Hummingbird and 2 Pine Siskin. Two
Audubon's Oriole came in to the bath. These
are 2nd winter birds, which superficially look like
adults, but the black head is not complete and the
underparts are very worn pale year-old feathers, not
the yellow of adults. Missed a shot though since cold,
window was closed. These are the same two that have
been visiting the bath every few weeks for the last
three plus months, so watching them change is great.
When I first got here 17 years ago I thought these were
first winter birds, they are not, they are second winter.
The standard field guide's coverage of the plumages
besides adults, has been weak at best. I had to learn
them myself by watching them, lots, closely, and taking
photos to study, for years. But which is about the
funnest thing you can do birding. Discovery.
A quick run to town before noon and a check of the
park. The woods had a couple Lincoln's Sparrow,
and heard at least one Sapsucker from the island,
neither were detected yesterday. Even better was the
first WINTER WREN I have seen in a few years. Calling
to get my attention, feeding amongst big water lily
leaves that are on bare mud now. Staying in the shade of
course so only barely an ID docushot. Heard a Belted
Kingfisher and a couple Myrtle Warbler, saw at least
5 White-crowned Sparrow at the entrance deco garden.
A couple Autumnal Meadowhawk were at top end of island,
after a probable FOS yesterday.
Back here there were at least 3 White-crowned and
2 Lincoln's Sparrow besides the usual Chippy
and Field Sparrows. One local Red-tailed Hawk in
the afternoon. A Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak came into
the Blue Mist Eup., fresh and mint, as was a Funereal
Duskywing that stopped by briefly. Sachem and Fiery
Skipper, Little Yellow and Sleepy Orange were there
too.
November 1 ~ Ten down and two to go. Low was 42F.
Nice sunny morning, but nothing different for birds
first few hours. Save some Robin going over, a dozen
or two, one came down to the bath like it knew it was
there. Heard a few Siskin. We did a couple and a
half hour spinabout to see how it looks post front.
Yesterday was the annual parade and dinner at the
school, and Halloween, so this morning the annual
town TP job was evident. There were a few Robin
everywhere, we saw over 50 total. Saw a couple
Flicker near the 360 xing, one was a good Red-shafted,
the other we leave as Northern Flicker. Water
flow at the 360 xing looks about 100 gallons per
minute, tops. A rivulet.
We checked the park, the woods were dead. A flock
of about 15 Common Grackle flew south on other side
of river. One Ringed Kingfisher flew by at north
end of island, that was it. Maybe it had been
accipitered recently. I heard a pipit fly over
town that sounded a Sprague's. Will let it go
but it probably was. Then we checked the pond by
the W'vl Cmty. On UvCo363 on way there was
an orange-billed gray-lored Gambell's White-crowned
Sparrow, a western type. At the pond still a few
dozen Red-winged Blackbird, 3 Savannah Sparrow, one
male Vermilion Flycatcher continues, a couple Mockingbird,
6 Robin, a White-crowned Sparrow, and the bird of the
day. Kathy spotted it inside one of the two little
Hackberry adjacent to pond, a CACTUS WREN. They are
very rare here, I have had a couple poor looks in
17 years, despite being common just south of us down
in the flatlands of the brush country. Got a couple
docushots. There are lots of extensive patches of
Prickly Pear here, that do not have any Cactus Wren.
Also at the pond had a quick look at what surely was
an Autumnal Meadowhawk dragonfly. Very few odes left
out there after the last week of cold mornings. One,
first-year (a foot-long) W. Ribbonsnake was in the
pond.
Then we went down to UvCo 361 and cruised the first
mile-and-a-half. Kathy saw a Vesper Sparrow, and we
saw one lone Chipping Sparrow. There were a hundred
Meadowlark, they looked Western to me but none ever
called, they are in fresh plumage when hard to tell
and I wasn't in a meadowlark mood. Best was
after a couple Mockers seeing a SAGE THRASHER along
the road, my first in a few years locally. Got a
poor docushot. Didn't see anything in the
pastures though, and no hawks or Say's Phoebe.
Then back here at the hovelita in the afternoon.
After lunch Kathy had a glimpse of a what she thought
sure was a Red-breasted Nuthatch at the birdbath.
A couple hours later it returned and drank. FOS.
We did not record one last winter, they are less than
annual here. About 2:30 I saw a Great Spreadwing
damselfly, I think the only one of the year, they are
less than annual here for me. It kept moving and so
no pho(to). Just before 4 p.m. I was near the front
porch when the Calliope Hummingbird flew in and tanked
up! Where is it spending all but one minute of the day?
Two days in a row. About 4:30 a Zone-tailed Hawk flew
low over the yard and worked upriver, only hawk of the
day. A couple Pine Siskin were on the patio. Half-dozen
Field Sparrow still here. Saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk
later in day. At last sun about 5:30 (!) the Calliope
Hummer came back.
What a selection of birds here today. The male Cardinal
are bright as heck again. Fair numbers of Eastern Bluebird
are around, it seems some winterers from elsewhere have
added to numbers. Saw a few Golden-fronted and a couple
Ladder-backed Woodpecker, lots of Black-crested Titmouse,
a few Carolina Chickadee, lots of Carolina Wren, a Caracara,
and Turkey were in the corral late. The goodies list
today was amazing: Cactus Wren, Sage Thrasher, Calliope
Hummingbird, Zone-tailed Hawk, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Ringed Kingfisher, Gambell's White-crowned Sparrow,
a Common Grackle flock, and a male Vermilion Flycatcher.
~ ~ ~ October summary ~ ~ ~
It was a dry one, the .65 of an inch late in
month was it. Was a little on the warmish side
to go with it. Fall flower bloom was very weak
due to the drought conditions. The river is at
least three feet below the spillway overflow.
Trees are drought stressed, we lose some every
big wind now. Saw a Ringtail here this month.
Butterflies were few on the grand scale, but
there were some great things seen. There was a
little bit of movement from the south. A Purple-washed
Skipper was probably best, on the 1st. My third
here, the only 3 UvCo records. I likely saw it again
subsequently a day or two later. A Coyote Cloudywing
was first in 4 years, and a White-patched Skipper was
one of only a few in the last five years. The Zebra
Longwing from late Sept. stayed 9 days to Oct. 6,
it was first in 4 years too. Anything less than
annual (LTA) is always great to record. Soldier
showed well, over a half-dozen stopped on our
Blue Mist Eupatorium.
