~ ~ ~ and now for the news ~ ~ ~
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Moths of Utopia
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Aug. 12 ~ The rain cooled air provided a low of 70F!
Weewow! First thing early before 7 a.m. there
was some drama out front. A young fawn crashed into
and then through the hog fence, coming from the corral.
It sprinted across yard right past me, crashed into
and through the hog fence on other side of yard.
Shortly it crashed back through it and across yard to
far corner, whence I saw a Coyote out on the road
stalking it. The fawn was freaked out, it doubled
back across yard and went back through the north
fence again and headed up draw. Not long after I
heard some odd strained fawn bleating. If it had
stayed in the yard the Coyote likely would not
have come in after it. It was panicked.
Town run and park check. Little Creek Larry
said he had ad. ma. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
this morning, and Tuesday (9th). First I have
heard of this fall, though surely those two I
saw this last week here were immature Rubies. He
also saw some small fast ducks blazing down the
creek at dawn one day that were Blue-winged Teal,
the first of fall as well. It is mid-August.
There were reports of an inch to 1.5" of
rain in some areas locally yesterday, north and
south of us and town. More reports of dry wells.
At the park the imm. Barred Owl is doing well it
seems, head almost fully feathered now. An imm.
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was at the north end
of the island, first I have seen in a while
locally and always a good bird here. One just
fledged still begging Summer Tanager in main park
still being attended. There was a Red-tailed
Pennant dragonfly. An amazing lack of odes, and
birds, forget butterflies, there are no flowers.
Some, lots of, trees are turning as if it is late
fall.
About 4 p.m. a rain cell found us, and took 15dF
off the top dropping it to 81F and stopping the
solar heating. We got just under a quarter-inch!
A real dust-buster, for a day or so. OMG about
7 p.m. another cell found us and dropped another
half-inch plus. Probably 22-23mm, or seven-eighths
of an inch for a total. Incredible. Besides the
molting ad. ma. Indigo Bunting, there are two
still fully blue ad. males here.
Aug. 11 ~ Some mid level clouds kept some heat
in, low was 75F and muggy. First thing I heard
a Common Nighthawk pre-dawn. About 6:45 an Upland
Sandpiper flew over not too high up, going north,
so was looking for a place to go down for the day.
Gnatcatcher out there early also. Nothing singing.
Heard the begging Zone-tail up behind us somewhere
later morning. The big live-oaks block view to west.
Was about 94F at 1 p.m. when a cloud sheild saved us
from the sun. Which was followed by a whole tenth
of an inch (.1) showerlet over an hour, and temps
dropping to 80F by 2:30. A thrill here these days.
Maybe something to hold the dust down for a day.
Any sort of break in the heat whatsoever at this
point is great. Some others in the area no doubt
got some real rain. I heard a zzzeeet and saw a
flash through the trees that seemed a Yellow Warbler
to me, but did not get a confirmatory ID look.
Aug. 10 ~ Low of 73F, no morning clouds from
the Gulf. Prepare to bake. A small impulse
of disturbance is supposed to move over, over
the next few days, so low-end precip chances
on way. Saw 97F in shade on front porch late
afternoon. An outflow hit after 7 p.m. dropping
us to a chilly 90F. Did hear two Titmouse
countersinging still, before sunup. Only things
left singing. A few Orchard Orio through yard,
they are on the move now. Heard one Dickcissel
in the morning, but at last seed toss late there
were two out back. Saw one ad. male and two
greenie Painted Bunting, first ad.ma. in a couple
days, two greenies, one ad. male Indigo Bunting
in heavy molt, one ea. ad. male and female
Blue Grosbeak. About 15 ea. Lesser Goldfinch and
House Finch, a dozen Lark Sparrow, about 6-7 Field
and at least 8 Chipping Sparrow are likely the
local breeders and some young of the year from
them. A dozen White-winged Dove. Hop-along the
flightless Carolina Wren continues. Kathy heard
the begging Zone-tail way up high somewhere,
and she saw another Mockingbird at the bird bath.
That makes four Mockers in the last four weeks.
Mocker movement. Vermilion Flycatcher still
here, saw one male Summer Tanager, heard
a couple White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated
Vireo gone a week or so now though. Heard a
Bell's Vireo over in corral but it sounded
like a juvenile learning to sing, not the
perfect-songed adult bird that was there on
territory all summer. Likely one of its young.
Aug. 9 ~ Low of 74F, a couple hours of a low
stratus deck. The alpha male Blue Grosbeak
seems to have finally quit dawn singing. Hitting
the seed a lot, he will be gone soon. Some Orchard
Oriole through yard in morning. The ad. male
Black-chinned Hummer is still here. I heard a
begging juvenile Zone-tailed Hawk way up high
behind us somewhere. They just hang up there
at 1000' if not two, begging loudly, later
July and August is when. Heard a Gnatcatcher
mid-day. A couple more southbound Orchard
Oriole nearing dusk, an ad. male belted out
one measure of song. At dusk a Great Blue
Heron flew downriver over the Cypresses. Only
saw one greenie Painted Bunting today. A juv.
Chat still poking around in the seed.
Aug. 8 ~ Low of 75F and just a brief bit of
low stratus from the Gulf. The second Rufous
Hummingbird here this fall showed up in the
morning. A flocklet of Orchard Oriole went
through yard southward earlyish-morn. The
rest looked the same. Hot and very humid
until later afternoon when it becomes just
hot and kinda humid. Did see the ad. ma.
Black-chinned Hummer still here. Later after
7 p.m. a Dickcissel landed in the big Pecan,
called a few times, and flew out southward.
The two begging baby Carolina Wren are still
at it. One is messed up, it does not fly right.
Lots of hopping and skipping as it flaps but
seems unable to actually fly properly. It is
now 31 days out of nest and still begging and
being fed. Something got messed up in development,
which was likely related to the food shortage.
The other young is seemingly taking advantage
of the situation and I presume parents will be
ejecting it from the territory shortly. Late
as it got dark out on the road next to corral
I saw a Chuck-will's-widow ON the road.
Aug. 7 ~ Low was 74F, way better than 76.
Kathy saw an ad. male Painted Bunting on the
patio in the morning, first one in three days.
The last few are trickling out. We saw it again
mid-morn. Only a couple greenies (fem. or imm.)
left too. Heard the Bell's Vireo singing
over in the corral, but have not heard the
Yellow-throated in a few days. White-eyed or
two still calling, but moving around a lot,
seeming like not nesting still. A half-dozen
Orchard Oriole again went through yard southbound
in morning. Heard a zzeet that was likely a
Black-and-white Warbler. Saw a flock of a
dozen White-winged Dove, the first real flocking
I have seen since spring nesting commenced.
Saw the ad. male Black-chinned Hummingbird
still here today.
Aug. 6 ~ A bit balmy at 76F for a low. There
were a few sprinkles just before dawn, a full
blown near-dampening. A minor disturbance
passing provided clouds that kept it a few dF
cooler anyway, though humid. First few hours
at least a half-dozen, probably 8, Orchard Oriole
went through yard all moving south. It's on!
Fall migration. Again saw what looked an imm.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Had a great look
at a Common Ground-Dove which flew right by
me over the patio, and later was calling out
back. Seems it found the seed. Have not had
any around since winter so nice to see. I thought
sure in the morning I heard a Dickcissel. Then
about 4 p.m. again I thought I heard one. Then
at 7 p.m. it was calling from up in the big
Pecan. So it was here all day. I was not
combing through everything on the seed so did
not see it on the ground. But since I only saw
one in spring over at the usual nesting pasture
on UvCo 354, it is great to have one here again.
This is a first spring male Summer Tanager.
They are pied with the mustard olive of an immature
or female, the males acquiring red over their first
summer. This was April 17, 2018, early in spring.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Aug. 5 ~ Low of 74F again. we have had a couple
dozen of these recently. Interesting for every
night NOAA has called for 72. Only once did it
get that low in last couple weeks. The models
consistently cannot place the lows high enough.
Because it goes against all the prior modeling
data no doubt. The two baby Carolina Wrens are
still begging, today is a month, day 28 out of
the nest. Incredible. A few Orchard Oriole went
through yard moving south first thing, no doubt
passage birds. Great look at a male in the Mulberry.
Thought pretty sure I heard a Calliope Hummingbird
first thing early. That sweet beautiful pillowy
soft Selasphorus chip. There was a swarm and I
had to get seed out, the Titmice were complaining,
and the sun wasn't even up yet! I bet if
the titmice had not have seen me they would have
stayed quiet longer.
Town run and park check. Little Creek Larry said
he saw a couple Spotted Sandpiper at the pond early.
Also said he had a young Roadrunner at his place,
and a group of 3 nighthawks (Common) which were
probably adults with a young, or an ad. with 2 young.
He also said a neighbor brought a mauled mostly gone,
just enough to ID remains of a White-tailed Kite by.
Because they figured he would still be able to ID it.
At park on the former island I saw a Least Flycatcher
on the heels of yesterday's FOS. A couple
Blue Dasher dragonfly. Some of the big old deep-rooted
Cypresses are now starting to turn rusty, like
it is October or November. I saw or heard over town
no Chimney Swift, Barn Swallow, or Purple Martin.
The local breeders are all gone. The water is
not flowing below the spillway at park, or at
the UvCo 360 crossing, just rocks. Here at the
hovelita we did not see those last adult males
of Black-chinned Hummer or Painted Bunting today.
Aug. 4 ~ Low of 75F, some low stratus trying
to block the sun a little bit, not very well.
Another scorcher, I saw 98F in the shade on the
front porch. Relentless heat. We are pouring
water on plants trying to keep stuff alive.
Mostly just continuing to quiet down out there.
Another fall migrant (!), about 4:30 I saw a FOS
Least Flycatcher out in the front yard, watching
a fenced Lantana with a couple flowers on it.
Something came in to a flower and snap! Probably
the last one of one of those endangered flies.
I had a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher later in afternoon.
Kathy saw a Mockingbird at the bath later. I
think about the third she has seen in the last
month, all seemingly one-minute passage birds
just stopping for a drink. That drip is magic.
Aug. 3 ~ Low of 76F is kind of a drag. There
was low Gulf stratus, so kept the heat in. Often
it arrives right at sunup, which is great as you
get max radiational cooling, and then some
sun shield to keep it cooler a few hours. When
it gets here at 2, 4, or 6 a.m. you lose some
or a lot of that overnight cooling. It is an
interesting phenom here anyway. I saw 99F on
the cool shady front porch. Local WU stations
were showing 99 to 104.5F, most about 102F.
Hondo and Uvalde both showed 105F highs.
A burner of a day, I was busy on computer.
Blue Grosbeak is the one thing still going
strongest at dawn. What little else there is
still going is half-hearted. Saw the ad. male
Black-chinned Hummingbird still here guarding
the office feeder in back. I did not see
anything different today, it was the same as
it ever was the last two months. Lesser Goldfinch
still doing a Couch's Kingbird amongst its
run of mimicry when singing. I had a quick dash
to town for P.O. stuff. Right at south end of
town at the 187 x 1050 intersection there was
an adult Zone-tailed Hawk soaring over lazily
at treetop level providing great views. Only
takes one good bird to make your day. At dusk
I heard a half-dozen calls from a FOS Upland
Sandpiper. It sounded like it was over on the
airstrip or in that horse pasture adjacent.
The calls were repeated and coming from ground
level, not a bird passing overhead. Was already
getting dark, pig-thirty, and I did not feel like
getting gun to walk over there to look for it.
Aug. 2 ~ Back up to 74F for a low and no low
stratus deck. Same old song and dance, a hun in
the sun. Gotta say, did not have 'experience
desertification first-hand' on my bingo card.
No relief in sight on the 10-day or any long term
I can find. I heard yesterday there is no water
at the 8-mile. That is the high bridge river
crossing 8 miles south of town. First bridge is
the 4-mile. For bonus points, how far south of
town is the four-mile? Anyway, they had never
seen it dry. Here we are again at the levels of
the infamous Texas drought of the 1950's.
Just like a decade ago.
Kathy saw an ad. male Painted Bunting at the
bath nearing dusk. I saw the one worn ad. ma.
Black-chinned Hummer still here. Pretty sure
I saw an imm. male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
as well. Short straight bill, super bright
dark emerald green in sun, and the sides were
so rufous at first I thought it might be a
Selasphorus. Black-chin sides get buffy, and
maybe even the slightest faintest bit warmish
toned. But imm. Rubies can be pale rufous
almost like a Calliope. As was this bird.
Strikingly rufousish, at a level which a
Black-chin never presents or imparts. The
first-summers of male and female Hooded Oriole
were at feeder, no doubt the pair that bred
nearish and was ushering a couple young here.
Which I am not seeing lately.
August 1 ~ OMG it's August!?! Low was 73F,
some low stratus from Gulf off and on from 9-11
or so. First thing pre-sunup there was a
Black-and-white Warbler singing out front a fair
bit. I suspect it is the one that bred nearby
as one on the move in passage would probably be
over singing. Probably the last of that I will
hear this year. Did hear a Yellow-throated Vireo
a few times. Before 10 a.m. out back I saw at
once two ad. male Painted Bunting, 4 ad. ma. Indigo,
and an ad. ma. Blue Grosbeak. Always appreciate
these last views of the season whence ground littered
with this dazzling eye-candy before it all departs.
At last sun there were 5 Orchard Oriole in a group
in the top of the big Pecan out front. Might have
been a family group from the area, but could have
been a passage flocklet as well. Today was 30 min.
less daylight than at the solstice.
~ ~ ~ July summary ~ ~ ~
Temps ran 5-10F over normal averages, continuing
the trend from May and June. Miraculously we
lucked into 2.5" of rain early in the month,
however we remain in D4 exceptional drought. The
river is 4-5' below normal bank in many places.
In many areas up and down the valley there is no
water above ground. There is no water below the
spillway at the park pond, below the 360 crossing,
or a the 8-mile bridge. It is as bad or worse than
the 2011-12 years at peak of last exceptional drought
we just had and never yet recovered from.
Insects were depressing for their absence. There
are hardly any to see. A porch light barely brings
anything in. There are almost no flowers for
butterflies, and there are very few odes (dragons)
over or around any water you might find. No grasshoppers
or 'worms' (caterpillars). Looks like
19 (maybe 20) species of butterflies. Last July
was 53 species. This is my worst July in the last
nineteen of keeping track of species diversity here.
Odes (dragonflies) were just as bad. I have never
seen it like this, so devoid of them. Only managed
to muster a meager 15 species, many were just one
individual seen. A couple each of Halloween and
Red-tailed Pennant were maybe the best things,
since you can miss them here some years. Also
probably the last looks at Orange-striped Threadtail
this year.
Birds were the same breeding gang for the most
part. At the end of the month the first
long-distance fall migrants showed up to give
hope for cooler temperatures ahead eventually.
By the end of the month many of the local breeders
that are migratory are leaving for the season,
until next year. Many seemed to be leaving early
this year, no doubt due to the lack of bugs.
They are a critical food (protein and calcium)
source for nesting season. It was severely lacking
and clutch sizes overall were obviously reduced.
Most were two at most. Many were just one fledged
young (especially larger species). Best was the
continuing Couch's Kingbirds on July 7,
present in the area from latest April, about 6
weeks at least. Longer distance passage
migrants showing late in month were a Rufous
Hummingbird on July 26, and on July 29 single
Spotted and Solitary Sandpiper at the Utopia
Park pond. I saw 72 species very locally in
July, essentially at park or in yard.
~ ~ ~ end July summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
July 31 ~ One more scorcher and we will be through
another burner of a month. Our third month of summer
and of 5-10dF over average temps, so far. A quarter
of the year with about six weeks at least still ahead.
Around Aug. 7 is halfway from solstice to equinox.
Chronological versus astromical half-way differs
by a couple days per Sky and Telescope. Already
daylight is almost 30 minutes less than at solstice,
now six weeks after. The peak 3 months of UV and
sun is done, but not necessarily peak heat. A low
of 72F felt fantastic after a bunch of 74's
lately. What a difference two dF can feel.
Not a whole lot still singing at dawn. Heard Blue
Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and Bell's Vireo.
A few White-eyed Vireo calls, not sure if still nesting.
A bit later House Finch and Lesser Goldfinch sang.
Some sounds from Chats, noises, but not like singing.
Early saw presumably that last same adult male
Painted Bunting that continues, at the altar of
the holy white millet tube of course. Just a few
greenies left too. Usually we are covered in them
now. Heard an Orchard Oriole out there again early,
chucking. The two baby Carolina Wrens continue
begging and tagging along with adults. Twenty three
days out of the nest now.
July 30 ~ Hanging tough with the 74F lows lately.
And highs about 98F or so. No morning low clouds.
This sub-tropical high is soooo strong, and once
it sets up, it seems mighty hard to dislodge for
four months. One worn ad. ma. Black-chinned Hummer
continues. The Rufous is gone, not seen since
Thursday, now two days ago, was a three-day bird.
Kathy saw a hummer with a bent lower mandible.
Heard an Orchard Oriole, the mew call, as often
from a bird that is on the move, as in a migrant.
Most of the rest was the same. Clearly fewer
greenies (imm. and fem. Painted Bunting) here now
too. They appear to be departing early like the
ad. males. There are no bugs to eat here this year.
