Current Bird (and nature) News

MOST RECENT UPDATE: August 18, 2017
(prior updates: August 11, 4, July 28, 21, 14, 7, June 30, 23, 16, 9, 2, May 26, 19, 12, 5)

NEWS FLASH! Some recent news highlights, the short version.

Welcome to August! Average daily temp spread is running about 74-94+dF in the shade now. It is still breeding season for some species but many are done and going going gone already. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Orchard Oriole are pouring down-valley daily. No Golden-cheeked Warbler were detected at Lost Maples July 30. Fall migration is getting underway for many species now. An Upland Sandpiper flew over southbound Aug. 1, eight were heard at sunup Aug. 9, when a Dickcissel was also heard. I heard a Yellow Warbler on Aug. 2. My first of fall (southbound) Ruby-throated Hummingbird was an imm. male Aug. 4, an adult male showed Aug. 10. Our 3 yard adult male Painted Buntings were not here Aug. 6. Two far apart seperate folks locally had Rufous Hummingbirds the first week of August. Two migrant Louisiana Waterthrush were at the park late July and early August, and a Rufous Hummer was at the Turk's Cap under the park entrance sign the 16th.

A few June and July reports of interest were: in mid-June Mary Gustafson found a singing male Protonotary Warbler between Chalk Bluff and Camp Wood. A male LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD was at a flowering Agave (c.f. Century Plant type) on June 23 a couple miles south of Utopia. A juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was at Utopia Park July 12-14. Two ROSEATE SPOONBILL were seen flying down Little Creek in far N.W. Uvalde Co. on July 13. A male Yellow-headed Blackbird was at the golf course July 15, and a White-tailed Kite was just south of town July 19.

Of expected but scarcer or local things around, there are the usual: Zone-tailed Hawk, Canyon Towhee and Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Long-billed Thrasher, Ringed and Green Kingfisher. Some few Audubon's Oriole are around, like Bushtit, you could see one anywhere anytime, or nowhere at no time. It's birding!%^*@%! Again some White-tipped Dove and Olive Sparrow have been at Lost Maples, and around Utopia, the new normal. The Olive Sparrow nested at Lost Maples this year (begging juvenile seen and heard).

Chiggers are out, bug spray on pantlegs usually keeps them off. If birding, stay on open trails or roads without knee-high grasses, you'll be fine. Benadryl anti-itch cream is however a must-have item here (get the extra strength).

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

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

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

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

• Jump To Bird & Nature News

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

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

During migration periods or when things are "jumpin," I might post updates weekly, or less, with my local (often yard) notes from nearly every day....since there has never been a birder here daily it might be interesting when we get a bit of data??? Normally every week or so (been Friday eves) I'll update with some daily or near-daily notes of what is going on with birds, or butterflies, dragonflies, fish, flowers, reptiles, triops, and so on. Often just yard notes, but unless you got to be stationed at the park all day, one site of observation locally is about as good as another.

If you're in the area and see something, please don't hesitate to let us know. For instance, we would be happy to post Lost Maples SNA bird news, if it were reported to us. Perhaps other visitors might better know where to look for something of interest. E-mail link in next (pale yellow) box, and at bottom of most pages. Local (eight-three-zero) landline WON~2349.

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

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

There are now 12+ (!) years and growing worth of nature notes here, mostly in the bird news archives pages linked at the bottom of this page in 6 month segments. You can fairly easily check, 10 fall or spring periods, etc., and get a good idea of what goes on when, where, or how weak migration is here.   :) If you're coming in April, you can check several years out and see when different species arrive.  For instance for Painted Buntings not till later April, earliest numbers about the 18-20th, later is better, some years not till the 21-22 are the first back locally.  Often a few days earlier down in lower altitude brush country or down on the coast, etc. Adult males mostly depart territories and the area the first week of August.

Be sure to check out the Bird List page, which is updated (Feb. 2015) with seasonal status and abundance for each species. It lists all 340 plus species (!) known from the upper Sabinal drainage.

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

The NEWEST PAGE is the butterfly rarity photos: Rare Butterflies

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

And here's something else.......
Sometimes I may be available as eyes and ears for hire. Send an E-mail if you desire professional expert level birding guide services while in the area. mitch @ utopianature.com

Or check out the Bird Guide page.

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

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

Commonly used ABBREVIATIONS are:

"in or around town" - refers to Utopia
UP - Utopia Park off 1050 just west of 187
UR - Utopia on the River grounds (2 mi. S. of town)
LM - Lost Maples SNA
SRV - Sabinal River Valley (Clayton Grade to Lost Maples)
  the upper Sabinal drainage biogeographic area.
FOS - "First of Season" (usually used for the first
   spring or fall migrant of that species locally)
FOY - First of Year, usually used in winter and spring.
Odes - Odonata - a dragonfly or damselfly
Leps - Lepidoptera - usually butterflies
UvCo - Uvalde County
BanCo - Bandera County


First a 2011 highlight ...






Some things from 2012 ...





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


Something from 2013 ...










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Rant warning!

I wrote this a few years ago, however it remains pertinent, as winter of 2013-4 TPWD continues this environmentally ignorant practice, out of greed, ignorance, and a complete lack of basic respect or understanding of the ecosystem they manage.

Following 10 paragraphs are about Lost Maples State NATURAL AREA. I have really tried hard 8 years to keep anything remotely political off the website, with only the rare outburst about usually an injustice against nature, or some of the citiots that come visit.  Sometimes we must say something.

Lost Maples is a State Natural Area (SNA), which would seem to infer it's intrinsic natural history values are the priority, since it is not a PARK, but a NATURAL AREA. Per their website, non-native channel catfish have been introduced into the pond up Can Creek. I can't take a leaf out of the park, but the state can introduce non-native species that eat the native aquatic fauna? I understand prior owners originally introduced them, however that doesn't mean it is OK to continue to do so.

Could this happen if it were a predatory mammal, bird or reptile? But a non-native fish is OK? What's the difference? Non-natives have no place in a natural area. If I can't take a leaf out because the nutrients in it are considered vital to the ecosystem, why is it OK to remove literally tens of thousands of aquatic invertebrates from the ecosystem by introducing non-native fish to the natural area?

All the native animals matter and are part of the ecosystem. It takes all of them to make it work for some reason. Not just the ones we eat. Wasn't there a good book that implored us to take care of all creatures no matter how small? Because they are all there for a reason? They all play a role in making it work and whether we dummies know or understand how and why which puzzle piece does what, is not what matters. Intelligent tinkering requires saving all the parts. It's our job to at the least save all the puzzle pieces. Introducing non-natives into the NATURAL AREA is not saving all the parts, it is destroying some of them, willfully and intentionally for some (mis-) perceived gain. There have been various programs over the years to remove many of the non-natives with much success. Currently the feral hogs are out of control destroying the canyon bottoms natural habitat. The understory is being ransacked. And that is what trout and catfish do to native invertebrates in the waterways. We have to remove all non-natives all of the time if we want a natural area beyond something in name.

There were non-native trout introduced there for a year or two, a couple years prior to this. This is ridiculous to have as pristine a natural waterhole as we have left that is publicly available, that is IN an official State NATURAL Area, and be constantly introducing non-native (some high-end predator) species in it. Aren't there a million waterholes in Texas full of introduced fish already? Can't we have one without more non-native introduced species? Wasn't Lost Maples saved to be preserved in its natural state? Why does the aquatic invertebrate fauna not matter, but a fallen leaf does? Seems more than a little bit hypocritical to me.

This is simply more human folly that causes destruction of the environment and ecosystems, a little piece at a time, the damage is insidious and no one notices, save perhaps a nature nerd studying it, whom then are labelled as radical environmentalists. If this is a natural area to be preserved as such, why is it up to someone's whim and fancy whether or not non-native predators are introduced that will absolutely positively have detrimental effects on the ecosystem and animals that are native in the SNA? We haven't cataloged the insects dependent on this hill country aquatic ecosystem, and are introducing things that will absolutlely positively exterminate some of it.

I have little doubt why native dragonfly populations have crashed at the ponds since non-native fish introductions began at the State Natural Area. Odonata are the only group I've looked at hard enough to see the *catostrophic* drop in their numbers at the ponds up Can Creek. The pond has stayed at the same level, but odonata populations haven't. Mayfly populations at the ponds have crashed as well, quite obviously when compared to stream areas in the natural area.

Surely all the aquatic invertebrates have taken the beating as well. That pond ecosystem is a unique habitat, and is being destroyed from the inside out, with public money, because TPWD is soooo flush with bucks they buy non-native fish for the natural area, or do they just want entrance fees more than anything? We just can't see the damage for the most part so it's OK? The negative impacts of non-native fish introduction are just as sure as a goat's or cat's is.

While yes the ponds as we see them today have been man altered, with rockwall dams put in long ago to store water, there were always natural ponds along the creek. The stone age implements known from the site indicate there was likely a natural pond there which the modern one was expanded upon. Most of the native fishes only live in areas that the non-natives can't get to. Much like Canyon Mock-Orange or Chatterbox Orchids only now growing where the goats couldn't get. Same thing, but with fish. The ponds are over-run with non-native introduced perch, catfish, sometimes trout, all of which are high-end aquatic predators.

For some entrance fee money TPWD takes the natural history OUT of the State NATURAL Area? They don't seem to know or care about what natually lives in the ponds. I thought mistakenly apparently, the site was one where being conservative, saving what we have, the conservation of our natural history resources, was the prime directive.

Aquatic ecosystems get no respect despite them being the huge part of what makes the terrestrial ones work. Lost Maples is only a natural area in name apparently. Write or call TPWD and tell them to stop introducing non-native species that upset the balance of nature, in the State Natural Area.

You'd have thought after TPWD in the not too distant past recently nearly caused the extinction of our endemic Guadalupe Bass by introducing Largemouth Bass into every wet hoofprint in the state, that they'd have learned something. Can't we have just one REALLY natural as possible waterhole hidden in the hill country, in the SNA without introduced non-native predators and study what is there, and what goes on, naturally? Seems too much to ask? They couldn't begin to tell me what lives there, and are systematically removing it with non-native fish introductions.

Natural means WITHOUT Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish or Rainbow Trout or even the perch in the case of the ponds up Can Creek. None are natural. Those are not native species in the headwaters streams here. I have seen Golden-cheeked Warblers take teneral (just emerged) damselflies sometimes there. Well they used to, when they were there, that food source at the pond has been mostly eliminated, by man's folly. You'd think it was someone's private play pond, not a State Natural Area. To me it goes against the the very reason it was given to the state, to save and protect it, in its natural state, and to NOT treat it like any game ranch endlessly introducing non-natives, upsetting the balance of nature.

One of the reasons we moved here was to study the natural area, so it is extremely painful to watch the natural be removed. It is a shame man can't watch and appreciate nature, without having to play God and have a hand at being mother nature, which seems invariably to result in an epic fail.

End of Rant. I feel much better now. If you agree, please do call or write TPWD and tell them you don't agree with them introducing non-native fish at the pond in the natural area. And that you don't agree with them introducing exotic animals that are food competitors with endangered warblers.

BIRD & NATURE NEWS 2017


Notes without location cited are in or from yard which is a couple miles south of town at edge of the river habitat corridor. If it doesn't say where it was, it was in or from the yard. Often a few daily yard notes is all the drivel you get. Ready, steady, go!

To repeat since commonly used:
sps.=species; FOS=First of season; FOY=First of Year; FOF=First of fall; LTA=Less than Annual; UP=Utopia Park; UR=Utopia on the River; (ph.)=photo obtained; ad.=adult; imm.=immature.; ma.=male; fem.=female; juv.=juvenile; odes=Odonata = dragonflies and damselflies; leps=Lepidoptera (butterflies), town=Utopia; the park= Utopia Park at SW corner of town. WU = Weather Underground (sometimes local station readings referenced)

July 2016 through December are Bird News #26.
January 2016 through June are Bird News #25.
The Archive links are below the current bird news.

Here are assorted links of all manner, and a handy way outta here.
Mitch's Links





Just to have this handy again for reference, recent prior updates:
August 4, July 28, 21, 14, 7, June 30, 23, 16, 9, 2, May 26, 19, 12, 5

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

**!! HEY!!! SPECIAL NOTE: There is again a NEW page, this of photos from 2016! 2016 pix
A dozen more new pix were added Sept. 22.

And now for something completely different... I will probably make some changes yet, I was looking for some more pix, but anyway meanwhile at least the basics are up... Here is a new page with some photos and discussion of hybrid Cliff x Cave Swallows: Clave Swallows

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

Aug. 18 ~ About 73dF for a low, maybe 98 for a high. Add sticky. Still OROR and Gnatcat through yard southbound in a.m., heard an Upland Sandpiper or two early as well. A Ringed Kingfisher was going off over at the river. Still no Vermilion Flycatcher back in yard. Town run found nothing at the park but a heard Black-and-white Warbler. Later afternoon here I saw the male Indigo Bunting, it is really dull from being in the middle of molt. One greenie juvie Painted Bunting was around. Mostly swamped with work to do.

Aug. 17 ~ Low of 76dF, which is complaint-worthy but I just saw a post on the intertubes from Austin, their low was 81, and more humid than here. No Vermilion Flycatcher in and around yard was the big change today. Hope they come back and try to nest again this year, but getting late to do so. More Orchard Orio and Gnatcats southbound, one greenie juv. Painted but no male Indigo Bunting, the Blue Grosbeak seem to have left as well. Best was at the sprinkler Kathy set up at peak heat, a juv. Bell's Vireo joined a juv. White-eyed to cool off. At dusk at least a half-dozen Upland Sandpiper went over southbound.

Aug. 16 ~ Still mid-70' for a low, and sticky. At least the (Gulf) clouds that bring it keep the solar heating down for a few hours of the morning. So you can get some things done before you sweat tying your shoe, which I think is why they wear boots here. Saw the male Indigo, and two greenie Painted Bunting. Best was a female or immature Yellow Warbler that spent hours in the pecans around the yard today. A quick town run late afternoon saw a Zone-tailed Hawk over the north end, and a Rufous Hummingbird at the Turk's Cap under the Utopia Park sign. Heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee there, a bit off on song, not sure if it was one of the pair that was nesting and then MIA after the big rain and wind, or maybe a young, or a transient?