The Blue Mist saved our butterfly fall here. It's
the Blue Mist man. When I was a kid it was the
Purple Haze. Now I am all grown up, and it is the
Blue Mist. It was awesome, whilst the local deco
gardens and even the library butterfly garden were
all but dead. We have one big Lantana, some Red
Turkscap, a Frostweed, the Frogfruit finished first
week of month. So not much, but there was so little
blooming out there it was a major magnet. Some days
had 25 species at the front porch, and it was where
all the rare stuff was seen. The visual net cast is
of course a big factor, I check it once or twice an
hour all day, every day. I count 50 species, essentially
all were seen from the front porch! Up 4 from Sept.,
but making August at 57 sps. the best lep month this year.
A couple Texas Wasp Moth showed well, and an Obscure
Sphinx (moth) was photographed.
Odes were weak. They were shot for the year early
this year. The drought is killin' 'em here
literally and figuratively. Much of the river is dry.
It was only the most common regular species, and
in general very few of them. Did get an October
Thornbush Dasher at the Waresville golf course pond.
The rest was very unremarkable. It was a dismal 13-14
species for the month. Last Pepsis Wasp was early
in month. A Hister Beetle was nice to see, came into
a night light. Firefly flamed out early, it was a poor
fall flight, a few larvae seen late in month, last
few adults were early in the month.
Birds were great, they always are in fall, especially
in Sept. and Oct. when everything is on the move.
There were two outstanding finds this month. Three GREEN
JAY visited our yard for a week Oct. 19-26. First
locally since the only area other record, winter of 2008-09.
Then at the park, a calling CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER on
the 14th is my first photo record locally, have seen
a couple prior but no pix. An imm. male Red-NAPED
Sapsucker tied my early date Oct. 4. A CATBIRD was
in our yard Oct. 24-26, and tardy Calliope Hummingbird
showed up Oct. 31. A Western type Yellow-breasted Chat,
late, on Oct. 23 is noteworthy. Might be the first ever
of that type I have postively seen here. I count a
hundred species I saw very locally around Utopia.
Others saw a few I didn't.
~ ~ ~ end October summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ October update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
October! The first good bird of the month is a
butterfly. On Oct. 1 a PURPLE-WASHED Skipper was
at our Blue Mist Eup for photos. Very rare this
far north, with only a few county records. My FOS
House Wren were two on Oct. 2. A bunch of FOS
birds on Oct. 4: Black-throated Green Warbler, a
record early Red-naped Sapsucker, a Kestrel, and
a Marsh Wren. Oct. 5 brought my FOS Orange-crowned
Warbler and a heard southbound Greater Yellowlegs.
In the last week the Hilbigs had Sandhill Crane,
Northern Harrier, and a female American Redstart
at their fountain the 7th, out W. Sabinal Rd.
A White-patched Skipper on the 8th on our Blue Mist
is a rary here. The Zebra from late Sept. was last
seen Oct. 6th. Lots of Monarch in the park woods.
My FOS Sharp-shinned Hawk was Oct. 11. Oct. 12 we had
Sandhill Cranes southbound on the northerlies.
A Coyote Cloudywing (butterfly) on Oct. 13 is the
first I have seen in four years. A CORDILLERAN
Flycatcher at Utopia Pk. Oct. 14 is a very rare find.
Oct. 16 the day after a big frontal passage brought
several FOS sightings of winter type birds: Northern
Flicker, Hermit Thrush, White-crowned Sparrow, and
American Pipit. Oct. 17 two FOS Spotted Towhee
were in our yard. Oct. 18 we saw FOS Vesper and
Savannah Sparrow, and Eastern Meadowlark. A Ringtail
(Cacomistle) on Oct. 20 was nice, as were a couple
FOS Pyrrhuloxia that day. Three GREEN JAY went
through our yard most days Oct. 19-26 so far! Mostly
just 5 minute visits, but we'll take it. My
FOS Pine Siskin were 6 in the big Pecan the 23rd,
an hour later a dozen flew by. Later on the 23rd
there was a FOS female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
in the front yard, a male Yellow-bellied Sap was
in the yard the next day. My first and only Catbird
of fall was Oct. 24-26 in yard. The first sub-freezing
chill factors were Oct. 27, the whole day spent in the
mid-30's F, with chills in upper 20's. Weewow!
Oct. 29 there was a FOS Robin. Closed the month out
with a one-minute-wonder Calliope Hummer on the 31st.
~ ~ ~ end October update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
Oct. 31 ~ Another month blasted past. I can't believe
how much longer summer months are. It was peak cold
this morning from this last pool of arctic air. We
did get below 32 this morning, it was 31.5 before sunup.
Very paved KERV only hit 33, but was progged for 38F.
Heard Pine Siskin out there early, a Myrtle Warbler.
Before 10 an imm. Sharp-shinned Hawk took a male
Cardinal. I got a pic through a window and screen.
A bit later I was sunning on the back porch when a
hummer blazed up and perched on the feeder, first one
since last Monday. It was an imm. or fem. Calliope!
It tanked for over a full minute, just 6' from me.
It did not show again the rest of the day. Seemingly
a one minute wonder. If I had not been standing there
by the feeder, would it have ever happened?
Afternoon got up to about 75F here, C of C weather and
just wonderful. Had a bunch of biz to do so in office
working all day. Heard the Scrub-Jay, have not heard
the Green Jays since last Monday, the morning before
the front hit. Heard a Flicker over at the river,
first one from the yard this fall, only saw one fly
over the road so far. Kathy spotted a Myrtle Warbler
at the bath which I got a couple shots of, a first
for that, I had never caught one there. Saw the
Orange-crowned Warbler early in the morning. We
both an hour apart saw the Black Rock Squirrel by
the tub pond, presumedly coming in for a drink.
This is the Cactus Wren that was at the pond on the golf
course by the Waresville Cmty. Nov. 1. Bad light, I know,
but my first local Cactus Wren photo. Rare bird here.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 30 ~ We just about kissed freezing this morning.
KERV was progged for a low of 38F, but per their NOAA
station it danced between 32 and 33 for a few hours
this morning. I saw 34F here but wasn't watching,
though I don't see any effects of a freeze. Got
up to about 70F in the afternoon, sunny, wonderful.
In the first couple hours of morning I saw an Audubon's
Warbler and about 10 Pine Siskin fly over southbound.
Thought I heard a Robin again up the hill, maybe it
roosted there. Town run so a peek at the park.
There were a few Myrtle and an Orange-crowned Warbler,
and a Hermit Thrush up in the woods, but that was it.
Pied-billed Grebe upriver of the island. A little
Chipping Sparrow flock out at the entrance area.
