BIRD & NATURE NEWS 2024
Notes without location cited are in or from yard which is a couple
miles south of town at edge of the river habitat corridor.
If it doesn't say where it was, it was in or from the yard.
Usually a few daily yard notes is all the drivel you get.
Ready, steady, go!
Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024
(through March so far)
Read from bottom up to view in chronological order.
~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ the old news ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ June summary ~ ~ ~
We had two rain events in the otherwise
bone dry month, but which were good ones
totalling 5.5" for us here! Meanwhile
water tables at park pond went down, from
just over 2' below spillway to THREE
feet below spillway overflow. Drought
level remains D2. FIVE inches did not bring
the water table up. It is parched and dire
out there. Trees are dying.
Insects well reflect the dire situations of
our habitats and ecosystems. Their numbers
continue to be astonishingly few. Only
minimal dragonfly and butterfly numbers.
Still scraping for odes (dragonflies and
damselfies). Three new for the year species
seen: Red-tailed Pennant, a Prince Baskettail,
and Widow Skimmer were nice to see. I saw
only 8 species over the month. Pitiful.
For butterflies, there was nothing unusual,
as expected, we typically do not get vagrant
types in spring, that is a summer and fall
thing. Flowers are all but non-existent
away from water, and butterflies are hard
to find, save at watered flowers. If we
did not have watered flowers here we would
hardly be seeing any butterflies. Looks like
31 sps. for the month.
Not insects but arachnids, we did have two
Wolf Spiders in the house in sinks going after
water (repatriated to great outdoors) this
month. They used to be abundant. There has
been a full-blown wholesale crash of spiders
here along with the insect crash, of course.
There was one group of numbers of Harvestmen
(the outdoor daddy longlegsish thingie) seen here.
Birds were as expected for the most part. The
only rarity was a female MacGillivray's
Warbler June 3rd. My first June record for one.
An Acadian Flycatcher again was territorial
at Utopia Pk. the last two months and may have
nested. No nesting Pewee there this year.
Mostly it is just the breeding birds getting
a clutch of young out. Overall numbers are
way down, and fledgling productivity seems
low. Another year, about the fourth in a row,
of mostly one or two fledglings per nesting cycle.
Over the month dawn chorus went from a mild
roar to nearly non-esistant. Much is finished
and done for the season already. I saw
about 65 sps. locally over the month.
~ ~ ~ end June summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ June update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
June ~ A tardy MacGillivray's Warbler
at the bath on the 3rd was very unexpected.
A Bullock's Oriole at the park on the
7th was a surprise. June 9-11 we got a
whopping 3.5" of precious holy RAIN!
Almost 2" MORE fell on June 19-20 from
Alberto. Usually this inspires most of the
breeding birds to nest another round, if
they had not bailed already (some have).
Daily heat indices of 100F are typical
all summer, be prepared. A Common Grackle
was at Utopia Pk. June 28, first one I
have seen this year
~ ~ ~ end June update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
June 30 ~ Low 77F, a bit of low stratus
in morn. Upper 90's F in afternoon.
Hot and humid. Getting mighty quiet out
there for birds. I hear new baby begging
Chipping Sparrow, seeing juvenile Lark
Sparrows. Summer Tanager and White-eyed
Vireo still singing well. There was a
dragonfly seeming to be attempting to
oviposit on the wet sidewalk. It looked
like a Pale-faced Clubskimmer which I
had not seen yet this year.
June 29 ~ Another 78-98F temp spread day.
So, nothing changed. Brutal out there.
I can't believe how the Frogfruit
has a fair bloom going, and nothing is
on it. Should be covered in all the
small butterflies like skippers, hairstreaks,
blues, and such, nothing there.
Did not hear a Chuck or a Chat after dark.
Our local pair of Carolina Chickadee in birdbath.
~ ~ ~ last prior udpate below ~ ~ ~
June 28 ~ A chilly 77F for a low.
Dawn chorus is dead. Some things go off
here and there but the wonderful mild roar
is over. It is mostly one at a time now.
Town run and a park check. Singing there were
Summer Tanager, Yellow-throated and
White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Warbler,
and in the live-oaks north of woods the
Acadian Flycatcher. Which sounded like
it was maybe with a young? Could not
see it, but it seemed it and a second bird
making similar call were together. Best bird
was a male Common Grackle. First one I have
seen this year. The usual nesting pair on
the island does not nest when the island
is not one. Same for the Green Heron pair.
I have not seen them either this spring.
Saw a male Widow Skimmer dragonfly again.
Water still going down, the 5" of rain seems
to have done nothing for the water table.
Next week the big Utopia firework show is
set for the 5th, on Friday. The fourth
will be the parade. Which is a Utopia
doo-dah parade. Everyone is welcome to
do anything they like. Old cars to
decorated ones, and hopefully not too
many trombones. Kathy saw a Hackberry
Emperor on kitchen window screen again.
She also flushed a Roadrunner off the
back porch under the hummingbird feeder
stalking for a victim. That means there
are very few lizards out there to eat.
June 27 ~ Another 78-98F temp spread day.
Heat index over a hun. Sticky and not
particularly pleasant. Oh for the beach
or mountains. Some low stratus a couple
hours in morning. A Celia's Roadside-Skipper
landed on my ankle out on back porch this
morn. I guess that is close enough to count
it? Not hearing cuckoo, which likely means
it is done and gone. They leave immediately
after fledging their young, often by late
June, and that is that. By early July they
can all be gone locally. Where do they go?
Saw an Elada Checkerspot in the afternoon.
Heard a Martin family overhead, and near dusk
a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher went over.
June 26 ~ Ran about 78-98F for a temp spread.
Hot and sticky. Stuck at desk working and
just as well. The female Hooded Oriole is
around, and ginchy as they are. There was
a Gulf Coast Toad at the birdbath early
first thing. Did not hear a cuckoo today,
again. A male Indigo Bunting is singing
over in the draw, but no Blue Grosbeak around.
Heard Yellow-throated Warbler visit the
Pecans. The Tropical Sage is getting a
bloom cycle underway so a hundred or two
flowers open around front porch is nice.
Lantana doing another bloom cycle too.
June 25 ~ Low a hair under 77F, balmy, and
a brief showerlet to make sure humidity
was topped up. A Hooded Oriole hit a hummer
feeder earlyish but could not sex it due
to bad light. Kathy saw it later morn,
said it looked a female. Otherwise the
same gang. Chuck-will's-widow are
fairly quiet already. Just a little calling.
They go mostly silent here by end of first week
of July. Begging Red-tailed Hawk still
going. Some baby begging Carolina Wren
too. A juv. Cardinal is losing the dark
bill and has pinkish color in basal half
now. Heard the Black-and-white Warbler
a few times. Did not hear a Cuckoo today.
June 24 ~ Low of 76F is nearing balmy.
Sure getting quiet of birdsong. Barely a
dawn chorus left already. If we get another
round of nesting from the rains it could
pick back up. Mr. Bell singing in the
Mulberry over cottage. It was the same
avian gang as is the June passerine program.
Some family groups with begging babies is
always nice. Bluebirds still noisy and
around. Best was near 5 p.m. Kathy spotted
an oriole at the birdbath. I got a look
through bathroom window and screen. It
was an adult female Hooded Oriole. No way
you could get window open for pics without
it flushing, darn it, as sun was on bath.
Have not been seeing one on hummer feeders
but they can be pretty furtive.
June 23 ~ I saw 70F on the front porch
at 7 a.m., and it felt great. Earlier KERV
had some high 60's! We may have before
I got out there. What a difference a
few dF makes. Lark Sparrow, Carolina and
Bewick's Wren are three of the
birds singing most around yard. A few
morning looks and listens turned up
nothing of note. Note over the next several
days we saw a ad. female Hooded Oriole around.
So, that could well explain the mystery
song yesterday. It was a female Hooded Oriole.
Lots of female songbirds sing and we know very
little about it. Kathy had a Bordered
Patch butterfly today.
June 22 ~ Ran about 72-92 for the temp
spread today. Kathy caught another big
wolf spider, this out of the bathroom,
and set it free outside. I think they
were coming in for water and then did
not find their way out. Mr. Bell still
singing and was in yard doing so. Love
that song. Neatest thing was Kathy spotting
a Gray Fox which drank at the birdbath.
The big mystery of the day was an oriole
I heard sing in the late morning and
again in late afternoon which I did not
recognize. I know my oriole songs beyond
well and this was none of the usual normal
songs. Both times I went inside for bins
and camera, and never heard it again once
I got back out armed. The rest of the
daily show was the expected. Heard
Roadrunner, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and
Ground-Dove.
The compulsory annual photo of a male
Painted Bunting in the bird bath. No
better way to attract more birds than
watering them. Even a sprinkler in
bushes or a tree can be very effective.
This bath is a large garden pot drain dish.
Change the water daily if using a bath.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
June 21 ~ Full moon today on the heels of
the solstice. Low about 72.5F, and a few
more hundredths of an inch of precip from
passing showerlets overnight. Near 90F in
the afternoon. We luckily dodged several
days of heat and got a much-needed break.
If one of those parent Red-tails doesn't
come by and feed that young (which sounds
like pleading steel rail wheels) soon,
I am going to have to shoot a squirrel
and feed it myself. Town run and a quick
park check. They were doing a sound check
for the rodeo this weekend, so was loud.
Best was a couple Red-tailed Pennant dragonfly.
They surely must be on-site emergences now.
They were rare here 20 years ago, far less
than annual, becoming regular in last five
years. Birds singing in the woods were
Yellow-throated and White-eyed Vireo, a few
Yellow-throated Warbler, Summer Tanager,
and with much less vigor than the last
month, the Acadian Flycatcher. Heard
a B-n-w Warbler. The 5.5" of rain
the last 12 days has not caught up with
the water table drop, which is still THREE
FEET from going over spillway at park pond.
It has gone down near a foot so far in June.
Maybe some will filter down next week? I
hear a Vermilion Flycatcher singing over in
the corral here at hovelita, maybe they
will nest again now. Fourth day with
no Firefly, they are over until the
fall flight.
June 20 ~ Happy solstice! Astronomical
(or celestial) summer is here, the sun
is at its furthest north bringing the
longest daylength. Of course we have
already had a way over a month of summer
temps here. Which is why I like climatological
summer better: June, July, and August.
Farmer's Almanac for the win.
The main band of light rain from short-lived
Tropical Storm Alberto started yesterday
evening and lasted until pre-dawn. Total
was 3cm, or 1.2". We lucked out.
Eastern Bluebirds singing up a storm
makes me think they are going to try
another round of nesting. The rain
the last dozen days will induce
lots of birds to nest again this season.
They know there will be flowers and bugs.
There are some Junipers and Hackberries
with fair amounts of green berries on
them, a good sign from the spring. I saw
my FOY flowers of Red Turkscap, Indian Mallow,
and those low peachy un-ID'd things have
come out now too. Only saw about 82F in the
afternoon for the second day, what a great
break. About 4:30 we got another couple
rain cells from leftover Alberto moisture
and heating. Totalled about 17.5 mm or
just under .75 of an inch. Making the
two day and event total 47.5 mm or 1.9"!
And making for 5.4" in the last 12 days!
To say it is a relief is a gross understatement
when you are three feet behind. It was a
'slow soaker' so there was little
to no runoff.
June 19 ~ Low about 74F, overcast and
rain from the tropical system in the
Gulf of Mexico is supposed to make it
here this afternoon, eve, or overnight.
Thick clouds will keep it 10dF cooler
anyway. Light rain started around 7 p.m.
and brought temps down to about 70F.
Wonderful. Heard the B-n-w Warbler,
and a Blue Grosbeak sang nearishby,
Cuckoo-cooed, and heard fledgling
Lark Sparrow begging. As does the juv.
Red-tailed Hawk still. Tomorrow the
daylength will be 2 seconds longer.
Being a glutton for punishment, I tried
to take some pix of the awesome violet
of the Wooly Ironweed flowers. You
won't believe this, but Canon
auto-focus screwed all six shots.
I might grow to hate this camera.
Saw a Gray Hairstreak on Tube-tongue.
June 18 ~ A low of 72F was induced by
a pre-dawn showerlet. About a half a
tenth of an inch (.05) maybe. At 3 p.m.
it was 90F on the front porch. The
first spring-summer male Black-and-white
Warbler took a bath early in morn. Got
a chigger yesterday, after not having
a single one all spring so far. I told
Kathy that rain would bring some out.
Believe it or not, no one had complained
about their absence. If only we could order
summer rain, hold the chiggers.
Too many piggy juv. House Finch
around lately, that need to learn how
to forage for wild seeds. Near end of
day an ad. male Blue Grosbeak was on
patio, and then an ad. male Indigo Bunting
tried to land on white millet tube!
Have not seen or heard either in about
a week. Are these new birds? If you
leave for a week you lose your mate so
not something they do when there is
time to go another cycle still left
in the season. Oh for some color bands
on these birds. A freak feather somewhere,
some way to differentiate and get us
past unknowing speculation.
June 17 ~ Low of 75F, some low stratus,
a brief spitting, exactly when I went
to toss seed at 7 s.m., of course.
Did hear cuckoo out there today, so
still around. Heard a distant Blue
Grosbeak, and the Bell's Vireo over
in the corral. The Ash-throated Flycatchers
got a couple young out and have been over
in corral lots last few days. Kathy
caught a big Wolf Spider in the kitchen
sink, which was repatriated to the great
outdoors. There were a Dun and two
Celia's Roadside-Skipper on the
Wooly Ironweed, which is blooming well now.
What an awesome electric purple that is.
I fenced it this year so unlike the last
two it did not get massacred by deer
early in season, so a good bloom again.
Kathy saw a couple male Painted Bunting
out back from office window late in day.
No Fireflies tonight, I think they are
done for the spring flight. Which was
weak at best, a very poor showing for
them.
June 16 ~ The standard, low of 75F,
some low stratus for a few hours early.
Then mostly sunny and 96F or so with
heat index over a hun.
Kathy spotted an odd skipper out front
and Canon SX40 auto-focus screwed my
six shots. WORST AUTO FOCUS EVER: Canon!
A veritible Microsoft of auto focus.
The engineers involved should commit
hari kari. Fifty years ago for a hundred
bucks you could buy a camera that focused
on anything. Now with modern technology
there is a $500 camera that can't
focus on anything! Heard the Bell's
Vireo over in corral. Kathy also saw a
Questionmark. Heard some Martins overhead.
Too hot and sticky out there. Still
can't believe I am not hearing
Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting. They
both normally sing (nest) into August.
When we are drought-stricken LOTS of
birds only nest once. Especially the
migratory breeders. Whereas many of the
resident breeders have already gone
twice. But with albeit low fledge rates.
One or two young is the rule, three an
exception. Two juvenile Raven were
begging for an hour over in the corral.
June 15 ~ Half way through the first
month of climatalogical summer. Low
of 75F, high above 95. Little bit of low
stratus for a short while in morn and
very humid and sticky.
Heard a Bell's Vireo singing in corral.
Bird of the day was an Empidonax flycatcher
Kathy saw. It disappeared before the
resident empiphylliac could get a look.
Have no idea what to make of it.
Begging Chipping Sparrow still doing so,
and besides the juv. Red-tailed Hawk,
there is also a begging Great Horned Owl
around. Kathy saw a couple Blues, the
butterflies, probably Reakirt's.
Makes me want to hear Butterfly Bleu,
Iron Butterfly, Metamorphosis album,
got the vinyl, 50 some years ago. Some
Blue Mistflower still going and some
Queens still on it. Not much for
butterflies though, and less for
dragons - none.
This is a Nashville Warbler this spring.
Usually our most common migrant warbler
in spring. Yellow underparts including
throat, olive upperparts, gray head, big
white eyering, no wingbars or tailspots,
and sometimes you can see the rufous in
the central crown feathers.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
June 14 ~ Low of 75.5F, not very. Some
low stratus off and on, barely. That
3.5" of rain this week was a
biological life-saver here, things were
in critical condition. Red-tailed Hawk
flew right over begging. I think it
was going to land in the big dead Pecan
until it saw me. Town run day so a park
check. Singing were: Acadian Flycatcher,
Summer Tanager, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated,
and White-eyed Vireo, Carolina and
Bewick's Wren, Titmouse (B-c), and
Chickadee (Caro). Purple Martin and Northern
Rough-winged Swallow over the pond. In
passage transients there was one Black-and-white
Warbler, and across the river I heard a
Golden-cheeked Warbler chipping in live oaks
across from furthest north end of park.
Post-breeding wanderers. My FOY Widow
Skimmer was nice, what a beautiful dragonfly.
June 13 ~ Low was 74F, some low stratus
early and some clouds scattered late
afternoon, but probably 95F and heat
index over 100. Come on down, it's
lovely. A busy desk day, and with
added phone issues for more fun. Did
not see anything different. It is the
silence of Indigo Bunting and Blue
Grosbeak that is killin' me. It
sure got a lot quieter out there in
the last week. Two of the best blues,
and best singers we had. Yellow-throated
Warbler was around a bit. The big
outflow boundry two days ago knocked
down the martin house. I had already
done so once to remove an in-process
House Sparrow nest, no martins, so
am leaving it down for now. Kathy saw
a beautiful bright male Hooded Oriole
at the back hummer feeder. I saw a
dull brown False Duskywing.
June 12 ~ Low was 71F, not bad, and
there was a brief pre-dawn showerlet
of about .1", a tenth of an inch.
A parting shot from the over-performing
upper-level low. The cell last night
got severe right after passing us, to
our SE. Well now we have gone three
days without the yard singing male
Indigo Bunting. It is absent. Like
the Blue Grosbeak. If they fledged
young we'd see that here, the female
and some juveniles. The males disappeared,
dare I say in this case, out of the blue.
They or their nests were predated, the
latter far more likely. Two of my
favorite singers, and the most beautiful
blues in the yard, lost in one week.
I would say that I would bet June is
THE month that the most bird nests are
predated in the United States. Begging
juv. Chipping Sparrow around. Heard a
Yellow-throated Vireo, but it went
though yard quickly. Eurasian
Collared-Dove singing, if you can
call that that, out back. Please
go away.
June 11 ~ A low of 71F is nice, if
only it could do that all summer, we
would be fine. Clear so go straight
to the warmup. Sure a lot less bird
singing going on out there already.
Plants look better today.
I see a couple FOY Texas Bindweed
(a smaller magenta morning glory)
flowers opened. Some skippers like
it, will keep eyes out, there have
been almost no skippers this year.
Never seen anything like it in 20
years here. The cumulative toll of
15 of last 20 years in drought, as
well as much of the 90's before
that. You can only have so many bad
years in a row, or so close together.
Had a Skipper land on my knee after I
wrote the above about skipper scarcity.
It was my FOY Clouded! Should complain
more about the bad conditions, obviously.
At 3 p.m. on front porch it was 91F,
so a few dF higher in the sun. About
5:p another thundercell (!) found us
and in about 45 minutes dropped about
42mm more of holy rain! About 1.7"!