Y'all know I hate to editorialze here, but sometimes ya gotta just let it out... so with apologies... We lost the Vermilion Flycatcher nest in the corral today. They were on their third brood for the year (new nest each time). It was due to the (in my opinion overzealous) cutting by the contractors clearing all the powerlines for the electric company. Which had just been done a couple years ago. They took countless shrubs (in other areas) and in this event branches 5' off the ground that were no threat for the next couple decades, or ever. One was a branch with a Vermilion Flycatcher nest. I realize the work has to be done, but how can make a big difference in results.

Consider I saw a hundred yards of cutting and at least one bird nest was lost. How many nests are lost in a thousand miles of this locally? How about nationwide? This work could be done outside of the nesting season. It does not HAVE to be done during the March-August breeding season. Technically of course it is a violation of Federal law, the Lacey Act, aka the Migratory Bird Treaty. Incidental take of migratory birds is prohibited. In some places there are people that care about this at a level that this is not allowed to happen. Major tree trimming work like this should not be done during the breeding season. There have been studies that show that in places of solid forest powerline cuts can increase bird species diversity, and holding capacity of forests, by creating what is called an edge effect. Powerline cuts can be good for birds. But not so much when you shred them during the nesting season.

Aug. 15 ~ About 75dF for a low, muggy, you know the drill. A couple Orchard Orios and Gnatcats southbound, 3 greenie (jv.) Painted Bunting at once, otherwise the usual suspects. The bird of the day, well I do not know what it was. It was at dusk, I was out on the driveway for it as usual, and a big dark nightjar flies right over the driveway at the gate, circling tight and seeming to grab a moth. There was still a lot of light and I got what I thought was a very good look. It was big and long winged, and lacking any rufous, or rusty tones, and even lacking an overall warm brown tone whatsoever. It seemed more gray and black, at least of upperparts which is what I saw best. As it did its tight 180 deg. turn going after prey object the tail was fairly fanned, and besides seeming long, I saw no white or buff corners on it. Tail appeared uniform above, even fanned.

It fluttered towards the big mesquites across from gate in a manner that seemed like it was looking to land. I figured there was enough light still in the sky I might be able to see it. I walked to the gate and saw it through an opening between two Mesquites, it was perched on the powerline (!). Vertically!!! Upright. Upright and vertical as an owl or flycatcher. But it was a big round-headed Caprimulgid. I guess from Nighthawks I think of a horizontal posture for Nightjars on a wire. Further all the Chucks I have seen on logs or branches were perched horizontally like Whips and Poor-wills. The tail hung way down, it was long, the round head on top of a fairly long slender body. It just looked dark in the low light at this distance (maybe 50'). It seemed to me way more black and gray than I am used to on Chucks here. It was big, bigger than a Chuck, wingspan seemed much bigger than a Chuck, it had long wings, almost reminiscent of a Pterodroma petrel. No way was this a Poor-will or Whip. No white or buff that I saw in wings or tail at only 25'. Chuck is the default goatsucker here, but it did not look like or perch like one. Do Chucks perch vertically on a wire?

Aug. 14 ~ Adult male Indigo Bunting still on patio at millet, as are two greenie juv. Painted. Canyon Towhee still here, Orchard Orio and Gnatcat went through. Best was about 6 p.m. an adult male Painted Bunting was at the bird bath. Never saw it again, wasn't out there the following morning. Was it a transient? Or one last stop by for a local bird? Hummers are way down, must be a lull, when lots of the locals have left. A couple ad. ma. Ruby-throated are nice to have though. Still a couple ad.ma. Black-chinned, but not many.

Aug. 13 ~ Clear in the a.m., but I slept though the last chance for a Perseid show, at least it was 72dF, a wee bit cooler today. Orchard Orio and Gnatcats through yard in a.m., what a surprise. More in the late p.m. There have been multiples pass through the yard southbound most mornings, and evenings, as well as strays in the day, for 4-5 weeks for the orioles, and 6+ weeks for the gnatcatchers. It is LOTS of them. Still nothing else though. A couple Ruby-throated Hummers around, Black-chin numbers are way down, still some adult males, but only a few. Canyon Towhee still here, and male Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting nearly side by side was all the blue I could take at once.

We have boatloads of work to do so trying to do that out of the heat as much as possible. Did the afternoon peak heat swim thing but saw no Kingfishers today. There was a Hutton's Vireo in the tops of the big tall Cypresses though, loosely associated with some Chickadees and Titmice. No Yellow-throated Warbler singing. Chat has gone quiet too. Breeding season is shutting down. Even the White-eyed Vireo is less enthusiastic than usual. Vermilion Flycatcher still doing flight display so still nesting, on at least third clutch now. Seeing a few fireflies at dusk, the fall flight is just starting, maybe a half-dozen or so tonight. A good show now of fall Rain Lily after the rains.

Aug. 12 ~ I was up late till after midnight last night and did see a few Perseid meteors, but the best one I saw was not a Perseid. We have too much moon this year. Then I went out at 5:30 a.m. to see and the low clouds had come in and mucked viewing up. Tried anyway. Low about 75 and then 95dF in the shade, a hun+ in the sun. It was so hot we had to go jump in the river at peak heat, a dirty thankless job... Late I watched the skies for an hour to midnight again, and only saw one Perseid, a couple others that weren't, and the moonrise was washing it out so I quit.

More Orchard Oriole and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher going by southward. Mostly worked on things here, inside. Maybe 3 greenies (juv. Painted Bunting), the male Indigo still here, as is the Canyon Towhee. Over at the river in later afternoon, working on the floaty board list... the Ringed Kingfisher went off with alarm at 500'. There was no way he could see my swim trunks at that point. We didn't go any closer so as to not disturb. But then on the way back upriver Kathy found a Green Kingfisher in a cypress, which then led me to a second, Kathy was less than 15' away at first. They stayed, one flicking wings, begging, it was a pair of juveniles waiting for parents return with food. They nested close by. I was on my back on my floaty board watching both species at once!


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Aug. 11 ~ About 72-3dF for a low, with humid gulf flow and low clouds. Which means hot and sticky in the afternoon. Heard RingKing over at the river early. More Orchard Orio and Gnatcats moving south. After only two the last couple days, there were five juvenile Painted Bunting at once on the patio, which indicates movement. Add a new juv. Indigo Bunting as well. Yellow-throated and White-eyed Vireo are both still singing daily on territory. The Great Crested Flycatcher left way early this year, after their last round in July. Not enough flying bugs and worms, they did not go another attempt as often.

Town run for stuff. Park had another migrant Louisiana Waterthrush hidden up on island. I could not find the Slough Amberwing dragonflies of last week. Good thing I got photos. Little Creek Larry said he is still seeing the juv. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron there off and on. I have been missing it. I did not hear the Eastern Wood-Pewee that have been nesting. Hope they didn't get wiped out in these last couple rain events (which had 40-50 mph outflow boundry winds). Never saw young, so probably not successful.

No Scissor-tails to town and back. Larry said none to Sabinal and back, as was our experience last run. The local birds depart after breeding prior to new birds from elsewhere showing up later in summer/early fall. Maybe in buggy years they stick and nest again? But this has been the pattern the last few years. No Martins around town, lots of Barn Swallow though. I lucked into Judy Schaffer and Diane Causey, both told me they have had Rufous Hummingbirds in the last week (seperate individuals). Those are the first reports of them I have heard of locally this fall (for hummers) so far. Thanks for the news ladies! Judy said she has had a fair number of Hooded Oriole as well.

Aug. 10 ~ Only 70dF this a.m., nice, but the cool break is over. Forecast shows increasing temps and 10 days of sub-tropical high locked over us, so hot and no rain. August. The male Indigo Bunting is still fattening up on white millet, but the adult male Painted are gone. Only a couple greenies (juvs.) left. Heard Orchard Orio and Gnatcats go through yard in the morning. Roseate Skimmer dragonfly was perched on truck antenna. Thursdays so stuck at desk, phone, and computer.

Aug. 9 ~ The 69dF low was great, and so were the Upland Sandpipers calling as they drop down out of the sky as the sun comes up. I heard about eight of them so it was a flight night, second day behind the system. Ring King calling over at the river. I also heard one Dickcissel go over, my first of fall. Had a quick early town run, at the park only breeders: the Eastern Wood-Pewee and Green Heron. The bank colony Cave Swallows were on the powerlines behind post office. Cruised the golf course perimeter to see if any Uplands went down on it or adjacent pastures, no love there. Only got to about 90dF in the shade today due to all the ground moisture from the rain. Great was when I was tossing seed out back in the afternoon I saw a, the, 5 foot INDIGO Snake from about 6' away! Oh man what a beauty. It seems more orange below now than it was last year. Came back in for camera and couldn't find it when I got back out there.

Aug. 8 ~ A dryer NE flow and 68dF is amazing at sunup, it won't last long. A few Orchard Oriole, a couple Gnatcats, only one greenie (juvie) Painted Bunting that I saw. They left early this year. We'll still get them for a few weeks, but likely transients, not the local birds. At last sun two male Orchard Oriole were in the gatepost Persimmon. Yellow-throated Vireo still singing, so likely still nesting very nearby. Canyon Towhee still here. Not sure it hit 90dF today, a nice break due to the rain yesterday.

Aug. 7 ~ From 6-9 a.m. we got 3+" of rain! Roughly an average August monthly total. As NOAA wrote in their morning forecast, the models did not handle or predict this event well. Some northern parts of the hill country got 5-7"! Dropped us to 68dF! Until you get to low visibility fog, I don&aos;t care how humid it is if it is 68dF, at least when it has mostly been 100dF for a couple months. This should insure a good fall flower bloom, right when we needed it.

No adult male Painted Bunting today, again, and only 2 or 3 greenies, all juveniles. They are blasting out of here. There will still be a stray ad. or two the next week or two, and some greenies will be seen to earliest September, though they may well not be local origin birds. Couple Orchard Orio, couple Gnatcats, Canyon Towhee still here, the 1st summer blue-faced Blue Grosbeak still here too. Not much left singing though. White-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo, Cardinal, Carolina and Bewick's Wren, Titmouse, 3 sps. of doves still going a bit. The rest was the regulars.

Aug. 6 ~ Another 75dF low, and you guessed it, about 80-90% humidity. Do not see any male Painted Bunting around this morning, the male Indigo is still here visiting patio for white millet. Lots of greenies here, immature and female Painted Bunting, over a dozen. Few more Orchard Orio and a couple more Gnatcats in morning. The White-striped Longtail (WSLT) is back on the Lantana by porch this morn.

We went to a couple of the flower gardens in town noonish. Amazing was 3 WSLT at the yellow Lantana at the golf course entrance garden, another by the Waresville pond, and two at the Sabinal Canyon Museum (SCM) yellow Lantana. So I saw 3 at once, and two at once, and 7 total, in a bit over an hour. Most ever here for me in 14 years. There were about 15 Painted Lady at the SCM, which shows they are on the move now. Saw Whirlabout, Sachem, Fiery and Eufala Skippers, a few dozen Pipevine Swallowtail. The Library garden was dead now but looks good from the rains, there should be a good fall bloom there. The Purple Martins were not around the house at the Waresville pond. The odes at the pond there were dead too, nothing like the last few weeks. We are in a lull and need another wave. One male Slough Amberwing was still up in the slough by the island at the park. That is a pretty good bug up here.

Aug. 5 ~ Low of 76dF and sticky. Have a great day when that hits 95, and it did. More Orchard Orios and Gnatcats through yard in a.m., amazing to see it daily for a month plus. Around last sun a flock of at least 8 Orchard Orioles were circling yard working all the pecans and hackberries. They all at once dove into the gatepost Persimmon explaining lots of the hits in that fruit, one was a nice male. One was a female or immature 'Northern' Oriole of some sort, either Baltimore or Bullock's. I did not get a good enough look to tell which. Kathy had one male Painted Bunting in the morning but I did not see one all day, and watched. There were still 3 males a few days ago. There are male, female, first-summer male, and now juvenile, Blue Grosbeaks out there. Heard a fly over Martin in the morning.

About 1 p.m. I saw a White-striped Longtail (lep) on the porch Lantana, it came in and out until at least 6 p.m. Had a Bordered Patch fly by, Lg. Orange Sulphur, Mestra, Celia's Roadside-Skipper, Queens, Pipevines, Gulf Frits, Sleepy Orange and Lysides, a Northern Cloudywing also came in to the Lantana on and off over a few hours.


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Aug. 4 ~ There was .25 of rain overnight, that was nice, if you like mighty drippy. Some places in town got twice that and more, others nuthin'. More OROR and Gnatcats through yard southbound. My first of fall (sometimes I use FOF here for that) Ruby-throated Hummingbird was an imm. male this morning. At dark the Screech-Owl again was seen departing the pecan over the birdbath toward draw where it mostly resides. These hot days it can't seem to wait to get water.

I did not see any of the local Scissor-tailed Flyctcher going to town and back, nor did I see any Martins over town, they may have departed. At UP there was Green Kingfisher, Blue Jay, Eastern Wood-Pewee is still singing (nesting) and the usual gang, the Black-and-white Warbler is likely a passage migrant. But a sure new fall migrant warbler was nice, a fresh bright ad. Louisiana Waterthrush working rain pools on the main road in!

Best birds were odes. Two male SLOUGH Amberwing dragonflies were spectacular, I have only seen a very few here, maybe 3 or 4 in 14 years. They were up in the, uh, slough, between the island and mainland. There were also 3+ Orange-striped Threadtail there, including a pair ovipositing. A Desert Firetail there is something scarce at the park habitats. In town a pair of male Roseate Skimmer were patrolling and interacting over a rainpool from last night's rain.

Butterflies were good at the Sabinal Canyon Museum's yellow Lantana. There were at least 20 Pipevine and 1 Giant Swallowtail, 3+ Painted Lady, a White-striped Longtail, a Mournful Duskywing, a Northern Cloudywing, couple Gulf Frits, some Fiery Skipper and Sachem, Whirlabout, if you can stand the heat coming off the blacktop in the sun. At the park there was a Clouded Skipper (missed in July) and Celia's Roadside-Skipper. Yard had Dusky-blue Groundstreak, another Celia's, and another Northern Cloudywing. Butterflies should pick up quickly. Low numbers of Queen, occasional (daily) Cloudless and Large Orange Sulphur going by, Little Yellow seems to have picked up, the annual southerly wave is on the way.