One Monarch on the blooming Maxmillian Sunflower at
riversedge. The river of Monarchs missed us this year.
After Rosie's tacos and a siesta there were about
5-6 Audubon's Oriole calling mostly from adjacent
to the yard over in corral, but up hill behind us and
across the road as well. We were surrounded with
no way out.
Oct. 29 ~ The low was around midnight in the high
30's F, but by sunup it was 49F. Wind blew
much of the night and will blow all day 15-25 mph
with gusts to 35+. Heard a single FOS Robin out
there in the morning but didn't see it. Still
a few (saw 3) Lesser Goldfinch around, but not for
long though. The Catbird, Green Jays, and Hummer
have all been absent since the front hit Monday
afternoon. I suspect the Jays are around somewhere,
but the hummer and Catbird are probably in Mexico by
now. Got up to about 65F or so, pretty nice late
afternoon, the wind finally eased up to 10-15 mph
about 4 p.m. or so. Counted four White-winged Dove,
down from 40 in September before they left.
Oct. 28 ~ Low was 36F, where it has flatlined for the
last 36 hours or so. With 15+ mph winds on it, chills
were in upper 20's. Although we might get this
cold this time of year, it is usually for a few hours
one morning. Not 36 hours straight at sub-freezing
chill factors. This is rather remarkable. No hummer
out there again this morn, that last Ruby must have
left with the front Monday afternoon. Smart bird, knew
when to go. There were two Lincoln's Sparrow on
the seed out back. About noon it hit 50dF, felt great!
Thought I heard a White-throated Sparrow out back.
A Mockingbird came into tub pond a couple times.
Got up to 60F late in afternoon! So we thawed out.
Heard a Kinglet (Ruby), the Chipping Sparrow flock
is a couple dozen birds now, at least.
Oct. 27 ~ Winter arrived overnight, the low was 36F,
KERV had chills showing at 27! Rocksprings was in
fog at 32F with chills at 22 from the wind! The SAT
record low for the date is 35F, so we are very near it.
Sure glad I didn't sign up for a bird count there
today. ;) Here it drizzled about a
half-inch from just before midnight to 8 a.m., which
is outstanding, we need it more than badly. At noon
it was still about the same as daybreak, 36F and drizzle
with a lighter now though breeze. The birds will have
to tap on the windows today if they want me to see them.
At 3 p.m. it was 35F in Junction, 36 in KERV, and on
front porch here 34F! Surely going to be a record
for low max temps today. It might have hit 37F. We
did not see the one Ruby-throated Hummingbird that
was still here in the morning yesterday. It probably
left on the strong northerlies with the front yesterday
afternoon. That extra free 20 mph push means it could
cover double the ground for the effort. It certainly
would have been glued to the feeders today. Everything
here seemed to be hunkered down, including us. I did
see a couple Lark Sparrow, which are new, there have
not been any here for a few weeks now. During an
accipiter flushing event it seemed more than 20 Chipping
Sparrow here now. Otherwise it was mostly Cardinals,
Titmice, Chickadees, Chipping and Field Sparrow. Did
not see the Catbird or the Green Jays. At the end of
the day the rain total was about .65, two-thirds of an
inch. After a cold night it warms up tomorrow.
Oct. 26 ~ Low of about 70F, a bit of mist, a showerlet,
the warm moist Gulf flow being sucked up right ahead of
an inbound front. Got up to about 75 before noon, despite
some northerly flow already arriving in fits and spurts.
After 10 a.m. I saw the Catbird, it almost came into
the tub pond again and would have were I not standing
on back porch. At the same time I heard the Green Jays
up the hill behind us in the live oaks, but nearly a
hundred yards away. The Ruby-throated Hummer was out
there still. So the interesting stuff is still here,
now for something new to show up. It is the nature of
the birder to want another, no matter how many they have,
they are like kids with candy. In the afternoon Kathy
saw the Catbird at the bath with some Eastern Bluebird.
Later she saw it leaving the tub pond. She also saw
some Turkey over the fence. I saw a Lincoln's
Sparrow late at last supper. In temps as the front
moved in, about noon-thirty I saw NOAA reports of 45F
at Rocksprings and 81 at Uvalde, barely over 50 miles
apart as the Common Raven flies. By about 7 p.m. KRVL
was 42 with wind chills at 34F! Felt about the same
here. Was over 80 yesterday! Fall is when you can
complain about the heat and humidity, and the cold,
within 24 hours.
Oct. 25 ~ Overcast and 62F for a low. Saw the Ruby-throat
out there early. Today is a warmup day before the
next front inbound tomorrow. Might get some precip
out of this one. Saw 80F after 4 p.m. on shady front porch.
Must have been an accipiter outside early, the first
couple hours of light it was dead quiet. The Catbird
was at the bath about 9 a.m. Around noon we took a
spinabout. No migrants at the park. We went up-valley
into Bandera Co., and checked a couple crossings. Sure
has been a lot of vegetation clearing of the understory.
We saw three separate areas where the understory had been
bulldozed, as in scraped. It is like there is a war
against it. Aquatic plants are water weeds and understory
is brush, both generally perceived to be better if removed.
They are generally not seen as the integral part of the
environment and ecosystems that they are.
There was a nice flock of birds at the Foster crossing.
About 15 or 20 Eastern Bluebird there were hitting the
sumac fruit. A male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was in that
too. A number of Field and Chipping Sparrow, a couple Lark
Sparrow, a Hutton's Vireo, some Mockingbirds, and
one high soaring Zone-tailed Hawk. A couple Kestrel were
along the road, no Red-tails. In the spirit of the fall
season I harvested some hops, in the form of some Shiner
Black Lager at Vanderpool.
Oct. 24 ~ A low of 48F felt outstanding, and a bit
more like fall temps should be. Northerlies blew
all night into the morning, finally laid down in
the afternoon. Worked on stuff here since cold
and windy. Saw the Ruby-throated Hummer still
here in the a.m. Bird of the day was a CATBIRD that
came into the birdbath! This is the 5th fall out
of the last 17 I recorded one here. So not one of
three falls do I see one. It let me get the window
open so I got a docushot but it was early, overcast
and in the shade so very dark (high ISO). Later in
the afternoon I was working on biz in office and right
out window watched it go down to the aquatic garden
tub pond and drink! Whaddabird! I love 'em.
Kathy saw it at the bath again just before last sun.
Noonish I saw a sapsucker scuffle. The one I finally
got on was a male Yellow-bellied. I presume the FOS
female I had out front yesterday was the other bird.