WEEWOW! An incredible 3.5" in the
last three days! A week ago, studying the
weather forecasts, you would have never
guessed it. Couple Chucks in a calling
duel over and up the draw not to far.
Either yesterday or today we hit the
14 hour daylength mark. We will only
add a couple minutes and change before
it turns around.
June 10 ~ Pre-dawn we had another
thundercell go over! Apparently we
have an over-performing upper-level
low that seemed to me to be fairly
disregarded, until it couldn't
be. It is always OK to wake the
drought-stricken with rain. The low
was a chilly 66F, which felt amazing.
It was another INCH of rain! We have
now 1.8" (45 mm) with the .8 last
night and this inch. This was so badly
needed. It is parched out there.
Had a neat moth land on my hand, so
no way to come inside for camera and pic.
Heard an Orchard Oriole sing a bit
early, poorly, so surely that first
spring male I saw a few times recently.
Also heard a Golden-cheeked Warbler
chipping, and zzeet notes from the
Black-n-white. No ad. ma. Blue Grosbeak
to be heard. Aaaaaarrrrggghhh! Male
Painted Bunting on seed out office
window, I suppose consoling me. What
do they think? They were watching it
sing every day too, and know it was
in the middle of nesting like it is.
The Rio Grande Leopard Frogs are roaring.
A small sphinx moth buzzed me whilst
I was smoking my pipe.
June 9 ~ Low about 74F, low stratus
held heat, but kept sun away early.
And which lasted most of day, we were
a few dF cooler than yesterday. The
bad news is I did not hear the ad. male
Blue Grosbeak all day today, or yesterday.
The sudden departure probably means its
nest was predated. Major bummer. I heard
a poor quality song that was surely the
blue headed first spring male that has
also been around. But the ad. male is
gone. Disappearing mid-cycle is either
nest predation, or it got predated.
Bummer. Heard Eastern Bluebird out there
in morning. Kathy saw the Cuckoo almost
come into bath but it chickened out. A
Black-n-white came in. Study of the pics
show it to be a first spring male, surely
the one I have been hearing sing lately.
A Yellow-throated Vireo made some splash
bathing dives at the birdbath. Saw a female
Hooded-Orchard Oriole there briefly too. A
big and welcome surprise was a fairly
unpredicted thundercell between 9 and
10 p.m. that dropped .8 of an inch
(20 mm) of precip here~ And took
15-20 dF off the temps in short order!
RAIN! It smelled soooo good. Sounds
like the Barking Frogs are thrilled.
June 8 ~ The low about 72F was great.
Dreamy after the hun+ heat indexes.
Clear and hot early. At 4 p.m. on the
front porch 96F, so a hun in the sun.
Just two weeks or so to solstice and the
longest day. Of course climatalogical
summer is here as of June 1, and it
feels like it. In morn heard Great
Crested and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.
Birds were the same otherwise, nothing
new or different. Tis the season to
hide inside in front of a fan. No
flowers out there save what we planted
and water. Still Lysides and Queens,
the odd Sleepy Orange and Red Admiral,
but not much else. Kathy saw a teneral
damselfly in the cattails of the tub pond.
Which could mean there was an emergence
there!?!
This is a male Yellow-breasted Chat.
They sing all day and night, but the
noises are often not very 'song-like'.
Honks, chatters, whistles, squawks, all sorts
of sounds, many not very avian sounding.
They are in their own family, related
to nothing closely, a one-off gene pool.
Can be nearly common in riparian habitats
along the river corridor. Upperparts are
olive, this photo in shade under overcast.
They are the only species I have seen
take Red Harvester or Leaf-cutter ants here.
We sometimes have duelling counter-singing
constests, one on either side of yard, because
one is not enough of a racket.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
June 7 ~ Low about 74F with no morning
low stratus from the Gulf. So, hotter
faster. Our big old male Mulberry tree
has leaves turning yellow and dropping.
The drought is bad. Kathy flushed a
feral cat out of the front porch flowers
where Chats go daily. Town run and a
park check. Best was my FOS Bullock's
Oriole, which is actually pretty rare in
the park (LTA-less than annual). Surely
an unmated bird moving around. Acadian
Flycatcher still there singing. A
Yellow-throated Warbler sang a song I
never heard. The first half was our
normal (abnormal) song here, but finished
with an accelerating trill recalling
Wilson's Warbler. Weirdest Y-t
Warbler song I ever heard. Some Swift
and Checkered Setwing and a Red Saddlebags
in dragonflies. Something at least.
The Sneezeweed is finishing up blooming.
Chimney Swift and Purple Martin in town.
In that lot behind Big Ern's there
are singing Bell's Vireo and Summer
Tanager, both I suspect nesting. Rosie's
tacos are still just as good as ever. At
4 p.m. five local WU stations were reporting
98 to 102F. Just before 5 p.m. I spent
10 min. outside, 96F on shady front porch.
Singing were Roadrunner, Chat, Carolina
and Bewick's Wren, and Indigo Bunting,
House Finch, amd Cardomal. Heard Summer
Tanagers calling, and probably the
Black-n-white Warbler. The hummers kept
fighting as usual, and the Red-tailed Hawk
is still begging over at the river.
Kathy thought she had a Beezlebub Bee-eater
Robberfly.
June 6 ~ Clear for a change this morn,
and low about 72, but likely dipped more
after I looked. A local WU station had
71F and KERV a 70F. Didn't last but
a few moments though. Saw 95F on cool
front porch, surely a hun in the sun, and
hotter on the patio. Was a desk day as
Thursdays are for me. Kathy late in day
saw the juvie Black-n-white Warbler come
into bath again. That slaving away in
the kitchen really pays off, eh?! I have
yet to see it, she has seen it four times.
Did see a male Summer Tanager come into
the tub pond. The Money-Penny-Dollar-whichever-wort
is doing great in the pond this year, and
the Cattails not too bad. Still 90F at 9 p.m.!
A big sphinxmoth buzzed me after dark when
I was smoking my (tobacco) pipe outside.
Manduca sized.
June 5 ~ A low of 80F is too dang high.
Humid with low stratus as recently. Not
exactly fresh feeling out there. Mid-day
I heard the zzeet of a warbler, Black-n-white
is most likely zzeeter now, but it sounded
kinda Yellow to me. Did not see anything
so just a zzeeting warbler sps. Another
cooker of a day, at 3 p.m. 94F on the cool
front porch in the shade. Near a hun in
the sun, and heat index over that. Just
three months to go. Hope we make it.
If the morning stratus holds it is bearable
to noonish. If you don't mind being
sticky. Birds were the same gang, heard
the Yellow-throated Warbler out there.
Love the dedication to singing of Indigo
Bunting. They are indefatigable. Kathy
had a Setwing on the clothesline, likely
a Swift, the default yard setwing.
June 4 ~ A low of 77F does not bode well.
Overcast early to about mid-morn. I heard
a begging juvenlie warbler uphill in the
live-oaks behind us. Sounded Golden-cheeked
or Black-and-white juvie (which are indistinguishable
to me), but was absolutely not Yellow-throated.
About 3 p.m. Kathy saw the juv. Black-n-white
Warbler at the birdbath again, third day
in a row. Also then it was over 100F, local
WU stations showing 101-103F. Heat index is
worse. I saw 98F on the cool front porch.
Heard three coooers out there: Roadrunner,
Cuckoo (Y-b), and Ground-Dove. In the
afternoon, it sure gets quiet in the heat.
Did not cool down as usual. At 11 p.m. it
was still 90F!
June 3 ~ Low of 76F, overcast and humid.
Nothing has changed. Kathy spotted a
warbler at the bath which I got bins on
too. It was a first-spring female
MacGillivray's Warbler! Only Mac
we saw all spring, my first June date
for one, and surely my latest spring
migrant warbler date. Wished I would
have grabbed camera instead of bins!
Late morn the first-spring male Blue
(headed) Grosbeak came into bath quickly.
It has new blue feathers on throat and
breast it did not have a couple weeks
ago. The blue of head is working its
way posteriorly. Heard Bell's Vireo
again around perimeter of yard. When
I go out on front porch the Chat often
flushes out of the thick foliage all
around it. Probably grabbing some of
the Lyside Sulphurs on the Lantana and
Blue Mist Eupatorium. Still a handful
of Queen on the Blue Mist too.
June 2 ~ Low of 75F, overcast and humid.
Will be low 90's F, but heat index
around 100F, a bit oppresive to me. In
the very frustrating department in morn
I had a singing warbler outside I could not
see. which I think it was a Bay-breasted
after coming in and listening to some songs.
It was one of the types I told Kathy it
might be before I looked the songs up.
It went through fairly quickly, I heard
about six examples of song very well.
Late in day Kathy saw the juvenile warbler
at the bath again, it is a Black-and-white.
So out of the nest and wandering on own
now. Otherwise it was the same gang.
June 1 ~ OMG, in a month we will be
half way through the year! Low about
72F, KERV had some upper-60's F
from rain-cooled air. We heard a Bell's
Vireo singing from bed with that first cup
of coffee. Mid-morn a Great Crested Flycatcher
was trolling around, surely an unmated bird.
It was encouraged to leave by the courage
of an Ash-throated Flycatcher. After
7 p.m. Kathy saw a juvenile warbler at
the birdbath, Black-n-white or Yellow-throated.
Just a couple Chucks in earshot, used to
always be a handful. Not hearing the
Common Nighthawk either so wondering if
they have come in, counted bugs, and
moved on to nest elsewhere as they have
a couple times in some recent drought
years. Like the Scissor-tails do.
~ ~ ~ May summary ~ ~ ~
It was on the hot and dry side. The
1.6" of rain we had south of town
a couple miles is less than half normal
for the month. The drought stage is
stilll D2 (severe), and water is still
two feet from going over spillway at the
park pond. Certainly some record breaking
high temps were had as well, and lows were
often in the mid-70's F.
In odes (dragonflies and damselflies)
there were hardly any to be found. A
few at the park pond, but it is dismal
for them in general. Now, I cannot believe
how abundant they were 15-20 years ago
when we were in a wet cycle. I used to
see more in my yard in a day, than I see
in a month here now. I am seeing none
in the yard. I saw 5 species this month.
Butterflies were also slow, with just
the most common things, but in very low
numbers save Lyside Sulphur. I count
about 36 species for the month, of the
statistically most expected types.
You need spring rains, ergo flowers, for
insects. March was a third of normal
and May less than half. Fairly cancelling
out that April was average.
Birds were about as expected for being
way down overall in drought springs.
The later migrants go through, especially
flycatchers, the later breeding arrivals
fill in, and the early breeders get the
first set of young out of the nest in May.
Though I wasn't out scouring as usual,
a meager 53 species was all I saw in May.
Far fewer warblers then when in wet cycles
for instance, here in yard and at the park.
Fewer migrants of all sorts. Also no rain
ponds so no shorebirds. We are being
overflown. The numbers of breeders are way
down too.
The Couch's Kingbird continuing
since March is great. A three-day
Catbird in yard was nice. A Yellow-bellied
Flycatcher calling at park the 17th
was good as easy to miss any spring here.
The Acadian Flyc. is back on territory
at the park again this year. Did not
see Am. Redstart or Black-throated Green
Warbler, any Grosbeak but Blue, missed
Olive-sided Flyc., easy stuff we should see.
Also not seeng Zone-tailed Hawk as usual.
Turkey Vulture are all but absent around
our place. It is weird out there.
~ ~ ~ end May summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ archive copy May update header ~ ~ ~
May ~ Started off on the 1st with FOS
Least Flycatcher. Late on the 2nd a FOS
Catbird was calling. May 3 Kathy saw a
FOS Wilson's Warbler at the bath.
At the park I saw FOS Northern Waterthrush,
FOS Great Crested Flycatcher, and at the
UvCo 354 pasture a few FOS Dickcissel.
Three tardy FOS on May 4 were Orchard Oriole,
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, and Chimney
Swift. A Catbird was here the 6th. A
Catbird was at our place May 6-8. On the
8th, noonish a FOS Swainson's Thrush
took a bath. May 9 was my FOS Baltimore
Oriole. The 10th brought a FOS Eastern
Wood-Pewee. My FOS Western Kingbird was
on the 11th in yard. A FOS Warbling Vireo
was singing here the 15th. A couple FOS
at the park the 17th were Empidonax, about all that
is left that has not gone through already.
One calling Yellow-bellied Flycatcher high
in the Cypresses, and on the island a singing
Willow Flycatcher, in the willows. The
first Bank Swallow I have seen in a few years
here flew over yard southbound on May 24.
A singing Couch's Kingbird was in our
big dead Pecan on the 30th.
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ end archive copy May update header ~ ~ ~
~ ~ back to our scheduled programming ~ ~
Here is a male Northern Cardinal head
to compare with the Summer Tanager pic
a couple weeks ago. They do molt the
crest once a year for a month or so.
In fact their whole heads can be without
feathers, showing almost purple skin.
Learn the big red conical or triangular bill.
Also the black surrounding bill, including
chin, face, lores and extending over bill.
A bird-bander said you never forget getting bit.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 31 ~ About 75F and nearing mist.
About 8:30 a showerlet moved through
and dropped it to 72F! Cheap thrills.
Especially since it stuck much of the
day. At 3-4 p.m. I saw 82F on the front
porch, 10dF or more below what it has
been then lately. Town run and a park
check. Another set of begging baby
Yellow-throated Warbler out of nest
in woods. Still singing there are the
Acadian Flyacatcher and Red-eyed Vireo.
Also a Yellow-throated Vireo there.
A warbler sps. got away on the island.
Whatever it was, it was a good one.
Probably my latest spring migrant warbler
date. Some Bell's Vireo singing
around town. A Great Crested Flycatcher
was near the UvCo 360 x-ing.
May 30 ~ Low about 75F, with the Gulf
low stratus layer. Thursday is a desk
office day. About 1:30 p.m. out front
there was a singing Couch's Kingbird
in the big dead Pecan. Full song! A couple
kingbirdy two-note questioning upslurred
phrases, followed by an explosive squeaky
musical three note answer phrase. Very cool.
Beautiful! Great to hear one sing here!
Usually we just get the brrreeerrr calls.
After maybe 5 minutes of it moving around
yard and tree, and catching a couple bugs,
the (nesting) Ash-throated Flycatcher chased
it out of yard, apparently it was too yellow
for it. Before it was gone an Orhard Oriole
began singing and did so for 10 minutes. Was
a first spring male, clearly trolling around.
A great burst of unexpected birdsong is
always nice. Humid and low 90's F in
the afternoon. Some Chimney Swift went
over at dusk. A bunch of rain cells
again moved around us, only spit here.
May 29 ~ The rain-cooled low of 71F was
a great treat after the 75F and higher
lows most of last week. Nice to cool off.
Heard both trolling vireos go through
singing, the Bell's and the Red-eyed.
I was watching a male Indigo Bunting on
the white millet out back when a dang
White-winged Dove all but landed on it,
flushing it away of course. Rude bird.
Overnight a deer ate a Four o'clock
we thought was doing well. Also stripped
a bunch of leaves off all the low branches
of the Mulberry tree. They are hell on
your local flora. Considering the drought
levels most of the last two to three decades,
without deer feeders, there would be a
fraction of the deer here that there are.
Which are putting factors above normal
pressure on local plant life. Overpopulation
of deer is altering the habitat and ecosystem
forever just the same as goats did. That is
before we get to Axis goats, I mean Deer.
May 28 ~ Low of 76F for a second or two.
About 3 p.m. saw 92F on the cool front
porch, not as bad as yesterday. But
humid and not particularly comfortable.
Kathy saw a male Blue Grosbeak on the
patio where we toss seed. There was an
Emperor butterfly on the kitchen window
screen (Tawny or Hackberry). After
dark some rain cells went by but all
dodged us for the most part. Some
nearishby areas got some, we got maybe
near a tenth of an inch at most.
May 27 ~ Low of 77F with low stratus,
muggy Gulf air. A cooker of a day,
the local WU stations at 4 p.m. were
showing 102-106F! I saw 98F on the
cool shady front porch then. Was
over a hun in the sun here. Record
for SAT (per WU) this day is 100F, safe
to say it was record-breaking heat today.
Lovely. It is Memorial Day. Was a
time long ago (79-82) when I would be
birding in Death Valley this weekend...
but it's a dry heat! :)
Only two things different today were
a Roadrunner, which are around but sorta
secretive when nesting, easy to go a
week or two without seeing or hearing
one. Then a trolling Bell's Vireo
sang through the corral late in day.
Some rain cells moved sorta nearish-by,
but none found us.
May 26 ~ Low of 76F, overcast and
humid. Today is supposed to be peak
heat. Oh boy! The low stratus from
the Gulf kept it to 80F still at noon.
Just the regulars for birds. Yesterday
the notes covered the migratory breeding
species around yard daily. Here are the
resident (non-Migratory) breeding species
seen or heard daily or so now. Mourning,
White-winged (partially migratory), and
Common Ground-Dove, Red-tailed and
Red-shouldered Hawk, Black Vulture,
Caracara, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed
Woodpecker, Carolina and Bewick's
Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested
Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Chipping
Sparrow, House Finch, and Eastern Phoebe.
The Eastern Bluebird left with last couple
young and are sorta around. Not seeing
the usual nesting Cooper's Hawk pair
though very secretive early in cycle.
Great Horned Owl are near-nightly,
Screech- less so but nests in draw adjacent.
Can't believe we are not getting Turkey
Vulture daily though, astonishing really.
Eur. Collared-Dove likely nesting fairly
nearby, and surely Turkey is too.
A Giant Swallowtail was around, at one point
on the wet patio Kathy said right where a
Black Swallowtail was yesterday. Must be
a good spot.
May 25 ~ More of same, 76F low, overcast
and humid. I saw 96F on the cool shady
front porch, so it had to be a hun in
the sun. And very humid. Just the
breeders for birds now. Over the day
we get to see and-or hear quite a few
migratory breeders, the non-resident
species just here to nest for a few months.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, White-eyed and
Yellow-throated Vireo, Summer Tanager,
Indigo and Painted Bunting, Ash-throated
Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, Lark Sparrow,
and Lesser Goldfinch. Mostly hearing
only for Vermilion Flycatcher and
Yellow-throated Warbler. No Great
Crested Flycatcher here for first year
in eleven. And of course there are
Brown-headed Cowbird, and a Bronzed
Cowbird or two, as well as a Red-winged
Blackbird or two that visit regularly.
Daily at and after dark Chuck-will's-widow
call. At dusk today a Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher flew over going upriver.
Seemingly none nesting in earshot
this year, also very unusual. Red-eyed
Vireo regularly trolling by, but not
nesting.
My entry for the impossible shot category: 2 golden warblers
I know it is not a great photograph.
Except for that it might be the only
one of its type. At the upper right
is a departing male Golden-cheeked Warbler,
at left edge of bath a Golden-winged Warbler.
There was only a second or two to get
them in one frame together. They are
both threatened species, with very little
range overlap. Golden-winged is very rare
in spring in the range of Golden-cheeked.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 24 ~ Another 76F low, humid and
overcast. The heat wave that was
supposed to be last weekend, is
starting today. We were clouded up
and a few dF cooler all week, and
now it arrives this holiday weekend.