Aug. 3 ~ Too busy Thursdays. More OROR and Gnatcats. Canyon Towhee still about. Late afternoon I was looking out back door and saw everything flush, and a second a later a Zone-tailed was stooping across patio getting down to 2' off the ground, less than 20' away, but it missed and pulled up out of the opening and away. Great close look on the patio. It only takes one near-bird moment to make a day. Heard Ringed Kingfisher over at the river. Late about 11 p.m. an Ox Beetle was banging into the front screen door. They can really clunk.

Aug. 2 ~ Mostly more of the same, several Orchard Oriole and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher went through southbound. The Canyon Towhee is around, occasionally doing a bit of songish calling. The blue-faced Grosbeak is still here. This is a one year old male Blue Grosbeak that is still brown on upperparts and underparts, but with fully blue face. I have seen these in June and July before, this one is late to still be with so little blue. Another near miss with some rain, but the outflow broke peak heat just in time. The bird of the day was heard only, the zzzeet flight note of a FOS Yellow Warbler from somewhere in the pecans. Heard a Nighthawk boom, Eastern Screech-Owl calling after dark.

August 1 ~ AUGUST!?!?!? Holy cow, that is like almost fall. For many birds it is! Like the FOS Upland Sandpiper I heard calling as it flew over southbound just before sunup, it'll probably go down in one of the pastures down-valley for the day. My first long distance migrant of fall. Then a Great Egret flew over, which is quite scarce here, maybe a couple per year, but not a sure thing. Hear a Hutton's Vireo upslope in the live-oaks out back. Saw the Chat in the Mulberry. Heard the Canyon Towhee upslope too. A few Orchard Orio and Gnatcats went through. An outflow in the late afternoon took 5+dF off the peak heat. Which was only about 91dF or so due to all the moisture in the air.

~ ~ ~ July summary ~ ~ ~

Hot and sticky would describe it well. Miraculously we managed 4.5" of rain, but most on just a few days. Some locally only got half that or less, others more. Generally it ran 5-10dF above normal averages for temps most days. Overall it has been dry enough that only a few flowers remain in bloom, the dedicated July bloomers. It is sort of a lull between spring and fall blooms. Butterflies were a bit on the weak side in reflection, only 50 species were found over the month. But a couple were good ones.

A Mimosa Yellow the 9th was great. A Metalmark sps. was the only Calephelis I saw, a FOY too, was probably a Rounded. Small numbers of N. Mestra are moving north. A White-striped Longtail, also on the 9th, was good, another Urbanus sps. went un-ID'd. A couple Laviana White-Skipper later in the month were nice. At Lost Maples a couple black morph female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail were neat.

Odes really kicked it up a notch this month with 46 species being seen locally. There were 32 sps. of dragons and 14 expected species of damsels. They are great fun in the heat when the birds are hiding and are hard to beat photo subjects. I am sure an expert would add a number of species, especially damsels, which I do not work hard. The STRAW-COLORED SYLPH at the 360 x-ing was the best one, quite scarce up here in hills. A GREAT Pondhawk was a great find, at the golf course, less than annual here. A couple Bronzed River Cruiser were outstanding to see again, been very scarce lately. We had four species of pennants at once at a golf course pond one day: Banded, Halloween, Four-spotted, and Red-tailed.

Birds were mostly the expected, but a couple surprises. I come up with 99 species for the month locally, plus Larry's Spoonbills makes 100. Same as last month. The best birds seen were two Roseate Spoonbill flying down Little Creek the 13th. A male Yellow-headed Blackbird was interesting at the golf course on the 15th. A White-tailed Kite on the 19th is good in summer. Was nice to see 8+ Bushtit in the yard one day this month, presumedly some local breeding success. A juv. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was at Utopia Pk. July 12-14 (ph.), and great was 2 Lesser Yellowlegs on July 30 over the river near the golf course.

The main events in July are breeding records, and the first waves of departing breeders. My last Golden-cheeked warbler was July 2 but didn't make it back to LM after that until the 30th so not meaningful. I found a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk again at Lost Maples, on the 2nd, so they were successful again there this year, 3rd in a row. A pair of Eastern Wood-Pewee is nesting at Utopia Park up in the woods by the island, the first nesting there I know of in 14 years of watching. Bigger was my first ever local sure nesting of Bullock's Oriole, an ad. female and 2-3 young in yard (ph.).

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Orchard Oriole are pouring through in July, multiples daily through yard, prolly a hundred of each went by. Some Black-and-white Warbler movement noticable as well. By the end of the month Lost Maples seems way more than half-empty of migratory breeding birds, compared to April, May and June.

~ ~ ~ end July summary ~ ~ ~

July 31 ~ Coolish and dripping from the rain yesterday evening. The Canyon Towhee was out back eating seed, chasing everything that got within two feet. It is a juvenile, a hatch-year young, not an adult. Already full of spit and vinegar. A flock of about 10 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck went over, a few Orchard Oriole and Gnatcats through the yard. One Orchard Oriole took a bath. Field Sparrow must be nesting nearby as still hearing them sing daily, which is neat, usually they are out of earshot. But not hearing Painted Bunting or Yellow-breasted Chat singing any more. Done. The Chats might go again, but not the Buntings, the ad. males will be gone in a week or so. The pair of Yellow-throated Vireo were moving around together, probably prospecting nest sites it looked to me, in the big pecan. Not too late for them to go again. These recent rains will fire off August attempts by many species.

July 30 ~ Wow what a day. Feels like it was about three. First the weather. Started about 71dF or so, but the cool shady front porch was reading 101 about 4 p.m. and some WU stations in town showed 104 and 105, one with a 117 heat index! We went to Lost Maples SNA 8 a.m. to noon-thirty, then we went swimming at peak heat in the later afternoon. Then after dinner some rain cells from an outflow boundry of a backdoor front found us and we got about an incredible inch and a half of rain! It went from upper 90's dF to lower 70's in a half hour around 7:45-8:15 p.m. Just south of us some got 2-3 inches! Unbelievable. There were some 40+ mph gusts on the outflow boundries when they hit and some nice lightning. We need the water badly. 1.5"! About 4.5" for the month now.

We headed out earlyish to try to beat the heat up the canyon at LM. The Cave Swallows sit on the powerlines along the Main St. at north end of town early in morning, probably about 40 now, which is the bank colony breeders and this years young so far. No Scissor-tails the whole way up 187 for 10 miles to the canyon above Vanderpool seems odd. The river is not running above ground below the Cypress Hollow x-ing, only underground.

Wanted to get one last summer season look at Lost Maples this year as the breeding season is fading fast. And it is a good time for bugs, leps and odes in particular are often great in late summer through fall. For birds we had Zone-tailed Hawk, Green Kingfisher, Audubon's Oriole, White-tipped Dove, and heard a, the, juvenile Broad-winged Hawk. Gone are the Yellow-throated Warblers (now that I was armed with a camera that offers half a chance at birds), and as expected no Golden-cheeked Warbler were detected. Heard a Black-capped Vireo way up a slope.

Only one Eastern Wood-Pewee, a few Acadian Flycatcher, only two Black-and-white Warbler, both 1st summer males, one singing, a few Louisiana Waterthrush, including singing, so some still nesting. A few Yellow-throated Vireo, more Red-eyed Vireo, and lots of White-eyed Vireo still going, two Hutton's were heard. More Canyon Wren song than a few weeks ago when they were in a lull, a couple Rufous-crowned Sparrow, only a few Gnatcatcher, several Indigo Bunting still singing (nesting), same for Blue Grosbeak and Summer Tanager. Nice ad. ma. Painted Bunting at HQ feeders is likely a transient, only Black-chins for hummers, Inca Dove at HQ and trailhead feeding station. Heard a couple Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which are post-breeding wanderers (they do not nest here - at least the last 14 years).

With the date and heat, as one might expect the leps and odes (butterflies and dragonflies) were good. But flowers were very weak, it was very dry so some of the rain we got missed them. Snapdragon Vine going well, but past peak, and generally almost nothing blooming along trail. The Escarpment Cherries have no crop this year, a big draw in August especially in good years.

There are very few small butterflies, only the larger stuff is flying at the moment. The Buttonbush was where everything was. The prime-time window of late summer and fall is open though. Swallowtails were great overall, with two black form female Eastern Tiger, 3-4 Spicebush, some Pipevine, a Giant, and a few Black. Missed Two-tailed though. I saw a Satyr fly by, but no ID, either Red or Little Wood, prolly Red. An Olive-Juniper Hairstreak is my first for the month, tore up as it was, a Southern Broken-Dash was also new for month. Always nice to add a few leps to the monthly species diversity list on the 30th.

An Eyed-Elaterid (the big click beetle) gave a good close look. Saw one of those 2" black wasps with red bands on adbomen. Photo'd an odd little dragon I have seen there before but not figured out, will get that pic off camera and to experts for ID. Dragons were great too. A Filigree Skimmer was the first I have seen locally in a few years. Lots of Comanche Skimmer are there now, both Flame and Neon Skimmer were seen, a Red-tailed Pennant was at the pond. Low numbers of the usual more regular stuff like Banded Pennant, Green Darner, Wandering and Spot-winged Glider, Black, and Red, Saddlebags, Common (E.) Pondhawk, Blue Dasher, Pale-faced Clubskimmer, Swift and Checkered Setwing. So about 17 sps. by accident in a four hours going up and back on Can Creek. In Damsels it was slow, just a few common things, but an Aztec Dancer was nice for being so dang blue. Can't seem to find any Coppery Dancer there lately.

OK so just when you think you have had all the nature you can stand in a day... We get down to the river to cool off after 4:15 or so. I see something flying oddly down the river, jinking up and down, left and right. But can'st put a name to it. It disappears. I walk upriver barefoot on the rocks (because after all, I am no tenderfoot) to see where it went, still not sure what phyla had been seen. There it is, IN the water, a BAT!!! It went in the drink! It was lifting its head up, seeming to be breathing, looking like it was drinking, and maybe just trying to cool off? Never saw a swimming bat before. This Utopia place is crazy man. The singing horses I had heard the fables of, but aquatic bats!?!

I went and changed into aquamogs so I could walk out to it, the water only 3' deep or so where it was, but where it was the bottom is stream slickened limestone bedrock with a slicker layer of algae on it since we haven't had a good gully washer in a while, traction is required (normally we swim downriver where no algae and it is mostly 4-5 feet deep now whilst river low). I risked it all and slowly carefully moved out to it with camera in hand and around neck, hoping not to fall. I got close, got pix, and moved back to bank where handed camera off to Kathy. Then I got a stick and moved it to shore. It was moving, but not seeming well. I left it in shade out of water. An hour later as we left it was still there, still moving a little and still one foot holding the stick I got it out with. I think it was a Red Bat, but got shots that should show it when I can get to getting them off camera. As a non-interventionist it was quite the quandry, what to do.

Amazing was two LESSER YELLOWLEGS that flew over the river while we were in it swimming. Their calling got my attention and then I saw them fly over and head toward golf course, where I presume they were flushed from one of the ponds. Last lookabout after 11 p.m. there was a Gulf Coast Toad on the front stepping stones.

July 29 ~ About 70-99dF for a temp spread on the cool shady front porch. Bird of the day was a Canyon Towhee briefly even singing a bit in yard, but disappeared quickly. A few Gnatcats and Orchard Orios southbound. Hummer numbers are down, the last wave of fledged young are departing, as are lots of the adults. Still all Black-chinned so far, and lots fewer. They appear done and over for the season. The Bluebirds are bringing their young to the birdbath each evening the last few days, after showing them how to bathe, now they know and go right in. They didn't know what to think at first watching a parent do it. Throwing a sprinkler on at peak heat where it hits a bush or shrub is a great way to give the birds a break. The Chickadees especially seem to go nuts over it when hot out. Not out in the open though, it has to be placed where there is cover to dive into in case of hawk.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

July 28 ~ About 70dF briefly before sunup. Didn't last. Had to be a hun in the sun, was 96dF on the cool shady front porch. About 4 Gnatcats and 3 Orchard Orio through yard in morning, and 10 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck flew over. Best beast was one of the big Scarabs of the Harlequin Beetle sort, which landed at my feet out in front yard. By time I got back with camera I couldn't find it. The rest was the expected. Quick check at park had Green Heron on the dam, and a family group of Blue Jay in the woods. The Eastern Wood-Pewee are still there, one singing, and methinks have nest. In damselflies, both Orange Bluet and Orange-striped Threadtail were flying.

July 27 ~ A nice low of 69dF felt fantastic, no southerly Gulf flow so some radiational cooling overnight. But in the afternoon, it was hotter than a Habanero. As the ZZ song went... 'The temperature had risen again, musta been a hundred and ten'... I think we were near that for a heat index. A flock of 7 Eur. Collared-Dove flew over high, about 600' up, going west. Been a pair with one juvenile (collaredless Dove) around the patio and where we toss seed out back. Oh how exciting, introduced non-native vermin. I sure wish someone would bring some over here plucked. Saw a Cicada Killer cruising around yard today.

The Cowbirds have largely departed, in the last week, their frequency has plummeted. So much finishes breeding by now, they give up and go too. Still a couple around but going half days without seeing one of either type now. It is the Bronzed that stay later and continue to parasitize through August. For those things that do nest a third or fourth time, like those still going now, there is vastly lower incidence of Brown-headed Cowbird parasitization presently than in May, June, and July. Little to none. Most predation from now on will be by Bronzed Cowbird.

Late afternoon a Yellow-throated Vireo landed 4 feet from me in some low Pecan branches and facing right at me, made a 3 and 4 note call series I had never heard from them. Musical, rich full notes, not unlike a yellowlegs, but more upbeat, not downslurred, almost bubbly and effervescent like Kinglet song. The excited notes were on the same pitch. I could not believe I was hearing this from a Yellow-throated Vireo staring straight at me barely over a meter from my face. I fumbled for camera but couldn't get it together for a shot, it was too close. It repeated the sequence at least 4, maybe 5 times.

At dusk I saw the Blue Grosbeak flight song display, which is pretty neat and not often seen, at least for me. They give the buzz note call on the way up as they climb, then at maybe 30' or so they fly a level almost complete circle, whislt belting out song with exaggerated flaps and fanning of tail, head cocked back, and just before finishing the circle it dives back into the thicket. Prolly to check with the missus if it was good enough.