Evidenced by how many and often Indigo Bunting and
Blue Grosbeak have spent so much time here at the
seed this summer. Wayyy more than normal. The
usual supplementary protein and calcium source is
not there. Which is why those two first-summer
male Blue Grosbeaks have barely molted all summer.
not a current pic
Black-and-white Warbler, female or immature.
This is what I would be doing if there was a river.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 29 ~ Low was 74F. No low stratus, go directly
to the sun. Did not hear the Rufous Hummer in the
morn, it probably left. Did not see the male Painted
Bunny either. I can't believe how early they
bugged out this year. The two juv. Carolina Wrens
continue begging like their first week out of nest,
today makes three weeks. Sure great not to see any
Cowbirds out there, but the 3 E. Cottontails probably
eat more seed. Town run and a park check. Great
was two fall migrant sandpipers! A Spotted and a
Solitary. Outstanding, been a while since I have
seen a sandpiper at the park. The one juvenile
Barred Owl is getting feathers on the head now.
One Eastern Wood-Pewee was calling in the woods.
Kathy heard a Common Nighthawk at last crack of
light.
July 28 ~ I guess the 74F low was better than it
was yesterday. No morning low stratus. The Rufous
Hummer was still here in the a.m., so day 3. Saw
one ad. ma. Painted Bunting early in the morning
and at last call only. It seems like the last one,
a couple weeks earlier than we usually get to that
point. A few male Indigo still around, not as many
as there were, had a four at once count at last
seed call, peak was seven. Three or four male Blue
Grosbeak still here, counting the two first-summer
birds. Fewer Hooded Oriole coming in less often.
July 27 ~ Low of 76F is not very. Only an hour or
so of low Gulf stratus arrived after sunup. Saw
one ad. male Black-chinned Hummingbird, after none
yesterday. Saw one ad. ma. Painted Bunting, after
none yeterday. Most ad. males of those two are gone now.
The Rufous Hummingbird continues, probably an imm. male.
Saw the two first summer blue-headed Grosbeaks present
since spring. Both have fairly fully blue heads now,
one has nape still not all filled in. That one has
no other blue. The other has a little blue on the
underparts and upperparts. Generally most of their
bodies are very worn nearly year-old first basic
(winter) plumage. They provide a good example of
how retarded molt can be, due to a shortage of food.
The two of three juvenile Carolina Wrens that made
it the first week continue. Begging still with soft
yellow area at bill gape. They fledged July 8, now 19
days ago. Have never seen young at this stage of
un-development this long after fledging. Sometimes
the parents boot the young out of the territory
within a week of fledging! Great was a pair of
Common Ground-Dove, since we have not been seeing
them. Also had a couple cackling Caracara uphill
behind us. Forgot to mention yesterday, but saw it
again this dusk, a bat that is likely a Red Bat.
Foraging over the yard, much larger and slower of
wingbeat than the Brazillian (was Mexican) Freetails.
Got a little bit of warmth in the color tone off it.
We used to have a pair of them resident here but
have not seen them in a year or so.
July 26 ~ Saw 74F for a low. No significant low
stratus from the Gulf, gonna be a cooker again today.
We are running uppermost 90's F, at least 5dF
over the former average. But which is a couple-few
dF less than it was all last week. Seeing no adult
male Painted Bunting on the millet tube. Appears as
a blowout has occurred. Normally their big blowout
is Aug. 7-9 or so, but I think due to the drought,
like so much, they will depart early this year.
In the afternoon I first heard, then saw, my first
long-distance fall migrant of the year. A Rufous
Hummingbird, female or immature type. Went from
8 hummers on the feeder to one real fast. Had a
dragonfly go by too fast to ID but it looked like
a Pale-faced Clubskimmer, which amazingly I have
not seen this year.
July 25 ~ Low of 74F, a little bit of morning low
stratus from the Gulf, a couple hours worth maybe.
That dang pig was back making sure any Prickly Pear
we were trying save got totally trampled under foot.
I will have to do something at the corral gate post.
Sure great not feeding all those cowbirds. Otherwise
the same summer gang. Out back saw a pile of feathers
indicating that between noon and 4 p.m. a White-winged
Dove was taken. Probably by a Cooper's Hawk. Saw
an orange colored skipper fly by, but no ID, probably
a Fiery. Still working on finer points of skippers in
flight. Weird not hearing the male Painted Buntings
singing any more, they are shut down and becoming
scarce fast. Less Indigo but still at least some few
going. One fairly adjacent over in the draw, often
sings from a big Hackberry right on the fenceline left
of gate. It is nesting over there somewhere, feeds
here, often giving flight song on departure from seed
injestion sessions. Bless his exhuberance.
July 24 ~ Low was 75F, a bit of low Gulf stratus
arrived just as the sun came up, but just barely,
not thick. Gave a few hours of a slight break in
solar heating. Seems like fewer Cowbirds, finally.
I saw a few juveniles, unattended strays from
elsewhere, and that was it. The main flock of adults
was not here today, it seems the bulk of Brown-headed
have departed. The Bronzed always stay much later
in the season, but there are just a few of them.
All cowbird nest predation here in Aug. and Sept.
is by Bronzed, not Brown-headed. In other departure
news, I only saw one adult male Black-chinned
Hummingbird here today. Lots of juveniles and
immatures, maybe some females, but the adult males
are fairly vacated. So where do they go? Mountains
of Mexico? Some obvious departures of breeding birds
are ongoing. Saw one Little Yellow (butterfly).
July 23 ~ Low was 74F, a wee bit of Gulf stratus
early off and on, just a little something for the
humidity when it hits 92F. Somewhere around 95F
or so the humidity magically evaporates and we
drop to 30% or lower, sometimes low 20's.
Oh but its a dry heat my foot, it's a hundred!
Adult male Blue Grosbeak on the patio early. What a
great seedeater to have out there. Eagle-eyed and
ginchy. I was in chair on back porch, and I am afraid
to breathe as if it detects movement it bolts. It
looks like it is watching me for movement, one twitch
and its gone.
Saw an adult male Orchard Oriole mid-morn. Kathy saw
one a week or so ago. Many like to speculate (often
foolishly) about every birds status. For some it is
a full-time hobby. Is it the same bird Kathy saw still
hanging around? Is it what is called a post-breeding
dispersant that bred nearish by? Or is it a migrant
from elsewhere which actually could occur now too?
Pick a guess, any guess, one is as good as the next.
Otherwise it was the same June and July gang. And
hot. Weird how quiet the Chats are. Probably between
nests, and trying to decide whether or not to do
another round. In wetter years they do a last
nesting in August. I do not expect that this year. But
we are seeing a few fresh young around the yard so
the few pairs did get some out so far already.
Not current photos.
This a Chrysomelid beetle of which there are many types.
Leaf-chafers might be one group name for them. Here
they are past chafing and more like devouring. These
are flea-beetles. Note the enlarged base of hind leg.
When they trigger it, they jump faster than your eye
can follow, a foot in a tenth of a second.
Shining Flea-Beetle eating hole in American Germander.
Shining Flea-Beetle still eating holes in American Germander.
Another type of Flea-Beetle with nice polka-dots.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 22 ~ Low of 74F was way better than yesterday,
and I can't believe I can say that about a 74F low.
There was some low Gulf stratus first couple or few
hours again. Kathy heard a Common Nighthawk right over
yard before sunup. A female Red-winged Blackbird hit
the seed early, have not been seeing one come in lately.
Just a male or few, once or twice a week or so. Saw
a juvenile Chat hopping around all the seedeaters
wondering what the deal was. Town run and park check.
Heard a Yellow-throated Vireo upriver of the park.
One begging juv. Red-shouldered Hawk there. Drying
up fast. Now maybe FIVE FEET below normal bank level.
The water lillies all browning and dry. Below spillway
the Cypress and Sycamore are mostly turned of color,
many Sycamores dropped leaves already due to drought.
In dragons saw 2 Red-tailed Pennant, and a Leaftail,
likely the same three beasts for three weeks now.
Little Creek Larry said almost all his Chimney Swift
are gone, and I heard none over town. I also only
heard a couple Purple Martin, and a few Barn Swallow.
The insectivores are bailing early this year. The
Scissor-tails didn't even stay to nest.
A note from Tom Collins of Center Point said the
Kerrville butterfly count had only half the number
of species they recorded last year.
July 21 ~ A ridiculous low of 78F. Gulf low stratus for
the first time in a week, held the heat in overnight.
At least it stayed at or below 82F for four hours due
to the clouds. I remember 68F lows were regular at
Lost Maples in July in the late '80's.
My how things have changed in a few decades. A pig
came back and finished destroying our Prickly Pear patch.
Has to be small to get through the gap in the gate.
But knows not to show up if lights are on. The little
bastard belongs in a burrito.
Heard both the Bell's and Yellow-throated Vireo
singing at early-thirty pre-sunup, and yeah a couple
Wide-eyed Vireo too. Kathy heard a Canyon Towhee.
I heard a warbler bk bk bk series uphill in the
live-oaks out back, probably a or the Black-n-white.
Parade of Hooded Oriole at the feeders in the morning.
Saw my FOY juvenile Blue Grosbeak finally today.
Late for the first young, presume I missed some earlier.
Another hun in the sun day. One Queen on the Blue Mistflower.
July 20 ~ Saw 75F at 6:40 a.m., it might have dropped
a dF more, KERV had a 73F for a low. Saw the family
of four Bluebirds still around and together. Two of the
baby Carolina Wren continue, probably lost one, there
were three. They are growing much slower than usual,
11 days out of the nest still with much yellow on bill
and begging like it was the first day out. There is not
the usual amount of food to be had. Often early in the
nesting season when the adults are hot to re-nest ASAP,
the young are kicked out of the territory in a week or
less. The last batch of the year always gets a few more
days, or more of parental attention. But these are not
near as developed as they should be at 11 days out of
the nest.
The, or a, Great Crested Flycatcher was around in the
afternoon. Lots of baby birds out there, especially
Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch, Painted Bunting, Lark
Sparrow, and some Chipping and Field Sparrow. The Blue
Mistflower Eupatorium is blooming again and it is
really weird how there are so few (no) butterflies
out there. Thirty flower heads with nothing. Saw 99F
on the cool shady front porch, so over a hun in the
sun out there. Still running nearly 10dF over historical
averages. With no relief in sight, nothing on the
ten-day.
July 19 ~ Low of 75F was not very. The oven roasting
will continue. A hun in the sun is our new daily
normal. Been meaning to mention I have not been
hearing many Purple Martin the last week. Just a few
here and there, the prior couple weeks there were
lots with young, overhead multiple times daily. Some
are probably leaving already. Heard the Bell's
Vireo still over in the corral singing, it no doubt
nested. A Great Crested Flycatcher was around in the
morning a bit. Couple Ash-throated out there off and
on all day. I saw local WU station readings at
101, 102, and 103F, it was plenty toasty out there.
Was still 84F at midnight!
July 18 ~ Low of 72F, same at KERV. No significant
low stratus. Nice there is still some dawn chorus
at 6:30 a.m., nothing like it was, but still some
going. Chats must be between rounds, and you take
them out of the equation and it gets a lot quieter
than just one species ought to make it. Kathy saw
a Black-and-white Warbler at the bath early, which
looked female or imm. type. I heard Orchard Oriole
in the corral, presume that first-summer male.
Lots of baby House Finch. Five each at once counts
on males of Lesser Goldfinch and Painted Bunting.
Probably all nesting adjacent. I see and especially
hear, at least two of the baby Carolina Wren still
around the house. No Chucks at dark. Not hearing
Nighthawks now either.
July 17 ~ The 70F low was outstanding! The TEN
new chiggers I woke up with not so much. Must
have harvested them on my last listen and lookabout
outside after midnight. Did not have any when I
went to bed. Must have been out in driveway, will
do some trimming. Some Prickly Pear we have been
growing was destroyed, which must have been pigs,
the patch is all busted up. Happened a couple years
ago too. It is the one patch that gets some extra
water, so had fat juicy leaves. Ransacked. Has
to be a smaller one as the only openings in alleged
hog fence are small. Probably via the gate to corral
behind cottage which has a bit of a gap.
Birds were the same gang. Male Vermilion Flycatcher
seems to be figuring out that mean ol' Phoebe
is not here any more, and is spending lots more time
in the yard. Which is great. At last light I heard
a couple distant half-hearted "wills-widow"
calls from a tired Chuck. After a shower counted
now 15 minimum chiggers I am currently hosting, not
of my own volition. All on sensitive skin areas of
course. There have hardly been any chiggers, or skeeters,
all spring and summer so far, due to the lack of rain.
But there are hardly any dragonflies, butterflies,
and there were hardly any fireflies this year too.
July 16 ~ Low was 74F, saw 95F on the cool shady
front porch in the afternoon. Today is hump day
for climatological summer, we cross the half way
point of June-August, and are now on the back half.
Days are nearing a minute less daylight per day
than the day prior. We are about 13 minutes less
daylight per day than peak day length at solstice.
Nearing a month past the solstice, and the tail end
of the peak UV window. Did have a juvenile Great
Crested Flycatcher in the yard in the morning. It
was still begging but not being attended. So just
fledged from fairly nearby. Otherwise it seemed
the same gang still here. Got a chigger. Need to
weedwhack the walking paths around yard. Have not
had to do one single full yard mowing all spring and
summer as nothing grew as usual due to the exceptional
drought. Half of the yard (in sun) it is brown like
winter and getting cooked to over 100F daily.
Here is a little something for all those ID whiz superstars.
This is a nightjar. Your mission, should you choose to
accept it, is to identify it. Two species had just called
from the immediate adjacent vicinity. This bird landed on
the wire, there was just a crack of light left, I had to
gas the ISO up to 3200, got one shot and it split. Only
had a bare-eyed view, mostly was looking at back of camera.
So you know what I did at the time, the two species that had
just called were N. Paraque and Chuck-will's-widow.
It was Sept. 5, 2019. I think it can be ID'd based on
shape and structure. Interesting to me, I had only prior
seen Nighthawks (both species) sit on wires, but, I guess
why not, nice perch. I will not be posting a quick answer,
or best guess, leaving it up as a mystery bird for a bit.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 15 ~ An amazing low of 69F was outstanding. Lots
of the area had rain (besides us) last night around
dark, I saw KERV was mostly 67F overnight. Weewow.
The birds were singing as if they liked it too. But
all looked the same here today. Town run where it was
all the same as well. Besides a Green Heron at the park
there were the pair of Common Grackle continuing. I
have not heard or seen any young yet this year. With
the pair still here, we can hope they will yet produce
some. One ad. ma. Painted Bunting is a bird out moving
around since they don't nest there. In odes it
was the same. Halloween and Red-tailed Pennant,
a Leaftail, and Eastern Pondhawk, Red Saddlebags and
Checkered Setwing, mostly singles of each. In damsels,
some Bluets that were likely Familiar. Did see one
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on 360, an ad. female.
Otherwise the same mid-summer gang. Forgot to mention
lots of Cenizo in bloom from the rains this week. It
goes off a couple days after the rains, and some are
looking pretty nice right now, but only last two days.
July 14 ~ Low of 74F, we'll take it. It was still
over 80F after midnight last night. The new normal.
No morning low stratus, the baking will continue. Birds
looked the same gang, it is mid-summer. Another new
Chipping Sparrow young begging, but only one, and but,
at least no cowbird. Can't wait for Cowbirds to
leave, which should be soon. They eat a ton of white
millet, my bunting food. Speaking of which more begging
baby Painted Bunnies out there too. Grayish greenies.
Again late in afternoon or early evening some nearby
rain cells were about. We just got spit on again, but
it dropped us from a hun in the sun to 80F in short order.
What a great break from peak heat. Some folks got some
rain, there was thunder and such. No Chucks calling at
dark again.
July 13 ~ Low about 71F was nice, the high is so strong
though we are not getting the morning low stratus from
the Gulf. The first-summer male Hooded Oriole hit the
front porch feeder about 8:30 and then gave a nice bit
of song for a minute after it left. Nice to hear that
since I've had no breeders in earshot. Blue Grosbeaks
are still singing well, three or four going, but two
are first-summer birds with little blue, but which is
slightly increasing as of late. Chat was in the
bath first thing. Probably a half-dozen of them per day
use it. There are at least three pairs around our place,
and we are seeing several juveniles about as well. They
never produce lots of young, at least here lately. One
or two per nest is it. But they do two or three rounds.
Had to run to town mid-morn. Little Creek Larry said
he hardly has any ad. ma. Black-chinned Hummers left,
and it is almost all immatures. We still have some
adult males, but a fraction of what they were. There
are still some Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks over at
his creek too. I saw an ad. Green Heron at the park,
one of the breeding pair no doubt. Yellow-throated
Vireo is still singing. No odes seems mighty weird.
But a new species of ichthyfauna. We hardly ever get
that here. Like all new fish species here the last
oh about a hundred years, it is an introduced species,
and not native to the Sabinal drainage. Only the seven
minnow species are native here. There are now shoals
of Sailfin Molly in the pond. They are natural in
the Nueces drainage but not Frio or Sabinal (sub-) drainages.
Nearest I know of are in the Leona River at the Hwy. 90
park in downtown Uvalde, where it is very doubtful
they are natural there. People like to put them
everywhere, like big mosquitofish. But they are
more herbivorus. Sometimes they can do algae control
work, but the filament or hair algae that is a problem
here is not generally eaten by anything. Obviously someone
thought we should have some mollies here.
Who knows what ecological ramifications it will have?
