BIRD & NATURE NEWS 2019
Notes without location cited are in or from yard which is a couple
miles south of town at edge of the river habitat corridor.
If it doesn't say where it was, it was in or from the yard.
Often a few daily yard notes is all the drivel you get.
Ready, steady, go!
July through Dec. 2019 (to Oct. so far)
Read from bottom up to view in chronological order.
~ ~ ~ below is 2019 ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ 2019 summary ~ ~ ~
Well there went another one. It was very dry overall with
a brief very wet period in spring. Drought has reared its
ugly head again. Much of the year much of the river
between Lost Maples and Utopia existed only below ground.
We remain unrecovered from the prior exceptional event
despite a respite of a few years with some rain. Trees
are still dropping like flies at Lost Maples for example.
It looks to me like desertification in slow motion. Of
course natural history study is fascinating no matter
what is going on. As long as you keep looking you will
keep seeing interesting things. Then record and document.
Butterflies were about 83 species for the entire year,
we have had better months. Last year was worst ever with
only 80 species, so this year is barely better. Most of
the regular expected types, but not all. No vagrants,
no fall invasion from the south. It was over and pitiful
by October. It was weird in fall seeing all the flowers
without any hairstreaks, blues, crescents, and skippers
on them. Drought kills it for butterflies here. Still
a few things missing since the epic exceptional drought
that sorta ended a few years ago but we never yet recovered
from. Still no sign of Common Wood-Nymph, Silvery
Checkerspot, or Carolina Satyr for isntance. They all
remain MIA. Only saw a few Arizona Sister early in season.
No Soldier, Zebra, or Mourning Cloaks this year. There
were several Laviana White-Skipper, which was the only
LTA - less than annual - thing to show up from southward.
The fall Monarch movement missed us this fall. Snouts never
got bad, we had no rain for them to chase. Found a huge wild
patch of Flame Acanthus at Garner S.P., likely explaining
the Crimson Patch population there.
First a single one day, then an emerging another day, then
finally a pair, of mating Luna Moth on Pecan right off front
porch were a major highlight of the year, and my life. It
was like a dream come true to be able to watch them more
than just fly by. And get pix. A Vine Sphinx was nice too,
found dying on the front porch! Saw two, photo'd one of
the Aellopos sphinx moths, probably clavipes. A couple Black
Witch were seen in summer, always a treat here. Saw an Imperial
Moth somewhere. So some great moths made up for the lack of
any unusual butterflies.
It should be noted, night lighting for insects was nearly
pitiful the several times I tried over the summer (monthly).
So few insects I could not believe it. Scary. It is nothing
like it was, that is for sure. What is disappearing all
the bugs? Is it just drought? Not at the lights, I did
photo a couple Neoclytus sps. Cerambycids in the yard this
year, and a Mesquite Borer (Placosternus) in town. A couple
'bycids to ease the pain, but saw no gigas 'bycid this year.
Saw several of the gold Dicerca sps. Buprestids, and good
numbers of Eyed Elaterid. A live female Dobsonfly at the
gas station was awesome.
Odes were barely OK and are still very low in numbers
like butterflies. They too have never yet recovered
from the major epic drought of 2008-15 or so. It looks
like 53 species: 20 damsels, 33 dragons. There were
only a few items of interest. A Cyrano Darner at Lost
Maples was nice. Lots of Plateau Spreadwing and
Band-winged Dragonlet at the usual ephemeral floodpond
spots on S. Little Creek Rd. (BanCo) when late April or
early May rains hit. A Great Spreadwing in the yard was er,
great, the first. Another Twelve-spotted Skimmer here too.
Did see a few Black-shouldered Spinyleg which have been scarce.
Barely any Smoky Rubyspot. The Orange-striped Threadtail continue
at Utopia Park, but their numbers are far lower than before.
As are most species.
Birds for me were about 195 species locally in the upper
Sabinal River drainage (USRD). That is to say no brush-country
off-the-plateau flatlands stuff is included in that total.
Just strictly up here in the valley, Lost Maples to Clayton
Grade, and mostly just around Utopia. Last year ('18)
was 210 species, so it was down a fair bit. Lots more rain
last year. I think Little Creek Larry saw at least 5 sps.
I did not see this year. I do not think I added any species
to the local USRD area list this year. It took 16 years to
get to that point. I was still getting one or two a year
the last five years. The USRD list is about 359 currently.
One big lake with a little marsh, an island, and some mudflat
and we'd have 400 here. The Utopia Park list is stuck at
about 269. Our (2 acre) yard list is stuck at about 220 NIB.
No introduced birds. Here are the best 2019 bird highlights.
In Jan. a Western Kingbird with a couple Couch's not
in the USRD, but down in the flatlands at Sabinal, plus
500 Am.Go in one flock there were both outstanding. Also in
Jan. a Black-n-White Warbler at Lost Maples is very rare on plateau
in winter. A Brown Creeper wintered at Utopia Park, my first
to stick for the winter locally. Same goes for the three
Red-breasted Nuthatch that spent the winter visiting our yard.
April 15 was the last date for the last one. May 2 saw a Northern
Goshawk northbound over the house. A Wilson's Phalarope
at the SLC ponds May 11 was outstanding in BanCo. Another
pair of Cassin's Kingbird were here, May 9, after a
single in April. The June highlight was nesting Grasshopper
Sparrow in Bandera Co. on W. Sabinal Rd. Others were
suspected in a few other places. Pretty clear Olive Sparrow
and White-tipped Dove are now breeding if not resident at
Lost Maples, for probably their 4th years or so each now,
at least if not more. Several pairs of each are there.
Some still there in December.
The second half of the year... Over the whole fall we
probably had 10 Rufous Hummingbird at our place alone.
Which is a much higher than average number (double or more).
On July 7 Leslie Calvert had a Roseate spoonbill sw of town
a few miles at their pond. August 15 we had a Common Pauraque
at our place, which stayed to Sept. 15. A juvenile Acadian
Flycatcher Aug. 25 was great in the yard as a passage migrant
off breeding territory whence very rare. Seven Mourning
Warbler around Utopia Sept. 22 was great, as was the dozen
count for the month. A Wood Thrush on Oct. 25 at the park
that let me have pix was awesome. A heard only Long-eared
Owl the night of Oct. 21st was also great, not my first here.
A Clay-colored Sparrow seen to late Nov. is my latest ever here.
A second-of-the-fall Broad-tailed Hummer was around a few days
in November. The American Woodcock at the park Dec. 4 was a
major highlight of the year, thankfully letting me get a few
docushots. Seems a nice wave of Pyrrhuloxia and Verdin have
moved in for the winter. Warblers were weak spring and fall.
None of the scarcer eastern or western types showed. However
the five Black-throated Green over the fall was a good fall
total for here.
Like most journeys of a million steps, nature data collecting
is one point at a time. It never ceases to amaze me how it
all adds up. Currently the overall biodiveristy and output
here are obviously severely drought-reduced. Whence it seems
slow going at times. Still when you add it all up at the end
of the year, we got a bunch of awesome data points. Lots of
new earliest ever and latest ever dates, peak numbers for a
passage, etc. All kinds of great stuff was seen, much to
most photographed, and we filled in a bunch of blanks, some
we didn't even know we had. The key is to be looking,
you will find and see. Then document.
~ ~ ~ end 2019 summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ oh no, not another summary!?!? ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ December summary ~ ~ ~
It was a dry month, with record heat and cold within
a few days of each other mid-month. We did not get
an inch of rain, probably about a half-inch at our
place, should be two inches. The drought continues,
it is parched out there. The river is running very
slow and low (dry - only underground - in many areas).
Butterflies were 9 species, the lowest diversity
of any of my 17 Decembers here now. After a very
poor fall more weakness was expected, this though
being exceptional. It was all only and just the expected
last flyers. Dragonflies were the two usual December
species, Variegated and Autumnal Meadowhawk, plus one
Green Darner, and a couple damsels that got away before
I could ID them. The winter Mayfly hatch seems
fairly weak so far.
Weird out there for birds. Numbers are down. Still
barely any Waxwing, Robin, or Siskin. A few American
Goldfinch, no nuthatch, and no flicker yet for me,
only a couple Sapsucker sps. flying away. A few
Golden-crowned Kinglet, no Junco, very very few waterfowl.
There seem to be very few bugs compared to usual too.
The male Wilson's Warbler that returned for a second
winter at Utopia Park in September left after mid-November,
after a couple months. Not enough bugs to stick. The
American Woodcock was the bird of the month, at the park
on the 4th only. Always good to get in December, Olive Sparrow
and White-tipped Dove were still at Lost Maples. I count
about 81 species of birds locally for the month that I saw.
But did not get out much. I am sure over 90 are around
the area, and nearer a hundred would not surprise me.
~ ~ ~ end December summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ December update header ~ ~ ~
December started with a Verdin at Little Creek on the 1st.
Then on the 4th at the park, a WOODCOCK! But I have not
reseen it in ten attempts. A Sora on the 7th is a great
bird locally. Green Kingfisher, White-tipped Dove, two
Olive Sparrow and a couple Golden-crowned Kinglet were
seen at Lost Maples Dec. 8. We had record heat in the
mid-80's the 14th-15th, and record cold (16dF) on
the 18th and 19th! Finally saw my FOS Sapsucker on the 19th.
There is some Cedar (Juniper) pollen starting to get going.
From perusing ebird I see the 18th was the Love Creek
Christmas Bird Count which covers parts of Lost Maples.
A Louisiana Waterthrush was found on a private ranch NE
of Vanderpool, a very rare winter record on the Edwards
Plateau. A couple Winter Wren and Verdin were also
turned up in Bandera Co. Fair numbers of Pyrrhuloxia
and Verdin are around this winter. Finally had a Pine
Warbler, at the park on Dec. 27th.
~ ~ ~ end Dec. update header copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
Dec. 31 ~ Holy smokes, another year gone by! They
just keep getting faster and faster as I get older
and slower. Another cold morn with 25dF at 7 a.m.,
it often drops another dF by 7:30 but I don't hang
around out there to watch it. Tossing the bird seed
before sunup is enough wakeup chill for me. These late
sunups are nice though. I'm gonna miss them.
A Carolina Wren was 25' up in the pecan belting
out song, just to make sure the others around knew it
was serious about it. Saw an Eastern Bluebird at the
box hole at the far corner of the front yard.
Dec. 30 ~ A chilly 26dF low with ice on the birdbath.
Did not see any hummer today, for the second day, but
it sometimes goes in and out quickly and does not
hang around long. Worked on stuff in the office,
but nice it warmed to about 62 or so at peak heat.
Very low humidity, great blue skies, of a sort we
just do not see in summer when always very humid.
Night sky is great too for the same reason. Mocker
and Kinglet (Ruby) came into the bath. Heard some
cranes southbound late afternoon, and heard the
Barred Owl after dark.
Dec. 29 ~ Low 40's dF for a low, calm early
but by 9-10 a.m. the northerlies began to blow.
Will be a blowout today, so will work on stuff
here. Next weeked looks more birdable. Have
been dyin' get down to the brush country around
Sabinal. Maybe cranes, geese, Sprague's and
sparrows, even Mountain Plover if real lucky...
plus all the south Texas stuff. It is great down
there in the winter. Lots more activity and
numbers down in those flatlands where just a few
dF warmer, than up here in the colder hills.
By 11 a.m. it was about 55dF and wind was 20 mph
gusting to 30. Got up to 62 or so, but howlin'.
Dec. 28 ~ About 60dF for a low, which means fog, mist,
and wet. We might have gotten a tenth of an inch of precip
as the thickest part of it went by over a couple hours.
Knocks the dust and cedar (Juniper) pollen down anyway.
Saw the male Rufous Hummer out there early. Was low 60's
about 1:30 when the leading edge of the front hit with
northerlies and a 10dF temp drop in 15 minutes. But
the real wind, the post-frontal blow, is not arriving
until tomorrow. Checked the park in the afternoon.
Sure neat now to often be the only one there again.
There was a flock of at least 50 Robin there moving
fast through the live oaks. They were not there
yesterday and is the first double-digit flock I have
seen this winter. It's movement. The imm.
Zone-tailed Hawk was in the live-oaks hunting a
very nervous squirrel. Saw the Coot, the 5
Whistling-Duck, a few Myrtle Warbler, couple Kinglet
(Ruby), Hermit Thrush, and one Sapsucker sps. flew
off, my second of the season, again unidentified as
to species.
~ ~ ~
Howsabout we finish the last mystery bird and start a new one?
The prior mystery bird of which there have been three pix
posted now, is an immature Audubon's Oriole. That is,
a hatch-year, bird-of-the-year, maybe three months old.
It was taken September 18 so could be 4 months old maybe.
It is just getting the first few scattered black feathers.
Note the stepped, graduated tail, e.g., the graduacauda.
Especially on the closed undertail shot this shows well.
Wasn't that fun? So let's do another. This one
is another example of one of my favorite types of bird poses,
what I call the 'Audubon pose'. Positions that seem
'not natural'. Audubon painted lots of birds in
poses people called odd and weird and said things like
'they don't really do that'. Those folks
just have not watched as long and hard as John James did.
If you painted this frame those same folks would ask what
the heck you were thinking making it like this. Yet this
is a photograph of a real bird in action.
This one might be a bit deceptive. It is a crop out of a
frame that had no other birds in it. But otherwise not adjusted.
The ground is parallel to the bottom of the frame. The bird
is alive and well, operating as intended. Taken here in September.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Dec. 27 ~ Stayed about 60 overnight, still gray,
was some fog early, they keep backing up, down, and
off on the rain forecast. We need some badly, it
is parched out there. Town run, e.g., park check.
On way at the corrals on 360 east of the river there
was a flock of 350 to 400 Brewer's Blackbird,
at least 75 Red-winged in with them, which is the
biggest number of Red-wings I have seen at once ever
here in winter. About 4 Eurasian Starling there too.
At the park, the family of 5 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
continue, missed the Coot, saw the Pied-billed Grebe, three
ginchy Gadwall were there briefly. Great was a Pine
Warbler, finally, above the screen shelters. My FOS
but a NMD - not meaningful date, save for its lateness.
Heard one Robin singing, nice since there have not been
many around, this my first in a couple weeks. Nothing
was up in the woods save a Green Kingfisher at the
island. On way home another GreenKing was fishing
at the 360 crossing.
Dec. 26 ~ Happy Boxing Day! At 11 p.m. last night it
was 50dF, at 7 a.m. this morning it was 60! It seems
backwards to my hardwired programming. Some fog and
overcast, those nice sunny days are gone for a few now.
Saw the male Rufous Hummer early-thirty. The Carolina
Wrens seem to be getting much noisier, three were seriously
counter-singing at once this morning. Photo-period is
increasing, not even a minute per day yet so far, but
several of our resident species will commence singing
very shortly. Was a bout of mist once or twice over the day,
got up to mid-60's maybe. Saw a couple Field Sparrow.
The rest was the same gang. Some Eastern Bluebirds messing
around along front fence in area of the box a pair uses,
probably the pair. A pair of Black Vulture were in love,
er, pair-bond, flight. They are great graceful flyers,
ungainly as they may appear on the ground at roadkill.
Dec. 25 ~ Merry Christmas! Or as proper birders might
greet this time of year: Merry Vagrants! Hope you
got some good birds for presents. Was foggy and about
52dF for a low. We took a couple hour spinaround in the
peak heat of afternoon, the low 70's, and sunny, nice.
At the park were the 5 or so Black-bellied Whistling-Duck,
the Coot, a few Myrtle Warbler, a couple Kinglet, and a few
Blue Jay. The jays had just bathed and were preening it out,
up in sunny holes up in the live-oak canopy. A few Mayfly
were out in the heat. No birds on them though.
On 359 at the first corner south of 1050 there was a small
group of birds. Kathy saw an imm. White-crowned Sparrow,
there were Field and Chipping there too, some Cardinal, and
a Long-billed Thrasher stopped for a photo in the open,
in the shade of course, but close. We then drove around
up on the knoll behind us and saw some of the common
species, but nothing different. One close Hutton's Vireo.
Had a quick look at what was likely a Spotted Towhee
shooting between bushes. By then it was peak heat and
getting quiet. Lots of Eastern Phoebe and Cardinal,
everywhere you go. As we returned a couple hundred
yards down road had a short binoc look at a sparrow
along the corral that may well have been the missing
from the yard a month now Clay-colored Sparrow.
Dec. 24 ~ A dF warmer at 25 this morning, and again
got to about 75 on the sunny south side of the house.
Third day straight with mid-20's lows and mid-70's highs.
Weewow. At least we can open, air, and warm up house in the
afternoons. Only seeing the male Rufous Hummingbird now
for over a week, nearing two. The female probably moved
to a neighbors, if it didn't leave. Couple Field
Sparrow among the 75 or so Chipping on the seed. One
Red-tailed Hawk. Too busy working on stuff here,
maybe tomorrow we'll sneak a peek in.
Dec. 23 ~ Another cold one, we had 24dF this a.m. here.
I saw a flock of 15 American Goldfinch nearing the
feeder, most I have seen at once so far this winter.
Only a couple came in before they left. About noon
a Verdin was in the Mesquite-Hackberry combo tree
out by the gate. Love seeing them in the yard.
Otherwise the same, trying to get work stuff wrapped
up. Never saw the sapsucker again after the initial
sighting on the 19th. Have not seen the Clay-colored
Sparrow all month. Got up to about 74dF, another
50dF diurnals day. Incredible.
Dec. 22 ~ A 23dF low, I saw KRVL hit 24, they were
predicted at 29 for a low. Nice frozen bird bath.
We took an hour walk upslope behind us into the
Live-oak, Juniper, and Agarita. Got a mile of motion
for the muscles in anyway. One Rufous-crowned and
two Field Sparrow, a couple Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
heard a Bewick's Wren and Black-crested Titmouse.
No Spotted Towhee. Very few birds. In bugs only
saw two of the 1.5-inch light green-winged Acridid
Grasshopper. More birds in the yard. Afternoon got
up to 74dF or so, for some 50dF diurnals!
Dec. 21 ~ A chilly 29dF low, but sunny, and afternoon
got up to about 65dF and pretty nice. All seemed the
same here in a.m. We took a spin around about noon.
Kathy spotted some Turkey just down the road a bit.
At the pond on golf course next to Waresville Cmty. was
one Wilson's Snipe and about 40 some Red-winged
Blackbird. Along UvCo 363 a hundred yards W. off 187 there
were a couple male Pyrrhuloxia and a Verdin. Park in
town had 9 Egyptian Goose, 1 Coot, a Great Blue Heron,
couple Myrtle Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, slow.
There were some mayflies though, and one Autumnal Meadowhawk.
It was Rosie's last day before her couple or few week
holiday shutdown and vacation so I grabbed some stuff to
freeze for while she is gone. Nice to have an extra dozen
of those tamales and some tacos stashed. Best tamales
this side of Durango. A small winter flocklet right
out front of the former Utopia on the River had some
Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, a few Myrtle Warbler,
and at least a half-dozen American Goldfinch, all eating
crushed pecans on the road.
here is a big end-of-year bonus break
First a couple of our winter visitors. We can suppose
they are from nearest or nearer-by populations, but that
of course is pure speculation. We don't know. Both
are remarkably seasonal here and do not breed locally
in the upper Sabinal River drainage. But both, varying
in numbers annually, move into the area in fall, spend
the winter, and leave early in spring.
Verdin is a common widespread resident of the brush country,
but is absent from the Sabinal River valley in summer.
Some that winter appear to be returning individuals to the
same site, such as one around our yard (this not that bird).
Pyrrhuloxia is a breeding resident in the brush country,
but does not summer or breed in the Sabinal River valley.
In winter it can be common, as singles, small groups, and
some years in flocks of 10 to 20 at once. Some years it
is scarcer though. Note rounded horn yellow bill.
Structure rules. I will get a good pic of a male in
the sun one day.
Here is a final shot of the mystery bird.
I will tell you what it is next year, er, next week.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Dec. 20 ~ Before midnight last night it was in the upper
30's dF, whence the southerly flow began and by
morning it was upper 40's, and misting. Gray and damp
all day, no real rain as of 3 p.m. and it does not look
like we will get any. Maybe got up to about 52dF.
Town run and park check where nothing new. Six each
Egyptian Goose and Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, the
one, our, Coot continues. The Whistling-Duck were
3 adult and 3 immature. One Myrtle Warbler and two
Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the woods. Left town with
some of Rosie's tacos and a dozen tamales, man
it's like Christmas. Kathy saw the male Rufous
Hummingbird. Chipping Sparrow flock was 75 plus.
Dec. 19 ~ Weewow another 16dF low this morning, has to be
another record. Two days in a row! Way colder than forecast,
as so often here. Saw the male Rufous Hummer out there just
after 9 a.m. whence in the 20's. Better was finally
seeing a FOS Sapsucker! Better late than never. Not sure what
type it was though. It flew out of the big dying Hackberry over
into the corral. If it was over 25dF I might have chased it,
but hoping it hangs a bit until it gets warmer out there. Mid-morn
I heard a single Cedar Waxwing, a single American Goldfinch,
and about noon a Long-billed Thrasher over in the corral.
Sure was nice to hit that 50dF mark in the sun, might have
made 56dF at peak heat, for some 40dF diurnals again.
Counted four Common Ground-Dove at one flushing. Never saw
the Sapsucker again dang it. In my binoc view it looked
most like a first winter Red-naped. The years they occur,
December is usually when they show up. Will have to go
down as Sap sp. though for now, which stinks on a FOS.
A great Cardinal count was had at last light when they
all show up for last seed, 40! Gotta be my highest single
flock count here. I presume we get additional birds from
northward for the winter.
Dec. 18 ~ It was record-range low of 16dF this morning here.
I saw 17 at KRVL (where 22 was forecast). Being south of
the 30N line, this is cold, it will freeze yer fern.
Extra seed rations and a dose of 'scrap' Pecans.
Afternoon was about 58dF or so, and humidity was about 15%!
Just the same gang for birds in the little bit o' peekin'
I did. It was another work-the-day-away Wednesday here.
One single lone White-winged Dove was around the seed.
That flock seemed to depart when the accipiters were being
relentless. Eastern Screech-Owl (Tex-Mex mccallii) was
calling at first dark. There is some Cedar (Juniper) pollen
starting to flow. Kathy's nose knows. Some male
flower buds have been visible ten days now.
Dec. 17 ~ About 32dF for a low, got up to about 52dF at
peak heat. The wind still has not stopped since the front
arrived yesterday morning. Now you can feel the cold air
advection, with next two mornings forecast in low 20's.
Saw the male Rufous Hummer, heard some Cranes haulin'
donkey south with the tailwind. Orange-crowned Warbler and
Field Sparrow both out there. Saw the Ground-Doves but they
have gotten real ginchy, must be the accipiters. Only saw
about 75 Chipping Sparrow, and have not seen the Clay-colored
since late November.
Dec. 16 ~ Front was coming through as day broke. A bit of
mist fell, just a trace or two. Northerlies cleared it out
quickly, not cold yet but will be the next few mornings.
Wind blew all day, but had lots of work to do at the desk
anyway. Saw the ad.ma. Rufous Hummingbird. Over 70 Chippy
and over 30 Cardinal are the bulk of the seedeaters here.
Titmice (Black-crested) and Chickadees (Carolina) work the
pecans and hit the sunflower feeder daily. Golden-fronted
and Ladder-backed Woodpecker are also in the yard pecans daily.
At last sun I go out on back porch to catch a few rays
as we used to say in socal. Looked up in the pecan and
there are a couple Chipping Sparrow, eyes closed, doing
the same thing. And I think about that teeny reptilian
part of their brain, which is apparently shared with me,
and us, and with those few shared cells, we do the same
thing at the same time. And I feel more connected. To
them, earth, and the dinosaurs.
Dec. 15 ~ Low about 40dF, the story was the highs, record or
near-record for many areas locally, for second day in a row.
The record at SAT for this date was 81dF. I saw Del Rio and
Junction were at 87 about 3 p.m., we were 84-85 (81 on cool
shady front porch), KRVL and Uvalde were 84dF. Amazing for
the date. Humidity was only 20%, so nice and dry anyway.
Saw the male Rufous Hummer, and thought I saw the female
too. So they are visiting neighbors places, cheatin'
on us. Otherwise seemed the same gang. In butterflies
saw singles of Gulf Fritillary, male Little Yellow, and a
Lyside Sulphur, which was first of the month, Had a bunch
of biz to do, Sunday afternoons are the Monday morning
of the work week here, and it started early this week.
Dec. 14 ~ A low of 35 and a high of 85dF making for a 50dF
diurnal spread is amazing. Was right around record high for
the date. Amazing. We did not see any hummingbirds today.
Presume they are at neighbors. Before noon I checked the
park again in town, and had nothing different. The imm. fem.
Green Kingfisher was at the boatramp and caught a fish in the
shallows there. Looked a little Lepomis sunfish. They dive
full throtle into less than a foot of water. They have to
keep going full speed ahead until strike point. They must be
able to stop on a dime and give 9.9 cents change underwater.
Whaddabird. A few Myrtle and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, the
Chipping Sparrow flock in the live-oaks. There were some
Meadowlarks on 359, I got some pics, so we'll see, might
maybe be able to tell what one of them was anyway. They
didn't call, which I am fairly sure is a conspiracy
amongst them. Kathy saw a Hermit Thrush at the bird bath.
I saw a Snout fly by the porch, first of the month. It
was so warm a bunch of crickets were singing at dusk.
A couple more pics of two of the best birds of the fall...
American Woodcock, Utopia Park Dec. 4, 2019.
Wood Thrush, Utopia Park Oct. 25, 2019.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Dec. 13 ~ Hope it was a lucky Friday the 13th to all.
Started chilly at 29dF here. NOAA had KRVL progged for
a low of 40, they froze. A category off, again. We
have 3 nice sunny warm days lined up though, which is
great. But which decreases activity around the yard
and feeders. Town run and park check. Nothing there
but 3 great chicken tacos to bring home for lunch.
The Coot at the park was maybe the highlight. Not many
places you can say that. The least seen kingfisher
locally was on the spillway, a Belted. Oh, and an
Orange-crowned Warbler. I think the Wilson's bugged
out due to lack of bugs. Can't believe I have not
yet seen any Flicker or Sapsucker this fall. It was a
dry breezy 75dF in the afternoon.
Dec. 12 ~ Another 29dF low and an iced-over birdbath.
Fog rolled in after sunup and didn't burn off until
nearly noon. But that 62dF felt nice in the afternoon.
Kathy saw the male Rufous Hummer today. The female
could be at neighbors' places. Nothing different
in birds today, and Thursday is hectic at the desk day.
Sorry to see the news that the ABA blog is ending and
being archived. Sad to see methinks. Well, we have
outlasted the ABA blog (among many others), which
started in 2010. These Utopia nature notes go back
16 years to 2004! Dare I say they contain the most
detailed record ever recorded of the natural history
of the area.
Dec. 11 ~ A chilly morning at 29dF here, and we were
the coldest reading I saw locally. I had to run to town
early, the windsheild and windows were coated solid in ice
from the condensation freezing. Took five minutes of
defrost to get drivable. Was hoping an early look at the
park would give me a better shot for the Woodcock, nope,
guess again. So far it remains a 5 minute miracle.
The 6 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck continue, as does
the Coot. There was a Green Kingfisher in the slough
by the island. The immature Zone-tailed Hawk was also
there again, presumedly it is roosting in the area.
It was calling a fair bit, which you hardly ever hear,
especially in winter. Compared to Red-tailed or Red-shouldered,
Zoneys are quite quiet. Any day you get to hear one
is a good day. Was able to get over the Woodcock miss
by stopping at the taco trailer and hitting Rosie up
for a couple breakfast tacos to bring home. The egg,
chorizo, and cheese are awesome.
Dec. 10 ~ Temps dropped from about 60dF at midnight to
lowest 40's by dawn. A little bit of drizzle, by
noon was maybe a tenth of an inch. Holding fairly steady
all day with temps, don't think we hit 50dF. The birds
were the same gang, nothing different here at the hovelita.
Saw the two Rufous Hummingbirds. Too busy with work though.
Dec. is a messed-up month for our biz, we have a couple weeks
of hectic prior to a couple wondering where they all went.
Moving perishable aircargo (live fish and corals) out of LAX
is not recommended during the Christmas shipping rush. But
which is great for giving some breathing room to try to
finish anything undone before the end of the year.
Dec. 9 ~ Low was about 52 dF. Today is the warmup before
the next front. Scheduled arrival is overnight tonight,
with some rain advertised, windy with a cool day tomorrow
probably not reaching this morning's low. So this
81dF afternoon is quite nice. That imm. male Sharpy was
out there first thing diving on the seed-eaters. Kathy
saw a Field Sparrow at the bath. So warm the Anoles were
sticking their heads out of the cracks in the stone wall
of the house outside. One was heavilly shedding. I saw
a young female Eastern Fence Lizard run up to a bee on the
ground, mouth it, and release it. It was not stung, just
decided against it, perhaps from experience. The northerlies
from the front hit in the evening after dark, just light
winds and no rain yet.
Dec. 8 ~ Ran about the same as yesterday, about 37-72dF. We
went up to Lost Maples for a walk, about 9 to 1:30. Did maybe
1.5 miles each way up Can Creek to past the second pond a bit.
Saw a few Kestrel and a couple Red-tailed Hawk on the way up the
valley. Not many sparrows along road. At the trailhead parking
lot feeding station one White-tipped Dove flew off. A fair
number of little flocks with a few Titmouse and often a couple
Chickadee were encountered. Ruby-crowned Kinglets with most
of those flocklets, at least four Hutton's Vireo seen with
the flocks, heard a couple Orange-crowned Warbler but not a Myrtle.
The flocklet at the second pond had at least two Golden-crowned
Kinglet chasing around together. A Green Kingfisher was at the
second pond, looked a hatch-year (imm.) female to me. Had great
looks at Olive Sparrow at the brushy (lower) end of the main
big (first) pond, there were two together, at times on the mud
and one went into the cattails. Heard Scrub-Jay and Canyon Wren,
couple Ladder-backed Woodpecker, saw one Black Vulture and 2
Common Raven. saw two and heard another Hermit Thrush.
Weird walking through the place and seeing no flowers, butterflies,
dragonflies, or herps (reptiles and amphibians). Actually did
manage to muster one Sleepy Orange butterfly, and one Autumnal
Meadowhawk dragonfly. Mayflies were very few and far between.
Still some color on a few of the Buckley Oaks, but it is mostly
over and out. Maples are done, only a few Lacey Oaks with a
little yellow left. The Buckley are often great to late Dec.,
I think the drought did them in early this year. Heard a couple
different chip notes that got away. One sounded like a Pine
Warbler. It is amazing how loud people are on the trail. You
would think they are trying to be heard in a high school hallway.
You can watch your flocklets melt into the background away from
the trail as the noise bubble goes by. The one time I said
something (humorously of course) Mr. Muscles got louder and
made more noise, of course. Citiots.
Dec. 7 ~ We ran about 37-72dF for a temp spread, sunny and nice.
Took a couple hour spinaround noonish, primarily to look for the
Woodcock at the park. No love there, came up empty. In the
woods, heard an Orange-crowned Warbler, saw a few Myrtle and one
Audubon's Warbler, one Hermit Thrush. On way out of park
there was a Pyrrhuloxia in the deco garden under the entrance
sign. Then over by the Methodist Church there was another one
right in town. Looks a good winter for them here this year.
Though they are resident in the brush country just south of us,
they are only a winter visitor here. My question is are these
wintering birds that invade most winters from close, or far?
Then we checked the pond on the golf course by Waresville. I
had a quick look at a Sora, which is a great bird locally, I have
only seen a few here. It flushed and plopped down in the water
momentarily before disappearing into the reeds. I would
presume it is the one we glimpsed a couple weeks ago since
they are so scarce here. Other things there were an Eastern
Meadowlark, the 45 or so Red-winged Blackbird continue, one
Wilson's Snipe. Plus about 6 Autumnal Meadowhawk dragonflies.
This is the imm. Zone-tailed Hawk wintering locally,
apparently roosting at the park (Dec. 11, 2019). I would
not be surprised if this is a locally hatched bird.
And now for just a little more squirming I wish I could see... ;)
This is a whole bird shot of the mystery bird posted three weeks ago.
Not the greatest on the head, but, the pic shows a definitive character
which absolutely proves the ID. Hint: the key definitive character
shown is the species specific epitaph.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Dec. 6 ~ A front came through at daybreak with northlies
but dry and not cold. Low was 50dF and it got up to 75 or so.
Pretty breezy. Did not see anything different around yard.
Town run and park check did not turn up the Woodcock. It could
be on the island where unless at near edge (like when I spotted
it the other day) we can't see much. There was a pair of
Gadwall on the pond, the FOS I have seen this fall. One Coot
and 1 or 2 Pied-billed Grebe was it. Not much moving. A few
Myrtle Warbler, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Guess I need to get
out and look somewhere else. I see some color on some Red Oaks
now, the last big hurrah of fall color. Out west at dusk that
is Venus shining bright, with Saturn up above it.
Dec. 5 ~ It was light northerly flow and mid-40's dF about
2 a.m., whence southerly flow got here warming to low 50's
by sunup, and fog followed shortly after. The gulf flow.
Today will be excruciating knowing there is a Woodcock at
the park and I have to be here at desk in office. Town
run tomorrow so will just have to bear the pain. I hope
I make it. Saw the two Rufous Hummers, the 2 Myrtle
Warbler, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, no doubt the same one each
Robin and Am. Goldfinch. Heard the Robin squawking over
in the corral at dusk so it is roosting there, then hits the
top of the big pecan to squawk at first sun every morning.
Saw a Checkered White and a Variegated Fritillary fly across
the yard.
Dec. 4 ~ Another nice sunny one, about 38-74 for a temp
spread. It was the same gang around the house save one
orange-billed immature White-crowned Sparrow. Probably
a western Gambell's type. We get a few regularly.
I had to run to town to get Sunflower seed, so a look at
the park. Not seeing the Wilson's Warbler, it may
have bugged out due to the lack of bugs. It was here mid-Sept.
to mid-November or so. The returning Black-and-white Warbler
we had several years there did that the last year it was
there. Returned again for a couple months in fall, but
the extreme drought meant no bugs and it left, it did not
stick for the winter. You have to be flexible.
However up on the island in the woods there was one rather
rotund bit of excitement. A WOODCOCK! Timberdoodle!
Best hunter's name ever for a bird. It was shady and
I had to jack ISO up to grainy but got a couple fuzzy
docushots anyway. It was doodling about the timber.
Once it jumped up on a log upslope from where it was,
at least 16" of upward motion, which it did by hopping
with both legs at once, wings remaining closed. It doodled
right over that fallen timber. Whaddabird. This is the
fifth one I have had here. Now three of my sightings form
a date cluster of Dec. 4, Dec. 5, and Dec. 9, giving a clear
signal of arrival timing. Considering detection rates
of Woodcock, certainly having seen 5 here, many more have
occurred. Most folks would say we don't see 10% of them.
It is one of the most easily overlooked birds in America.
You can look straight at one and not see it.
A funny thing is that on the way into the park Little Creek
Larry was at the spillway, I told him I was going into
the woods to look for a Woodcock. Darn if he wasn't
gone when I came back out. When Kathy and I checked it
Sunday a few days ago, I said to her, watch out for Woodcock.
Ya see, my Birdinator ™ software had been pinging me.
Which then gives me bird pangs. It is the most amazing app,
it called the bird days before it got there when it was still
on its way!
A fresh Texan Crescent butterfly was in the woods. A
genetic dead-end due to mis-timed emergence due to the
warmth. One Green Darner dragonfly flew by over the pond.
Later afternoon at the house I heard Cranes going south.
Dec. 3 ~ We were 28dF this morn, NOAA had forecast 37 for
KRVL, where they were 30, most of a category off, again.
Single Robin, American Goldfinch, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
plus the same two (daily) Myrtle Warbler were it early.