July 26 ~ A few Orchard Orioles, a couple Gnatcatchers and a female or imm. Indigo Bunting went through. The ad. male Painted Buntings have really cut back on the singing in a big way, besides being in heavy molt. In the afternoon I was just off the front porch when I heard a flush of birds from the patio (on side of house), turned my head to see a Zone-tailed Hawk at 50' climbing from ground level with something in talons. Was not able to make an ID on the prey item. Finally saw a FOY Julia's Skipper in yard, the last couple years they were abundant, not getting why I am not seeing them this year. A few Red Bats were doing their loops around the big pecan at dusk, which I think they live in, and now probably have some young pups out with them too. Had the edge of some outflow hit just before dusk, took 5dF off the top instantly, smelled rain, but didn't get any. At dusk I saw a Screech-Owl (Tex-Mex - mccallii) flying along the north fence toward draw, looking like it was leaving the pecan with the bird bath. I hear them all the time, but only rarely see them as I don't persue them trying not to bother. Nice enough to know they are out there. Ceranus Blue (lep) today.

July 25 ~ The low 70's mornings are fine after the brutal upper 90's in the afternoons. Weed whacking is brutal in the humidity. It is the dog days of summer, with the drones of katydid and cicadas to prove it. Couple Gnatcats went through. Yellow-throated Vireo still singing, so still nesting. Waiting for the first long-distance fall migrant to show up. Rufous Hummingbird, Upland Sandpiper, and Least Flycatcher are usually the first three, have had them all by now in some prior years. Been listening at dusk for Ups to no avail, and listening to the feeders but only hummer here now is Black-chinned still, so far. In leps I saw a Whirlabout whirling about Frogfruit, and a Phaon Crescent. Four or five Orchard Oriole at last sun in the Mesquites across from gate. The edge of an outflow hit us near dusk and took about 7dF off the peak heat temps. No rain though. Lots of Bats at dusk.

July 24 ~ Toasty and drippy, if you like that, me not so much. Hooded Oriole was out there a bit, which reminds me in the last week through the yard have been Hooded, Scott's, Orchard, Bullock's, and Audubon's Orioles. There are ripe Persimmons around on some of those, which had been pecked at. Baltimore are probably a couple weeks out yet. The pair of bluebirds had two young at the bath with them. Couple Gnatcats.

In odes had a male Black Setwing (dragon) which is scarce IN yard (Swift Setwing is multiples residing), and out over the yard were a number of Spot-winged and Wandering Gliders, a few Black, and Red, Saddlebags with them. Green Darner and Pale-faced Clubskimmer nearing last sun.

In leps a Laviana White-Skipper flew by, surely the big white skipper I saw yesterday, and first one of the year. Another big skipper with tails was zipping around a bit, but I never got a good enough look for an ID. It stopped on a windowscreen briefly, then flushed. I ran and grabbed hose, squirted water onto mud and dirt (caliche), whence it came back (!). That is right, I chummed a skipper in with scent. We don't screw around here in our nature nerding, this is a top notch operation. But the dang phone rang and I had to run. By time I got back out it was gone. The best beast of the day almost always gets away. I have to leave it at Urbanus species.

July 23 ~ Spread was 74 to 94+ (in shade) dF until an outflow hit about 6 p.m. from some rain to north and dropped us to 84. Checked golf course ponds again for odes, less activity than a couple weeks ago. Martins still at the house, no Yellow-headed Blackbird but heard Killdeer, which likely nest somewhere there. Same stuff at crossing, again with less odetivity. Went for a swim at peak heat in afternoon, had begging baby Yellow-throated Warblers. Couple Gnatcatchers through yard. Had a big white skipper go by that was different. At least two new juvie Vermilion Flycs just fledged. Nice close Common Nighthawk boom before dusk.

July 22 ~ The molting male Indigo Bunting was on the patio again today. The ad.ma. Painted are molting now as well. Barely over two weeks left for male Painted here, Aug. 7-9 is departure window for local breeding males. Methinks it was 3 Gnatcats through yard over day. A few butterflies were on the Frogfruit: Phaon Crescent, Lyside Sulphur, Southern Skipperling, plus a False Duskywing. We went for a swim peak heat. The dripping as I got out brought a Mournful Duskywing in to puddle.

I keep forgetting to mention the wild native pecan, the big ancient tree right off front porch, is dropping partly developed three-quarter inch green nuts the last couple weeks. It is blowing off the season apparently. The 6 graft trees only have a little bit going yet, and I suspect that 50 mph wind in late April whilst blooming took out the crop again this year, as last.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

July 21 ~ Took all night just to get down to 71dF. Too busy to look around. Noonish was in town for supplies and stopped at the park. Up by the island there were FOUR Ringed Kingfisher, 2 adults (male and female) and 2 begging young. The young begging did not sound all that unlike begging Great-tailed Grackles, a funny extended quavering sound. My feeling is that this is a second set for the year. While I was watching and listening to them an ad. female with a juvenile chasing it Green Kingfisher flew by. So I had 6 Kingfishers at once, none were Belted. In Utopia. An adult male Indigo Bunting in heavy molt was on the patio eating white millet early. Methinks one of the local birds.

July 20 ~ A female Bullock's Oriole went south through yard early morning, a fall migrant. Couple Gnatcatchers too. Mid-morn an Audubon's Oriole moved north through corral and the big live-oaks right out back of house. What seems another just-fledged Vermilion Flyc. being attended by the ad. female. A male Roseate Skimmer (dragon) came into sprayed water. While we were eating dinner all the birds flushed, a dove hit the window screen, as I turned out of the corner of my eye I saw a Cooper's Hawk right there. No doubt the dove was dinner.

About 7:30 p.m. a rain cell went over and dropped a tenth of an inch and took 10dF off the top. About 4 p.m. I ran to town for birdseed as I wasn't going to make until I return from the normal run tomorrow. At the park was a Ringed Kingfisher up in the woods at the island. Otherwise it was loaded with people. Some flowers blooming at the butterfly garden, but no butterflies. I am dyin' to take a butterfly on flower shot to see how that works with the camera, so go to flower garden, no butterflies. This is my life.

July 19 ~ About 3 Gnatcats over the day southbound through yard. A couple Orchard Oriole were heard moving through yard. A Summer Tanager was singing, first of that in a couple weeks, they will probably nest again then. The action was later in day. About 7 p.m. a stray rain cell hit and we got a 92-78dF temp drop in 15 minutes, and a quarter inch. Awesome.

Shortly before 8 p.m. a White-tailed Kite flew by, my first summer record here. Last week Little Creek Larry mentioned he thought he had seen one recently over his way but it flew by quickly. Looks like he mighta had one. Great July data point. Then a bit later a Great Horned Owl dropped out of a pecan and grabbed a Cotton Rat (Sigmodon sps.) way out in the yard by the wellhouse. Outstanding. Looked like the one still with some down that was on the patio a couple days ago.

July 18 ~ Nice 70dF low and humid from the rain, and it looks greener already. Everything must have been dusty. Saw a couple Orchard Oriole move south through yard in the a.m., and a Yellow-throated Warbler was on the clothesline. Couple Gnatcatcher went through. For the third day straight I have heard a singing Field Sparrow out there. Yesterday I saw my FOY juvenile Golden-fronted Woodpecker. In the afternoon I heard a White-tipped Dove call a couple times from over at or across the river.

July 17 ~ Clear and 70dF for a low is nice, it won't last. Hot and muggy, pray you get the rain. Might be another round this afternoon, yesterday's was more spotty and we didn't get any. At least two Gnatcatcher in morning. There are two different first summer male Blue Grosbeaks around, besides the two singing adult males and couple females, one pair of which seems to be nesting over in the draw.

A rain cell spit on us a bit noonish or so and cooled it down briefly, town might have gotten a quarter inch. we had maybe a tenth. By 3 p.m. the cool is gone, it is sunny and more humid. Then about 5 p.m. a good line of cells found us and we got just under 3cm, about 1.125") in just over a half hour. By a couple hours later when done it was 1.35". Fantastic. Puts us at about 2 and five-eighths for the last three days, and month. Critical for the late summer and early fall bloom of many things like Snow-on-the-Mountain, Frostweed, Frogfruit, and a bunch of other flowers. Need a few more inches over the next month still.

Had seemingly four Gnatcatcher through yard by early afternoon. Saw an Eastern Wood-Pewee in yard get chased out by an E. Phoebe. Heard a Black-n-white Warbler upslope in the big live-oaks. There were begging baby Yellow-throated Warblers around the yard near last sun. The Vermilion Flyc. is so thrilled to not be hot, and bathed, it is in aerial flight display again.

July 16 ~ A nice 69dF low, clear and no sign of the rain yesterday evening, but everything is wet. At 6:10 a.m. as I walked by the back door at first crack of light I saw something big fly away and land on one of the clothesline poles. Great Horned Owl, juvenile still with some white fuzzy goin' on. It was at a bowl with rainwater in it on the patio not 8' from the door! We're off to a great start of the day.

Later I noticed a row of feces on the side rail of the bed of the pickup. Three big ones. XL. Jumbo. Not hummingbird, warbler or even woodpecker, clearly from being perched and shuffling a few inches between each, this was no fly-by. Something was sitting on the edge of the pickup bed. The bed has a old (A-1 quality) cotton duck tarp laying in it so water pools and puddles very well when it rains. And who, let me say it again, who, who who, was playing at water recently? Since it rained after dark we know this was just deposited. Who, who who who comes out at night? Apparently after rains when I am not using the back of the truck, it is an owl spa.

Gnother Gnatcatcher went through early, 2 more late in day. About 9:20 a.m. I saw a couple begging young orioles fly by chasing an adult. Looked like they went to the Mesquites across from gate, then they moved into the big pecan right off front porch, then the big dying hackberry, whence I saw and heard they were Bullock's Orioles. My first positive breeding record in the upper Sabinal drainage. Outstanding. I have suspected a few mostly far down-valley. In June I saw two males, and now an ad. fem. with two begging young, means absolutely positively upper Sabinal River drainage nesting.

Earlier morning a decent swarm of a couple dozen odes over the tall grass in yard were mostly Spot-winged Glider but a few Wandering Glider were mixed in with them. We drove down to the crossing about 11 and walked up and down river a bit from there (private prop.). Hot and drippy. The usual Frogfruit patches below crossing are weak at best this year so far. The last three years they were great dependable butterfly magnets, it does not look good so far for this year yet.

A couple good odes (dragons) were a Bronzed River Cruiser and a Straw-colored Sylph. The Sylph is very rare up here in the hills (rarely can be common at Cook's Slough in Uvalde), but I have only seen a couple or few locally. Neither would stop flying so I did not get any pics. Have not gotten to moving-hard-to-track objects with the different camera yet. A couple of Eastern Ringtail were seen, and a couple Smoky Rubyspot damselfly. The rest was the common usual expeted gang.

The Wooly Ironweed is blooming great as is Cedar Sage, but no butterflies but Pipevine Swallowtails. Upriver a bit was a Green Kingfisher fishing from a snag mid-stream. A small group of birds togetherish had Chickadees, Cardinals, Titmice, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, plus a Yellow-throated Warbler feeding a colorless (just-fledged) young, and what looked like a juvenile Hutton's Vireo with an adult, all in one area in the cypresses along river, on other side from our place. And a group of just-fledged Blue Grosbeak, first of those young I have seen this year. 100 feet of great action in 1500 feet of river-edge, which is not uncommon. The water is milky from runoff from yesterday's rain so no swimming today, and good thing we went yesterday. Usually the water is so crystal clear here you can barely tell it is there.

Later afternoon a rain cell to the west of us blocked sun during peak heat taking 5dF off the top. No rain or outflow really, but no solar pounding for a couple hours at peak heat. Nearing dusk a female Common Nighthawk flew lowish over the yard a couple times (just over treetops). Later near last light a Chuck-wills-widow made a couple passes across the yard, but never heard one call this evening or last. There were a couple Firefly out, flying high and fast quite unlike our usual normal spring type, and surely a different species.

July 15 ~ This mid-July weekend is to me the big halfway hump of summer. Halfway between Memorial Day and Labor day, halfway through the June through August peak heat of summer, so hooray. Low was a surprising 69dF and the cool shady front porch was an oppressive 97dF (!) at 5 p.m. when we returned from a swim all cooled down. A rain cell finally found us about 6 p.m. and in 10 minutes it dropped to 75dF, 5 minutes later it was 70dF! Holy cow! We got almost an inch in about a half hour, then another half over the next couple hours. At least 1.25" total. Amazing. We are sooo behind on water in the bank.

About 11 a.m. we ran over and checked the Waresville-Golf Course pond for odes again. A surprise was a male YELLOW-HEADED Blackbird, which is my first summer record here. There are a couple or few pairs of Red-winged Blackbird that nest in the cattails there. It was with the males. Too cool, and beautiful (ph.). The Martins are still at the house there. Odes were the same as last weeks' crowd but one standout was a GREAT PONDHAWK that was briefly present. They are scarce up here in the hills. At another pond we had an outstanding show at point blank watching the Martins drink. A couple Southern Skipperling (lep). Nothing at the river crossing but a bass that I think was a hybrid Guadalupe x Largemouth, and a Leaftail and an Eastern Ringtail for always-nice-to-see dragons.

The other bird of the day was BUSHTIT, at minimum 8 of them moved through the yard about 3 p.m., might have been 10. I did not seen any all spring, at least 10 trips to Lost Maples for instance found zero. At dusk just before 9 p.m. I was out in driveway enjoying the low temps, watching some bats. At least one Red Bat, many Braz. Freetail. A Chuck-wills-widow flying across yard pulled up and I thought sure it was going to take a Freetail. The bat disappeared behind the Chuck from my angle when it was right by the birds mouth. At the last second I heard the mouth snap shut and the Chuck broke off and didn't take the bat. I thought the bat was a gonner. Incredible. That was about all the nature watching I could stand for a day so I went inside.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

July 14 ~ Gnatcatcher through yard in a.m., and a couple at the park in town noonish. Also at the park was the continuing juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (ph.), over on the big dock across the pond. Also saw Ringed and Green Kingfisher up by island in woods. A Water Snake of some sort was sunning on a fallen willow and a nice scolding scene unfolded with Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Chickadee, Titmouse and the female Black-and-white Warbler all giving it hell and making sure all knew it was there. The Eastern Wood-Pewee pair seem to be nesting. The Blue Jays have a second set of young out of the nest now. Later afternoon there was a nearly 2" Eyed Elaterid (the big click beetle with false eyespots) on the big pecan (ph.).