The (introduced non-native) bass certainly approve. At
least the molly is a south Texas native species, and
the males are pretty when in breeding colors. But
usually this sort of thing does not play out well
for the locals (natives) in the long term. The fish
in the pond think a thousand people from Austin just
showed up. Certainly trout introductions hurt the ode
(dragonfly and damselfly) populations here and at Lost
Maples SNA (and probably Garner S.P. as well). With all
the bass and perch introductions, it is incredible the
remnants (which is at best what we have) of the populations
of the seven species of native minnows continue. Though
I have only seen six of them.
Late in day there were more rain cells nearish but not
close enough to send a cooling outflow. Just west enough
to block some sun at peak heat. It was a hun plus in
the sun. Brutal. I heard no Chuck-will's-widow
call at chuck-thirty (last crack or sliver of light).
I think they are out of gas. Three months of that and
you would be spent too. We will still get the odd
belt-out, especially after it (if) rains, but more
grunting will be heard now. Kathy heard something
that was probably begging baby Common Nighthawk.
July 12 ~ Low might have hit 75F. The same gang here.
There is an adult male Hooded Oriole now coming into
the back feeder. So after a couple weeks of the first
summer male and female, then with their juveniles, now
a 5th bird shows up. Nice to see that color. Wonder
where it was all spring and earlier in summer? Another
baker of a day, a hun in the sun. But again late near
sundown some nearby rain cells from this boundry that
continues gave us some outflow and took the edge off
the heat. We got maybe a half of a tenth of an inch
of precip (.05). Spit on. But, we got cooled off 10F.
July 11 ~ Cool air, an amazing 70F low, and wet ground.
When the environment is in critical drought conditions,
every half inch of precip is pure gold. Still hear
the Yellow-throated Warbler singing over in the nearest
Cypresses toward river about a hundred yards away.
Also heard Orchard Oriole early, presume the first-summer
pair we are getting off and on. Might be five Hooded
Oriole hitting the feeder now. Weird after not having
any all spring, they all show up. Not much different
for birds otherwise. The heat goes on. Before 5 p.m. I saw
readings of 109F at Hondo, 108F at Castroville, 107 in
SAT, and so on. The SAT 107F is an all time high for
the entire month of July. Local WU stations showed
102-106F! I saw 101F on the cool shady front porch.
Record level heat. All the birds are panting to cool.
Again some rain cells formed from this washed-out
boundry area. None hit us, but some nearish enough
to offer outflow dropping it 10F to 90F. One local
WU station showed a 111F heat index right before the
outflow hit! It was so hot (how hot was it?) the
Dillo was on its back four legs up in the birdbath!
I swear the birds in the tree overhead raised their
eyebrows. Last slice of light still at least two,
maybe three distant Chucks calling, but only briefly,
and not our closeby near breeder bird.
July 10 ~ I presume it was some of the rain-cooled
air, the low was 72F, very nice. The heat will not
relent though. Forecast is for a hun plus the next
three days, a few dF dialed back a few days, and
back to another hun plus heat wave. It is relentless.
It did not used to be like this here. The climate
has changed. Way less rain and way hotter temps,
we used to have to go to Del Rio to live like this.
Welcome to desertification. That 30 inch per year
average rainfall line has moved 100 miles east in 30 years.
It was right here, now it is near Seguin east of SAT.
So, what was it like 100 miles west of us? Del Rio.
That is what we are becoming here.
Maybe a week or two of the year in the worst of July
or August peak heat waves it used to be like this.
This summer excess heat and record heat waves started
the second week of May and there have only been a
few minor very brief breaks. Mostly hotter than the
worst prior heat waves, averaging 5-10dF over normal
historical averages, again. We should have had a hot
last month, we have had a record hot two months so far.
The first-summer male Black-n-white Warbler was
singing around yard pre-sunup. It has been here
about two months now, and raised at least two young
from a very nearby nest. The Yellow-throated Vireo
was singing out there pre-sunup as well. The three
just-fledged Carolina Wren are still about. A bunch
of Hooded Oriole using the hummer feeders, mostly
the office feeder in back, which stays the coolest.
One oranger bird might be an adult male.
It was at least a hun in the sun in the afternoon.
Local WU stations showing 100-105F. About 6 p.m.
or so some rain cells again popped up along this
remnant boundry to our north. So first we lost the
sun and a few dF. Then we lost power after a lightning
strike I think north of town. Then nearing 7 p.m.
the edge of a rain cell hit us, we got a half-inch
of precip, and it dropped into 70's F! After
just getting spit on yesterday, this was great.
A little bit of relief goes a long way. As it hit
the wind gusts on the initial outflow hitting us here
were near zero visibility for a couple minutes due
to dust, at 30-40 mph!
July 9 ~ Low about 75F again, and zip for morning
low stratus. I saw 80F at 9 a.m., 90F at noon,
and between 4-5 p.m. it hit a hun in the shade.
Some local WU stations were showing 102-105F. Right
on the record line for much of the area. Brutal hot.
There was a front way further north in Texas that caused
rain, which drove outflow boundries down into central
Texas, which then cooked up into thundercells. A
couple were nearish enough to send outflows here,
which dropped it from about 102F to a chilly 92F near
end of day. A few outflow-blown drops hit here,
that was it. Kathy saw a juvenile Mockingbird at
the bath, a post-breeding dispersant. That might
have been the only new item. Maybe some more new
baby Lesser Goldfinch and Cardinal. Still too many
Brown-headed Cowbird here, they will be departing
very shortly now, but not soon enough. I still have
not seen any of our local breeding birds attending to or
getting begged from a juvenile here this year. Kathy
heard a Cicada. I saw a Funereal Duskywing butterfly.
In case you wonder what the new shoals of small surface fish
are at the park. This is the native Sailfin Molly found in
south Texas. Male has blue in tail and orange-yellow head,
both of which can get quite bright in breeding season. The two
upper fish in rear are females. These are the Leona River
individuals, which I kept and bred years ago.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 8 ~ Low about 75-76F, a bit on the warm side.
The sub-tropical high is building in stronger for
a few days, so almost no low Gulf stratus. I saw
some 80F readings locally by 9:30 a.m., so we will
be a hun in the sun. Town run fer shtuff so a
look at park. E. Pewee singing at the crossing
as I left for town. Had a group of begging juvenile
Yellow-throated Warbler in woods at park, and another group
of them in the big live-oak behind the general store.
In the park woods there was a juvenile Yellow-throated
Vireo, and a juvenile Yellow-breasted Chat on the
island. The Chat doesn't nest there so we
know it is a post-breeding dispersant. Was an imm.
Painted Bunting there too. Odes were a Black
Saddlebags, a female Roseate Skimmer, and the
three Pennants continue: Halloween, Banded,
and Red-tailed. Not much though.
Here at the hovelita in the afternoon there was
a new batch of 3 just-fledged juvenile Carolina
Wren! I mean just out of the nest. Still all
together. Parents feeding them. I can't
believe they got another set out so fast. Kathy
spotted the adult female Bluebird at the bath with
the two juveniles. It took her (mama bluebird) ten
minutes and two baths for them to figure it out.
She was drenched. Finally they drank and splashed
in it. It was their first time obviously. Been
a big wave of juvenile Black-chinned Hummingbird
the last several days. Hopefully their last for
the season. Draining feeders.
July 7 ~ Low of 74F, the high pressure is going
to be near full strength for the next week with
highs at or above 100F daily. And no rain in sight.
One Black-bellied Whistling-Duck flying downriver at
dawn. At least some good birdsong before and around sunup
continues. Indigo and Painted Bunting, Blue Grosbeak,
Cardinal, White-eyed (3 diff.) and Yellow-throated
Vireo, B-c Titmouse, Lark, Field, and Chipping Sparrow,
are all still territorially singing (nesting) in or
adjacent to yard. And Vermilion Flycatcher sputtering
while fluttering up above it all. The Carolina and
Bewick's Wrens are around, might be hearing
more Bewick's Wren juveniles. The E. Bluebirds
are still around with at least two young. Yellow-throated
Warbler was singing in front yard Pecans mid-morn.
Due to a very complex calculus error I had to run to
town to get some birdseed. The good stuff (50 lb.
sacks of white millet) is due in tomorrow, so just
some low-grade mix to hold a revolt off for a day.
A small army of buntings without white millet can
be a dangerous thing. This required a look at the
park of course, which broke my heart. I thought
I heard a Verdin repeatedly calling across the pond
on other side. Yellow-throated Vireo and Warbler
are both still singing. The two juvie Red-shouldered
Hawks are running along the very low waterline and
out in the drying water lillies. Water is down
four feet from normal bank, and if it hadn't
have been dredged of flood buildup a decade ago
there would be rock islands out in it. Up in
the woods there was a very close begging baby
Barred Owl. Still downy on head but flight
capable. In dragons there was a Leaftail
(looked 4-stripe), three Red-tailed, two
Halloween, and one Banded Pennant, a couple
Eastern Pondhawk, a Blue Dasher, and a Swift
Setwing. No damselflies. Heard distant
Chucks at dark here but not our close one.
July 6 ~ Low about 74F, just a wee bit of low
Gulf stratus briefly. High about a hun in the sun.
The different thing today was Canyon Towhee! The
one we had left in March to go breed somewhere,
there have been none since. Today I saw at least
one, thought there were two, and heard a call that
is strictly made by two birds interacting. Late in
day Kathy saw one at the birdbath. I presume one
is the bird that wintered and left in spring. They
depart fall-to-spring territory, leaving water and
seed to go to the breeding grounds to find a mate
and nest. And then come back. Clearly some sort
of seasonal movement. It happens every year, they
leave to breed somewhere else. Usually I do not
see one until August, I presume the early stoppage
this year is drought related.
July 5 ~ Low about 73F, a few hours of low stratus
from the Gulf early. Then the sun showed its hot
head. Heard the Great Crested Flycatcher, Orchard
Oriole, and Yellow-throated Vireo early, Yellow-throated
Warbler more distantly but still visiting yard daily.
First-summer fem. and juv. Hooded Oriole on the back hummer
feeder at the same time. Must be hers. Kathy saw
the male Summer Tanager back in yard. Seems like it
has been avoiding it due to that incessantly begging
juvenile. Saw likely the same ad. Red-shouldered Hawk
in the Pecans out front. Hope it is getting Cotton Rats
(Sigmodon). Kathy saw the first-summer male Black-n-white
Warbler at the bath again, so it is still around. The
White-eyed Vireo still nesting over in the draw tangle.
July 4 ~ The big middle holiday of summer, between
Memorial Day and Labor Day. A quiet one here since
the big annual firework show was cancelled (fine
by me) and there is no river as usual (not good).
So the typical tourist crowds are not here. Usually
the biggest day of the year for visitors here. The
low of 72F was nice, the low stratus from Gulf
kept it below 80 until 11 a.m. or so. A few hours
to do things outside without being overheated is
a welcome respite.
Saw another Desert Checkered-Skipper, and a Dun
Skipper was on the Wooly Ironweed, of course. It
is a bit restricted in a deer proofish cage so it
can't spread out at the top and be pretty as
usual. But that Dun sure finds one open flower.
I see two Red Turkscap flowers now. The deer sure
butchered it. It should look like a hedge, it
looks like ground cover. Heard a singing Eastern
Wood-Pewee out front in the Pecans for a bit.
It was weird after dark having no firework show
explosions a couple miles north in town, and really
weird having it be quiet of road roar the hour after
the show ends. Usually sounds like an L.A. freeway
out there. Even the locals were not setting them off,
methinks due to the burn ban. They might have banned
fireworks as well, as quiet as it was. It was quite
odd for all the peace and quiet on the fourth. A real
holiday of another sort, the animals, wild and especially
dogs, and cats, surely loved it. Heard the Spadefoot
Toad again.
July 3 ~ After some near misses with rain cells
yesterday evening, a low that formed over NE Mexico
and the Rio Grande sent a mass of rain over Uvalde
and Real Co. We got TWO INCHES here from 12:30-6:30 a.m.
A fair bit of thunder and heard a few hail stones.
Saw a report of .25" hail at Leakey. Also saw
reports of 3" of rain along the Frio River at
Leakey and down to Uvalde. Some very badly needed
precip for the area. Low was 70F. We might have
hit 80F around noon. Incredible. This low forming
along the Rio Grande in northern Mexico was not
predicted two days ago.
In other climate news, this weekend is the twenty
year anniversary of the big flood of 2002 when Utopia
flooded. The year before we moved here. The flood
more or less ended a decade-long drought and began
a 5 year wet cycle. It was a three day event over
July 2-4, with 2-3 feet of rain. A tropical low
moved in and stalled, and would not stop raining.
Nearby a few decades prior, one of the state and
national record or near-record rain events is listed
as occurring at Medina, it was four feet over a few
days, from a named system that moved in (Amanda, or Amelia?),
stalled and rained out around poor Medina. Utopia
was spared the worst of that one. But not 2002.
Critters were the same about the casita. Kathy
saw a Black-n-white Warbler at the birdbath,
which sounded like the first-summer male that
has been around and bred. I saw a juvenile
Indigo Bunting, my FOY, and saw a juv. Hooded
Oriole, besides first-summer male and female.
One first-summer Blue-headed Grosbeak (male Blue)
looks mostly the same still, just blue-headed.
It has been here since May and is singing uphill
in what is certainly sub-par habitat. Many juv.
Lark Sparrow and Painted Bunting, some juvie
Chipping and Field Sparrow. I got some fence
up to hopefully save what is left of the Red
Turkscap after the deer massacred it. I see
one flower on one of the stubs. Also see a
flower on the Wooly Ironweed, which had to be
caged due to deer.
July 2 ~ Low maybe 73F, Gulf low stratus moving
in at sunup. Gives us a couple hours before the
sun begins bearing down, however with the price
of increased humidity. Which doesn't matter at
75F, but when it hits 90F it does. I saw 96F in
the shade in afternoon. A few nearish rain cells
blocked sun late in day so a bit of relief from
the burn. Maybe upvalley and over in the Frio
Canyon they got some rain. Was lots of thunder,
just no precip made it to town and southward to
us. Birds were the same gang of begging babies.
One of the Summer Tanager juvies is still hanging
around begging hoping parents show back up to feed
it. Not seeing them. Heard the kip notes again,
of Kingbird or Scissor-tail. Saw one of the juv.
Bluebird. After dark I heard
what had to have been a Couch's Spadefoot
Toad right outside house, but could not spot
it as always.
Hutton's Vireo Oct. 6, 2019.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 1 ~ And there goes the first half of the
year, here comes the second half, hope yer ready.
It started at about 73F for the record. Hot and
dry is all I see in the forecast. Kathy heard
an unknown grating call going up and down river
early before sunup, maybe a heron or egret sort
of thing. Town run fer shtuff. Little Creek
Larry said he had some kind of heron or egret
thingie distantly in flight. Best bird was a
Verdin which I heard last week at the post office
but didn't mention as I did not see it and
Lesser Goldfinch juveniles make a very similar
call. It was still there this week, and is a
Verdin. So then June 24 was the first date on it.
Nothing at the park, but a few odes. Saw a FOY
and LTA Four-spotted Pennant, a Red-tailed Pennant,
a Swift Setwing, a Green Darner, and some Bluets
of some sort, probably Familiar. Very few flying.
In the afternoon here Kathy saw the first summer
male Black-n-white Warbler. A couple rain cells
got nearish enough to give us some outflow and
drop it from a hun to 90F, and then a second
one spit on us a bit and made it 85F. So we
beat the worst of the afternoon heat. After 7 p.m.
I got a count of SEVEN male Indigo Bunting at once,
and could not see the patio. Has to be all of
them nesting around, and maybe a couple more.
Heard a Gnatcatcher out there late in day. Late
Kathy heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee calling over
at the river.
~ ~ ~ June summary ~ ~ ~
We had just over 1.5" of rain, less than
half average, D4 exceptional drought continues.
The river is way way down, nearly 4' below
spillway overflow at park pond. River is too low
of flow to swim in. Wells are going dry. There
was no late spring flower bloom either, very
little is blooming.
Butterflies were fairly vanila. Numbers of most
things remain very reduced, especially the small
stuff is scarce. Everything is way dialed back.
Did see one Fatal Metalmark, a Mournful Duskywing,
a Tawny Emperor or two, but nothing unusual. A
couple days there were fair numbers of Large Orange
Sulphur passing by, and on a few days there were
several to many dozens of Lyside Sulphur. Looks
about 34 species total, makes for a bad June.
Odes picked up a bit, but are really reduced in
the drought. The numbers are a fraction of normal.
I think in drought times when water is much reduced
predation on larvae goes up as fish become more
concentrated. Amongst many factors. Still a few
Orange-striped Threadtail at Utopia Park, Orange
Bluet there also. Single Thornbush Dasher and Halloween
Pennnant were at the Waresville golf course pond.
A few Widow Skimmer, some Banded and one Red-tailed
Pennant , but very low numbers of the most common
things. I count about 18 species of odes total,
a very weak showing. Maybe 5 of the sps. were
Zygops (damselflies).
Birds were about a bunch of baby birds, and one super
mega rary, a LIMPKIN. Likely my bird of the year,
and surely one of the most bizzare things I have ever
found here. Kathy and I heard it calling for
nearly 10 minutes over at the river, from the house
at dawn on June 16. A search that evening along river
and the next day and beyond at the park turned up
nothing. Two other good birds of note. Best was a
continuing pair of Couch's Kingbird from April
into June. They may well be nesting. The other was
a heard Verdin at the P.O. June 24, which continues
on July 1. Most of the baby bird clutches I saw
were two birds max. It has not been a particularly
productive reproductive cycle this year. Or last.