Couple Kinglet (Ruby) went through, couple Turkey
over in corral, heard a Belted King over at river.
Late afternoon a half-dozen Turkey Vulture thermalled
up and broke south, migrants. Two Caracara were
with them and did the same. A single swallow sps.
flew by southbound, it looked Cave. Later, an hour
before sundown the Green Jays were around, some getting
sunflower seeds out back and Kathy saw one at the
bath.
This is the Catbird we had here. It was overcast and the
bath is in shade, so dark, sorry. They are in the family
of mimics, with Mockingbird and Thrashers. All gray with
a black cap, some color under tail is not visible here.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 23 ~ A low of 72F is not very autumnal frankly.
Low stratus from the Gulf, front is supposed to be
here about 2 p.m. At least the wind won't be
howling yet when I check the park. At least one of
the White-crowned Sparrow is still here. Saw the one
Ruby-throated Hummingbird early. Heard Audubon's
Oriole early, and a Green Jay about 9 a.m. Quick
threw some corn out (now you know why I didn't eat
all my corn last night). Hope they find it. After
10:a.m. there were a half-dozen FOS Pine Siskin up in the
big Pecan. About 11:a.m. a flocklet of a dozen Pine
Siskin flew by out front. Town run day. Made sure
to note the Blue Jays in town, so as to have a jay
trifecta today with the Texas Scrub-Jay, and Green
Jay at the house.
At the park there were a few birds in the woods.
Two each of Nashville, Myrtle, Orange-crowned Warbler,
and Common Yellowthroat is great variety this late
in season. Best was a Yellow-breasted Chat which was
an adult Western type Chat with orange on breast and
a long white whisker. It is a very late date for one
here. Ringed and Belted Kingfisher were there, but no
Green. Also thought sure I heard a Wilson's Warbler.
Were a few spinkles of a seemingly wettish substance.
Brought home Rosie's tacos for lunch and to get
the full experience, took a siesta. In the afternoon
just before 4:p.m. in the pecans out front I spotted
a FOS Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (female), and the fem.
Downy Woodpecker was out there again too. The
Ladder-backed and Golden-fronted do not seem thrilled
about other woodpeckers being here. One Fatal Metalmark
on the Blue Mistflower, but which is fading fast with
few butterflies now. Sure was great for most of
Sept. and October. Got up to at least 82F in the
afternoon before the northerlies got here about 4 p.m.,
whence it finally dried out and cooled off. Was 62F
by 7 p.m, supposed to be going down to upper 40's!
Oct. 22 ~ Low of about 71F, humid, southerly Gulf flow
and low stratus, ahead of a front inbound tomorrow.
It is the warmup day ahead of the front. I saw 85F in
the shade about 3 p.m. There were a few migrants
through the yard early. Two Orange-crowned Warbler,
a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a Myrtle Warbler, also what
sounded maybe an Audubon's Warbler, plus a glimpse
at what looked a Nashville Warbler. There was a wee bit
of migrant motion last night. Heard distant Green Jay and
Audubon's Oriole in the morning, and the White-crowned
Sparrows out back. After 11 a.m. three Green Jay were out
back picking up sunflower seeds off the ground. Not
around for long but they found food. Counted 8 male
Cardinal at once at dusk out back. Saw the trifecta of
Milkweed butterflies: Monarch, Queen, and Soldier. It
was a nice conjunction of the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn
tonight.
Oct. 21 ~ Low was 69F briefly. Low stratus from
the gulf early. Humid, and got up to about 85F.
One Ruby-throated Hummer continues. A Kinglet (Ruby)
went through. First and last thing I had White-crowned
Sparrow under a Laurel where we toss seed by the cottage.
In the a.m. at dawn I heard the metallic boik boik boik
and mentioned it to Kathy. At dusk there were two there,
both immatures. About 11:30 Kathy whispered Green Jay!
I bolted for camera, two were around the bath and stick
pile adjacent. Did not see them go in, or even drink,
it was just an inspection, but they came down to the
rocks around it, and watched as other birds drank and
bathed in it. So they know now. I think they missed
it the other day. We did not see them yesterday. Only
saw two for sure. They looked like first-timers at the
water, in discovery. Got a couple shots in a bit better
light through the magic screen, but they didn't
stay long. Got to hear one gee gee gee as it flew away.
A half-hour later heard them out back again but did not
see them. Whaddabird! Sure hope they move in for the
winter. Gotta get some corn.
Oct. 20 ~ The gulf flow is here, with a barely
low of 72F. There were a couple brief showerlets
the low stratus dropped. Orographic lifting as the
gulf flow hits the plateau thickens it up enough to
wring it out a bit. One imm. ma. Ruby-throated
Hummingbird still. Saw a flock of medium passerines
fly over that could well have been Robins. Heard a
distant Audubon's Oriole. Kathy had 3 Mockingbird
at the bath, and Turkeys in the corral. The highlight of
the day though was last night just after midnight when
I went to see what was dropping pecan shells on the steel
roof. It was a RINGTAIL! Right off the front porch in
the big Pecan. What an animal! We haven't seen one
in a couple years, but they are so secretive and shy
that detection is always a surprise and treat.
Noonish there were a couple Pyrrhuloxia calling over
in the corral. I will call these FOS, though surely
that was one I driveby heard on Sunday, calling it out
to Kathy. This is when they show up. They didn't
tell me about seasonal Pyrrhuloxia movements. Just a
big purple (found all year) blob on the range map.
Oct. 19 ~ Low clouds and gulf flow moved in late
and kept the heat in, low was 72F! Getting late
in the year for that still. Got up to about 86-88F,
warmish and humid. No migrant motion per se but
there was a good record. Just before 4 p.m. I
was working on these notes, with nothing of interest
to note, when a GREEN JAY popped up just outside
the office window! And then another! And probably
third! OMG! Yard bird! I heard a bird this morning
I thought might have been a Green Jay, over in the
draw. Now I am sure it was. Actually I might have
heard it yesterday too. One came down out back
where I could shoot through a hole in the office
screen so got a docushot. One almost went down on
the patio. They moved to the Mulberry over the
cottage and as they moved out of it into the corral
I counted three for sure, and there may have been four.
Wished I had corn out, they love it. Keep an eye
on deer feeders. Only takes one good bird to make
your day! Surely this is drought induced movement,
the brush country to our south is at least one stage
worse than us per the U.S. Drought Monitor. There is
nothing to eat down there, the bushes and trees are bare.
Last time I was down there I nearly starved to death.
At dusk a Ringed Kingfisher flew down the river
chakking away. Nice to have the 'what photo
will I use for the break?' question handled on Monday.