Best thing was Little Creek Larry reporting two ROSEATE SPOONBILL flying down Little Creek yesterday (13th)! A very rare bird up here in the hills. This is the third sighting (each of two birds) since the Sylvia Hilbig's in Bandera Co. just NW of town a couple miles in 2014. Three pairs, in the last 4 years, with only one single known by locals in prior couple decades. Sylvia's and my sightings were both of two immatures, they are the most likely to move inland. It is one of the long-legged waders (herons, egrets, ibis, etc.) that move inland from the coasts every summer. Roughly Austin to San Antonio is as far inland as they are sorta regular late summer visitors in central Texas. The hill country and Edwards Plateau are generally avoided. Keep your eyes peeled for some pink birds with funny bills.

July 13 ~ Maybe 73dF for a low, as often the morning clouds from the Gulf just arriving around sunup. Birdsong is nearly dead now. Painted Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-breasted Chat, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina and Bewick's Wren, and a little Cardinal was about it for early singers. Some things have just-fledged sets of young and hopefully will go another round, like Summer Tanager, Great Crested Flycatcher, the two Yellow-throateds (warbler and vireo), etc. Vermilion Flyc. is on another round, but fairly quiet about it this time.

A nice rain cell moved up from south and missed us to the west in the afternoon but the outflow and shade took 10dF of the heat. Mid-80's is entirely bearable. Sure great having that male Blue Grosbeak on the patio. They are so much shyer than Painted Bunting. If it sees you move inside the house, it flushes. The male Painted Buntings remain on the feeder whilst you walk slowly only 20' away. Heard a Gnatcat go through yard.

July 12 ~ Only 74dF for a low. Some rain was to the south out in brush country. We sure need it badly here. A weak outflow cooled us a bit late morning to afternoon. Was only 85dF at 4:30 p.m. A great 10dF break. At the park in town besides one of the ad. Green Heron pair, I saw a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, very fresh out of the nest. They wander inland every summer like many herons, and July is normal earliest arrivals, but we don't get them every year here, almost, but not a sure thing. A good bird locally. We have another pair of just-fledged Painted Bunting juveniles both being fed by mom at the feeder and on patio. They are having a good year here. I heard a Canyon Towhee across the road from the gate mid-day. An Arizona Sister has been around a few days coming into the water. No Chucks calling at dusk, I think they are done. Common Nighthawk still going though.

July 11 ~ The cool lows are over, about 72dF this morning. And no morning clouds, means its gonna be a hot one. What a surprise a Gnatcatcher went through the yard southbound. About 10 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks flew over early. The rest was the regulars. There is a hit deer a couple hundred yards away, so lots of vultures and a couple Caracara are about.

July 10 ~ An incredible 3rd morning in a row at 67dF is great. Another Gnatcatcher went through, the Black-n-whites are around still, and the Yellow-throateds, vireo and warbler. Hear the distant Great Crested only now. The Ash-throat here in the yard does all it can to live up to its family name. It is indeed a real tyrant. It seems an unmated bird, relentlessly harrassing a pair of nesting bluebirds. How uncool can you be? He forced them out of their usual box, and now he won't leave them alone at their new box. He chases everything in the yard all the time, especially any juvenile bird it drives to the ground just for thrills. With friends like that... it is an incredible bully.

There was a Horace's or Juvenals Duskywing butterfly out there where Kathy watered, a Roseate Skimmer dragonfly came in too, as did an Arizona Sister butterfly. The bird of the day was a dragonfly, which I got in scope for awesome ID views but it flew when I came back out with camera. Broad-striped Forceptail. Regular down in the brush country around Uvalde, but rare up here, less than annual I'd call it. Maybe if you were really working odes hard you could get one every year? Maybe. It was perched in the twigs of the huge fallen Hackberry branch.

July 9 ~ Another amazing 67dF for a low! OMG, it is the little things in life, like a few measly dF. The ad.ma. Yellow-throated Warbler landed on a tension wire that runs from house to an original (juniper?) 50 year old clothesline pole, just 8' from me, and for a minute we eyed each other. It snagged a bug off the pole which it then landed on top of and ate. Then it flew down to the patio and ate 2 white millet seeds. A fancy seedeater on the patio. Mid-morn the male and female Scott's Oriole were both on the office hummer feeder at the same time. Camera wasn't handy.

We did a 11-1 dragonfly lookabout. One Indigo Bunting still trolling just downriver a bit from us. A few Scissor-tails on the way over to the ponds on the golf course by Waresville where it was pretty active with odes. The Martins are still at that house, perhaps 20 of them, it appears they had a good year, they will be leaving soon. The pond had at least 5 Red-tailed Pennant, a Four-spotted Pennant, Checkered Setwing, Eastern Pondhawk, Blue and Thornbush Dasher, Widow Skimmer, a Red Saddlebags, and a Spot-winged Glider. Nine species of dragons in a 15 minute walk around the pond.

Over at the smaller pond on the main artificial creek there were more Red-tailed and another Four-spotted Pennant, a Banded and a less than annual Halloween Pennant(!). Four species of Pennants just at one little pond. A few more Checkered Setwing and Blue Dasher and a Four-striped Leaftail. A Metalmark (butterfly) was the first Calelephelis sps. I have seen this year, but could not get a positive ID on it, looked Rounded (perditalis). One Southern Skipperling (butterfly) was nice too. I also saw my first of year White-striped Longtail (Skipper - butterfly) fly across a fairway! One Bell's Vireo was singing along UvCo 363 (Waresville Rd.). Some juvenile Cave Swallow were near the ponds.

Then we stopped at the 360 crossing on the way back. Heard a Ringed Kingfisher downriver. Fantastic was in the woods along the river, a Mimosa Yellow butterfly, my FOY, some years I do not see one. In odes saw an Eastern Ringtail on a rock in the river, a Pale-faced Clubskimmer, 2 or 3 Five-striped Leaftail, Swift and Black Setwing, more Pondhawk and Blue Dasher, and a fair number of damselflies. Several American and one Smoky Rubyspot, Kiowa, Violet, Blue-ringed, and Dusky Dancer, another I am not sure about, Orange, Stream, and Double-striped Bluet, a Rambur's and a Fragile Forktail. Seems like it was at least 25 species of odes in 90 minutes of looking at two ponds on the golf course and the river crossing. A False Duskywing butterfly was at the crossing, and we watched a male Texas Cichlid (fish) herd around a few hundred tiny young. Some greenie juv. Painted Bunting along river, already out on their own wandering around now.

Went for a swim at peak heat. Had Eastern Wood-Pewee with begging young, maybe different from last weeks' as it was a third mile downriver from those. Singing Painted Bunting, Chat, Yellow-throated Warbler, another juv. greenie Painted Bunting wandering alone. Great was two Green Kingfishers that flew past us, one was carrying a fish, perhaps a second nesting is underway. Great bird to see from in the water.

Later afternoon a juvenile Field Sparrow was foraging around the bird bath, unattended, fledged, and very very streaky below. It was giving that sweet chip that is almost warblerish. We are covered in greenies, female, juvenile and immature Painted Buntings are everywhere. Black-n-white Warbler singing out back at dusk in the big live-oaks. Chucks called a short bit at dusk.

July 8 ~ The outflow cooled air and lack of southerly (Gulf) flow allowed radiational cooling, all the way down to 67dF! Holy cow! Awesome. Late afternoon the cool shady front porch was about 92dF, many local stations were upper 90's and a few hit a hun. I am trying to get used to the quiet (of birdsong) out there at dawn now. The two Black-n-white Warblers were around, a couple Yellow-throated Warbler, a couple Gnatcatcher went through yard. Yellow-throated Vireo around a while too, and heard the Hutton's out there. Mocker imitating Paraque and a poor Chuck-wills-widow, Green Jay, Curve-billed Thrasher, etc., keeping me on my toes. Went for an afternoon swim at peak heat. Thought I saw a female Orchard Oriole across river in some still blooming Mesquites. The Summer Tanagers have been in the Mesquite quite a bit the last three weeks as they bloomed, taking bees at will, apparently candyland to them. At dusk a Chuck flew 6' past my head while I was out on driveway, but from behind so only saw it going away and couldn't age or sex it.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

July 7 ~ So a lucky 7-7-17 today. The standard 74-94+ dF in the shade hot drippy summer thing goin' on, if you like that. Town run so a little lookabout. The Cave Swallows seem like there are maybe a dozen adults and two dozen young around the bank, so they are still around, some were at nests, so perhaps they are still going at it. They can all be gone sometimes though. Perhaps one comes back with a report of aerial plankton somewhere and they all split for a while. Still some Martins around, 6 were drinking at the park pond.

The park had a male Green Kingfisher, saw one of the Green Heron pair, Blue Jay, and it seems the pair of Eastern Wood-Pewee are indeed nesting there. A couple juvenile White-eyed Vireo, the first summer female Black-n-white is still there all done molting into a fresh as can be set of feathers. Oddly just about no odes (dragon or damselflies).

The Common Grackles that fledged their young are nowhere to be seen. Wonder where they go after breeding here? Once these local breeders fledge young in summer they depart and generally none will be seen until fall. Which are surely birds sourced from elsewhere and not anything to do with local origin. Lots of birders like to pretend they know all about everything that is going on but in reality there are very basic questions about widespread species, even ones with the word "Common" in their name, that we can't answer. Heck if you are using a 1999 (Third Edition) National Geographic Guide you would think they only occurred here in winter and did not breed here anyway. And surely later editions than that continued to have it mapped incorrectly for within 50 or 100 miles of the Utopia area, like winter range of Pine Warbler and Rusty Blackbird. They were just guessing. Remember, always question authority.

Just after 7 p.m. we got an outflow boundry which took us from 94 to 84dF in 10 minutes or so. Wonderful. Smelled rain. Saw an amazing rainbow just to SE a bit. It was a triple bow of color for 80 degrees, three bands of violet, the whole spectrum twice and you could barely see the third set of colors below the 3rd violet arc. But incredibly for 20 degrees or so at azimuth where it looked like virga falling you could see a FOURTH band of violet. Unbelievable. They were packed together side by side repeating one after the next. At dusk I heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee singing, and a White-tipped Dove blew a good long note.

July 6 ~ There are at least two male Blue Grosbeak here, plus at least one female. There are at least three male Painted Bunting that seem to have pie-sliced the hood for territories in a manner that they all can use the feeders. Still more Gnatcatcher southbound, and the two Black-n-white Warbler are still here too.

July 5 ~ An Eastern Wood-Pewee called a bit from the yard early. First-summer male and female Black-n-white Warbler around, heard Scissor-tails, saw the Great Crested and Ash-throated Flycatchers, Vermilions seem to be nesting again, Yellow-throated Warbler and Vireo around the yard, a juvenile warbler bathed. Barely a couple Chuck-wills-widow calls at dusk, and a few Common Nighthawk booms, but sure slowing down.

July 4 ~ Happy Independence Day! I think probably the biggest day for tourists here each year, because of the fireworks show at the park at dark. Then from 10 to 11 p.m. the roads out of town in all directions sound like an L.A. freeway. If you like a good show of this sort, this one would be very hard to beat, it is usually 45 minutes or so of shock and awe. Hope they like it hot and drippy, it was 75dF for a low this morning, and 90 by noon. A nice very humid sticky drippy 90. Looks like a swim day.

Two Black-n-white Warbler, a singing first summer male and a female, and a couple Blue-gray Gnatcatcher out in yard early. One T-6 Texan flyby. About 1 p.m. the Ringtail was out back. The leg injury got worse and has not healed, it now seems to be mostly without use of the front right leg and foot. Wonder if it was a fight with another Ringtail, or a Racoon maybe? Not good and probaby why it hits the sunflower seeds.

Walked the 5 min. or so for a swim in the river at peak heat of day for an hour. I heard the following singing still: Summer Tanager, Painted Bunting, Yellow-throated Warbler, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Chat, and saw family groups of Titmouse, Chickadee, Cardinal, and Eastern Wood-Pewee feeding young. Not a bad swimming hole. Odes were poor though, barely anything. At dusk I heard a bird call three times that I would swear was a Solitary Sandpiper, which would be a few weeks early, though I don't know what else it could have been.

July 3 ~ Not getting up at 5 was like sleeping in, that felt great. Only got down to 73dF though. It is sure getting quiet of birdsong, but at least some still going. Yellow-breasted Chat, Yellow-throated and White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Warbler, Summer Tanager, Painted Bunting, Black-crested Titmouse, No. Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Scissor-tailed, Vermilion and Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, all still singing but none with the vim and vigor of March or April to May. They are running out of steam.

Early saw at least one male Orchard Oriole, heard one singing while another called, may have been two. Then after noon a male was around a bit. Still Black-and-white Warbler around yard, and a couple Blue-gray Gnatcatcher went through it. The rest was the usual gang. Kathy saw the Yellow-throated Warbler go to the bath. Heard Barn Owl again late p.m. so at least one pair must be nesting somewhere in the area. Mama possum has a baby hanging on her back and another hanging out of the pouch, and who knows how many more.

July 2 ~ Had an awesome morning at Lost Maples with some great folks over from Houston. The two early birders of the group and I did the Maples Trail quickly first thing. We flushed a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk seemingly off the ground. Had great close views perched in the open, so though I heard a begging juvenile two weeks ago, now we have a visual on a fledged unattended young. Three years in a row now at this newly discovered furthest southwest known nesting.

We watched the feeding station for a while and saw no Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Scrub-Jay or White-tipped Dove, so I think they are getting a little intermittent now on stocking it. I threw a cup out before we did the Maples Trail so there were some of the common things. Check out the Yellow-throated Warbler singing at the parking lot, with the boldly demarcated orange throat patch. Blackburnian orange, a big squarish area covering entire lower throat to central breast area. This is the second super orange individual here this year, the other over a mile away in another canyon. Are they older males? I think they wear into it, after most of the birding (tourists) is done for the season. They are not shown or discussed in any book. You can find them on the Frio too.