Mid-morn an Orange-crowned Warbler was around, surely
the one Kathy saw last week, our one winterer apparently.
Hit the mid-70's in the afternoon, I saw KRVL at 77dF!
Which means about a 45dF diurnal temp spread. The seed
eaters are not as tied to our place when it is nice out,
they seem to forage in the natural habitats all around more.
Which are mostly pretty weedy and seedy. Plus the
imm. Sharpy and Cooper's Hawks were about as usual.
Dec. 2 ~ About 7 a.m. it was 31dF, I saw an hour earlier
KRVL had a 28dF. So a sunny chilly morning. One Robin
was squawking from up top of the big pecan at first sun.
Mid-morn I had one lone blackbird fly over that looked
like a Rusty (bare-eyed). Always key in on lone blackbirds.
Otherwise it seemed the usual cast. Got up to about 66dF
in the afternoon, dry, sunny, nice. I was of course
inside stuck on the computer at the desk working. A
whopping 3 species of butterflies visited the one Lantana
that still has a few flowers: Gulf Fritillary, American
Lady, and Sleepy Orange. Saw both Rufous Hummingbird,
and the big herd of Cardinal (30+).
December 1 ~ Meteorological winter starts today, though
climatological starts the 21st on the solstice. December
through February are meteorological winter. The cool air
from the front finally arrived, 45dF for a low with breezy
north winds on it. Sunny and nice though, warmed up to
mid-60's dF in the afternoon. Was all the same gang
around the casita. We took a couple hour spinabout in the
afternoon.
Just down the road a hundred yards we had a Long-billed
Thrasher fly across in front of us. Nothing at Utopia Pk.,
it is dead a lot lately, methinks no bugs. There was one
Audubon's Warbler and that was it for passerines. We
went out UvCo 355 to look at Little Creek. Right where 355
hits the creek is always good for some reason. A dozen
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck were there. By the ranch
gate there we had a flock of at least 45 American (Water)
Pipit. Also there was a Verdin, always nice to see. It was
not a half-mile from Bandera County where rare. One Towhee
got away that was a male Rufous-sided type, but I can't
tell you if it was Eastern or Spotted, though did not see
any spots. A Belted Kingfisher was on the powerline that
crosses the creek. I heard a couple and saw one Pyrrhuloxia
just south of Little Creek Larry's place. There were some
Field Sparrow around, an adult Red-shouldered Hawk, heard
a White-crowned Sparrow. Lots of Cardinal and Mockingbird,
seemingly everywhere all along all the roads. Did see one
Autumnal and two Variegated Meadowhawk dragonflies, a few
Sleepy Orange butterfly, and one Blanchard's Cricket-Frog.
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ November summary ~ ~ ~
November was fairly dry with a couple inches of precip
if you were lucky when the few cells went by. The river
is way down, dry in many sections up-valley. After the
early freeze in October, there were a few days of freeze
in first half of Nov., the last half was fairly mild.
As for two main key winter wildlife forage items, it is
not a robust Pecan or Hackberry crop year here. Some
trees are good, but many more are not very. Juniper
berry crop looks good though. So, gin it is.
Butterflies were 20 species, and nothing unusual, all just
the last stragglers of the most likely common expected types.
There was no southern invasion this fall. Likely due to the
drought. Odes were 3 species: Green Darner, plus Autumnal
and Variegated Meadowhawk. That was it. Turn out the bug
lights, that party is over for the year.
Birds were fair, probably better than what I saw as there
was not much time for looking. We again skipped Lost Maples
in Nov. due to leaf-peepers. The trails are so loud the birds
move away from them. Mostly Nov. here is about the returning
of the winter species. Everything showing up hasn't
been here since last winter, so a treat to see again. It
was about 16 FOS species I saw over the month, so about
every other day on average, there is a new arrival. Not
much for Robins or Waxwings yet, just a very very few,
same for American Goldfinch and Pine Siskin. Looks like
they sent scouts and since they haven't returned with
good food news they went somewhere else. We have two
Rufous Hummingbird apparently wintering at our feeders.
The only thing really unusual was the Clay-colored Sparrow
that has stayed with the Chipping flock around our place
into late in the month. Don't think I ever had a
November record before, and certainly have no winter
record, so of interest. A second Broad-tailed Hummingbird
for the fall was good Nov. 9-12. A Grasshopper Sparrow late
in month was nice, easy to miss most falls. A flyover
calling Sprague's Pipit is always great from the house.
An Indigo Bunting (1st yr. male) stayed to mid-month, much
later than usual. My FIFTH Black-throated Green Warbler of
the fall here was tardy on Nov. 6. Little Creek Larry had
a male Bufflehead with Ring-necked Ducks at the park after
the big feeze and ice day mid-month. Looks like I saw
about 86 species of birds locally for the month, and a few
others were reported locally. Bird were 108 sps. at peak passage
in September, dialed back to 97 sps. for October, and now
have calmed to 86 sps. in November. See why I like September?
~ ~ ~ end November summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ November update header archive ~ ~ ~
November is when wintering stuff really starts to fill in.
We started with a 26dF low, and the first rare bird
of the month was... a Coot, at the park, on the 1st. Which
might be a bird returning for its third winter there.
There was also a FOS (first of season) Wood Duck there
the 1st. Another FOS on the 1st were 2 Northern Harrier.
FOS on Nov. 2 was Eastern Meadowlark, American Robin, and
White-throated Sparrow. Nov. 4 saw my FOS Rufous-sided,
oops, Spotted Towhee and American Pipit. Nov. 6 there was another
Black-throated Green Warbler here at the bath. Better yet,
late afternoon on the 6th a FOS Sprague's Pipit flew
over giving a few calls. The 9th was my FOS Merlin. The
second Broad-tailed Hummingbird of the fall here was present
Nov. 9-12. We had hard freezes the 12th (chill was 13dF!)
and 13th, windy with highs barely 40dF, so cold season is
here, be prepared (long johns). An FOS Song Sparrow showed
on the 14th. Saw my first Shoveler on the 15th. A male
Wilson's Warbler at Utopia Park a month or two now is
surely a returning winterer, often up in woods or on island.
Saw my FOS Wilson's Snipe on Nov. 16. My FOS Brewer's
Blackbird was Nov. 17. FOS American Goldfinch was the 22nd.
A Grasshopper Sparrow on Nov. 24 is only I have seen this fall.
~ ~ ~ end Nov. header update archive copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
Nov. 30 ~ Another month shot by. We barely knew thee.
It was in the upper 60's dF all night with heavy
fog-mist. The couple day heavy mist total is about .25 of
an inch of precip. The approaching front cleared skies
about noon, rather passively but dry air finally. Got up
to an amazing lower-to-mid 80's dF in the afternoon!
The cold air stalled northward and the temp drop won't
happen until after dark, a roughly 40dF drop overnight to
morning tomorrow. Saw the two Rufous Hummers. Heard
a Long-billed Thrasher over in the corral which is my
first detection here in five weeks. Have to wonder if
related to the prior two that were here a month until
about 24 October, and unseen or heard since.
American Woodcock at Utopia Park Dec 4, 2019.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 29 ~ That was a fast week, eh? Today we spent in
the 60's with drizzle. Pretty soppy out there.
Along 360 saw a small group of Meadowlark which flushed
before I could ID them, and a group of 7 Killdeer, which
are surely migrants from the north that winter hereabouts.
At the park the continuing Coot, and Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
family of 6, and one Green Kingfisher was it. Woods were
dead. Around the yard it all looked the same. Supposed
to stay soppy until tomorrow afternoon when the front is
supposed to pass and clear it out. By dark it was heavy
mist, like about 120% humidity.
Nov. 28 ~ Happy Turkey Day! Hope you had a nice tryptophan.
We ran about 45-58dF for a temp spread, 3 days now mostly
in the 50's. Overcast and humid, on the chilly side,
no rain yet. A Merlin shot over early. The two Rufous
Hummers were here. Saw an adult White-crowned, and had
a quick look at the Clay-colored Sparrow! Amazing it is
still here. Thought I heard a Pine Warbler but didn't
go looking for it. Saw one was reported over near
Bandera over a week ago. It is time for them to show.
Heard some Brewer's Blackbird over in the corral.
Otherwise was the regulars. Couple dozen Cardinal at
minimum, a Caracara, a couple Ground-Dove... sure couldn't
get much stuffing in one of those.
Nov. 27 ~ A weak front came in late yesterday with no
precip but light northerlies. About 49dF this a.m. and
might have made 58dF under the cloud cover. Rain is
said to be inbound Thursday and Friday. I worked about
70 or so Chipping Sparrow when they were down on the
seed, and did not see the Clay-colored Sparrow, just
one adult White-crowned and a Field for other types.
Nov. 26 ~ A low of 60dF, and some sprinkles first half
of morning. A tracelet of precip. I heard the
White-throated Sparrow again, so it is around but not
up for photos apparently. Saw the two Rufous Hummers.
Too busy with work to look much today. Short week so
swamped trying to cram it all in.
Nov. 25 ~ A low of 45dF, and by noon it was 80dF! Saw
humidity at KRVL was 11%! Amazing. Great flaming pink
sunrise. Saw one American Goldfinch at the sunflower
feeder, first one ON the feeder so far this fall. Have
lots to do in this short week, and now there is rain
forecast Thursday when I hoped to sneak in a lookabout.
The two Rufous Hummingbird were here, the rest was the
regular repeat offenders. Looking like late fall out
there, lots of sticks (bare trees). We can see the
Cypress along the river from the living room sofa again
now that the pecans are bare.
Nov. 24 ~ Saw 35dF around sunup. That birdbath water
is cold first thing. When ya get back in from it and
the 7 a.m. (ya gotta love these late sunrises) seed toss,
you do not need a handle on the coffee mug. Mostly
the same gang around the house, but Kathy saw an
Orange-crowned Warbler at the bath, I have not seen
one in at least a couple weeks. A small group of about
10 American Goldfinch came by briefly. Thought I heard
the White-throated Sparrow. Saw both Rufous Hummingbird,
the adult male and ad. female are both still here.
We took a spin around for a couple hours mid-day.
At UP there was the family of 6 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
(I must have missed one young a couple times) that has
been there a couple weeks. Saw the Pied-billed Grebe,
missed the Coot. Below spillway were two Lesser
Goldfinch, most of which are gone a few weeks now,
they have become very scarce as usual once it gets
cold and starts freezing. A few stay around feeders.
Seems like there are very few bugs around, both in the
woods, and along the riveredge. It's the drought.
The Buckley (aka Spanish or Red) Oaks are getting some
color on the ridges now, mostly yellows to oranges, but
they will turn real red in a week or two.
We checked the cattail pond on the golf course by the
Waresville Cmty. Great was a Grasshopper Sparrow we
had great views of, only one I have seen this fall.
A male Pyrrhuloxia also flew in to one of the little
hackberries and offered views. About 45 Red-winged
Blackbird is a big uptick in their numbers here now.
I had a glimpse of a white butt disappearing into the
reeds that looked like a Sora's arse to me. It
got away. We saw a few Autumnal and Variegated Meadowhawk.
Then we cruised UvCo 361 south of our place a couple
miles. No hawks, no water, hardly any sparrows, no
Say's Phoebe. Saw a couple Kestrel, a couple
Shrike, at least 20 Common Raven in a big tight flock,
some Field Sparrow, 50 Brewer's Blackbird, and at
end of road one Spotted Towhee and a Rufous-crowned
Sparrow.
There were a few butterflies along 361 in the warm
low to mid 70's dF warmth. At least a half-dozen
Orange Sulphur were the first I have seen all month.
Kathy thought she had a Mestra. There were Gulf and
Variegated Fritillary, a few Sleepy Orange, a couple
American Lady, and a Comm. Checkered-Skipper. One
Dogface flew across the yard later. The butterflies
and odes are all but over for the year. It is a long
wait until they get good again. March and April for
butterflies, April and May for odes. Winter is for
working on the pix you took of them from spring to fall.
Nov. 23 ~ Low was 38dF in wake of the dry for us cold
front. Sunny and got up to 73dF or so in afternoon.
Pretty darn nice, and dry air too. Sharp-shinned and
Cooper's Hawks are harrassing everything. Heard
American Goldfinch again overhead, saw 30 some Brewer's
Blackbird. Only saw the male Rufous Hummingbird today.
Trees are sure getting leafless. Got a chigger, sure
was nice to go without any for over a month. These
winter ones always seem like they must be pissed off.
They irritate right away when they go in. Must have
been waiting forever for an idiot to walk by. Always
get a few in winter from walking in dry grass. Had a
distant view of a Zone-tailed Hawk moving along the ridge
behind us. Had one of the small sphinx moths buzz me
when I was smoking pipe just at dark.
Hey Imma let you squirm another week on the mystery bird.
Hope you don't mind.
This is a male Indigo Bunting, presumably a first fall
bird. I never got to study these over a winter and
watch them change into blue. This is a pretty spiffy
plumage, a blue-spotted bunting. The earliest young
we get out of the nest are in mid-late May. So this
bird (photo Oct. 15) could be about 5 months old.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 22 ~ Was about 67dF all night until about 6 a.m.
when the cold front arrived. Was about 52dF by 8 a.m.
with breezy north winds, but not a real strong blow.
In the morning I had 5 calling American Goldfinch fly
over, my FOS for them. In town at the park I flushed
about 10 Wood Duck out of the slough in the woods,
and a couple Blue Jay were there. Saw Little Creek
Larry. He said the day after the ice (would be 13th)
there was a small flock of Ring-necked Duck at the
park with one Bufflehead amongst them! The buffle
is a great fall bird here. He also mentioned he was
still seeing a White-tailed Kite out 355 toward Little
Creek. Heard a Barn Owl right after dark. At dusk
there is a great conjunction of Venus and Jupiter very
close together, low to the southwest, with Saturn higher
over them a little southward. Nice.
Nov. 21 ~ A low if you can call it that of 66dF, in
strong southerly flow ahead of the next front to hit
tomorrow morning. Cloudy, breezy, might sprinkle,
and not hot or cold. Saw the imm. fem. Cooper's
Hawk out there, the seed eaters are nervous. The
White-winged Dove have barely been around. Too many
attempts, they departed for safer grounds. I see
some in town. Otherwise the same gang. Golden-fronted
and Ladder-backed Woodpecker are working the pecans.
Not much for a crop this year, some for wildlife,
but in our yard with 7 decent trees we got about zip.
Some trees around town seem to have done well though.
Nov. 20 ~ Low was about 62dF! Maybe a little mist,
very damp. But not cold. We have low-end chances
for rain for a couple days, which usually means we
don't get much but drizzle-mist, but so, it is
wettish out. Stuck at the desk in office anyway. No
matter. Still raining leaves, it was 20 mph winds
with gusts to 30 from the south for a few hours.
All the birds I saw were the same gang. Sharpy was
floating around.
Few things make birding harder than falling leaves.
We are so keyed in on picking up motion, and this
just totally screws that. We also key on color,
and that is shot too. You have to mentally re-calibrate
to just key on motion other than the leaf motion.
More easily said than done. It would be easier if
the falling leaves didn't look so darn pretty.
The leaves generally have a certain pattern of motion,
so you dial that in as the standard, and then run your
search pattern app for non-standard movements.
Nov. 19 ~ About 40dF and foggy at sunup, but burned off
mostly by 10 or so, making for a nice sunny day. We were
around 75 by noon. It was a work day, as they all are,
so didn't see but the usual gang outside. Saw only
Chipping, Lincoln's, and Field Sparrow, but did not
work the flock hard. The two Rufous Hummers were around.
Too busy to bird. There ought to be a law... ;)
It is raining leaves as it turns to sticks out there.
Hackberries, and even the Maples for that matter, vary
tremendously as to what colors they turn as they change
in fall. Some of our hackberries turn brown, some nearly
black, others a great yellow. A guy here that knows
things told me there is a genetic reason certain maples
are always red no matter what every fall, while others
are not. Seems the same with Hackberries. It is more
than just environmental as seen by different trees in
different colors, side by side, repeatedly year after year.
There is a Maple at Lost Maples they call 'old faithful'
because it turns flaming red no matter what every year.
Drought or floods, or how it gets cold (fast or slow,
wet or dry), doesn't matter, it is the same color
every year.
Nov. 18 ~ A 36dF low was nearly chilly. Got up to an
outstanding 75 or so! Sunny, skies bluer than you ever
see spring to fall when humidity in the air. After the
FOS at last light yesterday, a flock of 20+ Brewer's
Blackbird flew by southbound. They are back. A couple
Robin were at the bath. Heard the Lark, and saw one ad.
White-crowned Sparrow. Have not been seeing the Inca Dove
lately but still a couple Ground-Dove around. Besides
office work, got some more outside and yard stuff done
whilst not too hot or cold. Harder to do now that we go
straight from summer to winter with just a wee bit o' fall
between.
Nov. 17 ~ A 42dF low was a big warmup. Overcast early.
In the morning saw two adult and one imm. White-crowned,
and a couple ea. Lincoln's and some Field Sparrow
amongst the Chippies. Some dang House Sparrow too.
The two Rufous Hummingbird continue. Had a flock of
Meadowlark fly over, but no calls for any IDs. A N.
Harrier went by too. They might have been connected.
Couple Myrtle Warbler, a Kinglet or two, 3-4 Pine Siskin
flew over calling. Must be a non-local Golden-fronted
Woodpecker out there because the male was chasing the
dickens out of one to get it out of the yard pecans.
Worked on stuff here all day, it got up to a wonderful
70dF late in day when sun finally showed. Last light
I heard then saw my FOS Brewer's Blackbird fly over
(two) heading west toward wherever they roost is.
Nov. 16 ~ A chilly 26dF low. This second front was
so weak of wind or rain as to be barely noticeable,
but it packed a cold punch. I took a couple hour
spin-around mid-day. At the golf course pond by
Waresville I saw my FOS Wilson's Snipe, a
Savannah Sparrow, about 10 Red-winged Blackbird, and
one male Common Grackle which departed alone. I had
several random Myrtle Warbler flocks, one at the
county-line crossing just NW of town, another near the
Utopia Hill Ranch cattleguard, another at the Spring
Branch crossing, totalling about 40 Myrtles, plus two
Audubon's. No Orange-crowned around, the cold
may have pushed them out. A big influx of Myrtles.
As were the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, about a dozen
were seen in the same three flocks. No Pine Warbler
yet. At least a dozen Eastern Bluebird were at the
Spring Branch crossing. Water sure is low, just wet
holes. A mile past that crossing a Canyon Towhee was
in an area of big brush piles. A couple flyover flocks
of Meadowlark were seen, out of one group I heard
only Eastern and out of the other only several Western
called. Saw a Zone-tailed Hawk just south of town
which looked like the one I got a grabshot of at the
park a week or so ago. It is an immature. Wonder
if it was locally hatched, so then one that is still
here hanging? Probably. Most if not all of my prior
wintering birds are adults. We'll see if it sticks.
The local breeding birds seem to depart in fall as the
regular near-daily sightings over the town or yard cease,
in October.
Here is a quiz bird. It jumped when I shot and the
head was cut off,
This was not intentional.
Prior, got a couple shots of the whole bird.
It is a
scarcely seen plumage so I thought maybe fun or interesting.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 15 ~ A weak front went through yesterday late
which cleared it out finally, and we had a 28dF low.
Was 45 by 10 a.m., which feels great. The whole few
days event precip might have been .25 of an inch.
But lots of real cold. Finally broke not just 50dF but
60dF this afternoon! Local stations were reading
61, 63, and 65dF about 3 p.m., the thrill of it all.
Opened up, warmed and dried out the house and cottage.
Town run fer errands. One female Shoveler was the
excitement at the park, first I have seen this fall,
though Little Creek Larry said he had a few a month
or so ago. The Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, and male
Wilson's Warbler continue. Here at the hovelita
the Song Sparrow was heard a few times, finally seen
again late, so still about. Heard the White-throated
Sparrow a couple times, saw the one remaining Lark Sparrow,
one adult White-crowned and the Clay-colored Sparrow, a
hundred Chipping, couple Field, and late one Lincoln's
Sparrow showed. Eight species of sparrow in the yard
today here at sparrowtopia. There are Vesper, Savannah,
and Rufous-crowned within a mile or less. And surely
others around as well. The two Rufous Hummers are only
hummers here now. Had a couple Myrtle Warbler and a
couple Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Hermit Thrush, and
Kathy had a few Robin at the bath while I was in town.
Nov. 14 ~ About 40dF for a low was nice, to not be
freezing. A bit of drizzle in morn. Outstanding was
a FOS Song Sparrow on the seed out the office window.
It is the first I have seen in the yard in 6 years
here, only had one in yard before, Nov. of '13.
They are so strictly of riverside (or pondedge) habitat
here, they are absent 500 yards away. Heard my second
Golden-crowned Kinglet of the fall. Saw one adult
White-crowned and the Clay-colored Sparrow today.
Hear the Rufous Hummers, the big green one seems to have
departed. It was a Broad-tailed. Smart to keep going.
We have been at or below 40dF for most of 3 days now.
This is way early in season for this cold of an event
(mid-20's with chills below 15dF) for this duration.
Hope it is not a sign. Average for now is low 70's
for highs. I saw a good solid 47dF in the afternoon today.
Great to be out of the 30's!
Nov. 13 ~ About 31dF for a low, and the winds were
fairly calm to very light, so not as bad as yesterday
morn. Overcast and chilly. Saw the imm. Sharpy out
there. Heard the hummers. Fortunately it is a desk
day, near a heater. It might have gotten up to 38dF
or so peak heat, but supposed to hold fairly steady
and not freeze in the morning. Two days of 30's!
I think it did break some earliest ever cold records
in central Texas. Over a hundred cold records were
broken over east half of U.S.
No Lincoln's Sparrow again today, amazing, they
must have left. There were three for several days up
to Sunday. In the afternoon I did see two adult and
one imm. White-crowned Sparrow at once. After 4 p.m.
I picked the Clay-colored Sparrow out of the Chippies,
so it is still here, but no Indigo Bunting. This is
my latest staying Clay-colored here ever (n~16 falls).
The Rufous Hummers were around, not sure I had the apparent
Broad-tailed though besides thinking I heard it in the
morning. Wasn't outside much though, was not a
day for lollygagging about out there.
Nov. 12 ~ Low was about 26dF, I saw at 8:30 KRVL was
25dF with a chill factor of 13! It's lovely out,
come on down. Saw the hummers out there early after
checking feeders, bird bath was iced over, wind still
blowing but we seemed to have missed most of the precip.
It was about .2 here. But a little ice on the porch
where roof dripped. Windows are fogged, gonna be hard
to see stuff out there. Icicles got about 3" long
from the mist-drizzle along the eaves. It really
warmed up, just after noon it was a sizzling 28dF.
Arctic air. Extra bird seed rations today. The
Chipping Sparrow count I would put at a hundred now.
They really thickened up in the last couple days.
Late afternoon saw an adult White-crowned Sparrow,
briefly bare-eyed, it seemed to have an orange bill.
Did not see the Indigo Bunting or the Clay-colored
Sparrow. It allegedly got up to about 40dF, but was
below freezing again by 7 p.m., gonna be a long cold
night.
Nov. 11 ~ Low was about 65dF, warm moist southerly flow
being sucked up in front of the cold front inbound.
I saw 5 Robin early, then a bit later Kathy had 11 birds
fly over high she thought were Robins. Saw the big
hummer again, still looks Broad-tailed, still no good
looks or pix, again I heard soft Broadie chips though.
Mid-morn I first heard, then saw the adult
White-throated Sparrow (white-striped morph), which
is surely the one that showed up here Nov. 2 and I
have thought I heard a few times since then. Sure
love to have one stick for a winter, or at least a
picture. These white-striped adults are one of the
prettiest birds in America. That head is spectacular.
The front hit after 1 p.m. and when the first major gusts
arrived it was a blizzard of yellow leaves. Thousands
of them at once from the Pecans, Hackberry, and Mulberry,
it was incredible. By 3 p.m. KRVL was 39dF with a chill
of 30 with light rain. Supposed to blow all night until
the morning. Will look a different place out there
tomorrow. At midnight it was 29dF or so, and some of that
'unknown winter precip' was falling. Some seemed
like ice pellets, some was sleet, some seemed pretty close
to flaky.
Nov. 10 ~ Was 45-65dF for a temp spread, cloudy all day,
front coming in tomorrow. Worked on stuff here mostly,
supposed to get real windy and real cold. Also spent an
inordinate amount of time watching hummer feeders. We
saw the big green one a few times, and I got some shots,
far and high against a white-gray sky, am not sure of any
ID help, unless you do shape and structure. I still think
it is a Broad-tailed, especially because I heard some soft
Broad-tail chips. It is too white below for an Anna's,
has a big bill, and a big long rear-body, tail, and big wings.
Kathy saw it near last light so another chance for study
tomorrow. I saw the rusty Indigo Bunting again. Great
was a FOS Golden-crowned Kinglet, a couple Ruby-crowned were
around, one Orange-crowned Warbler and a male Yellow-rumped
Warbler that was an intergrade. Was at the park briefly
to 'free Willie' and saw the 5 Whistling-Ducks
still there. I acclimated and returned a Red-breasted
Sunfish I had raised from under 2" to about 6",
back into the pond below the dam from whence he came.
Nov. 9 ~ Low about 45dF, high was maybe 71 or so, sunny,
pretty darn nice out. In the a.m. there were at least
3 Robins here in the yard, first day with more than one.
An imm. fem. Cooper's Hawk was sitting on the power
pole over in corral. When it left, it was about 60 yards
out, just past the road out front, a FOS Merlin buzzed it!
Kathy had seen something shoot by earlier, very near the
Coop, surely this was it. It must have been soaring around
with an eye peeled, and when the Coop left, it strafed it!
Ya gotta love a Merlin! I could hear the wind in the
Merlins wings as it stooped, it was doin' a hundred
when it buzzed by the Coop. Too cool. The Coop thinks
it is all that, Mr. Bad, and owns the place, and here comes
a bullet by so fast, it could only dream of achieving
such speeds.
Went to town and checked park again. The Coot remains.
Nothing in the woods. A few Myrtle Warbler and Chipping
Sparrow up by entrance live-oaks. Butterfly garden was
dead, a few Gray Hairstreak, one Pipevine, one Sleepy Orange,
one Am. Lady. Pitiful. But Big Ern was in town so I
left happy, with a pound of BBQ pork. Talk to ya after
the siesta. It is really looking fall out there, lots
of stuff is yellow and the Cypresses are really getting
really rusty now. Not seeing anything on the Red Oaks yet,
the real sure thing annual color show here. Some of the deco
Maples around town and along 187 are looking good. I hear
so-so for color at Lost Maples. As you read here first
back in mid-October. ;)
The two Rufous Hummers were here, and are the only species
here the last few weeks. Until... nearing last light a
big hummingbird was on the feeder out office window. Too
little light to ID it! I hate when that happens. Green
above, and big. It was either Broad-tailed or Anna's.
Obviously way bigger than a Ruby-throat or Black-chinned.
Hope to nail it down in the morning. Looked like a
Broad-tailed.
Behold! The great Mockerdini! Able to mimic other
birds at a level fooling expert birders so well as to
have had some bolt out of the house in just skivies and bins.
This of course is the state bird of Texas, and several
other states, a Northern Mockingbird. This might be
what keeps you up at night singing in summer, those
are mostly unmated males. Sometimes they will do this
wing-flash to flush insects up out of the grass.
This one was at the bird bath, so perhaps narcissistic.
Actually I think this was likely a method of checking
the water for hidden predators. Wing-flash it. Ten
times. Finally it actually went to bath edge and drank.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 8 ~ About 40dF for a low, drizzly, light showers, at
least the wind laid down. By 10 a.m. there was a little
less than a centimeter of new precip, from the overnight
and early morn. We are a bit under an inch then since
yesterday, about .8. NOAA radar shows under .2 for here.
Sometimes it is close, other times way way off, due to
the hills, and somewhat, the nature of the rain. I would
go .85 by the afternoon for precip total here since yesterday.
Heard the two Rufous Hummers out there early. Amazing
was seeing a Clay-colored Sparrow and an Indigo Bunting.
It is surely the latest Clay-colored date I have here,
and the one here the last couple days of October. Never
had one winter here yet so far (n~16). The Bunting is
surely the rusty one of the two here a couple days ago.
Both are great late dates. Town run in the drizzle, so a
park check. A great late date was a family group of five
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 2 adults, 3 juveniles. I
have not seen any here for months. The Coot continues.
A Zone-tailed Hawk was sitting in the Cypress trees across
the pond at the park. Must have been a hawk through
the woods, they were dead. At the south end of the island
in the tangle was the male Wilson's Warbler, amazingly
back wintering for its second winter here.
Nov. 7 ~ Some drizzle and about 67dF for a low, a front
is inbound. Thought I heard the White-throated Sparrow
out there early at first seed toss. Heard an Audubon's
Oriole whistling out there early morning. Front got here
before noon with a little bit of rain and wind. There went
the high temp for the day. The first blast of wind rained
yellow leaves off the pecans. By the afternoon the rain
seemed to have mostly passed, we got a half-inch, which
is great. About 3 p.m. temps were upper 40's, chills
in lower 40's, and dropping. The two adult Rufous
Hummers were around, male and female. The rest was the
same gang. Saw one Queen early before the front hit.
The Mulberry is really yellow and dropping leaves now,
and so are many of the pecans, and some of the hackberries.
Some of the Cypress along river are going rusty, others
still greenish but yellowing.
Nov. 6 ~ Low was 69dF, was cooler at 11 p.m. last night.
A moist tropical airmass is over us, again. Sure could
use some rain. Front due in tomorrow morning. Saw a
N. Harrier go over low again about 9 a.m. A Kinglet
(Ruby) was trying to go to the bath but the crowd of
Cards made it too nervous. Just after 11:30 Kathy spotted
a Black-throated Green Warbler coming into the bath!
This is the FIFTH one I have seen locally this fall,
surely the best showing in 16 falls. It was the start
of a bathing frenzy which lasted 10 minutes. Amazing
was two Indigo Buntings coming in, females methinks an
adult and an immature which were interacting, well
sorta fighting. Kathy asked if that suggested they
were related. I reminded her we must not be anthropomorphic
in our animal behavior interpatations. Those were the
first two Indigos in a week, and running on the tardy
side for them here. Got pix of the buntings and the warbler.
Otherwise slow until just before 5 p.m. when I was outside
and heard first, then looked up to see a Sprague's Pipit
right overhead, which continued calling a couple more times
as it flew off. Probably came up off the grass airstrip.
Always a great bird from the yard. I have worked hard
for them many a time before. So I would say the day
ahead of the front was very good. I bet there was more
good stuff out there, like at the park. Stuck at the desk
on Wednesdays and Thursdays here.
Nov. 5 ~ It was about 60dF at midnight, and 65 by dawn.
Mostly cloudy, got up to about 76dF. There was nothing
goin' on around the yard most of the day. A pile of
plucked White-winged Dove feathers over under the big
Mulberry tree indicated why. One of the accipters was
here. It should be gone a couple days now anyway. It
was the deadest day here for birds in months. Saw a
couple Queens on the Blue Mist Eupatorium. Counted at
least 45 Chipping Sparrow, only saw one imm. White-crowned
Sparrow, no adults, no White-throated, one Lark Sparrow,
a few Field. Heard Screech-Owls and Barred Owl after dark.
Nov. 4 ~ About 47dF for a low is fine. Mostly sunny is
nice too. When tossing seed first thing I heard a FOS
Rufous-sided Towhee upslope behind us from the Agarita
under the live-oaks. Saw one imm. White-crowned Sparrow
and neither adult White-crowned or White-throated.
About 10:30 or so at least a couple FOS American (was
called Water) Pipit flew over. I missed a hawk heading
south fast. Heard a Kestrel out there. Noonish there
was one of the Aellopos Sphinx moths (Hummingbird Hawkmoth)
on the Blue Mist Eup but when I got back with camera it was
gone and never came back. Other things on the Blue Mist
were a Monarch, a Gray Hairstreak, an American Lady, a
Sachem and a Clouded Skipper. One Cloudless Sulphur was
bouncing around yard again, a Little Yellow went by.
Heard a Kinglet (Ruby), an Orange-crowned Warbler and
a Myrtle Warbler. Since warm out I caught the Anole
inside the cottage the last week since it got cold,
and put it outside. Both adult Rufous Hummer still here,
male and female. Saw 3 Lincoln's Sparrow at once
out the office window, within 8' of each other.
Nov. 3 ~ Another 35dF low, clear and sunny. Heard the Robin
early morn, it must have roosted in the corral Hackberries.
I did not see the White-throated or the adult White-crowned
Sparrow. I did see TWO imm. White-crowned Sparrow. Turnover.
I'll have the passerine turnover please. The Chipping
Sparrow flock is 40+ birds now, and there are at least 3
Lincoln's Sparrow around the yard. Saw a Field
Sparrow with the Chippies, no Clay-colored, one Lark
Sparrow, a couple each Ground-Dove, and Inca Dove. One
Myrtle Warbler was at the bath briefly, heard another later.
Still the two adult Rufous Hummers here, male and female.
Butterflies on the Blue Mist Eup were a Clouded Skipper,
a Queen, an American Lady, and a Gray Hairstreak. One
Cloudless Sulphur blasted past. One Swift Setwing dragonfly
still out there. Got up to low 70's dF briefly at peak
heat around 4 p.m. Worked on things around here that need
doing before it gets too cold out.
Nov. 2 ~ A 35dF low is chilly but warm compared to yesterday.
Around 9:30 my FOS Meadowlarks flew low over the patio and
house, a couple dozen at least. The only flight notes I
heard were Eastern Meadowlark. The biggest ID problem is
back. In muted fresh plumage they can be tough when silent.
Mid-morn a lone Robin called from the front yard, my FOS.
Four Pine Siskin were on the seed out back, first in yard
this fall, though our FOS were two at Garner last Sunday,
Oct. 27th. There were TWO White-crowned Sparrow out back.
I presume the first adult from a couple days ago stuck and
another showed up. The second bird is an immature, both
are the default type here, eastern nominate leucophrys.
Then shortly before noon there was an adult White-throated
Sparrow, FOS, which was the much sharper looking IMHO
white-striped morph with a big yellow lore, such a striking
head. Audubon's Oriole went through the yard a couple
times. We walked out on the road for an hour noonish. Lots
of Chipping Sparrow, some Field, several Lincoln's, one
Vesper, lots of Cardinals, a few Mockingbird, some Lesser
Goldfinch, Carolina Wren and Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse,
the usual gang. Thought I heard a Long-billed Thrasher.
After we got back I heard the Pyrrhuloxia across the road.
I ran to town late in the afternoon, today was the annual craft
fair so it was packed, and surely way worse earlier. Got some
of granny's jellies: Agarita, Mesquite Bean, Dewberry,
and Wild (Escarpment) Cherry. Just drive down the road
and spot granny, it's like utopia. I felt like I
robbed the jelly bank. Checked the park, it was dead at 4 p.m.
but for a few residents and six stinkin' Egyptian Goose.
One Monarch though. Went to the library butterfly garden and a
few butterflies were there. A Queen, a Buckeye, a few Pipevine
Swallowtail, a Sachem and a Whirlabout, a Dusky-blue Groundstreak,
one Painted and 6 American Lady, a Sleepy Orange, man it is a
bad butterfly fall.
Saving the day was a Cerambycid (Longhorn) Beetle, apparently
a Mesquite Borer (Placosternus erythropus). Got pix, was on
Thoroughwort Eupatorium. Have not seen one in a number of years
locally, probably a decade or so. My only photos were at Big
Springs Ranch above Leakey, and low res, so this was great to have
one drunk on Eupatorium and not care about my lens 2" away.
It appeared to be raking the flowers with its front legs and
then wiping them off on mouth. There were also a few Ailanthus
webworm moths on the Eup.