A few RV's in town, none at park.
But park noisy with the
rodeo preparations for the weekend.
No campers yet as with no swimable
river, many fewer touristas. Just
the breeders for birds. The Acadian
Flycatcher still on territory. One
odd song from across river I could
not locate. Back here in afternoon
about 3 p.m. a Bank Swallow flew
over southbound calling! I have
not seen one here in a few years
at least, quite a while actually.
They are very scarce locally, though
regular all summer in Uvalde at the
water holes like the fish hatchery
and Cook's Slough.
May 23 ~ A chilly 76F for a low.
Overcast and humid. The migration
party is over. Except Kathy saw a
very tardy Lincoln's Sparrow
in the birdbath. Must have wintered
in Guatemala. And probably a first-spring
bird. The sequence of migrants is adults
first, then birds on their first trip
back to breeding grounds later. Also,
males arrive before females. For instance
first spring Painted Bunting or Blue
Grosbeak may arrive a couple weeks after
adult males. The sparrow was the big action
of the day. Thursdays are swamped
at the desk days. Saw 91F in the shade
of the front porch, so likely 95F in
the sun.
May 22 ~ Might have hit 75F for a
low, overcast and muggy. Welcome
to summer. Birdsong is already
quieting down. Just the breeding
crowd here now. At least it is a
good bunch. Having cuckoo (Y-b) around
is awesome. Too busy at the desk
anyway. Heard the Red-eyed Vireo
distantly, it is trolling around
the area, like last couple summers.
There is no Great Crested Flycatcher
around, for the first time in 11
years here. The last two years I
have thought it may have not nested.
Hardly any nighthawk booming either.
As go the bugs so go the birds.
Dragonflies are pitiful this year,
they just keep getting worse for
the last five years now.
May 21 ~ Low about 74F, a little
low stratus seemed to hang in much
of day. We were 85F on front porch
at 3 p.m., and fairly muggy. No
migrant motion for fourth day in a
row. Chances are fading fast. Saw
a Bronzed Cowbird go up to a hummer
feeder as if trying to land on it.
What a dummy. What can it do with
it? Saw a Duskywing butterfly but did
not get an ID on it. Still hearing the
begging baby Red-tailed Hawk, and
which is only one young again this
year. For the fourth year in a row.
Far from replacement rates. There
simply is not enough food for more
young to fledge. I also hear a pair
of distant Red-shouldered Hawk which
sound like there are begging young.
These Red-tails do not allow the
Red-shouldered Hawk, Raven, or Caracara
to nest within a half-mile of their
nest.
May 20 ~ Low about 71F, overcast
early part of morn. Great hearing
that Blue Grosbeak claiming the
yard as his territory every morning.
Summer Tanager and Cuckoo are also
great to hear throughout the day.
No migrant motion, that party is over.
Be lucky to pickup any stragglers now.
It ends soon a way down south below
the 30N. line. We had a fairly weak
passage anyway, making three or four
in a row that were really poor.
Presumably because the entire region
looks so parched from the sky. It
was 90F on the cool front porch at
5 p.m., local WU stations were reporting
94-97F. A bit toasty. Did see a big
black and yellow swallowtail butterfly
fly by that looked a Two-tailed to me.
May 19 ~ Low about 72F is a far cry
from the last couple mornings. Sure
was nice while it lasted. Again a
male Red-winged Blackbird was out on
white millet in the morn. At least
he calls a few times when he comes
in. Love hearing it in the yard.
Another day with no passage transients.
The party is about over. Hearing
begging young Chickadee (Carolina),
Titmouse (Black-crested), Goldfinch
(Lesser), and House Finch. Late in
day Kathy thought she saw a juvenile
Chat. Got up to 93F or so, pretty
toasty. Welcome to summer, a month
before it officialy starts. Though
climatological summer starts June 1.
Saw a Juvenal's Duskywing on the
Am. Germander, which is in full roar.
Also saw a FOY Elada Checkerspot out
in lawn, if you can call what our
yard is a lawn. After dark several
Katydid let loose after hearing the
first quiet calls last night.
May 18 ~ Another low at 60F or so,
outstanding! We got lucky with a
few late-season lows this week.
Later afternoon was about 95F out
there, pretty warm. No migrant
motion through yard today. Kathy
spotted and we got to watch a
male Hooded Oriole take a full-blown
soaking bath mid-day. First adult
male we have seen this spring. Whaddabird!
No way to get camera and window open
without flushing it so just watched
and enjoyed a stellar view of a sort
not often had. Otherwise it was
all the expected regulars, now the
local breeders. I will mention no
Ruby-throated Hummingbird around
for over a week, and actually hardly
any this spring. Have not had a
spring with so few in last 20 here.
They never got common or numerous
as usual. I heard the first few
whispers from a Katydid of the year
after dark.
Male Summer Tanager, head. Besides male
Cardinal, the other all red bird here.
Vermilion Flycatcher and Painted Bunting
are not red on upperparts. Note lack of
crest or large red triangular bill.
Note bill is not surrounded by black.
Not often seen on ground, forages in
trees. Females are mustard olive.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 17 ~ An amazing low about 58F,
KERV had 56! Not likely to feel
that in the next 3 plus months.
Town run and park check, oh boy!
Great were two FOS Empidonax flycatchers.
Always the last thing to go through.
A calling Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
was high in the Cypress trees, and
on the island a singing Willow Flycatcher
was in the willows. Both great to hear.
Also heard another Mourning Warbler
in the low jungle on the island, and
saw my first Wilson's Warbler of
the spring. Kathy had one a week plus
ago but I had not seen one. Last spring
it was our most common warbler. Several
Chimney Swift heard over town, and some
Barn Swallow and Purple Martin. Town
was dead, I presume due to next weekend
being a big holiday weekend so everyone
is saving their ammo.
May 16 ~ Low about 72F, 5dF over the
prediction. Balmy, some mist first
thing. I did not detect any migrants
through yard today. The party is about
over a way down south here below 30N.
We get some flycatchers yet, and a few
stragglers in the next ten days, usually,
and sometimes evem still a goodie or two
as the spring passage flames out.
Were a couple Red-winged Blackbird out
there early, I presume nesters from the
golf course pond. Heard some juvenile
Lesser Goldfinch. Clouds kept it coolish,
was still under 80F near 3 p.m.! The
first big long term heat wave of the
year starts Saturday, for a week at least,
maybe 3-4 months. Brace for complaining.
Sounds like a begging baby Red-tailed
Hawk over by river, is that time of year.
A Caracara went over late. Some
thundercells around in the p.m. but
all we got was more spits. A couple
hundredths over the day.
May 15 ~ Low about 67F and quite nice.
Red-eyed Vireo singing in yard first
thing. An Orchard Oriole went through
about 8 a.m. About 10:30 a.m., my FOS
Warbling Vireo was singing across road
at the gate. The Red-eyed was still
going out back, Yellow-throated and
White-eyed going as usual. Need a
Bell's today. Good time for a
Philly too. Around 3 p.m. Kathy saw a
Lincoln's Sparrow soaking in the
bath. Been about 10 days since the
last one. So, a tardy one.
May 14 ~ The low 60F was fantatic, the
cold air behind the front got here. Might
be the last one that cool for a long time.
There was an Orchard Oriole out front
early that sang a bit. Love that song.
Noonish a Least Flycatcher was on the
corral fenceline. Had a Bronzed Cowbird
in the afternoon. In butterflies four
Queen at once and a fresh American Lady
were on the Blue Mist. Couple Pipevine
Swallowtail and a Gulf Frit on the Tropical
Sage. Kathy found a new wildflower for
the yard list, Pearl Milkweed, aka Green
Milkweed-Vine. They have beautiful flowers,
and at least one seed pod already. Very cool.
It is regular at Lost Maples. I do not recall
ever seeing a butterfly on one. Don't
know what pollinates them, maybe a beetle?
May 13 ~ Low about 70F and very humid.
Mid-morn a severe thunderstorm went over and
dropped temps to 65F and 1.5" (37-38 mm)
of precip in an hour and change. Finally
something more than the few hundredths for
May precip. The plants needed it badly.
Kept it way cooler than expected too, was
only 70F or so after noon. A real treat.
Heard a Baltimore Oriole but that was the
only migrant as of 4 p.m. Saw a Vesta
Crescent in the afternoon.
May 12 ~ Low about 67F was great. KERV had
a 66. Was some mist so ground wet but no
rain overnight, all missed us again, as usual.
There was no migrant motion whatsoever through
the yard today. Northerliy flow must have
shut it down. I still expect some thing or
two moving north at ground level over the
day. Nada, zilch, zip, zero. Birdbath was
dead too today. Fortunately I am always
way behind with plenty to do. Kathy did some
garden work. I am way behind on yard work.
Besides the big old-growth original native
Pecan we just lost in front yard, another
that was planted in the 60's way out
front died as well. The drought continues
to take its toll. Saw 4 Queen at once on
the Blue Mistflower Eupatorium. Kathy heard
a Nighthawk boom.
May 11 ~ Low about 69F or so, northerlies,
but we got no precip with frontal passage.
Around noon there was my FOS Western
Kingbird in top of the big dead Pecan.
They are scarce here now, and were common
20 years ago. Scissor-tails are way down
too. I presume the drought-driven lack of
sizeable flying bugs to eat. A few hours
later heard a Least Flycatcher and a Yellow
Warbler. A male Yellow came into bath an
hour later. Then about 5 p.m. I heard a
Baltimore Oriole uphill in the live-oaks
behind us. So a little migrant motion.
Thought I heard a Nighthawk boom distantly.
Smelled some skunk out back this morning,
just that pleasant light waft, not strong
enough to be pungent.
Male Yellow Warbler showing the red
streaks of breeding plumage on underparts.
Which can be more extensive and brighter
than this. Quite the beauty!
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 10 ~ The front came through overnight
but we got no rain. The 70F low was
great though. KERV had a 68F! Very
nice after yesterday. Especially about
3:30 p.m. when it was 82F with northerlies
so didn't feel like it. Not much
for migrant motion though. Town run
and park check. At the 354 Pecan patch
there was a FOS calling Eastern Wood-Pewee.
But blown out from north so birds were
at other end. Heard Dickcissels in the
field to north though. Nice to hear
Chimney Swifts around town. At the park
was a female Common Yellowthroat, and the
continuing Acadian Flycatcher seemingly
on territory. Heard what was surely a
Mourning Warbler out in the thick stuff
on island but no way to it, or to see
into it. Saw some Coreopsis flowers
along 360.
May 9 ~ Low about 75F. At 7 a.m. my
FOS Baltimore Oriole was calling in
the live-oaks uphill behind us as I
tossed seed. Love that call, great
to hear it again. A Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher stopped in the big dead
Pecan for a bit aorund noon. Over
90F by noon, very hot and humid, got
to mid-90's locally. It is the
hot day before the 'cold' front
which is to arrive overnight with low
rain chances. Cooler tomorrow anyway.
The most heat and humidity oppresive
day of the year, so far. No Catbird
today, three days was it. Kathy did see
a few Bordered Patch at once though.
May 8 ~ A low of 74F if you can call that
low. Misty and drippy. Had to run
to town early whence I finally had
some Chimney Swift there. Here at
hovelita after 10 a.m. in yard was
an Orchard Oriole and a Dickcissel.
Then around noon I caught last minute
of a FOS Swainson's Thrush
finishing up a bath. Kathy saw a female
oriole at the birdbath that was Hooded
or Orchard (all yellow below). Local
WU readings in afternoon were 89-94F.
Our front porch was 86F. Was 102F in
Junction, 104 in Del Rio. Hot afternoons
season is upon us. At least we made it
into May. Nearing 8 p.m. Kathy had the
Catbird again right outside the kitchen
window, now on day 3 here! Weewow!
Saw a Bordered Patch and a FOS False
Duskywing for not daily common butterflies.
Heard an Empidonax across road I thought
was an Alder Flycatcher, but no visual.
May 7 ~ Low about 73F with mist, so
drippy. Warmed to upper 80's F.
One Yellow Warbler was the only migrant
motion I saw all day, though heard a
Dickcissel early. Nearing 7 p.m. the
Catbird showed back up at Kathy's
kitchen window calling. It probably had
just come from bath as it did not go there.
I finally got a Common Nighthawk.
Saw two Queen on the Blue Mistflower.
Some duskywings were on the wet patio
early. One Juvenal's, one Funereal,
and one not ID'd. Saw a bright
green Green Anole on the front porch.
Love that shade. The Germander is
bringing in those native bees with
the green eyes and black and white
abdomen.
May 6 ~ A low of about 72F, overcast,
was some mist, more of same. Heard a
Dickcissel up top in the dead Pecan.
About noon Kathy spotted a Catbird just
two feet out the Kitchen window! It
went to stick pile near birdbath where
I got a couple out of focus photos, and
then it flew off without coming into the
bath. Before it dropped to stick pile
it called a half-dozen times from the
Pecan right above the bath. That was
the only real avian excitement of the
day. I heard it calling across the road
from gate at 8:30 p.m., just before dark.
Also shortly before dusk a pair of
Caracara flew over. Late about 11 p.m.
I heard a Barn Owl go over.
May 5 ~ Low about 71F, wet and were a few
drizzles overnight. A trace of precip.
Late morn there were a couple Least Flycatcher
on fencelines, a Yellow Warbler, and heard
the first in yard Bell's Vireo this
year. Been wondering why we hadn't
had any Bell's in yard yet this year.
Pretty slow over the day for migrants though.
Was breezy with occasional mist, and never
warmed past about 75F, cool for the date.
Just the other side of the draw is a large
patch of Paralena and Slender-leaf Hymenoxy.
Which is covered in Dainty Sulphurs, and
yesterday Kathy saw lots of Blues on it.
Which are Reakirt's in May. Nothing
at the bath as many wettish days.
May 4 ~ Another soppy drizzly day, but
cool anyway. Heard a couple Yellow Warbler
early, but that was it for the day. I had
my FOS Orchard Oriole (finally) out front in
morning. Kathy had the FOS Black-bellied
Whistling-Duck (2) fly up the river. In the
afternoon I heard my FOS Chimney Swift, also
finally. A trough to our west kept it wet
out there much of the day. It went over
after midnight and we got a few hundredths,
again. Lots of rain to further north but
we were in the Utopia dry slot. I see the
first American Germander (aka Wood Sage but
not a sage) flowers opening, our main patch
is huge this year, and invasive towards the
Blue Mistflower. Forgot to mention on town
run yesterday I saw some Engelmann's
Daisy in bloom.
Here is my compulsory annual photograph of a
male Golden-cheeked Warbler in our birdbath.
Got one frame before the Golden-winged flushed it!
Probably what it is looking at, thinking, holy warbler!
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
May 3 ~ Almost fog-mist, low of 73F and very
humid. Before 9 a.m. heard a singing Red-eyed
Vireo and a Yellow Warbler. Town run and
park check. At the pasture on 354 there were
a few FOS Dickcissel singing. Did not get
a Swift in town still. At the park there
was a FOS Northern Waterthrush and FOS Great
Crested Flycatcher. Also a Yellow and a
Nashville Warbler, and I stepped over a
4 foot plus Indigo Snake. Heard a Kinglet
(Ruby) sing. A few Yellow Warbler along
the roads as well as some Bell's
Vireo. After 5 p.m. Kathy spotted a Blue-headed
Vireo approaching bath. Kathy had another
Common Nighthawk after 8 p.m. this evening.
From the funny not funny department... On
Apr. 26 Kahty said there were some beetles
on the one Prickly Poppy flower in yard.
I finished what I was working on and 5 minutes
later went out. Took a few pics as she had.
There were some small things, a few flower
Scarabs. She cleared the floppy the other
day, and her pics have one of those big
1.5" carmel colored Meloid Blister
Beetles (Lytta fulvipennis) in it that was
not there when I got there! This is THE
beetle I was looking for, and missed it,
by five minutes.
May 2 ~ Low about 71F, not very, but very
humid, as in drippy. Flushed a warbler
from on or near ground that got away and was
something good based on the seet flight note
I did not immediately recognize. I hate
when that happens. Visually it struck me as
a Kentucky. Otherwise there was no migrant motion
in yard. Mist off and on. Kathy found another
Elytramitatrix Cerambycid (Longhorn Beetle)
in the house, set free after some pics. Must
be a type that is in these dying Pecans or Hackberries,
getting one or two annually lately. I saw a
Hairstreak that looked like Southern Oak.
Another Queen went by. About 3 p.m. NOAA was
showing 83 for KERV, and WU had 84 for Utopia,
whilst our front porch was 78F. Over the day
Kathy had at the bath a Lincoln's Sparrow
and a female Yellow Warbler. Nearing dusk
I heard a FOS Catbird just over the north
fence towards the draw in the thick stuff.
May 1 ~ Low maybe 69F with some mist early.
No migrant motion in morning. Around noon
there was a FOS Least Flycatcher out by
the gate on fenceline. Misting again in
afternoon. Did have begging baby House Finch.
Birdbath dead all day as often when any
sort of precip. Did see a Queen again
on the Blue Mistflower Eupatorium.
Was a small group, maybe three, just-fledged
Carolina Chickadee around the yard, which
I heard just one of yesterday. The baby
Carolina Wrens were about as well. Maybe
a few hundredths of an inch of precip over
the day. The real rain missed us.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ April summary ~ ~ ~
My that was an odd one, eh? Two one-hour
events last two weekends in month was all
the rain, but which totalled 3.7" or so.
Was a fairly flowerless April compared to
normal due to the dry March. Still at D2
level drought, and pond at park still a foot
from going over spillway. Temps were mild.
Odes were about 5 species, still horrible
and hardly any to see. The years of drought
take a severe toll on them. Butterflies
were about 30 species, all the expected types
as usual in spring. Rarities show up in
summer and fall. Some days had hundreds of
Lyside Sulphur passing by. Checkered White
was as common, nearly abundant, as I have
ever seen it. Most seemed down overall though.
Birds were mostly the expected types, also
as usual in spring. I count about 75 species
for me this month around house and at park
and between. Mostly it is great to acquire
another year of spring arrival and passage
dates, my twentieth here.
And getting to see and hear our old friends
like Painted and Indigo Bunting or Cuckoo.
There was only one rare bird we saw, at our
bath on the 30th, a male Golden-winged Warbler.
Only my second one locally in 20 years.
At ebird I saw reports of Northern and Tropical
Parula at Lost Maples, which have been regular
the last few years. Also a Common Black Hawk
there, and at Cornelius Rd on river two
Prothonotary Warbler. Get lots of eyes out
there and you can turn up all sorts of great
birds during migration as they pass through.
A Buff-bellied Hummingbird over in Montell
is very rare in the county.