For the month, I saw about 73 species, Larry saw
a couple more. But a Limpkin so it was fantastic!
~ ~ ~ end June summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ June update header copy ~ ~ ~
June ~ A continuing pair of Couch's Kingbirds
through the 10th so far, a couple miles south of
town, present since late April, might well be
nesting locally. An inch in an hour (rain) late on
the 3rd was great, and a bit more pre-dawn on the
4th. Then a second so far this season (since middle
two weeks of May), record or near-record heat wave
began. June 10 there was a Black Witch (moth) in town.
June 13 saw lots of Saharan dust. A LIMPKIN calling
for 10 min. at dawn, south of town a couple miles on
June 16, is spectacular, the furthest west record was
one in Travis County. There are not 10 state records.
About the 21st, one was photo'd near Amarillo!
Weather tip: if you are headed out this way nowadays,
be prepared to bake. Around a half-inch of rain on
the 27th was a rarity here lately. A Verdin was at
the post office June 24 and July 1, on north side.
~ ~ ~ end June update header copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
June 30 ~ Wow, there goes another one. Low was
about 71F, nice. Prepare for heat. One down, two
to go for climatological summer. I bet we lost a
whole minute of daylight in the last week. Heard a,
or the, Black-and-white Warbler singing early, sounded
like that 1st summer male that nested and raised
young very nearby. Mid-day Kathy saw a female
or imm. at the birdbath. One of the male Indigo
Bunting seems quite fond of flight song as it
departs from feeding here. Saw a couple Reakirt's
Blue butterflies coming into water, some Snout
and Lyside. One Dot-winged Baskettail dragonfly.
June 29 ~ A low of 68F was thrilling. A wee bit of
that cold front washout air. We'll take it.
It was nice while it lasted. Got up to upper 90's
again, so back to the above average heat. Climate
forecast is continued hotter and dryer than average.
Lots of birds singing, they seemed to like the cool
and rain, almost as much as we do. They were the
same gang mostly, but yesterday's Hutton's
Vireo was still singing nearby. Lots of begging
baby buntings, Painted, dull greenies. Great
Crested Flycatcher was out there early. Ash-throated
later. Vermilion Flyc. still doing display flights
so still nesting. Heard a Gnatcatcher go through.
Forgot to mention a few days ago Kathy found a
dead Reduviad, or Blood-sucking Conenose - the
Chaga's carrier, in the house. Likely a
spider or scorpion victim? Common Nighthawk and
Chuck-will's-widow both still going at dusk.
June 28 ~ Low about 71F, and wet ground. Weewow!
And the birds were singing. You can see greeness
to the yard that was not there yesterday. Literally
overnight. And no dust. But the male Cardinal are
sure getting dull. Yellow-throated Vireo may be
nesting over in corral, it is still visiting almost
daily in the mornings mostly. Kathy saw the adult
male Orchard Oriole in the bath again today! I got
a quick glimpse before it left. The male Vermilion
Flycatcher was in the front yard, it is the best red.
Yellow-throated Warbler singing in the Pecans. Heard
a Hutton's Vireo sing uphill behind us. It was
a great break for it to be cooler today, about
88F at 3 p.m. is a treat here nowadays. A couple
hours later a rain cell popped up to our east and
there was thunder, maybe Seco Creek or eastward got
some rain, we just had some spits and a nice cooling
outflow which dropped us to 74F! So we beat peak
heat again, two whole days in a row. It is the
little victories sometimes. Heard Common Nighthawk
calling and booming a few times. A couple Chucks
are still going off at last sliver of light.
June 27 ~ A low of 71F felt great. Must be that
cold front. I see 3 juv. Brown-headed Cowbird now,
none ever begged or was attended by our breeders so
far this breeding season here. These young are from
further afield than our immediate vicinity breeding
birds. I heard an Orchard Oriole singing in the
big Pecan, but it was not singing like the first-summer
male we have around that is with a female. An hour
later Kathy sees an adult male Orchard Orio in
the birdbath! I saw a Celia's Roadside-Skipper
on the Blue Mistflower. Its bloom is fading, I
think the 100F daily temps are too much for it.
Heard that kip note call again, either a Kingbird
(Couch's) or a Scissor-tail.
Just before 4 p.m. I saw 101F on the cool shady
front porch! Hot air being sucked up in front of
the inbound rain cells. By 4:15 we were getting
a shower and it was dropping just below 90F. It
must be that cold front. By 4:30 some local WU
stations where rain were showing lower 70's F,
and we had 74F! Looks like maybe just over a HALF-inch
of the precious holy wet stuff so far. The first-summer
Hooded Oriole gave a long bout of song in the rain
right out office window (where his favorite feeder).
Must have been its first bath in a while. About 6 p.m.
the last of this bout of rain moved off. Looked
1.7 cm, or about five-eighths of an inch. Little
over a half-inch of pure awesomeness. We had
an inch early in month, almost four weeks ago.
June 26 ~ Low about 73F and some low Gulf clouds,
to thwart any planetary alignment view seekers.
Another begging juvie Painted Bunting, still unable
to eat, only knows how to beg yet so far. Sure great
to see all these begging babies. Kathy keeps seeing
a juvenile Ladder-backed Woodpecker at the birdbath.
Late in day there was a Gnatcatcher in yard. It
must have been a hun in the sun, was mighty toasty
out there.
Before it got too hot, about 11-12 noon we went
over to the pond on the golf course by the
Waresville Cmty. to have a look for dragonflies
before June is done. There were a very few,
incredibly few, it was astounding how few.
It should be covered in them, there is nothing
out flying over the water, and hardly anything
along the edges. We saw a few Banded and one FOY
Halloween Pennant, and one FOY Thornbush Dasher.
A female Red Saddlebags, a male Eastern Pondhawk,
and no damselflies (!?!). One tiny blue flowered
thing was blooming, I am not sure what it is, the
bushes are big, flowers tiny, might be Bluehearts.
The miniscule flower must have a drop of nectar
though as it had all the bees and most of the
butterflies. One Reakirt's Blue, one Gray
Harstreak, five Funereal Duskywing, 10 Snout, 25
Lyside Sulphur, a couple Queen and a Pipevine,
and on some Frog-fruit was one Sachem.
The three male Purple Martin were still around
the nest box, with what appeared some juveniles.
At times some landed in the top of a short
Hackberry at the edge of the pond. I never see
them sitting in trees here. Some Barn Swallow
included some juveniles, and the Red-winged
Blackbirds are still nesting, and with juveniles.
Bell's Vireo singing along 363, Waresville Rd.,
just west of 187 as usual. Only Vermilion Flycatcher
we saw was one juvenile on a green. No Scissor-tails,
usually a couple pair, at least, there.
The 360 crossing had some blooming Alamo Vine, a
native morning glory family species. No Rubyspot
damselflies still is amazing. No damsels period.
One Banded Pennant, one Blue Dasher up by the drying
Water Lillies, and one dragon got away. Singing
birds were Yellow-throated Warbler, White-eyed Vireo,
Indigo Bunting, and Yellow-throated Vireo. Saw one
blooming stalk of Venus' Looking Glass, a few
Sneezeweed flowers, and the Dodder wiped out the Justicia.
June 25 ~ Low 73F, no clouds, go straight to sun.
All the same stuff here. Lots of babies of everything
being fed. Saw a Chickadee following a parent today.
Saw an Ash-throated Flycatcher ride a juvenile House
Finch to the ground. What tyrants. Saw a couple
different butterflies. A Mournful Duskywing was
great, a Funereal was also around, and a Dun Skipper
was good since have not been seeing any. Probably
the same as before Texas Powdered-Skipper was here too.
Couple dozen each Lyside Sulphur and Snout, a few
Queen. In the afternoon I heard a kip note that was
either Scissor-tailed Flycatcher or Couch's
Kingbird, heard it a few times across the road.
I heard it a few days ago as well over in corral.
This is a Coot, taken at Utopia Park March 24, 2018.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
June 24 ~ Low about 73F, clear, should have woken
to see the planetary alignment but slept through it.
I like them better when in the evening. Here it
seemed the same gang. Town run so a park check.
Lots of exposed dying aquatic vegetation has a
nice scent. Two begging juvenile Red-shouldered
Hawk still around. One seemed to be eating a
crayfish. Up by the former island an ad. fem.
Black-and-white Warbler was foraging on the mats
of dying aquatic veg where flies and bugs. Above
the island at top of park were a few dragonflies.
A pair of ovipositing Orange-striped Threadtail
are always good to see. One male Widow Skimmer,
an Eastern Pondhawk and two Blue Dasher, plus
a FOY Leaftail, which looked a Four-striped to me.
There is a rodeo this weekend so the park and town
will be a bit of a zoo methinks. The water is
amazingly low. Most of the river is likely
subterranean. Pretty near four feet below
spillway, so not safe really to swim in.
Except for tourists. ;)
More reports of wells going dry in the valley.
At the afternoon seed toss I saw a chilly 98F
on the cool shady front porch about 4:30 p.m.,
so over a hun in the sun. I would say about
five of last six weeks, daily highs have been
about 100F or within a couple dF. Adding on:
I heard a Verdin at the Post Office, just gave
a few calls, but since I did not go run it down
I did not write it down, but saw it July 1, so
noting first heard date...
June 23 ~ A 70F low is delightful. No Gulf clouds
so we had good radiational cooling, but then, it is
straight to the sun. I see two different first-summer
male Hooded Oriole here now. One is more orange.
Saw a female and at least one juvenile as well.
Interesting how they never came in while nesting
but as soon as the young fledged, here they are.
Still hearing the Orchard Oriole singing, so they
are still going. The Vermilion Flycacher is around
but not in yard a lot. It got so used to being
chased out by the Eastern Phoebe for years, the
Phoebes died months ago, before spring, and it is
still hesitant about the yard. As if it expects
one to come bolting out after it at any time.
Saw a juvie Painted Bunting chasing after an adult
male a couple times. The males might pay attention
to the juvies a day or few at most after fledging.
Kathy saw a Mockingbird at the birdbath, first one
around in a month or so.
June 22 ~ Low about 74F, some Gulf stratus so humid.
Great to see all the baby birds considering the
conditions. Today a couple Field Sparrow were
begging, a much buzzier more insect-like beg note
than a Chipping Sparrow. Another common cowbird
victim too, so nice not to see any of that. I have
seen a couple juvenile Painted Bunting around.
Still no young Indigo yet though. The cowbirds are
starting to post-breeding flock up. We had about
double the number we have been having. They will
depart in a couple or few weeks. Can't wait.
Saw a Julia's Skipper on the Blue Mist Eup.,
first one this month.
June 21 ~ Happy Solstice! We made it. The sun is
at its furthest north. Daylight is a full second
longer than yesterday. It is a big hump to get over
when you live in the heat. Earlier sundown means
sooner cooler. We also have a major planetary alignment
eastward an hour before dawn, five of 'em lined
up, if you can see Mercury on the horizon. Remarkable
since they are in the order of orbits. Mercury, Venus,
then Mars, Jupiter, and way to the right Saturn. Some
days the moon will even be in between Venus and Mars.
Low was 72F, which is great at this point. Did not
see anything different, it seemed the same set of
birds from my angle. Heard the Orchard Oriole singing,
juvenile Summer Tanager (two) and juv. Black-and-white Warbler
begging. Saw two juvenile Bluebird chasing adults
for food, so they got a couple more young out in a
second nesting this year. Always great to see. Heard
Nighthawk at dusk, so at least one pair stuck to nest
here this year, I think on the 1500' knoll just
north of us a bit.
June 20 ~ A nice 71F low felt great. Also great
was the Black-and-white Warbler singing in the big
Pecan before sunrise. I hear a baby begging out
there too. Hear a begging juvie Summer Tanager
at sunrise as well. Juv. and first-summer male
Hooded Oriole also out there. Lots of juvie House
Finch and Lark Sparrow, and the hummer feeders are
being flooded with another wave of juveniles as well.
Saw a Dot-winged Baskettail dragonfly uphill on the
slope behind us. One Northern Cloudywing butterfly
was new for the month. The cool shady front porch
was 95F from 3-6 p.m., a bit toasty. Almost forgot,
there was a Gnatcatcher out there first thing at
daybreak. Heard a Cicada after dark, which reminds
me I forgot to write one down doing the same a few
days ago. Still have not heard a Katydid. The
Firefly show was a bust this year. Hope they come
back next year.
June 19 ~ About 74F for a low, clouds, but which
held heat in since they were here hours before
dawn. We are at baby bird prime time now.
I heard at least one begging juvenile Summer
Tanager over north fence towards the draw.
And did not see the pair around yard much today,
so suspect they are over there attending it.
Great no cowbird juv., since a common victim.
Nesting success in the yard! A few times I had
to walk 150 feet out to the wellhouse and the
male would be following right overhead in the
Pecans calling at me, pick-up, or pick-it-up,
ushering me on out of his area. All the way out,
and back. At last light the begging baby was in the
yard. Saw the first-summer male Hooded Oriole hitting
a feeder a few times. Later afternoon saw a juvenile
chasing it begging. So, it nested nearish and the
two juvies I saw are likely its young.
The first-summer male Black-and-white Warbler was
around a couple times including at the bath twice
today. Throat is still with much white but auriculars
are black. Then at last light a begging Black-and-white
was being fed in the north Pecan in yard! It looked
to me there were two young as it was three together
in a Hackberry out front. I saw it feed one young,
the other bird flew over begging trying to get in
on it, which if the other adult, it would not do.
So, it was not just trolling, it was mated and
fledged young here! I was not hearing it every
day, so it wasn't right over the fence, but
it was very close as evey couple or few days it
was in yard for the last 5 or 6 weeks. Very cool.
Late afternoon saw 94F on the cool shady front porch.
A FOY butterfly is always good, so a Fatal Metalmark
is exciting despite being rather dull and brown.
A Gnatcatcher was about the Pecans at sundown.
June 18 ~ Low about 73F, just an hour or two of
low stratus from the Gulf. It all looked and
sounded the same out there. Except the biggest
best Lanata got topped by a deer. And a fairly
guilty looking doe, that just dropped a fawn.
Anything watered, they are eating. I will be putting
some more fencing around the front porch and flower
beds. Vultures are circling down the road a piece,
right where I hit that pig on the way back from
the park at dark last night. Was glad for the
tubular steel grill guard - Hill Country ready
they call it here.
Saw another Texas Powdered-Skipper, third at least,
maybe fourth this month. In the afternoon I heard
a bunch of things scolding outside, primarily the
Bewick's Wrens, but couldn't find anything.
An hour later still going, was looking around, a
bluebird had joined in, Carolina Wrens, and an adult
Red-shouldered Hawk flew out of a Pecan on north side
of house. The Pecan with Bewick's Wren using a nestbox.
The 1st summer male Orchard Oriole blurted out a bar
of song right when the hawk bolted, then some chattered
chucks. So it had joined the scold too. They are
nesting very close by. Like the Summer Tanager in the
yard, I try to stay away from the trees they are in
so as to not disturb them.
Kathy took this pic of a pair of mating moths.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
June 17 ~ A low of 70F was thrilling. Must
have been radiational cooling last night. It
used to be the usual low in the late 1980's
here, heck it would be 68F at Lost Maples.
Besides the birds it was the 2nd reason Kathy
and I used to come camping out here back then. LOL
No screaming Limpkin this morn. I will be up at
park in a few hours. Larry is there early, so
maybe he will see it. Best place around for one,
as Purple Galinule and Anhinga records indicate.
There was a juvenile Black-and-white Warbler at
the birdbath early, first time, you could tell.
Same for the juv. Chipping Sparrow there too.
Kathy saw an Oriole on the front hummer feeder
that did not look like the lanky long-tailed
Hooded that has been on the back feeder.
Town run so a park look. Water is THREE FEET
below the spillway! So maybe 3' of water
left out in the pond? The island is not anymore,
lillies are baking in the mud. The big annual
Fourth of July fireworks show has been cancelled.
The county burn ban is back in effect. Saw two
new FOY odes, a couple Banded Pennant, and an
Orange Bluet. One Orange-striped Threadtail and
a Blue-ringed Dancer were seen as well. One juv.
Great Crested Flycatcher was across the river
flycatching. Always great to see one of those.
I heard one loud squawk of a sort I did not
recognize that may well have been the Limpkin.
It was across the river and inaccessible, in
the big willow patch above spillway. It only
called once, so I can't claim it, but I
do not know what else might have made the noise.
Maybe I can get back up there at dusk.
Gas was $5 per gallon in town! Between the
lack of water and price of gas there are no
tourists, or barely so, compared to normal.
Next canyon over westward is the Frio River,
which moves more than twice the water that
the Sabinal River does and gets five times
the tourists. At Concan which is a rental
town for the tourists, they are in severe
water restrictions. As in none between 10 p.m.
and 7 a.m.! No lawn watering, car washing, etc.
Five of their eight wells are dry, and they turn
off the water system at night now. Unbelieveable!
Our place here is on a deepwater well, so we're fine
but lots of surface water wells locally are going dry
too. It will take that great Texas drought buster,
the hurricane, to fix this.