This is a Mesquite Borer (Placosternus erythropus), one of the
Longhorn (Cerambycid) beetles. Methinks we are safe calling this
a bee mimic. I have seen them with bright red-orange legs.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Nov. 1 ~ We were welcomed to November with ice on the birdbath.
It was about 26.5dF at 8 a.m.! One local in town said they
had 26 as well. KRVL showed a 25 briefly! Cold all morn.
At least it did warm into lowest 60's later afternoon.
Did not see anything unusual around the yard, but two FOS
Northern Harrier flew over low at treetop level, both immatures.
Town run day. At the post office when I got out of car there
was an Audubon's Oriole singing and calling up top in the
sun on the big live-oak at NE corner of parking lot. Man it is
like utopia here. Checked the park and it was slow but for a
couple low-end FOS's. The FOS Coot there may well be the
bird that wintered the last two years, and as such significant.
If so it is a Maverick Coot, a loner choosing to winter hanging
out with a Pied-billed Grebe. What if the other Coots knew?
They all probably wonder what happens to Fred in the winter.
He is hanging out with a grebe! Their lobed toes match anyway.
The other FOS was Wood Duck calling as it flushed out of the
swampy slough as I walked back into the woods. I heard the
Wilson's Warbler over on the island. There was a small
winter flock of E. Bluebird, Chipping Sparrow, and Myrtle Warbler
up at the live-oaks by the entrance, one Audubon's Warbler
with them. Some Cypress and Pecan trees are still green,
others turning yellow or brown, a few fairly leafless already.
Maxmillian Sunflower is the yellow flower blooming along
riversedge, showing quite well now.
~ ~ ~ October summary ~ ~ ~
The drought continues, we are way behind on water since the
tap turned off in June. Was 1.8" of precip for us here
in October. The river is very low flow, the fall flower
bloom is very restricted, weak blooms from a few species,
mostly those in riverside or flood zone habitats. Pecan
and Hackberry crops are weak, though some trees have fruit
or nuts. Persimmon crop was fair but mostly gone now.
First freeze of the fall was late in month, briefly the
27th, and a good 6 hours on the morning of the 31st.
Butterflies were about 46 species, a very poor showing,
only twice in last 16 falls was it less diversity. There
is no fall flight and invasion from the south this year.
In years of good fall invasions I have had 46 species in
one stop in 45 minutes. Not the whole month. And many
this month were OOI: 'only one individual' seen.
Numbers are way down with the rain and flowers. A few
Laviana White-Skipper were around, which are LTA - less
than annual here, so the highlight of the month. Otherwise
it was just the most expected usual normal common stuff.
Had to scrape for a Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, a Metalmark,
any blue, it was amazing really how few butterflies were
around. There was no big Monarch flight for us here this
year, they missed us too. The FOS Monarch was Oct. 2,
there were no early ones this year. I missed one shiny
satiny white thing that was likely a Florida (Tropical) White.
Odes were a weak showing this month as well. I count
22 species, and it was the statistically most likely.
The first Autumn Meadowhawk of the fall showed up late
in the month. No raries, nothing even scarce, and
the numbers crashed fast early in the month. The ode
season is all but over for the year.
At least the birds were good in October! I am coming
up with about 97 species for the month locally, so not as
much diversity as September, but it was good. The best two
birds were a WOOD THRUSH at the park on the 25th (ph.),
and a LONG-EARED OWL calling for over an hour here the
evening of the 21st. A couple Long-billed Thrasher were
around our place, and we had a couple at Garner S.P.
A Broad-tailed Hummingbird from the last few days of
Sept. made it to Oct. 1 before departing. A few Rufous
Hummingbird are seeming to stick and may well winter.
A couple Black-throated Green Warbler were nice.
~ ~ ~ end October summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ October update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
October started with a couple left-overs from September,
four Rufous (1 may be Allen's), and one Broad-tailed
Hummingbird were at our feeders Oct. 1. The big hummer
blowout finally happened, Oct. 3. Ruby-throats are still
around, but not the ridiculous numbers we had early in the
week. My first Monarch was Oct. 2, a Bell's Vireo was
here on the 3rd. The 4th there was a Black-throated Green
Warbler, and first of fall of both Blue-headed Vireo and
Common Yellowthroat in the yard. October 5th had four FOS
(first of season) sps., virtually all what are 'winter'
species here: Kestrel, House Wren, Lincoln's Sparrow,
and Orange-crowned Warbler. Finally the first front of fall
arrived Oct. 7. My FOS Sharp-shinned Hawk was the 8th.
A White-tailed Kite was reported at Vanderpool on the 8th
(Laura Levy). Two Long-billed Thrasher have been around our
place the last week, one has been present since late August.
The 2nd fall front, a stronger one, hit early a.m. on the 11th,
with a high of about 50dF, 45dF or so colder than the 10th!
On the 12th I saw my FOS Pied-billed Grebe, Vesper Sparrow,
and Myrtle Warbler. Also on the 12th was a great late date
for Common Nighthawk. The 13th we had our FOS Ruby-crowned
Kinglet after probably hearing them a couple days. The
evening of the 15th and pre-dawn on the 16th we got 1.2"
of rain! Saw my FOS Swainson's Hawks (2) liftoff the 16th.
The 18th was the first 'winter flocks' of Myrtle
Warbler, Chipping Sparrow and Eastern Bluebird. The 19th
we had FOS Hermit Thrush, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Pyrrhuloxia.
Late evening the 21st there was a LONG-EARED OWL calling
near our place, among 5 species of owls that evening. My
FOS Cedar Waxwing was a single, on morning of the 22nd.
Major cold front and blow Oct. 24-5, about .6 of rain,
39dF and sub-freezing chill factors morning of 25th.
A WOOD THRUSH at Utopia Park the 25th is the best passerine
vagrant of the fall so far. My FOS Sandhill Crane was the 26th.
Our FOS freeze was an un-forecasted surprise on Oct. 27!
We had two FOS Pine Siskin at Garner S.P., also on Oct. 27.
An adult White-crowned Sparrow was my FOS on Oct. 30.
We had a 5-6 hour freeze (got down to 29dF!) on Oct. 31!
~ ~ ~ end Oct. header archive copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~
Oct. 31 ~ Saw 29dF on the front porch about 8 a.m., KRVL had
the same. Wind chill at KRVL at 9 when 31dF was 22dF. So a
cold end to October with a 5-6 hour freeze. Chilly willy.
Hit 40dF about noon, but with a cold breeze on it. it is like
winter out there. High and low were about 25dF below average.
Heard two Rufous Hummers, two Inca Dove, thought sure I heard
the White-crowned Sparrow too. Should be some raptor, crane,
and goose movement today or tomorrow behind the front. It did
climb into lowest 50's dF later in the afternoon. I saw
the Clay-colored Sparrow in with the Chippies on the patio, the
Lincoln's is hanging around the stick piles. The imm. fem.
Sharp-shinned is still here. At least two adult Rufous Hummingbird
(ma. and fem.) remain present. The LRGV has a Green-breasted Mango!
Oct. 30 ~ It was low 50's dF at midnight, by dawn the
low 40's, with drizzle and mist. Intermittent winds at
10-20mph had the chill factors just over freezing. Not sure
it will warm up much, a stronger front is set to arrive this
afternoon or evening with real rain. As of 5 p.m. or so
it was just over a half-inch of precip (14mm) so far, and that
includes the .14 or so from yesterday. At least the ground
and plants are getting a little water. We sure went from too
hot to too cold quickly. Never got above 43dF, flatlined all
day. By 4 or so the winds got here to seriously advect cold
air, but will keep it from getting too cold. A first of season
for most (barely) freeze is predicted, though we kissed 32 for
two hours last Sunday morning.
Always a great FOS to see was an adult White-crowned Sparrow
on the seed out back! Like seeing an old friend. There was
also a Clay-colored Sparrow in with the Chippies, an imm.,
which is at the tardy end of the fall window for them here.
They pass through in fall, I have never seen one winter locally.
Lincoln's, Lark, and Field Sparrows too makes six species
of sparrows. Now where are that Vesper and Rufous-crowned?
Adult male and female Rufous Hummingbird are here. May have
seen that imm. male as well.
Oct. 29 ~ A shallow cold front moved in dropping temps from
just below 60dF pre-dawn to low-50's shortly after. Might
have gotten to 56dF for a high. No wind, just a thousand foot
thick layer of cold air ahead of a real front tomorrow. So
drizzling a little, a light shower here and there, fairly
fallish for here. Might have been .14 of an inch of precip
over the day. Good weather for being indoors. I will let
you know if anything shows up out the office window behind
the monitor. At the noon seed toss (so exciting here in
Utopia) in the drizzle there was a Mocker singing in the rain.
They will always be there for you, brightening up even a wet
gray day.
Late afternoon in a spent patch of weedy Mexican Hat I was
supposed to cut, there were a Lincoln's Sparrow and
two Orange-crowned Warbler foraging. Weedy patches are great
for birds. Unfortunately people treat them like any dead
branch, get rid of it asap, and remove lots of great bird
habitat in the process. Weedy patches are full of bugs and
seeds, like hedgerows. Heard the Hutton's Vireo out
back in the live-oaks. Counted 17 Turkey over in the corral,
early morning I heard one gobble. They maybe ought to put
the kabosh on that the next few weeks?
Oct. 28 ~ It was in the low 50's around midnight, warmed
into 60's by dawn, and got up to mid-upper 70's dF
for a high. Was too busy working, no migration motion noted.
The adult male and ad. female Rufous Hummingbird were both
here. The rest was the regular gang. Still 2 Lark Sparrow
here with a dozen Chipping and some Field. One Kinglet (Ruby)
and a heard Orange-crowned Warbler. The Inca Dove were out
there, a few Ground-Dove, White-wings might number 35 or so,
Cardinals the same. I heard a Rufous-crowned Sparrow just
upslope behind us again later in afternoon.
Oct. 27 ~ Astonishing was an un-forecasted brief freeze this morn!
NOAA had KRVL for a 41dF low. It was just below 40dF around
6 a.m., but as sun warmed uppermost atmosphere and all that
cold air sunk, we plummeted to 32dF before 8 a.m.! Holy cow!
I saw KRVL had 33dF. It was amazing, I saw dew on surfaces
as light broke, and a while later I noticed it had gotten
colder and had gone to frost! By time I got back to
thermometer it was 32dF and actually freezing! Funny, we
planned to go to Garner S.P. this morning instead of yesterday
because it was going to be a bit warmer low today. Guess again.
Saw an adult male Rufous Hummer at the office feeder early!
Wonder if our bird was gone a few days at a neighbors and came
back? It looked purely Rufous of back like the one that was here.
I don't get why it would be gone a few days and reappear.
It did not sit where the other one sat on the Hackberry.
We were up earlyish to have a look at Garner S.P. as we avoid
it most of the spring and summer due to crowds. It is still
pretty busy with lots of people, a real circus compared to
Lost Maples usually. But Maples is entering its busiest month
due to the leaf lookyloo season, despite there not being
much to see in that regard. Maples is hard to bird with herds
of hominids going by all the time. Be there at opening and
you might get an hour or two, maybe, especially during week.
I can't believe how low Bear Creek Pond is just east of
the 1050 pass (ca. 4 miles west of Utopia). We are wayyyy behind
on rain. One Great Blue Heron and some pigs was it. No ducks.
Fair numbers of Chipping Sparrow flushing up from verges on way,
just like winter. No color to speak of on the hills yet.
At Garner we had one good Chipping Sparrow flock of about a
hundred birds. A few Field Sparrow with them, did not see
a Clay-colored though. Some Bluebirds with them too, one Myrtle
Warbler. Only a couple scattered single Myrtle were heard.
There are more at Utopia Park.
We had a few Rufous-crowned Sparrow calling at various areas
around the park. One Canyon Towhee was at the visitors center
(not HQ), did not see a hummer at the feeders there. Most of
the stuff is working pecans now, and lots crushed on roads.
Pro tip: drive the edges to crush more for them.
Good numbers of White-winged Dove, Cardinal, Chickadees and
Titmice, a few Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker,
Carolina and Bewick's Wren, dozen+ Eastern Bluebird scattered
around, some Lesser Goldfinch, one Red-shouldered Hawk.
Below the spillway at the south end of park we saw a
Green and heard a Ringed Kingfisher. I glimpsed a Black Rock
Squirrel as it dove into, er, the rocks. One Spotted Sandpiper
was on the rocks below the spillway. Sure be a good place
for a vagrant Dipper. Saw a couple Common Raven. Wild Horse Creek
and Madrone Walkway trails were quiet. Persimmon Hill seemed
mostly cleaned out of fruit, missed it by a week or two I'd
guess, but some random others elsewhere still had fruit.
We slowly cruise around listening for flocks, hoping to find
a close place to park, repeat. Parking is quite controlled
so lots of it is hard to cover actually. By noon the campground
loops are more than half cleared out. We did one (Rio Frio) loop
where there is a drawlet that drains into the Frio River (off
southeast corner of that loop). Amazingly perhaps the most common,
the dominant shrub, in the draw is Flame Acanthus! We did not see
any Crimson Patch, or cats, but surely this is ground zero for the
Garner population. It is the biggest wild patch I have found locally.
Many dozens of big old bushes, but only a few flowers left on each
this late in season. In that area Kathy spotted the only Elada Checkerspot
of the month, and so was an Orange Sulphur. There were also two
Long-billed Thrasher calling back and forth (were Persimmons
with fruit there). Great was 2 FOS Pine Siskin! In odes
lots of Green Darner around, a few Variegated and one Autumnal
Meadowhawk was it for dragons and damsels. Acquired a few
obligitory Frio River photos. P.S. later at house a Swift
Setwing was in front yard.
Garner is actually closer to us than Maples, maybe by about
8 minutes on the road. It is a harder windier drive up and
over all the hills of the divide, you really have to watch it
on 1050. Whereas 187 can be driven with eyes closed. Just
kiddin' sherrif. Hwy. 1050 itself is great when the
Buckley Oaks go red later November into December. Garner differs
from Lost Maples primarily in being a citified very manmade
altered park. But there are little jewels scattered about if you
can find them, like Sycamore-leaf Snowbells and the above mentioned
Flame Acanthus. This morning its population was likely twice that
of Utopia, and all of them were out, something you never see here.
LOL. There are a lot of people there. Most of the trails away
from park roads are toward and in earshot of Hwy. 83, which has
big truck traffic. So it is not the feeling of a wild place
or natural wilderness that you get at Maples. Regardless,
there are breeding Golden-cheeked Warbler on the trails,
though long gone this time of year of course. I am sure
Garner gets lots of good birds going through it. Lots. It
is kind of hard to bird though. These river habitat corridors
are major migrant corridors.
Oct. 26 ~ At least the wind quit blowing sometime overnight.
Was about 41dF for a low, nice and brisk, KRVL had 38 for
a bit. Weewow! No migrant motion in yard, the fall party is
about over. I hear the big girl warming up. Yesterday's
Wood Thrush at the park might be the last big hurrah.
The juvenile female Sharp-shinned is still terrorizing
everything here. I saw only the adult fem. Rufous-Allen's
Hummer in the morning. Late afternoon Kathy spotted a new imm.
or female Ruby-throated at a feeder. It looked thrilled to find
it the way it just sat on it forever. I think the Cardinal flock
is 35 or so. Lots of green leaves down. Pecans and acorns
are falling. Cypress are sure turning now, first going yellow,
pecans too, lots of yellow, and lots of leaves down.
I went to the park hoping to get better pix of the Wood
Thrush, but could not refind it. It seemingly was like
most out-of-range (vagrant) Wood Thrush, a one-day wonder.
But we don't know if it was there the day before. They
and Great Crested Flycatcher are two birds famous for not
being there on day 2 when they occur as vagrants west of
their normal ranges. Park woods were dead, heard a Green
King. The first live-oak patch near entrance had a flock
of E. Bluebird, chippies, and Myrtle Warbler.
Checked the library butterfly garden, since so few flowers
around. It is ratty looking but there were a few flowers.
I can't believe they killed some Lantanas. Thought they were
indestructible. Saw a couple Fatal Metalmark, several Gray
Hairstreak and one Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, a couple Whirlabout,
a couple C.Checkered-Skipper, a Clouded and a Dun Skipper, a
few Sleepy Orange, 2 Gulf and a Variegated Fritillary, two
Queen, several American and one Painted Lady, one Monarch,
a Fiery Skipper, pretty pitiful actually for October. Later
in yard saw Clouded and Dun Skipper, a Large Orange Sulphur,
So. Dogface, a Red Admiral and a few of the more common things.
In the late afternoon here at the house I heard Sandhill
Crane going over heading south, my FOS. Heard a Barn Owl
heading south after dark. Coyotes got something, they went
off bonkers, it is incredible, I love it.
Clay-colored Sparrow, 2 adults, 1 imm. (front center facing right), one
adult explaining finer points of birdbath etiquette to the youngster.
Now you don't just jump in and splash all over the place...
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 25 ~ No more rain after the quick blast yesterday
evening, the wind blew hard all night, supposed to go
all day until the evening. This is a real blower.
I know of nowhere that goes from too hot to too cold
so fast so often so regularly as Texas. I saw 39dF at
7 a.m.! Methinks March was the last temps in the 30's,
seven months ago. The chill factors were sub-freezing with
the 20-30+ mph northerlies, some may have been in the
highest 20's! Gadzooks! Where's me longjohns!?!
It made it up to 60dF or so but the winds were still at
15-25 mph at sundown.
I did hear a Ruby-throated Hummingbird early, and then
later saw a Rufous of some sort. If they are smart they
will ride this wind wave to a warmer clime. Town run.
Lots of green leaves down is how hard it blew. Cypress
and Pecans lost lots of greenery. Water barely going over
spillway at park. Saw one male Green Kingfisher in the
slough by the island, and a Ringed King flew by while I
was standing around looking stupid. There was a winter
passerine flock with a dozen Eastern Bluebird, 18 or so
Chipping Sparrow, 15+ Myrtle and 2 Audubon's Warbler.
The bird of the day, week, and month, actually the
rarest passerine of the whole fall passage so far,
was a WOOD THRUSH by the screen enclosures up at
north end of parking area. It flushed off the ground
before I saw it. A while later I found it on top of the
screen shelter (!), got a half-arsed grabshot and 10
OOFs - out-of-focus (throwaways). Hattie Barham pulled up
while I was looking at it so handed her my binocs for a view.
The only other fall Wood Thrush record I know in the
area is one I briefly saw Sept. 14, 2016, here at Utopia Park.
I did not get a pic of that one though (was on the island),
so any kind of docushot moves it to the next level.
There are a few spring records nearby, one at Park Chalk
Bluff, another at Big Springs.
Interesting was ebird revealing yesterday the 24th TWO
Wood Thrush were reported nearish in cental Texas, one
in Bexar Co., and one at Ft. Clark Springs! Another was
near Lake Corpus Christi yesterday as well, nearer the
coast where it is scarce but regular in fall. It is an
accidental species in fall in the west half of Texas,
the Ft. Clark bird the only reported in ebird this
fall that I could see for the west half of the state.
I went back to the park at 5 p.m. hoping to get a
better pic. Refound it by the blind eating those
American Beautyberry in the fenced-in area. But
was mostly very shady in the woods so had to use
high ISO which means grainy, but got better shots
of it anyway, and got to watch it for 10 minutes
before it dematerialized again. Back here at the
hovelita at sundown there were over 30 Cardinal on
the seed.
Oct. 24 ~ Low about 68dF and some drizzle, a cold front
is due in this afternoon to early evening. No migrant
motion. Maybe some things will come through in the
wake of the front. Heard a Kinglet (Ruby), saw an
Orange-crowned Warbler, Kathy heard the Long-billed
Thrasher, saw the Inca Dove pair, Field and Lincoln's
Sparrow, a couple Caracara crackled overhead. Waiting
for the rain. Supposed to get real windy with this one
so it will be a great de-leafer of a post-frontal blow.
It will look a different world out there tomorrow.
Lot more Raven around lately, say the last few weeks.
There were few to none around most of the summer, the nesting
Red-tails do not tolerate them. Go be smart and funny
somewhere else seems to be their attitude towards them.
At least two Ruby-throat, and one ad.fem. Rufous-Allen's
type remain in the way of Hummingbirds. I suspect the
Rubies will ride the post-frontal blow out of town
tomorrow. The front hit shortly before dark with 30+ mph
northerlies, seemingly precluding the usual hummingbird
last tank up for the night. The band of precip with it
was quick and narrow here, building up and slowing down
after it passed us. In the hour or so there was rain
we got about five-eighths of an inch. Something anyway,
we need it badly. Some lucky folks elsewhere got more.
It dropped to 50dF or so in a little over an hour.
Oct 23 ~ We ran about 64-82dF for a temp spread, sunny,
and still dryish, but pretty breezy out of the south now.
No migrant movement that I saw. The adult female Rufous
Hummer remains, and I saw 3 imm. ma. Ruby-throated at
once. Saw the 3 Inca Dove again, nice to have them around.
Heard the Long-billed Thrasher. Otherwise it was just
the regular gang. Maybe 2 Lark Sparrow left here now.
Turkey flock still hitting the oat line. The Titmice
and Chickadees are barely hitting the sunflower feeder
since there is lots of pecan available now. The coons
go up in the trees and so the branches have bits of
nuts in the bark and this seems to be what they are
getting.
Oct. 22 ~ We had a 44dF low, coolest in 6 months, and
all kinds of awesome. I saw KRVL showed a 40dF low!
In the afternoon KRVL humidity was 10%! It was bone dry.
Saw at least two imm. male Ruby-throated, and the
Rufous Hummingbird here is not either of the two males
that were here, so 3 hummers, at least, are still here.
The Rufous today is another (!) new different one.
Some Chipping Sparrow hit the patio for millet and one
imm. Clay-colored was with them. Great for the FOS was
one lone Cedar Waxwing that flew over calling, on the
early side of arrival dates. Otherwise no migrant motion.
Afternoon had a Nashville Warbler and maybe it was the
Hutton's Vireo that came in for a quick splash.
Not hearing any White-eyed Vireo around, methinks they
have flown the coup. After dark made the usual hourly
sound checks outside. Heard the three resident owls,
Screech-, Barred, and Great Horned, and on one step
outside I heard one call from the Long-eared Owl,
further down the habitat corridor. It is great to
have seen enough of them that I don't feel the
need to have to chase it down. ;)
Oct. 21 ~ Front came through about 3 a.m. or so with
some gusty winds, and about .2 of precipitation.
Dry northerlies not too strong, a chamber of commerce
weather day. Seems like everything rode the front out
of Dodge, there was nothing going on this morning.
A few hummers around but seems a few likely left yesterday.
There were maybe 3 or 4 Ruby-throated tops. The big
news is that we did not see the adult male Rufous
Hummingbird that has been out the office window on
that feeder since Aug. 8, 10 weeks and 3 days but who is
counting. I presume it left late yesterday or first
thing this morning on the front. So it was just
fattening up for that long of a stay as a migratory
stopover? Weird. Glimpsed a non-adult male Rufous
today.
Saw the Laviana White-Skipper again. Three Inca
Dove were on the patio in the afternoon. After 6 p.m.
single Nashville and Orange-crowned Warbler hit the
bath. Maybe tomorrow there will be migrant motion?
Hoped the eternal optimist. Heard the Pyrrhuloxia
out there again, saw it fly from out back to across
road so maybe it is hitting the sunflower seed I
toss at the back fence.
After dark the usual Screech-, and Great Horned got
going quickly. A bit latter I heard a Barn Owl
flying south down-valley, then the Barred Owl started.
At 11 p.m. I heard a LONG-EARED OWL calling over
in the river habitat corridor! It was giving the
one long single note hoot that is a bit drawn out as
if it has some wind blowing through it. At midnight
it was still calling occasionally. So a whopping
FIVE species of owls from the porch tonight. I
have traipsed all over the mountains all night
for that.
Oct. 20 ~ About 64dF for a low, winds were light
and northerly much of the night, was hoping for
migrant motion, but they turned southerly and gulf
clouds got here, does not seem to be much motion.
Front due in overnight, the hot day before today,
some more record hot at some area stations for the
second day in a row. Heard a Long-billed Thrasher
early first thing before sunup. Over the morning a
couple each Myrtle and Nashville, and one Orange-crowned
Warbler were around briefly. Kathy spotted a Hutton's
Vireo splash-bathing at the bath. I heard the
Pyrrhuloxia across the road. A pair of Inca Dove
were at the bath in the afternoon. Had both Rufous
Hummers and maybe 6 or so Ruby-throated left, but
fewer at dusk.
A few butterflies were around the Blue Mist (greggii)
Eupatorium and a Lantana next to it. A few Monarch,
a couple Clouded Skipper, Dun and Julia's Skipper,
Celia's roadside-Skipper, a pale morph female
Large Orange Sulphur (ph.), Gulf Frit, Queen, Gray
Hairstreak, and later afternoon my first of month
Orange Skipperling. A Buckeye flew by among other
things. An introduced type (Asian) Praying Mantis
caught a Monarch at a Lantana flower. I rescued the
Monarch and dispatched the Mantis. The Monarch flew
off seemingly OK. An Anole is still making diving
leaps at the butterflies, and I chased a Leopard Frog
off. Stuff just sits and waits at the few flowers,
and wipes out the few butterflies. Not on my porch
watch. Probably a half-dozen Monarch over the day.
Oct. 19 ~ Only about 67dF for a low, and got up to
87 in the cool shady, KRVL showed 92dF. But drier
than the summer sopping. Today and tomorrow are the
hot days before the next front Sunday overnight.
Austin and Del Rio hit record high temps today.
There was migrant movement last night. Early before
sunup I heard the two Long-billed Thrasher calling
back and forth out front. A few Scissor-tails around
early again. Just before 9 a.m. I heard at least one,
probably two Audubon's Oriole.
Then there was a flurry of activity at the birdbath.
First Kathy called the FOS Hermit Thrush. By time I got
there with camera there were two! So they arrived overnight.
There were a bunch of Cardinal, a Nashville or two, an
Orange-cronwed Warbler, Field Sparrow, some Chipping
Sparrows, and then THREE Clay-colored Sparrow dropped
down to the bath at once! FOS. Got a weak shot of them
anyway (1 juv., 2 ad.) and a Hermit Thrush. While all
this was going on I saw something high in the pecan over
the bath, but at an angle I could not get camera on, a male
Pyrrhuloxia! FOS. They show up in October here after
being absent all spring and summer. Man I wish it would
hit the bath for a photo session! A Ground-Dove flushed
from near the bath I had not seen.
Went to town to check the park without a stack of
errands overhead. On the way the 360 crossing had
nothing but a Cicindellid (Tiger Beetle), always nice
to see (ph.). The park had two little winter type
passerine flocks consisting of Eastern Bluebird,
Chipping Sparrow, and Yellow-rumped Warbler, which
were not there yesterday. Each group had a half-dozen
bluebird, a half-dozen to 10 Chipping Sparrow, and
18 or so Yellow-rumped Warbler between the two groups.
Two were Audubon's Warbler. These are surely
migrant bluebirds and chippies, not the locals. This
was the first big Myrtle Warbler arrival day, I had
only seen a few singles here and there so far.
Saw Kiowa Dancer at the 360 xing, a Roseate Skimmer
at the park, fair numbers of Black Saddlebags, Green Darner,
and Familiar bluet. A few Red Saddlebags. Nice was
my first Autumnal Meadowhawk of the fall, three or
four males. These things emerge locally in July,
and then are not seen again until October. Those
clearly depart and go somewhere else. Then we get
a small wave in fall. Then where are these from?
Little Creek Larry said after the first front a week
and change ago there were some Shoveler on the pond at
the park, and currently there are some Blue-winged Teal
on Little Creek. He mentioned he saw all three of the
regular Kingfisher species lined up on the spillway
the other day close enough together to have gotten
them in one frame. He also saw a White-tailed Kite
out 355 toward Little Creek in the big pasture off
south side of road.
Saw about 10 Monarch over the day, a couple hit
the Blue Mist Eupatorium. Early morn one went to
Tube-tongue, hardly ever see that. Saw the Laviana
White-Skipper cross yard again late in afternoon. The
two male (ad. and imm.) Rufous Hummingbird continue,
the Ruby-throated seem down to a half-dozen or so.
In afternoon there were a couple Inca Dove on the patio.
Here is a docugrabshot of the Wood Thrush at Utopia Park
on Oct. 25. You take what you can get when a rarity.
Actually got some sharper, but shady without much rufous.
They are stunningly bright rusty above in the sun.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 18 ~ Weewow a 48dF low! KRVL had a 45! Methinks
the lowest temp since April, six months. Where are
my socks, long pants and longsleeve shirts? Sunny and
dry to go with the cool brisk, feels pretty autumnal.
Nice. Saw a couple Nashville Warbler shoot through yard
early, heard a Myrtle Warbler. Thought there might be
movement behind the front today, second clear day after.
Three Scissor-tailed Flycatcher were sallying from the
big pecan in front yard for a while mid-morn. Saw a
couple Monarchs go by.
Town supply run. No migrants at the park, maybe a hawk
had been in woods? Only a male Wilson's Warbler
which is surely the returning winterer, and likely
present a month already. One Green Kingfisher in the
slough by island. Not even a White-eyed Vireo. They
are all but gone now. The Maxmillian Sunflower at riveredge
is blooming great. Here in yard the Blue Mist Eup has
some flowers. Saw Clouded and Dun Skipper, plus the
Celia's Roadside-Skipper on it. The Cypress trees
are really getting yellow, some brownish, the Pecans
are yellowish too. A Laviana White-Skipper flew across
yard about 4:30 p.m. Heard an Audubon's Oriole or
two at dusk, but not the Long-billed Thrasher. Maybe
the cold scared it away?
Oct. 17 ~ About 54dF for a low felt great. Just a few
clouds, getting sunny and blue skies, the first clear
day after the front. No passerine migrant motion early.
About 9:30 saw two Monarchs, one lifting off, one up
thermalling already, and two hawks went by. The close
low hawk only a hundred feet up was a textbook adult
Swainson's, which circled twice right over the yard,
my FOS. What a beauty. If only we could know where
the migrants we see are from, and where they are going.
Mid-morn saw single Nashville, Orange-crowned, and a
getting tardy Yellow Warbler, plus one Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
Couple more Monarchs but not seeing any more hawks.
Sparrows in yard are Vesper, Lincoln's, Chipping,
Field, Lark, and Rufous-crowned, so six species. Couple
more Monarch in the afternoon. Same three owl species
calling again tonight, Screech-, Barred, and Great Horned.
Oct. 16 ~ Rained a little overnight, mostly early pre-dawn.
About a half-inch. Which means an event total of about 1.2"
here, I heard in town 1.2" was one reading, so I am
stickin' with it. Low was a nice 62dF or so, and the
ground got water! It was a nice slow-soaker, just what we
needed. Was in town early, Green and Ringed Kings at the
park but that was it. Save some Axis Deer in the woods.
One big buck jumped straight into that 7-8' deer or
hog fence at north end of the woods a few times. I'd
say he might have cleared 5-6', which was pretty
impressive for its size. Then it jumped into river
and swam across to the other side.
Back here in the yard about 9 a.m. or so a couple Nashville
and at least one Orange-crowned went through, heard a bunting
which is surely the imm. male Indigo. The two Rufous Hummingbird
continue, and about 8-10 Ruby-throated appear to be all
imm. males. About 3:30 p.m. a small group of birds in
the yard was a Kinglet (Ruby), a Hutton's Vireo,
Nashville and Myrtle Warbler. Saw a Rufous-crowned
Sparrow in the stick pile out in front yard, Kathy said
she saw it at bath earlier in day. At 11 p.m. there were
2 pairs of Great Horned Owl counter-calling right across
the road, a pair of Screech-Owl calling in back of house
and a Barred Owl calling nearer the river. Seven individual
owls of three species at once.
Oct. 15 ~ The hot day before the front tonight. Low was
about 73dF, and humid of course. They are saying this is
the last hurrah for the summer sub-tropical high that locks
over us for 4 months or so now. It was closer to 5 months
this year, and used to be 3 months. It was a sticky 88dF
in the shade, 90somethin' in the sun. The perciptible
water was in 90th percentile for the date. Which means instead
of licking a stamp, you just wipe it across your forehead.
I thought there might be some movement ahead of it, but it
seems not. At the bath there were single Nashville and
Orange-crowned Warbler, and the imm. male Indigo Bunting.
The latter we know is here a while, the warblers probably
are holdovers as well. So no mig motion. Heard the Long-billed
Thrasher, saw the Turkey flock in corral. Tragedy was seeing
a flock of 7 House Sparrow circle high overhead, quite unlike
city sparrows. They fly around like crossbills or other finches,
way up high, calling. It looked like they kept going this morning.
Then in the afternoon Kathy said she saw a group under our big
truck out back. I can assure you they will not be hanging out
here.
At least 4 Monarch through the yard over the day, one
stopped on the Blue Mist Eup for a bit. Clouded Skipper and
Celia's Roadside-Skipper on it as well. A Queen, a Gulf
Fritillary, a Little Yellow, but not much action. Very nice
was a two foot plus Western Ribbon Snake in the flower bed
at front porch. Beautiful snake. Ahead of the front we got
a couple rain cells between 7 and 9 p.m. and a whopping .75"
of precip and took it down to low 70's finally!
Oct. 14 ~ Cloudy, low of 64dF. Great to get up and
not be hot and sticky. The first half of morn around
the yard was a little birdy. Heard Long-billed Thrasher
and Audubon's Oriole. Saw the Chat again, in the
Red Turks Cap at corner of house! It appears an imm.
male and I wonder if it is the one hatched here, still
present. At the bath I saw a male Wilson's, a
Nashville, Kathy said she thought she had an Orange-crowned,
and best was up in the pecans, a Black-throated Green
Warbler! My fourth of the fall, which is a great showing,
it appeared an imm. female to me. One Ruby-crowned
Kinglet was the first seen in yard this fall, though
probably heard a few times in last 5 days. A nice
male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher flew over, bet they are
glad to have their tails back.
There was at least one different, maybe two, other
Nashville warbler over the day. I got pix of a pale
Orange-crowned Warbler at the bath. There was a Blue
Grosbeak out front in the afternoon. Saw the imm. male
Rufous Hummer out front, the ad.ma. continues out back.
Great was a flock of Eastern Bluebird decending on the
bath, there must have been a dozen or more, eight at
once at the bath in one single frame! They were in and
out pretty quickly though. Lincoln's and Vesper
Sparrow in yard, saw the Vesper on patio, wonder if it
is the one that wintered around yard last year eating
the millet. White-winged Dove count is 30 at least here
now. Late afternoon an Audubon's Warbler went
through yard. Made 5 species of warbler in the yard
today. Plus the Chat. Couple Caracara went over.
Have not been seeing the Zone-tailed Hawks lately.
A Large Orange Sulphur stopped on the Lantana briefly.
Oct. 13 ~ Got up and first thing heard a Long-billed
Thrasher well before sunup. Whadda great wakeup bird.
We went to Lost Maples since it finally is not 90dF,
and trying to beat the leaf peepers that crowd the
place out most of November. HQ said it was like peak
Nov. yesterday, totally packed, cars parked on grass.
There is very little fall leaf color, a little yellow,
a lot of brown, and my sense after seeing it today is
there will not be a good color show this fall. Many
maples are just turning brown and falling already.
Sure there will be a good tree here and there, but it
is not going to be a great color show year. It has
been wayyy too dry, even Lacey Oaks are going brown.
On the way upvalley from Utopia to Lost Maples we had
about 6 Caracara, a couple Kestrel, a Shrike, various
sparrows including Lark, Vesper, Chipping, Field, and
a FOS Savannah. A male Scissor-tail was south of
Vanderpool a couple miles on the way up, a female was
on 360 on the way back. A FOS Say's Phoebe was early
on Jones Cmty Rd., one Red-tailed and one Cooper's
Hawk were along 187.
The park was a bit busy, but apparently not like yesterday.