~ ~ ~ end of April summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ archive copy April update header ~ ~ ~
April ~ The 1st finally saw a dragonfly
this year, a Dot-winged Baskettail, as
expected. It is predicted that we are
going to be innundated with sun-seekers
this weekend for the eclipse. My FOS
Summer Tanager was on the 6th. The 9th
my FOS Yellow-breasted Chat. The 10th
was my FOS Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Outstanding was hearing the LONG-EARED
Owl eve of Apr. 11. My FOS Indigo Bunting
was the 12th. The 13th I heard my FOS
Bronzed Cowbird. A female Pyrrhuloxia at
the birdbath the 14th was a surprise.
On the 15th were FOS Chuck-will's-widow
before sunup, and Blue Grosbeak later.
Then FOS Strecker's Chorus Frog after
dark the 15th. Our FOS Yellow-billed
Cuckoo was the 17th. Our FOS Painted
Bunting and Yellow Warbler were on
the 18th. The 19th my FOS Red-eyed Vireo
was singing at the park, and FOS Brown-crested
Flycatcher was along the river towards crossing.
Heard a FOS Blue-headed Vireo the 23rd in
yard here. On the 26th the park had my
FOS Common Yellowthroat and Acadian
Flycatcher. Late eveing the 26th saw
my FOS Firefly. On the 37th Hattie Barham
had 3 Cattle Egret in a pasture on 360.
Back in early April a Common Black Hawk
was photo'd at Lost Maples, a great bird.
Two (!) Prothonotary Warbler were reported
at Cornelius Rd. the 27th. Outstanding was
a GOLDEN-WINGED Warbler at our birdbath on
Apr. 30. One was at Lost Maples in earlier
April. Also on the 30th, at dusk Kathy heard
our FOS Common Nighthawk.
~ ~ ~ end archive copy April update header ~ ~ ~
Apr. 30 ~ Low about 71F and overcast with
a wee bit of mist early. The Mocker came
by to sing for a half-hour or so in the
morning. Kathy saw a herd of just-fledged
baby Carolina Wren, four in a row, in one
of our messy stick piles they love. After
noon we had a flurry of activity at the bird
bath. Started when Kathy spotted a different
warbler that ended up not coming back in for
an ID. She had a male Yellow and just as I
got my blindoscreen magic window open with
camera a male Golden-cheeked Warbler came in.
Which was in the bath when a GOLDEN-WINGED
Warbler dropped in! New yard warbler! Only
the second I have seen in 20 years here. A
Nashville or two and an Orange-crowned Warbler
came in. Kathy also saw a FOS first-spring male
'blue-headed' Grosbeak, a young
male Blue with just blue on the head so far.
A few of the locals came in during the flurry
like Cardinal, Lesser Goldfinch, Caro. Wren,
White-winged Dove, etc. Heard a House Wren
singing out front again. At dusk Kathy
heard our FOS Common Nighthawk. Whaddaday!
Apr. 29 ~ Was about 62F for a bit last night
during clear portion after midnight. Gulf
flow and its low strats showed up pre-dawn
and was 66F or so by sunup. Wonderful cool
air. We have had a pair of House Sparrow
around a bit, which will be departed like
those before them. Must be a couple dozen
White-winged Dove hitting the seed. Heard
a Ground-Dove, saw a pair of Eur. Collared-Dove.
Dozen plus Mourning Dove around as well.
Kathy saw a Nashville. I saw my FOS Queen
butterfly. Most interesting was a Mockingbird
singing around for a while. We never seem
to get one to stick here to nest. It is
obviously an unmated trolling bird.
Apr. 28 ~ A Pacific cold front got here
about 4:30 a.m. with lots of rain and
thunder. And 61F! This morn looks like
about 41-42 mm, about one and five-eighths
of an inch. Which fixed our April rain
total to near average. Half last weekend
and half this morn. Will now bring May
flowers and make a world of difference for
the season for nesting birds and insects.
No migrant motion whatsoever was a bit
odd, thought there might be some with the
system arriving pre-dawn. Saw and heard
nothing but locals. With soft ground we
pulled a bunch of Malta Star-Thistle out
in driveway where it seemingly won't
go away. Kathy saw two greenies (first
year male or female Painted Bunting) at
once today. Great having at least a few
singing males around the yard. Finally
some dry air arrived and it cooled off
in evening under clear skies.
Apr. 27 ~ Flatlined at 72F all night!
Welcome to summertime lows in Utopia.
Overcast and muggy, very breezy out of
south, a few passing spits of drizzle
or showerlets. One Yellow Warbler first
thing early. Kathy saw the Yellow-throated
Warbler take a bath. It still visits but
does not spend the time it used to in yard
since the big Pecan died. Neither do the
Yellow-throated Vireos. Major bummer.
Saw my first flight song of the year from
Indigo Bunting, our yardish male. Awesome.
The local pair of Red-tailed Hawk that
nest over at the river were screaming
overhead a fair bit. Keeps the birds
nervous. Saw a Rain Lily out back, FOY.
Some Malta Star Thistle out front, which
we will pull before it goes to seed.
Saw two Firefly just as it got dark.
Hattie Barham saw 3 Cattle Egret in a
pasture on 360, a FOS local report.
This is a male Golden-winged Warbler, at our
birdbath on April 30. A male Golden-cheeked
Warbler flushed out of the bath upon its
arrival! These are very rare here, some springs
one or two get turned up by the army of birders
in Uvalde and Bandera Counties in April and May.
As of 2002 there was no UvCo record, and maybe
one at Lost Maples. It is also a threatened
species in decline. And a great yard bird!
Sylvia Hilbig had one May 2012. My only prior
sighting was one at the Utopia Park woods on
... April 30 (!), 2021.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
April 26 ~ Low of 71F and overcast.
Mid-morn heard another Blue-headed Vireo.
Late morn a Red-eyed Vireo was singing
behind the hovelita. Town run and park
check. Was misting out so if any swifts
are back they were not out. At the park
there was a FOS Common Yellowthroat, and
a FOS Acadian Flycatcher which may well
be a returnee as one was territorial
there last spring to early summer. Also
a Red-eyed Vireo was there, which too might
be a returning territorial bird. Great
were some just-fledged baby Eastern Bluebird
at the park. Did not hear any Dickcissel
at 354 field but the Mesquites are so thick
and tall I would not be surprised if they
gave up on it. There was Chat, a couple
Bell's Vireo, Painted and Indigo Bunting,
and Blue Grosbeak. Post Office had Painted
Bunting and Bell's Vireo as usual at the
big live-oaks just off NE corner of parking lot.
Some sprinkles into early afternoon was
maybe a couple-few hundredths of an inch.
Late in evening was my FOS Firefly!
Apr. 25 ~ Low about 69F, overcast, breezy
and balmy. Was a bit of mist briefly.
Thought I heard a Catbird early, a
couple times. Heard single Nashville
and Yellow Warbler over the day.
A cuckoo was in pecans out front.
Not much for movement, and swamped at
the desk as Thursdays are. At least
we have all the migratory breeders
back so there is that gang around.
Apr. 24 ~ Overcast with low stratus,
about 68F at dawn, maybe a couple dF
cooler in wee hours. The only possible
migrant I saw all day was a flyover
Great Blue Heron. Which is likely a
passage transient Got up to about 82F,
balmy and breezy. Maybe near about 20
White-winged Dove hitting the seed, as
well as some Mourning. Saw one Gulf
Fritillary on some Tropical Sage flowers.
Still seeing Red Admiral, Sleepy Orange,
Pipevine Swallowtail, Lysides, the
common stuff. Briefly a Turkey Vulture
sat in the big dead Pecan. Not much
else though.
Apr. 23 ~ Clear at midnight, gulf stratus
arrived in wee hours. About 59F for a low.
Around 9 a.m. heard a FOS Blue-headed Vireo.
Otherwise the day was a bust for migrant
motion. In some nearbyy rare bird news,
there is a Buff-bellied Hummingbird in
Montell, NW Uvalde Co., 2 canyons (about
30 miles east) of us on the Nueces River.
Some good singing today in yard from Blue
Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, Lesser Goldfinch,
and Lark Sparrow, and Indigo Bunting just
over fence. Awesome avian audio, now playing!
Apr. 22 ~ Happy Earth Day! While we still
have one! Low about 50F was great, KERV
had a quick 47! Gonna miss that brisk feel.
Only got up to 72F or so and northerly flow.
Kathy had a couple Gnatcatcher mid-day.
I had another at last sun. I heard single
Nashville and Yellow Warbler mid-day. Later
I heard one of the House Wren in the same
area of fallen branch jumble singing a bit.
So one still here, three days at least, if
not five, since when I first thought I heard
it.
Apr. 21 ~ The cold front went through
overnight, dropping us to about 52F which
felt fantastic. Breezy out of the north
to NE. Looks like 50mm, or 2" of
very badly needed precip! One Nashville
and one Yellow Warbler were all I had
for transients today. The rain hit
right after dark, followed by northerlies
so a bad combo for knocking down birds.
Need the rain to hit in middle of the
night or pre-dawn. Heard one Lincoln's
Sparrow, and Clay-colored Sparrow still
singing in yard. Hey, can ya grind
me a pound?
Apr. 20 ~ Low of 64F was much better,
some mist late last night, still humid
and overcast, now rain maybe tonight.
Kathy spotted a House Wren at the bath
which became two of them shortly. I told
her two days ago I thought I was hearing
House Wren bubbly gibberish from the big
branch pile under dead Hackberry. Which
you can't see into because I have let the
grass grow up over it. The birds love it.
So as often the wing splashing attracted
other birds. My FOS female Painted Bunting,
an Orange-crowned Warbler, and a Chipping
Sparrow all came in. The wrens mostly just
got wet on the rocks and a plant that were
all soaked probably from some just prior
White-winged Dove bathing. It is the first
time we have seen extended bathing by House
Wren at the bath, so very cool. I think
though I will call the FOS date the 18th
when I told Kathy I heard one. A bit after
1: p.m. a few more birds showed up at the
bath including Lesser Goldfinch, male Painted
Bunting, and 3 Nashville Warbler at once.
A line of thunderstorms moved over just
after 8 p.m. which dumped a bunch of rain.
Power came back on at 11:15 p.m., the
phone at 12:15 a.m. Love the new advanced
improved technology in which phone is lost
with power now, so you can't call to
tell anyone. And we have to wait for
some mysterious reset event to happen for
phone to work again. This is the second
time phone went back on at 12:15 a.m. after
power had been out and been back on some
time. Internet comes back with power,
phone not so. Great advancement and
progress for the latest greatest tech.
Great improvement Southwest Texas Telephone.
Well darn if it isn't a new species
photo for the site. Of one of the dullest
most non-descript and furtive birds here,
a House Wren. A quintessential LBJ - little
brown job. Note no bold eyeline as our
common Bewick's and Carolina Wren have,
which are non-migratory residents. The House
Wren is strictly a passage transient here
in spring and fall. Two came into our bath
at once, April 20. When you can sing like
a wren, you don't need fancy apparel.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Apr. 19 ~ Overcast, low of 68F. Today
we hit 13 hours for daylength (sunup to
sundown). In a month we have added an
hour roughly since the equinox, more
accurately a few days prior on the equilux.
Heard maybe the same Yellow Warbler over
in the corral, singing early. A couple
Nashville here too. Town run and park
check. On way to crossing there was a
calling Brown-crested Flycatcher, my FOS,
though thought I heard one a week ago. At
park nothing on or around pond. In woods
a singing Yellow, 2 plus Nashville, and
one Orange-cronwed Warbler. A couple singing
territorial Yellow-throated Warbler are
there. A FOS singing Red-eyed Vireo was
at north end of woods where one territorial
the last couple years. Some Waxwings in
the Mulberries, which have ripe fruit
and should be watched closely if you
have or find one. Back here afternoon,
a White-eyed Vireo splash-bathed at the
birdbath. Lots of Prickly Poppy in bloom,
forgot to mention the first couple were open
last Friday. At park some Sneezeweed and
Water-willow (Justicia) had flowers. At
front porch a few Day-flower (Widow's
Tears), and the first few Blue Mistflower
Eupatorium have opened.
Apr. 18 ~ Another 70F low, wow. Seems
like this started early this year. Or
I am just not ready for it yet? Heard
a couple Nashville Warbler early. I
heard a Painted Bunting sing about 9 a.m.
when I was refreshing birdbath. Kathy
saw it out kitchen window 45 min. later.
Likely one of our daily yard user returning
breeders. About noon I heard my FOS
Yellow Warbler singing over in corral.
It was out there a few hours. Heard the
Cuckoo (Y-b) again. Clay-colored Sparrow
was singing, first of that I have heard
this year. Also heard some gibberish song
from Lincoln's Sparrow again as last
year or year before. Sounds like a
couple Painted Bunting singing. Told Kathy
I thought sure I heard House Wren in the
pile of fallen Hackberry.
Arp. 17 ~ Low of 70F, get used to it.
Just five more months of it ahead.
Kathy heard the FOS Yellow-billed Cuckoo
about around 9 a.m., I heard it a half-hour
later. Likely our local yard-adjacent
returning breeder. Great to hear
Summer Tanager and Blue Grosbeak going
at it again. Sing on! The two
yellow-throateds, vireo and warbler
were singing around too. A few
White-eyed Vireo around, and Chat is
going well. Kathy saw the male Blue
Grosbeak at the bath, lucky if that
happens twice in a year. A Nashville
Warbler or two went through yard, one
singing in afternoon may have been
the one that used the bath. A couple
female Black-chinned Hummingbird came
in when some birds were bathing and
kicking up a splash, to take advantage
of the spray and get wet. Heard a
Chuck-w-w before dark. About 11 p.m.
a Barn Owl flew over northbound.
Apr. 16 ~ Low if you call it that was
69F, a bit of drizzle early in morn.
Dampened the dust. A front washed out,
but all the cool air stayed north of us
Did have a Blue Grosbeak sing from the
big dead Pecan. The rest seemed the
same. Only partly sunny at best but
warmed to near 90F later afternoon.
After dark heard Chuck-will's-widow,
and a few Barking Frog. Might have been
the first night with full-blown nocturnal
singing from the Chat. So what, one week
back here, and it is going in the dark.
Maybe they spend a week making sure all
is well with the territory first.
Apr. 15 ~ Low about 68F where flatlined
all night. Overcast and humid. First
thing before 7 a.m. and sunup, I heard
my FOS Chuck-will's-widow, finally.
Then about 10 a.m. heard my FOS Blue
Grosbeak singing across the road. Both
a few days on the slow side to arrive.
Otherwise the rest was the same gang.
A great dawn chorus, before 7 a.m. now.
Nice to be again Hearing Purple Martin
and N. Rough-winged Swallow overhead.
Not hearing singing Field Sparrow which
is odd. The Lark Sparrows do all they
can to make up for it. Man they are
exhuberant. Great was after dark
hearing my first Strecker's
Chorus Frog I have heard not just
this year, but in a few years. Great!
There were a few calling for some time.
Wind blew almost all day again.
Apr. 14 ~ Cloudy, was 64F all night.
Couple Nashville Warbler singing in yard
early. Late morn there was a great
flurry of activity at the birdbath.
A bathing frenzy that lasted, well looking
at photo timetamps from 11:13 to 11:29,
but was going a minute to two prior to
first shot. It started when Kathy saw
three Orange-crowned Warbler at once
there. Then it proceeded to go bonkers.
Photo'd twelve species, and over two
dozen individual birds came in. Had to
rest my trigger finger after 108 images.
Overcast and darkish out though, not the
best light. The action makes up for it.
Once that wing-splashing 'all clear'
signal is sounded, everything quikly comes
in. And boy they did, even things we did
not know were in the yard!
There were a couple each of Cardinal,
Titmouse (B-c), and Carolina Chickadee.
The male Summer Tanager bathed whilst I
heard one up in tree so suspect a
female is here now too. Besides the
3 Orange-crowned were at least 3 Nashville
Warbler. A couple Yellow-breasted Chat
(male and female) bathed, a half=dozen
Chipping Sparrow, at least one Lincoln's
Sparrow, quickly a Clay-colored Sparrow
showed. A pair of House Finch came in,
and best of all was a female PYRRHULOXIA
that briefly came in. First ever at the
bath (n~11 years) and we have not had any
around this winter or spring, so a great
surprise. Even got a pic to prove it.
The rest of the day seemed dull after that.
I think this was the day Kathy saw the
Questionmark on patio, which her shot shows
was a summer form, with the black hindwings.
Apr. 13 ~ Clear and about 60F for a low.
Turkey gobbling at dawn across the road
toward river. One Nashville Warbler in
morn. Kathy had Lincoln's Sparrow
at the bath. Blew northerly much of
night, so not likely a big movement
day. Surprised we have not heard a
Chuck-will's-widow yet. Thought
I heard the flatter tchwip of a Painted
Bunting but could not spot it. Did see
a male Indigo. Heard the Ground-Dove
over in corral. Without the big pecan
lots less visiting from Summer Tanager,
Yellow-throated Vireo and Warbler. They
go through but are not spenidng the time
they used to. I heard a Bronzed Cowbird
fly off today. Their wingbeats are far
far more noisy than Brown-headed Cowbird
and this is very distinctive. One would
never confuse the two sounds they are so
far apart. When a slock of cowbirds flushes
they do not need to call and you do not
need to see them to tell if there was a
male Bronzed in the group.
This is the female Pyrrhuloxia that visited the
birdbath April 14. Suggests female Cardinal but
is mousey (slightly brown-tinged) gray, not warm
brown of base color. Note orange-yellow very
curved bill. Cardinal bill is red, without
strong curvature, and surrounded by black feathers.
Often the bill is just a dull yellow and not
this orange, presumably breeding season related.
Also note very long crest and narrow red eyering.
The dark on side of face below eye is disheveled
feathers, not any field mark or character.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Apr. 12 ~ Low about 44 or 45F, KERV had a 42!
That felt great! A couiple Nashville Warbler
in yard early. FOS Indigo Bunting in yard
mid-morning. A small group of Waxwing stopped
briefly. Town run and park check. Nothing
on the pond, water still 2 FEET from going
over spillway. Some Nashville Warbler, a
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, two Myrtle Warbler,
Yellow-throated Vireo, and Warbler. A few
dragonflies distantly over water, a couple
looked Checkered Setwing. Some red Mulberries.
and on the tree outside park on Cypress St.
there were waxwings, a dozen or so. Kelly
at the P.O. said he had his first male
Painted Bunting up on B & R road last night.
There was an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail that
floated past Rosie's taco trailer,
so I knew I was at the right place. About
5 p.m. a Gnatcatcher went through yard.
Apr. 11 ~ Wind finally stopped last night,
a wonderful cool low of 46F pre-dawn. Sunny,
a Nashville Warbler singing outside early.
It is a desk day here on Thursdays. Toss
birdseed a couple times, refill and refersh
birdbath and its jug. A handful of five or
ten minute lookabout and listens. Zexmenia
is getting going well out back. Kathy saw
a Chat at the birdbath, likely the one that
knows all about it. I heard and Kathy saw
a Roadrunner over fence. Outstanding was at
10:20-25 p.m. hearing the LONG-EARED OWL
calling over at the river. I had not heard
it since late January. Probably went south
and heading back north now. Great late date.