Later afternoon I saw two juvenile Hooded Oriole
in the big pecan, looking like they were headed
for the feeders. That would be great. I went
back to park at dusk, but saw heard nothing in
the way of screaming wailers. The Chimney Swift
show however remains spectacular at dusk. After
sundown. The swallows and martins come in for
last drink at last sun. The swifts wait for it
to go down. There were 20 or so, at least,
hitting the water, I was out on the dry spillway
and they were often blazing by at a few feet
distance. You could hear their wings, and they
were mostly adults, all in heavy secondary molt.
It is quite the experience to have them at
point blank for 20 minutes. Whaddabird!
June 16 ~ About 75F for a low again, and not
much for morning low clouds. A great start to
the day though. After the seed toss and birdbath
refill and refresh, before 7 a.m. sitting at
front porch station waiting for coffee, a
LIMPKIN broke out into wailing, screaming its
cries for 10 minutes at least. Nearest record
is Travis Co., and then Brazos Bend S.P. over
near the coast I think where a few have been
for a while. They only first occurred in Texas
maybe two years ago. This has long been a FL only
specialty species, which is a Apple Snail specialist.
They are in a major expansion with recent records
in OK, MO, KS, TN, AR, and near Houston, I think
nesting in LA, and a few other states in SE have
been getting them. Currently this would be the
westmost record in the U.S. So, a spectacular
occurrence here. No big snails here, so not
likely to stick long. Now if I could just get
it up at the park for that list. Can't say
I ever expected to get this as a yard bird!
Second thing early, Kathy had an oriole bigger
than Orchard on the back hummer feeder. A bit
later we heard a Hooded call out back, so surely
that was it. Then I saw it later, it is a first
summer male Hooded Oriole. Nice since we have
not had any around this spring as usual. I heard
a Hutton's Vireo singing over in the Mesquites
(!) across the road. In butterflies other than
the common stuff, Kathy saw a Questionmark and
I saw a Tawny Emperor. At dusk I went over to
the river and walked a half-mile up it, to no
avail. I can't believe how low, and how
low of flow, it is. On the water surface it
appears nearly stagnant, though I know some
water is moving below surface. It is not much,
maybe 5 gallons per minute? I did see some
Cynanchum just about to open its tiny flowers.
Some Buttonbush is also in bloom.
June 15 ~ Low about 74F, with Gulf low stratus,
so a break. We made it to 10:30 before we
hit 80F. A big win here lately. Kathy spotted
the female Orchard Oriole at the bath. First
time I got a good study, it is a very worn first
summer female. The male is a first summer too,
so a good pair. I heard him yesterday singing
over in the corral. Nice to see the female at
the bath. Great to have them around! The male
was singing a bit late afternoon again. Nesting
very nearby. I heard a Red-eyed Vireo and
Bell's Vireo in the corral, Yellow-throated
and White-eyed Vireo here in yard. Yellow-throated
Warbler was in yard a couple times singing too.
The Summer Tanager pair hardly leaves yard.
The best thing I saw today was watching the
FEMALE Summer Tanager sing. It wasn't all
great like the male, some was the same phrases
though, somewhat subdued, and some was different
gibberish song too. I have never seen a female
sing before. Lots of female songbirds sing a
little and fairly recently it has been discovered
many more than thought. Most knew just of a
few obvious ones like N. Cardinal. Always
more new things to see, especially in behavior.
Heard a Gnatcatcher late in day near dusk.
June 14 ~ Low about 73F, a wee bit of low
stratus from the Gulf an hour or two maybe.
And then back to sun. I just saw the long range
GFS graph for June high temps in Texas. They
show this heat dome from hell holding until
the end of the month, about the 27th or so.
Below the spillway at the park the Cypresses
are turning rust, as if it is November. Some
Sycamores are curling and browning leaves too.
This is brutal on the environment here.
Late morn heard a chip that was certainly a
Golden-cheeked Warbler over in the junipers
along north fence. A juv. or two Ash-throated
Flycatcher still tagging along with an adult
through the front yard. Lots of juvie Lark
Sparrow. Dang deer ate a bunch of the Red
Turkscap. Anything we water they are eating
just for moisture. I had to cage a Lantana
and the Wooly Ironweed to keep them from being
eaten. There are thousands more deer here than
would be without hundreds of corn feeders.
They are horribly over-populated, which then
takes an additional toll on all the plants.
June 13 ~ Low about 74F, a couple better than
yesterday. The high pressure kills the low
stratus from the Gulf before it gets here in
the mornings, so it is straight to the sun.
The birds head straight for the seed and water.
Heard a Black-and-white Warbler sing first thing.
Still a female Bronzed Cowbird coming around
a bit, and a couple males. Saw one juvenile
Brown-headed Cowbird but it was not being
attended or begging, so was from somewhere
else and not from our local birds. It is very
hazy today, which is Saharan dust again. It
was noticeable a couple days a week or so ago
but is thicker today.
June 12 ~ Low was 76F, which is usually a
July-August heatwave low. I saw 99F on the
cool shady front porch in the late afternoon.
Local WU stations were showing 102-103F. Ten
over norm. Once it gets past mid-90's,
the humidity cooks out and it goes dry out
there. It is still no fun. We have not been
swimming yet this year. The river is a bit
dicey when in low-flow mode, as now down
here a couple miles south of town. It goes
underground at the spillway at park, comes
back up to surface a half mile or more south
of there. So surely cleaned very well from the
underground part. When so hot though it really
gets warm, 75-80F, in slow moving spots. The fast
moving areas are shallow of course, but likely
safe. You just have to roll over to get both
sides wet.
The birds were the same gang of seed and water
users. One Red-winged Blackbird still visits.
Bug supplies out there have to be very low. In
butterflies saw a female Black Swallowtail,
as well as a Giant or two, a few Large Orange
Sulphur, the ratty Texas Powdered-Skipper was
back on the Blue Mistflower, one Reakirt's
Blue. Kathy got a pic of some mating moths on
the stone walkway. Hear begging baby Black-chinned
Hummingbird still. It was a cooker today,
everything was panting and hitting the birdbath.
June 11 ~ Low about 73F, no low stratus,
prepare to be baked. Birds were the same gang
of breeders. Going to be fairly stagnant on
that front for a while now. Save the new
batches of babies as they appear. Heard
begging baby hummingbirds today out front.
Later afternoon there were 3 male Indigo
Bunting at once on the seed out back, likely
the three adjacent-to-yard territory holders.
Love hearing that song all day, Blue Grosbeak
too, but they stay further from house for a
territory.
In butterflies, saw a Texas Powdered-Skipper
but which was not the one seen a few days ago.
A couple Giant Swallowtail, several Large Orange
Sulphur, appropriate for the heat was a FOY
Desert Checkered-Skipper, lots of Lyside Sulphur
going by, a few Gulf Fritillary, couple Sleepy
Orange, a Reakirt's Blue, a Southern Broken-Dash,
several Queen on the Blue Mistflower Eupatorium.
Local temps were 102F at KERV, 104 at Uvalde,
105 at Hondo, and 106 at Junction and Del Rio.
We had 99F on the cool shady front porch, the
local WU stations were reporting 101-102F mostly.
Ten F over average and normal. The Chucks are
already quieting down, nowhere near as vocal as
a few weeks ago. They will go silent in about
a month.
Filling in with some older photos...
Dotted Roadside-Skipper, June 28, 2009.
One of the Ghost Moths methinks.
Male Scott's Oriole
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
June 10 ~ Low was 74-75F, no low stratus early,
some got here about 9:30 or so finally. Lots of
baby Lark Sparrow, and several juvie Cardinal.
Great to see a bunch with no juvie cowbirds. Both
are common victims, so far we are doing great on
that count. Kathy saw a juvenile Chat. Little
Creek Larry reported one last week. So first week
of June for first young out for them here. Town
run and park check. Little Creek Larry said he
had 4 Zone-tailed Hawk together, which must be
a pair with two fledged young. Not often seen.
Also great was Rosie being there, so, tacos!
At the park a Red-eyed Vireo continues trolling
in woods at north end, and I heard presumably
the pair of Common Grackle around the island
area. Best were a few FOY odes flying. A few
Checkered Setwing, several Blue Dasher, one
Red-tailed Pennant, and a Violet Dancer. All
were FOY sightings. Also both Red, and Black,
Saddlebags were seen. Best though was at the
Boyce's place, sure glad I stopped to see
Kathryn today. There was a BLACK WITCH (moth)
flopping around her back patio, that landed on
the cedar wood wall. We had great close looks.
They are LTA - less than annual here, and I have
not seen one in a few years. Always a great
sighting this far from the coast where they
are semi-regular.
Back here at the hovelita after the tacos, about
2 p.m. I heard the Couch's Kingbird calling
from the Pecan. About 6 p.m. the Orchard Oriole
was singing in the Pecans out front. Saw 96F on
cool shady front porch, had to be a hun in the sun.
At last sun a couple Common Nighthawk were lazily
floating over the driveway in perfect light. They
must have stuck to nest this year. Also late a
Gnatcatcher went through yard. Litte Creek
Larry also mentioned he has not been hearing his
Screech-Owl pair lately, for months, and is
wondering what happened. They have been there
for years.
Did leave the porch light on a few hours after
dark and there was a bit of a moth response.
Most were micros, and nothing unusual to my eye,
but some response at all is great to see. It
was more than 50 or 60 individuals, but mostly
micros. Ten of a neat satiny white one. I have
a new step-ladder that will make taking photos
up at the light easier.
June 9 ~ Some low Gulf stratus got here right as
the sun was coming up. Low about 72F. No changes
on the ten day currently, highs up to low hundreds
and no rain. Sat.- Mon. looking to be peak heat.
The (first-summer) Orchard Oriole singing here at
sunup in the trees along the fence between us and
corral. It is nesting in there somewhere. Only a
couple female Cowbirds left here, what a shame.
A Chat was at the tubpond early in the morn. Opposite
side of house of the birdbath, and likely the Chat
from over in the corral, not the ones in the draw or
across the road. At least three pair are around
us. Yes it is noisy and there are all kinds of
sounds. Yesterday I heard one sounding like it was
trying to imitate a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher call.
It sounded like a nuclear radiated steroidial
Gnatcatcher. I have never heard the sound before.
After years of living with them all spring and summer.
Surely then they are continuing their vocal education.
Is mimicry involved? Do they get ideas from other
species?
June 8 ~ Low about 71F, and just a little bit of
low stratus from the Gulf, mostly sunny. Was 98F
at 5 p.m., when the Couch's Kingbird was again
up in the big Pecan calling. Just one, I think
the female is probably on eggs now. We must be on
his trap line. Fine by me. In butterflies Kathy
saw a Snout, I saw Giant Swallowtail and Little
Yellow, at the same time, providing a good size
contrast in butterflies. There was a Texas Spiny
Lizard out back, which I am sure is new for the
yard list. Like Greater Earless Lizard, I have
seen it nearby, but not in yard. Many birds are
hitting the birdbath hard all day. We have to refill
it and the pin-holed dripping milkjug over it two or
three times daily. Water is critical for birds
in this heat folks. Keep your birdbath water
clean. Right after the dawn seed toss, I have
to rinse the mud out of ours every morning due
to coon and dillo. So it starts clean and fresh.
June 7 ~ At least we are getting down to 72F for
a low so a brief respite from the burn anyway. A
bit of morning low clouds. In the morn heard a,
probably the, Black-and-white Warbler sing upslope
in the live-oaks out back. Seems an unmated
first-summer male, been around off and on for
a month now trolling the area, hear it every
few days. The first-summer male Orchard Oriole
was singing quite a bit mid-morn, a 15 minute
bout was great. Saw a FOY Texas Powdered-Skipper
on the Blue Mistflower. About 3 p.m. saw 92F on
the cool shady front porch, and a Couch's
Kingbird was calling from the big Pecan. When I
freshened up the birdbath late afternoon I lifted
it to spill the morning water out, a W. Ribbonsnake was
under it. I am afraid of finding my first Copperhead
here that way.
At 7 p.m. it was 99F on the front porch!
Junction, Hondo, and Uvalde all hit 105F, but
Del Rio was cooler than yesterday's 110.
Pretty sure SAT broke their daily high temp record.
Again we are running 5-10dF over average for highs.
Seeming like 10 years in a row now in summer, maybe
12 or 14 years in a row. Highs in high 90's F
instead of low 90's F that it was a couple decades
ago and prior. Desertification. Note the dessication.
June 6 ~ Maybe 72F for a low, we'll take it.
Today is supposed to be peak heat of this wave,
in low huns today and tomorrow. At or near the
high temp records area wide. But when it is set
to be around a hun for the next 10 days, a dF or two
this way or that hardly matters. We saw 98F in the
cool shady, so over a hun in the sun. Some local
stations showed 101-2F. What was singing most out
in that? Summer Tanager. A few things made
noises but even the never stops talking Chats
were nearly quiet. I heard the Orchard Oriole
sing one bar, Kathy saw it at the bath. They
must be nesting over in the corral somewhere.
Close enough to be using the bath regularly.
Last couple times he was alone so I think the female
is on eggs now. Hope they are hers. Heard Cuckoo,
Lark Sparrow, and Indigo Bunting sang a little.
In butterflies the Southern Broken-Dash and Orange
Skipperling were on the Blue Mist Eup. again.
But holy heat, SAT was 104F, Hondo and Uvalde had
105F, Junction had a 107F, and Del Rio 110F!
Latest afternoon a Red-eyed Vireo sang from
the far Pecans out in front yard.
June 5 ~ A low of 68F was great! Let the burn
begin. Heard the cuckoo (Y-b) out there this morn,
so they are nesting around somewhere closeby
again. Summer Tanager must be nesting in the
yard, this is where it is at dawn and dark.
Heard a Black-and-white Warbler uphill in the
live-oaks behind us. Otherwise the same gang.
Lots of baby Lark Sparrow and House Finch are
good to see. About 96F in the shade at 4 p.m.
is toasty, prolly a hun in the sun. Saw a FOY
Orange Skipperling on the Blue Mistflower, and
Kathy had a Questionmark nearing dusk.
June 4 ~ I saw stars at midnight but overnight
there was more rain, mostly pre-dawn. I think
it was another third to half-inch or so. Rained
pretty good from a band that moved over the area
west to east. This northwest flow from the front
to north has baffled the forecasters and models.
It was a hair under 64F this morning! Astounding.
So we hit the jackpot with another shot of water
and cool air overnight. I would say 1.4" for
an event total. And the birds were singing way
more this morning. Clearly they were thrilled
too. Incredible was at 3 p.m. we were still not
90F. What a treat to mostly beat the heat for a
day. It was like a great late-spring day out
there. Just the breeding birds here now of course,
but at least a neat selection to be had and heard.
Tropical Checkered-Skipper, taken July 16, 2019.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
June 3 ~ Low 73F, no morning low stratus from
the Gulf. A washed out frontal boundry was in
the area, not sure any precip was nearer than
Rocksprings. Low-end chances for rain as we start
this next heat wave. Progged for near to above
three digits for next 4-5 days with peak and
possible record highs Mon. and Tuesday. Some
of the cloud cover kept it in check today in
lower mid-90's F. Saw a just fledged
Cardinal, first one I have seen here this year.
Town run so a park check. Saw my first Sneezeweed
flowers at the 360 x-ing. The Dodder (orange
stringy parasitic plant) is ravaging the Justicia
(Am. Water-willow) which seems to be its primary
prey here. The water level is falling fast.
It is 16" or more below the spillway
now, the island is not, a couple feet of
mud is exposed along the river banks, it is
looking bad folks. Some Cypresses below the
spillway are turning rust, done with the green
cycle for the year already.
Did not see or hear the 2 juv. or the ad.
pair of Red-shouldered Hawks, so presume
they fledged their young and are out and
about. Saw another just-fledged juvie
Eastern Phoebe there. The juvie Ravens are
still begging in the live-oaks north of the park.
In dragonflies saw a couple each of Red Saddlebags
and male Widow Skimmer, and one male Eastern
Pondhawk over the pond. Nice hearing Chimney
Swifts over town. Rosie was gone though, so
no tacos. Little Creek Larry said he saw
just-fledged Golden-cheeked Warbler juvies
from the pair around his place.
Amazingly a lone thunder cell popped up after 5 p.m.
just east of town. Nothing else within over 60 miles.
Looks like it hit Little Creek, Seco Creek, then
moved west over 187 and town, and even hit us.
An astounding INCH of the precious holy fluid fell.
Took 15F off the steamer we were in. Then the
termite hatch began. So all the baby birds are
going to get bugs! The ground is so dry the wet
just dematerializes into it. No dust for a couple
days! By 7 p.m. skies were blue, and there was
no sign of it on the radar, it rained itself out.
June 2 ~ Low about 73F and balmy. Dawn chorus
continues to dial back daily. Kathy found a
Reduviad (Blood-sucking Conenose) in the house
this morning, which I duly dispatched outside.
I have it on good authority some dogs here have
tested positive for Chaga's. We see one or
two a year usually, mostly outside, only very rarely
in the house. We have a zero tolerance policy
for them here. I see the new drought monitor
map today still has us at D4 exceptional stage.
So the rain did not make a dent in that yet.
That is how far behind we are. Heard a Couch's
Kingbird calling from over on the powerline in
the corral.
Saw an Ash-throated Flycatcher feed a young in
yard, so they must have nested nearby somewhere.