Still there were times you best sit out groups going
by if you want a chance of seeing birds along the trail.
At HQ we heard the customary Inca Dove. Best to walk
to the first crossing from there as nowhere else to
park and check it. There is a great weedy seedy area
below the road. We had a late Blue Grosbeak, Linclon's
Sparrow, House Wren, and 20 Lesser Goldfinch in it. Heard
a bunting. Sometimes there is a winter passerine or warbler
flock around it but not when we were there. Kind of a lot
of traffic by 9 a.m. too.
We parked in trailhead lot where feeding station, but
which apparently continues to be not in use. On the slope
between the lot and the road to it, back toward stream
crossing near main road, was a pair of Rufous-crowned
Sparrow. Heard others up the trail, but saw these close.
We squiggled back and forth up the trail and did Can Creek
to the second pond. About 3 miles or so for that part.
Always amazing when all the breeding stuff is gone, it
seems soooo quiet. And what is not there is to me of
great interest. No Olive Sparrow or White-tipped Dove
for instance. It is almost as if they are just here
for the breeding season, like migratory species, which
they are not considered. Did not hear or see a Canyon Wren
but which I think do not leave, they just shut up real good.
Heard about 3 Scrub-Jay, and one Audubon's Oriole.
A FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet was among a small group of
warblers. I thought I heard one twice in the last 4 days
but each time it just called once and I never saw it so I
let 'em go. This one was fairly unvocal too, but showed.
There were a few stray single Nashville Warbler and a
single Orange-crowned Warbler, but mostly it was just one
little group of warblers we encountered. It had about
4 Orange-crowned, maybe 6+ Nashville, and one Black-throated
Green. We saw one Ruby-throated Hummer up near the pond
gnatcatching over the stream.
There was very little in bloom, normally the Frostweed
should be going great, it is wilted due to lack of rain.
It is drying up, done blooming for the most part. We
saw 5 Monarchs, looking for good Frostweed. Saw a
couple more Monarchs on way home. There was a fair bit
of Goldenrod showing well where in water, saw the last few
Snapdragon Vine flowers, some Brickel-bush was open,
Poverty Weed was going well, the best color along the
trail though was Broomweed. There were some pastures
with hundreds of acres of it off W. Sabinal Rd. west
of 187 that look solid yellow.
The one good fruiting Escarpment Cherry just below the
big pouroff below the main pond is still covered in Cherries.
I do not get why there are not birds on it. Some cherries
are being eaten, but this is twice in a month we were at
it and saw nothing. So we ate some. OK, some more.
They are bitter as they are cherry. Talk about cleaning
your pallete. They are about half pit but still worth it
if you like bitter cherry.
Saw 30 Black Saddlebags, 10 Red Saddlebags, 20 Green
Darner, 10 FOS Variegated Meadowhawk, 1 Wandering Glider,
1 male Roseate Skimmer, 1 Checkered Setwing, 25 Familiar
Bluet. Odes are fading fast. One male Black Swallowtail
on Goldenrod looked good but would not sit for a pic.
A few Sleepy Orange, a couple Queen, a Red Admiral,
a Gulf Frit, a Clouded Skipper, it was weak for insects.
They are flaming out fast. Drought. No reptiles were
seen or heard, save turtles in the pond. Lots of Green
Sunfish, single Bantam and Red-breasted Sunfish, but
didn't look much really. Those are what are in the
pondlet below the crossing a quarter or third mile or
so below the main pond. The ones with the dark spot
in posterior soft part of dorsal fin are the Green.
It was great to walk the canyon without dripping.
Oct. 12 ~ A chilly 52dF for a low was great. The wind
finally stopped last night around dark, but clouds stuck.
Not much for migrant motion in the morning around yard
though. One Nashville and the same imm. male Indigo
Bunting with blue wings and tail was at the bath. That
bird is about 5-6 days here now. Thankfully autofocus
screwed my shots of it. Same less than a dozen
Ruby-throated Hummers, and same two Rufous continue.
Went to the park and checked some fencelines and pastures
about 11-1 or so. Might have had some migrant Chipping
Sparrow on 360. In flycatchers saw one Vermilion and no
Scissor-tails. The park had Ringed, Belted, and Green
Kingfisher again, as yesterday. Heard a Wilson's Warbler,
saw a Nashville. Four House Wren in the woods constitute a
wave of them here. My FOS Pied-billed Grebe was in the
lillies by the island, and was still stripey on the face,
a very young juvenile. Some migrant Turkey Vulture were
heading south.
Saw one Monarch at the park, another going down Main St.,
and later afternoon a third here at the house (makes 5 so far
this fall). A couple Sachem were on Maxmillian Sunflower
which is blooming well now at riveredge. The Goldenrod is
going great too. The Frostweed, Fireweed, Boneset Eupatorium,
and Snow-on-the-Mountain are all past peak and fading fast.
The Cypress trees are getting some yellow tint to them,
starting to go. The Sycamore leavess are half brown and
falling. Lottsa Hackberry are turning, and lots of the
Pecans are in yellow and shed mode too. Still some
Persimmon fruit on some of those. Nut crop looks weak.
That big last spring frontal blow right when they are
blooming gets them every time.
Back here at the casita there was a brief flurry activity
at the bath in early afternoon. Two Nashville joined the
melee, and a FOS Vesper Sparrow came in! Then Kathy spotted
a Chat, which is tardy and I wonder if it is one of the
local breeding birds young? About 4 p.m. a Gnatcatcher went
through yard. After 5 p.m. three warblers flew into the
Hackberry-Mesquite combo tree by the gate. An Orange-crowned,
a Nashville, and my FOS Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warbler.
Saw Audubon's on Sept. 27 so not my first Yellow-rump
of the fall, just the first Myrtle type. Right on time
2-3 weeks behind the first Audubon's. After 7 p.m.
I was out on driveway and heard then saw a Common Nighthawk
working south over the river habitat corridor. That is
a great late date here. After dark the Barred Owl was
calling just down the road a couple hundred yards.
Later the Great Horned was calling from in the yard trees.
After 9 p.m. I saw something I have not seen since April,
when I came out of the shower, steam on the mirror!
Black-throated Green Warbler at Lost Maples Oct. 13, 2019.
Missed the ID on the green something going down the hatch.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 11 ~ Fall has arrived, pre-dawn the cold front got
here with a tenth of an inch of rain and chilly northerlies.
It was 56dF before 7 a.m. and by 9 it was 49 or so and
dropping. There went the high for the day, before it
was light out. Winds are 15-20 gusting 25 to 30 and over.
Gonna be a different world out there when this passes.
We spent the day in the upper 40's, maybe a few spots
hit 50, but with lots of wind on it.
Town run so park check. A Ringed Kingfisher on the spillway
is always a nice touch as you enter. There were two Belted
Kingfisher around the pond, male and female, and a male
Green Kingfisher was in the slough by island. On my way out
there were TWO Ring King on the spillway, one chased the
other off. A Common Yellowthroat was in some Maxmillian
Sunflower at riveredge. In the woods there was a new
female Wilson's Warbler, an Orange-crowned Warbler,
and a female Yellow Warbler. Four species of warbler with
the Common Yellowthroat. There were some Common Grackle
in the willows at south end of island.
Saw a flock of a dozen Common Raven over town. A few
low flying Turkey Vulture still around. Here at the
hovelita about 3 p.m. Kathy saw Orange-crowned and
Nashville Warbler at the bath. The Nash makes five
sps. of warbler around today, and surely there are more
out there. No Yellow-rumps though, and the Yellow-throated
are gone. Less than a dozen Ruby-throated Hummer left,
maybe 8 or so. Plus the ad. male Rufous out back still
here of course, who seems in for the long haul, present
about a couple months now already.
Oct. 10 ~ A low of 74dF is more than 10 over normal
for the date here, as is the high in low-mid 90's.
It is like summer has not ended here yet. It was
record hot at Austin, and within a dF at SAT and Del Rio.
Today is the big warmup in front of the front, tomorrow
will be in the 50's all day! But southerlies blowing
hard ahead of it so no migration movement apparent in morning.
In the morn it was about a dozen Ruby-throated Hummingbird left.
The ad.ma. Rufous continues guarding its feeder in back.
The new imm. male Rufous-Allen's continues visiting
one of the front porch feeders. Saw what was likely the
same Lincoln's Sparrow of late last evening around the
yard today. Late afternoon I saw my second Monarch of the fall.
A Goatweed Leafwing hit the sprayed about water. Julia's
and Clouded Skipper on the Blue Mist Eupatorium, plus one
Celia's Roadside-Skipper. A Large Orange Sulphur
hit a Lantana briefly. It is mighty thin for butterflies
out there. Thought I mighta heard a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
Oct. 9 ~ the low was about 71dF, a category, 10dF over
predicted. Actually it did get down to lower 60's
about 2-3 a.m., but warmed 10dF by dawn due to strong
southeast Gulf flow. Mostly cloudy then until afternoon.
Not much for movement. Some Bluebirds going over high
as has been the case for a couple weeks now. Hearing
groups way up going south. Before noon heard a Gnatcatcher.
About 1 p.m. a single Nashville Warbler came in to the bath.
There was a different imm. male Rufous-Allen's type
Selasphorus hummer out front. The ad. male continues
out back. The tail-less and other Rufous-Allen's that
were here prior to the front have not been around. Saw
something different appearing at the back-office feeder
that Rufous guards, but it got away, twice. It looked
biggish to me. Nearing last sun the last drink scene
at the bath besides herds of Cardinal and White-winged
Dove, I was surprised to see an ad. female Blue Grosbeak,
and a Lincoln's Sparrow. Then at last light again
there were two Long-billed Thrasher calling out front.
Oct. 8 ~ A low of 58dF was fantastic, the first 50's
since April methinks. Kerrville had a 56dF low. No wind,
dryish, weewow. No migrant motion early in the morning.
Noonish an Orchard Oriole and a Gnatcatcher went through.
Heard the Long-billed Thrasher, the Turkeys were over in
the corral. The big FOS for the day was a big imm. female
Sharp-shinned Hawk that was in yard briefly.
The main IOI - item of interest - for the day, was
watching a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at a Red Turks Cap
flower when a Rio Grande Leopard Frog made an attempt on
it. It is not even a second from ground to the flower
when the frog launches, but the hummer saw it and was
already gone when the frog hit the flower. Gadzooks.
It was a big Leopard Frog, but really??? A hummer?!?!?
It just barely got out of the way in time.
About 5 p.m. I saw 83dF on the cool shady front porch,
but dry out so very bearable. Finally. If we hit 60
or lower we can trap enough cold air in the stone house
to keep it comfortable all day without a-c. After dark
heard Great Horned, Barred, and E. Screech-, Owls.
Laura Levy sent an email reporting a White-tailed Kite
up at Vanderpool this date. Always a good bird here.
Oct. 7 ~ A fall front has arrived! It sprinkled a little
pre-dawn as the winds came out of the north, but we got
just a trace. A small cell upvalley gave some lucky folks
a half to an inch near Vanderpool. It was 68 before 7 a.m.
and by 9 a.m. 65dF as the cold air arrived. All kinds of
awesome. Did not see any migrants though. I suspect all
rode the wave out of town. Seemed about 18 Ruby-throated
Hummingbird this morning at the two shared feeders on the
front porch. I suspect some will jump on these northerlies
over the day. Should be some hawk movement too. Kathy
heard a Gnatcatcher out there, I heard a bunting of some
sort. But there was no movement otherwise. The north winds
were 10-15 mph, with periods of 15-20 gusting higher until
later afternoon. Seemed about a dozen hummers around 3 p.m.,
and a high of 79dF. Finally feels like fall here. Saw
some Turkey Vulture moving south, but that was it. They
have been moving a few weeks.
Oct. 6 ~ Was roughly near about 64.3861058dF for a low.
Today is the big warmup before the long-awaited first-of-fall
front which is progged to hit between midnight to dawn.
One last day of torture. Kathy spotted the Long-billed
Thrasher in the brush pile next to the bath and I got a
docushot. Was early and shady so high ISO and grainy.
At least we know it is coming in. A couple or few Nashville,
one Wilson's and one Yellow Warbler came in. A very
very yellow below greenie Painted Bunting came in but auto
focus foiled a good shot. A blue tailed first year male
Indigo Bunting also came in. These two buntings definitely
are new. One Orchard Oriole came in to the bath as well,
looked an ad. female. I counted four Field Sparrow at the
bath at once. The Hutton's Vireo was trying splash bathe
a bit too. Did not see the Bell's Vireo.
Still 19 Turkey over in the corral working the oat line.
The Indigo came back in late afternoon and again flushed
before I could get a pic. The amazing thing was at dusk
while the Long-billed Thrasher was calling over by the
draw, a SECOND one called back. The sharp note, single
and doubled. The draw bird responded and moved toward the
other getting about to the gate, but on other side of the
road and the second bird quit calling back. It was just
about dark.
There were maybe three or four dozen hummers (all Rubies)
much of the day, but, seemingly only a couple dozen or less
at dark. One or two ad. male Ruby-throat is all of them
that are left. One non-ad.ma. Rufous-Allen's was out
front, and the ad. male continues at the office feeder.
It was hot today, 89 on the shady front porch, probably
about 94dF in the sun. Right about record heat for the date.
The Screech-Owl was calling from right over the bath as soon
as it got dark, as so often on hot days. Gotta figure out
how to get a pic of it there.
Oct. 5 ~ About 67dF for a low is better than the 70's.
First thing early I saw a FOS Kestrel flying south over
river habitat corridor. Probably much of the same group
as yesterday, at least 7 Nashville, a male Wilson's
and a Yellow Warbler were around yard early, most visiting
bath. New was a FOS Orange-crowned Warbler. Great was
what seems the same Bell's Vireo for about 4 days now
came into bath and at least I got a fuzzy shot. Neat bird
at the bath. Had one juv. Orchard Oriole. Heard the
Long-billed Thrasher right over north fence again. Heard
a Gnatcat mid-day in yard.
Went to park after breakfast for a look. One Yellow and
one Nashville Warbler were it for migrants. The male
Wilson's is likely the returnee winterer. Then there
were two FOS of what are 'winter' birds here, a
House Wren and a Lincoln's Sparrow. Saw Roseate Skimmer
(dragonfly). Out front at the Red Turks Cap by the sign
there was an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (butterfly). Back
here there was a Fatal Metalmark (lep) around the few Blue Mist
Eupatorium flowers that made it. There was a Julia's Skipper
at the 360 crossing, Celia's Roadside-Skipper at the park
and here at the porch. A Laviana White-Skipper was here at
the house briefly as well.
Long-billed Thrasher at the brush pile by the birdbath.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Oct. 4 ~ Finally a low below 70, we were 67dF! I saw KRVL
had 63! Weewow! Bring it on, the people are ready. No
strong southerly wind, a bit of migrant motion. Single Yellow,
Nashville, heard Wilson's, and a Black-throated Green Warbler
were great. A Blue-headed Vireo was my FOS. It splash
bathed a few times at the bath. Later morn I had the
three Nashville together again, methinks continuing birds.
Appears to be migrant Turkey Vultures moving south.
Some have looked like migrants for a couple weeks actually.
The local population is largely departed.
Town run fer errands and stuff. Park had a Nashville and
a Yellow Warbler, plus a male Wilson's which I think
is the returnee winterer of last year. A big willow on
the island fell and took out a big Mulberry! Gadzooks.
A great loss, one of the big xxl female Mulberries.
Big hole in the canopy, the willow now laying in slough.
It could well live like that, but the broken off Mulberry
won't.
When I got back Kathy said after 1 p.m. there was a male
Common Yellowthroat bathing in the bath! Only the second
ever in the nearly undergrowth-free yard. Also the first
of fall, wish I'd have been here to get pix. Whaddabird.
The only other prior here also came into the bath, no doubt
due to the sound of the drip. Then about 2 p.m. a flock of
8 Nashville and 2 Yellow Warbler worked around the yard
pecans, a few Nash went to the bath. Big single flock of
Nashville for here in the fall. The only excitement in
the afternoon was a F-7 Tigercat and a P-51 Mustang making
a couple passes. My ISO was set to high for the bright
white sky and blew out the images though.
Oct. 3 ~ Still 74dF for a low, with a hot, humid, and sticky
afternoon. Today was the major hummingbird blowout day.
We were swarmed first thing and a hundred must have left
after tanking up, more left in the afternoon. Less than 50
present by dusk, was 175+- in the morning. There were no winds,
the very strong southerlies stopped, they bolted. Second
day without seeing the Broad-tailed Hummer, the 1st was
its last day apparently. The ad. ma. Rufous is still at the
office feeder, but some (at least two) of the 3 others that
were out front seem to have departed.
In the a.m. there were three Nashville warbler together,
which seem likely the same three seen a few days ago.
One Wilson's and one Yellow Warbler, one Orchard
Oriole, a Hutton's, a White-eyed, and one of those
beautiful bright juvenile Bell's Vireo. The Bell's
splash-bathed a few times. The Long-billed Thrasher
called again just over north fence. Hope it is sneaking
in to the bath, because I will catch him sooner or later.
Heard a Dickcissel go over. Scissor-tails going over
a dozen or two a day, generally a few calling as they
do.
Oct. 2 ~ Still balmy at 73dF for a low, and still getting
up to low 90's, so 10dF over normal average. Which
I think we can say goodbye to. When you get a cold front
in July and none in September, things are not normal.
There was less wind last night and this morning, and a
bit of migrant motion, as well as seemingly some of the
hummers starting to leave.
One Yellow and 2 male Wilson's Warbler were around
early. I am fairly certain these are the same two Wilson's
males around for a week now. Mainly because one has a
slightly different than the usual normal dry 'chit' for
a chip note. It is a fuller, flatter and rounder note, almost
Myrtle Warbler-ish . When I first heard it a week ago or
so I thought sure it was not going to be a Wilson's.
Same bird this morning.
I heard a Long-billed Thrasher right over the north fence
which I wish would come in to the birdbath. Mid-morning a
couple new migrants showed up at the bath, 2 Blue Grosbeak,
which appeared an immature and an adult female, they were
in and out quickly, followed by two Mockingbird. Which have
not been around the yard lately. Often we get a good obvious
wave of migrant Mockers, I presume the lack of a cold front
is why nonesuch yet. A Black-and-white Warbler then came in,
and a Gnatcatcher went through, and one juv. Orchard Oriole
came to the bath.
There are migrant or winterer type Eastern Phoebe around a
couple weeks now, though our resident pair seems to still
be nesting (!) and is chasing them all out of the yard as
they show up. Likely the same one as a week or two ago, a
Downy Woodpecker went through the yard. Also probably the
same individual the last two weeks was a Two-tailed
Swallowtail (butterfly) floating around a bit. Great was
my FOS MONARCH of the fall. Was odd not having any early
ones in September as has been the usual case recently.
No Broad-tailed Hummer today, and a third Rufous-Allen's
type at the two neutral front porch feeders might be an Allen's.
October 1 ~ Gadzooks it is October!?!? How can it be
with a 74dF low? This is a July or August heatwave low.
The summer sub-tropical high remains locked over us.
At 4 p.m. I saw 89dF on the cool shady front porch, so
over 90 in the sun. Lots of Gulf moisture, low clouds,
a showerlet or two and another tenth of an inch of precip,
so .2 for the two days. Still strong southerlies and very
little migrant motion. One Yellow Warbler and one Gnatcatcher
was it all morn. The Scissor-tail flock flew over in the
afternoon again.
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird came in a couple times in
the rain and I got a couple poor (high ISO, high mag)
docushots of it. I pulled the feeder in to refill it and
when I got back out within less than two minutes,
there was a hummer perched on the vertical wire holder.
This is invariably done by an imm. male Ruby trying to
guard a feeder. I gently reached up and pushed it off the
hanger, it begrudingly moved as I gently pushed it with my
fingers, calling in protest, it was the Broad-tailed Hummer!
My official report: Distance from bird: none.
~ ~ ~ September summary ~ ~ ~
In a couple words, hot and dry would define the month.
It averaged 6-12dF OVER normal, almost the entire month.
There was an inch to two of precip locally, way below
normal. It is parched out there, drought is showing
its ugly head again. At the end of the month it should
be running 63-83dF for a temp spread, it was 75-95dF,
just like the worst of August still, it never let up.
There was no 'first-of-fall' cold front as
usual mid-month, or any at all even the second half of
the month. It stayed August all September and into
early October.
Butterflies were weak as were the flowers. At the end
of the month there are a few flowers out there, with nothing
on them. There seems to be little to no southern invaion
going on this year probably due to drought conditions
returning. Late month saw one Laviana White-Skipper,
but otherwise none of the usual southern invaders were
seen. One White-striped Longtail early in month was
likely the one around in August. Further, numbers of
the usual local stuff were way way down. Drought shows
quickly in flowers and butterflies. I count 49 species
seen locally for the month. The best three butterflies
were moths! The dying Vine Sphinx on the porch, and the
Black Witch late in the month were both great. The mating
Luna Moth on the 4th were the best leps though by far.
In overall total numbers, dragonflies really crashed over
the month compared to the summer activity levels. There
was the normal migration of the usual 5 transient species
(Green Darner, Red, and Black, Saddlebags, and Wandering
and Spot-winged Glider) but numbers were lower than good
years. A couple hundred on the best days. No real rarities
were seen. Some Thornbush Dasher were at the golf course
pond by Waresville. Orange-striped Threadtail were still
flying at the park mid-month. Lots of things (like Widow
Skimmer) you may see at the start of the month, but by the
middle they are mostly gone and over for the year here.
Two Twelve-Spotted Skimmer flew through our yard over the
month. One Band-winged Dragonlet did the same. Sept. total
was 12 sps. of damselflies, 19 sps. of dragons, so 31 odes.
Birds were good, as September is a heavy movement month
so lots of stuff is passing through all the time. Nearly
daily you can see new birds migrating by, just by standing
around and watching. I count 108 sps. seen locally this
month, and Little Creek Larry saw a few I did not. Pretty
good diversity. The highlights were many. Perhaps best was
the Common Pauraque from August 15 staying until Sept. 15.
We got to hear it lots, and it was awesome. A dozen Mourning
Warbler is a good month, 7 in a day the 22nd was most excellent.
A couple Couch's Kingbird were seen (together), and single
American Redstart, Black-headed Grosbeak, Mississippi Kite,
and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron were all good. Saw a couple
Catbird (miss half of falls), and heard a Lesser Yellowlegs (very
rare in fall here). There were about 6 Rufous Hummingbird over
the month, four daily at the end of the month, one might
be an Allen's. A Broad-tailed Hummingbird showed up
late in the month too. The Upland Sandpiper passage was weak,
barely over a handful.
~ ~ ~ end Sept. summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
September is one of the biggest bird movement months here.
Weather though is what knocks migrants down so wish for
fronts and such. First five days of the month had lows in
the 60's which is a good sign. A Black-headed Grosbeak
on the 3rd is a good fall bird here. A pair of mating LUNA
MOTH Sept. 4th will be a highlight for the month no matter
what happens. Sept. 15 is seeming the last date we heard
the Common Pauraque at our place, was present since Aug. 15.
Two Rufous Hummers continue, becoming three at once Sept. 24.
There is an adult male since Aug. 8, and ad. female since
Aug. 23, and now another ad. female. Upland Sandpipers were
calling at dusk some evenings as they head south. A LESSER
Yellowlegs was heard southbound at dusk on Sept. 5. Sept. 6
had a Northern Waterthrush at Utopia Pk., plus 2 Spotted
Sandpiper on the spillway, and about 7 p.m. a Mississippi
Kite flew by the yard. The 8th was my first Mourning Warbler
of the fall, an immature, along UvCo360.
Another imm. was in our Red Turks Caps the 10th and 11th, when
we also had about 1.4" of much needed rain. Astounding
were (seperately) an adult male Mourning and an adult female
MacGillivray's Warbler in our Red Turks Cap patch Sept. 12!
My first of fall Nashville Warbler was at the park Sept. 13.
A Catbird was at our place Sept. 14, a second was south of
town Sept. 22. A couple Couch's Kingbird were here Sept. 15.
A nice later date for Black-capped Vireo was one at Lost Maples
on the 15th as well. A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron flew over our
place southbound at dusk, on the 18th. Seven Mourning Warbler
were seen locally on Sept. 22, a good single day tally. A
Warbling Vireo was seen the 24th, scarce in fall here. On the
25th there was an immature American Redstart at our bird bath.
The 27th I heard my third Catbird of the fall. Audubon's
Orioles have been around the yard, one is a hatch-year immature.
My first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the year was in the yard
briefly the 27th, an Audubon's type, as always. An imm.
Broad-winged Hawk also the 27th was my first migrant hawk
this fall (besides a July Peregrine). A Broad-tailed
Hummingbird showed up Sept. 29.
~ ~ ~ end update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~
Sept. 30 ~ Another 75dF low to finish the month.
Incredible, at least 10dF over formerly normal average.
Was clear last night at least until midnight, but
strong southerlies still. By dawn was gulf low
stratus and maybe a tenth of an inch of a light shower.
Early one Yellow Warbler and 2 Orchard Oriole went
through yard quickly. Nothing else though. Too much
south wind. At least if we would get some rain out of
it, would be nice. These strong southerlies have all but
shut migrant progress down.
Later afternoon a flock of over a dozen Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher flew over low going north, some screaming
all the way. Two seemed to nearly flip as they were
doing the flip call. But the flip was more lateral
like a barrel roll as they were in high speed level
commuting flight. Oh for high speed video to see
what is going on during this maneuver. This is the
yearly fall staging that occurs locally, of what I
suspect is birds from elsewhere, but who knows. Maybe
it is all the local breeders. But it seems they were
largely absent for weeks or a month, then a flock appears.
As of 6 p.m. have not seen the Broad-tailed Hummer.
Still at least three Rufous, and apparently a fourth
(!) actually. Probably over 200 Ruby-throated, less
than 10% are adult males now. Amazing to have so many
still here so late. Last year I see on Sept. 27 the low
was 60dF and there were 20 Ruby-throats left present.
They like to ride a fall front with the extra 10-15 mph
free push from the northerlies out of here, and there
hasn't been one yet. Usually the big departure
is the first front in mid-September.
Sept. 29 ~ A 75dF low ought to be illegal at this date.
Cloudy and humid, rain possible, good and sticky.
One Yellow Warbler in the yard in the a.m. but no
migrant movement otherwise. Southerlies are too
strong and likely blew most of the night shutting
it down. One Yellow Warbler and a couple Chimney Swift
were all I saw go by yard early. We did a couple hour
spin around late morning to early afternoon. No
migrants at the park save two male Wilson's Warbler,
likely the two I saw on Friday, and wouldn't be
surprised if one is the winterer. We heard a Ringed
Kingfisher close but could not find it in the thick stuff.
Green Heron (ad.) was on the island. Best bird was a
Rufous Hummingbird guarding some Flame Acanthus (no
Crimson Patch cats that I could find) out at the
entrance sign garden. A scarce find away from feeders
here. One Yellow Warbler was there.
Scanned all the blooming Evergreen Sumac for the metallic
green and orange Stenapsis Cerambycids (this is key week
to see them) and did not spot any. Have had them there
before. Didn't feel like driving out to the magic
bush out back on Seco Ridge to see one. In leps at the
garden was one Cloudless Sulphur and a Southern
Broken-Dash but mostly the flowers are bare save a
couple Gulf Frits, the odd Queen, and Pipevine Swallowtail.
No blues, hairstreaks, crescents, and so on. Dead.
A few Ailanthus Webworm moths on some Frostweed at
the Preston Place but no birds were in it, lots of bees
though, which is good.
After we got back about 1 p.m. I had the Broad-tailed
Hummingbird at the front porch, same feeder. No
camera on me of course. Spent a bunch more time
hanging out there with camera and it was a no-show.
But, at least I know it is still around. The sick
ad. male Black-chinned Hummingbird is still here.
About 4 p.m. I heard a hummer squealing and looked in
their staging area in low pecan branches and there was a
fluttering hummer in the clutches of a big female Praying
Mantis. Normally I am generally non-interventionist when
it comes to these things. But Kathy grabbed her grabber
stick and I was tall enough to reach it so got the
hummer free from the Mantis. Of course grabbed a
couple docu-shots before the rescue equipment arrived.
The hummer seemed OK when it flew off. I realize the
mantis will probably just grab another, and has been
doing so. I have heard of this and seen vids of mantis
with a hummer. I have flushed mantis off feeders before
(not here), but had never seen one with a squealing
hummingbird. I think this also explains why there are
over a half dozen hummers here with wholly or half missing
tails. Mantis near-misses. The mantis appears the non-native
Asian type introduced for garden pest control.
Sept. 28 ~ A 74dF low is a drag, 10dF warmer than the
average for the date. This is ridiculous! A whole
category! Average low at SAT is 65dF for this date,
we should be a couple-few less than that by now. One
of the best items of the day happened when I was still
half asleep, before 7 a.m. as I came out of cottage
with birdseed to toss, a Black Witch (moth) fluttered
around my head! Must have been under the porch eaves.
I lost track of it and could not find it under any of
the other eaves later in the day.
In the a.m. just a few migrants through yard, mostly at
the bath. Two juv. Orchard Oriole, a first winter
male Wilson's Warbler and a female Yellow Warbler.
The two warblers looked like yesterday's birds.
Heard a Baltimore Oriole chatter but didn't see it.
A Catbird shot across the yard, surely the one I heard
a few days ago, and now beginning to wonder if that was
the one I saw a couple weeks ago at the gate. As in
all one bird that has stuck, since rarish here in the
fall, probably more likely.
Went to the park for a peek. On the way saw a Robberfly
with prey which was a dragonfly! Swift Setwing methinks.
Got one shot mostly showing the Robberfly. No migrants
in the park woods and the residents were dead silent.
I suspect a hawk had recently been there. The Common
Grackle flock was unseen in the willows at south end
of the island, a Green Kingfisher clicked unseen as well.
At the Red Turks Cap patch under the entrance sign I got
out to watch the hummers a few minutes. A Long-billed
Thrasher popped out of the patch! Good bird in the park.
Dragonflies are fading fast at the pond.
When I came home there was a dying sphinx moth on the
porch. Photos of course, it was a Vine Sphinx (Eumorpha
vitis). Probably done mating or laying eggs and fading.
After lunch I insisted Kathy take a look at the sphinx.
Was about 1:30, I was off the porch nearer the big
pecan, and I heard soft chips coming in to the hummer
feeder not 6' from her. It was a BROAD-TAILED
Hummingbird! Female or imm. type. First one of the fall,
and lately I have not been getting them annually as we
did up on Seco Ridge. It fed for a couple minutes,
often moving around showing well its peachy sides and
rufous in base of outer tail feathers, calling the whole
time. Awesome. I did not have camera with me of course.
As of 7:30 I have spent way over an hour out there
watching for it, with camera, and have not seen it again.
About 4 p.m. Kathy spotted 3 Nashville Warbler coming
in to the bird bath. I had just refreshed it and refilled
the drip jug. I jumped into action and got absolutely
no great photos. Have I told you lately how I hate auto
focus? Three out-of-focus Nashville in one frame, awesome.
The way the manual focus works on the Canon Powershot is so
clunky to operate and take a photo with, as to be ridiculous.
Let me know if you want to know how I really feel about it.
;)
special hummingbird edition...
This is the Broad-tailed Hummingbird on Oct. 1, its last
day here (day 4). Note pale pastel peachy sides, bright
grassy green above, it has rufous in bases of outer tail
feathers you can't see here. Bigger than Ruby-throats,
with a neat soft chip call note. It was having a bad hair day,
we'd received a tenth of an inch, on its head apparently.
Here is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird being attacked by a
Praying Mantis (which appears the introduced non-native type).
I separated them (after grabbing photo - yeah I know, but...
must... get... docushot...), and the hummer flew off seemingly ok.
Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Sept. 12.
A little
over-exposed and burnt on the reflective part of gorget.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Sept. 27 ~ A 71dF low, a few low clouds got here around
sunup for a couple hours of intermittent cover. Peak
heat day of this late Sept. burn, per forcasts. Great
was about 6:50 a Long-billed Thrasher called from inside
the biggest Hackberry. Gave several calls and sharp
notes. I did not see or hear it last night, nor did I
see it later in the morning, contra my hopes. Still a
horde of hummers, probably near 200 Ruby-throated and
the three Rufous continue today. The Rubies normally
would have peaked already and be down to a couple dozen
by late September, but since there was no typical mid-Sept.
first-of-fall cold front, they have not blown out yet.
In related news, sugar prices remain high.
The birdbath had a little action, about 8:30-10:a.m.
seems best. Besides the ususal parade of residents,
there were a couple Yellow and another Wilson's
Warbler, my FOS Audubon&apos's Warbler was nice, a
greenie imm. Painted Bunting, a White-eyed Vireo, and
the Yellow-throated warbler came in. In an hour I see
I took over 80 photos. Might get three good ones if
lucky. Half get deleted on first pass on average.
Heard a Baltimore Oriole. The Chat might be gone,
did not hear it this morning. The male Vermilion Flycatcher
is still over in the corral. I think the first year
male left though, the females (ad. and imm., left a
few weeks ago). Turkey flock was over scavenging the
oat line after the horses get through, clucking like
big chickens. In the afternoon I was watching a Queen
(butterfly) on the one Blue Mist Eupatorium flower open
when a Rio Grande Leopard Frog took the Queen. Wonder
if it will get indegestion? I don't have time to
follow the frog today unfortunately. A Two-tailed
Swallowtail floated through yard late afternoon.
Town errand run. At the park there were at least two
Wilson's Warbler, and one imm. Mourning Warbler,
all up in the woods. I think it is about the twelveth
Mourning of the fall so far. I was watching the Turks Cap
at the entrance sign and an imm. Broad-winged Hawk flew
over real low going south. My first hawk migrant of the
fall (besides that late July Peregrine). Little Creek
Larry said he had a flock (dozen+) of black and yellow
orioles. Which of course any flock of that size here,
much less at this time of year, has to be Audubon's
Oriole. He also said he had a few Blue-winged Teal over
at Little Creek. There was a Laviana White-Skipper (lep)
at the Sabinal Canyon Museum yellow Lantana patch out front.
Phaon Crescent was below spillway at park dam. Some
Goldenrod is starting to show well along river, and some
Maximillian Sunflower opening up as well. Broomweed
is going well now. No Plateau Agalinis this year, was
too dry in August.
Sept. 26 ~ At least it got down to 70dF this morning.
Few morning clouds, we are still burnin' up here
like it is August. No fronts, no relief, just a longer
hotter summer. Now there are four months of brutal heat
and humidty here whence it was just three. Of course
winters are milder and shorter too. Radical changes.
Not much for migrant motion this morn, one Yellow and
one Nashville Warbler was all I saw. Second Nash of
the fall, been weak for them so far. Hear the Hutton's
Vireo out there, and the cluckin' Turkeys. Just
after noon I heard a Catbird calling repeatedly. Third
one of the fall, which is great. In leps saw a Giant
Swallowtail, and a pale morph female Large Orange Sulphur
which was nectaring on Tube-tongue. One Celia's
Roadside-Skipper, the female Goatweed Leafwing.
Edit:
I didn't mention at the time of the update, but it
was 16 years ago today I came to Utopia and leased the
'hay house' on N. Thunder Creek Road.
Sept. 25 ~ Low of 73dF, a bit of low clouds in morning
off and on. A few migrants trickled through yard.
Best was an immature American Redstart at the bath,
which I got poor pics of. I see one about half of
falls here, it's LTA - less than annual, so good.
Especially when ya missed seeing one in spring. There
were also 2 Yellow Warbler and a female Wilson's
Warbler, and a Gnatcatcher. In orioles, single Baltimore
and Orchard Oriole, I heard an Audubon's Oriole
whistle through the yard, but was too busy to go look,
and later an imm. Bullock's Oriole hit the bath.
Four species of oriole, three of warbler. Not a bad
trickle. Love that Redstart. Was 91dF at 4 p.m. in
the cool shade. Saw a Clouded Skipper today.