After meeting a couple more of the group we went up Can Creek to the ponds. Saw a Green Kingfisher right below the trailhead (feeding station) parking lot at creek there. Just the other side of the 1st crossing an Olive Sparrow called back to my cheap two-bit imitation but we didn't see it. Still there are Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, but I did not see a Black-and-white Warbler or Eastern Wood-Pewee. A couple Yellow-throated Vireo (1 juv.), heard a number of Red-eyed and had a bunch of White-eyed, heard a couple Louisiana Waterthrush but didn't see one, some Summer Tanager and Acadian Flycatcher, lots of singing Canyon Wren. No Zone-tail (didn't go to Monkey Rock sign) or Scott's Oriole.

We had to turn around to have time to get up the hill to the top of the bluffs to look for Black-capped Vireo, and had not yet seen a Golden-cheeked Warbler. I pushed it to the spot Kathy and I saw the stub-tailed molting ad. fem. two weeks ago. We got there and the bird was in the tree adjacent to the one we saw it in. Now with a brand spankin's new tail fully grown in, and all new wing feathers. She looked amazing. I have probably never seen a more fully molted perfectly fresh basic ("winter") adult female such as this one. Every primary, secondary, and tertial with bold snow white edges. Wing coverts with bigger wingbars than we see all spring in the worn old plumage of last year. Her back was that unique darker forest green, boldy short-streaked in black. Her cheek was nearly like a males, much black in the throat and breast, though the chin was pale. Undertail coverts snow white as can be. It was a spectacular bird. Not to mention our quarry. This bird I have no doubt is the one Kathy and I saw molting two weeks ago, and so it has stayed in this particular area while doing so. It was right as you approach the creek crossing after the 2nd pond, on the right, right along the trail. Just above eye-level, foraging actively in Ashe Juniper and W. Sycamore.

So powered on the that we headed up the steep grade because these young bucks needed to see a fancy vireo. Apparently they were pretty excited as they seemed to fly up the hill with my instructions, compared to my struggling to make it. Which I do, very slowly. That damn third of a mile seems like three and is longer every time. But I was slow enough to hear a Hutton's Vireo on the way. Wrong vireo. When I got up there I probably looked like I was dyin', I felt like I was. They looked all rested and refreshed, and ready for action and leadership. LOL

A couple of them had been listening to Black-caps from the edge of the cliff, straight down right below you, and seeing a flit here and a flash in flight there, but no real view yet. Also no hoped-for Varied Bunting that I heard or saw. So we walked a bit on the trail past the bench and the one near the first few taller (10-12') trees was singing. They moved up on the bird and had great views. The best approach is to approach them directly, slowly. If you are shy you will never see one. Just move toward the bush they sing from within. When they flush they often perch up to have a look at the beast that did that. Following the song around awhile will almost always get great Black-capped Vireo views. They are not shy, they just like the deepest middlest part of the thickest bushes most of all. You have to be a little more agressive of pursuit than the passive mode most birders operate in. Don't be afraid to stick your head into a bush, I have done so and had one sit there a few feet from my face. Poor thing is probably still traumatized...

Up there on top I heard Rufous-crowned and Field Sparrow singing, and had two Black-throated Sparrow fly over. It is a totally different habitat from anything you can experience on the roads or trails in the canyons. And very cool. There are several trails that get up out of the canyons and "up on top" and likely all of them have that Black-capped Vireo habitat of 3 to 6 foot high dwarf plantland of Evergreen Sumac, Persimmon, Laurel, and Agarita, and here with some occasional scattered small Buckley Oaks.

I saw a couple dragonflies up there on top in the short forest of shrubs. Best, outstanding, was a Bronze River Cruiser, which hung up (perched, hanging vertically as many dragons do)! I might have gotten pix, won't know until I play with it... couldn't see viewfinder in sun, pointed and shot. Also flushed a Widow Skimmer and Banded Pennant up there far from water. Did see a Prince Baskettail by ponds and something red shot by, likely a Flame Skimmer. By then we had to go, saw nothing new on the way back down the canyon. But we had a reasonably stellar walk. It was great to see sharp cool younger folk interested, out doing it. I saw a Roadrunner on the way back down 187 to Utopia.

July 1 ~ OMG JULY!?!?!?! Started out at a low of 75dF. Still Black-n-white Warbler around, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher going through yard. All the usual regulars were around. Heard the Indigo but have not been hearing the Red-eyed Vireo the last few days. It may have given up and moved to troll elsewhere. Only thing new and different was an Inca Dove on the patio, the first in the yard in a year or more since the local resident Cooper's Hawks took out our flock of 8, one at a time. It was an adult Inca. Saw the Zone-tailed Hawk go over, still Purple Martins up overhead. Worked on stuff around the house since guiding at lost marbles tomorrow.

~ ~ ~ June summary ~ ~ ~

It was a hot one, often 10dF above averages for the dates. There was 5" of rain at our place but totals around the area vary a couple inches either side of what we got. It all fell on a couple days at start of month and one day at end of month, mostly it was bone dry. Water table is still way low. Flowers dialed back quite a bit compared to March, April and May.

Butterflies were a very weak 38 species. Only once in the last 9 years did I do worse, and that was 2011 at the peak of the drought. It was mostly just the sundry stuff too. Best thing were some Amblyscrites Roadside-Skippers that are not Celia's and are probably Bronze (ph.). I have to get expert ID confirmation on the photos yet though. A couple that got away as probables (not counted in total) were two Great Purple Hairstreak and an Ornythion Swallowtail. Saw a few Northern (Common) Mestra.

Odes were fair, with 12 species of Zygops (damselflies) and 19 species of Anisops (dragonflies) for 31 species total. Not bad. Great was a male Ivory-striped Sylph that floated right past the front porch whilst I was on it wishing something would fly by. Blue eyes, white headlights, an awesome beast. A Black-shouldered Spinyleg was my first in 7-8 years or more. It was promptly dispatched by a Summer Tanager. Overall numbers are way down though, like other insects since the drought.

Birds have a big diversity drop from the roar of migration of course, but the full roar of breeding season peaks. It was about 96 species for me locally in the upper Sabinal drainage this month. Big letdown from the 125 or so in April and May. But not bad considering that was all either from the yard, at the park or in town, or on one hike through Lost Maples. That is, from just a few spots along the Sabinal River. And almost all with just a very few exceptions, are breeding locally. Probably 90+ species of upper Sabinal River drainage breeders. It is remarkable breeding species diversity. I missed a few things, there could be a hundred species nesting locally!

The earliest migratory returnees finish up and are leaving nesting territory in June. Golden-cheeked Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Black-and-white Warbler are the big 3 migratory breeders that finish first, returning in March, and most are done and departing in June. It is over so fast I can't believe it. Many resident species have fledged two sets of young already and are on their third.

In raries, the best thing was a male Lucifer Hummingbird at a flowering Century Plant Agave a couple miles south of town on June 23. Checked it a few times since and didn't see it again. A late warbler was a Chestnut-sided singing on June 2. Nearish was a male Prothonotary singing between Camp Wood and Chalk Bluff mid-June (Mary Gustafson), a great find.

For our yard a singing Black-throated Sparrow the 16th was new, and of interest at edge of river corridor habitat. My first local June Catbird was great at our birdbath on the 8th. A yard Long-billed Thrasher on the 29th was the first in yard in over a year. Besides the vagrant hummingbird, the best thing of the month was finally seeing a begging streaky juvenile Olive Sparrow at Lost Maples, which was outstanding. Probably a first Bandera Co. known nesting, and now a new dot must be placed for the furthest north known nesting of the species. No juv. White-tipped Doves yet, but looking, they are to be expected. The male Varied Bunting singing there June 18 was likely the one seen May 21, so it has trolled quite a while.

~ ~ end June summary ~ ~

~ ~ ~ the regularly scheduled drivel continues below ~ ~ ~




~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

June 30 ~ Only 75dF for a low is not very, when you wake up to that, you know it will be a drippy day. I had two Black-and-white Warbler chasing each other around the yard in the a.m., and after noon. One I heard singing, the other looked like a juvenile female but not sure. Anyway, neat to have a couple around the yard. Another Gnatcatcher went through too.

Had a town run to get supplies before the city people get here for the holiday weekend. Was nice and quiet still just before noon. Heard a couple Bell's Vireo singing at NW corner of town in their usual spots. No flowers at the county line curve garden at the north end of town, and though the library garden has some flowers, there were no butterflies, but one Black-n-white Warbler. At the park were two more Black-n-white Warbler for a total by noon of 5 of the little beauties. Heard the Green Heron at the park, and Little Creek Larry said he is seeing one over on Little Creek going in and out of Bulrushes, so they must be nesting over there too. Barred Owl and Blue Jay at the park. Zone-tailed Hawk over 187 a couple miles south of town. I have missed any Cave Swallows at the bank a couple visits lately. Don't know if they are all out feeding, or done and gone.

June 29 ~ About 70dF for a low, and here comes summer. Next couple days are forecast for 75dF lows. It sure was a great break we had for a few days while it lasted, and the couple and a half inches of rain was beyond badly needed. Saw a couple Gnatcatcher out there first thing in the morning. Heard the Indigo Bunting, but morning birdsong is really fading fast. Partly due to many having fledglings just out right now. Hopefully things will go another round (rain often incites such) and we will get another batch out of everything.

Kathy saw a female Black-n-white Warbler bathing at the bath, and she saw the Cuckoo right out bathroom window. I saw a Long-billed Thrasher in the Hackberry and Mesquite (joined) at the gate out at the road. Haven't seen one here in the yard in over a year. In leps saw another Mestra and another Large Orange Sulpur, a Funereal Duskywing, and the usuals.

June 28 ~ Another 69dF low is nice, it won't last long. I forgot to mention a week ago I saw my first juvenile or immature male Black-chinned Hummingbird that had acquired its first purple gorget feathers. That is, this years' young, the earliest ones, probably from late April, are now getting purple gorget feathers. About 60 days. Now I am seeing a half-dozen or more of them at the feeders. In the afternoon a Gnatcatcher and a Black-n-white Warbler went through the yard. Ring King calling over at river. Saw what looked like a juvenile Cuckoo following an adult around flopping through the pecans in the yard. The male Blue Grosbeak eating seed on the patio is sure neat.

Best was two Common Mestra, I have only seen one this year, on June 6. Three Large Orange Sulphur went by in the brief spells I was outside looking, a big uptick, been none. We should start to see more of the annual southerly invaders showing up now, especially since we had rain.

The pair of Golden-fronted Woodpeckers fill their throats full of sunflower seeds from the feeder and commute back to the nest with them. Which seems maybe to be in that nearest big 50' Cypress the Yellow-throated Warblers nest in. At least they fly into the same tree in a direct shot just the same. What is interesting is that they leave the feeder at 5' above the ground and fly to the big 40' Pecan. Usually landing 15-20' up on the main trunk. Then they climb up the tree gaining 10-15' more altitude on the tree. Then they launch out of the tree for the 500' flight to the big Cypress. Every time. So it is easier and less effort for them to gain the altitude needed to clear the big climax Mesquites across from the gate using the legs, instead of the wings.

June 27 ~ The rain-cooled low of 69dF felt great, and there won't be any dust for a couple days. It was 2.5" yesterday evening, most (2") fell 7-9p.m., with the last bits after midnight last night. The moisture saturated atmosphere kept us at 85dF or so again for a high. A rain cell passed just south of us giving us a great outflow cooldown around 7 p.m. it dropped to 74dF. Between wonderful and outstanding for the date.

I saw a Yellow-throated Vireo feeding a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird. Dang. That is two in two days with the Bronzed being fed by a Cardinal yesterday. Still parasitism incidence has been very low so far this breeding season. Just one of each cowbird sps. so far, and it's latest June. One at the park a couple weeks ago or so was Brown-headed fed by White-eyed Vireo. Many vireos get hit hard as they do not really hide their nests well, or at all. Black-capped Vireo does though, and it still gets cowbird predated, heavilly in some areas. Had a Ring King flying downriver. Chuck-wills-widow gave two calls from the draw, Common Nighthawk still booming nightly, I love that.

June 26 ~ Only 74dF for a low, still rain in forecast, but that doesn't translate into actual real wet H2O and rain. There was a male Black-and-white Warbler singing outside this a.m., it could be a first-summer troller, we had one show and summer for a June a few years ago. I was sitting on porch about 8 a.m. and the Ash-throated Flycatcher (which I think might have settled on a box on the north fence) shot down across yard to chase another bird. The Ash-throat broke off, and I lost sight of the chased bird behind the big 3' diameter pecan trunk. It must have landed in the second pecan. So it was bolting across yard being chased, and when it went behind the trunk it never came out. It must have perched for 15 seconds. Just as I was about to get up and move so I could see what it was, a GREEN KINGFISHER flies out of the lowest pecan branches, across yard, and through the trees in the corral. It is the second one I have seen cross the yard, both in June. A 5-star porch bird being chased away by a measley lowly Ash-throat. The river is about 400-500 yards away.

Bummer seeing a baby Bronzed Cowbird being fed by a female Cardinal. I presume it is hers. There have been at least a dozen new juvenile Cards so far, we are covered in them, they have been doing great. It is the first juv. cowbird (of any sort) I have seen in the yard this year. Which considering everything is on its second if not third brood, we are doing fantastic this breeding season so far. Later afternoon there were a few Chimney Swift flying around, and a dozen Purple Martin, must have been some good aerial plankton.

Topped out at about 86dF (in shade) and muggy as can be, when finally a rain cell got near enough to give us an outflow cool down. Then after 7 p.m. it blew up into a full fledged rainmaker. By 9 we had over 2 inches, by 10 p.m. about 2.3, and a little more around midnight, by morning it was 2.5"! Finally! Three days at 50% chances and nothing but smells of rain on outflows. The water table still never got back to full since the drought, and any shallow ponds around the valley are dry, we needed this badly. We still need another 6". A few days later I talked to a rancher from just northwest of town and they only got .2, two tenths of an inch from it! So very spotty.