Oct. 18 ~ Stars were great at midnight last night,
low clouds moved in from south overnight. Low
was about 66F. One Ruby-throated Hummingbird is
still around. Saw an ad. fem. Sharp-shinned Hawk
which flushed everything outside. Noonish we took
a couple hour spin around. Nothing at the park in
the woods but one House Wren, and a couple heard
Myrtle Warbler. Checked a private Frostweed patch
in a Pecan bottom out Jones Cmty. Rd. and it was
also dead for migrants. Further out at W. Sabinal
Rd. we saw a FOS Vesper Sparrow, and a FOS flock of
Meadowlark. The one that called was an Eastern.
Along the road heard what surely was a Pyrrhuloxia.
The library garden had one Fatal Metalmark. Then
checked the pond on the golf course by the Waresville
Cmty. There was another Vesper and a FOS Savannah
Sparrow, about 45 Red-winged Blackbird in a flock
in the cattails. One Vareigated Meadowhawk dragonfly
is the first one I have seen this fall. Great
was a big Robberfly, as in a Beezlebub Bee-eater
type (genus Mallophora). May have been two of
them there. Neat beast. Saw 88F on the cool
shady front porch about 4:p.m.
Oct. 17 ~ Low was in 50's F but was one of
those nights whence for example in Kerrville it
was 49F at 2 a.m., and by 7 at daybreak it was 59F!
The Gulf low stratus and flow got here. No migrant
motion through yard. About noonish Kathy spotted
the FOS Spotted Towhee, a female at the birdbath!
Only got a shot through the windowscreen though.
An hour later when I was tossing afternoon seed,
a male popped up out back! Sure would like a
decent pic for the website. Was a House Wren in
the front porch flower bed, no doubt hunting the
butterflies in the Blue Mist. In the afternoon
before 3 p.m. there was a Downy Woodpecker in the
big Pecan just off the front porch. A Ladder-back
was chasing it around. Downy is scarce here, it
has been a couple or few months since I have seen
one. Later about 5:p at least one Audubon's
Oriole moved through yard calling. One Ruby-throated
Hummingbird was still around, but did not seee the
Rufous. Scrub-Jay was out there. Near last light
I saw the female Spotted Towhee scratching under
the Laurel where I toss seed. Sure hope it sticks
a bit.
Here is one of the 3 Green Jay that visited our
yard on Oct. 19, 21, 22, and 23 so far. Whaddabird!
Winter '08-09 some small flocks invaded north
into the plateau getting up to Leakey and Bandera, at
least. That was the winter Syd and Jackie Chaney had
a few coming in to their corn feeder a mile south of town.
One pic just isn't enough. Don't worry, if I get
them in the sun, you will get to see more ...
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 16 ~ Northerlies blew all night, and
have veered to northeasterly for today. Low
was 59F and felt great. Saw two hummers early,
presumedly the Ruby and Rufous of yesterday.
Town run day. At the post office I heard a
FOS American (Water) Pipit fly over calling.
Then over at the park I heard one again, could
have been the same bird. At park no Cordilleran
Flycatcher. Bummer. There were 5 FOS White-crowned
Sparrow at the entrance garden, 2 ad. and 3 imm.
In the woods there was a FOS Hermit Thrush,
a couple House Wren, a gray-headed Orange-crowned
Warbler was likely the Rocky Mtn. orestera
subspecies, a Ringed Kingfisher, Myrtle Warbler,
a Kinglet (Ruby), and at least 4 Nashville Warbler.
Heard a sweet soft chip that got away. Heard a
Gnatcatcher. On the way home on 187 just north
of 360 a FOS Northern Flicker flew over the road.
It was orangeish of underwing. Saw four FOS species,
all wintering type birds, on the day after the front.
Winds calmed down in the afternoon finally. Lots of
the Cypresses are turning rusty, lots of Pecans
dropping leaves, the Maxmillian Sunflowers exploded
into bloom and the river in a few sections is lined
yellow, with lots of butterflies on them. Our
Blue Mist Eupatorium bloom is fading as the lower
number of butterflies here shows. High temp peaked
about 76F or so, and dry, great.
Oct. 15 ~ We have a front progged to arrive
today, so the low stratus from the Gulf is
being sucked up in front of it. Some fog-mist
and a low of about 70F. Tomorrow morning is
supposed to be 15F cooler. One Ruby-throated
Hummingbird remains this morning. Mid-morn a
Rufous (probably, or Allen's) showed up,
a new one, not the imm. male that was last
here over a week ago. Probably an imm. female.
So we have three feeders out, each on a different
side of the house, two hummingbirds, and one
knock-down drag-out hummer fight. Ridiculous!
It must be sport to these Rufous Hummers. It
is at least the 8th Rufous type we have had
here this fall. None looked or sounded Allen's
to me. Just getting one Scrub-Jay out there
the last week or so. At least one stuck.
Heard a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. The front got
here about 1:30 to 2:p.m. with 10-20 mph northerlies,
warmed to 87F or so before it did. Still no
Lark Sparrow, they are outta here. Been about
six days at least, maybe a week, since they
were here. Our local breeders depart. New birds
from somewhere else move in, in the winter.
Oct. 14 ~ Low about 64F, the low stratus and
southerly gulf flow is back. Saw one imm. male
Ruby-throated Hummer at a feeder in the a.m.
Heard a Kinglet. Had to run to town early so
a park check. Heard a few Myrtle Warbler chips.
I am certain I heard a Townsend's Warbler
on the island, but got distracted with a flycatcher,
and then could not find or hear it again before I
had to go.
Up in the woods, near the south end of the island
there was a calling CORDILLERAN Flycatcher.
Older books might just show it as Western Flycatcher.
It is very very rare here, I have only encountered
a couple locally prior and was never able to get
any documentation. Fortunately it was giving the
diagnostic obviously two-syllable broken call note,
so I could confirm it was not a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.
Tried to get a docushot, but it was too far away on the
island, I was late and had to go. Got one crummy one.
Reminds me though, it only takes one good bird to
make your day! It is a new addition to the Utopia
Park bird list. I looked at ebird to see if any
area records listed there. NONE are listed for Uvalde
County, or for the entire Edwards Plateau (1900-2020).
Gadzooks! That's a good bird! Mark Lockwood's
Birds of the Edwards Plateau says some reports from
the plateau, but none ever documented.
Brought a couple of Rosie's egg, chorizo,
and cheese breakfast tacos back. It is the little
things, oh, and good birds. Was too busy at the desk
and did not see anything in the yard, save at the flowers.