Most awesome behavior today goes to a male Cardinal.
They are pretty, and pretty testy too. Certainly they
are bossy around the bath, using beak to intimidate
other birds, not just other Cards. Alpha male had grown
impatient waiting and waiting and waiting for a (big buck)
Cottontail rabbit to finish drinking. It flew at the
rabbit and slammed it in the rear with its claws!
Just like a kingbird or crow does to a hawk. It nailed
it. Enough already! We are waiting you furry armadillo!
Said the Cardinal to the Cottontail. I was taking
pictures but it was so fast I missed it. Luckily Kathy
was watching at the time too and saw it.
Sept. 24 ~ Same old stuff, low of 74dF, low stratus cloud
deck. Heard a Dickcissel in yard early. A surprise was
two male Wilson's Warbler together with a female Yellow
again hitting the bath first thing, gotta be the same
three bird group as yesterday. About 9:30 a Warbling
Vireo splashed in the bath once at least. They are
rare here in fall, most falls I do not see one (about
a third of them I encounter one). It was a greener above
eastern type, and yellower below so probably an immature.
Heard a Hutton's Vireo in the live-oaks behind us,
and a couple White-eyed are still around the yard.
A third Rufous Hummingbird is here now, it is another
ad. female, but is fully tailed. So we have it, the now
un-tailed ad. female, and the adult male continues guarding
the office feeder. Pretty good showing this fall, I think
this makes six so far here for the season. A female
Baltimore Oriole hit the bath after noon, and a Gnatcatcher
went through the yard later afternoon. The flock of
Turkey has been daily over in the corral lately, still
19, year-olds.
Sept. 23 ~ Low of 74dF, just a few low clouds, sunny
early, not a good sign. Two male Wilson's Warbler
and one female Yellow were around, the Willies went to
the bath together (ph.). A Scrub-Jay (texana) passed through
mid-morn. Sounded like an immature based on call.
September is when most of my few park (Utopia Park)
records are, which are always wandering young-of-the-year
out on valley floor. Great Horned and Barred Owl calling
after dark. The Screech-Owls were going pre-sunup, so 3 sps.
of owls today.
The imm. fem. Cooper's Hawk was diving on the seed
eaters all day. Once it went after a Mourning Dove.
The dove was in straight line acceleration climbing
slightly, escape flight. Between about 20' and 200'
of the escape flight the Coop closed on the dove, barely,
but I thought it was going to grab it. At the last moment
the dove gave its best evasive twist and turn and the
Coop was out of steam and broke off. When a Coop does
the same to a White-winged Dove, by 150' the Coop
breaks off as the dove is pulling away from it. The (bigger)
White-wing has lots more power in that initial acceleration
and escape climb and beats the Coop on that alone. If the
Coop doesn't surprise a White-wing, it can't catch
them. The Mourning uses evasive maneuvers because the Coop
can actually gain on it in that escape flight.
Sept. 22 ~ Some light streamer type showers early morn
were nice, something to keep the dust down, about .2
of precip, anything is great at this point. Low was 74dF
and it dropped a degree from the rain. Temps have been
5-10dF OVER normal all month and forecast to stay that
way another week at least. We are supposed to get some
nice between the too hot and too cold.
We checked the park noonish. The male Wilson's
Warbler continues, which could well be a returnee, the
one that wintered last winter. There were three Mourning
Warbler in the understory in the woods. One was an
ad. fem., one an imm., the third I didn't get to
age or sex. A fourth something got away that may have
been an Ovenbird. Heard Summer Tanager and a couple
White-eyed Vireo.
A couple Green Kingfisher were along island. One flew
into a low thicket. A huge Largemouth Bass came completely
out of the water striking at it. We could not see if it
got it or not but sure did not see anything fly away, or
hear any alarm notes. We saw one of the brown hindwinged
(cf. obscurus) Catacola underwing moths. A few Blue Jay were
up near park entrance live-oaks where green acorns falling.
A bunch of Ruby-throats are at the Red Turks Cap patch at
the entrance sign.
Since no one there, we stopped at the old Preston Place
and checked the Frostweed patch around edges of yard.
One Vermilion and one Least Flycatcher, one Catbird, one
male Wilson's and three more Mourning Warbler. A
good Frostweed patch is hard to beat in fall. Lots of
bees on it too. I saw SIX Mourning Warbler at two small
patches of understory. How many then are around today?
Puts me over 10 for the fall so far, nothing to be mourning.
I bet if you trudged the Frostweed a bit you could get 10
for the day today.
Late afternoon I thought about going over to the draw to
check it for Mourning warbler, but blew it off in the 90dF
heat. Nearing dusk I was out on driveway leaning up against
trucklet when a bird flew up out of the draw into the big
Hackberry x Mesquite combo tree by the gate, a Mourning
Warbler! Number 7 for the day. It flew into the shorter
thick pecans in front yard. Obviously working up to tops
of trees and getting ready to go for the night. Awesome.
Then at 11 p.m. I heard my first of fall Barn Owl, going
north over the house.
Sept. 21 ~ Starting yesterday before dark the wind out of
the south (and off the Gulf) was blowing at 20 mph, gusting
higher, which was still going past midnight. Calm by morning,
but a humid low of 75dF and no migration movement. What could
fly into that? I told Kathy last night, no migrants tomorrow.
Don't worry, you will never get a fallout on a Saturday.
They only happen work days. Still two Rufous Hummingbird here,
Ruby-throated numbers have to be 150+, maybe 200. Two feeders
are being defended, one by the ad. ma. Rufous, and two feeders
are neutral, which are swarmed. The ad. fem. Rufous lost her
tail, so not likely to leave now in such condition.
Actually down at the 360 crossing I saw two Yellow Warbler,
male and female together going down to bathe. The Yellow-throated
Warbler below the crossing seems the breeder, and is still
territorial, chasing things, and singing from his usual
posts. Not much odetivity (dragonfly activity). A couple
each Green Darner and Wandering Glider, one Black Saddlebags,
saw no Rubyspots. Water is low, we need rain. One Red
Saddlebags was here at the house late afternoon. Wind
picked up again in the afternoon, if it gets like last
night it shuts down movement pretty well. Somewhere north
of us at leading edge of the southerly windfield is where
the action is now.
This is the immature American Redstart that visited the bath.
Did not get a good pic, but you get the idea. They flash the
wings and tail incessantly making themselves really quite showy.
a bonus piclet...
Here is a headshot crop... there are lots of Ruby-throated Hummingbird
passing through right now, most are pale throated immatures or females,
but fair numbers of adult males are present.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Sept. 20 ~ Low stratus cloud layer is back from the Gulf,
low temp was about 74dF. One Gnatcatcher out there early.
Saw a warbler briefly that looked a Nashville. Heard a
Yellow Warbler, and single Baltimore and Orchard Oriole.
Clouds stuck until after noon, at 4 pm. we were 90dF so 5dF
less than the last couple days. A least a little easing of
the heat. Those poor folks in far southeast Texas though
are swimming. I have not heard the Yellow-throated Vireo
in the yard the last few days and suspect it has departed.
The two Rufous Hummingbird continue, with 100+ Ruby-throated.
The ad. fem. leaves for extended periods though, probably
cheatin' on me at another's feeders.
Town run, a couple Scissor-tails on the way. Little Creek
Larry said he had a good flock of them the other day, just
for a day at his place. At the park I saw four migrants,
all warblers. One Wilson's, one Black-and-white, one
Northern Waterthrush, and one ad. fem. Mourning Warbler.
The Mourning was one with the broken eye-ring that looks
like MacGillivray's eye arcs, but much thinner. The s
short tail and long undertail coverts are very useful on
these types. It called a few times anyway. Heard a Green
Kingfisher. A flock of a couple dozen Common Grackle were
in the willows at south end of the island, all the local
post-breeding population methinks.
Sept. 19 ~ About 70dF for a low. The poor upper Texas coast
and southeast Texas has been innundated with rain from Imelda,
over two FEET in places. We'd gladly take several inches
for them. We are in the subsidence ring around the low,
at 4 p.m. it was 95dF on the cool shady front porch, so
had to be a hun in the sun. Which is brutal at this point,
we are at 4 months with highs in the 90's now. Currently
there is still no 'first fall' front forecast through
the end of the month, which is very unusual. We usually have a
couple if not a few fronts hit in September. Sometimes we get
the first fall cold front in late August. This year we had one
in July, and none then through September.
Not much for migrant motion in the morning. Saw 1-2 each
of Baltimore and Orchard Oriole, and Yellow Warbler. That
was it. They could have been holdovers from yesterday.
Saw the ad. ma. Rufous Hummer out back. Three Scissor-tails
flew over going upriver. A Zone-tailed Hawk soared over.
Heard the Audubon's Orioles go through yard, but busy
so did not run out to look for them. In leps saw Clouded
Skipper and Celia's Roadside-Skipper, a Mestra, some
Queens, the Goatweed Leafwing still in charge of its opening
in the pecans. Saw a (second of fall) male Twelve-spotted
Skimmer dragonfly late afternoon. No Pauraque again (as
yesterday) at dark.
Sept. 18 ~ Low of 69dF. Heard the Pauraque at 6:50 a.m.
A Gnatcatcher about 7 must have roosted here. A couple
Yellow Warbler were around. There were about 4 Baltimore,
2-3 Orchard, and at least a couple Audubon's Oriole
in the yard first couple hours after sunup. I presume
these are the Audubon's I have been hearing lately
going back and forth through yard. I finally got a look,
and a pic of one, it is a mostly green headed immature.
Born locally no doubt. Wish I could have seen the second
bird. I hear them working up and down river habitat corridor
weekly or so for a month but hadn't laid eyes on one.
Of course I am at the point where when I hear them I just
note it, having quit chasing looks of them years ago.
On the bummer side of the coin, I found a DOR (dead on road)
just run-over baby snake, methinks Black-headed Snake, right
outside the gate. I would love to see a live one. It was
only 8" long and thin as a pencil, a hatchling from this
year. Only a few cars go down the road in the morning. Photo
for the record, nice to know they are here, but darnit.
Saw a Canyon Towhee in the afternoon out front but it did
not seem to stick around. Bird of the day was at dusk.
Kathy was out watering so saw it go over, I was at desk
working so only heard it call two or three times. Which
I wondered if it was a pig over in the corral until Kathy
came in and said she thought a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
just flew over. Dialed up some calls at xeno-canto, and
sure enough we found a couple perfect matches. Great yard
bird. I saw one flying upriver June 15, 2018 from yard
so not a yard first, but darn rare.
Sept. 17 ~ Another 66dF low is dreamy. It is the little
things. Only thing singing early was Carolina Wren.
In the a.m. saw a couple each Yellow Warbler, Orchard
Oriole, and Baltimore Oriole. We seem to be in the ring
of hot subsidence from Tropical Storm Imelda over on the
upper Texas coast. Lots of Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
and the two Rufous are still here. Nothing else. Only
one feeder of four is neutral, three have guards. The
greenie imm. Painted Bunting of yesterday is still here.
Did not hear anything at dusk or dark save the Owls.
Sept. 16 ~ A low of 66dF felt great. The only migrant
motion I saw early was a group of four Baltimore Oriole
in the top of the big pecan at first sun. Then later
morn they were hitting the Persimmons by gate and along
fence toward the draw. Saw a Chat and a Yellow-throated
Warbler, both looked like the young from nearest nests.
The two Rufous Hummingbird continue, Ruby-throated must
number a hundred or more. One greenie imm. Painted
Bunting. Caracara and Red-shouldered Hawk.
A Two-tailed Swallowtail (butterfly) floated around the yard
several times over a few hours. The male Goatweed Leafwing
remains patrolling one area of the yard, seemingly a month now.
A Texas Powdered-Skipper came in to water when I sprayed
it once, took 5 seconds or 5 drops and it was there.
At dusk a Common Nighthawk called, sounded an immature.
The pack of Coyotes went off close, musta got something.
Hopefully it was a little pig. I suspect if one could see
they could learn and be able to tell whether or not it
was pig or rabbit they got, by their vocalizations.
Sept. 15 ~ We got up a bit early and went to Lost Maples.
The low was 64dF! KRVL hit 63! That sure hits the spot.
I did not hear the Pauraque this morning, or last night.
I did hear a Chuck-wills-widow giving just the wills-widow
part of the call for a bit at 6:40 a.m. This is likely
the latest date I have for calling locally, so very neat.
Left here just before 8, these later sunrises are nice.
At the 360 crossing on the way out there was a year-old
male Green Kingfisher with half a brown breastband.
A male Mourning Warbler flushed and flew along and then
right in front of car there too. On way at one point
four Baltimore Oriole flew across road right in front
of us. There were lots of sparrows on a fenceline
upvalley but I did not stop to check them. Bad birder.
Many were Lark and Chipping, some were Field.
At Lost Maples HQ there was a Baltimore Oriole and an Inca
Dove, at the first crossing just past HQ a first fall
male Wilson's Warbler and an immature Painted Bunting.
Nothing at the feeding station at the trailhead parking area.
A few Cave Swallow were overhead. We did the Can Creek
trail to the ponds. We heard two White-tipped Dove along
it, and a couple Audubon's Oriole. White-eyed Vireo
numbered about 18 or so, to one Hutton's. The highlight
was a Black-capped Vireo at the corner of the big pond
calling quite a lot. It is my latest date for one locally.
One Yellow-throated Warbler was still by the pond, a few
Summer Tanager were along the canyon. At the second pond
I had a poor look of a Mourning Warbler flying away,
which I later heard chip a few times. we heard one
Canyon Wren and saw one Scrub-Jay. Coming back down we had
a group of at least 3 Baltimore Oriole, a few Common Raven.
Only one imm. Turkey Vulture for large soaring objects.
Noteworthy is all that is gone. Breeding season is over
and besides the White-eyed Vireo and a few Summer Tanager,
the migratory nesters are over and out. No Gnatcatcher,
Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-throated or Red-eyed Vireo,
Blue Grosbeak or Indigo Bunting, Eastern Wood-Pewee or
Acadian Flyactcher, no Louisiana Waterthrush, so the
huge population of nesters has vacated for the season.
Interesting was one big Escarpment Cherry tree that had
a bumper crop of fruit of decent size (which is still small).
Even purple they are still fairly bitter, but very cherry.
Why no birds in the tree?
We saw 2-3 Spicebush and about a half-dozen Two-tailed
Swallowtail, but no Eastern Tiger. Saw several Northern
Cloudywing, one Duskywing sps., a couple Celia's
Roadside-Skipper, some Gulf Frits, a Queen, one worn
Questionmark, but butterflies were slow and the flower
bloom was not great. Did see one Clammyweed with blooms,
lots of Broomweed is doing well, the Frostweed was the
main bloomer now, but mostly just covered in bees. The
Lindheimer's Senna is blooming well, nothing on it.
The dragonflies were also weak. A couple Pale-faced
Clubskimmer, a few Green Darner, a couple Wandering Glider,
a couple Eastern Pondhawk, some Kiowa Dancer damselflies,
plus a few un-ID'd damsels. Odes are fading fast
up there already. In herps I saw young-of-the-year
Greater Earless Lizard and Six-lined Racerunner.
On the way back we had a few Scissor-tailed Flycatcher,
and on a snag one Olive-sided Flycatcher. Thought I saw
one on the way up in the morning too. Best was as we
pulled up to our place two Kingbirds flushed off the
powerline out front, Couch's! Since we hadn't
done enough, after a rest, we went for an afternoon
swim. Nothing goin' on at the river, but a nice
cool-off. Only got up to about 88dF on the cool shady
front porch. At the start of dusk Kathy heard a Common
Nighthawk flying downriver. Good date, a migrant, the
locals are long gone. Then at the dark end of dusk I
heard the Pauraque call a bit. So with the Chuck this
morning, we got 3 species of nightjars here today.
Sept 14 ~ A 66dF low was fantastic, I saw KRVL hit 64!
Weewow! Feels so good. At least 2 male and a female
Yellow Warbler and an Orchard Oriole was it for migrants
early morn. About 9:30 I saw a Catbird on the ground
out at the gate! It may have been getting Red Harvester
Ants. Hard bird to get here in fall, most, I do not see
one. Late morn took a quick look at the park in town.
Green and Ringed Kingfisher at the island where a Barred
Owl as well. A little scolding scene developed around
it and besides the local common stuff there was a
Wilson's Warbler, an Eastern Wood-Pewee a
Great Crested Flycatcher, and an imm. Painted Bunting,
all four transient migrants. Great was a butterfly,
a very worn Red-spotted Purple, hard to get at the park.
I guess they weren't done butchering the butterfly
garden, it looks worse than last time I saw it. Not
worth stopping. Pitiful. Why do you cut a fifteen year
old Evergreen Sumac back to its base like it is a
Lantana? One of the best fall Monarch shrubs. Why do
they cut everything like it is Lantana? Because they
do not know what they are doing. Worst managed native
plant garden I have ever encountered in my life.
The cemetery and golf course pond at Waresville had two
Loggerhead Shrike, my first of the fall. A few molting male
Red-winged Blackbird continue. There were three
Scissor-tails and 2 first-year male Vermilion Flycatcher
around the golf course, the only of either of those I
saw as I rolled around. Heard a Blue Grosbeak somewhere
around the golf course. Later afternoon a couple more
Orchard Oriole went through yard, heard a Scissor-tail
go over, heard more at dusk. A couple Chimney Swift
circled a bit at dusk. Had a single moment count of
18 Lesser Goldfinch on the patio.
This is a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, July 16
at
the fish hatchery at Uvalde. Not the one that flew over
calling
in the dark a few nights ago. Most that occur
here are juvenile
or immatures, adults are rarer here.
~ ~ ~ update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
August is peak heat month here, and lots of birds really
get to moving this month. An adult male Rufous Hummingbird
was at our place July 31-Aug. 3. A second different ad.
male has been here Aug. 8-23 so far. A third imm. or female
showed up Aug. 23. A cormorant was reported at the park
Aug. 9, surely a Neotropic, said to have a straight neck
in flight. You may yet catch a passage or transient male
Painted Bunting but the local breeders have departed for
the season. Lots of Orchard Oriole going through now and
Yellow Warbler have been about daily for a couple weeks.
We had a 1-2" rain event on the 15th related to outflow
boundries from a front that washed out northward. A few hours
in front of the rain my first fall migrant Ruby-throated Hummingbird
arrived, an adult male. Quickly followed by my FOS Yellow Warbler,
a female, hit the birdbath for a long one. Then at dusk on the
15th after the rain, a COMMON PAURAQUE called a few times from just
up the road over the draw. Awesomeness. It has continued into
Sept., Aug. 21st it put on a full monty show flopping around
on the driveway in response to my imitating its call. Have
seen a couple Audubon's Oriole pass through the yard a
couple times the last couple weeks.
Finally an Empidonax flycatcher showed up Aug. 20, looked
like a Least. A definite Least Flycatcher was in the yard
Aug. 23. A Black Witch moth was at the park up in the woods
on Aug. 23. A rare migrant juvenile Acadian Flycatcher was
in the yard Aug. 25. My fourth different Rufous Hummingbird showed
up Aug. 26-29, my fifth on Aug. 30 was the third adult male.
Kathy spotted a LUNA MOTH on Aug. 27 at dusk! Black-throated Green
and Wilson's Warbler were FOS on Aug. 28, when I also saw
the VERDIN I had heard for a few days. The FOS Baltimore
Oriole was a male at the birdbath on Aug. 29 and after
dark that day, I heard my FOS Upland Sandpiper going over.
~ ~ ~ end update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Sept. 13 ~ A big happy Harvest Moon Friday the 13th.
Low of 72dF, some scattered off and on low clouds over
morning. Heard a Mourning Warbler out there early but
no views to age or sex it. One Yellow Warbler, one greenie
imm. Painted Bunting. Have not seen or heard the yard
Yellow-throated Warbler in a few days, it may have departed.
The Y-t Vireo still here singing. Later-morn there were a
couple Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a Least Flycatcher and a Yellow
Warbler in the Pecans. Best, at least two BUSHTIT moved
through yard calling, mostly in the Junipers along north
fence but flew into the Hackberries and Mesquite by gate.
Have not seen any in a few months so nice. Town run, so a
park check. On the way just down road a half mile I heard
a Yellow-throated Warbler in the Cypresses. At the park
was my first Nashville Warbler of the fall, on the island.
That was it for migrants there. I saw 88dF on the shady
front porch around 5 p.m., hotter in the sunny, but at least
it is running a few dF cooler than it was in August. The
Pauraque called a bit at dusk.
Sept. 12 ~ About 72dF for a low, and a nice wet ground
from that inch last night. Stayed in 70's until
almost noon. At 3 p.m. it was 86dF, KRVL was reading 92.
Just barely a trickle of birds in the morning. Pauraque
called before 7 a.m. again. One or two Yellow Warbler,
a Least Flycatcher was all. Mid-morn a Hutton's
Vireo was calling, joining the White-eyed and Yellow-throated
still singing. Chat made some noise this morning, maybe
only one left here now. Both Rufous Hummingbird continue,
lots of Rubies here now. Verdin. A number of swallows were
feeding in the area loosely assembled at best. Mostly
Barn, but I saw one Cave, a couple Chimney Swift, and
at least two TREE Swallow. Which are rare and hard to get
here. Pretty sure one small one was a Bank but let it go.
About 10:30 I heard a chip over by the bath and saw an
adult male Mourning Warbler right over the bath. It
was probably just there. Went inside house and tried
to get a shot but it moved. So ran back outside and
hid by front door as it seemed to have been heading
for the Turks Cap at corner of house. BINGO there
it came around corner in it. It worked the low thick
green mess around the porch (Red Turks Cap, Am. Germander,
Tropical Sage, Eupatorium greggii, etc.) for over a
minute whilst I blasted away. Auto-focus actually
found it a couple times so I ended up with a shot
before it flew across the porch (4' from me as it
did!) up into lowest branches of the big Pecan, and then
into the patio Mulberry tree. Down in the short thick it
was not 10' away, not knowing I was there up against
door. I love 'em. Whaddabird. See pic below.
Saw Northern Cloudywing and Clouded Skipper in afternoon.
Then about 5 p.m. I saw an un-ID'd Mourning-MacGill type
but not an ad. male. Later after dinner about 7 I was out
front and heard what was clearly a MACGILLIVRAY'S Warbler!
I spotted it in the Red Turks Cap! It called a lot, the typical
hard dry keck or tcheck note, sharp, mechanical, quite
unlike the flat ball sound of a Mourning. I grew up with
Macs as a default warbler chip. Never walked by one yet.
It had very thick white arcs above and below eye, well
broken fore and aft. Tail appears long compared to Mourning
partly due to shorter undertail coverts. Bill was shorter
and more compact than Mourning. Had a decent look. About
my 4th here in fall, all of which are in the last half-dozen
years or so, the first 10 falls here I saw or heard zero fall
Macs. It is more regular (nearly annual) in spring.
Sept. 11 ~ Heard the Pauraque just before 7 a.m. Was
in town early, at park heard a Ringed King, saw Green
Heron, heard a probably Mourning Warbler on the island.
About 35 Barn Swallow were at the church at the 1050 x 187
intersection, mostly imms., and probably lots of this
years production in town. Little Creek Larry said he
had 1.5" of rain from the event yesterday and that
Sabinal got 2" when we only got .4 or so. We were
about 73dF for a low this a.m., and got up to about 87dF
before some outflow air cooled us into low 80's
about 5:30 p.m. A light shower of not even a tenth of
an inch about 6:15 cooled it a bit. After dark we got
a long slow soaker as they call them here, a cell camped
in the area and made up for missing so much so close
yesterday. We ended up with an INCH for the day!
Not much around yard early, one Yellow Warbler and a Least
Flycatcher. At 10 a.m. a DOWNY Woodpecker called from
the big dying Hackberry, then moved to the big Pecan and
called again, then moved north up the river habitat corridor.
Always a good bird here. About 11 a.m. I walked out on
the front porch, heard a warbler seet flight note, a bit
roughish, with a hoarse grating quality, looked low to my
left and a warbler jumped out of the Turks Cap onto a
Persimmon stem 8' from me, an imm. Mourning Warbler!
It flew out into pecans out front. Same time and place as
yesterday. I got a good look and it was an immature with
yellow throat and thin thin eyering narrowly broken fore and
aft. With sprinkles likely it couldn't move last night,
I think it is the same bird and it stuck. I have been
checking the bath lots since I figured I missed it there
yesterday. Probably missed it there again today. If you
have to flush something when you open your door, it could
be worse. Once I flushed away a Green (now Mexican) Violetear
that never came back. Just watched it fly off. Ohhh the
pain, it is still a little tender there.
In the afternoon saw the Verdin, the 18 or so Turkey working
the oat line for scraps, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher flew over.
One Red Admiral and a Whirlabout for different butterflies.
At dusk it was sprinkling and the Pauraque went off
louder than it has so far. It must be happy for the
rain. I worked out driveway trying to see where it
was calling from, quite near where it called from just
before 7 a.m. this morning along north fence. Have been
considering a daytime ground search for photo op. Anyway
I spot it sitting and shaking, ON the birdbox on the fenceline.
It was surely bathing on the nice flat surface out in the
open. It soon flushed after it saw me though and flew
over toward the draw. Great to hear a near full volume
burst of ka-wheeerrr notes. It must have been thrilled.
Sept. 10 ~ Another 74dF low, lots of low stratus,
some showers scattered around. No bird movement in
yard in morning, one Yellow Warbler was my only
migrant detection first couple hours. The two Rufous
Hummers continue and lots of Ruby-throats. Mid-morn
a Mourning Warbler flushed out of the thick low stuff
around the front porch and shot out back. I bet it was
just at the bath 30' away. One Least Flycatcher
was out front in pecans.
A rain cell got close enough before 5 p.m. for outflow to
cool us down to 82dF! Looked at KRVL and it was 96 there!
Just before 7 p.m. it was 92 at KRVL and we were in a shower
and 70dF! Holy rain-cooled air weatherman. We totally
beat the heat this afternoon, and busted the dust to boot.
We got about a third to .4 of an inch all told. But the
east side of the valley got an inch and more.
Sept. 9 ~ A 72dF low, still muggy, still summer. A
couple Yellow Warbler in the yard early, a Least
Flycatcher, heard one Chat and a Gnatcatcher, the
two Rufous Hummer continue as do White-eyed and
Yellow-throated Vireo, Field Sparrow, and the usuals.
Caracara made a few passes. Saw the Verdin, and a
herd of about 18 Turkey in the corral. Most everything
else I saw besides the hummers was between the Verdin
and Turkey, sizewise. Best was a Twelve-spotted Skimmer
dragonfly, a male, the first I have seen this year.
It is an irregular fall vagrant here not seen every year,
and totally awesome looking in flight so always a treat.
Heard just a few notes from the Pauraque at dusk.
Hister Beetle about 11 p.m. on porch.
Sept. 8 ~ A muggy 74dF for a low is tiresome at this
time of the year. The Pauraque called at about 6:38
and 6:55 a.m., Great Horned Owls going the whole time.
A couple Yellow Warbler around yard early. That was
it until after 10 when I heard Audubon's Oriole
across road. We took an hour walk to crossing 11-12.
Had a singing Bell's Vireo, saw an Orchard Oriole,
heard a couple more, heard a couple bunting sps.,
heard the Verdin, a Chat, heard a few and saw a male Summer
Tanager, heard Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Least Flycatcher,
saw a couple and heard a couple Yellow Warbler, saw
a Yellow-throated warbler, and best was a FOS Mourning
Warbler, an immature with a yellow throat. I called ID
at first chip but it took a couple minutes to find
and see it, we ended up with great close views, and
another great "the end" photo. But that was
all I got. The end. You can tell it was not a Mac.
Sept. 7 ~ Back up to 72dF for a low, some clouds, good
and sticky. Let go already summer. Over the morning
in the yard I saw a very few migrants. Single juvenile
Indigo and Painted Bunting that both looked new and
different, a couple Yellow Warbler, a couple imm.
Orchard Oriole, one imm. Baltimore Oriole and a Least
Flycatcher. The rest were locals. Saw the Yellow-throated
Warbler and the Yellow-throated Vireo was still singing.
A few Summer Tanager. Afternoon was hot (91dF in shade)
and sticky with no action. Weird was an immature Ruby-throated
Hummingbird incessantly giving begging notes. I do not
recall ever hearing one still begging here in the fall.
It can't be too old. At dusk the Pauraque called bit,
as did the Screech-Owls, which sound like one begging
(yapping and high pitched weird trill) young and the ad. pair.
Mourning Warbler, male, September 12. I was trying to hide my
bloated carcass against front door, it was in adjacent flower bed.
another bonus pic...
This is the mating pair of Luna Moth on Sept. 4. Was on the
big Pecan, they were there all day.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Sept. 6 ~ Low of 70dF, and a bit sticky. In a.m.
saw a couple Yellow Warbler, heard an Orchard Oriole,
one Least Flycatcher out front, but not much for migrant
motion. Yellow-throated Vireo still singing, as is
White-eyed Vireo, and Summer Tanager. Saw one greenie
imm. Painted Bunting. Was a town errand run day.
One Scissor-tail going there and back. At the park
there was a Northern Waterthrush on the island, my FOS,
a yellow tinted type. Also FOS were 2 Spotted Sandpiper
on the spillway. Barred Owl was on island too, kinda
surprised no Mourning Warbler yet. I think I keep
forgetting to mention the Ludwigia is blooming a
couple weeks plus now. Looking for but not seeing
any Banded Sphinx larvae on it. About 7 p.m. I got
a look at a Mississippi Kite as it flew by behind the
house. Don't get it every fall, so nice. Heard
the Verdin at last sun. The Pauraque first called at
8:07 p.m. Interesting was it giving the introductory
notes in flight as it covered quite a bit of ground,
200' or so. Then it landed in the draw and then
gave 10 minutes of just the climax ka-wheeerrr note.
To cool.
Sept. 5 ~ A low of 68dF makes 5 days with lows below
70. Woohoo! There were more debris cumulus clouds and
even a few rain cells nearish-by, one barely missed us
and sent a few sprinkles. Remnants of T.S. Fernand,
it kept the temps moderated. I saw 82 about 3 p.m.,
remarkable. A couple Yellow Warbler were about yard,
Kathy saw an Orchard oriole at the bath, and later she
spotted the big imm. fem. Cooper's Hawk in it!
The two Rufous Hummers continue, no Black-chinned,
a couple or few dozen Ruby-throated. Yellow-throated
Warbler is around, but no singing, it's done.
Saw a Rose-bellied Lizard on a pecan trunk.
Dusk was fun. The Pauraque was calling early whilst
still light in the sky. It again landed on the powerline,
and I got a silhouette photo anyway. It was working
all around yard calling. Then it comes popping over
the roof and me on the patio straight up I can see
the white bands on rounded wings, and there is a
Chuck-wills-widow not 8' behind it! They disappeared
in front yard pecans somewhere. I wonder if it was
an ad. or juv. Chuck? The Pauraque continued calling
all around off and on for over an hour.
The other thing that happened at dusk was first hearing
four Upland Sandpipers calling as they gain altitude
to fly for the night. Outstanding was hearing a
Lesser Yellowlegs! It is a new yard bird! I have
thought I heard them a couple times, and have seen
a few Greater, but this one kept calling, giving
nearly a half-dozen repititions of the call so as
to make sure I was getting it. They are generally
rare here only occurring when it rains and there are
flood ponds, most often in spring. It borders on
accidental in fall.
Sept. 4 ~ Hit 68dF for a low, keeping our September
streak of all 60's lows alive so far, I can't
believe it. Only hit about 90dF peak heat due to
lots of debris clouds from Tropical Storm Fernand
making landfall south of us in northern Mexico.
It formed and made landfall in 24 hours. They got
lots of rain mostly. A couple Yellow Warbler, an imm.
Blue Grosbeak, and a Gnatcatcher in yard in morning.
Both Rufous Hummers still here, did not see any
Black-chinned, it looked all Ruby-throats to me today.
Later afternoon there was a spritz or two of rain,
and a couple dozen Chimney Swifts were low over the
trees calling as they bolted south. These are surely
migrants from elsewhere on their way.
About 9 a.m. I sat down in the chair on the front porch
to smoke my pipe and watch the bark grow on the big
pecan right off the porch. And there 8' off the
ground on it was a hooked up in copulation pair of
LUNA MOTH! OMG! Got some photos of course. Amazing.
I can't believe it. Mind-blowing for me here.
They are using this big native pecan. I see a clear
difference in their antennae, one much broader than the
other. After 16 years here and not seeing one, this is
the jackpot Luna week of my life. Much of my youth was
spent dreaming of seeing one. I had seen several
but 3 decades ago. They stayed hooked up until
after dark. Sometime about 9 p.m. one of them left,
the other stayed hanging right where it was. Which
did which? The one with the smaller antennae stayed.
I bet the female. It was still there at midnight.
At dark the Common Pauraque called again. I did a couple
short calls and it landed on the powerline! Kathy came
out and saw it too. Later it worked all around the front
yard pecans calling just the final climax wheeeerr note.
More awesomeness. Had to be over a dozen Firefly out
there too, the fall flight is underway. Whaddaday.
Sept. 3 ~ an incredible low of 64dF was a suprise,
NOAA called for 70! No one complained, it was awesome.
Kathy heard the Barred Owl over at the river at dawn.
Outstanding was a Black-headed Grosbeak briefly in the
yard about 9 a.m., calling lots, got a couple flight
views as it moved tree to tree. Was imm. or female type.
Otherwise only a couple Yellow Warbler for morning migrant
movement. Peak heat I saw 90dF on the front porch whilst
KRVL was showing 97 again. All that blacktop and concrete.
Only 2 greenies (imm. Painted Bunnies) left. Saw one only
imm. Black-chinned Hummingbird, and seems to have been some
departure of Ruby-throateds. Still the two Rufous Hummer.
Heard the Hutton's Vireo in Mesquites across road, and
a Scissor-tail calling. One imm. male Cooper's Hawk
got a House Finch that I saw, by keeping it up in open
airspace until it tuckered out, and later I heard a Cardinal
get taken, probably that big female Coop that has been here.
Saw Northern Cloudywing, couple Goatweed Leafwing, Mestra,
Giant Swallowtail, and lots of the more common butterflies.
At dusk two Common Nighthawk flew low and fast downriver
just over treetops, probably migrants from elsewhere.
Then a Chuck-wills-widow flew right over me out on the driveway.
Heard Great Horned, Barred, and Eastern Screech-, Owls.
Sept. 2 ~ The pool of rain-cooled air gave us a 69dF
low again, sure feels great. But no migrants moving
in yard in morning save one Yellow Warbler. What was
here bugged out on the lightest of northerly flow.
Still singing (so likely still nesting) are Summer
Tanager, White-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo, and
Carolina Wren. There was a Least Flycatcher out in
yard which may have been yesterday's bird. Both
Rufous Hummers where still here in the morning.
Mostly it was hiding from the heat though the ground
moisture humidity from the rain yesterday kept it a
bit cooler. The shady front porch was 90dF through
heat of day, whence KRVL was showing 97. We went for
an afternoon swim to cool off. I found a feather that
was just molted floating up against a cypress root.
Looks like maybe adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
wing covert or scapular. Will have to photo and send
away to expert methinks.
After we got back just before 5:30 p.m. I sat down on
porch to smoke my pipe and spotted a LUNA MOTH drying
out on the trunk of the big pecan. It was pumping up its
wings from pupae emergence! In the sun! So finally got
some real pix of a Luna! What an awesome beast.
They must be using the pecan! It must have pupated
at the base of the tree, it was about 28" up the
trunk where it sat. It was there until about 8:34 or
so when I walked past it to stand out in the driveway
and look for nightjars for a couple minutes. When I
walked back it was gone. Dang I wanted to see it fly
off. Turned my back for a few moments and missed it.