Maybe in that box faced the other way out at NE
corner of yard that I cannot see the front of?
Also saw a female Painted Bunting drop a fecal
sac nearish the front porch. She is hunting
frantically in yard for bugs. I cannot believe
how long it takes her between finding things.
There is next to nothing out there. Walk across
the yard and nothing flushes for bugs, or spiders.
No grasshoppers either, usually a big big food
item for feeding young.
June 1 ~ OMG its June! About 73F and balmy to
start. We are only gaining 40 seconds a day of
daylight now, which decreases daily over the
next three weeks until the solstice. So they
won't get a whole lot longer, ten minutes
maybe. In the morn I heard Gnatcatcher and
Black-and-white Warbler in yard. In the afternoon
I heard a or the Orchard Oriole sing again. Saw a
just-fledged Lark Sparrow being fed. Always nice
to see since a very common cowbird victim. There was
a family group of N. Rough-winged Swallow (begging
juvies) overhead briefly. Not hearing the juvie
Red-tailed Hawk, it must have finally left. I saw a
whopping three skippers on the Blue Mist Eupatorium
today. The Celia's Roadside-Skipper and
Southern Broken-Dash continue, new was a Fiery
Skipper.
~ ~ ~ May summary ~ ~ ~
It was a weird one. We finally got some rain,
two events totalling 3.5" plus, where we
were anyway, others got more and less. Those
were in the first and fourth weeks of May. It
did not move us up out of D4 level exceptional
drought. First month of near-average rainful
in at least six. The second and third weeks of
May much of Texas spent breaking daily high temp
records. Wildflowers continue to be fairly to very
supressed, much of what little does come up is
severely stunted.
Butterflies saw a few new different species
flying as expected in May, but overall they
remain very depressed in numbers. Immigrants
from elsewhere were the only things in quantity,
primarily Lyside (hundreds) and Large Orange
(dozens) Sulphurs started showing well late in month.
Hardly any small stuff flying yet, still. End of
the month saw my first Southern Broken-Dash and
Celia's Roadside-Skipper. Total was
28 species, amongst the worst May diversity
totals here in my 19 Mays of paying attention.
Some folks did a butterfly count at Lost Maples
and got a good one day diversity snapshot, in
a rough year.
Odes finally showed a few signlets of activity,
but are just barely getting going. Did see
an Orange-striped Threadtail and a Widow
Skimmer at end of month, but not very much
moving yet. These drought periods seem very
hard on dragons and damselflies. We keep
having exceptional droughts without recovery
periods between (also why we are losing so
many trees). I count 10 species of odes in
May, a woefully low diversity total.
Odds and ends were one neat Cerambycid
(Longhorn Beetle) photographed, a Zopherus
Ironclad Beetle was seen on front porch.
An Eyed Elaterid was seen a few times.
Lots of Six-lined Racerunner lizards out
and about, and a couple Western Ribbonsnake.
Birds were ok for how little there was in the
way of migrants. There is usually a nice last
hurrah the 2nd or 3rd weeks of May, but which this
year apparently melted on the way. Overall it
was fairly dismal for migrants, but a few were
seen. Some highlights were a Philadelphia Vireo
in yard May 3, a N. PARAQUE in our yard May 13,
on May 15 a (white) Little Blue Heron was at
the park which was reported a few days prior,
a male Mourning Warbler bathed in our birdbath
May 16, a Cassin's Kingbird was here the 20th.
Calling Empidonax are always nice, yard had an
Alder Flycatcher the 21st, a Willow the 24th,
and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher the 25th. Well
illustrating when to look for their passage, late.
The pair of Couch's Kingbirds from April 29-30
were here again May 22 and 31.
What is not there is always half of the big story.
Only one Dickcissel briefly in the usual 354 nesting
pasture. Missed Eastern and Western Kingbird,
and Olive-sided Flycatcher. Scissor-tails seem
to come in, count bugs, and move out. Nothing
for the scarcer warblers after the late April
Chestnut-sided. I missed both Rose-breasted and
Black-headed Grosbeaks but heard others saw some.
Lots of seemingly unmated trolling birds singing
up and down river habitat corridor. Things are
rough out there when D4 level drought. I count
about 103 species I saw this month just around
our place and town (no Lost Maples trip), and
probably a half-dozen more were reported by others.
~ ~ ~ end May summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ archive copy May update header ~ ~ ~
May!?! ~ On the first I heard my FOS Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, finally. FOS for me here on the 2nd were a
Baltimore Oriole, a Broad-winged Hawk, and a
Swainson's Hawk. May 3 there was a FOS
Philadelphia Vireo in our yard Pecans. May 4
a FOS Warbling Vireo was at the park, and a FOS
Dickcissel off 354 just south of town. Astounding
was 2" of RAIN in an hour late on the 4th. On
the 5th was my FOS American Redstart (male) in yard.
A female and an imm. male were there May 10 and 11.
On the 6th there was a FOS Catbird at our birdbath,
and a second Swainson's Thrush at the park.
May 8 at the park I saw my FOS Mourning Warbler,
and about 10 p.m. I saw my FOS Firefly finally.
May 13 at 10:30 p.m. a N. PARAQUE belted out the
office window for five minutes. May 15 we saw
a Little Blue Heron (white) at the park, which
had been reported earlier in week. May 16 a
male Mourning Warbler bathed in our birdbath.
Finally my FOS Scott's Oriole here this year,
singing on May 17 and 18. May 20 my FOS Green
Heron flew over the house, and right out front
of our yard was a Cassin's Kingbird. May 21
a calling Alder Flycatcher was in the front yard.
A late season cold front arriving the 22nd was
a surprise. The pair of Couch's Kingbird
were in our big Pecan again on the 22nd (first
here April 29). My FOS Willow Flycatcher was
in the yard May 24. Very rare was a RAIN
overnight the 24-25th with a cold front! On
the 25th a FOS Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was
sneezing in the yard. Which as of the 31st is
seeming the last new migrant of the spring.
~ ~ ~ end archive copy May update header ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
May 31 ~ Low of 73F, looks like we will burn
our way out of May. Got past the big opening
weekend of summer. We did not so much as peek
our heads out to look and see how it was out
there. Too much to do here. I think due to
things like the economy, no water flow in the
river, and the tragedy in Uvalde, it was a bit
subdued and dialed back this year. Saw 92F in
the cool shady in the afternoon. In leps saw
five Queen at once on the Blue Mist Eupatorium,
and again a Southern Broken-Dash and a Celia's
Roadside-Skipper on it in the afternoon.
Same gang o'breeders here. But a great
gang it is. Love hearing that Blue Grosbeak,
Indigo Bunting and Summer Tanager going off
early. Add Chat, Yellow-throated and White-eyed
Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Painted Buntings,
and Yellow-throated Warbler more distantly. Plus
of course the residents like Cardinal, Chickadee
(Caro), Titmouse (B-c), Caro and Bewick's Wren,
Chipping and Field Sparrow, all are still going.
Makes for a nice symphony even though reduced
by the day now. Heard Orchard Oriole out there
noonish. About 1 p.m. and again at 5 p.m., there
were calling Couch's Kingbird in the big
Pecan again! They are about five weeks in the area
now presuming the same pair. Settle down and nest
already!
The adult pair of Carolina Wren are gathering
material for another nesting, in a different
spot. The young are out in a back corner of
the yard, maybe the adults are still helping
them a bit. The young made it about 8-9 days
before the parents started showing more interest
in another nest, than them. It's a hard
world out there. Go get 'em tigers! Now
I wonder how long they will hang semi-together?
Interesting was seeing a juvenile Eastern Phoebe
in the yard today, first juvie this year for me.
Sure is weird not having our nesting pair here
over the bathroom window after nine years of that.
May 30 ~ Low about 72F or so, the low stratus
from the Gulf made it for the morn. When those
clouds, we are just hitting 80F at 11, which
gives a few hours to get some things done
before it is dripping out there. Without the
clouds it is 90F by 11. Then it drops back
below 90F about 8 p.m. Mmmmm toasty.
It is just the breeding birds here now. They
are nowhere near as vociferous as they were
a month ago. Some are already duller too,
like the male Cardinals. Wondering how many
second cycles of nesting there will be. If
we get some more rains soon, everything will
go again right away. I heard baby Chickadee.
Heard a or the Black-and-white Warbler out back
upslope in the live-oaks noonish.
May 29 ~ Maybe 70F for a low, some low Gulf
stratus giving a few hours of a break (sub-80F)
in the mornings. The chances of seeing any
more spring migrants are crashing like a rock
by the hour now. Great to have all these
Painted and Indigo Buntings, and Blue Grosbeaks
around to keep yer color receptors and ears happy.
I missed both Rose-breasted and Black-headed
this spring, nary a big grosbeak. I heard of
others locally seeing them. This pair of
Summer Tanager must be nesting in the yard or
adjacent. They are here all day. I do not like
to press to find nests right when they are setting
up as it can cause abandonment. Letting them think
all those Pecans are theirs. Had biz work at desk
so didn't get out. Didn't feel up to
melting for some dragons in afternoon. Did see a
FOY Celia's Roadside-Skipper on a Blue
Mistflower (Eup.) flower. Saw a half-dozen
Firefly after dark, the first instance of a handful
so far, finally!
May 28 ~ Low about 72F, warmer than forecast.
Some low Gulf stratus early. Upper 90's F
in afternoon. And so the three plus month bake
begins. Saw the ad. ma. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
again, surely here because there is a female.
Heard the Orchard Oriole singing early, love
that song. The Summer Tanager pair might be
setting up in the yard. Lots of Chats visit
the bath over the day. Heard the Great Crested
Flycatcher and a pair of Ash-throat are around.
The usual singing White-eyed and Yellow-throated
Vireo, and Yellow-throated Warbler. Had biz
work keeping me busy at desk. The 3 baby Caro
Wrens made it a week now so far, doing well,
starting to act like wrens. Saw my FOY Southern
Broken-Dash, a skipper (butterfly), on one of
the Blue Mistflower Eupatorium flowers. A few
Queens stopping by daily for them of course.
This is the Cerambycid (Longhorn) Beetle from a
couple weeks ago (May 21). Elytrimitatrix undata is
what it looks like to me. Based on Mike Quinn's
most excellent Cerambycids of Texas webpage.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 27 ~ Low about 65F, the last of the cool
mornings for most of four months. Great
Crested Flycatcher out there early, and a
Bell's Vireo. The rest was the same.
On way to town saw my FOY Widow Skimmer
dragonfly (male), at the 360 crossing.
Town run so a park look. I cannot believe
how low the water is at the park. It is still
dropping fast, the rain did nothing for that,
we were too dry and behind. Now over a foot
below the spillway at park, the island at north
end (not park property) is no longer an island.
I heard an Orchard Oriole and a Hutton's
Vireo singing in the woods but that was it
for anything besides the expected. Great was
one of the orange hind-winged Underwing moths
(Catocala sps.). They are smaller than the
obscurus or the big red and pink ones, and more
mottled or marbled of camo above. Rosie was
there so tacos! In the afternoon here I
saw 93F on the cool shady front porch, so
over 95 in the sun. Let the summer blaze begin.
Here it comes.
May 26 ~ A near-record low of 53F was great!
Last of that until fall is my guess. The
SAT record for the date is 52F, so we were
right on the edge of it. KERV had a quick
49F reading pre-dawn! Got up to about 90F
locally in the afternoon. The hummer feeders
were swarmed at first crack of light. Second
wave of just-fledged juvies is out and they
are thick. Two to three hundred here is my
guess but maybe more. Did not see or hear
anything different, as in a passage transient
bird today. It is about time to turn the
lights out, the spring migration party is over.
A Gnatcatcher was in yard this morning again.
Got a mosquito bite, that didn't take long.
It has become obvious the male Cardinal are
past peak red and really fading with wear now.
Heard the Roadrunner cooing uphill of the corral.
Saw a baby foot-long Western Ribbonsnake.
May 25 ~ Wow, a low of 57F is incredible!
Post-frontal cool northerlies on this date
is too. The record low at SAT this date is
54F, yesterdays is 58F, so we were near the
line. The rain total here looks over 1.5,
maybe 1.6-7" or so. Incredible.
So 3.5-6" for May, near an average total,
for the first month in 6 or more. Probably
pushed us up out of D4 stage drought anyway
for the present.
A couple interesting mammal reports have
floated around locally. One is a Black Bear
that was photo'd at a feeder by a game
cam just below Clayton Grade, so 10-12 miles
south of town. Other sightings have occurred
above Vanderpool. It maybe sounds like more
than one is around. Amazing. There was also
a report of a Mountain Lion locally a few months
ago. Incredible. Generally the only large
mammals here are domestic sorts, except for
the deer. And compared to some wild west
Texas Mule Deer, these are half-domesticated.
In the afternoon a few birds were around.
Best was a FOS Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
which called a few times to make it even
better. They are LTA - less than annual,
so always a great find. The Orchard Oriole
was singing loudly again, same first spring
male. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was about.
There were two different first-spring male
Blue Grosbeak at once. At least two maybe
three adult males hit the white millet daily.
As well as several females. Great was TWO
Firefly at dark. Second and third of the
year here. Should have been hundreds already.
Heard two Barking Frog after dark.
May 24 ~ Low about 70F, low clouds, still
rain in forecast. A spit of mist. Some
rain in area over day but not ours, the
clouds kept it in lower 80's F.
Last night just after midnight Chat and
Cuckoo called. If it were a big day those
would have been first two species. Before
Chuck. In the morning there was finally a
FOS Willow Flycatcher in the yard. Maybe I
can still get an Olive-sided this spring.
Otherwise it was the breeders. Dawn chorus
is going at 6:15, you need to be out there by 6:
at the latest to really get the full monty.
The three juvie Carolina Wren have made day
four fine so far. Hundreds of Lyside Sulphur
are passing SW to NE generally. A cluster
of thunder cells finally found us about
11 p.m., I think the whole area got some
this time, finally.
May 23 ~ Low about 69F, heavy overcast,
rain in forecast. There was some misty
briefly. A group of rain cells moved across
the area in the afternoon, missing us again
of course. Some got rain, not here though.
Only got up to about 80F or so, a real treat.
Second day of reprieve from the heat. The
birds were the same gang. But a boatload
of batch No.2 of juvenlie Black-chinned
Hummingbirds are swarming the feeders. Lots
of 'em! Seems like near a ton or so now.
Saw the 3 just fledged juvenile Carolina Wrens,
so they all made day three so far, great to see.
Heard a (or likely that same first-spring male)
Black-and-white Warbler sing in the afternoon.
Lots of Lyside Sulphur blasting past, one
Funereal Duskywing, couple Queen, couple
Large Orange Sulphur, a Vesta Crescent.
May 22 ~ A late season cold front arrived
after the rain event last night. Much of
the hill country and central Texas got some
needed rains yesterday evening and overnight.
We got nuthin' here but the cool air.
Which after two weeks of record or near-record
high temps is more than welcome. Low was 61F!
NOAA said first below average temp all month.
Late afternoon sun came out and it hit 85F.
Which at 10-15dF below what it has been, is
great! The two week heat event broke. Too
bad a front like this didn't happen
when there were still good numbers of migrants
passing. We are at the last trickle of drips
stage now. That two weeks of high pressure and
record heat killed spring migration early here
this year. The second and third weeks of May
are usually still good, we get a front or two.
They were a wash. Surely there is still a
good passage bird or two out there, if you
can find it.
As every year some Chimney Swifts were
diving low over the chimneys here which are
unfortunately sealed. A couple passes were
within a few feet of me, it was pure awesome.
There was a begging baby Lark Sparrow here
today. Late in day counted 6 ad. male Painted
Bunting at once, so with territories around
the yard which is the designated semi-neutral
area at center of the territorial pie they
carve up. Couple male Indigo, at least,
probably three, plus a couple ad. ma., at
least, and one first-spring male Blue Grosbeak.
All these seeders are on the white millet daily.
Lots of greenie Painted, and some fem. Indigo too.
If there were normal bug populations, they would
not all be here as much as they are daily.
In a good bug year they eat very little seed
during nesting.
Yellow-throated Vireo and Great Crested Flycatcher
trolling around. Best was about 6 p.m., the pair
of Couch's Kingbird showed back up, in the
big pecan. They were first here April 29. One
was singing, sallied out and brought a bug back
showing or offering it, it appeared as nest site
selection behavior. Great to hear that song,
not just the two usual calls. Kind of a short
version of Scissor-tail song with a short series
with some build up and a quick crescendo that is
squeaky.
Lots of Lyside Sulphur going by, a Queen or
two. Best was a Gray Hairstreak, which I think
is my FOY. The first Blue Mist Eupatorium flowers
are starting to open. Also saw a couple first
Frogfruit flowers, little stunted ones. A few
Am. Germander (aka Wood Sage but not a sage)
stalks have some open flowers today as well.
They are also stunted small due to lack of
water too, and we give them a fair bit of
supplemental water.
May 21 ~ Low was 73F, some thin low stratus
staved the heat off a couple hours. Day
14 of the exceptional heat event in Texas,
though yesterday we saw a bit of a reprieve.
Today we pay. I saw 96F on cool shady front
porch in late afternoon, so a hun in the sun.
And humid. It's wonderful, come on down!