June 25 ~ Clear and 70dF this morning is nice, still not supposed to get hot and supposed to get some rain yet. I am still waiting. Saw a female Black-n-white Warbler again this a.m., just like yesterday's it landed on the clothesline we have feeders hanging on to see what all the action was about. Funny bird to have on your clothesline. For any city youngsters out there, people used to hang clothes on a line and dry them without thrashing them to death, using energy to do so. Some old folks that live in places where that has not been outlawed still do this.  ;)

The rain cooled air from the front kept us down to about 85dF for a high, which was a great relief, again. A cell went by in the afternoon, town might have gotten some, but it split in two as it passed over us and we were in the dry slot. But got the cooling outflow and smelled rain. The juv. Yellow-throated Warbler came into the bird bath, as did the male Scott's Oriole, which they only very rarely do. Heard the Indigo Bunting still out there. Saw the three local male Scissor-tails join together again to chase another hawk off which I couldn't get an ID look at. Saw the ad. fem. Cooper's Hawk on the fence later, but what they chased was not an accipiter. At dusk a group of 20 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck flew over, likely a couple or few family groups joined together.

June 24 ~ A not very low of 75dF. Last night about 9 p.m. I was setting a bug light and sheet up and heard some odd cracking sound. Over a minute or two, a huge 10" daimeter major branch of our biggest bestest hackberry slowly broke, still connected but the foilage is on the ground now. It had nearly full sized green berries on most of it. Something is killing the tree, many branches are dead. It provided at least a thousand square feet of shade, and tens of thousands of hackberries in a good year. It hurts to watch it go. It was capable of feeding 500 waxwings and 500 Robins both, all winter. It will be an irreplaceable loss for the yard, besides making it hotter.

There was a female Black-n-white Warbler in the broken Hackberry branch early in the a.m., mid-morn a male was singing in the junipers over north fence, and in the Mesquites across road to east. Maybe we have a trolling first-summer around? I heard it a week ago, if the same bird. The pair of Brown-crested Flycatcher were sitting on one of the nestboxes, one they have used before.

The cold front is semi-stalled to our north but sent an outflow boundry down our way so we stayed below 85dF all day. A June cold front is 85dF. After the last three days with heat indices at 105dF, knocking 20dF off is a major relief. Didn't get any rain from it, but smelled some. That is how rain often is in much of Texas, you don't get any but at least you know someone else somewhere else DID get some.

As for last nights bug light there was more activity overall than a week ago, in total individuals maybe, but still not like it should be. One stick insect had one of the little 1" cicadas resting on it. Nothing remarkable, no Cerambycids this time, way fewer June Beetles, one big Coreid. The item of interest was about 5 or 6 Dusky-blue Groundstreak, a small hairstreak butterfly (ph.), of which I did not know I had that many here. Sometimes some butterflies will come in to a light after dark.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

June 23 ~ Low of 74dF is 10 higher than yesterday morning. What a drag, drag, drag. Saw 98dF on the front porch at 5 p.m. Supposed to maybe get a cold front the next couple days and possbily rain they say. Believe it when you see it. I heard a flattish sharp (you can actually describe a bird call as such) warbler chip outside this morning I thought sure was a Louisiana Waterthrush. Couldn't find it though. Ad. ma. Painted Bunting feeding a fledgling on patio. In the afternoon there was a juvenile, and a singing ad. Field Sparrow, and an unattended juvenile Yellow-throated Warbler.

The bird of the day was on the way to town about 11 a.m., a couple miles south. There is a century plant type Agave with a big stalk and some yellow flowers just opening on it. Sunday as we drove by I said to Kathy that it should get orioles and hummers. As I putted up to it a bigger hummer chased two regular appearing (Black-chinned) hummers away and went back to a flower to feed. By then I had stopped and was 12' from it. Male LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD! Bigger than the Black-chins, long nicely decurved bill, splayed at corners of extensive purple gorget, a tinge of rufous on sides, big long black forked tail, OMG. It is my second one locally, the other appeared June 29, 2011, at our Seco Ridge feeders and stayed for 5-6 days.

In town saw only a few Cave and Barn Swallows, only a few Martin, and heard the Bell's Vireo at NW corner hackberry row. In the park there was a juv. Barred Owl up in the woods, ad. and juv. Blue Jay there too, and best, a male, female, and juv. Common Grackle. I only saw one juv. (ph.), but so they were successful. There is now a pair of Eastern Wood-Pewee there, one of which ran an ad. Blue Jay off, which is interesting as I have yet to see Pewee nest there in 13 prior summers. Some Orange Bluet (damselfly) are flying at the park.

June 22 ~ Wow, we had an amazing 64dF for a low, Kerrville was 61dF! Incredible what a little radiational cooling can do. The typical Gulf flow and moisture prevents this most of the summer. It got up to about 96 on the cool shady porch, over 100 at lots of local stations. Was 111 in McAllen! Brutal. Average for the date at Hondo is 90dF, it was 102 there today. Great was a male Bullock' Oriole out front in the a.m., but it only stuck around a couple minutes. Nice to hear though. Second one I've seen in a week, the other up in BanCo the 18th. Otherwise it was the usual regulars. A Southern Broken-Dash was a good Skipper (lep) on the Lantana.

The best bird of the day was a bug, a dragonfly, an adult male Ivory-striped Sylph! It slowly drifted by the porch at eye level, I saw the aqua blue eyes and two white headlights on the thorax from about 3' away! We spray some water around to keep it cooler in heat of day, and run a sprinkler sometimes, which I imagine might be an attractant. Brings butterflies in for sure. Saw a couple Spot-winged Glider today as well.

The adult female Yellow-throated Warbler did a great spinning chase to take something about 4' from my face as I was standing on the front porch. It then cleaned it for a minute on a big pecan branch. Then it flew about 500' to what I think is the nest tree, the nearest big 50' cypress. The male had been singing in it the whole time. One direct non-stop flight, nearly two football fields, carrying food. Both of the pair are in the yard pecans near-daily, bring the young here, sometimes use the bath.

June 21 ~ Happy Equinox! The longest day (light). We made it. Summer is here! Another 68dF low is a great way to start summer. It got up to a hot 94 on the cool shady front porch, hotter in sun. A couple adult with 7 juvenile Black-bellied Whistling-Duck flew over early. These are surely locally bred just-fledged young. Heard the Hutton's Vireo again, Brown-crests still around too. The bird of the day was at 7:30 p.m., a male Orchard Oriole was feeding in the flowering Mesquites across the road at the gate. It was alone, and I don't hear one singing near enough that this is a nesting bird out foraging. Most now are feeding young, so suspect it was a failed nester, or cowbird predated, and so done and gone. The Mesquites started a week ago with the first few flowers a week after the last good rain. Now you can hear the bees humming at them from 200'. Noticed the state high and low temps today were 60dF at Marfa and 107 at McAllen. Remarkable was a Monarch, very fresh and flying north, which I presume was from an egg laid by the ones that just passed through in spring. I have checked a number of Antelope-Horns this spring and not found a single cat(erpillar) yet.

June 20 ~ A low of 68dF was a treat, what a difference a few dF makes. We were hitting 80 by 10 a.m. though, very little in the way of morning clouds from the Gulf, which is of course why we cooled. Few more Gnatcatchers went through southward (3 by 1 p.m.). Three male Scissor-tails were dive-bombing a small buteo that went over. I did not get an ID on the small buteo. Statistically it was a juv. Red-shouldered, but it didn't look like one. Looked smaller for starters. Oh well, you have let it go if you didn't get a good enough look. Whatever you do, don't try to make stuff into shat, 'cause that is what you end up with when you do that. Neat how these Scissor-tails each are all nesting in the immediate area, defending their territories against each other, but when a universal threat appears they join together to run it off.

Heard the Hutton's Vireo out back in the big live-oaks again. Red-eyed still singing too. Besides the Ash-throat pair and the Great Crested Flycatchers, a pair of Brown-crested Flycatcher was prospecting around the yard this morning. There are a couple open boxes, they have nested in one of them before. Begging young being fed in the yard include 2 Vermilion Flycatcher, 2 Carolina Wren, 2 Carolina Chickadee, a few Lark Sparrow, a bunch of House Finch and No. Cardinal, a Yellow-throated Warbler this morning, a couple Summer Tanager and at least a couple White-eyed Vireos. The pair of Eastern Bluebirds I think have their second set of eggs now. Had what appeared an Ornythion Swallowtail flying around yard for a minute or two. Didn't stop though.

June 19 ~ The 72dF low felt nice after yesterday's 100+ heat indices. A juv. female Black-n-white warbler came in to see what all the birds were fussing with at the feeders, landing on the wire the feeders hang from and watching before moving to the Mulberry. Saw a Gnatcatcher fly through yard southbound. A bit of cloud cover held into the afternoon and at 3:30 it was only 89dF, though a bit muggy. I saw at WU Hondo was 102dF yesterday, average for the date is 90. We have been running nearly 10dF over normal here lately. Another Gnatcat flew through in afternoon. Hear the Scissor-tails over at the airstrip, the Red-eyed Vireo and Indigo Bunting are still out there. Hear some begging young Summer Tanager. This successful pair's male is a red and mustard first-summer bird.

Kathy pointed out the Opposum here is missing any external sign of a left ear. Boy it just figures we get a defective one-eared possum. Man life is rough. Goes with our Ringtail with a bad leg. Did someone paint on the back of the shed "send me your wounded"? It looks to me as if the 'possum has a distended pouch, so, a pregnant or carrying female is my guess. Hope the young have two ears.

June 18 ~ Was only about 74dF for a low at 6-7 a.m. early thirty. Can't believe how light it is at 6 now! Still some good birdsong going, but not the roar it was in April and May. You can tell it is dialing back. Especially up at Lost Maples. It was only about 71dF or so up there early. That felt great. Only a couple Scissor-tails along 187 Utopia to there. Way low. No Western Kingbirds around, still, since drought. In the late afternoon we hit 95+ on the cool shady front porch, had to be a hun in the sun and heat indices worse.

Which made a morning at Lost Maples a treat. We did about 4 miles in as many hours, which is about my standard birding speed in well-vegetated habitats. Actually we did the 2 miles back down in an hour, so it was 3 hours doing two miles on the way up the canyon. I know many go much faster, but I think they are missing birds. You have to stop and listen and look and listen. You are a noisy beast walking on a rocky dirt road. Especially when in a canyon where noise amplified and echoed. Stuff is ducking for cover as it hears you approach. How often are you alerted to a bird due to an alarm note when you are the only thing around being alarming? How many skulk away quietly?

Usually it's only a couple minutes of quiet and still needed, and things start moving normally again, and calling other than alarm notes whence going into hide mode. So make lots of quick 'quiet stops' along the way. Like at first shade right after any even minor uphill section.  ;)  Always in the shade. Your visibility will be better. If sunny line up a thick branch or trunk to shade eyes and you will see better. Or wherever heavy vegetation and habitat, like for instance where minor side drainages meet more major ones. Always at any watered areas.

We did the Can Creek trail past the ponds to the spring. Figured it was going to be one last look while breeding season still underway with at least some vim and vigor. Overall numbers are still strikingly down for many breeders there since the drought. It is not back to normal. Just a few pairs of Summer Tanager and Yellow-throated Vireo for instance. One Eastern Wood-Pewee (carrying food).

Some things have finished nesting and much of their breeding population have already departed for the season. Like Golden-cheeked Warbler, of which I heard no singing, heard one set of flight notes from one, and finally after over 3 hours and zeroing in on a seet and chip I heard, we had point blank views of an adult female in heavy molt. Just barely stubs of new tail feathers coming in. This was past the second pond. We are out of the sure-thing window for viewing them now. If you spend a whole day, you can likely still find one, if you are lucky you might get one in a half-day. Work the watered areas wherever you can. It is not unusual, in fact almost regular, to get stray individuals the next few weeks, to almost mid-July. But most (99%+) of the breeding population is gone and any you see might as well be transients from elsewhere passing through on their way off of the plateau.

There were still a few singing Black-n-white Warbler, and begging young being fed, and an unattended juv. female, but most are gone. Same for Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, still a few, most have departed. Heard one and saw (ph.) one White-tipped Dove. Saw at least two Olive Sparrow, one of which was a JUVENILE with streaks on underparts and weak crown stripes, as well as sporting a fairly fuzzy appearance. It was following the adult around begging. Perhaps the first known Bandera Co. nesting. I couldn't get a pic though. The White-tips would be a BanCo first too if someone could get a shot of a juvenile. Look for buffy cinnamon edges to the wing feathers on a juv. White-tip.

I heard a Varied Bunting singing far up one of the slopes of the canyon, but I couldn't pick it up from where I was due to visibility. It was a quarter mile below the ponds (above which where a male was in late May), e.g., just above 3rd crossing, on opposite side as trail way up the slope, in that drier juniper zone they like. There were a few Indigo still singing (nesting) along the creek, and some Blue Grosbeak still nesting too. Heard Black-capped Vireo, Canyon Wrens, Rufous-crowned Sparrow.

Saw a couple Texas Scrub-Jay, a few Acadian Flycatcher, a few Louisiana Waterthrush, including begging young, fair numbers of Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireo, heard a few Ash-throated Flycatcher, saw one Green Kingfisher between the ponds, and at the trailhead parking lot right when we got there and out of car, a nice low flyover from a Zone-tailed Hawk trying to sneak by with a TV. Couple singing male Yellow-throated Warbler still may be nesting, Chipping sparrow feeding young, same for House Finch. Heard begging juv. Red-tailed Hawk, but gone from nest, and heard Red-shouldered Hawk, but no other small buteos.

In other stuff... on the way upcanyon when the morning low clouds present you see very few butterflies, dragonflies, or reptiles. On the way back down (after 11 or so) you hit 90dF, the sun burns off most of the clouds, you see fewer birds, and more other stuff. In lizards I saw a 6-line Racerunner and a Texas Spiny Lizard, Kathy saw an Anole. In dragons we saw a few male Comanche Skimmer, two male Flame Skimmer, two Leaftail sps., a probable Sulphur-tipped Clubtail, a couple Dot-winged Baskettail, a Pale-faced Clubskimmer, two Swift Setwing, and a Blue Dasher. The only damsel of note was the Springwater Dancers in the usual spots. There is one 60 foot long (top secret) spot there where this animal ALWAYS is, during flight season.