September 1 ~ OMG September! Some rain cooled outflow
air arrived overnight from activity far north of us,
providing a wonderful low of 69dF! Of course 12-gauge
shotgun blasts are the standard alarm this day in Texas.
Dove and duck season is now open if you wonder why the
doves went high.
Around the yard in the morning were 3-4 Yellow Warbler
and 1 Least Flycatcher for migrants. The two Rufous
Hummingbird continue. A couple greenies (imm. Painted
Bunting) still here. I took a spin and checked the
360 crossing where nothing. The pond at the golf course
by Waresville, had a Common Grackle and 10 Red-winged
Blackbird, all males, and a few Thornbush Dasher
dragonfly besides the common stuff. The park in town
had zip for migrants. Did not see even one Yellow Warbler
whilst driving around. The yard was better. Did see a
few more Fireweed in bloom at riveredge. Some Boneset
Eupatorium is going well in places along the water,
but not much on it. Some Broomweed starting to bloom.
Lots of clouds kept us a bit below the usual searing
temps of late, until they turned into rain cells and
we got really cooled off. We got one about 2-3 p.m.,
it was awesome, a whole INCH of rain! Dropped it to
the upper 70's dF by 3 and 72dF at 4 p.m.! Weewow!
And there won't be any dust for a couple days.
After it rains there is always a termite hatch so birds
were feasting on those. Saw Eastern Phoebe, a Gnatcatcher,
Summer Tanager, and Yellow Warblers hitting them right away.
Then a swallow swarm showed up with 3-4 dozen Barn, a few
Cave, and one Cliff Swallow just feet off the ground right
in the road by the gate. You could hear incessant snapping
of their beaks, a dozen dragonflies joined the melee too.
It was an incredible show, we were just 30-40' from the
TET - termite emergence tornado - and swallows were all around,
often at eye level and below. The Least Flycatcher showed back
up, stuffed itself and gave photos. I saw it multiple times
forage on the ground as they may do. Most other Empis are
wont to land on the ground. Later both Hutton's and
Red-eyed Vireo showed up! At dusk I saw a Chuck-wills-widow
flopping around toward the draw a couple times. Heard no
Pauraque, but did heard four Upland Sandpiper call as they
headed south. So some were in pastures here up-valley
today, just not in any I checked.
~ ~ ~ August summary ~ ~ ~
It was hot and sticky, but fairly dry for precipitation.
About 2" for the month is below normal. Getting
fairly parched out there. High temps averaged 5-8dF above
average, and lows ran 3-5dF above average. Decent Persimmon
crop ripening, some Hackberries and Pecans on way, but not
a bumper crop year for either. Unfortunately we did not make
it up to Lost Maples this month. Too dang hot, and too busy.
So missed a few things for the month in birds and dragons in
particular, but probably a couple butterflies too.
Butterflies were 54 species, down a handful from last
couple months. Best as a Laviana White-Skipper, they are
less than annual here. Next best were a Crimson Patch, a
White-striped Longtail that was around 10 days or so, and
a Dotted Roadside-Skipper. The rest was the expected.
No Zebra so far this year. Three good moths were seen.
Best was a LUNA MOTH Kathy spotted on Aug. 27. The stuff
dreams are made of for westerners. A Black Witch in the
woods at the park on the 23rd was great. So was a
Hummingbird Hawkmoth Sphinx moth (Aellopos sps.), likely
clavipes or titan.
Odes were fair, but not as active as earlier in summer.
Or was it me? I saw 27 species, and nothing rare or
unusual. Orange-striped Threadtail, Comanche Skimmer,
Black-shouldered Spinyleg, a few Thornbush Dasher maybe
were the better amongst them. Surely working at it one
could have rustled up another half-dozen or more species
without much effort save being brutalized in the heat.
Birds were good with some migrant action picking up by the
end of the month. Best bird was the Common Pauraque
that was around our yard into early Sept. so far. What a
treat getting to hear it call repeatedly. A Verdin showed
up late Aug., which may well be a 3rd year returnee (!).
A total of four Rufous Hummingbird in yard for the month is
great, two of which have stuck into early September. An
Olive-sided Flycatcher was my early date on Aug. 24. Good
numbers of Orchard Oriole and Yellow Warbler passing through,
both hitting double digits on best day, and probably a
hundred or so of each, as well as Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
went through yard in August. A juvenile Acadian Flycatcher
in our yard on the 25th is a very rare find as a transient
in fall here. Looks like about 90 species of birds locally.
A handful were missed by missing Maples. I saw a few ebird
reports in early August of Golden-cheeked Warbler still there
the first week or so of the month.
~ ~ ~ end August summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ partial update header (June-July) archive ~ ~ ~
July is hot and sticky season here. If lucky there are
some low clouds from the Gulf in the mornings keeping it
fairly bearable until noonish. Many birds are still singing
and breeding, many are done and departing. Tons of baby
birds out there. An imm. ROSEATE SPOONBILL was seen at a
private pond 4-5 mi. SSW of town on July 7 (Leslie Calvert),
a great bird locally. A BLACK WITCH (moth) was also seen
the 7th. A Belted Kingfisher flying downriver on the 17th
is my early 'fall' date locally by a couple weeks.
A cold front arriving overnight July 22-3 is as rare a bird
here as anything. Lows in the 60's not being rain-related,
with dry northerlies and highs in upper 80's the 23rd-4th
is amazing. The morning of the 25th we had 57dF, Kerrville had
55 and Rock Springs 52dF! These are record lows for the date.
Outstanding on July 28 was an adult PEREGRINE FALCON right at
the corner of 187 and 360. Also saw one (last of the year
probably) Golden-cheeked Warbler at Lost Maples the 28th.
July 31 our first of fall RUFOUS Hummingbird showed up,
a nice adult male, still present Aug. 2.
June highlights... June 29 three juvenile Grasshopper
Sparrow were on a W. Sabinal Rd. fenceline just west of the Jones Cmty.
Rd. intersection. This in Bandera Co. where I had been watching
them. Still begging Golden-cheeked Warbler getting fed at Lost
Maples June 29 as well. Late late evening on June 19th an actual
fall migrant flew over calling southbound in the dark, a Long-billed
Curlew! A fall migrant 5 minutes before the last day of spring.
Had Bushtit here at the hovelita on June 16. Breeding season is going
hot and heavy, lots of begging babies appearing, so finding the breeders
is relatively easy. There are also post-breeding wanderers moving
around already too, some of the earliest nesters are done. Black-n-white
and Golden-cheeked Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and White-eyed
Vireo are a few of the things I have been seeing off breeding territories
moving about now. A couple cormorants were seen at Utopia Park June 26,
surely Neotropic, rare birds here. July is primetime for rare hummingbirds.
Was a Mexican (Green) Violetear at Reagan Wells a month or so.
~ ~ ~ end June-July update header archive ~ ~ ~
~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~
Aug. 31 ~ Finally it is here, the end of August and
climatalogical summer. Three more weeks for astronomical
summer to end at the equinox. Ran about 74-92dF, hot
and sticky. I was supposed to go rustle up some new
butterflies for the monthly list, but passed. It is
whatever it is. Too dang hot. The few bearable hours
early there is less than great butterfly activity.
Mid-morning here a Texas Powdered-Skipper landed right
in front of me. A male Roseate Skimmer dragonfly has been
around for days, especially when Kathy sprays water.
A couple females were around for about a week.
About 4-5 Yellow Warbler around yard in morning, all
hit the bath. No other warblers though, these may well
be holdovers from yesterday. Also there was a fresh
fledgling Common Ground-Dove, Chat, White-eyed Vireo,
Summer Tanager, a Dickcissel, and all the usual gang.
Nothing new and different. Only saw the usual two Rufous
Hummingbirds here now, the ad. male owning the office
feeder and the ad. female using one of the front porch
feeders. No ad. male Black-chinned, two immatures was it.
Must be a few to several dozen Ruby-throated here now.
The salmon below 1st summer male Painted Bunting was on
the patio, a couple greenies (imms.) were around still.
Did not see an Indigo today though.
This is the Luna Moth pumping up and drying out just after
emerging from pupae on Sept. 2. They are 4.5" across!
and a mandatory bird pic
Here is the Least Flycatcher that was pigging out on termites as
they emerged after the rain, occasionally foraging from ground.
I had no idea you could fit that many termites in one of these.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Aug. 30 ~ Low of 76dF is not very. Great Horned Owl
calling at dawn. The bath had a little action around
8:30. Maybe three Yellow and what looked the same
male Wilson's Warbler came in. A juvenile
Baltimore Oriole got a drink and split quick. Saw
a juv. Orchard Oriole and female Summer Tanager. Two
Rufous-crowned Sparrow took long baths allowing some
good shots. Pics look like it was an adult and an juvenile.
There are many fewer Yellows here today than yesterday,
so a bunch bugged out. In the morning it was 3, in the
evening it got up to 5.
Lots of Pecan leaves are turning yellow and lots are
falling. The bees hit the sap first thing at daylight,
the best tree humms. They seem to not be there in the
afternoon. Maybe the sap gets hard or too dry. It appears
the Yellow Warblers are gleaning bugs that get stuck to the
leaves in the sticky sap. An Eyed Elaterid (the big click
beetle) was on the patio at dawn when I tossed seed about.
Heard an Audubon's Oriole early in the morning.
Both Rufous Hummers still here, do not see any ad.male
Black-chinned, a few imm. Black-chinned continue. Rubies
now must number in the few dozens.
Town run fer shtuff. No migrants at the park. Wish
I could have seen it yesterday since we know it was a
big movement day. Can't get away from the desk on
Thursdays. Heard Blue Jay and Green Heron, that was it.
Little Creek Larry said he saw Inca Dove feeding two
young this week. He also saw a Ringed Kingfisher at the
park this morning. I saw a DOR (dead on road) Roadrunner
on 187 just above the UvCo 360 turn. DOR was the first
acronym I learned in life, at about four or five years old.
There was a Eufala Skipper on the yellow Lantana at the
Sabinal Cyn. Museum, new for the month.
About 4 p.m. a cloud shield from rain cells 25 miles
west of us blocked the sun. Dropped from 93 to 87 in
a half hour of no sun. From icky to bearable. So that
is the dang problem, that friggin' sun thingie.
A second male Rufous Hummingbird showed up late p.m., it was
tussling with the adult female out front and flew off,
I ran straight to back and the one guarding the feeder
there was on his perch. So, three here right now, and number
five for the fall so far. About 5:p I went out driveway
and a male Orchard Oriole flushed out of the Texas
Persimmon at the gate. Wish I had seen it first.
Then after 7 p.m. a flock of 8 Orchard and 1 Baltimore
Oriole flew over the yard from the draw. Bet they were
in the Persimmons over there all day. Reminds me there
is a camping area in Garner St. Pk. called Persimmon Hill,
covered in them. It is in the northeast area, it can be
good for birds in September when crop. Should be birdable
after this weekend. Did not hear the Pauraque at dusk,
saw about 4 or 5 Firefly. Saw a Northern Cloudywing
butterfly by cottage today.
Aug. 29 ~ A sticky start with a low of 75dF, a few
scattered clouds off and on over the morn. Both
Rufous Hummers are still here. I am not seeing
any adult male Black-chinned, only a very small number
of immatures. Ruby-throated now far outnumber them.
Lots of ad. male Rubies showing up now, besides imms.
Heard a Blue Grosbeak, surely an imm. or female now.
Three greenies (imm. Painted Bunting) around still,
interesting was late in day a first summer male was
at the millet tube with reddish salmon underparts.
Noonish there was a very worn adult female Indigo Bunting
with a begging just-fledged juvenile! This is a very
LATE DATE for begging attended young for me here.
Maybe this is why the molting male has been staying
around? It was out there later.
The birdbath exploded with activity about 9-10 a.m.
There were a number of Yellow Warbler around the yard
first thing. On the bath I had 5 at once, was looking
at 7, and estimate there were 10 total. So if all of
yesterday's stayed, they were joined by as many
more this morning. It was a full blown party. Besides
all the Yellows, a male Black-and-white Warbler came in
that was likely a first summer male. A male Wilson's
Warbler came in, with orange in lores and forehead, a
western type. A female Orchard Oriole came in (couple
more in trees), a first year male Dickcissel came down,
probably the one around yesterday. One Field Sparrow
came in. Male and female Summer Tanager took baths.
Photo'd all of the above, but only managed four
Yellows in one frame though. Saw three Chats in the
Pecan over the bath. After it had sorta quieted down
Kathy spotted the FOS male Baltimore Oriole there!
It bolted right away before I could get a shot.
It was the fastest I ever took 113 photos. Had to swap
batteries. You will see some 'film at eleven'
I'm sure. It seems a fair number were likely things
that were here yesterday. It also seems like they ate
for the first couple hours of light, and then all
went to the bath for drinks and splashes. Of course
the whole time there were Cardinal, Carolina Wren,
Black-crested Titmouse, Lesser Goldfinch, etc., coming
in and out when all this was going on. It was a few
dozen birds at least, maybe four dozen, in an hour or so.
It was an incredible parade. Who knows what we miss, the
bath is not where we can always watch it.
The Verdin was around again. Sure would like a pic of
it. Heard the Pauraque in the pecans out front at
dusk. Right at dark I heard my FOS Upland Sandpiper,
finally. Barred Owl called later over at river.
Saw three Firefly at once, so the fall flight has begun.
Some years it can be pretty good in September.
Aug. 28 ~ About 75dF for a low, a little better than
yesterday. Some migrant motion in the yard early too.
There had to be 5 Yellow Warbler around, I got a pic
at the bath with 3 at once on it. Heard a couple Orchard
Oriole go by, a Summer Tanager is singing still. Great was
hearing a FOS Wilson's Warbler a bunch of times doing
the dry chit they do. Better was a Black-throated Green
Warbler that came into the bath. I got some shots but
early it is dark where the bath is so have to jack up ISO
to 800 often. Regardless still get usable shots for
illustrative purposes. The Yellow-breasted Chat took
two long baths, giving lots of good photos. A couple
juvie Painted Bunting came in to drink as well, one
pretty streaky below (ph.). The usual two DOZEN Cardinal
scaring things away often as anything.
Great was noonish hearing and seeing a VERDIN in the
pecan over the bath. Probably just missed it there.
That confirms what I thought I was hearing across the
road the last few days was indeed a Verdin and not a
juvenile Lesser Goldfinch, which can make a very very
similar single piercing metallic chip note. While I
was trying to get a pic of the Verdin saw a Blue-fronted
Dancer (damselfly) at my feet. A Least Flycatcher was
out front after noon. Heard an Inca Dove. Had a
Questionmark (butterfly) over by the cottage (ph.).
In the afternoon the Yellow Warblers seemed to spend the
day in the yard but I never saw the Black-throated Green
again, nor the Wilson's. However a Black-and-white
showed up late afternoon or early evening. It was a
whopping FOUR species of migrant warblers here today. So
with the Yellow-throated still here on territory that was
around alot, FIVE species of warbler in yard today, amazing.
In the afternoon an imm. Dickcissel was in the brushpile
by the bath, don't know if it got a drink or not.
Then at dusk I guarded the driveway. Saw a Firefly, which
is a fall firefly. Heard the Pauraque briefly call a few
times upslope behind us. A Common Nighthawk flew over low
and 2 Chuck-wills-widow were goofing around the yard. No
Luna Moth though. Three Caprimulgids at once from the
driveway is fine by me.
Aug. 27 ~ The low was a ridiculous 77dF, the warmest low of
the year so far. There were some mid-level debris clouds from
washed-out outflows that sheilded lots of sun and it only
got to 92dF, a good 5dF cooler than yesterday's burner.
Some few birds in yard early, a few Yellow Warbler, a couple Orchard
Oriole, and a Gnatcatcher. At least it was migrant motion.
The Yellows seemed to stick all day, at least three of them.
Ran to P.O. so checked park quickly, some Common Grackle,
a Green Heron, and a Spinybacked Spider, white and black
carapace type, but my photos were all out of focus.
Yellow-throated Warbler and Vireo around yard. Saw on the
Frog-fruit an Orange Skipperling.
The highlight of the day was at dusk when Kathy was
spraying some water around and asked if I wanted to see
a big yellow moth. I asked if it was an Imperial, sorta
hesitant to walk though grass in sandals and risk chiggers
for one. She didn't know, so I had to go. There it
was on the fence sorta, underside towards us. LUNA MOTH!!!
The Holy Grail of moths! Big, bright green above, long
tails, it is fancy as you get. It came in to the water.
It was just sitting in one place seemingly on a broad
vine leaf on the fence that was covered in water.
It is my first locally, though I have heard of a few reports.
Still a rare bug here. I ran back to house, grabbed flashlight
and camera, barely any light in sky, went through corral gate
behind the cottage to get uppersurface. I grabbed some crummy
fuzzy flashlight photos, but at least got some docushots.
It was low just above the ground, so had to hold flashlight
in one hand, camera and other, and pray to the pixel gods.
I had to jack the ISO up to 3200 on top of that. Left the
porch light on for hours hoping it would come over but never
saw it. On porch I could have put 6500k daylight on it.
Aug. 26 ~ Low of 73dF, a few low stratus clouds for
a few hours early. A couple Yellow Warbler around
the yard. Way way more Ruby-throated Hummingbird showing
up. Still some ad. ma. Black-chinned, but few. The
ad. ma. Rufous retains the office feeder out back.
There are at least a couple newly fledged Bewick's
Wrens following adults around, as are a couple new
Carolina Wren fledglings with theirs. Heard a Gnatcatcher
or two go through in a.m., a pair of Yellow Warbler were
around, the Yellow-throated Warbler and Vireo were both
about the yard. Thought I heard a Verdin again.
Was sitting on front porch mid-morn when I heard the doves
and everything flush off the patio. Turned to see a
Zone-tailed Hawk climb up from patio, fly across yard, and
up through the opening in pecans, with a dove in its talons.
It was 40' away below eye level when it came into view.
It circled low twice, but had seen me, so headed away with its
prey. Had I not been there it would have landed in the front
pecans with prey as it has done before. It was too fast
for photos. Won't see that one for a couple days.
They must be sooooo fast... you don't really think
of Red-tailed or Red-shouldered Hawks taking doves, but
Zone-tailed do it all the time, and White-wings. A lot
of it must be the element of surprise, but some must be
sheer speed and deftness.
It was almost 95dF on the cool shady front porch at 3 p.m.,
meanwhile Del Rio was at a record 106, their old record was
102 in 2002. At 5 p.m. Del Rio was 108! Hondo and Uvalde
were 102, we were 97dF in the cool shady. Another Rufous
or Allen's Hummer showed up out front. Later I got
a look to sex or age it, it is an adult female, so surely
not the bird gone for the last two days, a new arrival.
Rufous Hummingbird number four for the fall so far. Did not
hear the Pauraque at dusk again for the second day. Could
be that I missed the narrow window when it gives a few
measures, and then it shuts up.
Aug. 25 ~ Low stratus and a low of 74-5dF so muggy.
Heard a hummer giving real soft Selasphorus chips that
sounded a Calliope, got up from desk and went to check
feeder out dining room window and as soon as my head
got a line of sight on it, a tiny small hummer shot off.
I hate when that happens. Never got any kind of look,
but of size, which was Calliope, and which matches calls
I just heard. The ad.ma. Rufous is still guarding the
office feeder. More Rubies are showing up. Four greenies
(imm. Painted Bunting) were on the patio early. Whadyaknow
the male Indigo Bunting in heavy heavy molt is back out on
the patio and out back. Missed it for a couple days but
by molt I can tell it is him. What a mess he is. It is
the ugliest male Indigo Bunting I have ever seen.
Thought I heard a Long-billed Thrasher early first
thing, the sharp click notes. Shortly before noon
I heard real full calls, there is a LbT over in the
big Mesquites across from the gate. Probably a dispersing
juvenile this time of year. They have shorter bills
than adults and some pale in base of lower mandible,
so can be confused with a Brown Thrasher much more
easily than adults. Heard it calling again at last sun.
Very cool, wish it would find the bath. Also thought I
heard a few Verdin chips at one point in the day, from
over Mesquite way. Did have a Bell's Vireo singing
in the Mesquites. About a dozen big old trees about 20'
tall, right across from the gate, is just enough of a
patch to draw the Mesquite lovers in.
Outstanding was a juvenile Acadian Flycatcher in the yard.
New yard bird! I came within a second of getting a photo.
It is exceedingly rare to detect away from breeding grounds
in fall here. I have seen about 3 maybe, all in the last
6 years, all in August, all along UvCo360 but which is likely
just a function of time spent. My first ten years here
I saw exactly zero in fall away from a breeding territory.
Went for a peak-heat swim to beat it, was quiet over at
the river. A male Goatweed Leafwing has been hanging
around yard, saw a couple Cloudless Sulphur, Queens are
picking up. Did not hear the Pauraque at dusk to dark,
and did not try to entice it to call. It was a 10-day
bird as of yesterday, my longest duration record here.
Aug. 24 ~ A second spritz of rain occurred pre-dawn,
just another tenth of an inch or so, but which puts
us at a good solid quarter-inch with yesterday's
shower. Some folks upvalley had 1.5", further
north in southwestern Kerr Co some had 2.5-4+"!
Low was 73dF, about 3:30 p.m. it was 90, the humidity
holding temps down a bit. I did a dump run and so a
lookabout for a couple hours around noon. Best was my
FOS Olive-sided Flycatcher along Jones Cmty. Rd. in
BanCo. Looked at about 10 miles of fence and power
lines and saw 3 Scissor-tails total, they seem mostly
gone. Far fewer Vermilion Flycatchers too, though our
pair remain as do the last two young they fledged.
Saw a Mournful Duskywing (butterfly) on flowers in
BanCo. Saw one Green Heron and heard Common Grackle
at the park, that was it. But for a pair of Orange-striped
Threadtail damselfly in tandem.
Saw a nice patch of purple Eryngo in full roar, what a
weird wild plant that is (ph. with some native black
and white bees). Still two Rufous Hummers here in the
morning, but only the ad. ma. in the afternoon. There
were 5-6 Field Sparrow together in the weedy area by a
stick pile I keep. Build the habitat and they will come.
First flocklet of fall, likely local breeders gathering up.
Male Yellow Warbler came to bath late, was a female around
early. Despite some sprinkling the Pauraque called about
8:30, heard from the office, just uphill behind us where
the big ancient live-oaks. Later about 11 p.m. I heard
the Barred Owl calling over at the river.
Some outflow hit us from nearby rain cells in the later
afternoon. Garner to Concan and Dry Frio area looked
like they got it good, and a cell was just east of us too,
towards Seco Creek and Tarpley. We were in the infamous
Utopia Dry Slot. We got a trace to a tenth, but was in
the 80's for the afternoon instead of the 90's.
At this point in summer you take any kind of breaklet
you can get. Sure could have used some of the rain though.
Did have a Desert Checkered-Skipper on the Frog-fruit,
and a Clouded Skipper on the Lantana. Thought I mighta
heard a Verdin across road in Mesquites. Aug. is when
sometimes they show up. From where? Nearby in the
brush country?
edit:
Was a fuzzy Luna Moth flashlight pic here but since
got a better one (above), so removed this one.
Here is the Black-throated Green Warbler at the bath. They are the
cousins to our endemic breeding Golden-cheeked Warbler, but only occur here
as migrants passing through. Note the tinge of yellow at flank, which
continues around vent area between legs. All Black-throated greens show
this, Golden-cheeked are snow white throughout posterior underparts, always.
Here is the birdbath showing a little action. A milk jug over it
with pinholes provides a drip. On the left is an imm. Dickcissel,
on the right a male wilson's Warbler, and 3 Yellow Warbler between.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Aug. 23 ~ A balmy 75dF low, got up to mid-90's. One
female Yellow Warbler hit the bath early. Did not see the
male Indigo Bunting. Saw a bright imm. Bell's Vireo
out front by the gate. The Texas Persimmons are purple
now, should be Baltimore Oriole here any day. The ad. male
Rufous Hummingbird is still out back, and a second bird has
shown up out front, an imm. or female without gorget. Still
ad.ma. Black-chinned here, and of course some Rubies. Nice
to see something besides the Black-chinned we spend May
through July flooded in. The pecan leaves are all shiny
and sticky with sap, which mists off as they grow nuts.
Did a park check since an errand run to town. A female
Indigo Bunting there is a transient. A female Ringed
Kingfisher is the first I have seen in a while. Was a
bit messy below, either an adult in heavy molt, or a one
year old first summer bird. Saw what was surely a
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron fly up from a dark swampy
part of the island into the Cypresses and out of view.
Durnit. Saw Orange Bluet damselfly. Flushed a Black
Witch moth which flew over to the island so no photo op.
One of those metallic gold Dicerca sps. Buprestid beetles
landed on my leg (ph.) A Southern Broken-Dash was on some
blooming Boneset Eupatorium in the woods. A Zone-tailed
Hawk was over town amongst a bunch of Turkey Vulture.
Kathy spotted an Empidonax in the afternoon, about an hour
later I saw a Least Flycatcher out there. Which is FOS
though an Empi sps. I saw Aug. 20 was surely one too. Late
afternoon a rain cell or two gave some water mostly up valley
around town and northward, and another over in the Frio drainage.
We got the outflow boundry after 5 p.m. and it took the
sizzle off the heat anyway. About 6:30 we got grazed by
the corner of the cell, maybe .15-.2" here, but up
at town and north they got an inch. We got the cool down
though, it quickly dropped to 71dF when the light rain hit.
What a break, 20dF cooler than most days at 7 p.m. lately.
Heard the Pauraque a few times before 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 22 ~ Back up to 74dF for a low, a few low clouds
a couple hours of the morn to stave off heat. About 92
in cool shady. Saw the male Indigo Bunting, the male
Rufous Hummingbird still guarding the office feeder.
A couple Yellow Warbler zzeets in the pecans, two females
were seen at the bath over the morning. A Gnatcatcher
came in to the feeder action to check it out, must be a
juvenile. Landed on the rope the sunflower feeder hangs
on to see whaddup whilst chickadees and titmice going
back and forth. Both Yellow-throateds, Vireo and Warbler,
were around, and a White-eyed Vireo. A couple each ad. and
imm. male Ruby-throated Hummers are here, still a few ad.ma.
Black-chinned around too. Heard a couple Blue Grosbeak,
which went unseen. Saw a Funereal Duskywing on the
Frog-fruit flowers. Heard the Pauraque at last light.
Did not want to bother it so I was silent.
Aug. 21 ~ A 71dF low felt great, what a difference a few
dF makes. Saw the male Indigo Bunting early morning. A
female Yellow Warbler was in the yard, until the Yellow-throated
Warbler saw it. Ran it out. Chased it tree to tree and
seemingly out. Must view it as a food competitor and is
still in a very territorial mood. An hour or so later a
male and female Yellow Warbler went to the bath together (ph.).
Ground-Dove was at the bath again. Heard Gnatcatcher and
an Orchard Oriole. Caracara went over. Maybe only hit 92dF
on the cool shady front porch, so it dialed back a couple dF
on the heat. Probably due to ground moisture from the rain.
Yellow-throated Vireo singing around yard, as is a White-eyed
still. A Zone-tailed Hawk circled over in the afternoon (ph.).
The big events of the day were at dusk. First I spotted a
Sphinx moth at the Snow-on-the-Mountain so grabbed camera
and got some shots. Sun was down had to use high ISO, but
it was one of the Aellopos (hummingbird hawkmoth types) species,
either clavipes or titan I suspect. It seemed greenish so
probably titan, but will have to send pix to experts to see.
I have seen a few of these types here over the years, obvious
for their white band on adbomen, and hovering at flowers
looking much like a tiny small hummingbird, which they have
been reported as. I just love this dusk on the driveway thing.
Then as it got almost dark, the Pauraque started calling
from in the pecans in the front yard! It was flopping
around over top of the shorter ones 25' up. Kathy
came out of office since she heard it. It was calling
and flying across the yard. So to test and see what kind
of Pauraque this was, I did my patented call again. Is this
a real Pauraque, or is this a Russian Pauraque? The bird
flew directly at me and got so close, I flinched, I think
at the same time it did, but honestly had taken my eyes
off the ball. It was a real Pauraque. It promptly plopped
down on the driveway 8 or 10 feet from us and went to
yukking it up with the intro calls. It would jump up and do
that Pauraque flop, up and down a foot or two so at a time
moving slowly away up the driveway. Gave a couple great full
calls. Flew around the yard right past us, we saw the white
outer tail feathers well. It flew right overhead another pass
and against the last light in the sky we saw it was missing all
of its inner primaries, on both sides of course. So it is in
heavy wing molt right now. It landed back on the driveway, flopped
around and yukked it up more, it was about 10 minutes of
an incredible show. I grabbed the camera and got a few seconds
of an mp4 with the lens cap on just to document the call with
poor quality audio. Alas, my 20 year old faithful Sony
Palm-corder cassette unit (used with a small 8" dish mic)
seems to have finally given up after years of abuse. I
can't believe it did that to me. Just like my guitars.
Aug. 20 ~ A 75dF low is a drag. But there were a couple
migrants in the yard this morning to make one forget about it.
An Empidonax flycatcher was my first of the fall. Looked
a Least. An imm. Orchard Oriole, a female Yellow Warbler,
and a White-eyed Vireo with a nice white eye (ad. - ph.)
came into the bath mid-morn. Yellow-throated Vireo singing
around yard, and I heard the Red-eyed over in the usual far
part of corral singing! It must have moved a couple days
out of earshot to the other area it spent time this summer
just past the corral, but is back still going at it as usual
again. The male Indigo was around and is in heavy molt (ph.)
now, doing it here on the breeding grounds apparently. He
is looking ratty for all that beautiful blue. Caracara went over.
Many of the same butterflies were on the Frog-fruit including
the Laviana White-Skipper, a False Duskywing, a Rounded Metalmark,
and a Southern Skipperling. All the other more common stuff
was there too. Late afternoon peak heat I saw 92dF on the cool
shady front porch, whilst KRVL showed 97dF. Only Rocksprings
up at 2300', a thousand feet higher, showed cooler at 91,
Boerne was 93. Most local areas showed several dF hotter
than we are, we run close to the coolest temps in the hills.
I call that a win but it is still way too hot for my old carcass.
At about 8:35 and 40 the Pauraque called several times. Then
the Chuck-wills-widow got active, with two young begging
flying right by me whilst leaned up against the trucklet in
the driveway. One adult and two young, catching stuff right
over the yard 20-30 feet away. I could only see silohuettes
against last light in sky but saw two young begging chasing
after an adult obviously. Finally one gave one good full call,
the first I have heard in about 5 weeks since they quit
singing in earlier July. It was a great goatsucker show.
Aug. 19 ~ Need I say it was 74-90 something dF? A wee bit of
some low clouds in a.m., no migrant bird motion. By noon
it was hot. Rufous Hummer still guarding the feeder out the
office so I am hearing him all day. Saw at least a couple
imm. male Ruby-throated, and maybe a couple adults as well.
Still ad.ma. Black-chinned but thinning fast, as are the
immatures. Three Field Sparrow around, at least one a juvie,
plus new fresh begging young of Lark and Chipping Sparrow still.
That dull dull first summer female Summer Tanager is still
around. Since she nested she has not molted yet and wow is
she beat, worn, and gray. Saw a Titmouse stashing sunflower
seeds in ball moss. The first of that this season.
The verges of the road were all mowed last week, as was
the corral, so a bazillion flowers are gone. Meanwhile
the few patches we have are getting way more butterflies the
last several days since the drastic botanical change took place.
Around noon checked the Frog-fruit and found a Laviana
White-Skipper (ph.). They are LTA - less than annual here.
It is a big white skipper from southward, hopefully a harbinger
of a good invasion from Mexico this fall. Been a year at
least since I saw one locally. Sometimes we have gone years
with out one occurring. A couple years of last 16 we had
decent invasions of them.
There was at the same time on the Frog-fruit the same three
as yesterday probably: False Duskywing, Streaky Skipper, and
a Checkered-Skipper - probably a White. Plus a Mallow
Scrub-Hairstreak, got a pic of a Rounded Metalmark, my first
of the month, and a Reakirt's Blue or three. Just kneeling
down to look and grab a couple pix and you are dripping.
Welcome to Texas in August. Saw the Laviana a couple hours
later, it visited again. Couple Painted Lady on the
Snow-on-the-Mountain, still a Black Swallowtail on it, and a
couple Olive Juniper Hairstreak. In yard Goatweed Leafwing,
Giant Swallowtail, Mestra, several Lysides were among other
things floating around.
Outstanding was hearing the Pauraque call again. Several
times at last light in the sky, about 8:37-8. Straight across
the road from the gate on the back side of the big old mesquite
patch. Went out a bunch more when fully dark and never heard it
again. Still no Upland Sandpiper calls overhead, though I
saw a report of some a couple days ago from southwestern Bexar Co.
Aug. 18 ~ About 74-94dF in the cool shade. No migrant movement
yet. Thought behind the outflow boundries and rain that was
from a washed out front we would get something within a couple
days. Still waiting. Kathy saw a male Indigo Bunting in
the a.m. briefly on the patio, only sighting all day. About
3 greenie Painted left. Ad.ma. Rufous Hummer still here,
Yellow-throated Vireo still singing in yard. We went for a
swim peak heat, had a few dozen Barn Swallow in a swirl over
the river, above treetops.
Some good butterfly action on the driveway Frog-fruit, and the
adjacent Snow-on-the-Mountain. Saw two Streaky Skipper at once
(probably a first for me) on the Frogfruit. One Checkered-Skipper
looked like a White, not a Common. Couple Olive Juniper Hairstreak,
a Whirlabout and a Fiery Skipper, a Clouded Skipper at the Wooly
Ironweed early, Painted Lady and Black Swallowtail also on the
Snow-on-the-Mountain. One Mestra was putting around, numbers of
Queen going by.
Aug. 17 ~ We remain in that 'groundhog day' groove,
now playing the summer burner version, like a broken record.
Bet you would never guess it ran about 75-95 in the shade
here today. The bright side cup-half-full I might have
mentioned recently, we are in a large area of southern
and south-central U.S. (inclds. most of Texas) which on average
has its hottest day of the year between Aug. 6 and 16th. So
statistically we should be over the peak heat hump. The
last couple weeks of burning should be the worst of it.
Heard a few Orchard Oriole out there early. Did an hour
of hard labor yard work before I dropped dripping.
The ad.ma. Rufous and Ruby-throated Hummers continue, as do
some ad. ma. Black-chinned. Thought sure again I saw imm. ma.
Ruby-throated, a couple times. Maybe the same female
Roseate Skimmer dragonfly was out front (ph.).
In butterflies saw a Desert Checkered-Skipper, besides a
few Common, 2 different Olive Juniper Hairstreak (ph.),
besides a couple Gray. A Southern Skipperling was my first
of the year probably, unless I had one in early spring.
Goatweed Leafwing was out there, Common Mestra, American Lady,
the freshest mint Variegated Frit you can imagine (ph.),
Julia's Skipper and Celia's Roadside-Skipper,
the porch and Turks Cap area Dusky-blue Groundstreaks that
won't let me get a picture... Also saw Whirlabout,
numbers of Queen, Pipevine Swallowtail, a dozen Lyside,
Little Yellow, and others, I was barely paying attention.
Oops, wasn't over. After dinner around last sun on the
flowers, lots came out for one last shot of juice.
A DOTTED Roadside-Skipper was best, first one I have
seen this year, they have been very rare since the drought.
They were nearly common 2004-08. Rare since. Was gone
when I got back out with camera. Then a False Duskywing
(Gesta gesta) came in, first of month and got pix of it.
Over at the Snow-on-the-Mountain was a female Sachem
and a Black Swallowtail, besides the Olive Juniper
Hairstreak, Pipevines, a Syrphid, and some native bees.
Saw or heard no nighthawks, nightjars, goatsuckers, or
relatives. There was a big dozer working a half-mile
away across the river but it was still too loud. The
Screech-Owls called, that was it.