Apr. 10 ~ Low about 54F, northerlies blew all
night from before midnight. No rain here but
some nearishby in the area. Clear and dry,
outstanding. But winds held movement down
last night. Maybe we'll get some daytrippers
through the yard later in day. I finally
saw a FOS Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Also
saw a Giant Swallowtail, which I had just
glimpsed a couple 'surely were'
quick views of them blasting past the last
week. Counted 8 Chipping Sparrow at once
together. Still numbers of Lysides going
NE but not as many as yesterday. Wind blew
northerlies at 20 mph most of the day, and
gusting higher. Calmed down late in evening.
Apr. 9 ~ It was still 72F at midnight! Cloudy
and humid in morn, a bit of mist overnight.
It is a cacophony of Cardinal out there at 7 a.m.
Something about counter-singing territorial
songbirds is really great. If only we could
settle our differences with whistling contests.
About 1:30 p.m. a FOS Yellow-breasted Chat was
making noises at the usual breeding area just
over fence towards the draw. Common Ground-Dove
calling over in corral, surely nesting. About
3: p.m. I saw 90F outside, it got very hot.
A front inbound tonight is why. There
were lots of Lyside Sulphur going by to NE,
surely hundreds went by today. Thought I saw
a Goatweed Leafwing out back. Over the
evening there were thundercells north and
south of us but the Utopia rain kryptonite
held and we just got a few spits. The system
is passing and winds from north by late eve.
Couple more Tropical Sage stems with flowers.
Apr. 8 ~ Low was around 55F around 2 a.m., from
whence it climbed to circa 64F by dawn. Cloudy
and humid with high chances of disappointed
sun worshippers. Mid-morn Kathy saw two each
of Orange-crowned and Nashville Warbler at the
birdbath. Migrant warblers! We had some sprinkles
off and on over the day, a few hundredths.
At eclipse showtime the overcast was thick
in most areas locally. It did get very dark,
as in nearly nightfall. All the birds quit
singing. No nocturnal species such as frogs,
crickets, coyote or others made any noises.
It was remarkably dark out, you could hardly
see. Did see a Slender-stem Bitterweed (FOY)
in the driveway. Later in evening I heard a
Barn Owl fly right over the house northbound.
Also a Barking Frog, well, barked.
Apr. 7 ~ About 62F at sunup, was a bit cooler
earlier in dark. Overcast and very humid.
Got sunny and a balmy 84F or so in afternoon.
Kathy had the male Summer Tanager at the bird
bath. First heard it last night and this a.m.
it is at the bath. Surely our returnee breeder.
She also had 3 Lincoln's Sparrow at once.
No telling if any are our winterers or not
still here. Yellow-throated and White-eyed
Vireo singing daily is nice. Saw a Dun Skipper
on the Mealy Sage. Kathy saw a butterfly that
sounds like (dull plain brown with eyespots)
it was a Little Wood Satyr. April is a good
time for them.
Apr. 6 ~ Might have been in upper 50's F
in wee hours but about 60F at dawn. Mostly
cloudy all day and got up to 82F or so.
Kathy had 2 Lincoln's Sparrow at once
at the birdbath brushpile. She also had a
Yellow-throated Warbler in the little Pecan
right at kitchen window. Saw the Black
Rock Squirrel out back in afternoon, such a
neat looking beastie. Heard Purple Martins
overhead in afternoon. After 7 p.m. I heard
my FOS Summer Tanager. First some calls then
the first few notes of song were repeated a
half-dozen times. Great to hear it back!
This is a lichen of some sort. I only see it
on tree bark here. Can't seem to get a
good picture of it, sorry.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
April 5 ~ Low about 46F and sunny. Sunny
is something it is not looking good for
on eclipse Monday. We can hear above
normal road noise in the distance, baton
down the hatches, lock the gate, the
tourists are coming! So glad I did town
yesterday, and the road is over a mile away!
Got very breezy again, and warmed into
mid-80's F in the afternoon. Saw
my FOY Six-lined Racerunner lizard. The
rest was the same gang. After dark Kathy
heard a shorebird call heading over
northbound. Dang I wished I would have
heard that!
April 4 ~ A brisk low of about 38F was
great. Turkey gobbling at dawn over
toward river. Got up to about 85F in afternoon.
It is predicted that we are going to be
innundated with sun-seekers this weekend
for the eclipse on Monday. Looks like good
chance for a cloudy Monday too. But so I
went to town today to beat the rush tomorrow.
Already a bunch of RV's of varying sorts in
town. Glad to get all the errands done
today. Stopped at park briefly. Water
still not going over spillway. For migrants
had one Nashville Warbler, one Ruby-crowned
Kinglet, one Lincoln's Sparrow, and
one Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. A very slow drip.
A male Vermilion Flycatcher was at edge of
ballfield on way out. Bob at the P.O.
said those Barn Swallows are not back yet,
but the ones at his place near Vanderpool
are. Did not see any on Main Street either.
No Cave Swallow at the bank, their eradication
program seems to have worked, unfortunately.
A couple Dot-winged Baskettail (dragons) were
at the park. Saw my FOY Zexmenia flowers
here out back today. Also saw my FOY Texas
Powdered-Skipper on the Mealy Sage next
to front porch (fenced now).
April 3 ~ A nice blast of cool air behind
the system and a low about 42F, KERV had
a momentary bout with the upper 30's F.
We will soon be longing for this. Got up
to about 80F in the afternoon, dry and nice.
Saw the Dot-winged Baskettail dragonfly
again. Heard a Clay-colored Sparrow again.
A Gnatcatcher went through mid-day but
that was the only bird on the move. Lots of
butterflies though. A Painted Lady was worn
and likely a spring northbound migrant.
Couple dozen plus Lyside Sulphur, a couple Red
Admiral, Orange and Dainty Sulphur, Sleepy Orange,
Vesta Crescent, Pipevine Swallowtail, probably
another Giant Swallowtail, an Olive-Juniper
Hairstreak.so we are now in double-digit
daily species diversity totals.
April 2 ~ Low about 48F was great! After
the system went by last night (that missed
us for precip) winds have been northerly.
Still a Lincoln's Sparrow over in
brush pile. In the afternoon I got bins
on a Clay-colored Sparrow finally after
hearing one or two for a week. None have
sung yet though. Kathy saw what looked
like Blue Gilia flowers. I saw something
magenta-pink I will check tomorrow.
April 1 ~ Low about 68F, no foolin'.
Only thing I saw of interest today was
while seawatching I had a fly-by Great Auk.
Balmy, some sun in afternoon, but mostly cloudy.
I think without the former three biggest
leafiest trees in the yard this spring,
so far it seems much less is attracted
into it. A lot less canopy out there.
Biggest sighting today was my first
dragonfly of the year, finally, a single
Dot-winged Baskettail patrolled over the patio.
Also saw my first Tropical Sage flower of year.
Nearing dusk a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was
in yard. After dark some rain went by but
missed us. Thundercells to north and south,
we got a trace.
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ March summary ~ ~ ~
It was on the dry side, but at least
had a little rain. River is much
higher than a month and two ago, but
still not going over spillway at
park at end of month. We remain at
D2 (severe) level drought. Rain totals
vary greatly, incredibly locally here.
We only had 1.25" all month.
Average is around 3". This no
doubt reduced the flower show so far.
Pretty sure it is the first March in
20 in which I did not see an ode of
any sort: NO dragonfly or damselfly.
Butterflies picked up over the month
as expected with some warmth and the
first few blooming wildflowers. Spring
is not a time for rare types, just great
to see everything flying again, especially
the ephemeral early spring-only fliers like
Elfin and Orangetip. Only three northbound
Monarch seen in March. It was 24 species
of butterflies over the month.
Birds were of the expected types as well.
In March we see departures of wintering
birds and arrivals of the early neo-tropical
migrants returning for breeding, or
passing through to nesting grounds far
northward. Mostly all quite predictable.
The only unusual bird was a Couch's
Kingbird early on March 15. Many things
were tardy, behind schedule, like Barn
Swallow, Turkey Vulture, and Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher. I saw about 62 species over
the month. With hardly looking outside
yard or park.
~ ~ ~ end March summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ March update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
March ~ Oh boy, a whole month of FOS birds.
My FOS Purple Martin was on the 1st at
Utopia Park. Kathy heard FOS northbound
Sandhill Cranes also on the 1st. My FOS
Hummingbird was a male Black-chinned on
the 2nd. My first Mountain Laurel flower
was also the 2nd. The 4th produced my
FOS Vermilion Flycatcher. The 6th saw
FOS White-eyed Vireo, at least two Pine
Siskin, and Henry's Elfin (butterfly).
The 12th my FOS Yellow-throated Warbler
was singing along the river. Later on
12th I had FOS Northern Rough-winged Swallow,
though thought I heard some a week ago.
Finally the 13th I saw my FOS (3) Turkey
Vulture. The 14th heard my FOS Ash-throated
Flycatcher. The 15th provided my FOS
Yellow-throated Vireo at the park. Also
the 15th, had a FOS Couch's Kingbird
calling out front and in corral and which
was present on the 22nd again. The 17th
had a FOS Blue-gray Gmnatcatcher. On the
23rd there was FOS Lark Sparrow and Barn
Swallow. The 29th had my FOS Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher, and Bell's Vireo (5!),
both in town. The 30th were FOS Nashville
Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.
~ ~ ~ end archive copy March update header ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~
March 31 ~ Flatlined around 64F all
night, some mist in morning. Late
afternoon got partially sunny and
82F or so. Thought I saw a Giant
Swallowtail blast past. Lyside Sulphur
numbers are a couple dozen per day
going by mostly to the NE. Cooper's
Hawk made a couple dives on things.
Might be a dozen Chipping Sparrow
left, tops. Nice to hear them sing,
plain as it is, it is perfect. Heard
the pair of Red-tailed Hawk over at the
river in the area they nest. Also a pair
of Red-shouldered Hawk are noisy
nearby every morning. Not getting
why I am not seeing hardly any Turkey
or Black Vulture. Even if one of
a pair is incubating, we normally
have numbers overhead every day.
Almost no TV's, and very few Black.
March 30 ~ Flatlined around 62F all
night. Not very low. Mostly cloudy
and breezy all day. Thought I heard
Nashville Warbler outside (calls not song),
and Kathy thought shee saw one maybe
two at the birdbath. Probably will
put it down as the FOS. Also heard
what surely were a couple Clay-colored
Sparrow flight notes out there. Been
hearing it and or them most of the
last 5 days or so. N. Rough-winged
Swallows overhead. Some calm and
sunny would be nice for a change.
This is methinks Lazy Daisy. The flowers of
Prairie Fleabane look about the same. Pretty
sure this is Lazy Daisy, as they do not open
until later morning (their lazy trait). They
are a low ground cover, often in patches of a
hundred or two, in sunny somewhat dusturbed
ground.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
March 29 ~ I think we were about 55F
for a low. Another windy day and a
town run. Ruby-crowned Kinglet in
yard first thing. Out by gate was
my FOY White Rock-Lettuce flower,
and a big patch of either Lazy Daisy
or Prairie Fleabane opened up. Hundreds
of little white daisies with yellow
button centers. Finally saw my FOS
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher by the big
Pecan in the pasture east of the park
ballfield, where a pair always nests.
Around town I had five FOS Bell's
Vireo. First one was the usual bird
at the Post Office. Three more were
in Hackberry rows around NW corner
of town where always in spring-summer.
Still did not see or hear a Barn
Swallow on Main St. Incredible.
At the park there was nothing new
or different. Still have not seen
a dragonfly. River has come up a
bit and flow is better, but still
not going over spillway at park.
Saw some Texas Onion blooming in the
woods. The Live-oaks are in bloom now.
Mar. 28 ~ Low about 40F, KERV had 39.
Was too busy at the desk to look much.
The dawn chorus of Cardinals is pretty
impressive, I heard a half-dozen at once,
at least. Did have 2 Lincoln's
Sparrow. In butterflies saw a FOY Dun
Skipper, some Checkered White, and a
third Monarch of the spring (all in last
3 days). One Turkey Vulture at end of
day flushed out of the big dead Pecan
where it was going to roost apparently.
Thought I heard Clay-colored Sparrow
call (flight) notes (no song) which are
obviously different from Chipping Sparrow.
Mar. 27 ~ Early morn some light rain
showers were off and on from an upper
level trough. Low was around 47F, but
likely colder as KERV had a 42 in wee
hours. We were about 50F just after
sunrise. The record temp hi-low spread
for today in SAT is 29-100F! Later in
afternoon I saw a second Monarch after
Kathy's first yesterday. Also a
Common Checkered-Skipper. Bees are on
the Straggler Daisy in the mornings.
Some Tube-tongue opening up, a nice patch
of Prairie Fleabane or Lazy Daisy going well.
Mar. 26 ~ Low about 45F, KERV had a 42F
so we may have been cooler briefly.
Does not seem to have been much for
migrant movement last night. At
least nothing here. Did have my FOS
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and a Cloudless
Sulphur (butterflies). In the afternoon
Kathy had a glimpse of what surely was
a Monarch, and the FOY. It is the
time for the northbound spring
migrants coming out of Mexico to
show up. Often we get one earlier,
but a fair bit seems late this spring.
Mar. 25 ~ We got a brief band of
rain overnight as the system went
by, and a rain-cooled low of 53F.
Morning was calm but the post-frontal
blow got going to advisory levels
for afternoon. Looks like about
17-18mm of precip, or about eleven
sixteenths of an inch, just under
three-quarters. A good soaking we
needed since a dryish March. Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher calling out there early.
Wind blew hard all day, nothing new.
The Red Harvester or Leaf-cutter
ants are back out now after their
winter underground. Walking off
with the white millet. Saw my FOY
Pipevine Swallowtail, though thought
I have seen a few blow by. Today
an adult, and a caterpillar looking
for a place to pupate were seen.
Mar. 24 ~ Low about 58F, cloudy a
bit of breeze. Our rain chances
for today went way down overnight,
but misting and wet out by mid-morn.
So stayed in and dry. Always a
mountain of things to do anyway.
Was only 66F about 4 p.m., but bumped
up to 71F last hour or two of light.
Saw some FOY Crow-Poison flowers open.
Heard Lark Sparrow again out back.
Seems even fewer Chipping Sparrow
around, most of the wintering birds
have departed. Should be Clay-colored
here any day (often FOS is at equinox).
Mar. 23 ~ Low maybe 47F, KERV had a
quick 44. Was northerly all night.
Was probably two different Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher through yard in morn and
noonish. One doing some sorta singing.
Also heard Ruby-crowned Kinglet, one
mid-morn, one after noon, probably two.
After noon heard my FOS Lark Sparrow.
Also heard FOS Barn Swallow go over,
finally, in later afternoon. Sometime
between 6 and 7:30 p.m. a Eurasian
Collared-Dove was plucked out in the
yard. Probably one of the Cooper's.
Hawks. Have not seen a Sharpy for
a couple weeks now. Daily singing
Yellow-throated and White-eyed Vireo
are surely territorial, as are the
couple Yellow-throated Warbler I hear
singing. We worked on some yard and
garden things. I got some fencing
around the two Mealy Sage left and
the Woolly Ironweed the deer keep
eating. Kathy planted some stuff,
mostly for vermin to eat is how it
usually plays out.
This is Mealy Sage. Deer ate our biggest
one, all 3 dozen flower stalks!
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Mar. 22 ~ Maybe hit 52 early a.m. but
was 54F by dawn. Some Dakota Verbena
now showing purple in the yard. As I
left for town the Couch's Kingbird
was calling toward river across from
the gate. It was gone all week and here
it is again. Was late so missed a park
check. P.O. said their Barn Swallow are
not back yet, nor did I see any on Main
St. Saw Leeann Sharp and she said she
had a Baltimore Oriole already, which is
very early so a good bird. Hardly see
any Turkey Vulture around still. The
Mesquite are exploding in spring green
now. Was breezy from north today.
Mar. 21 ~ Flatlined about 58F for
the night. A little mist and drizzle,
it's wet out. Heard two
Yellow-throated Vireo singing.
Heard some swallows overhead that
sounded like Bank, not N. Rough-winged
to me. Would be early and did not see
them so letting it go, but, those were
not Rough-wing sounds. Higher, thinner,
more metallic and sharp. Saw a Falcate
Orangetip go by. Two FOY (first of year)
flowers were an Estragalus sps. Vetch,
as c.f. Deer Pea Vetch, and a few Prairie
Fleabane. Both nice to see. A few
White-eyed Vireo around.
Mar. 20 ~ Low was about 42F around
3 a.m. but was about 50F by dawn.
Still overcast and very humid. I
still hear two Lincoln's Spoarrow
in the big pile of fallen Hackberry
out front. One did some of that
pre-song gibberish they do before
they start actual real singing. A
year or two ago one actually was
singing here before it left. Mid-morn
a Yellow-throated Vireo sang through
yard. Second one this spring and
first in yard. Mighta hit 62F, cool
all day.
I can't believe what surely
was a deer destroyed our best
Mealy Sage overnight. Ate all the
flower buds and leaves, the whole thing
is just 30 stems now. Stripped bare.
This will cost us butterflies in the
immediate future. We had never had one
eaten. With all the green grass and
other stuff growing, they had skipped
these before. Heartbreaking. No foot
long spears of purple flowers now!
A couple much smlller specimens are
still OK so far.
Mar. 19 ~ Happy Spring! The equinox
is here, the sun is over the equator.
Due to Leap Year we get an early one.
A post-frontal low of 45F was brisk,
I do not think we hit 60F today.
still lots of clouds and damp out.
Lots of Cardinal song and hummingbirds
(all Black-chinned so far). Not seeing
anything new show up yet. Still under
northerly flow. Need some warmth and
southerlies. At least we got some
rain the last few months so should get
a bloom this year.
March 18 ~ Some post-frontal windage
got going overnight, bringing some
cooler air and a low of 52F. Off and on
passing sprinkles over day and breezy
so coolish and damp. With north winds
last night I did not expect any
migrant action. And there was not.
Red-winged Blackbird still singing
up in the top of the big now dead
Pecan tree. The Titmice (Black-crested)
are singing up a storm now too. Some
Chipping Sparrow song here and there.
There is a big very old Hackberry out
back that is losing branches too. We
already lost the biggest Hackberry in
the yard a couple years ago, this is the
second biggest now. These two surely
were old original climax specimens that
had dodged all the cutting of the last
hundred years. Finally going. This
drought has been a killer. Between
20 and 25 of the last 35 years have been
in severe, extreme, or exceptional (D2, D3,
or D4) drought. These old trees grew up
and lived in a different environment and
climate than we have here now, and simply
can't take the new hotter dryer one.
It is one thing to see way over a hundred
newly dead big old trees at Lost Maples
in the last 20 years. It is another to
lose the three biggest oldest in your yard
(these two Hackberry and the Pecan).