On the butterfly front there was a Desert Checkered-Skipper,
and a FOY Ocola Skipper for new things on the Blue Mist.
A small odd hairstreak got away, a few Grays around,
this was not that. A Julia's Skipper was still
out there, a male Whirlabout, Southern Broken-Dash,
but the Coyote Cloudywing was a no-show today, a one
hour wonder. Got good shots anyway. One Ailanthus
Webworm moth, been seeing a few around.
Oct. 13 ~ Low of 56F was very nice, sunny, still
getting to upper 80's, almost 10F above normal.
Just getting one Scrub-Jay out there. Did not
see a hummingbird the first couple hours of the
morning. The last couple Rubies probably took off
on that north wind yesterday, as they like to do.
Oops, Kathy saw one in the afternoon, but which
was not here all day prior. In the morning I saw
what I would call my first group of winter Chipping
Sparrow. A dozen moved into the big pecan from over
towards river, then out along back fence where I
toss seed. We saw a couple yesterday, but this is
a flock that just moved in. Wintering Chippies,
that are migrants from elsewhere. Sharpy was out
there too. Heard Kestrel, Kinglet, and Crane.
In woodpeckers, a Golden-front was chasing the
Ladder-back all around the tree with the best Pecans.
So, a woodpecker, being bugged, by a woodpecker.
If only Woody could see! Pass the popcorn please.
Best bird was a butterfly, the first Coyote
Cloudywing I have seen in a few years, since
fall of 2016. Most years we do not get one.
Maybe 4 years of 16 I recorded it, a couple of
those years just one or two, one year several,
and one year they were everywhere in a huge invasion.
A hundred if not two or more. This one was tame
(or hungry) enough to allow shots on the Blue Mist Eup.
Saw an Anole take a Dun Skipper. Saw a fresh winter
form Questionmark, my FOY. Screech-Owl going
off after dark.
Oct. 12 ~ Low was about 62F, and humidity is back.
Frontal passage around noon, but with no rain and
barely any temp change. Just a wind change to north.
Still nearly 10F over average for the date, but 10F
less than yesterday. Just ahead of the front in
the a.m. a couple Myrtle Warbler went through yard.
The first since the exceptional early bird Sept. 30.
A Kinglet (Ruby) and a Gnatcatcher (Blue-gray) went
through as well. Otherwise slowish. The Sharp-shinned
Hawk is out there though. Mid-afternoon I thought
I heard cranes going over. Just before dark Kathy
heard a flock going south. In leps there was a
Funereal Duskywing on the front porch flowers,
I think it hit each type, one Julia's Skipper
still out there, a Vesta Crescent, and a couple Gray
Hairstreak, among the more common stuff. One of
the Gray HS was so worn you could have made it
into anything.
After dark the Barred Owl was going off. In case
I haven't mentioned it, though unlikely, these, our,
Barred Owl never add any superfluous 'and you',
much less another 'and you all' at the end
of the call. Who cooks for you, who cooks for you.
That is it here. Never have I heard any additional
'and you alls' here. Fascinating that
there can however be more than one intro 'who'
note. Sometimes it can be two or rarely three of them.
Oct. 11 ~ A low of 54F was great, especially since
the forecast is to break heat records today. Saw
a Hutton's Vireo coming into the birdbath,
but that was the only thing different all morning.
Seems just a couple Ruby-throated Hummingbird left.
Saw a FOS Sharp-shinned Hawk in the big Pecan in
the morning. The little terrors are back. Heard
a Lincoln's Sparrow. Kathy saw an Orange-crowned
Warbler. A few Field Sparrow around but the Lark
seem to be gone. Saw a Southern Pearl Crescent
butterfly which is new, also a Mimosa Yellow was
great and an LTA (less than annual) sure thing.
After dark there were lots of moths at the porch
light, more than I have seen all year. Took some
pix, don't know what all but one of them were.
A Texas Wasp Moth I recognized. Neat was a Hister
Beetle that came in. A scarcely seen bug, despite
them being around. I just counted and have seen
45 species of butterflies from the porch this month
so far. Bet a few have slipped through undetected
too. Wish we had more flowers. Late afternoon
I saw 94F on the cool shady front porch. Had to
be near a hun in the sun. A few local sites were
98-99F, Del Rio was over 100F. I think the high
temp records for the date were tied or broken at
many area stations. After breaking all time heat
records in mid-July and mid-Aug., it seems we should
not be doing that again, still, in mid-October.
Oct. 10 ~ Low was 58F or lower, I saw a 56 at KRVL.
Good thing, we can trap enough cold air in the house
to last all day through the heatup. I saw 92 on the
cool shady front porch, local WU stations were in the
upper 90's F! An Orange-crowned Warbler was at
the bath early. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher went through
the yard, this time of year here, each might well be
the last of them until March. They winter in the
brush country, but not here in the upper Sabinal drainage.
Mid-morn I saw the White-patched Skipper on the Blue
Mist Eup. and when I got back out with camera it was
gone, again. Dang thang. A Phaon Crescent was new,
and hungry, it spent all day on the flowers. After the
burner tomorrow there is supposed to be a front and
wind-change, which hopefully will bring birds. It
seems kinda slow out there right now. Except for
squirrels in our Pecans. That Black Rock Squirrel
goes up into the tops of the trees, puts one nut in
each cheek pouch, one in the mouth, and heads off.
The Screech-Owl was going off in the yard over the
bath late evening. Was a hot day.
This is a bad pic of a good bird, so which is allowable.
It was a long-distance accidently high ISO docushot grab.
Canon autofocus grabbed the background on 9 of 10 shots.
Miracle there is this one bad one. This is the Cordilleran
Flycatcher at Utopia Park Oct. 14. It does not show
how green above and yellowish below the bird was. Note
the big white teardrop shape behind the eye typical of
the two 'Western' Flycatcher complex species.
Luckily it was giving diagnostic calls so I knew what
I was looking for before I laid eyes on it.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 9 ~ Low was about 62F. We are progged for
a smokin' hot weekend with subsidence,
records will probably fall on peak heat Sunday.
I saw 88F on the cool shady front porch in the
afternoon. Birds were dismal today. Nothing
here, or at the park woods. About 50 Monarch
in the park woods was it. Heard something good
at the library garden but it moved away before
I could find or ID it. The Rufous Hummer was
still here this morning. Butterflies are the
main action at the moment. At the library garden
which barely has any flowers, but a few, there
was a Fatal Metalmark. What a sad highlight.