Male Yellow Warbler at our bird bath. I am seeing 1-2 daily now
so they are on the move. Nothing like a drip to bring birds in,
works better than food, and they really need water in this heat.
The dark spots on the wing are shadows from water drops.
a bonus pic this week...
Here is a pic of the 'hummingbird hawkmoth', Sphinx moth
of the genus Aellopos, likely either clavipes or titan. Nectaring on
Snow-on-the-Mountain. They hover just like a hummingbird at flowers,
but often use front legs to steady themselves while feeding.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Aug. 16 ~ An amazing rain-cooled low of 69.5dF. Feels so
good. Thought there might be some migration motion this
morning behind the outflows from the north yesterday.
Could not have been more wrong, guess again. Nothing.
Didn't even have the usual Gnatcatcher and few Orchard
Oriole of late. The Rufous Hummer is on day 9 now, the ad.ma.
Ruby-throat still here. Still a dozen or so ad.ma.
Black-chinned, but not for long. No ad.ma. Indigo or
Painted Bunting, or Blue Grosbeak in yard. Yellow-throated
Vireo still singing. Chat getting way quieter. Town run,
almost nothing at the park, kinda surprisingly. Only
thing was a dozen Common Grackle, over half were hatch-year
juveniles, only one ad. male. So likely a post-breeding
party of all the local nesters gathered up now. No Martins
over town, they are outta here. You might see stray migrants
from now until early October, but the locals are gone.
One Questionmark butterfly at the park. Saw my FOS flowers
on Eryngo, the bizarre purple Thistle relative on roadsides.
Did an hour plus dusk nightjar patrol out on the driveway.
First while still sun up there were four Common Nighthawk.
It was a family group, presumedly from the nearby knoll a
half-mile to north. The female had a couple young trailing
it, and at one point the male did a decent booming dive.
Great to hear that one more time this year. After watching
them a while and sun dipped below horizon, twice I saw a
Chuck-wills-widow flying right behind the house up the hill
low right over treetops of the big live-oaks. Finally about
8:50 the Common Pauraque flew right over my head! Still enough
light in the sky to get a perfect silohuette, straight up,
of short rounded wings and a very very long tail. Completely
unlike any of our other nightjars. Awesome. A pair of mccallii
Screech-Owl were calling, sounded like they were going into
the bath.
Aug. 15 ~ About 74dF for a low, no morning clouds, go
directly to baking. Heard a few Orchard Oriole out there
early, saw the ad.ma. Indigo Bunting, but no Painted around
save the greenies. The adult male Rufous Hummer #2 is
still here, day 8 now. Still can't get over how lucky
I was to get a pic of the back of that first one with the
green flecks, so as to know this one is different.
About noon-thirty I had my FOS Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
an adult male. Ties my latest fall arrival date, usually
they are back sooner. But, it means they were probably
breeding, which is good. When things come back early in
fall, it might mean they failed nesting. So we have three
species of hummers at the feeders today, which has not
happened since last fall. The next month is prime-time
to snag a passing Calliope or Broad-tailed. After them
you are just dreaming, wishing and hoping. But that's OK.
It may even help. There is a White-eared out in west Texas
now. Saw that Olive-Juniper Hairstreak on the Snow-on-the-Mountain
after the rain. One Mestra was around too.
At 1 p.m. an adult female Yellow Warbler took a bath, my
FOS. So this little tail end of a system up in the plains
brought us our first couple of fall migrants. Should be
Upland Sandpipers tonight? We just got the outflow boundries,
not the actual front. But it was enough to set off rain
with the heat and humidity. Between 1:30 and 2 p.m. it
poured, about 2 INCHES! Temp dropped to 68dF! About
3pm it was back up to 72, but holy cow what a break. We
needed the water badly, it was parched out there. No dust
for a couple days.
Termites went off of course with a hatch, so my Red-breasted
Sunfish had some juicy treats. The birds had a feast all
afternoon. Some swallows were going over low getting termites,
maybe a few dozen Barn, and a half-dozen Cliff, which is rare
from the yard. I heard they have already departed the
colony at the 1050 bridge over the Frio River for the season,
maybe about two weeks ago. Hopefully they got young out.
At dusk after the rain, a COMMON PAURAQUE called a few times
from just up the road over the draw. I taped one once here
in the yard, Aug. 24, 2014 (present to 26th) so it has been
five years since last record for me. Prior to that had at
least one, maybe two Seco Ridge records, one was in latest July.
These are post-breeding wanderers moving north out of the
brush-country. Very interesting. Was a miracle I was out
in the driveway to hear the minute window it called. Just
love watching and listening from last sun to dark. Went out
and listened a bunch more and never heard it again, nor did
I hear any Upland Sandpiper going over. Even did my patented
Pauraque imitation, hate to brag but it is so good the last
one dive-bombed me. This individual however apparently could
not have been less impressed. You know, eye (or ear) of the
beholder and all... I hadn't practiced in five years,
perhaps I was off key. Sounded good to me, made me want to
call back to myself.
The frogs went off after the rain. I heard a few Barking
Frog, saw one and heard other Blanchard's Cricket-Frog,
caught a Red-spotted Toad, and the Rio Grande Leopard Frogs
were roaring. About midnight a pair of Great Horned Owl were
calling across the road.
Aug. 14 ~ Ran 75-96dF and the meltdown continues. Town
run early first thing so a look at the park. So great to
be the only one there again. It has been a zoo most of the
summer. Still singing were 2 Yellow-throated Vireo, an
Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a couple White-eyed Vireo. All
may well still be nesting. A couple interesting transients
were heard, a Great Crested, and an Ash-throated Flycatcher,
both of which have been gone from many local breeding areas
for a month. Saw Green and Great Blue Heron, heard a Green
Kingfisher. Summer Tanager and Yellow-throated Vireo were
at the park but only called, no singing. Heard some new baby
begging Blue Jays in town.
Saw the Indigo Bunting male early, but not late, and no
male Painted Bunting, or Blue Grosbeak. A couple Field
Sparrow around. Yellow-throated Vireo still singing.
White-winged Dove singing a very little. Saw some three
hundred feet up, practicing for Sept. 1 no doubt. The male
Rufous Hummingbird continues. An outflow boundry at 6 p.m.
brought a cool breeze taking us down to 90dF in a few minutes.
Terrible when 90 is a cool breeze. Got a little leaf-washer
and dust buster a half-hour later, maybe a tenth of an inch.
And which dropped us down to a chilly 82dF before sundown!
And the people were happy. Two Audubon's Oriole went
through yard at last sun.
Aug. 13 ~ Just another day baking, ran about 74-96 in the
cool shady. Saw the male Indigo in the morning and evening.
Might have glimpsed a male Painted late as it flushed out
back. About a half-dozen greenies continue. The 2nd male
Rufous Hummer continues. Gnatcatcher in a.m. and another
late afternoon, several Orchard Oriole went through early
and a few late. Saw a Barn Swallow feed young right overhead.
A Field Sparrow around. We get back down to about 90dF as
soon as the sun goes down, then it is a real slow drop
from there to about 82 by around midnight. It ain't
fer sissies.
Aug. 12 ~ Unless we get a 'cane, August weather is
mostly a sub-tropical high that wavers a bit but overall
is a whole bunch of sameness. It was still 82dF at midnight
last night. Just under 76dF for a low. Early there were
a couple Gnatcatchers, and a few Orchard Oriole as is the
case lately nearly daily. The Orios came to the bath! The
male went right in like a boss. May have been showing the
young what a puddle is for. Very cool. Nothing ever wore
black and brown better. An hour later a sharp black-bibbed
first-summer bird (roughly a year old) came in quickly.
Their wings are in bad shape at this point, in dire need of
replacement. Dang Cards scared it off. Saw Chats and a
Yellow-throated Warbler at the bath briefly too.
Heard the Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireo still singing
as on territory this morning. White-eyed still going of
course. Still some adult male Black-chinned Hummingbird
around but most have left and immatures predominate now.
Between 6-7 p.m. one ad. male Painted Bunting and one male
Blue Grosbeak hit seed out back. Maybe a half-dozen greenies
left. Few Orchard Oriole late p.m. are probably different from
this morning's birds. Finally saw the Rufous Hummer
about 7:30 p.m., day 5 for this one. Got usable pix of three
purple beauties: Tube Tongue, Wooly Ironweed, and Purple
Bindweed flowers. There were two Clouded Skipper on the
Wooly Ironweed this morning.
Aug. 11 ~ It was 75-96 in the shade, same as it ever was
for August. Four Orchard Oriole went through in morning.
At least a couple Chats were at the bath in morning, got
some pics. Heard the Rufous Hummer first thing early.
Saw the male Indigo Bunting first and last thing. There
were two adult male Painted Bunting after 7 p.m., only
sighting all day, and first time I have seen two at once
in a week at least. Saw one of the salmon below types of
first spring-summer male Painted Bunting.
Weird was the first juvenile Cowbird being fed I have seen
in the yard this summer, a Brown-headed, late for them here.
The incredible part was it was being fed by a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.
I don't know of a nest nearer than a half mile at best.We went
for a swim in the peak heat late afternoon. A .75" Horse Fly
bit me, wouldn't leave me alone, a first for that here.
I had to go frogman and go underwater and depart the area I
was in. In butterflies on the Frog-fruit in the driveway
there was a pair of Phaon Crescent, a couple each of Reakirt's
Blue, Gray Hairstreak, and Checkered-Skipper and a male Whirlabout (ph.).
Lots of other common stuff around yard.
Aug. 10 ~ Ran 75-95.5dF in the shade for a temp spread. Had
to be a hun in the sun. Hid inside mostly. Did some yard work
early, doesn't take long to get drippy. First thing
before sunup I saw one each ad. male Painted and Indigo Bunting.
Eight greenies (imm. Painted) hit the patio first thing with
them. These ads. are the same last two holdouts fattening up
on white millet the last week. Did not have the adult ma.
Rufous Hummer in the a.m., but it showed up at last call.
Saw a male Blue Grosbeak late out back. Heard a few
Orchard Oriole and a Gnatcatcher in the morning. Kathy saw a
Roadrunner on the patio. I saw a Chat at the bath. Saw a
Kiowa Dancer (damselfly) on the front porch. Got pix of an
Olive Juniper Hairstreak, these late summer types sure look
different from the spring flyers to me. Saw a Mestra, an
American Lady, and a Whirlabout in other butterflies. In
dragons, one Wandering Glider was out in heat of afternoon,
and a Pale-faced Clubskimmer was, uh, skimming, with its club,
around the front yard at dusk. Screech-Owl calling at dark.
Male Orchard Oriole at our birdbath, there were several juveniles right
above him in the pecan. He went full submarine. It was early, dark and
overcast with very low light, had to use a high ISO and so a bit fuzzy
and dark, with apologies. One of the sharpest looking birds in America.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Aug. 9 ~ Ran about 76-96dF for a temp spread, these are
the dog days. In the morning I saw both male Indigo and
Painted Bunting, heard the draw Blue Grosbeak singing. Heard
a Bell's Vireo which might be the one I saw coming
into the bath mid-morn. Also had a Rufous-crowned Sparrow
at the bath this morning (ph.). The bath is a Cardinal traffic
jam lately. Anything else is lucky to sneak in edgewise.
The male Rufous Hummingbird was still here in the a.m. as well.
Heard a Gnatcatcher go through early.
Town run. Saw the Green Heron up on the island, surely
they have a nest in there somewhere. Heard a half-hearted
Yellow-throated Warbler song, same for Eastern Wood-Pewee.
Saw a Red-eyed Vireo which do not nest there, a post-breeding
wanderer leaving the breeding grounds. Heard Blue Jay.
Saw an Orange-striped Threadtail damselfly. Below the
spillway was a Comanche Skimmer dragonfly, which is rare at
the park. Saw a number of juvenile Starling in some Fig
trees in town. So I grabbed a couple Figs. It is an
empty lot.
Aug. 8 ~ Low was 75dF but we had some Gulf low stratus
to keep us sun-sheilded for several hours of the morning.
Was 94dF in the shade about 4 p.m., lovely, come on down.
Heard a Gnatcatcher early, the Red-eyed Vireo is still
singing, was in the yard mid-morn. Saw a male Painted
in morning, but as of afternoon, no Indigo yet. Saw one
male and heard another call, Blue Grosbeak. Pretty sure
it was 'the draw' male. A Canyon Towhee was
around in a.m., and used the bath in afternoon.
Great was another adult male Rufous Hummingbird, which
photos show to be different than the one here July 31
to mid-day Aug. 3. If I had not bothered to get a back
shots of both birds we would only guess they were different
because of the four day lapse with no sighting. But you
might wonder if it was at neighbors feeders, etc. Nothing
like some documentation photos to study, these two are
absolutely not the same bird. The Indigo Bunting came
in to the patio millet at last sun briefly. Got one more
BlueMistEup caterpillar today, I think 219 now removed.
Aug. 7 ~ A 74dF low, a few clouds for a couple hours
kept it in 70's for a short while. The male
Indigo was giving just the first couple notes of usual
song, but three of them, repeatedly with an abrupt end,
as if it started to say something and stopped. Saw the
male Painted out back early. Any day now will be the
end of these here for the year. Sure has been a great
four months them. Heard a few Orchard Orios in the morn.
Great was one of those real colorful imm. Bell's Vireo,
in the morning. Probably from a local nesting.
A couple good butterflies came in to the water sprayed
about late morning. The White-stripe Longtail was still
around, and better a CRIMSON Patch stopped to drink just
off the back porch (ph.). What a beauty! In the yard!
In afternoon I saw a still with streaks below juvenile
Field Sparrow, I suspect was a very local nesting, maybe
from one we have been hearing sing. Begging Chippy still out
there too. Late afternoon one male Blue Grosbeak hit the
sunflower seeds I throw in the bushes out back. I think
the male that has been up the draw. The yard alpha male
has not been around a few days now. Thought I might have
had an imm. male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, sure had a
long tail.
Aug. 6 ~ About 73-94dF temp spread in the cool shady. It
dries out in the late p.m. heat so you lose the humidity,
in news from the 'cup half full' department.
Gnatcatcher and some Orchard Orioles went through in the
morning. Just Black-chinned Hummingbirds at the feeders
now, where is that first Ruby-throat? No Blue Grosbeaks
detected today. Late at 7:30 p.m. one male Painted Bunting
was on patio eating seed, and at 8 p.m. the male Indigo
Bunting showed up. Both were MIA all day. Seems only the
one male Painted since about Aug. 1. Yellow-throated Vireo still
singing, but not hearing the warbler. Chat still going,
as is White-eyed Vireo. E. Screech-0wl (Tex-Mex mccallii)
right over bath right as it got dark, it couldn't wait
to hit the water after a hot day.
Aug. 5 ~ Low was about 75dF, not very. A trace of sprinkles
went over just after 8 a.m., saw a rainbow briefly. Saw
the ad.ma. Painted Bunting first thing before sunup, and
about 8 greenies hit the patio at the same time. Heard
Gnatcatcher, some Orchard Orioles, and a Red-eyed Vireo in
the pecans in front yard early morning. Male Indigo Bunting
around later in day. No male Blue Grosbeak for second day
though, the alpha male left the night of the 3rd after that
spectacular spiral display flight. Some nearish spritzes
and showerlets in afternoon sheilded us from the peak solar
burn, but we didn't get anything. An odd orangish
grasshopper was on the Turks Cap (ph.). Kathy pointed out
calling Common Nighthawk before dusk. A just-fledged Chipping
Sparrow is being fed on patio.
Aug. 4 ~ A sprinkle or two overnight, we got a tenth or so.
Up near town some areas got a quarter to a half inch. It
built into something more after it got south of us, looked
like Sabinal got some. Low was 72dF, and some clouds kept
it bearable for a bit. Yesterday while weed-whacking I got
a puncture through the old sneakers, far deeper than I prefer,
into foot from a big thorn I presume, probably a Mesquite.
So I am a tenderfoot today. Hope I don't have to run
from anything.
Gnatcatcher out there early, Yellow-throated Vireo and Chat
singing, do not hear a Blue Grosbeak. Saw one ea. still
continuing last ad. males of Indigo and Painted Bunting.
A few Orchard Oriole early, better was two Audubon's Oriole
that went through the yard about 9:30 or so. Did not see
the Rufous Hummer this morning, or late at last call last
evening, so it probably left late yesterday afternoon. Four day
bird, nice for an ad. male. It was great to hear that wing
whistle again. Most here are females or imms., which have no
whistle in their wings, poor things. Cooper's Hawk got
a White-winged Dove out back noonish.
Went for a swim late afternoon to cheat peak heat since that
works so well. We finally had a Green Kingfisher fly by at
eye-level while we were in the water. First one we have
seen go by during weekly swims in a couple months so a treat.
Was an immature with one green breast band. Saw a Black-shouldered
Spinyleg dragonfly again. In damsels, over a dozen Am. Rubyspot,
no Smoky. They are upriver where it turns to running creek,
and not so much riverine. Lots of Stream and Double-striped
Bluet, saw one Neotropical Bluet which is my first of year.
Tons of Dusky Dancer, they are the predominant species.
Can you tell there weren't many birds out in the heat?
Nearing last sun a begging Painted Bunting appeared with
mum and was being fed for some time before it got the hint
and flew down to patio and seed. At this point I do not
think there is any male around helping. They seem to depart
before the last baby is out of the nest on what is likely
the third set of young. I have seen this before.
Aug. 3 ~ About 72dF for a low, was 92 on cool shady front
porch at 4 p.m. Had some clouds though for a few hours
in the a.m. Yellow-throated Warbler and Vireo still around
yard and singing, one each male Painted and Indigo Bunting
left, are not singing, Blue Grosbeaks have gone quiet too.
Caught one of the Rufous-crowned Sparrow leaving the bath
in the morning. It got them to stick around just to bathe
again soon! A couple Gnatcatcher and a few Orchard Oriole
went through in the morning. The ad.ma. Rufous Hummingbird
is still here. Saw the big imm. fem. Cooper's Hawk.'
Field Sparrow around the yard in afternoon. New begging
being fed juvie Lark Sparrow just out of nest.
Neatest thing was a different type of Blue Grosbeak flight
song, I suspect the departure display song. Several species
of birds here I have noticed go bonkers singing and or
calling right before they leave the territory for the season.
For songbirds it is a day to three and noticeable because
they have been in a comparatively silent period molting
after getting rid of the last set of young. All of a
sudden they explode in song, and then disappear. Typical Blue
Grosbeak flight display song is like Chat or Orchard Oriole,
Lesser Goldfinch, and most songbirds, a fairly horizontal affair
across the territory.
Right before last sun, I heard a bzzzz flight note and looked up
to see the male Blue Grosbeak climbing nearly straight up but
in spirals, whilst immediately bursting into explosive song.
He climbed vertically like a U-2, going up a spiral staircase,
like an airshow stunt pilot, belting out with everything it had.
Everytime it came belly to me the dark blue glowed in the sun.
When it got over a hundred feet up it went into parachute mode,
wings and tail in full fan, a little bit of quiver at first,
and spiraled back down the staircase as song faded away. It
only did it once. I said to myself, that bird is leaving. I
have never seen that flight display, I watch them every day
all breeding season. It was making one last proclamation,
and taking one last look around.
One last peek at a Golden-cheeked Warbler from this spring at Lost Maples SNA.
At this point, I will not likely to see another until next March.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Aug. 2 ~ A 70.5dF low was nice, we need to cool down after
these scorchers, of which today is supposed to be another.
The ad.ma. Rufous Hummer is still here. Kathy spotted two
Rufous-crowned Sparrow at the bird bath. Probably been a
year since we saw one in the yard, maybe two. They nest
very nearby, a third mile or so, but hardly ever occur here.
The last little rocky slope ends right at the back fence line.
The drip got 'em. The looked like a pair of very worn
adults, but were soaking wet so was hard to tell. Wish they
would stick. Heard the Red-eyed Vireo still singing over
in corral. Also heard some Purple Martin over the yard early.
That won't last, they are about outta here for the year.
Town run and quick park check. Saw a Zone-tailed Hawk over
town, heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee singing at the park, they
must still be nesting. Little Creek Larry said he saw at
least a couple Green Heron at the park this morning, maybe 3,
and a group of 3 Common Grackle. Both probably local family
groups. Back here after Rosie's tacos, about 1 p.m.,
there was another Zone-tailed Hawk, low right over the yard.
It would take me at least several lifetimes to stop getting
excited about them.
Saw one of those Peach or Fig Scarab beetles flying around
yard. Better an Eyed Elaterid landed on the big pecan and
I got a shot of it, was a dark one. At peak heat in p.m.
(about 93dF in shade) a White-striped Longtail came in to
water again, surely the same one as last week. Great to
keep seeing it. Kathy saw the male Indigo Bunting on the
patio nearing dusk. Like the ad. male Painteds, it will be
gone soon. Eastern Screech-Owl calling 25' out office
window after dark.
August 1 ~ The low was 69.7 or so, just a frog hair below 70dF.
Hopefully a sign of a cooler month ahead, but a few days of
burners are on tap. The ad.ma. Rufous Hummer is at the feeder
first thing. Heard the Red-eyed Vireo still singing over in
corral. A Gnatcatcher went through yard early, a bit later a
group of Orchard Oriole (could be a local family group) were
moving around. Painted Bunting have gone silent and some adult
males seem to have already left. Not seeing as many, were 5 at
once a week ago, not any more. Ten greenies (imm. or fem.) were
on the patio at once in the morn. Saw a Pepsis Wasp. One
Eufala Skipper (which I missed locally in July - only saw it
down at Uvalde) so it did not take a day to see a butterfly
species I did not see the month prior here. Another Gnatcat
nearing dusk.
~ ~ ~ July summary ~ ~ ~
It was a hot one, and dryer than average, just over 2"
of rain was it, mostly in two quick events. By the end of
the month the river is on the low side of average. Spring
to summer flowers mostly fried over the course of the month.
Some summer stuff is starting to show, but we need some rain!
Cherries and Pecans look to have a weak to poor crop underway,
same for Hackberries where I have looked. Texas Persimmon
has a spotty but very good crop overall, lots of branches are
boughed over from the weight of the still green fruit. Birds
and deer are already hitting them.
Butterflies were 57 species locally, one more than June, and
a good showing for July. Nothing rare, just mopped up most
of the likely contenders. Maybe best was not counted for total
since at Uvalde, a Rawson's Metalmark. Here, a Common Sootywing
was best since first IN yard. A Tropical Checkered-Skipper IN
yard was only 2nd or 3rd here. A White-striped Longtail came to
water on the patio for a couple days. No Arizona Sister, no satyrs,
no Metalmark locally. The first Ceranus Blue and Mallow
Scrub-Hairstreak showed up as usual. Saw the six usual expected
swallowtails.
Update added: I photographed and collected an unknown-to-me
large caterpillar July 9 which was pupating at the base of the
big native pecan right off front porch. Hoping to get an
emergence, it failed in pupation. However subsequent research
has identified from the photos that it was a LUNA MOTH! Then
August 27 we saw a Luna in the yard, another September 2 drying
out on the same tree, then a pair mating on same tree September 4!
Odes were about 33 species locally. Still decent activity but
clearly down from June. The early spring fliers and flight are
done. The first few migrants show up as usual though, Spot-winged
and Wandering Glider, Green Darner, Red, and Black, Saddlebags all
were here in multiples if not small groups, heading south, by late
in the month. Amongst the dozen sps. of damselflies were lots of
Stream and a few Orange Bluet, Citrine Forktail, Orange-striped
Threadtail, Springwater and Powdered Dancer, nothing rare. Not
counted in local total above were a half-dozen different things
I saw in Uvalde, best being a male Pin-tailed Pondhawk.
Birds were mostly just the breeders and lots of babies, which is
great to see. Many things seemed to get second and third sets out.
Surely the wet spring was a boon. There were flowers and bugs.
Some things are still going at it. Others like Black-and-white
and Golden-cheeked Warbler are done and all but gone from the
area for the season. The first two long-distance migrants showed
up the last few days of the month, a Peregrine Falcon on the 28th,
and a Rufous Hummingbird on the 31st. Fall migration begins in July.
A Belted Kingfisher on the 17th is my earliest ever fall return.
Best bird locally was a Roseate Spoonbill on July 7 about 4-5 mi.
SSW of town, seen (ph.) by Leslie Calvert at her pond.
I saw about 89 species locally over the month, all but two were
breeders. A few to several more are around, I am not pounding
the bushes, but a working stiff. Saw another dozen or so brush
country species in a couple hours Sabinal to Uvalde area.
~ ~ ~ end July summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~
July 31 ~ Wow last day of the month, another blasts past.
About 71.5dF for a low, not much for low stratus to keep
it at bay. And so we enter the dog days of summer. Heard a
Gnatcatcher go through early morning, and another late.
Mid-morn a small group of Orchard Oriole went through, late
evening a few more. Just after 10 a.m. I had an adult male
RUFOUS Hummingbird at the front porch feeder. Got pix, it
has a little green flecking on upper back, which is OK for
them. Nothing like a nice long-distance migrant for a great
sign of fall. There are less than a hundred Black-chinned
here now. We are under a quart per day consumption, for a
few days now. Male Indigo Bunting still hitting patio millet.
Saw another Eyed Elaterid. Saw two Firefly at dusk.
July 30 ~ About 74dF for a low, and some low Gulf stratus
kept the sun at bay a few hours. Got up to about 94 or
so though. About five more weeks of this in store now.
Birds were the regulars. Still singing (and nesting) on
territory are Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-breasted Chat,
Yellow-throated Vireo and Warbler, Cardinal, Carolina
and Bewick's Wren, White-eyed Vireo, Chipping and
Lark Sparrow. Painted Bunting ad. ma. barely sang today.
An imm. male Yellow-throated Warbler from this year
was trying to sing a bit. Can't be but 2-3 months old.
Heard the Nighthawk boom at dusk. No Fireflies.
I see a Snow-on-the-Mountain with flowers open in the yard.
We have about a half-dozen pop up ever year which I weed-whack
around just to have a few. Have seen a few good butterflies
on them.
July 29 ~ No Gulf flow and low clouds, a sunny start
today with easterly winds. Low was 73dF. The south
breeze got here mid-day, but no low stratus. Hot and
sunny. Counted 8 greenies (imm. or female Painted Bunting)
on the patio at once. There are likely well over a dozen
around. A few adult male were present at the same time.
It was all the usual regular gang and nothing new or
different. Which won't last, August and September
are two of the biggest movement months here, and though
diversity is low without waterbirds, turnover is high.
The Black-chinned Hummers have really thinned out already.
I wonder where they go? The Brown-headed Cowbirds are
mostly gone now too, finally, departing over the last week.
July 28 ~ Did not cool down last night, the balmy Gulf
flow is back. Was 74dF this a.m. But the clouds stuck
until 11 a.m. or so, at least up at Lost Maples, keeping
the morning cooler a few hours. We even had some mist
around Vanderpool. We were up before 6, which is before
the birds nowadays. Dawn chorus is over. A few things
singing early, but not anything you can call a chorus.
It is fading fast. We left for Lost Maples just before 8.
On 360 east of the river along the pastures where a couple
small mesquite we had a family group of Orchard Oriole,
adult pair with three young. At one point the three
begging juvies were on the fenceline shoulder to shoulder,
luckily autofocus selected a tree way behind them. !*(#^%^%!
Got over it pretty quickly when right before we hit 187,
I said 'what is that?' to Kathy as I grabbed bins.
It was big pale adult female PEREGRINE FALCON which blasted
past quickly. Great early fall migrant date. That is
surely a long distance migrant, our first for sure this
fall. Save a June Long-billed Curlew, which I would call
a short-distance migrant. So before we hit the highway
we had ad.ma. Orchard Oriole feeding young and a Peregrine,
and I knew it was going to be downhill from there as I
pulled out on the highway first thing in the morning...
I marshalled onward anyway of course, as the eternal optomist
does. Ahead was my last chance to see one more Golden-cheeked
Warbler until next March.
In town across from the post office on the usual powerline,
there were 20 or so Cave Swallow sunning just after 8 a.m.
Just a bunch of Blackbuck on the way up 187, and lots of baby
Lark Sparrow. The usual couple Inca Dove at Lost Maples HQ.
On the drive into Lost Maples between HQ and the trailhead
parking I heard an Olive Sparrow. The trailhead feeding
station had one White-tipped Dove first thing, besides 10
White-winged. A couple just-fledged begging juvenile Painted
Bunting were nearby and so surely they nested in the park this
year. They don't always.
We did the usual walk up Can Creek a mile past the ponds to
the highwater spring. What a great walk. We made it to
the pond at 10 a.m. and were only ones there, plus there
was still overcast. No insects on way up as it was too
cool. As it gets to the later part of summer it is always
very interesting to see what is still there and what is gone.
Black-n-white Warblers are gone already for instance, we
did not see one. Did not hear a Yellow-throated Vireo,
though our yard breeder is still here singing today. Only
heard one Yellow-throated Warbler call, no singing. Only
heard one begging juvenile Acadian Flycatcher. No Ash-throated
Flycatcher, and no Scrub-Jay.
Great is seeing some things feeding young still, which for
most is likely third broods at this point. Besides the
Painted Buntings, and Chipping Sparrow of course, we saw
begging and being fed juvenile Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed
Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Summer Tanager. We saw
one juvenile female Golden-cheeked Warbler just below the
highwater spring, right over the trail. It never made a
sound, got one poor pic. Love getting a later date for them,
and a thrill to see one, one more time this year. I only have
a couple August sightings, both near Utopia. I had a couple
birds fly into a tree I thought were warblers, and maybe
Golden-cheeks, but they shot off before I could binoc them.
Heard at least three maybe four White-tipped Dove along
the trail. Heard a handful of Canyon Wren, one Rufous-cronwed
Sparrow, one Black-capped Vireo distantly, one Hutton's
Vireo, still fair numbers of Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireo,
lots of Black-crested Titmouse and Carolina Wren, a few
Chickadee, a handful of Louisiana Waterthrush still there,
but none seen well enough to age. Got to hear that husky
grating zzeet flight note a couple times. Still some Indigo
Buntings seemingly going, and heard begging young a couple
times. Heard a few Ladder-backed Woodpecker. Did not see or
hear Blue Grosbeak, ours here at the hovelita are still underway.
No hawks but one Red-tailed, no Orioles, no Raven, and no
Green Kingfisher.
Odes (dragonflies) were nowhere near as abundant as in late
June. Must be in a lull between flights. A couple American
Rubyspot, a few Springwater Dancer, a Violet and some Dusky
Dancer, some Green Darner, a few Black, and a Red, Saddlebags,
but it was weak. No Flame, Neon, Commanche or Widow Skimmer,
no Prince or Dot-winged Baskettail. And so it went.
Flowers are also in a lull, the late summer and fall stuff
is not going yet for the most part, and the spring to early
summer stuff is over. Some good Cedar Sage patches still, a
few Snapdragon Vine and Green Milkweed Vine still in bloom,
one or two Boneset Eupatorium, several Texas Milkweed. Did
see the first few Frostweed flowers.
Saw a huge old Escarpment Cherry, and a Walnut tree, both lost
in the last month. Way over hundred year old trees. Bigguns.
Both with crops on them. We just keep losing the major canopy
trees. A real bummer when they are fruit or nut producers,
key wildlife forage. The Cherry crop overall is sorta stunted
this year, they mostly still look like big Hackberries, the
Persimmon crop looks OK to good though.
Butterflies were kinda weak with the flowers. Three Spicebush
Swallowtail, and about the same number of Bronze Roadside-Skipper
were highlights. A few Celia's Roadside to boot. Three
Eastern Tiger and one Two-tailed Swallowtail, a few Cloudless
Sulphur and Sleepy Orange, one Dun Skipper, some Variegated
and Gulf Frits, one Buckeye. No Arizona Sister or Red-spotted Purple.
One Six-lined Racerunner lizard was it for reptiles, heard a
few lizards get away in the leaf litter, usually Four-lined
Skinks. A few Leopard and (Blanchard's) Cricket- Frogs
were seen. We were done about 1 p.m., did four miles of trail
but the way I zigzag back and forth for every bug, double back
for heard birds, etc., it takes me 5 miles to go 4.
We went for a swim here in late afternoon to cool the hike off.
Saw a Five-striped Leaftail dragonfly over the water but that
was about it of interest. Lots of Texas Shiner minnows. No
Firefly at dusk. There should be a fall flight which should
start fairly soon. The spring to early summer flight lasted
longer than usual, the last few in last week of July. The
individual numbers peak however was not as good as last year.
July 27 ~ One last cool low at 65dF here before we get back
to the standard summer 70's for lows. What a treat!
Did more yard work early since cooler. Had to pick hit the
P.O. in town, and Big Ern was finally there with his Bar-B-Q.
The fact that the all of the pork ribs even make it home,
whilst I am tortured smelling them, is a miracle, not to
mention a testament to incredible dicipline. The chicken
is not under threat like those pork ribs. Park was packed
with people, nothing in a quick check of the woods but heard
Common Grackle.
So checked the golf course pond by the Waresville Cemetery.
One Common Grackle was there in the reeds with the Red-winged
Blackbirds that nest there. No Martins around the house,
which needs repairs badly. There were about 4 Thornbush Dasher
dragonfly, my first up here (saw at Uvalde 10 days ago) in
the hills this year. A dozen Green Darner was my first gang
of them. Some Red, and Black, Saddlebags were in tandem and
ovipositing. Saw a big female Eyed Elaterid flying around
the yard. No Firefly at dark.
Rufous Hummingbird, adult male, July 31. The iridescent gorget
feathers in throat usually appear an orangish red, but at some
light angles they can appear gold or green.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 26 ~ Another record low, we had 60dF here, and dry, what
an event. KRVL was mostly 59. Three days with high temps at
least 5-8 dF below normal due to a cold front. Lows 10-15 dF
below normal. Two days of record lows, yesterday and today.
What an event in late July. At the same time Paris, France
recorded its highest temperature ever at about 110dF! London
had 99.9, their second highest ever. The Arctic is record hot,
and on fire. One could almost maybe wonder if the climate is
changing?
Heard a Gnatcatcher early first thing. The rest seemed the
regulars. What little I could look. Town run fer shtuff.
I saw a Spot-winged Glider (ode) over the driveway when I left.
At the park, still Martins overhead, best were a couple
odes, damselflies in this case. A male Citrine Forktail
was the first one I have seen this year, and several
Orange-striped Threadtail were flying. Little Creek Larry
said he had the Green Heron there early in the morning.
Late afternoon here I heard the Field Sparrow singing.
Saw a Mournful Duskywing come in to the water puddles here.
About 7 p.m. saw a female Painted Bunting with a couple
new just fledged young in one of the Mexican Hat patches
I have left. I think these are from the alpha male that
nests in the thicket right across road from gate.
Shortly before dusk I heard an odd cheeping from the
grass in the front yard. Spotted a Bewick's Wren
fledgling that was out of the nest too soon. It was not
flight capable yet. Then looking around over where nest
was in broken off branch stub, I hear the two parents
over in the corral, with a baby. So as often the older
ready-to-go young does the bolt, and others not ready
try to, to follow parents and other young. It was as
if they forgot about it. I grabbed it and put it in the
brush pile under the nest branch. Finally the parents
heard it and came back over. They spent 5 minutes trying
to get it to fly up into the lowest pecan branches just
a couple feet off the ground. But it is not flight ready.
Hope it makes the night in the brush pile. Saw one Firefly.
Rantlet warning. I forgot to mention since I saw it a couple
weeks ago, but today I did not even bother checking the
butterfly garden at the library. It is so over-butchered,
again, I can't believe it. Hardly any flowers there.
By now this garden should be self-sustaining. The biggest
reason more new plants keep having to be bought is OVER-cutting.
It is a bad idea to have the people that bill new plants out,
manage the cutting. In this case it seems obvious to me
watching it for over a decade the people cutting are not
horticulturists (one would never do that to a Thoroughwort
Eupatorium), but just need a big pile of cuttings to show
for the hours and billing. When you over-cut a flowering
shrub 5 or 10 years in a row, it will die at some point along
the way. As many there have that I watched. This is what
is often happening. End of rantlet.