Some days you are glad to have a bunch of biz
work at the desk to do. I was stuck all day
in it. Heard a thin zzzeet that sounded way
off for a Yellow Warbler, but could not see
anything. In the afternoon Kathy spotted an
adult female Black-and-white Warbler at the
bath. Not too early for one to be done nesting
at this point, especially in a drought year
when often only one brood for everything.
A couple times over the afternoon there were
some good bouts of calling from a FOS Alder
Flycatcher in the front yard pecans. Have
not seen a Willow or an Olive-sided yet this
spring. And no Eastern or Western Kingbird either,
but a Cassin's and a pair of Couch's
Kingbird. Just to make a liar out of me,
as soon as I posted about not seeing any
Ruby-throated Hummingbird for a week and
thinking none stuck for nesting this year,
a male was at the feeders today. I was not
paying close enough attention obviously. There
probably is at least one nest going on nearby.
Kathy spotted a Cerambycid beetle trapped
between a screen and window. I had to unscrew
the screen to get it out. Kathy got a pic so
hopefully we'll get an ID out of it.
Update: perusual of Mike Quinn's great Texas
Cerambycids webpage has me thinking it was
Elytrimitatrix undata. When I get pic off
camera will post and confirm. About 6:30 p.m.
we got an outflow boundry from a thundercell north
of us promptly taking 10dF off the top. Hope
some rain makes it here!
This is a Couch's Kingbird from a few
winters ago. The pair that we first saw in late
April came through our yard again this week.
I would say nest-site prospecting in the valley.
They nested at very SW corner of town in 2006.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 20 ~ Low of 72F, but some good coverage
from the Gulf flow and low stratus it sends.
Humid but not hot in early a.m. at least. A
great FOS early was a Green Heron that flew
over the yard. Have only seen one or two
over yard, heard several more. The Lincoln's
Sparrow is still here. A Black-and-white Warbler
sang out the office window, likely an unmated
troller. The 3 baby Carolina Wren made their
first night out of the box fine, so a small
army of bug hunters were in the flower beds.
I heard what sounded a small group of Bushtit
moving across the slope behind us, probably a
family group would be my guess this time of
year, seemed 5-6 birds.
As I was leaving for a town run, on the power
line in front of house was a Cassin's
Kingbird! LTA - less than annual, so a good
bird to see. In town and at the park I saw
no migrants, just breeders. There were baby
Yellow-throated Warbler in the woods at park.
Second week now Rosie is gone, so no real deal
tacos. Water is 10-12 inches below the spillway,
so way way down. In afternoon here there was a
begging baby Blue-gray Gnatcatcher which must
have just fledged very nearby. Heard the cuckoo.
A rain cell dropped a hundredth or two on us
mid-afternoon. Skies cleared later and it got
up to 90F or so, but which is a break from
what it has been anyway. About 7 p.m. I
heard a Scott's Oriole sing real close,
right behind house, I was out front. I suspect
it had just left the back feeder. Which would
be great, awesome bird to have around to watch
and hear. What a song. Little Creek Larry
said he had lots of fledglings, the same types
as what we have been seeing, but add Lark Sparrow.
May 19 ~ Low at 70F again, some low stratus
from the Gulf a few hours early. The Carolina
Wren are feeding young in the garden nestbox
out back. I think they used it before, and
I think Bewick's used it once. The box is
on a pole out in open airspace 10' off the
ground. Nearest vegetation is about 8 feet
away, as is carport. Kathy saw three young
out of the nestbox late afternoon today.
There is some type of small biting fly here
pushing the limit of bothersome. Only a few,
but that is all it takes. Little bigger than
a moth fly (the ones in the sink), and they hurt
when they bite. Wings are dark mottled held out
at 45 deg. from body, and they are fast. Did I
mention it really gets your attention when they
drill? Pesky if you wear shorts. Was near a
hun in the sun again, day 12 of this early-to-mid
May record heatwave of 2022. We are supposed to
be getting spring rains.
Mid-day the trolling first-spring male
Golden-cheeked Warbler was in the pecans,
it sang 8' over my head. Whaddabird!
Later afternoon Kathy saw a female, and then
a first-spring male Orchard Oriole at the bath.
Five minutes later the male was singing a few
bars in the big Pecan. It had just a few
chestnut feathers on the breast below the
black bib. I presume it is that one I have
had troll through a few times in the last few
weeks. Seems he got a mate, and now is at
the nest-site prospecting stage. Please pick
me, pick me, pretty please. Look at those
leafy Pecans, it like an orchard out front.
Got water. Probably sees all the cowbirds
and doesn't want to be around here.
In the afternoon both a N. Rough-winged and
3-4 Barn Swallow hawked over the front yard
Pecans. A couple of the Barns looked like
juveniles. Later afternoon there was a
Lincoln's Sparrow in the yard, which is
getting late. A few butterflies today were
a Funereal and a Horace's Duskywing,
another male Large Orange Sulphur and 2 dozen
more Lyside Sulphur. Saw my FOY Zopherus sps.
(prob. haldemani) Ironclad Beetle, on the
front porch late in afternoon. They are
soooo neat looking, and seeming unique like
fingerprints. Of six plus I have pix of,
each is unique in the pattern and splatter
of dots.
May 18 ~ Low about 70F, a couple hours with
some low stratus from the Gulf early. About
8:30 the first-spring Golden-cheeked Warbler
trolled singing through the yard again. Now over
3 weeks in the area. There was a first-spring
Yellow Warbler out in the Pecans a bit noonish.
In the afternoon I heard the Scott's Oriole
sing upslope behind us in the live-oaks. Wish
it would find our feeder out back. About 5 p.m.
several WU stations were reporting 100F and
higher. I saw 95F on cool shady front porch.
Al Roker on the Today show weather this morn
said ELEVENTH straight day of widespread record
temperatures across Texas. We have been at or
above that line here certainly. Summer started
early, wayyyy earlier than it used to. Chats and
Yellow-throated Warbler hitting the birdbath daily.
Kathy saw an Ash-throated Flycatcher at it, so
you know it is hot hot hot. At least 20 Lyside
Sulphur flew by.
May 17 ~ Low of 69F, no Gulf stratus, go
directly to the sun, do not pass the shade.
About 10 a.m. I finally heard my FOS singing
Scott's Oriole. They are very scarce
on the flat valley floor. They return to
breeding territories in mid-to-late March up
in the hills and divides, as at Lost Maples, on
Seco Ridge, etc., they need that terrestrial
gradient. Like Poor-will, Rufous-crowned
Sparrow, Canyon Wren, Golden-cheeked Warbler,
and others. In the afternoon I saw my FOY
just-fledged juvenile Eastern Bluebird in
front yard. So we got one out at least so
far. Also begging baby Carolina Wren, and
Carolina Chickadee here now, besides the
House Finches. Kathy saw a Roadrunner over
in the corral. First one here in quite a
while, though heard it singing uphill earlier
in spring. In bugs, a Juvenal's Duskywing
came into water on patio. A Queen went by.
Kathy saw a blue, usually Reakirt's here
and now. I saw a male Large Orange Sulphur
blast past, my FOY. A female Common Whitetail
dragonfly came to inspect the water on the
patio, my FOY.
May 16 ~ Low about 69F, supposed to be the
peak heat day of this heat wave. Heard
the cuckoo cooing for the first time this
year in the morn. So likely going to be
nesting again, nearish enough to be daily
in the yard Pecans. Noonish Kathy spotted
a male Mourning Warbler at the birdbath.
It proceeded to go in for the full monty
bath. Then it sat on top of the stick pile
a minute or two providing the best MOWA
preen scene I've ever seen. Awesome.
Makes up for the poor ID only look on my
FOS a week ago. Saw about 95F in the shade
on front porch again today. Near record
heat out in the sun. Used to peak at 92F
in May and June here. We are again running
5dF over normal, or more. There was a
Questionmark about the porch in afternoon.
Saw a Lyside go by, a Vesta Crescent, but
slow for butterflies. Keep forgetting to
mention, it seems the Ruby-throated Hummers
have not stuck this year. Too dry, no bugs.
Often a pair or two nests here mid-late-April
to mid-late May. Not this year. When they
do breed, I would guess they are departing
northward to catch another spring breeding
cycle. I have not seen one in several days.
May 15 ~ Low of 67F was great. But no low
stratus from the Gulf to block sun early.
Today and tomorrow are supposed to be peak
heat for the week. We went to the park
earlyish, mid-morning. Just the breeders
at the 354 Pecan patch, and no migrants in
the woods. But saw the Little Blue Heron
Little Creek Larry mentioned a few days ago.
Saw him too, and I misunderstood, it was
here at the park, not his creek, where he
saw it. And his first sighting was earlier
in the week last week, maybe the 10th or so.
It is a nice white imm. just showing a wee bit
of gray in a couple spots. It was catching
some Gambusia at south end of the island.
Have not seen one in a couple or maybe few
years now. They are LTA here. Less than
annual. Not a sure thing any given year.
So always a good bird and fun to watch.
A Black Saddlebags dragonfly was my first
of the year. An ode got away that probably
was a Checkered Setwing. No damselflies.
We checked a private spot south of town
(with permission) where some water. Pewee,
Cuckoo, a begging fledgling Yellow-throated
Warbler. One Giant Swallowtail, no odes.
There is one juvenile Red-tailed Hawk in
a, or the, nest there this year. Two springs
ago it fledged 3 in May. Showing how the
reduced food supply is. It means many fewer
young are generated. Our nest only had one
young as well a mile downriver. In a decent
year two nests generate SIX young here, not two.
Which is surely far below replacement levels.
We did have a couple begging juvenile
Carolina Chickadee at a couple stops.
At least three Great Crested Flycatcher
here and at least two of the stops.
Red-eyed Vireo at park, 354 Pecans, 360 x-ing,
etc. Begging House Finch here on the patio.
About 4 p.m. I saw 95F on the cool shady
front porch, so purt near a hun in the sun.
The eclipse was nice, eh? What was neat to
me was how the Chuck-will's-widow were
calling their heads off, at least four of
them not counting anything distant. As the
moon darkened they went silent. They remained
silent until after totallity when a nice sized
slice of white was shining light again, and
they all broke back into song. Amazing. I
have had the same thing happen with a solar
eclipse in the daytime, everything shuts up
and quits singing while it was dark. Ya gotta
figure, for things nocturnal, the moon is their
sun.
May 14 ~ Maybe 69F for a low, some morning
clouds, but was a baker of a day. Heard a
Yellow Warbler and an Orchard Oriole early,
but no migrant motion in yard. I had desk
biz work to do so did't get out. Saw
a Snout come into water, only when I told
Kathy did I find out she had one yesterday.
It is soooo hard to remember everything you
see, especially the less remarkable things.
A Horace's Duskywing came in as well.
A boatload of Six-lined Racerunner around
the yard, at least ten methinks. What a
beauty of a lizard. A couple of the males
have nice metallic indigo undersides now.
Male and female Summer Tanager were at the
bath together. Lotta Chucks.
This is the Little Blue Heron that was
at the park for several days.
Kathy chisled
these pixels onto a floppy disk with the Mavica.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 13 ~ Another 67F low is a treat, feels
great. At the bath early Kathy saw a
first-spring male Wilson's Warbler,
and a female Yellow Warbler. We should
still get some trickles or last drips of migs
for another week if lucky. As for breeders,
you can already tell dawn chorus is dialed
back from the April peak. The Gulf low
stratus got here around sunup, so kept it
mostly overcast and in 70's F most of
the morning, and was still holding at 80F
at 3 p.m., amazing. A much appreciated
break from the afternoons in the 90's F,
which are on their way back, another heat
wave is ahead. NOAA et.al. blew the high
temps by a category though! Rare for highs
as it is regular for lows after fronts.
Yard is actually green for a primary color
now. Wow. Late afternoon the Red-winged
Blackbird went to the 50 gal. tub pond and
drank. Catails and a Red-wing, the pond is
maturing. Still waiting for Marsh Wren and
Sora. Gonna have to make a tub pond list.
This spring got Am. Redstart and Golden-cheeked
Warbler for it. Last year had Green Jay and
Audubon's Oriole.
Town run so a park check. At the 354 Pecan
patch only one Yellow Warbler. Migrants in
the woods at park were a Common Yellowthroat,
a Black-and-white Warbler, and one Yellow
Warbler. The Red-eyed Vireo continues on
territory. The mystery of the day was a
singer across the pond at the spillway in
those willows you can't see into.
I thought it was a Kentucky Warbler. No
way to get to it, and no way to tape it
for me now. Ya gotta let some go, easier
when you already have it on your park list.
Little Creek Larry said he had a Little Blue
Heron on his creek yesterday or today, I
forget which. Kathy saw a female Orchard
Oriole at the bird bath in the afternoon,
later I saw it in the front yard Pecans.
Oh man, 10:30 p.m., from desk in office
I hear a N. PARAQUE belting out, just on
other side of cottage in the corral. Close.
Loud. Went on for five minutes. Awesome!
Bird of the week, had to re-up the bird
news for it... ;) LOL
May 12 ~ A low of 67F was fantastic. What a
difference 5dF can make. Did not note any
migrant motion in yard. The bulk of our
spring passage is past, the rest is fading
fast. Still should see some flycatchers, and
a few stragglers of other sorts. Nothing in
the weather forecast to indicate any major
action in store. Heard a or the cuckoo. The
Golden-cheeked Warbler continues, it sang
around the yard a couple hours, often in
the big Pecan right off front porch. It
also visited the birdbath again. This is the
same first-spring male we have seen off and
on since April 24. In two days it will be
three weeks here trolling in the area. So
neat to be able to watch and listen to it
for extended periods of time. It does a
much better song now than when it got here.
They are incredibly fast and agile when
sallying after something, as in Redstart or
Wilson's Warbler level agile whence in
one of those tight circular sallies. BTW I
keep forgetting to mention our current drought
level is D4, as in exceptional. That is
how dry the year has been.
Late late afternoon I was sitting in my chair
on front porch. A big bright green Anole
returning from a day of bug-eating strolls
across the porch towards me. Stopping a couple
times to flash its pink throat pouch (dewlap).
At times it comes within a foot or two, and
knows it is safe. It worked over to my
sandaled feet, which had a few small flies
on them, we are in one of those breakouts
right now, lots of little flies. It dove
and picked one right off, sitting on my
toes to gulp it down. Over the next 10 minutes
it grabbed SIX off my feet! I called Kathy
out so she could watch the show. City people
ask us what we do in the country. So exciting
watching a bright lime green lizard popping
little flies off yer feet. No muss, no fuss.
May 11 ~ Low of 72F is a frog's hair better.
The Golden-cheeked Warbler continued around the
yard singing in morning, and late afternoon, and
was at the birdbath. It is that same first-spring
male that has been around, an unmated troller.
Heard a Scissor-tail over in corral. One male
Yellow Warbler was around much of day. Couple
Caracara went over. Lots of begging from a juvie
Red-tailed Hawk in that nest over at river. We
are sure glad when they feed it! Still better
than the three baby Ravens though. Have to put
the scope on nest and see if I can get a count
on the young. Only sounds like one. Last year
in the drought they only raised one. Only got
up to 90-92F so bearable compared to the last
several days. Was too busy at desk. Saw a
Malta Star Thistle sprig with bloom, will
remove that. We have done fairly well getting
rid of it and Musk Thistle here, have not seen
one come up yet this year.
May 10 ~ Low of 74F is not very, and like July.
An Eastern Wood-Pewee was whistling in yard early.
A Cuckoo clucked a bit too, maybe our adjacent
breeder is back. In the morning Kathy heard the
Golden-cheeked over along north fence where it
was singing yesterday, and I heard it late about
7 p.m. We have big Junipers and Live-Oaks, but no
Lacy or Buckley Oaks, two of their key trees. A
bit before noon an American Redstart came down to
the tub pond right out office window. I thought
it had some peachy tones on breast sides, unlike
the bird yesterday which was pure yellow and a
female. I think this was a first spring male.
Any Redstart is a good start. There was a Yellow
Warbler in the Pecans. The Great Crested Flycatcher
is trolling up and down the river habitat corridor
and seems unmated as last year. Same for the
Yellow-throated Vireo here, trolling, unmated
as last year. A pair of Indigo Bunting were on
the millet tube early. This is the first year
they or the Blue Grosbeak has used the tube feeder
here. I suspect due to the lack of normal higher
protein insect fare which is not available yet
this year. Hopefully that 2" rain will change
that soon. Saw one Texas Thistle with flowers
down near the crossing.
May 9 ~ Low of 72F, some low Gulf stratus held
the sun off a few hours early in morn. Saw a
Turkey over in corral early. I heard a Hutton's
Vireo go through yard. Heard a buzzy zzeet as in
Yellow Warbler. Noonish Kathy spotted a female
Black-throated Green Warbler coming into the birdbath.
It just drank a bit. About 3 p.m. she spotted a
female American Redstart coming down to it, which
then got chased by a male Wilson's Warbler.
First female Redstart of the year, great to see.
After 4 p.m. I heard an offish warbler song in
big Junipers along north fence. Finally figured
it out, a Golden-cheeked! Came inside and told
Kathy, just a few minutes later she saw it at the
bath! It is a trolling un-mated first spring male.
Suspect it is the same one we saw here in late April.
About 7 p.m. Kathy spotted the female Redstart
coming back into the bath. It got to splash a
bit this time. So it was around 4 hours and
never chipped once. A White-eyed Vireo decided
to splash-bathe at the same time the Redstart
was in the bath. Chat and male Summer Tanager
were there over the day too, when it is hot
everything comes in to it. Saw a few spindly
Mexican Hat flowers, the first this year.