March 17 ~ About 60F much of night,
dipping to 59F briefly. Were some
sprinkles, showers, but the brunt of
nearby thundercells missed us. Enough
to dampen ground and hold the dust down
for a day or two maybe. In the morn
a FOS Blue-gray Gnatcatcher moved
thrugh yard calling, Psssss. like
an air leak. Heard the lone Sandhill
Crane flying around again. More mist
and some sprinkles over the day so mostly
only out there to toss seed. Mighta hit
64F, but not for long. Looks like
7-8mm or about five-sixteenths of an inch
of precip for the whole event. Over
a quarter but less than a third, of
an inch. Good timing for the coming
soon flowers.
Mar. 16 ~ Low in low 60's F with
some sprinkles, mist, and drizzle much
of the day. Heard Purple Martin, an
Ash-throated Flycatcher, and a Yellow-throated
Warbler, ahhh birdsong! In the afternoon
I heard a Sandhill Crane fly over low,
seeming to move from airstrip area to
pastures across river. The Mealy Sage
is growing bloom spears, I can't wait.
Still a few Laurel flowers in yard in
scent, but going to have to find some
elsewhere soon. They finsih fast. We
totalled just a few hundredths of an inch
of precip over the day.
This is a photo of no significance whatsoever.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Mar. 15 ~ Flatlined at 69F all night. Was
a thunderstorm north of us about 4 a.m.,
dry here. Cloudy and might rain. Heard the
Ash-throated Flycatcher early morn. A pair
of N. Rough-winged Swallow were over yard
early. Town run and park check. Heard at
least 4 Yellow-throated Warbler, and a FOS
Yellow-throated Vireo was nice. About 5
Myrtle Warbler is more than have been there
and surely some migrants coming through now.
Also 5 Ruby-crowned Kinglet are spring migrants
heading back north, there have been none
there all winter. No swallows in town yet,
Barn is tardy. About 4:15 p.m. a FOS
Couch's Kingbird was calling out front
and over in the corral. There are flowers
on some Cypress trees now. There are acres
of Dakota Verbena blooming making for some
pretty purple pastures. Interestingly today
and tomorrow we actually cross the luminox,
when the photo period is 12 hours each
day and night. Today daylength is 11 hrs
and 59 min. long and tomorrow is 12 hrs. and
01 min. long. Usually it is within a few
days of the equinox, whence daylength is
actually longer than night. Oops, a couple
add-ons almost forgotten. Kathy saw an FOS
Skink (Four-lined). I saw an Orange Sulphur,
and a Falcate Orantetip. A Dainty Sulphur out
by driveway too.
Mar. 14 ~ Flatlined at 68F all night. We
sure lose the cool nights early here. Near
noon heard my FOS Ash-throated Flycatcher.
Were some Brewer's Blackbird up in big
dead Pecan besides the male Red-winged and
some Brown-headed Cowbird. In addition to
the Am. Goldfinch, I thought sure I heard the
explosive squeal of a Pine Siskin a couple times.
The Mountain Laurel are odd. On the one big
low sprawling good bloomer this year, only
half of it put out flowers this year. Another
one, we planted so know it is 7-8 ears old,
bloomed the first time last year, and did not
bloom this year. Another young (6 yrs.?) smaller
one put out its first flower this year, one cluster.
They do not seem to function like most of what
I am used to. Said the clearly botanically
ignorant fool.
Mar. 13 ~ About 63F all night, and nearly
foggy in morn. Got sunny around noon, and
warmed to 85F or better. Lots of lime green
new leaves breaking out all over. Did hear
the Yellow-throated Warbler sing over at the
river this morn. Finally saw FOS Turkey
Vulture, three of them went over together.
Seemingly just arriving back in the area.
Nearly a month later than average arrival
has been the last twenty years, around
Valentines Day. Am. Goldfinch still here,
as is the one male Red-winged Blackbird.
Heard the Western Meadowlark singing again.
Heard a snake in some leaf litter, likely
a W. Ribbonsnake, our common gartersnake here.
Bees are still in the Hackberries, wish I
would see some on the native Plum flowers.
Mar. 12 ~ Just after midnight heard a Barn
Owl go over. Likely a migrant as we do not
have winterers around. Low was in upper
50's F middle of night, but flatlined
at 60F from about 5 a.m. through late morn.
Before 9 a.m. I heard my FOS Yellow-throated
Warbler singing in the Cypresses over at the
river. Welcome back! Great to hear a
singing warbler! Later in the afternoon
a couple Northern Rough-winged Swallow went
over calling, which I will note as FOS, but
I thought sure I heard some two different
days a week ago. Heard a Ground-Dove over
in corral again.
Mar. 11 ~ Clear and about 39F for a low is
still winterish. From late morn on was
cloudy and breezy. Heard two Vermilion
Flycatcher out there. Still at least one
Lincoln's Sparrow here, but migrants
can show up by now so will lose track of it.
At leat one pair of Field Sparrow still here.
Chipping Sparrow numbers seem to be falling,
methinks departures are underway. Still
have not seen a Turkey Vulture!?! What
happened? Heard the American Goldfinch,
and one male Red-winged Blackbird from the
golf course keep showing up. A few icky
Brown-headed Cowbird about. Screech-Owl
calling after dark.
Mar. 10 ~ Low about 38F here, KERV had 36.
Sunny first thing but quickly got partly to
mostly cloudy. White-eyed Vireo over at draw
singin is likely our local breeder, 3rd morn
in a row there. The honey bees are really
hitting one of the Hackberry trees hard.
Must be a spot of pollen in those flowers.
A few Laurels out back are going well, the
smell is fantastic. The Mulberry has green
(not yet open) flower buds out. The Black
Rock Squirrel is eating some Hackberry
flowers. As soon as the Mulberry opens
it will be eating them. Male tree so
all we get is pollen, no fruit. I saw a
few flowers on a Spanish Buckeye we planted,
about 8 years ago, its first ones ever.
It is fenced, as deer ate the priors.
March 9 ~ Low about 40F but wind blowing
as it did all night northerly at 15-20 mph
gusting to 25 mph. So chills in 30's F.
Nothing new or different here around house.
In later afternoon as wind let up a little,
we walked a half-mile uphill behind us into
the Live-oak, Juniper, and Agarita habitat.
The Agarita is mostly done and over. A few
still blooming. A few Mountain Laurel in
bloom too. Two FOY flowers were Dakota
Verbena and Paralena. Saw a few butterflies
but only 62F and still breezy so not much out.
Kathy saw a few Dainty Sulphur. Lots of
yellow Live-oaks about to drop leaves. A
Buckley (aka Spanish or Red) Oak was in
bloom. Heard about 3 Bewick's Wren
and that was it for birds. Earlier in day
in yard Kathy saw a Checkered-Skipper. One
male Red-winged Blackbird continues visiting
for seed.
This is a Mountain Laurel. Now is the time
to take a whiff of that sweetest smell. Some
are done already, but some are still going.
To my admittedly somewhat unrefined sniffer
it is as if a cross of Rose and Sweet Pea.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Mar. 8 ~ Was in mid-60's F much of the
night, until some rain passed over about
5 a.m., then dropped to about 54F for a low.
A system just grazing us, a post-frontal
blow is inbound shortly. We got a quarter-inch
(.25) of precip out of the deal. Heard a
White-eyed Vireo over in the draw. Wonder
if it is our breeder back? Town run and
park check. By time I got there near noon
the winds had begun and it was blown out
and quiet. There was an Inca Dove calling
in the park acrosss from the general store.
For the first time in months there were
some travel trailer tourists in town,
spring break for some has begun.
Mar. 7 ~ We did the 65F flatline last
night. Overcast and a few brief showerlets.
Busy desk days on Thursdays anyway. I see
flowers on the Hackberry trees, and hear
bees on them too. I hope some bees find
the native Plum which is blooming. Last
year it bloomed when too cold out still,
so no fruit. Kathy had about 8 Cedar Waxwing
in the afternoon. Maybe they are noting
the Hackberry bloom for next winter.
Mar. 6 ~ Low about 50F, briefly. Cloudy
early clearing noonish, light breeze.
Great was a FOS White-eyed Vireo across
from gate about 8:30 a.m. Around 10:30
there were at least two, maybe three,
Pine Siskin. I saw only one all winter,
a one-hour wonder, back in December. In
butterflies a FOS Henry's Elfin came
into water, and a FOS Orange Sulphur was
around. Black Swallowtail still here.
Did absolutely get two Lincoln's
Sparrow at once today. So that was a
near-miss the other day with the Sharpy.
First time two stuck to spend the winter on
white millet. Also the result of the big
dead Hackberry and messy jumble of fallen
branches I leave creating perfect cover
for them, to avoid accipiters.
Mar. 5 ~ Flatlined around 53F all night.
Sunny and a big warmup today. Anole
are out early. The one so far blooming
Mountain Laurel is really getting going
with a dozen open flower clusters. It
is a low sprawling one we toss seed under
so is the most fertilized specimen in yard.
Noon some Sandhill Crane were going north
overhead. Heard a male Black-chinned
Hummer doing its display dance, which is
usually in front of a female, so I presume
one of those is present now too. Seems at
least a couple males here now. Kathy had
a five-count on Eur. Collared-Dove.
No power here from 2 p.m. to almost 3:30.
Now with the new and improved fiber optic
connectivity system, we lose the phone when
no power, unlike primitive copper which
allowed us to say make an emergency call,
or call neighbors. They called it progress.
Went off again just after 6 p.m., just
long enough to shut computer down in a
way that seemed to anger its maker.
Which begs the question, why is there not
a battery backup built into a desktop?
Mar. 4 ~ Flatlined at 65F all night.
Fog and drizzle in the morning, but
just a trace. Heard the Western
Meadowlark again over at airstrip,
about a hundred yards away. It gave
some rattled drrrrrk calls besides
song. As yesterday thought sure I
heard the brrrrt of N. Rough-winged
Swallow a couple times. Had a few of
what I would call FOS spring migrant
Brown-headed Cowbird. A few winter
locally, but this is when the spring
migrants return. A month before Bronzed
return. Later in the afternoon my FOS
Vermilion Flycatcher was on the corral
fenceline. That is what I call a spot of
color! And a cheery sound of spring.
Pretty sure it was two Lincoln's Sparrow
at one point this afternoon. A few
Cedar Waxwing were around late afternoon.
In amphibious news, heard my first of
year Barking Frog calling weakly this
evening. With the Blanchard's
Cricket-Frog, and Rio Grande Leopard
Frog, three species of frogs calling
tonight. Have not heard our 'spring
peeper', Strecker's Chorus-Frog
this year, again, maybe the fourth year
now but not too late, may still get it.
Mar. 3 ~ Near foggy with overcast,
flatlined about 61F all night.
Great not to be burning heat.
So is smelling a Laurel when I toss
seed at sunup. Wonderful hearing
a FOS Western Meadowlark singing
from the airstrip. I have not seen
the usual meadowlark flocks this
winter, the pastures have been
fairly bare, so this could well be a
migrant. Stayed mostly cloudy all
day. Was going to walk uphill to Agaritaville
but no sun for butterfly photos so
passed. By next weekend Golden-cheeked
Warbler will be back!
Mar. 2 ~ Low about 40F, so cool
but not cold. On our way to 80F
today! About noon I heard my
FOS hummingbird, male Black-chinned
of course. Kathy had an Olive-Juniper
Hairstreak at water on the patio,
and a FOS Northern Cloudywing.
I saw the Black Swallowtail again.
Great was my first Mountain Laurel
flower of the year, and yes I bent
down to take a big hit off it. It
was awesome. Heard Red-winged and
Brewer's Blackbird flocks over
in Cypresses along river. I see some
first flowers on the native Plum today.
Hope some bees find it! Did see one
large Bumble Bee today, methinks FOY.
This is another unknown (to me) moth species.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
March 1 ~ If the month comes in
like a lamb, it was a cold one.
KERV had 32F, I think we were
33-34F, just missing a freeze.
Still feels like winter out there
in the morn. Not for long is my
guess. FOS Chereckered White
butterfly. Town run and park check.
Best was a FOS male Purple Martin
calling high over the ponk pond.
The woods had a couple Myrtle Warbler
and some singing Black-crested
Titmouse. No Ring-necked Duck,
they have departed for the year.
Water level in pond is still 2 FEET
below the spillway overflow.
Mulberry trees are showing green
leaf buds starting to pop out.
Many live-oaks are yellow and now
dropping leaves. Kathy heard FOS
Sandhill Cranes going north whilst
I was in town. Got up to upper
70's F! Pretty nice out.
~ ~ ~ February summary ~ ~ ~
It was a fairly wintry February, with
freezes at start, middle, and finish,
but generally mild in between. Rain
was 3.5", a great Feb. total.
Water two feet from spillway overflow
at park pond. Drought stage is D2,
with D3 just east at Medina-Uvalde Co.
line.
No odes this February, as usual when
a chilly one. Butterflies were about
five species, the most expected ones.
Black Swallowtail was the first new
emergence, and late in month saw a
Falcated Orangetip, but not an Elfin.
Birds continued mighty weak this third
winter in a row with NO wild foodcrops.
The first migrant was White-fronted Goose,
a small V going north on the 6th. I did
not hear the Long-eared Owl this month,
has me worried about those Great Horned.
The Say's Phoebe at the airstrip
continued to late in month. The UP wintering
Ring-necked Duck flock departed just
after mid-February. NO Turkey Vulture
for the first February in twenty for me
here. I saw about 47 species this month.
~ ~ ~ end February summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ February update header archive copy ~ ~ ~
February ~ The FOS White-fronted Goose
was a small V going north morning of 6th.
Also the 6th was my first Barn Owl in a
couple months.The FOS fresh new emergence
butterfly of the year was a Black Swallowtail
on Feb. 11. My first native wildflower
of year was Whitlow-Grass on Feb. 21.
Then the 22nd was Anemone flowers, and
the 23rd Yellow Wood-Sorrel. First of
year Blanchard's Cricket-Frog was
the 23rd as well. Agarita showed here
on the 24th. Saw a couple Lyside Sulphur,
which I think a few have gone by in the
last few days. Also saw Pipevine Swallowtail,
both flying adult and a caterpillar looking
for a place to pupate.
~ ~ ~ end February update header ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ back to the drivel ~ ~ ~
Feb. 29 ~ And so we meet again,
what's it been, about four years?
Happy Leap Day, take a big jump!
About 42F all night, and only going
to about 52F at peak heat. Overcast
so kinda winterish. Breezey too
until late afternoon when it calmed.
So, getting cold tonight. The same
birds are here, nothing different
yet, still. Still no Turkey Vulture!
This is the first year in the last
TWENTY I did not see one in February.
And it even had an extra day! Clean
and ready your hummingbird feeders,
they could be here any day now. Also
get any birdbox servicing done as
local cavity nesters like bluebird,
chickadee, titmouse, plus Bewick's
and Carolina Wren, are making those
decisions now.
Feb. 28 ~ Was about 61F all night.
The front got here about 5 a.m.,
at 8 a.m. it was 50F. Wind blew
all day, 15-20 mph gusts to near 30.
Lots to do inside at desk anyway.
Had one Lincoln's Sparrow but
did not confirm two still here yet.
One Red-winged Blackbird still comes
by from the golf course for a shot
of white millet. Never did make it
back up to 60F. The birds sure shut
up in the wind. I see leaves breaking
stem on Texas Persimmon now.
Feb. 27 ~ Was in low 60's F
all night, foggy in morning. Last
warm day, a cold front hits tonight
around or after midnight. Saw the
upper 80's F in the afternoon,
nearing record highs as yesterday.
Still the same as it ever was out there.
Waiting for spring to go boing! Seems
less Chipping Sparrow around, but we
will see the next two days when it
gets chilly of high temps again. The
Leopard Frogs were roaring after dark.
Feb. 26 ~ Low about 50F, and maybe the
hottest day so far this year so far is
in store. In the last several days I
have seen several of our wildlfowers
breakimg ground and now growing leaves:
Mealy and Tropical Sage, Frostweed,
Am. Germander, and our Blue Mistflower
Eupatorium. An imm. fem. Sharp-shinned
Hawk made a dive on a Lincoln's
Sparrow, sure hope it didn't get
it. Heard two early morn, one in the
afternoon, need to hear two at once
again now. Haven't heard the
Myrtle Warbler in a few days, so
wondering if it departed. Still no
new migrants detected.
Feb. 25 ~ About 52F for a low, and
foggy early, soon burnt off and
sunny. Did a few more things in yard.
Got warm, about 84F in the afternoon.
Dry and nice. At the blooming few
Agarita up the road Kathy saw a
FOY Olive-Juniper Hairstreak, as well
as a couple Red Admiral. I went up
and looked later and saw 1 Red Ad
which looked more like a fresh one
than an over-wintering worn animal.
I saw two Olive-Juniper Hairstreak
but no Elfin yet. Need to walk up
the hill behind us to Agaritaville
and see how it is doing.
Feb. 24 ~ Low about 40F. Breezy
southerlies most of the day.
Outstanding was a FOS male Falcate
Orangetip butterfly. Which has been
scarce in our recent drought regimen.
At dusk Kathy saw three bats, which
are the first of the year. Red or
Freetailed? Did some yard work, got
poked hard in an eye by an errant
branch. Got up to about 75F in the
afternoon. Saw all three of the
wildflowers I saw the last few days.
Kathy also saw one Agarita in bloom
up the road too.
This is an Anemone (Anemone heterophylla) which is called Wind-Flower
if you like that sort of common Name. They are mostly white here,
but in some spots there are violet ones, and rarely a magenta pink
color variety. Black-chinned Hummingbirds use the fuzzy seed cotton
to line their nests here.
~ ~ ~ last update below ~ ~ ~
Feb. 23 ~ Low about 53F, clear and dry.
Town run and park check. Nothing there.
The ducks have been MIA my last two
visits so I think they likely departed
for points northward and their winter
here is over. Singing Bewick's Wren
all over town. Heard my first of year
Blanchard's Cricket-Frog at the
360 x-ing. Saw some Yellow Wood-Sorrel,
the third species of wildflower to
open blooms the last three days. Kathy
heard the Robin nearing dusk so it is
still in the area. The American Goldfinch
was around in the morning, also still here.
Heard my first Chipping Sparrow song of
the year today.
Feb. 22 ~ Hovered around 61F all night.
Bit of fog and mist. Which gave way to
sunny and warm. Again heard the Say's
Phoebe at the airstrip. In the afternoon some
local WU stations were showing 85F! We had
81 on the shady front porch, a couple or
few warmer in the sun. Toasty! Heard
a Field Sparrow, and the 2 Lincoln's
continue. The big FOS of the day was
some Anemone flowers (white). The second
native wildflower we have seen in the
last two days. Spring is coming! Saw the
worn old Sleepy Orange, and the newer
Black Swallowtail today. A few Leopard
Frog were roaring late in evening.
Feb. 21 ~ Maybe hit 54F in wee hours
but was 58F and foggy at dawn. Nice
to not be cold. Saw a Lady (butterfly)
that looked American, likely the one
we have been seeing. Several accipiter
flushings of the doves and sparrows.
Still no Turkey Vulture. Any day now.