Here on the Blue Mist Eup. besides the usual
which included over 2 dozen Large Orange Sulphur,
5 Queen, 2 Soldier, a Monarch, lots of Dun Skipper
still, but the Southern Broken-Dash are decreasing,
there was a False Duskywing, a Texas Powdered-Skipper,
and maybe the same Orange Skipperling. The
White-patched never came back. The water in the
river is 3 FEET below normal level at the park.
Send rain.
Oct. 8 ~ Low was 53F, and maybe got a dF cooler
than that. Love a cool morning. Two Audubon's
Oriole came in, one to the bath, which was the
first summer bird in the photo break a month
ago. Now it is a second fall bird. The head is
entirely black now. Not all clean and neat, but
in general head appears adult-like, fully black.
Quite the change in a month or so. Molt is fast,
it has to be. I missed getting a shot of it
though, durnit. The Rufous Hummer remains, it
is an immature male.
As far as migration motion goes, it is about over
here for lots of stuff. As far as the migrants
that are just in the U.S. to breed and spend most
of the year in Mexico or further south, the insectivores,
most are gone. There is just a trickle of them
left now. The first wave or half of fall migration
is them departing, and that train has left the station.
The second half of fall migration is the birds showing
up, some of which winter here. That is just barely
getting underway with some of them as FOS recently.
We are now in the tween time.
There was a White-patched Skipper (Chiomara) on the
Blue Mist Eup. briefly. When I came back out with
camera it was gone, and it did not return. I got
an email from Sylvia Hilbig out West Sabinal Rd.
in BanCo, she and Steve had a female American Redstart
at their water feature yesterday the 7th. Always a
great bird here in fall. She said there has been a
White-tailed Kite out there, and has had Northern
Harrier, and a flock of Sandhill Crane earlier this
week. Some great stuff, and great to hear about it!
Oct. 7 ~ Bottomed out at 54F again, 3rd day now.
Sunny, no rain in sight. The river is a rivulet.
A Rufous Hummingbird is at the front porch feeder
before sunup, so must have been here late yesterday
but I missed it. First one in a couple weeks at
least. A couple Ruby-crowned Kinglet were trying
to go the the birdbath. I never saw either get
down in it, one got on a rock adjacent a couple
times. They mostly seemed to be attempting a
splash-bathe as a vireo does. We did not see
the Zebra Heliconian butterfly today, so it
thrilled us for 9 days here. Sure great to get
to watch one again after a four year absence.
Did have 2 Soldier at once, an Orange Skipperling
was new. Snouts dialing back thankfully.
Had to make a quick town run late in afternoon,
checked park woods but no birds. There were at
least 75 Monarch floating around and hanging up,
which was awesome. The big peak is still a couple
weeks ahead. These will likely clear out on the
next notherlies. Some Cypresses are really rusty
orange below the spillway where no water flow, they
turned early. The Mulberries are starting to go
yellow too. Saw my first Maxmillian Sunflower bloom
at riversedge. Those look about to bloom well.
Lots of yellowing Pecans and the Sycamores are
going as well.
Oct. 6 ~ Another 54F low is great, sunny and clear
is nice, but we need some rain, it is parched out
there. Kathy spotted the Zebra about 11:15 during
its morning visit. You can see it has worn, and is
less black, getting browner than it was when it
showed up 9 days ago. Still awesome to watch though.
A Panoquina skipper was out there off and on a bit,
I think it was the P. lucas - Purple-washed Skipper
again. Could not get a good shot, but think the dings
in the wings were the same wingdings. There was
a Texas Wasp Moth out there briefly too, which
took 50 tries over a couple hours waiting for it to
return, but got a usable shot, barely. They are so
ginchy I can't believe it. The three Danaus
milkweed butterflies continued (Monarch, Queen, and
Soldier). At least a couple dozen Large Orange
Sulphur around, 1-2 Cloudless passing by, half-dozen
Lyside. An Orange-crowned Warbler was hunting in the
blooming Frostweed. Feeders are quiet, the Titmice
and Chickadees stopping by to gather sunflowers for
hiding, but they are eating somewhere else mostly
now, as are most of the local seedeaters.
Oct. 5 ~ Low of 54F, sunny, awesome. Across the
river some Scissor-tails are singing before sunup
when still dark and just cracking light. They will
be gone soon. Anyway, it's Monday, to the desk!
Sounded 3 Audubon's Oriole early, only saw two.
Heard a Greater Yellowlegs flying downriver about 9,
probably flushed off of park mudflats at first
visitor. A FOS Orange-crowned Warbler came into
the tub pond and used the emergency animal egress
branch to get to the water and splashed a bit.
One Blue-gray Gnatcatcher went through. Did not
see the Sapsucker. Seems like the Lark Sparrow are
thinning. I think there is a lot of seed crop from
the foot of rain in late spring (whence the tap shut
off) which caused a good flower bloom, and lots of
good (wild natural) seed sources are available now.
In case you are using less seed now, or seeing
fewer birds around, this is likely a factor, quite
normal in early fall.
The Zebra showed about 11:15, and after nectaring
on the Lantana (it blows off the Blue Mist Eup.)
it landed on patio to imbibe water for 5 minutes.
Amongst a bunch of Snout it looked quite the oddball.
Must be 10 Large Orange Sulphur out there, females
in every variation of color in the book, some pretty
nice looking, lots of males. Kathy thought she might
have had a Black Swallowtail. One Clouded Skipper.
The Soldier was back, a Monarch and some Queen rounded
out the milkweed butterflies. One Celia's
Roadside-Skipper is getting late here. One fresh
Common Checkered-Skipper, a Julia's still, a
Mestra. The flowers are great fun right now. But
the Lantana are fading this cycle of flowering,
right at prime time. I saw the Zebra on the Blue
Mist for the first time after ignroing it for 8 days.
Oct. 4 ~ Low was about 57F, some scattered clouds
and partly sunny. Got up to upper 80's, so
warm still. About 9 a.m. or so I had a Black-throated
Green Warbler in the big pecan right off front porch.
FOS, only one so far this fall. Then a FOS Sapsucker
was in the pecan off north side of house. It was a
first fall male Red-naped. Record early. It looked
adult-like, but without the black chest crescent.
One Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Nashville out there
as well, Scrub-Jay and the Indigo Bunting continue.