For butterflies it was slow, none of the big yellow swallowtails, no Satyrs, Blues, Hairstreaks, and no Sister or Red-spotted Purple flying now either. Still a number of Spicebush Swallowtail, one nice male Black. Saw a couple more of the Amblyscrites Roadside-Skipper that is not a Celia's in the usual spots. I think maybe Bronze. Got pix a couple weeks ago, again, and will put out for expert ID. Also had a Celia's as usual. Much of the spring bloom is over and out, though some is still going. Ya gotta be tough to wait for it to heat up and then spend your four hours working the flowers. I used to be that tough, but fear I am getting old and soft. About an hour of it on the downhill return leg is fine for me when it is pushin' 95dF.

On the way home about 1.5 miles north of town (in BanCo) on the straightaway where lined with Mesquite a male Bullock's Oriole flew across the road. They are very scarce in summer here, though common off the plateau in the brush country just south of us. I do not know of nesting in the upper Sabinal drainage, but it is possible.

June 17 ~ About 74-95dF for a temp spread today, a hun in the sun. Morning clouds so bearable to noon, oppressive hot humid afternoon to sundown. There was a singing Black-n-white Warbler out back mid-morning. Best thing today was a Smoky Rubyspot damselfly in the yard, just off the front porch. Almost got pix, but missed, it kept flushing everytime I got close. Any new yard damsel is awesome. Saw a Wandering Glider out over driveway. A few days ago there were a couple dozen dragons out in far corner of yard that looked a mix of Wandering and Spot-winged Glider, but I didn't walk the 250' to make an ID. Was all the usual expected regular birds. Worked on stuff here and tried to avoid the heat.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

June 16 ~ Mostly the SOS - same old stuff. A couple more Gnatcatcher went through the yard. Zone-tail went over again. Had a town run for some supplies and a look at the park, where Ringed and Green Kings, Blue Jay, Chimney Swift. Interesting was an Eastern Wood-Pewee that did the oft-seen tyrant flycatcher behavoir of driving a small bird to the ground. The small bird was the female Black-and-white Warbler that is summering at the park. Which interestingly now has new primaries. It has been there a month, appeared a first-spring with very browned primaries when it first showed up in May. A local there mentioned the Green Heron being around. It was still overcast so I saw no odes.

The bird of the day was as I was getting in car to head to town, a Black-throated Sparrow sang thrice to get my attention, from the top of a Mesquite adjacent to the north yard fence. When I first heard it I knew I had just heard this in the last month but could not put a name to it immediately. After the second song I remembered what it was, and spotted it in the Mesquite. Got on it momentarily but it flew quickly. First one in the yard in four + years at this bird observatory, I mean yard. Kathy and I saw a pair feeding young a half-mile away last year. But away from the lusher river habitat corridor in uplands where drier with lots of Agarita and grassland. Having just watched one singing a month ago at Lost Maples was invaluable in figuring out what it was. You have to repeatedly and constantly reinforce things, even stuff you know, seemingly particularly with audio. Eventually it will sink in, but repeated exposure is the key. I am just learning this Texas Black-throated Sparrow song.

June 15 ~ A low of 74 is not very. The cool shady front porch was 91dF or so, I saw local stations in mid-90's. It was hot. Heat indices were over 100dF. It is stuck-at-the-desk Thursday. Did steal a couple more digiscopes of the male Vermilion while I was on breaks. One young was with the male hunting the yard, one hung with the female working very different habitat in the corral. I wonder if they are each with the young of their sex? Maybe probably? Saw a Zone-tailed Hawk soar over yard a couple times mid-day. 'Nother Gnatcatcher. Very few fireflies left flying, they are about done. It has been just a few nightly since before Memorial Day. They peaked way early, after starting way early. Wonder what will happen with the timing of the smaller late-summer flight?

June 14 ~ Not very low of 74dF but at least the Gulf clouds got here and kept the sun at bay until after noon. Down at the crossing there were two Green Kingfisher sitting on the concrete bridge. There was a Black-n-white Warbler singing over in the Mesquites across from the gate. Heard the Indigo Bunting and Red-eyed Vireo still singing, the juv. Hutton's Vireo still out there. 'Nother Gnatcatcher moved through.

We had to make a run to Sabinal in the afternoon to get a vehicle inspection (can't get one in Utopia anymore), passed thank you. We did a twofer and hit that new Family Dollar store they recently built there for stuff that is higher here. Astounding was the relative lack of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher along Hwy. 187 between here and there. I did not see a dozen, in 20 miles. Ridiculous. Fifty to a hundred would be normal. And only two Western Kingbird the whole way. Incredible. There is a big, large flying insect shortage going on. Whaddup? Did see a Roadrunner, some gone-to-seed Basketflower, a fair bit of Purple Horsemint and Indian Blanket still blooming.

Fantastic was a note from Mary Gustafson who is an expert bird guide (mostly down in the Lower Rio Grande Valley) about a singing male Prothonotary Warbler along the Nueces River above Chalk Bluff and below Camp Wood on UvCoRd 411. I think nearest known nesting is on the Medina River in SW Bexar Co. Probably the first June record in Uvalde County? My 14 springs here have produced 3, all in May, so about twice a decade for me so far. There are always some of a population that are pushing the limits of range, generally unmated males trolling for a female. Remember a few years ago there was that summering Hooded Warbler at Lost Maples, keep your ears open. Thanks Mary for sharing your great find with us!

June 13 ~ Low was 72dF, high was 92 or so, it feels like summer. Too busy to see much. The Vermilion Flycatcher pair now has two young they got out of the nest, fantastic. Saw a juvenile (unattended) Field Sparrow in yard. Indigo Bunting and Red-eyed Vireo still singing, Cuckoo nesting nearby somewhere, a couple juvie Carolina Wrens being attended. Another Gnatcatcher through yard moving south like all of them. There has been a major blowout of Black-chinned Hummingbirds. I would call it the departure of the second batch of young they have gotten off.

June 12 ~ Got the 70-90dF temp spread thing going, for the next 3 months, 95 if you are in the sun. The morning was overcast with the low clouds from the Gulf, and so we are barely breaking 80dF noonish. We get a half day of bearable if there are morning clouds. Heard a Gnatcatcher out there mid-morning, and the Indigo Bunting still trolling up and down the river habitat corridor. A Mockingbird in the big pecan is doing an excellent Groove-billed Ani call. Wish he would bring one in. Don't laugh, last year a Kiskadee came in to a Mocker imitiation, producing one of my favorite best yard bird records ever. Had a FOY Soldier (lep) fly around the porch a minute or so.

The Chuck-wills-widow has shut up prematurely. I am guessing the nest or young got predated. Normally they are vociferous until July 10 or so. It is like a switch was flicked, I only hear a distant bird, there is no local calling adjacent to the yard for three nights now. Silence. This is a major bummer, I was supposed to get 30 more days of it, then begging young, etc. I set up a bug light and sheet for a few hours for the first time this year to help get over it.

Overall I would say bug numbers are very low. There were a couple neat things but it was fairly underwhelming in general. The best bugs were 'bycids. Cerambycids, Longhorn Beetles. Three different ones. Awesome was a big female Neoclytus sps. (perhaps c.f. mucronatus) which as quickly as I got a shot it flew off into the dark. Then a second Cerambycid came in, 1.75", mottled, unknown and new to me, and I got some shots to work on an ID later, possibly an Ataxia sps. Finally one of the brown ones with two yellow dots on each elytra came in. Maybe Eburia mutica or something similar. Late in day saw one of the S. gigas Cerambycids too, so had four good 'bycids today, weewow!.

Otherwise slow, lots of the big brown June Beetle, an Ant Lion, some Sharpshooters, a Katydid, some crickets, the small Cicada, a few flies and hymenops, very few small moths, and some other little things, but nowhere near the numbers you would expect in June. Biologically, clawing your way back from a drought takes years and years. This is the third year with rains since the 7 year drought, and numbers are still way way down, birds to bugs. And so surely lots else is, that we aren't keeping tabs on.

June 11 ~ Back to 70-90dF spreads in shady areas, hotter in sun. Saw the juvie Hutton's Vireo again, likely the one I saw about 4 days ago. The usual singing Red-eyed, White-eyed, and Yellow-throated all present, so 4 vireo sps. in yard today. The Mocker does a good Bell's, but that doesn't count. Had three (!) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher move south through yard today. Still catching up on chores here. No Chuck calling at dusk?!?

June 10 ~ A 69-89dF temp spread today. Since I spent too many (actually not enough) days bird guiding in April and May now I have to catch up on all the spring stuff I was supposed to be doing all those weekends. Two weeks and no Lost Maples, feels like cold turkey. I need to get up there and see the juvenile Olive Sparrows, and White-tipped Dove, both of which are nesting (heard the juvie Olive Sparrows) and both need photo documentation of young for new Bandera Co. nesting proof.

Had another Gnatcatcher go through yard, these are local breeders departing breeding grounds already. That is about the fourth one in a week, they are all moving south through yard. Heard the singing Blue Grosbeak and Red-eyed Vireo still out there. But at dusk the Chucks were already not as loud as three days ago. Prolly have young to feed.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

For archives sake, here is a final of the section of the update header pertinent to spring arrival dates...

Spring is that exciting time of year when every day can have a local FOS - first of season - report. I love watching spring unfurl. Following are my local FOS (first of season) arrival or passage dates. An (e.e.) behind the name means it is my "EARLIEST EVER" spring arrival date in 14 springs of recording that data locally. We expect a few (e.e.) in any given year. This year that frequency is off the charts. Of the 37 species listed below Jan. to April 13, FOURTEEN were the earliest ever I have recorded them. Update: fifteen of 42 sps. as of April 21 are (e.e.), plus two ties.

June 8 - a second Catbird - surely my last spring migrant
June 2 - Chestnut-sided Warbler
May 27 - Cicada
May 23 - Katydid
May 22 - Black-billed Cuckoo
May 21 - Varied Bunting
May 20 - Lesser Nighthawk
May 20 - Lazuli Bunting
May 19 - female Mourning Warbler
May 19 - Eastern Kingbird
May 16 - Mississippi Kite
May 12 - Catbird
May 7 - Mourning Warbler
May 4 - Rose-breasted Grosbeak
May 2 - female Common Yellowthroat
May 1 - female Indigo Bunting
April 30 - Yellow Warbler
April 30 - Olive-sided Flycatcher
April 30 - female Blue Grosbeak
April 28 - Least Flycatcher
April 28 - Swainson's Thrush
April 28 - American Redstart (others saw - 2 males!)
April 28 - Baltimore Oriole
April 28 - Orchard Oriole
April 27 - female Hooded Oriole
April 27 - Mourning and-or MacGillivray's Warbler
April 25 - female Painted Bunting
April 23 - Acadian Flycatcher
April 23 - Indigo Bunting
April 21 - Common Nighthawk
April 21 - Bullock's Oriole
April 19 - Wilson's Warbler
April 19 - Dickcissel (e.e.)
April 16 - Eastern Wood-Pewee
April 16 - Painted Bunting
April 16 - Blue Grosbeak
April 15 - Yellow-breasted Chat
April 14 - Chimney Swift
April 14 - Northern Waterthrush
April 13 - Yellow-billed Cuckoo (e.e.)
April 11 - Great Crested Flycatcher (e.e.)
April 8 - Red-eyed Vireo (e.e.)
April 7 - Chuck-wills-widow
April 4 - Ruby-throated Hummingbird
April 3 - female Summer Tanager
April 3 - Short-tailed Hawk (2! at Lost Maples)
April 3 - Broad-winged Hawk (e.e.)
April 3 - Louisiana Waterthrush
April 3 - Nashville Warbler
April 2 - Black-capped Vireo
April 2 - Bronzed Cowbird
April 2 - Clay-colored Sparrow
March 31 - Brown-crested Flycatcher (e.e.)
March 28 - Firefly (e.e.)
March 26 - Golden-cheeked Warbler (migrant off territory)
March 24 - Bell's Vireo (e.e.)
March 24 - Summer Tanager (e.e.)
March 21 - Monarch (butterfly)
March 18 - Great-tailed Grackle (ties e.e.)
March 16 - Yellow-throated Vireo (ties e.e.)
March 15 - Cave Swallow
March 11 - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
March 3 - Northern Rough-winged Swallow and Wood Duck
March 2 - Yellow-throated Warbler
March 1 - Ash-throated Flycatcher (e.e.)
Feb. 28 - Black-chinned Hummingbird
Feb. 26 - Common Yellowthroat (e.e.), Purple Martin and Blue-headed Vireo (e.e.)
Feb. 25 - Sandhill Crane
Feb. 24 - Barn Swallow and Vermilion Flycatcher (e.e.)
Feb. 12 - White-eyed Vireo (e.e.)
Jan. 31 - Turkey Vulture (3)
Jan. 14 - White-fronted Goose (e.e.)

A couple rare things have been detected recently. While guiding some fine folks at Lost Maples SNA April 3, I found TWO SHORT-TAILED HAWKS! We had great views over the pond area. One was photo'd on April 5. One was heard and glimpsed April 30. Bob Behrstock had another one over Neals Lodge parking lot in Concan April 16. Tropical Parula is being reported (as annual) at Concan, as well. A male VARIED BUNTING was at Lost Maples May 21; a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard calling from our yard May 22. A Chestnut-sided Warbler singing in our yard June 2 will likely be my last migrant of the spring. Oops spoke too soon, a Catbird was at our bath June 8.

~ ~ ~ end update header spring arrival section ~ ~ ~





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Above is 2017

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To Top of Recent Bird News
Back to Top

January to June 2017 will be Bird News Archive XXVII (#27). July to December 2016 will be Bird News Archive XXVI (#26). January to June 2016 is now Bird News Archive XXV (#25). July to December 2015 is now Bird News Archive XXIV (#24). January to June 2015 are now Bird News Archive XXIII (#23). December 2014 and prior back to July 1, 2014 are Archive #22. January-June 2014 is now Bird News Archive XXI (or Old Bird News 21). All are linked below.

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Read UP from bottom to go in chronological sequence.

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Links to all 12+ years of archived bird news pages below. Broken into 6 month increments. One day I'll quarter it out by season as well, so all 10 years of each season are together, perhaps making say, searching springs easier.

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


Bird News Archive XXVII
January 1, 2017 - June 30, 2017 (Jan. through late May so far)

Bird News Archive XXVI
July 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016 (July through November so far)

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

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

Bird News Archive XXIII
January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015 (Jan.- May so far)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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