Today there must be four dozen of the
Whitlow-Grass plants in bloom. Nice
little patch just off patio in a very
hot sunny spot. Saw the Black Rock
Squirrel, it has been out and around
since it warmed up.
Feb. 20 ~ Low about 38F, chilly. Warming
up fast, sunny and dry. A spring-like
forecast the next buncha days is a
welcome respite from the cold. Some
flowers and butterflies will pop. It
hit 80F out there in the afternoon!
The birds looked the same. I saw the
winter form Questionmark butterfly.
It was leaving the mulch pile out back
behind the shed where tasty treats.
Kathy saw a medium all yellow one
which shot by quickly but looked
maybe a Cloudless Sulphur. My first
native wildflower of the year was
a small group of a dozen blooming
Whitlow-Grass (Draba cunefolia), which
is a mustard family forb. I have not
seen it in at least a couple years,
methinks due to drought. A good sign
for the spring bloom.
Feb. 19 ~ Barely froze at 32F early.
Sunny and calm, so 50 by 10 a.m. Nice.
Might have hit 70F at peak heat. Even
though it is the same birds, at least
there is some birdsong out there now.
Still stuck in the same groove with
the couple dozen species that wintered
around the place. Waiting for spring.
Turkey Vulture is running a bit tardy
so far, shoulda had one by now. I see
new Cattail shoots in the tub pond.
No rain or freeze on the ten-day which
takes us to the end of the month on
Leap Day.
Feb. 18 ~ Low about 29F, KERV had 28F.
We froze. A brisk morn. Suspect we are
not done freezing yet, early for that.
Might barely hit it tomorrow morning.
The record hi-low spread for this date
at SAT is 96-19F. What a spread!
Including the frenzied seed-eating, I
saw nothing different out there today.
A butterfly got a away though. Got up
to about 56F.
Feb. 17 ~ The pre-frontal warmup of
yesterday was long-gone this morn.
Winds got here overnight, 10-15 mph
northerlies and about 38F gave us a
freezing chill factor if not temps.
Fortunately plenty to do at the desk.
Heard the American Goldfinch out there
today, and more House Finch. A lot of
sunflower seed was eaten. Nothing
different though, and much hunkered
down like us it seemed. The wind blew
all day until nearing sundown. Tomrrow
morn we will have sub-freezing temps.
This is a closeup of the central hindwing area of the
male Black Swallowtail which is still around the yard.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Feb. 16 ~ Was about 60F most of the
night, dipping to maybe 58F at dawn.
Early in morn the Robin was back
for the first time in a couple weeks.
Also heard the Say's Phoebe over
at the airstrip. When I opened the
gate to go, I saw the Black Swallowtial
again out in yard. Town run and park
glance, but lots of people, and they were
burning leaves there so very smoky
and skipped it. Nothing on the pond.
If you don't beat the people there,
it will often be empty. We had 72F on
the front porch about 1-2 p.m.! That
male Lesser Goldfinch is still out there
and the singing sure is nice.
Feb. 15 ~ Low about 56F in fog and
a wee bit of drizzle. Saw the
Anole again today, and the Black
Rock Squirrel which Kathy has been
seeing several days now. It eats
some sunflower seed on the patio.
Heard a Myrtle Warbler. Maybe it
is 80 Chipping Sparrow now. They
have been increasing this last month.
Great hearing those Cardinal singing.
Mid-60's F was it for a high.
Feb. 14 ~ About 40F for a low, KERV
hit 37 in wee hours, we may have been
colder too. Cloudy and cool. The
bird list remains the same. No spring
arrivals yet, but Turkey Vulture should
show up any day now. The bird of the
day was my first bright green Anole
(lizard) today. They have been in the
cracks in the stone exterior of the
house all winter. A beautiful beastie.
Saw the Black Swallowtail again. Also
noted the first sign of buds breaking
stem on a tree this year, on the big
male Mulberry.
Feb. 13 ~ Low about 32F, just barely
a freeze. KERV had a 30F. Clear, dry,
and sunny, warmed to about 66F or so.
Quiet out there for the most part.
One Red-winged Blackbird was here.
A couple accipiter flushings of all.
Heard a White-winged Dove give a fair
song. E. Bluebird, N. Cardinal, Carolina
Chickadee and Black-crested Titmouse
all singing more now, and great to hear
some cheer out there. Saw the Black
Swallowtail butterfly again today, as
well as the leftover lady, and a very
worn Sleepy Orange. We are now one
HOUR longer of daylength than we were
at solstice. About 55 days to add an
hour, or lose one if on the other side
of the change.
Feb. 12 ~ Low about 38F, breezy until
the afternoon. Might have hit 62F for
a high. Nothing new or different out
there today. The same gang of few birds
i\ continuing. Though, Chipping Sparrow
seem to be adding up, maybe 70 now?
Heard the American Goldfinch out there.
A few accipiter dives flushing everything.
Less than a month until hummingbirds,
martins, and Golden-cheeked Warblers.
Hang in there baby. Saw the Sleepy
Orange butterfly around.
Feb. 11 ~ Was 65F most of the night,
though post-frontal blow began lightly
about midnight. Around 5 a.m. the cold
air got here it it went from 65 to 48F
by 8 a.m.. And a breezy day. Great
was about noon and 62F seeing the first
new freshly emerged butterfly of the year.
A Black Swallowtail. Which is not an
unusual first in February. The few
butterflies around overwintering here
are last years' leftovers. This is the
new years' growth and a new cycle
starting. Henry's Elfin and
Olive-Juniper Hairstreak are the other
two most often 'first new'
butterfly of the year, in February.
Feb. 10 ~ Happy Chinese New Year,
the year of the Dragon! Said to be a
year of good luck. From about 4 a.m. to
8 a.m. we got some, in the form of 2.5"
(!) of rain! WeeWow! So over 3.5"
for the month, a very high total for an
typically very dry month. Just what we needed
for a spring bloom. Agarita and Redbud
will be going off within a couple weeks
so the timing is perfect. Maybe we will
get Anemones this year. Cloudy all day
but no rain, maybe hit 68F. Was a bit
mucky of ground out there though. Heard
a Belted Kingfisher over at the river.
Heard some Brewer's Blackbird over
in the corral.
This is a male Black Swallowtail. The first butterfly
that is a new emergence I have seen this year, on Feb. 11.
It led me to my first flower, but which is non-native.
Henbit is European, but naturalized throughout America.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Feb. 9 ~ Low about 60F and foggy. Balmy
for the date. The Eastern Bluebirds
are really singing intensively now.
What great beautiful sounds. Had the
handful of Cedar Waxwing again. Town
run and park check. A couple dozen
Ring-necked Duck on the park pond,
and 2 Myrtle Warbler in park woods.
That is all. It is so dismal, it is
dismal. A Pacific cold front is on
its way and overnight through tomorrow
night we should have some rain, then
followed by some chilly temps, but
not freezing.
Feb. 8 ~ Low was in 50's so great.
No heat burning. Birds were the same
gang as is that season. One Eastern
Phoebe was singing up a storm. Great
to hear. Lots of work at the desk so
not much looking besides seed tosses
and a few 10 min. breaks.Got up to 72
maybe, very nice out. Pretty green of
yard too. February is usually when our
coldest temps happen so watching and
hoping that Jan. event was the worst
of it.
Feb. 7 ~ Was about 44F in wee hours but
50F by dawn. Windy out of south at 15 mph
gusting to 25 mph made for a very breezy
day. But not very cold. Had the two
Lincoln's, heard a Field, and about
60 Chipping Sparrow. Never saw so few
Cardinal here. Plenty of doves, and a
couple or few accipiters come by for
their daily dive. Heard a Myrtle Warbler.
Couple Ladder-backed and a Golden-fronted
Woodpecker working the dead trees.
Feb. 6 ~ Low about 38F, sunny and nice.
Shortly after midnight so early this a.m.,
I heard a Barn Owl, which is the first in
a couple months. Maybe a spring migrant?
About 9 a.m. a small flock of White-fronted
Geese called as they proceeded northward
in their V. First migrants of the spring.
Just a couple dozen. The male Lesser
Goldfinch is out there singing a bit.
So, maybe more like an arrival than
a winterer? Kathy had a lady butterfly,
which is most likely an American now.
Feb. 5 ~ Low maybe 48F, but the winds
picked back up about midnight and blew
all night, and day. Not as strong as
yesterday but still another blower unil
later afternoon. We should see Turkey
Vulture and White-fronted Goose soon.
Which will win the 'first migrant'
race this year? The historical average
spring return for TV was Valentine's Day,
but lately they have often been a bit
earlier. Soon as these northerlies turn
around, watch. Both have occurred rarely
as early as late January. Saw 65F mid-afternoon,
dry, felt great. One Red Admiral is likely
the same wintering individual that has
been around.
Feb. 4 ~ Temps in low 50's most of the
night. The upper low that just passed has
given way to a surface low with NW winds
20 mph gusting over 30. Which lasted all
day, it was a blowout. The small group of
Cedar Waxwing were back around in the afternoon
again today. Nice to hear since a winter
without them. One American Goldfinch in
the morn. Some accipiter flushings. Same
as it ever was.
Feb. 3 ~ Low about 48F. Yesterday evening
after update posted, we got line of rain
cells with thunder. Was about 27-28mm. Just
over an inch, about 1.1". Outstanding.
Mostly clear by midnight but a few spritzes
in morning. By later morn the post-frontal
blow had begun, a windy afternoon it was.
Only one different item in birds, a small
group of Cedar Waxwing. First of them in
over a month, and only a handful. Plenty
of work at ye olde desk anyway.
This is Texas Bindweed, which is in the
Morning Glory family.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Feb. 2 ~ Flatlined about 58F all night.
Overcast and humid, supposed to rain
this evening and overnight. The Flicker
was in the big live-oaks adjacent uphill
behind us early. Love hearing that call.
Town run and park check. One Carolina
Wren in the woods. Above the island in
river were 5 Gadwall and a dozen or so
Ring-necked Duck. They flushed and one
duck called that I would swear was a
Mallard, though I did not spot it through
the trees. It was that quintessential
duck quack of a Mallard all the way.
They are pretty rare here. Otherwise
nothing different.
Feb. 1 ~ Low about 45F, overcast. Any
time we are not freezing is great in
winter. About 60 by 11, might have
hit 70F later afternoon. Heard the
Ground-Dove again. Lots of Mourning
and White-winged here, probably two
dozen of each, our biggest eaters. Hear
a Eur. Colldared-Dove but distantly,
thankfully. Might be more than a dozen
House Finch now. The two Lincoln's
Sparrow still sneaking around. Saw my
first butterfly of the month, a winter
form Questionmark. Heard Leopard Frog
again this evening.
~ ~ ~ January summary ~ ~ ~
There goes the first month of the year.
Here we had 2.25" of rain, which is
a great January total. We had some
extended hard freezes with temps in
teens and at least one day with zero dF
chill factors. We continue in D2 level
(severe) drought, which is an improvement.
River is a few feet below the spillway
at the park pond, water table remains
far below normal, very little flow and
lots of the river is dry above ground
above town.
There were no odes (dragonflies) seen this
month, as usual and expected. A whopping
four species of butterflies were noted,
the most expected four. Birds remain
very depressed of numbers and diversity,
likely due to failure of natural food crops
again this year, like Pecans, Hackberries,
Juniper berries, wildflower and shrub seeds,
etc. Not seeing any Kinglets, hardly a
Myrtle Warbler or few, and so on. The only
rare bird is the continuing Long-eared Owl
which was heard weekly or so through most
of month. Only thing we had lots of was
onesies. Interesting was one Sandhill
Crane on 7th. We had one Pine Siskin
on the 15th. One Robin and one American
Goldfinch visit our yard a couple times
per week or so. One male Lesser Goldfinch
on the 22nd is a month earlier than our
breeders return, and likely a wintering
bird. Literally scraping for birds here.
Can't wait for spring migration and
the return of our migratory breeding species.
Which will start in earnest in one month.
The 42 species I saw this month is about
as diversity challenged as it gets here,
I hope.
~ ~ ~ end January summary ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ archive copy Jan. update header ~ ~ ~
January ~ First mentionable bird of the
year is Long-eared Owl, heard again both
on Jan. 6 and 9. A lone Sandhill Crane
on Jan. 7 is odd locally. One Pine Siskin
this winter, on the 15th. Jan. 15-18 we
had lows in teens, and low single digit
chill factors. Be prepared for the arctic.
Up to 40 or more Ring-necked Duck are often
on the park pond. A male Lesser Goldfinch
on Jan. 22 & 26 is the first I have seen
in a couple months. A Say's Phoebe was
at the 360 airstrip on the 24th. Incredibly
early Rio Grande Leopard Frogs were heard
Jan. 29-31 when 70dF days.
~ ~ ~ end archive copy Jan. update header ~ ~ ~
~ ~ back to the drivel ~ ~
Jan. 31 ~ Low about 36 or 37F, KERV had
a 34F methinks. Chilly, but sunny and
dry continues with a good afternoon warmup.
May have hit 70F again at peak heat.
One Amerian Goldfinch still visiting.
A couple Red-winged Blackbird came by.
The rest was the same gang. Couple
accipiter flushings. Maybe 60 on the
Chipping Sparrow count now. The woodpeckers
seem to just be hitting the sunflower
feeder when cold out. These warm days
they are up in the trees but not going
to feeder. Freezing days they are on it.
The Leopard Frogs were heard again tonight.
Jan. 30 ~ Low about 35F, KERV had 33.
Sunny, dry, no wind, a chamber of commerce
day. A pair of Ravens around a lot lately,
I presume looking for a nest site. Hope
its not in earshot... those young! If
it was my kids, ok, fine... Was the same
gang around the yard, save one bird. My
first of year calling Common Ground-Dove
over in corral. Here a couple accipiter
flushings as usual. Might have hit 70F,
and felt warmer in the sun, and dry.
Yard is pretty green considering the
date. Heard the Rio Grande Leopard Frogs
again after dark, at least two again.
Today is a half-hour longer of
daylength than at the solstice.
Jan. 29 ~ Another frost but not freeze,
we were 33 or 34F, KERV had 32. Sunny
and no wind so very nice. The Great
Horned Owl pair is calling in the
middle of the day now. Which means
they are full speed ahead with their
breeding season. Was wonderful in the
afternoon, near 70F, dry, sunny, no
wind, awesome. We could stand that all
year. Nothing different on the bird
front. Quite a surprise to hear Rio Grande
Leopard Frogs after dark, at least two.
Never heard them in January before.
They were at the watering tanks in the
corral.
Jan. 28 ~ Low about 34F, KERV had 33.
Frost but no freeze here. Early morn
heard the Say's Phoebe at the
airstrip and the Robin in the corral.
A Raven squawked quite a while from
the big Pecan again. Seems we picked
up a few Chippies that last cold spell.
I think over 50 now. About a dozen
House Finch too, aka sunflower suckers.
Not many Cardinal though. Maybe two
dozen Mourning Dove, and some White-winged
were trying to sing, seemingly as if
they forgot how. It might have hit
70F at peak heat later afternoon, and
felt warmer out in the sun with no wind.
In the evening about 9:30 and 11 p.m.
I heard the Long-eared Owl, besides the
pair of Great Horned.
Jan. 27 ~ Was about 54F at midnight, a
cold front arriving before dawn when 47F.
Windy but a dry passage, and allegedly
no freeze on way. Nothing different in
birds. Pretty breezy until later afternoon.
Seems more House Finch around. Best was
at dusk under the sunflower feeder
Kathy saw scavenging, a Gray Fox. Slow
day for birds. Just one more month
before migrants start showing up.
This is a Scrub-Jay. Often called Blue Jay
but that is a crested jay with white spots
on wings and tail. Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
is the proper correct name currently, which
hopefully won't last too long. The Texas
subspecies, texana, is unique and in several
ways obviously different from other Woodhouse's
Scrub-Jay of the interior mountain west. It should
be called Texas Scrub-Jay as this subspecies is
found nowhere else, and is an Edwards Plateau
endemic subspecies. One day it may get its
due.
Jan. 26 ~ Was about 48F around midnight,
but rose to about 54 by dawn. Overcast,
bit of fog. Not cold and wonderful birdsong.
Town run and park check, to no avail.
Seemed bird-free to me. Had the male
Lesser Goldfinch here in the afternoon.
The rest all looked the same gang. The
winter doldrums are here. We are about
five or six weeks from Golden-cheeked
Warbler returning. I hope I make it.
Eight months is a long dry spell.
Jan. 25 ~ Was 54F and still a bit of
drizzle at midnight, 44F and sunny at
dawn. The upper level trough has passed.
With the .5" of precip last night
I would say we are about 2.25" here
for the month, which is great for January.
Looks like that will be the final total.
Comparitively lots of birdsong, several
Cardinal, Bewick's and Carolina Wren,
Black-crested Titmouse, E. Bluebirds too.
They all sound thrilled to be out of cold
and wet and see the sun as we are. Some
accipiter flushings over the day as usual.
Heard a Myrtle Warbler, but no Kinglet
in weeks now.
Jan. 24 ~ Flatlinin' in the mid-50's F.
Way better than the mid-30's.
A bit more drizzle and a showerlet
overnight, now .2 including the .1
yesterday. A fifth of an inch over
the two days. Misting still early.
Kathy counted five Eurasian Collared-Dove
out back on seed early. She also spotted
an Opposum eating seed, sunflowers no
doubt. I heard the Say's Phoebe
over at the airstrip again. It is
likely the same bird as last month,
and is wintering around airstrip and
the big pasture adjacent. Saw a couple
attempts by a Sharp-shinned Hawk on
seed-eaters. Might have gotten
something on second one. About 8 p.m.
a band of thunderstorms moved through.
We got a hair over a half-inch, others
more lucky got more. So we are up
to about .75 the last three days.
Jan. 23 ~ Was about 56F all night,
and so, foggy in morning. But not
cold so great. A bit of drizzle and
showerlets totalled .1, just over 2mm,
a tenth of an inch. Something anyway.
Heard the Flicker just uphill behind
us, so it is still around. Heard the
Robin too. Otherwise it was the same
gang. Cardinals singing (tuning up)
a bit more. Bewick's and Carolina
Wren both occasionaly bursting out
with more songs. They sure don't
sing when it is freezing. Waste of
energy when burning everything to stay
warm in sub-freezing temps. Heard
Screech-Owls after dark. The Great
Horned Owls are daily.
Jan. 22 ~ It was in upper 30's
before midnight, then rising to
45F by dawn, and 50F by noon felt
great. All these days in the 30's
is getting old. A band of light rain
moved over after midnight and we have
a quarter-inch here in the morn. A
wee bit, but all helps. In the afternoon
a male Lesser Goldfinch was the FOS,
and first I have seen in a couple
months since the last ones left in
November. They used to arrive around
Feb. 22 after the 3-4 month winter
absence. This is a month earlier than
former average spring arrival. Is it
one of the very few that winter locally
at places with a nyjer seed feeder?
If it disappears, I'd say a winterer
wandering around. If it sticks, my
guess would be a new record early
spring arrival. Daylength is now a
whopping 20 minutes longer than at solstice.