May 8 ~ Was still just over 80F at midnight, early
morn finally dropped to 71F. The thick low Gulf
cloud deck got here and kept it cooler (below 80F
is cooler from now until September) until almost
noonish. At least a few hours of relief. Saw no
migrant motion in yard whatsoever. Except the
last three Clay-colored Sparrow are gone. No mas.
First day without them in over a month. We checked
a few spots anyway. Saw some Mealy Sage in bloom,
and the yellow rose of Texas, the Prickly Pear.
The 354 Pecans had nothing but breeders. The park
woods had at least two Common Yellowthroat, and
I got a crummy but ID'able look at a FOS
Mourning Warbler in that thickest stuff at the
south end of the island. There is at least one
young of size in the Red-shouldered Hawk nest
above the screen shelters at the park. There
were 8 teal over in the lillies across the pond.
Six were Blue-winged, two drakes had dirty heads
with reddish-brown, dare I say cinnamon, feathers
admixed in at a level that made the white
crescent hard to detect. I suspect they were
intergrades, likely back-crosses, perhaps
second generation (F2) or somesuch type hybrids.
The fencelines were bare again. There should
be Scissor-tailed Flycatchers around, and am
not seeing any. I think they came in and they
left since no bugs. Have not seen a single
Western Kingbird this spring. Scary. I have
driven to town and back three days consecutively
(only in spring migration does that ever happen)
and seen zero Scissors. Where annually there have been
five pairs I know of. I saw none up Jones Cmty.
Rd. to W. Sab. Rd. yesterday as well, where there
should have been three more pairs. None. No bugs.
Not enough for nesting anyway, so they left.
We did a full scientific analysis and assay of some
Mulberries on one tree (yes the low-hanging fruit).
The results were mmmmm tasty. I thought it
would make great wine, Kathy said jam. In the
afternoon I saw 95F on the cool shady front porch.
Hondo and Uvalde were both reading 100F with a
105 heat index. The south side of SAT
(Stinson Field) had 103F and a 111 heat index!
Which must have been 115-120 at Mitchell Lake
just west of that. That was our main birding
patch (with Brackenridge Pk.) for three years
in the late 80's. For now we are just
hiding inside from the heat here, none too
thrilled about near-record heat early in the
season. In the afternoon Kathy heard a Cuckoo,
I heard an Orchard Oriole sing later. Finally about
10 p.m. I saw my FOS Firefly. Has to be my latest
FOS date for them.
May 7 ~ The low of 67F was nice. From 4-6 p.m. the
cool shady front porch was showing 97F, so it
had to be a hun in the sun. Our first scorcher
of the long hot season. NOAA is calling it early
and unseasonally early, There was no migration
motion today, at least here on the ground. Went
to town to get that dang item I forgot yesterday
at the store, so another look at the park woods.
Wasn't on purpose, but I sure don't mind.
Other than what is likely a continuing Northern
Waterthrush, there was nothing but the residents
at the park. Also checked the 354 Pecan patch
with about the same results. Did have a Yellow
Warbler, and a pair of Orchard Orioles were around
the trees where a pair usually nests. Saw in the
little Mulberry on roadside, female Painted Bunting,
Bell's Vireo, and Yellow-breasted Chat.
Cruised out Jones Cmty Rd. listening for Parula
Warblers, heard none but it was noon and hot,
need to check early. Did a mile of the well
fence-lined road north from Cemetery to W. Sabinal
Rd. as it is good for E. Kingbird, there were
none. I see a distinct green tint appearing
in the brown front yard. Saw two Common
Nighthawk fly over at dusk. They did not
seem to be grabbing many bugs. I heard my
first boom from a diving male of the year.
And I see I picked up a chigger here today.
There were still three Clay-colored Sparrow
here today, singing of course. Late in day,
probably the last Lincoln's Sparrow
took a bath. Late in day Kathy spotted a
bunch of Rain Lily had opened up. I roughly
counted, at least a hundred blooms on north
part of yard. Just add water.
Not a current photo, sorry for the repeat.
Red-eared or Pond Slider are probably the most used names
for this turtle. Texas River Cooter is the other regular
type found locally. It is less green without yellow marbling
on carapace (top half of shell) and much darker, almost
blackish, with only a little yellow on head. It is also
not as domed of carapace, so a much flatter shape, better
for speeding in the river.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 6 ~ A fantastic low of about 61F was a cheap
thrill. We are set for a four-day scorcher now
though. Mid-90's, hope you are ready to sweat.
At least it waited until there were some leaves
on the Pecans. Heard a Baltimore Oriole in yard
early. Town run so got our Cinco de Mayo real
deal tacos from Rosie today. First on the way
into town I stopped at the 354 Pecan patch. The
Dickcissel was gone, knew it would not stick.
There was a pair of Brown-crested Flycatcher
there, and a distant calling Great Crested at
the other end of patch. Great Crest nests there some
years. Heard a Cuckoo (Y-b), saw one Eastern
Wood-Pewee, a Yellow Warbler or two, and one
female Black-throated Green Warbler. At the
park was a Swainson's Thrush, in Mulberries
on the island. No Catbird though. There
were a couple Yellow Warbler, a Northern
Waterthrush, another female Black-throated
Green Warbler, and a couple warblers got away.
One sounded like an American Redstart. Seems
last years territorial Red-eyed Vireo is back
in the woods. Plus all the usual breeders like
Yellow-throated Warbler and Vireo, White-eyed
Vireo, etc. The Red-shouldered Hawks are
seemingly nesting again. Little Creek Larry
had a male Common Yellowthroat at his place
this morn. No Eastern Kingbird on the fencelines,
we are at the prime week for them now.
Here at the hovelita just a handful of Clay-colored
Sparrow left, and not for long. A Yellow
Warbler was in the yard all day, looked the
same male on at least day 3 now. Heard a
Gnatcat in yard. Saw 90F at 3:30 p.m.,
and it is humid. Welcome to Texas. Late
afternoon before 6 p.m. Kathy spotted a FOS
Catbird at the birdbath, which drank and
took a quick splash in it. I actually did
my Catbird call at the park Mulberries noonish,
trying to elicit response from any unseen suspects.
Hey I have had it work sometimes. Later in the
afternoon I saw a female Lazuli Bunting, my first
female Lazuli this year. There are 4-5 female
Indigo here too for good comparisons. Finally
saw a Common Nighthawk at dusk. Was out looking
for that FOS Firely, no luck yet, but got four
more mosquito bites. Just before 9 p.m. we
had a Chuck-will's-widow calling right
out the office window over the tub pond in a
Hackberry. We went out and it kept belting
it out, after a minute we got a look as it
flew off. Bunch of Coyote real close too.
I heard in town someone say they killed a
Coral Snake this week fearing for their cats.
Which of course are killing lizards and birds.
I have heard some here say they kill any
Porcupines because their dogs will get into
them.
May 5 ~ Happy Cinco de Mayo! Mexican food, beer and
shots for all! Amazing to see the ground re-arranged
from the downpour. Since it hadn't changed in
many months. Biggest rain in 5 months or so. Yard
will turn green in a few days, and need mowing in
two weeks. Maybe we will get some flowers yet
this spring. A little mist still over the morn.
I had a crummy look at a FOS American Redstart high
in the big Pecan, it shot off and out of the yard
quickly. A Least Flycatcher was around the gate
all day. Might be a half-dozen Clay-colored Sparrow
left. A Yellow Warbler spent the day in the Pecans,
maybe the same one as yesterday, the red streaks
were the same, maybe a bit over half-way in. The
Barking Frogs were going at dark. Got a couple
mosquito bites at dark, a whole day after the rain.
There have not been any this spring so far due to
the drought. One day, less than 24 hours after
adding water, and poof, or bam!, is more like it.
Skeeters. How does this work anyway? Do the
larval treeholers just estivate in winter,
ready to emerge as flying adult as soon as some
fool adds water?
May 4 ~ Low about 72F, overcast and humid, almost
some mist. Strong southerlies for the third day
or so. Early there were three male Yellow Warbler
at once in the birdbath. Looks like many fewer
Clay-colored Sparrow and did not see the White-crowned
Sparrow today. There were departures last night.
Had to run to town to get a couple tires put on
in the morn. So a look at park. Great was a FOS
singing Warbling Vireo. Also one N. Waterthrush, a
couple Yellow Warbler, a few seets and chips got away.
There were a couple just-fledged begging Carolina Wren.
Little Creek Larry said he had a male Shoveler in
with a few teal at the park this morning. At the
UvCo 354 Pecans just south of town another Yellow
Warbler. Heard a very interesting chip that got away,
the wind was making it hard. Heard one FOS Dickcissel
north of 354 in the field they used to always nest
in. Now being overgrown with Mesquite, and too dry
this year anyway for them. It was singing rather
forlornly, like where did you all go. When rains,
there is a colony in this pasture annually. Along
roads saw some blooming Prickly Poppy, and some
Englemann's Daisy around the water plant.
In town, nice to hear Blue Jay, and see Chimney
Swifts.
In the afternoon here at hovelita Kathy saw a
male Orchard Oriole right out the office window
working down to the tub pond. I later heard it
singing on north side of house. One Yellow
Warbler spent all day in the Pecans. Five
Red-winged Blackbird came in for white millet,
the golf course breeders no doubt. About 10-11
p.m. a severe thundercell went over, we finally
got actual precipitation! It was a whopping
TWO INCHES here. More than the last four
months total probably. Which means more than
all year so far. We heard a big bubble of a roar
go down the river after the cell passed. Two
inches in less than an hour, there is runoff.
River went from quiet to roaring and back to
quiet in an hour and change. Got flushed anyway.
About an hour after the rain stopped there were
two Barking Frog, barking, outside.
May 3 ~ Low maybe 71F, overcast, breezy from south,
the same. White-crowned Sparrow still here with 15
or so Clay-colored. Best was noonish in the yard
Pecans, a Philadelphia Vireo. Great looks very close.
As they often do, it struck me as more warbler-like
due to the bright yellow on breast, greener upperparts,
and it being far more active and high-energy than a
Warbling Vireo. Which is usually fairly sedate like
a Blue-headed. Later had a Least Flycatcher and a
Brown-crested Flycatcher for a while. I could hear
Ash-throated and Great Crested Flycatcher calling
whilst the BC was doing same from our big Pecan.
May 2 ~ There was some rain late last night and the
first couple hours of today, but a malfunction means I
will have to ask others how much it was. Maybe a
half-inch, but more than the last two months. Flatlined
about 70F most of the night. Some precip anyway.
Mid-morn I had a FOS Baltimore Oriole in the yard,
gave some calls and song snippets. The White-crowned
and Lincoln's Sparrow continue. Noonish a
Nashville Warbler or two, single male Yellow and
Wilson's Warbler were in yard. In later
afternoon 2 Least Flycatcher were working Pecans.
A showerlet between 2:30 and 3 p.m. dropped nearly
a half-tenth of an inch of precip. The cell was real
black though. As it moved east on the backside of
it my FOS Broad-winged, and Swainson's
Hawks moved north over river habitat coridor.
Don't see Broad-wings every spring, so always
nice. Looked for MS Kites but did not see any. The
backsides of cells are great for migrating aerial
species (as hawks, swifts, etc.) that detoured
around them. Always worth a check if you can.
At least 3 Lyside Sulphur went through yard over
the day.
May 1 ~ About 70F much of the night, maybe dropped
to 69F when a showerlet hit early first thing. Ground
and trees are wet anyway. There is a stalled cold front
just north of us since yesterday, boy I wish it would have
made it through here. Was probably good northward
somewhere where birds hit a wall of wind from the wrong
direction to proceed. Was supposed to be lifting back
north as a warm front today. Just after 3 p.m. Kathy
saw the first migrant in yard today, a Nashville Warbler.
The White-crowned and a Lincoln's Sparrow
continue, Clay-colored Sparrow number 15. There
were three male at once Lesser Goldfinch down with
a few females, first flocklet I have seen here this year.
Ten green Painted Bunting, some of which are first-spring
males. A bit of drizzle and showers began the last
hour or two of the day.
~ ~ ~ April summary ~ ~ ~
We are pushing the April record for dryness I am sure,
we had a quarter inch of precip maybe for the month.
No freezes, no spring wildflowers as usual when rains.
Several days were very near or at record heat.
The bugs were bad. But not in the usual sense, bad
because there were hardly any to see. No Firefly yet
might be the first April I have not seen one here (n~19).
One Eyed Elaterid was the best bug. Odes were pitiful
still, they are not going yet. I was able to ID only one
species of damselfly all month, on the 30th (!), and only
two species of dragonfly the whole month, for a whopping
three total ode species. There have been Aprils that were
great with odes. Butterflies were also poor, at 24 species
one of the worst Aprils here. For the number of individuals
seen it was likely the worst in a decade since the peak of
the last exceptional drought. The only highlight was a
Little Wood Satyr around the house a couple days. Maybe
one or two Monarch was it, no spring wave of mention here.
A few Elfin early in month, no Falcate Orangetip. Almost
no flowers, barely a few.
Birds are always great in April, as like March there
are waves of them passing by northbound, besides
all the returning (migratory insectivore) breeding species.
Mostly songbirds, like warblers, orioles, vireos, tanagers,
flycatchers, the stuff of great bird sounds. Dawn chorus
goes next-level in April with all the returns. Best birds
were a record early Swainson's Thrush at
UP on the 8th. Veery and Gray-cheeked Thrush
both there on the 22nd. A 3-day Brewer's
Sparrow was in our yard Spizella flock April 20-22.
A male Chestnut-sided Warbler was in yard Apr. 24.
Three male Lazuli Bunting were in our yard over the month.
I think almost everyone saw Painted Bunting this spring,
the arrival wave was tremendous, we had 16 ad.
male at once in yard. An Ovenbird at UP on the 23rd
was the first in a while. A male Bullock's Oriole
on a hummer feeder April 10-11 was the first of that
here for us, and a record early date for me here.
l count 111 species very locally this month, no Lost
Maples trip. All from around our place to town. Little
Creek Larry saw at least a half-dozen things I did not.
Surely there were 120-125 sps. around over the month.
Pretty big jump from the 78 in March, and double the
diversity of the weak winter months in Jan. and February.
Now if we would just get some rain and flowers.
~ ~ ~ end April summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ April update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
April ~ Brings a whole month of FOS dates!
A returning pair of Hooded Oriole was
seen this week at Little Creek. Better, a small
flock of Black-throated Sparrow was seen there on
April 1. My FOS Summer Tanager was singing at the
park, also on the 1st. On the 2nd I saw my FOS
Nashville Warbler, one here at house, and one at
the park. Also the 2nd saw my FOS Common Grackle,
the returning park breeders. The 3rd had a FOS
Solitary Sandpiper. The 5th was our FOS Lazuli
Bunting. The FOS Bell's Vireo went through
the yard April 8. Also the 8th was my earliest ever by
two weeks FOS Swainson's Thrush at the park.
April 9 Osprey and Zone-tailed Hawk were at Little
Creek (at 355), Poor-will was heard there a few days
ago. April 10 had FOS Bullock's Oriole and
Yellow-breasted Chat. April 11 FOS Nashville Warbler.
April 12 FOS Blue Grosbeak. April 13 FOS Chuck-will's-widow
and Painted Bunting. There are reports of Tropical
and Northern Parula at Lost Maples SNA. A Spotted
Sandpiper was reported at the park April 15. I saw a
huge pile of FOS on April 15 at the park: a male Indigo
Bunting, Great Crested Flycatcher, Black-throated Green
Warbler, and rarest there, a (Long-billed) Marsh Wren!
Also the 15th I saw my FOS Chimney Swift over town.
Oops, also had a FOS House Wren in the yard the 15th.
Four FOS Red-eyed Vireo singing Apr. 16th. A FOS
Blue-headed Vireo was singing at the park the 17th,
as was a first-year male Golden-cheeked Warbler.
Thirty Clay-colored Sparrow at once in yard is peak
clay on April 19, EIGHT Painted Bunting at once the
same day is a lot of paint too. The second in yard this
spring male Lazuli Bunting was here the 20th. Also on
the 20th Kathy saw the FOS Yellow Warbler, a male at
the bird bath. Rare here, a BREWER'S Sparrow
was in our yard Apr. 20-22. Our FOS Orchard Oriole
bathed on the 21st. Also FOS the 21st was female Blue
Grosbeak (male was 12th). The 22nd had a pile of FOS
birds at the park: Common Yellowthroat, Northern
Waterthrush, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Gray-cheeked
Thrush, and a VEERY! An Ovenbird was at the park
Apr. 23, my first in too many years. On the 24th there
was a Chesnut-sided Warbler in our yard, at least 5 FOS
Least Flycatcher, and 2 FOS Tennessee Warbler as well
as an 11 warbler species day. At dusk I had my FOS
Freetail Bats. On the 27th I saw my FOS Bronzed Cowbird,
and FOS Brown-crested Flycatcher.
The 28th at dark our FOS Common Nighthawk was heard.
The FOS on the 29th were: some Cave Swallow in town
finally, then late in day 4 male Yellow-headed Blackbird,
and a pair of Couch's Kingbird, both at our casita.
The Couch's KB continued on the 30th.
~ ~ ~ end April update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ above is 2022 ~ ~ ~
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