July 25 ~ A record low of 57dF here, I saw a 55 at Kerrville!
I heard of reports of 52dF at Rocksprings! Incredible.
I think Austin had a record low as well. Probably the
first time I have seen the 50's dF in July in the last 16 of
them here. Did some yard work early while cooler out. Heard
the Bell's and Red-eyed Vireos singing, still trolling. A
couple more Orchard Oriole first thing early. That makes 10
between late yesterday and early today. It's fall migrants.
Eastern Bluebirds might be going a third time in their box.
They have been around the box, even hanging at entrance.
The one still going good patch of Frog-fruit along the driveway is
the best yard butterfly draw now. One check noonish and I saw
Phaon Crescent, 2 Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, a Desert Checkered-Skipper,
Fiery and Dun Skipper, a Sachem and a Reakirt's blue. A couple
Celia's Roadside-Skipper still around the porch, as are a couple
Dusky-blue Groundstreak mostly on the Turk's Cap. Which is also
very eaten. Got another Blue Mist Eup cat (218) today, after a few
days of not seeing any, but something is still skeletalizing the leaves.
Best bugs of the day though were a couple dragonflies, that
surely came in because of spraying some water around. First
around 11 a.m. there was a male Widow Skimmer hunting from a
short dead Mesquite snag. Great to see in the yard. Better
was a GREAT SPREADWING, which is new for the yard. We saw
one in April or May at Lost Maples, so this is the second
one this year, and in many years, they have been absent since
the drought set in. I got an ID shot overhead when it
hung up in the pecan but I lost it when it moved.
Saw one of the big metallic green Peach or Fig Scarabs.
Only saw one Firefly at dusk, heck I saw more Armadillo (2).
July 24 ~ A great low of 64.5dF was a thrill. Dry too.
Feels like Utopia. Birdsong is really getting dialed
back out there now though. Even the stuff that is still
breeding is not singing as much. A Dickcissel went through
the yard in the morning, which could be a migrant though
maybe more likely a local disperser. One Gnatcatcher in
the a.m., another at last sun. Chats much quieter today.
Not sure we hit 90dF at peak heat, and did I mention it
was dry. What a break.
In butterflies, great was a White-striped Longtail that came
into water on the patio. Also had Orange Skipperling and
Phaon Crescent, a couple Dusky-blue Groundstreak, several
Julia's Skipper, a few Queens hitting the two BlueMistEup
stalks with flowers, some Lysides going by, one Cloudless
Sulphur, a Buckeye, amongst the more common stuff. Saw a
small Praying Mantis on the BlueMistEup. Wish it would take
out all of whatever is destroying it. Have seen a couple
tiny baby lizards, maybe 2.5" total including tail length,
of both Anole and Eastern Fence Lizard.
Nearing last sun in the treetops, a group of 4-5 Orchard Orioles
worked the big Pecan and big Hackberry before moving uphill,
following that 'last sun in the treetops' they love.
I went out in the driveway and another group of four Orchard
Oriole followed them uphill after working the blooming Mesquites
across the road and the pecans. It was at least 8, which means
migrants if you ask me. Saw a couple Caracara go by, a couple
Chimney Swift were feeding over the river habitat corridor at
last sun.
The sundown song session was noticeably quieter today.
Much of what is still nesting has been singing a good
session or two nearing last sun. Not all at once like
dawn chorus, more spread out, seemingly almost taking turns,
each species has a time before last sun when they have
one last bout of song for the day. It is like a birdsong
jukebox to me. Tonight not very many records played.
Didn't even hear the Summer Tanager. I saw the
main alphamale Painted Bunting fly straight from the millet
feeder across yard and road 160' and shoot right
into the hole in the wall of bushes he uses to enter
nest area, so he is still feeding young.
July 23 ~ The front is passing this morning, no cold air
yet, 73dF, but northerly flow. So far the little bit of
rain missed us though I can feel the air drying out.
Northerlies from a cold front in July is mind-boggling.
Heard a Gnatcatcher first thing. Otherwise the usual gang.
Saw a Northern (Common) Mestra out back when tossing seed.
Had to go to town in the afternoon and leave car at the
shop an hour and a half so walked to the park. Saw Little
Creek Larry, he said he had a Downy Woodpecker at the park
this morning. I had two items of intereset, my FOY Powdered
Dancer damselfly, a nice pale male, pretty neat looking beast.
Was below spillway on sand at edge of water. A few
butterflies were there, Common and Desert Checkered-Skipper,
the Desert new for the month. Best was a Mournful Duskywing
puddling at point blank, since I didn't have camera.
This neat trick always works. Seems like every patch of
bushes I drove by has calling young Painted Buntings now.
Saw a Texas Powdered-Skipper on Junior's Yellow Lantana
in town. Heard the Nighthawk boom once at dusk. Barred Owl
calling over at river after dark.
July 22 ~ Low of 73dF, not much for morning clouds. It
is said to be the last very hot (above avg. mid-90's)
day of this heat spell. A cold front is still being advertised
to arrive tonight. A cold front at beginning of the last
third of July. Perfectly normal isn't it? No worries,
the Arctic is record hot. Nothing to see here, move along.
A couple Gnatcatcher went through over the day. Southbound.
Heard the Red-eyed Vireo singing over in the corral, a
Bell's singing in the Mesquites out front, a Hutton's
Vireo called from up in the big Pecan and Hackberry out
front. The White-eyed and Yellow-throated were both singing.
Another five species of vireo from the yard morning in vireotopia.
The Indigo Bunting is still singing but without the vigor
of a week or two ago. Just giving a short-song now, the
first half maybe of the normal full series. Chat and Blue
Grosbeaks still going strong but in bursts with longer breaks.
Later morning a male Orchard Oriole went through yard moving
south. Which could be a local post-breeding dispersant, but
it could also be a fall migrant from further afield. We are
at that time when we start seeing the first fall migrants from
elsewhere. Common Nighthawk went over at last sun. Maybe 3 or
4 Firefly was it for them.
July 21 ~ A 70dF low felt great. The low Gulf stratus
didn't get here until 8:30 and only lasted a couple
hours. Gonna be a scorcher. Supposed to be a cold
front on the way tomorrow evening or so. Heard the
Red-eyed Vireo and the Indigo Bunting both singing still.
Yellow-throated Vireo and Warbler are both still singing,
but the White-eyed Vireo is barely going, maybe between
nest cycles? Did some yard work early when the clouds
were here and still in 70's.
A couple Gnatcatcher went through yard. The rest was
the regular gang. We went for a peak heat swim to beat it.
Saw one of those ugly Grass Carp. Some Clammyweed is now
in bloom, what a fancy flower! The first couple Maxmillian
Sunflower also were open. Maybe it was the heat, but
way less birdsong over there than there has been. I was
mostly there for the 75dF water anyway. Late afternoon
single Red-tailed, and Zone-tailed Hawk, flew over the yard.
Right before dusk a Field Sparrow flew over calling, seemed
it came out of the shorter pecans out front.
July 20 ~ a 73dF low, and low clouds for a few hours
of the morning. Went to town briefly late morn.
Heard the Eastern Wood-Pewee at the park, a female
Common Grackle flew out of the island. Several
Orange Bluet damselflies by the island. One Wandering
Glider out over the pond. Here at the hovelita in
the afternoon I saw a small accipiter which this time of
the year had to have been a tiny male Cooper's Hawk.
Man it was small. Three Turkey over in the corral as
usual lately. Only a handful of Firefly at dusk.
No Chuck calling for a few days now, since the dusk
of the first evening after that last rain.
I keep forgetting to mention some of the imm. male
Black-chinned Hummingbirds are getting their first
dark gorget feathers. I first saw the first one the
first week of July, a couple to few showed it the second
week, now several are showing them. The earliest nests
are last half of March, so young are out last part of April.
So around 60-70 days or so after fledging, the earliest
imm. males start showing dark feathers in the throat.
Then, any imm. males fledging now will be gone for the
season before they get any dark throat feathers. Only a
handful of Firefly at dusk. No Chuck-wills-widow calling
for a few days now, since the dusk of the first night after
the last rain.
Blue-winged Teal (male, or drake) at Utopia Park April 7, 2019.
Bobwhite (female or hen), the second before she bursts into the air.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 19 ~ A 73dF low, and some clouds for the morn.
Heard the Red-eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting, and the
Black-and-white Warbler all sing early, still trolling
for mates. An Eastern Wood-Pewee was in the yard
early, a transient, looked like a juvenile from the
quick look I got. Town run day. At the park there
was a female Green Kingfisher at the island, and a
couple begging young Common Grackle with an ad. male
appearing to feed them. So I guess a pair did nest
there this year after all. Still some Purple Martins
around. Saw four Viceroy (butterfly) at the park,
around the Willows of course. One male Whirlabout (lep)
was the only thing on the yellow Lantana at the Sabinal
Canyon Museum. Saw a Mestra somewhere. Pulled one
BlueMistEup cat, 217 removed now. The two un-eaten
stalks both have flowers now. Should be 200 stalks
with flower heads. Still trying to save it for a
fall bloom. One of the yearling Armadillos has found
the birdbath and thinks it is something you roll on
your back in, after getting all the dirt off its
underside.
July 18 ~ Low of 74dF, low stratus from Gulf kept heat
at bay a few hours. Heard the Black-n-white singing
early again. Another Gnatcatcher went through yard early.
By time I get back up to Lost Maples they will be gone.
Too busy Thursdays at the desk so not much chance to
see anything but the regulars. Only standout was a
brief look at a Tropical Checkered-Skipper, one of which
I just saw and photo'd at Cook's Slough in Uvalde
a couple days ago. I have only had a couple of them in
the yard, and those were in fall when more typical, so,
good bug. Had a Wandering Glider dragonfly among about
10 Red Saddlebags.
July 17 ~ Low of 75dF is not very. Gulf clouds got here
though so keeping sun at bay a few hours early. Feels like
vacation not getting up early and hitting the road. Chat still
doing flight song first thing. Amazing was an early a.m.
Belted Kingfisher flying high over the river Cypresses
southward. Sure glad it called. It is my earliest 'fall'
return date. My prior Aug. 1 earliest date is three weeks
anomolous. Other earliest return dates are last week of
August, often not until September do I see one back. Saw
a Common Mestra butterfly, first one in a couple months.
If you look closely you can see the adult males of species
primarily red are getting much duller lately. Noticeable
on the adult male Painted Bunting, the Cardinals, male
Vermilion Flycatcher, and Summer Tanager. They are all
dulled up at peak wear, and now many have begun to molt.
Heard the Hooded Oriole out there, saw the male Indigo
Bunting. Heard a Gnatcatcher go through. Got a pic of
a imm. White-eyed Vireo at the bath. Wasn't old
enough to know yet that vireos only splash bathe, and
though it did that, it also perched at edge of bath a
few times long enough for me to grab a shot.
July 16 ~ Got up early as we had to go to Uvalde to do
some paperwork. Hummers are at the feeders just before
6:30 a.m. now, right about civil twilight. Around Sabinal
there was standing water on the ground from recent rains.
Some Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Western Kingbird along
the ag fields in that area, last year we saw none. We took
Lower Sabinal Rd. to Uvalde. A couple places that were great
for birds had huge rows of Hackberries and hedgerows clearcut
and removed. Whilst we actually should be planting trees.
Fair numbers of Dickcissel along the roads, they seemed to
have a good year, as did Red-winged Blackbird and Lark
Sparrow. Heard Cassin's Sparrow singing at a couple
spots, Verdin were everywhere, heard an Olive Sparrow,
saw one Pyrrhuloxia, a couple Long-billed Thrasher flew
across road in front of us, saw a pair of Bobwhite, Mocker
numbers are high as usual, saw a couple Red-tailed Hawk,
a few Caracara. As you arrive in Uvalde the first thing
you see is a bunch of Great-tailed Grackle.
After a couple biz stops we did quick run-throughs at Cook's
Slough and the fish hatchery. It was already dripping at
10 a.m. Much still seems to be nesting at both sites,
surely due to the spring rains continuing. Orchard Oriole
were singing at both sites. Couch's Kingbird at both
as well. Three Neotropic Cormorant were at the slough,
looked like the same three there in April, two first-summers
and a second summer bird. Saw Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Olive
Sparrow, Bank Swallow, among regular stuff at the slough.
A Tropical Checkered-Skipper (lep) was nice there, so was
a Pin-tailed Pondhawk dragonfly. At the hatchery there were
a few adult Common Gallinule and at least 4 older juveniles,
so they nested successfully. A pair of Coot there had no young,
they usually depart for the summer.
Perhaps most interesting was at Cook's Slough, hearing
the cicada that sounds like a jet engine idling. The F-14
Cicada. I used to only hear these when I went way down south
on the Rio Grande below Falcon Dam along lower part of river.
Clearly they too, like many birds, are moving their ranges
northward.
Saw a couple Great Egret and one fresh juvenile Yellow-crowned
Night-Heron. Lots of baby Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at the
hatchery. Heard were Bell's Vireo and Cactus Wren over
in the Mesquites along north border. Lots of dragons flying,
a few Thornbush Dasher and one Forceptail that looked like a
Broad-striped. Did not have time to work the place, just a
quick hit-and-run-through. At the city park on Hwy. 90 there
were a couple Carmine Skimmers besides the Roseate, and some
Eastern Amberwing. It got stinkin' hot fast down there,
and of course the places with the action, the slough and hatchery,
have humidity that makes saunas envious. Still no Bare-throated
Tiger-Heron though.
By time we were driving the hour home it was over 95dF down
there, and about 90 here, maybe 88 on the shady front porch,
when we got back. About 5dF, and you can feel the difference.
One BlueMistEup cat pulled this a.m., at 216 and counting.
A Common Nighthawk flew over just before dusk. A male Blue
Grosbeak gave some nice flight song at dusk. Male Indigo
Bunting still out there on patio.
July 15 ~ Stayed at the 73dF the rain last night dropped
us to, all night. A very humid 73. Sure great to have
that Black-and-white Warbler singing out there first thing
every morning. This is the second time we have had a
first summer male go territorial here. In both cases
the daily bird bath usage seems a major factor. No doubt
without the water source there would be many fewer birds
around the yard. I suspect several dozens of individual
birds use it daily.
Great was a (Southern) Pearl Crescent (butterfly) sunning
early in the morning on the (finished blooming) Am. Germander.
Have not seen one in a few months. A Clouded Skipper stopped
briefly, and got a pic of a Celia's Roadside-Skipper.
There is one stalk of BlueMistEup that the cats missed
which is a foot taller than all the shredded rest, and now
has an open bloom atop it, with a Queen on it of course.
There would be 20 sq.ft. of that if it were not for these
cats from hades.
July 14 ~ The 69.8dF low felt great but didn't last.
Yard was the same gang. Can't wait until the Cowbirds
leave, should be soon. Barely a half-gallon per day of
sugar water usage now so a couple hundred plus birds
around, still all Black-chinned here so far. Rufous will
show up shortly, but would prefer something fancier. Got
hot, nearing a hun in the sun, 92dF on the cool shady front
porch so we took a peak-heat swim to reset body core
temperatures. Did not see anything but the expected
suspects at river. One Dolomedes sps. fishing spider
was on a lily pad 6' from shore. It walked there.
Here at the hovelita in leps saw Hackberry Emperor,
Goatweed Leafwing, Dusky-blue Groundstreak, and Celia's
Roadside-Skipper, among the more common stuff.
From about 10 to 11 p.m. we had a rain cell blow up out of
nowhere just north of and over town and very slowly moved south,
dropping an INCH of rain! And the temp to 73dF. A sister
cell went down the Frio where Garner and Concan got some.
Puts us a hair over 2" for the month. We had 10" in May
and June together, so at a foot in the last 11 weeks. We
could be parched and instead are good and green with lots
of flowers showing well. Yet for over a week now, not even
half-grown pecans are being shed like gangbusters from the
big native tree in particular, green a half-inch to an inch
long. The tree is giving up on them for this season, which
I do not understand with plenty of rain.
July 13 ~ An amazing 66dF low was fantastic. The NE
flow continues from the back side of Barry in Louisiana.
Kerrville had a 64 and 65dF briefly! Two BlueMistEup
cats pulled, 215 and counting. Heard the Field Sparrow
sing, which I haven't for a while, maybe they will nest
again too. One good bird today was maybe my first
landbird fall migrant, an Orchard Oriole. Sure it
could be a local disperser, but it could be from further
away too, especially with the NE flow we have had.
Best two birds were bugs, late in the day on the big
pecan (native - not a graft) right off front porch.
First I spotted a something zipping around which when
landed and seen closer was a Neoclytus sps. Longhorn
(Cerambycid) Beetle. One of my favorite genera of Longhorns,
ran for camera and got a couple shots before it flew off.
Which was like a rocket. It went the first 60'
faster than a hummingbird departs the feeder. A second
or two. Most impressive. Then within a minute in the
same area of the tree I spotted one of the metallic gold
Dicerca sps. Buprestid Beetles. It was beetle heaven.
Auto focus could not grab the Dicerca though, only got
one poor shot before it bolted, also like a rocket.
Was a miracle I happened to be sitting in the dang chair
on the porch smoking my pipe like an old man, watching
the bark grow on the tree, and two spectacular beetles
should crawl out of it before me. How much we must walk by.
~ ~ ~ early July daily yard and vicinity breeders ~ ~ ~
For birds here is what has been around the yard daily the
first third of July, virtually all still breeding, or at
least singing on territory in the yard or immediate adjacent
vicinity. The daily yard birds are: Summer Tanager, Painted
and an unmated trolling Indigo Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat,
Yellow-throated and an unmated trolling Black-and-white Warbler,
Blue Grosbeak, Lesser Goldfinch, Lark and Chipping Sparrow,
Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Carolina and Bewick's
Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, No. Cardinal,
Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Bluebird, Vermilion, Ash-throated,
and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (see or hear daily), Yellow-throated
and White-eyed Vireo, Wild Turkey, Common Ground-Dove, Eur.
Collared-Dove, Mourning and White-winged Dove, Black and
Turkey Vulture. Chuck-wills-widow and Common Nighthawk have
been regular. Purple Martin and Barn Swallow have been daily
overhead, Chimney Swift weekly or so as is N. Rough-winged Swallow.
Black-chinned Hummingbird are ridiculously abundant. House
Finch nearly so. Brown-headed and Bronzed Cowbird are also
unfortunately daily. Have seen a few young, but all dispersants,
none begging or being attended by our local birds. Almost
daily is an unmated trolling Red-eyed Vireo, and the last week
a Bell's Vireo.
Seen every few days are Zone-tailed and Cooper's Hawk.
Recently departed due to fledging young so were present daily
all June but not now are Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, and Red-tailed Hawk. Every few days I hear Barred,
Great Horned Owl, and once a week lately Eastern Screech-Owl.
Once or twice a week I see Caracara go by, they nest nearby.
Roadrunner a couple times in last week. Red-shouldered Hawk
weekly. That makes about 54 species breeding in the adjacent
vicinity. For which the yard is within their territory.
Hutton's and Black-capped Vireo nest very nearby, as
does Rufous-crowned Sparrow but all are out of daily earshot.
Some strays the last week were Olive Sparrow and Canyon Towhee.
Not to mention the Spoonbill a couple miles SW of me. Daily
passing through yard is Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, post-breeding
departers, and almost every day a transient Black-and-white
goes through, most getting acosted by the trolling 1st summer
male on the way. A 1st summer Hooded Oriole has been visiting
a feeder occasionally. So about 95% of the daily and weekly
list in early July is the same as June, and actually May as well.
~ ~ ~ end early July local breeders note ~ ~ ~
White-eyed Vireo, a rather messy one, perhaps an immature (iris is gray)
just molting from juvenile into first basic (winter) plumage.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 12 ~ Even better this morn with a 70dF low. The
difference between that and 75 feels like a lot more
than the 5dF spread. Was dryer due to the weird NE flow.
All the birds were the usual. One BlueMistEup cat
pulled off, 213 removed now. Heard a Gnatcatcher go
through yard early. Town run and park check, nothing
different for birds there, one Green King up on island,
a Common Grackle in the willows, heard a Green Heron,
and an Eastern Tiger Swalllowtail was nice. Best
was a Red-spotted Purple which is probably my first
for the park butterfly list. Some Martins still calling
overhead there, not for long though. Saw two Ceranus
Blue butterfly, my first of the year.
Back here at hovelita, heard the Cooper's Hawk
calling like it hopes it is going to nest again. I hope not.
Probably sees all these juvenile birds here and figures
there will be plenty of food. We are covered in juvies.
Probably three dozen from a dozen species.
Just after 4:30 we had a miracle, a nice rain shower from a
stray rogue cell. Took 10dF off the top in 5 minutes. Rained
.85 of an inch in a half-hour. Got down to 72dF about 5:15,
Kerrville was reading 92 at the time. I was on the front
porch absorbing the cool when a lightning strike hit only
about a quarter-mile away. One thousand one, one BOOOOM!
About 5:30 after the rain of course there was a termite
hatch happening. Saw for the first time in a while Common
Nighthawks overhead. Been wondering why so quiet with them.
There were three over the yard whilst a male was booming over
the knoll where they nest just NW a half-mile, so four recorded.
Over the yard it appeared two juveniles and one ad. female,
which one juvie was begging at incessantly. So I'd say
they got two young off this year, outstanding.
About 8:30 p.m. as last sun showed, the two adult
Yellow-throated Warbler were in the yard with three
bob-tailed just-fledged juveniles in tow. So they got
another set out, and a good one. I don't know how the
adults can find food as when they fly from tree to tree,
three clumsy ones crash into the tree around where it
landed. There were two nice bucks in the yard, they are
in velvet now. The 3 Turkey were over in the corral again.
The Chuck-wills-widow was thrilled enough about the rain
to give a decent blast at last light. Maybe 10 or so
Fireflies still.
July 11 ~ An outflow boundry hit at midnight, mostly a
little wind, but cooled it a few dF and a tracelet of
big drops fell, noisy but we missed the rain. Made for a
nice 71dF low though, what a difference a few degrees makes.
Saw a male Blue Grosbeak with a juvie in one of the
patches of Mexican Hat I left to grow in the front yard.
Starting to look a bit ratty now since post peak bloom,
but the Painted Buntings also love them, taking their
young to them first thing out of the nest as well. Heard
the Black-n-white singing early, later photo'd one in
the bath. But which I think was a female. In the afternoon
we actually had north to northeast winds! Methinks unusual
for the date. It is from the back side of the rotation
from the low in the gulf just off Louisiana, not a front.
Two BlueMistEup cats, 212 removed now. Hope I can save
some of the patch. Saw a juvenile Golden-fronted Woodpecker.
July 10 ~ A 75dF low, and another hot day. No morning
low stratus from the Gulf, so a cooker in the works.
It was 89 at noon, so 10dF hotter than when the morning
low clouds. I saw 95dF on the cool shady front porch.
Had to be a hun in the sun. If your shoes come untied
you will be dripping by time you get back up from retying.
A cloud sheild from some rain to the northwest took 5dF off
our temps before 6 p.m. so we had 90, while Kerrville was
reading 97 with a heat index of 106.
The bird of the day was a bug again. I had to run to
town early. Great to be the only one in the park again.
Heard the Eastern Wood-Pewee, they must be nesting again
this year. Best was when I grabbed the gas pump I saw something
on the hose. Which turned out to be a live female DOBSONFLY!
Awesome beast. What jaws! Probably an Eastern Dobsonfly
(Corydalus cornutus), but there are some similar types.
Got some shots, though I hated the background and substrate,
a gas pump hose (one below). I pumped my gas and left it
there. Not the first time I found a good bug I had to stop
and shoot at the gas station here. If I lived in town I
would check it every morning early first light. I bet it
is great for bugs. Pro tip: going around at night checking
people's lights is a real good way to meet your local
law enforcement folk.
As a youth, when in the desert southwest, there was nothing
like a gas station out in the middle of nowhere at midnight
for bugs. It was like candyland, a budding entomologists'
smorgasbord. Bug city. In those days people actually might
not call the cops cause some people with nets were running
around at night under the lights. So if you see a little
black Mazda pickup down there late at night, and spot a
middle-aged, white, male, balding, slightly overweight dude,
bent over looking at the ground, perhaps with net or camera,
it could be me. No need to call the law, or funny farm.
I'm already here.
July 9 ~ Another 75-94dF day. Clouds kept it bearable
for the morning and held some heat back in the afternoon.
Heard the Red-eyed vireo and Indigo Bunting singing,
and the Black-and-white Warbler. I think all three
are unmated trollers. Heard a Great Crested Flycacher
uphill out back. Have not heard a Cuckoo in a week,
they leave the nesting territory as soon as the young
is or are out of the nest a week or so. Here I virtually
always only see one fledged young.
Bird bath is having traffic jams it is so hot. Too
many baby Cardinals, lots of juv. House Finch and Lesser
Goldfinch. The Black-n-white was there, an imm.
Yellow-throated Vireo splash-bathed for a bit, the
Chats brought their young over and showed them
what it was about. Later saw the Black-n-white chase
another one away. No cats pulled off the BlueMistEup
today, 210 and holding.
July 8 ~ A 75dF low is balmy. Probably got to 95 in
the sun. Hot and sticky. Nuthin' sweet about it.
Heard the Bell's and Red-eyed Vireo singing
out there still, as was the Indigo Bunting. The rest
were the breeders. Bird bath action is heavy in the
heat. It is an avian parade. Kathy saw an imm. Chat
and the Black-n-white Warbler at it between everything
else visiting. There was a Canyon Towhee in it for
a bath, maybe the one that was here a week ago or so.
Chickadees have a new set of a couple young just fledged.
Outstanding was hearing from Leslie Calvert that she
had a Roseate Spoonbill at her pond yesterday the 7th!
She got an ID shot, it was a pale imm. as seemingly all of
our few records are. This is 4-5 mi. SSW of town out
the west end of UvCo 361, but nowhere the public can view.
We have 4 prior records, 3 are of two together, and all
of those three in the last 5 years. Thanks for the
great news Leslie! From July on is the time to get
coastal waders moving inland, especially the young
of the year.
Found a big green caterpillar near the base of the big
pecan, on the trunk a foot off the ground. It was
weirdly convulsing a bit. I thought it was going to
pupate maybe. Next morning was on the ground still
pulsing. I think it fell out of the tree and has a
parasite inside it that is nearing emerging. Many
wasps parasitize caterpillars. I put it in a container
to watch what happens. Suprised a bird didn't pick
it off, or something overnight.
July 7 ~ Low of 74dF, a little off and on morning low
stratus from the Gulf. Saw the Black-n-white at the bath,
then heard it sing later, the same 1st summer male.
Great was just before 10 a.m., an Olive Sparrow sang a few
times from a pecan in the front yard! Hope it had found
the seed. Not enough understory for one to stick here.
Once one lasted a few days. Nice bird to hear in the yard
though, especially considering last weekend we walked 4 miles
at Lost Maples and didn't see or hear one. Today is
the day most of the weekend warriors evacuate the area.
Never did understand people leaving the city to go blare
music in the country.
We went for a late afternoon swim over in the river.
Saw a couple good bugs. Great was a Black Witch, the
5" plus across all dark brown moth that invades Texas
annually in late summer. We do not get them every year
here, I have not seen one in 5 years or so. It landed
under some Cypress roots and we got a close look. But I
didn't take my camera upriver this time (have to
waterproof it) so no photos. Just as good was a
Dragonhunter dragonfly, also the first I have seen in
about 5 years. Best look I ever had, got 2' from it
perched, since I had no camera on me. This neat trick
always works.
Saw three of the big Dolomedes (Fishing) spiders, two
were together touching a couple legs, one of them had
an egg sac, so likely a pair. Must have been a thousand
Texas Shiner minnow. One foot-long Guadalupe Bass was nice,
saw a 2-inch young one too, lots of Longear Sunfish. The
damselflies were the half-dozen expected types. Same for
the birds, the dozen riverside regulars. Great to beat the
heat though, was 90dF on the cool shady front porch when we
left, likely mid-90's in the sun. Saw one Eastern Tiger
Swallowtail flying downriver, and on a Buttonbush a Texas
Powdered-Skipper.
There was a Roadrunner in the back yard hunting birds
where we toss seed. It ran after a White-winged Dove!
The dove saw it coming and flushed, as did all the
small stuff. Everything was alarming when it arrived
on the scene. They really go after just-fledged birds
that habituate the ground. Here that means mostly
Painted Bunting, House Finch, and Lark Sparrow. None
trust a Roadrunner.
July 6 ~ Low of 73dF, sunny at first, the Gulf clouds did
not arrive until after 9 a.m., then cloudy until noonish.
Hot sticky afternoon. Heard Gnatcatcher go through early,
heard the Black-n-white Warbler singing. Best was hearing
FIVE species of vireo, the Bell's is still around, a
Hutton's was right out back in the live-oaks upslope,
the Red-eyed still trolling about, while the breeding
Yellow-throated and White-eyed continue singing. I should
run over to the Black-capped spot less than a mile away.
The Tawny Emperor was back around the back porch, photo of
it on the screen door. Bunch of Julia's Skipper in the
grass out front. Heard some Martins, they will gone soon.
Saw a photo in ebird of a Yellow Warbler at Cook's Slough
in Uvalde from the last few days. This is a month earlier
than my earliest (Aug. 2 - twice) so I can't help but wonder
if it is a post-breeding wanderer from breeding populations
in the southwest U.S. rather than a migrant from the north.
Great record.
Dobsonfly, female, on the fuel line at the gas station. Yes
they can draw blood. Larvae are aquatic, called Hellgrammites.
Wingspan is over 5 inches! This is probably Eastern Dobsonfly.
The obligitory bird photo, another head shot...
You looking for a bird photo here?
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
July 5 ~ Low of 75dF, maybe mid-90's in the afternoon
sun. Hot and sticky, welcome to summer here. Five more
cats pulled off the BlueMistEup, now 205 removed. Another
Gnatcatcher went through in the morning, they will be daily
all month. Nice to hear all the dawn singing still going,
means stuff is nesting again. Just heard a couple calls
from the Great Crested Flycatcher. I saw a female Black-chinned
Hummer gathering thistle down, so they are still going at
it! Town is a zoo of hominids, especially the park. On the
way to town, just east of the 360 crossing I had a Tawny Emperor
(butterfly). Then later in afternoon had a second one here at
the house. Later afternoon I had a fly-bye of a Swallowtail
that looked like a Polydamus, but it kept going after only
briefly loitering.
What looked a different Viceroy from a week ago was at the park.
I saw a 12', 2.5" diameter young Mulberry tree on the
trail in the woods broken off near the base! Some citiot came to
the country and killed a tree I have been admiring for 15 years!
I am sure they feel real manly now. We barely have any young
regeneration going on with the Mulberries, and this is what
happens when it meets the average citiot. I heard from Marsha Jo
one of the just-fledged baby Red-shouldered Hawks that has been
at the park thrilling many was found dead a day or two ago. I
would guess a human-related incident. Probably the guy that killed
the Mulberry. ;) Heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee, they
might be nesting there again this year. The Common Grackles did
not nest there this year, though there are some as usual by Feller's
place at the Waresville turnoff, and some are behind the storage
spaces by that retention pond.
July 4 ~ Happy Independence Day! It is a hominid zoo
locally due to the tremendous firework show at the park
at dark every year. Highest hominid population day of
the year here. So we lay low glad to be hidden on a
fairly unused dirt county road. Would like to photo the
fireworks, but the crowd so big now you can't just show
up at showtime and have a great angle nowadays. It is crazy.
The roads out of town sound like LA Freeways about 10 to
11 p.m. when it is over.
Low about 71dF, and was only 82 at 1 p.m. Did some overdue
yard work. Eight more BlueMistEup cats pulled, makes 200!
Heard a Bell's Vireo singing at the far front corner
of yard. The Red-eyed is still trolling around. Yellow-throated
still breeding and so singing lots, White-eyed must be between
rounds, only barely singing now. So four vireos in the yard
today, where is that Hutton's now? Heard Gnatcatcher
go through. The same three Turkey were over in the corral.
Saw another Streaky Skipper, second one in a week, was not
the one a half-mile down the road a few days ago. Chuck
gave a little bit of dusk calling, a minute maybe, at half
speed and enthusiasm of usual.
July 3 ~ A 72dF low, and some mist so stayed cooler for
the a.m. We have skated on a lot of heat so far this
spring and summer. Red-eyed Vireo and Indigo Bunting
still singing. Heard the Cuckoo and Scissor-tail, and
all the regulars of the season. Had two Black-n-white
Warblers at once, briefly interacting, one singing was
the 1st summer male that has been around, the other a
female or juvenile. Heard the Bluebirds early but they
have not gotten a third round underway yet. White-eyed
Vireo must be between rounds as well, fairly quiet right
now for them. A couple Gnatcatcher went through yard over
the day. Not hearing the Great Crested Flycatcher much,
they probably got young out and are deciding whether or
not to do it again. Only two BlueMistEup cats today,
192 pulled now. Saw another Eyed Elaterid flying around.
Chuck gave a little about 10 p.m. after skipping the
normal 'first dark' blast.
July 2 ~ About 71 for a low, and some light traces of
mist kept it cool for the a.m. Only 3 caterpillars
pulled off the Blue Mist eupatorium, maybe I am finally
getting ahead of them, 190 now. Red-eyed Vireo still singing,
Indigo Bunting as well. Blue Grosbeak still on patio
occasionally, mostly sneaks around under cover out back.
Yellow-throated Vireo and Warbler both still singing
through yard. Kathy spotted a Black-n-white coming in
to the bath, I got a couple shots maybe. Gnatcatcher went
through yard.
Bird of the day was a butterfly, a Common Sootywing. Which
is new for the yard. Went and looked, #92 in yard! They
are common at say Cook's Slough in the brush country
at Uvalde, but I have only seen a very few up here in the
hills, and none in several years. I photo'd one once
over a decade ago at Utopia on the River a mile downriver.
By time I got back out with camera it was gone. Was on
Zexmenia out back.
Found a dead male Black Widow in the trucklet. Got some
pix, males are pretty fancy looking. Nice to know they can
get inside somehow. Can't leave the windows cracked a
little bit I guess. It probably got in sometime I had them
open, and then got cooked when closed and it got hot inside
the cab. Glad I didn't spot it crawling on me whilst
driving!
Three Turkey were in the corral, two bearded Toms and a hen
or young tom. The first summer male Hooded Oriole was at
the hummer feeder again. The closest-by Chuck-wills-widow
did not do the usual dusk calling session. He is out of steam.
A week early. Usually they call for three months, April 7-10 to
July 7-10. There will be a little sputtering yet, and begging
young, but the intense is over. Less than a dozen Firefly.
July 1 ~ About 69.5dF for a low is nice. Clouds kept
it in 70's until almost noon. Heard a Gnatcatcher
out there early, and another after noon, heard the
Red-eyed Vireo singing over in corral. Amazing hearing
the Blue Grosbeak and Painted Bunting singing at the same
time both up in the big pecan right off the porch. Nine
more BlueMistEup cats removed, so 187 for a running total,
in case you wonder why it looks ravaged. I see the first
flowers opening on our Wooly Ironweed. It has a dozen stalks
this year, its third since sprouted from a seed I planted.
Was 3 stalks the first year, 6 the second, now a dozen.
Lots of begging baby Painted Bunting, House Finch, Lesser
Goldfinch, and Lark Sparrow out there around yard and on
patio. Fireflies are fading fast, the flameout is ongoing.
Maybe saw a dozen.
~ ~ ~ above is July 1, 2019 and after ~ ~ ~
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Go, look, see, take notes and pictures, boldly nature nerd where
no one has before. Few things rival the thrill of discovery.
Besides having fun and learning, you will probably see some things
people won't believe without photos. ;)
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Read UP from bottom to go in chronological sequence.
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