Jan. 21 ~ Low about 34F with some mist.
Supposed to rain and get up to 40F.
I'll be working inside. This makes
these last three days spent in the
30's F, with a day of warmup
prior to that, and four more whole
days of freezing prior to that. So
seven of last eight days were spent
at best in the 30's F all day.
That is a LOT of cold for here. The
average winter daily hi-low temp spread
here is 60-30F. Totally bearable.
Nothing different for birds, the
same gang continues. Did not spend
much time in the cold mist to look
though. Three seed tosses, which
disappears fairly quickly. Might
be near four dozen Chipping Sparrow.
Jan. 20 ~ Low about 24F (KERV was 23),
and high about 40F. Some breeze and
very chilly, feels like winter outside.
Saw and heard nothing different in birds.
Eastern Bluebirds singing in the freezing
morning makes it better. Carolina and
Bewick's Wren both singing more now.
Still not much, but some bursts here and
there. Same for Carolina Chickadee and
Black-crested Titmouse, bursts here and
there. N. Cardinal still tuning up mostly.
sorry about the repeat... since had one lately...
This is Say's Phoebe. Usually on a fenceline at edge
of pasture, present only in winter (late fall to early spring).
Note no streaking on underparts as female or imm. Vermilion
Flycatcher, though Say's is mostly here when those are not.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Jan. 19 ~ Another cold front arriving
pre-dawn, bringing cold air back. Low
about 36F so great to not freeze, much
warmer. Sunny, but a blower of a day.
I will be inside working nearish a heater.
Got up near 50F in the afternoon, but
with the wind on it, never felt it.
Another hard freeze inbound tonight.
Did not see anything different today,
as expected. The winter doldrums are
much worse than the summer doldrums
for species diversity. At least in
summer there are 50-60 breeding species
around. Wind finally died around dark,
which means an ice box in the morning.
Jan. 18 ~ About 27F for a low, but the
warmup before the front day. Since the
only nice day this week, did the town run
today. Nothing in the park save about
40 Ring-necked Duck on the pond. Saw no
landbirds. A few Red-winged Blackbird
around house in morning. It got up to
a blazing 75F in the afternoon! Opened
up and aired out, warmed the house and
cottage. Back to cold tomorrow, just a
one-day respite of warm air being sucked
up from south in front of next system.
After 5 p.m. I heard our loyal Robin out
there.
OT rantlet: The car battery died at the
Ranch Outpost. In a stroke of cosmic karma,
where I bought it just three months ago.
I usually use the car one day a week on my
town run day. Five starts. Kudos to the
Ranch Outpost, as I got a warranty replacement.
I added more to get a bigger one, but had
to do the old parking lot swap. At least
I had the tools and was where I bought it!
That part was good. But when a battery is
$200, you would think you would get more
than three to four months out of it! They
used to cost $50 and lasted 5 years! I
easily could have been a mile from nowhere,
on a cold or wet day.
Jan. 17 ~ It was about 14F here this morn.
I can't find my fern, it musta froze
off. At least the wind is not blowing.
KERV had 13 and Hondo 15F. Still some
single digit chill factors around south
central Texas this morning. Hopefully it
will be the coldest day of this winter.
Tomorrow will be the warm day before the
next front arrives. Got up to about 44F
but with breeze never felt it. Broke
freezing anyway. Incredible cold spell.
It was at or very near records. Some
Red-winged Blackbird were around again.
The rest was the same. Plowing through
seed. Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed
Woodpecker hitting the sunflower seed
feeder, means it is bad out there for
natural food sources. Looks like we got
through the worst of it without any burst
pipes. Just frozen ferns and keisters.
Jan. 16 ~ Low was 15F (!) as KERV, where
wind chill was ZERO, 1, and 2F. We likely
had 0F wind chills here too. Incredible
cold. A second reinforcing Arctic front
came through with lots more seemingly polar
wind. Sun is mostly out anyway. So cold
the windows condensed the moisture out of
the air in house, and froze it, so we had
iced windows. Around ten per Kathy's
count, Red-winged Blackbird were hitting
the seed in the afternoon. I heard a Pine
Siskin, which is the first one in over six
weeks since the only one I had all fall
on Dec. 1. Barely broke freezing temps
but not chills, a couple dF for a couple
hours at best. Last super-cold night and
morn for a bit inbound tonight. It is
frigid out there. Probably been putting
out a couple extra pounds of birdseed
daily these sub-freezing days. Disappears
lickety-split.
Jan. 15 ~ I saw 18F this morn on front
porch, northerly winds about 15 mph,
chill factors low single digits. Lovely,
come on down. Some freezing drizzle
overnight and invisible patches of ice
on the patio. Unfortunately I cut the
Frostweed stems less than 2 weeks ago,
as they get a bit ratty looking as they
dry up, and the stubs left made ribbon ice.
DANG now I wish I would have left them. It
would look incredible. You need super cold
to get it. Most years we don't see
any. Today if I don't see the bird
as I am running by tossing seed, it will
not be noted. Tomorrow looks the same.
We are trapped for days in an Arctic
icebox of air. At 3 p.m. it was 24F at
KERV, and about 32F here.
Jan. 14 ~ Was about 40F at midnight,
and about 28F shortly after dawn. At
9 a.m. KERV showed 23F! At 11 a.m. they
were in fog at 21F and a wind chill of 11.
Rocksprings and F'berg show wind chills
of 10F. Overcast with occasional mist.
We had some freezing mist at 29F at 11 a.m.
This is going to be a major cold event.
Extra seed rations, but I won't be
doing a lot of watching, as all the windows
are fairly sealed (blocked) against the cold.
Hovered around 32F much of day. There was a
small flock of Red-winged Blackbird around a
bit. Likely those golf course birds that
we know visit occasionally.
Jan. 13 ~ Low was about 26F, very cold.
NOAA had KERV for a 33 still at midnight,
I told Kathy it was getting way colder
than those amateurs at NOAA were calling
it whilst I undid hoses and covered spigots.
KERV had 24F this morn, near a category off!
NOAA's super-computers, vs. one dummy
that don't even have a weather app!
Today daylength is 10 hrs. 24 minutes,
so TEN minutes longer than at solstice
three weeks ago. Gaining almost a minute
per day now. Got up to about 60F which
felt great. Did some more insulating of
things as a multi-day sub-freezing major
cold event begins tonight. Here we go
again. Did have the two Am. Goldfinch
and two lincoln's Sparrow.
Here we have some ribbon ice, from when the
Frostweed burst due to cold on Jan. 15.
Unfortunately I had cut ours as it looks a
bit ratty as it dries, so we only got little
stubs left. I knew I should have waited to
see if we would get a 20F morning. It takes
extreme cold to get it to pop out. Being
white it is incredibly hard to photograph.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Jan. 12 ~ The northerlies of the front got
here around midnight, when it was still 60F!
Just after dawn it was 45F and had been
blowing 15-25 mph gusting higher all night.
And still going strong. Behind this front
is polar air for Sunday through Wednesday.
The current 45F feels about 10 lower in the
wind. Town run so a look at the pond. I
didn't bother the woods in the wind.
Counted 32 Ring-necked Duck on the water.
Saw a Little Yellow here in afternoon, the
fourth butterfly species of the year. Sleepy
Orange, Questionmark, and then Red Admiral,
were first three. Wind finally calmed in
the afternoon. We hit a toasty 60F.
Jan. 11 ~ Low about 30F, barely froze, for
about 6 hours. KERV had a 28F. Major front
inbound tonight with high winds and extreme
cold behind it for several days. Getting
up into the low 70's F was fantastic.
Opened up, aired out and warmed house up.
Kathy saw the two Lincoln's Sparrow
together. Great hearing some little snippets
of birdsong here and there, local resident
breeders are just starting to get tuned up.
Saw a Red Admiral out in the heat.
Jan. 10 ~ A hard freeze, was 30 by midnight,
low about 27F here, KERV had 26F. At 10:30
a.m. there was still a quarter-inch of ice
on the bird bath. I had to run to town early.
There were a couple dozen Ring-necked Duck
on the park pond. On 187 was roadkill with
probably most if not all of the local wintering
Black Vulture around this year, 60+ birds.
Has been over 150 in the past. Far less
roadkill out there these days. Less animals
and less people on road. A Raven was calling
perched in the big dead Pecan. They hardly
ever landed in it when it was alive. Kathy heard
the Robin in the afternoon. I heard at least
two American Goldfinch.
Jan. 9 ~ Calmed down to 10-20 mph by morn,
low about 39F and felt colder. Some central
Texas sites had 50+ mph! We had 40mph or more.
There is a little bump (the end of the ridge
behind us) and a thick tree line (climax Junipers)
along it adjacent on north of us, so the
full brunt of northerlies is deflected over
us a wee bit, making a huge difference.
We can hear it howling at the river Cypresses.
Heard the Long-eared Owl about 9 p.m. in evening.
That was the only thing of note today. One Sleepy
Orange butterfly.
I have been remiss not to mention the Juniper
pollen. Yesterday with the winds, air is
getting in house, it set Kathy's Juniper
pollen detectors off. So, 'tis the season!
We saw and noted the first rusty-orange tint
of male buds a few days before the end of
the year, about Dec. 28 we talked about
seeing that color again. Forgot to mention
it last trip to store and town how orange
the Junipers were. They are open season now.
As Carl Sagan woiuld say, billions and billions,
of pollen specks.
Jan. 8 ~ Some drizzle and light showers
overnight. Was lower 50's at midnight
warmed to 60F by dawn. About 7mm of rain,
a bit over a quarter-inch, five-sixteenths.
The wind got going as the front went through.
We had sustained over 20 mph and gusts over
35 to 40 mph! Spent the day in the 50's F, but
did not feel it. Did not see anything
different for birds. Sounded like two
Lincoln's Sparrow again. The wind
will keep it from freezing tonight. It
howled at 20-30+ mph much of the night.
Jan. 7 ~ Another freeze, probably hit 30F
here, KERV had 28F. A chilly one. Interesting
was a single Sandhill Crane flying over
low north, as in a local movement. It
got separated and seemed to be calling
for others. Nearest flocks are in corn
stubble fields around Sabinal area.
Kathy heard Bewick' Wren sing.
The Eastern Bluebirds are really
getting going with song. Great sounds,
as from anything in the thrush family.
The common three-note call sounds like
'drink your beer'. That's
my story and I'm sticking to it.
Some mist starting late in evening.
Jan. 6 ~ Froze again, maybe 30F, KERV had
a 29F. Sunny and warmed well though, I saw
66F in the afternoon. Felt great and did
some airing out. At the 7 a.m. seed toss
I heard both the Long-eared and Great Horned
Owl calling. Had not heard the Long-eared
in a couple weeks. It must move up and down
river quite a bit. Kathy saw the first snake
of the year, a couple months early, at least.
It was a foot-long (young) W. Ribbonsnake.
The common small 'garter' snake here.
I saw my first winter form Questionmark
butterfly of the season. The Golden-fronted
Woodpecker is hitting the sunflower seed
feeder again. Explaining why it was messed
up yesterday. Late afternoon our one loyal
Robin called from the Pecan. Kathy thought
she heard it last week over in the draw.
At 8:30 p.m. the Long-eared Owl was calling
over toward river. So cool to be able to
hear one long term. Heard it again at 10 p.m.
further downriver.
This is a Common Raven. Too bad about the
branch, eh? The white is wet or something,
it looks disheveled, and is shiny reflection.
It is not a White-necked (now Chihuahuan) Raven.
~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~
Jan. 5 ~ Low about 40F. Was some light
drizzle overnight. From all day yesterday
and overnight it was about an eighth of an
inch (3mm). So an inch for the year so far.
Good start. Nice to see the sun this morn.
Town run and park check to make sure still
nothing there. About a half-dozen Ring-necked
Duck upriver of island was it. No landbirds.
The river has come up a little bit since the
Cypresses have dropped leaves and gone dormant.
Town was amazingly quiet, just like last
week. Again, you can back out onto Main St.
at 1 p.m. on a Friday and there are no cars
the whole length of it. Where'd they
all go? Got up to about 63F which felt
great. Also produced the first butterfly
of the year, a Sleepy Orange of course.
Jan. 4 ~ It dipped into the 30's F
overnight for a bit but was about 40F by
dawn. Never did get to 50F, maybe 46F at
most. A little mist here and there, rain
predictions way down but still supposed
to get some overnight. Went out several
times over the day and looking about, did
not see anything different. A couple
dove flock flushings due to accipiters.
A chilly gray day. We are adding over
30 seconds to daylength, daily, already!
Jan. 3 ~ Low about 40F, and humid from
the rain, so chillyish. Another day with
a case of the accipiters, and abnormally
quiet out there. Nothing new or different.
Might have hit 50F if we were lucky.
Cool and overcast, more rain on slate
for tomorrow. Chickadees and Titmice
are hitting the sunflower seed feeder
with a vengence. Must not be much else
out there for them to eat. There are
seemingly less than a dozen Cardinal
around. Normally we have a couple
dozen at least, and in a good year have
had forty here at once in winter!
Jan. 2 ~ Low about 44F, only going
up a few dF over the day. And 'tis
a rain day. I'll be inside looking
out. At least two American Goldfinch
were in yard early in morn, and may
have been three. Such excitement.
Only different thing was a male
Brown-headed Cowbird Kathy saw. We had
a decent round of rain early afternoon.
We did not hit 50F all day. A chilly
wet one. As of dark it was seven-eighths
of an inch of rain. A good start to a
normally dry January.
January 1 ~ Happy New Year! Here we go
again! What a wild ride the last one
was. I keep thinking, it can't
get worse, and I keep being wrong. :)
Low about 40F, sunny in afternoon and
maybe hit 64F. In morn there was a
Cooper's, and a Sharp-shinned
Hawk in nearby trees having a talk
about whose hunting ground this is I
suppose. Quite vocal back and forth
between them, which is something I do
not normally encounter. To assuage any fears, the
Sharpy did not seem whatsoever
intimidated. Otherwise the same stuff.
~ ~ ~ 2023 summary ~ ~ ~
That was some year eh? As far as the
animals and plants are concerned it
was a brutal one. The third year in
a row spent mostly in extreme or
exceptional drought. Much of summer
was spent at or above record high
temperatures, again. Third year in
a row with little to no wild food
crops. And it shows. Trees are still
dropping, very reduced wildflower
blooms (and seed crops), little to no
fruit or nut crops, reduced numbers
of fledged juvenile birds, and so on.
Ecologically the environment is taking
a beating. How long is it sustainable?
I am coming up with 38+" of rain
at our place for the year. Which is a
wet year. We used to average 30",
but lately have been nearer 20" at
best, often much less. The issue is that
being in exceptional drought for most of
a couple prior years so water table so
low, it did not bring us back up to snuff.
We're still in trouble. But it was
enough to break the extreme dry cycle.
Probably kept a lot of trees from dying,
despite all the ones that did. It would
have been much worse. Fifty year old
Cypress and Sycamores along riveredge
were lost, too far gone.
Odes, e.g. dragonflies and damselflies
were pitiful. Their numbers are so
low I can hardly believe it. I used
to see 15-20 species in a good walk. Now
I am lucky to get 15-20 in a month. In
both May and August I saw only 6 species
(!?!) and in June I saw 8 species. There
used to be big fall flights of Gliders
and Saddlebags, just a few this year. I
did not see a number of formerly regular
species, as for instance Rubyspot damselflies,
were NONE! On June 30 a Turquoise-tipped
Darner at the park was good as less than
annual here. A Comet Darner on July 30
was maybe the ode of the year, though it
was at the Waresville golf course pond
where a very few have been seen repeatedly
the last several years seeming to
indicate locally hatched individuals.
Only a very few Orange-striped Threadtail
were seen at the park, they seem to be
fading away, they were still numerous 10
years ago, and common 20 years ago. I count
9 species of Zygops (ddamsels), and 23 sps. of
Anisops (dragons), for a 32 sps. total for
the year. Very poor. Lots were MIA. Around
half of my best year here, maybe.
Butterflies were weak at best. Numbers
way down, and the potential annual highlight
of a fall invasion from the south did not
materialize, again, so fall was particularly
slow, when it should be a riot out there.
Only one Zebra Longwing was seen, in June.
A Coyote Cloudywing July 30 on Bluehearts
at the Waresville golf course pond was
the first in a few years so a good find.
Only very low numbers of N. Mestra this year.
A Tailed Orange Nov. 15-16 was my first
in several years and great in the yard.
A Great Purple Hairstreak Nov. 24-Dec. 1
provided my first December record. Just
one Ocola Skipper this year, in November.
Hardly any Clouded Skipper this year. A
Great Southern White Dec. 19 is up there
with Tailed Orange as butterfly of the year.
Both are far less than anuual here. Many
things were MIA. No Viceroy or Sister!
No Crimson Patch, Theona, or Soldier.
No type of any of the long-tailed Skippers.
I count 75 species for the year, way at
the bottom end of totals, only matched
by the worst of drought times. And so
it was.
Birds were way off too, of course, still,
also surely due to years of exceptional drought.
I think migrants just overfly areas that
look like we do from the sky. Dessicated.
They know there are no fruit, seeds or bugs.
A Hooded Warbler April 30 was great, as far
less than annual. Some were also seen at
other area birding hotspots (Concan, Lost
Maples, Junction) as well. Also in April
great was Sylvia Hilbig saw a male Varied
Bunting a few miles NW of town. A GRAY HAWK
was photographed at Lost Maples in April (ebird).
A Tricolored Heron at the park July 28 was
nice, only my 3rd one here in 20 years
(and the other two were together). All juvs.
Peregrine Falcon and Long-eared Owl were
the August highlights. The Owl back for
its third winter here, and ridiculously
early (nesting failure?). It had been
last recorded March 24 in spring. It
continued to be heard monthly through
end of year. A fall migrant Swainson's
Thrush is very rare here so a good find
Sept. 30. Four Mourning Warbler is about
average for lately, but can be better.
Brown Creeper at park in March, and another
in Dec. was good as LTA - less than annual
here. Worst thing was finding out about a
Painted Redstart at Utopia Pk on Jan. 29,
long after that. With friends like that...
I count 165 sps. of birds I
saw locally, essentially without going
anywhere. Only the slightest amount of
extremely local looking a few times on a
few roads, mostly in yard or at weekly
(more in spring) park checks.
In odds and ends... A Javelina (Collared
Peccary) and a Coral Snake in the yard were
a couple highlight yard beasties. Maybe
the bug of the year was a Giant Cicada
(Quesada gigas) which used to be only
found down along Rio Grande in far
south Texas. It was heard in late July
and late August. South continues its
march north. I heard one in Uvalde about
five years ago, now one made it here. They
sound like a fighter jet idling on the runway.
The pickens were slim, but as always
some interesting discoveries to be made. The
army of birders at Concan and Lost Maples
in spring turned up a number of great
finds too, especially some eastern type
warblers like Blue-winged and Cerulean.
See ebird for reports at those areas.
~ ~ ~ end 2023 sumary ~ ~ ~
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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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