Before noon we went for a spin about. First checked
the park woods. A few warblers were a couple Nashville,
a Wilson's, and likely the last Black-and-white
of the fall here. One White-eyed Vireo, a Belted
Kingfisher, and nearly two dozen Monarch floating
around the woods. Heard an Indigo Bunnie from across
the river. Then we checked a private prop. (permissioned)
in BanCo out Jones Cmty Rd., where a Frostweed patch
in a pecan bottom. On the way along the county line
before the crossing there was a FOS Kestrel on the
power line. The Frostweed patch had another Wilson's
and two more Nashville Warbler, one Indigo Bunting,
and a gaggle of chorusing Lesser Goldfinch, the usual
Titmice and Carolina Wrens, another Kinglet (Ruby).
A nice patch of Pigeonberry there, but which is mostly
depleted already.
Then we checked the pond on the golf course by the
Waresville Cmty. No Least Grebe. A couple Thornbush
Dasher dragonfly. About 5 male Red-winged Blackbird,
one male Vermilion Flycatcher is the first I have
seen in weeks locally (wonder where it is from), one
Linclon's Sparrow, which led to the FOS Marsh
Wren when it scolded and chased the Linc out of the
cattails where it had landed. A Common Yellowthroat
was also in the cattails, making 5 species of warblers
today, which is a good day here in fall, with none of
either Yellow, Orange-crowned or Yellow-rumped Warbler.
The Zebra (butterfly) was still around the yard.
Five plus Large Orange Sulphur at once, a Julia's
Skipper, a Clouded Skipper, lots of Dun and Southern
Broken-Dash, a Mestra, new was a Soldier in mint
condition. One Monarch and a few Queen. One Large
Orange Sulphur visited later that was smaller than
a big Lyside. Amazing. Squirrels are going ummm,
nuts, on the Pecans. We have a very poor crop again
this year, and between them in the day and the coons
at night, there will be nothing for the birds in winter
in no time, and we can forget getting any ourselves.
I'll have to find a good roadside or riveredge
tree somewhere. The hail storm took ours out in late
May as they were just starting to take and form. Due
to that, and the drought, the Hackberry crop is pretty
weak here too.
Oct. 3 ~ Low was 54F, sunny, then clouded up for a
couple hours mid-morn, then cleared before noon.
Heard a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Kathy heard an
Audubon's Oriole, I saw a House Wren in the
flower bed, perhaps the same as yesterday's here.
One Nashville Warbler working the Pecans. The
Zebra was around briefly in the late morning.
Seems more Turkey Vulture yesterday and today,
I suspect the first migrants are starting to pass
through. Yesterday a number were up higher and
proceeding directly south over the river, looking
like migrants. This morning seemed like a dozen
in a lift off from the ridge behind us promptly
disappeared. Might be 10 Ruby-throats here this a.m.,
lots of fighting at the feeders. The Indigo Bunnie
is still out there.
This is an adult Cooper's Hawk at our birdbath.
Always have a thick bush or stick pile next to the
bath so birds have a place to dive into just in case.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
October 2 ~ Low was 51F, clear, dry, and beautiful.
Got up to the low 80's, chamber of commerce weather.
Early there were 3 Nashville Warbler together in
the yard, which eventually came down to the bath.
Heard a Hutton's Vireo out there too. About
a half-dozen Ruby-throated Hummingbird still here.
Town run day. As I got to the crossing just down
the road a flock of sparrows flushed out of the
weedy seedy stuff, at least 20 of them. The dozen
that I then got in bins were all Clay-colored, I
presume the whole flock was. Good numbers here.
One Blue Grosbeak imm. was in with them. A female
Green Kingfisher at the crossing too.
At the park in town there were 2-3 Nashville
Warbler, a FOS House Wren, 2 white-eyed Vireo,
9 Blue-winged Teal, 3 Pied-billed Grebe, a
couple Blue Jay, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and at
least a dozen Monarch butterfly were floating
around the woods. Two Belted Kingfisher were
fighting over a section of river. Once they chased
upriver, and shortly came haulin' donkey back
down, both of them, with a Ringed King right on their
rears. That is his part of the river.
Kathy spotted the Zebra before 11 this morning,
and I saw it again about 2 p.m. The Purple-washed
Skipper was a no-show though. Did not see it again.
One Gray Hairstreak was new. One Monarch came
by the yard late afternoon. The rest was the
same gang as all week. Still lots of Snout
but they seem to have relented a little bit.
Heard Turkey at dawn, been seeing 2-3 around.
A second House Wren was in the yard in the afternoon.
The behavior of interest today was an Indigo
Bunting, which burst into song, the first of that
I have heard in a month. Would a migrant passage
bird sing? Then the bird did a full flight
song. It seems to me it is likely one of the
local breeders, still here on its territory.
October 1 ~ Another 42F low is again surely in
record territory if not one. Only 10dF above a
freeze on the date is incredible. No migrant
motion again. It has been surprisng to me that
after such a big strong frontal passage a couple
days ago, in late September, there was so little
(almost no) bird movement on it here. One Myrtle
Warbler. I must be in the wrong place, for that.
Oh to be on a coast where it floods with birds
after a fall front like that.
About 11:45, and again at 3:p.m. the Zebra came
by the Lantanas. Now day 4 for it here. So neat
to see, maybe some better pix. What an awesome
butterfly. Saw a Nysa Roadside-Skipper, and the
False Duskywing was out there again today too.
More Large Orange Sulphur, still clouds of Snout
and lots of skippers. Just after 5:p.m. I spotted
a Panoquina skipper on the Blue Mist. Thought it
was an Ocola at first, took a few pix, it disappeared,
brought them up on the computer and saw it was a
Panoquina lucas - a PURPLE-WASHED Skipper! A
mega-rary in UvCo! Went back out and refound it,
and got better shots. I have seen it now in 3 falls
including the first time in 2013 when I found the
first UvCo record at the library garden. One showed
up in 2016, and now this one is the third. The first
10 years here I saw none. It is a Mexican species
that barely wanders north to the LRGV (lower Rio
Grande Valley) some years. And note I saw a
species on Oct. 1 that I did not see all month
in September. Didn't even get through the
first day of the new month.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ above is 2020 ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~
July through Sept. 2020 is now at Bird News Archive 34.
Bird News Archive XXXIV
July 1 - December 31, 2020
January through June 2020 is now at Bird News Archive 33.
Bird News Archive XXXIII
Jan. 1 - June 30, 2020
Black-capped Vireo. Note gray nape, not completely black.
This is another third year male, still without fully black head.
Second year male head is mostly gray like females, but have a
few black flecks and small patches of a few black feathers
here and there when return the first time. Definitive
(fully mature) adults have fully black heads with no gray.
The older weekly break bird photos are now at the 2020 photos page.
2020 pix
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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