Bird (and nature) News Archive # 41
Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024
Old Bird News XXXXI

Some commonly used abbreviations used are:
"in town" - means in Utopia
sps. - species
(ph.) = photo obtained
ad.=adult; imm.=immature; ma.=male; fem.=female; juv.=juvenile
odes=Odonata = dragonflies and damselflies; leps=Lepidoptera (butterflies)
FOS - "First of Season" (usually used for 1st spring or fall migrant to show up locally)
FOY - First of year - 1st one seen this year
FOF - First of fall
LTA - Less than Annual
UP - Utopia Park on 1050 just west of 187
UR - Utopia on the River
LM - Lost Maples SNA; GSP - Garner St. Pk.
SRV - Sabinal River Valley
SR - Seco Ridge a couple miles west of Utopia in Uvalde County
 (our yard March 2005 to Mar. 2013)
BanCo - Bandera County
UvCo - Uvalde County
WU = Weather Underground (sometimes local station readings referenced)


Bird News Archives Index


Bird News Archive XXXXI (#41) ~ Jan. 1 - June 30, 2024

.... in reverse chronological order, unless you scroll to end and read from the bottom up.
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.

Carolina Chickadee

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.

Painted Bunting

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.

Nashville Warbler

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!?!

Yellow-breasted Chat

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.

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~ ~ ~ end archive copy May update header ~ ~ ~

~ ~ back to our scheduled programming ~ ~

cardinal

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
2warblers

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.


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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.

summertanager

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.

yellowwarbler

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.

goldencheekedwarbler

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.

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~ ~ ~ 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.

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~ ~ ~ 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.

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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.

goldenwingedwarbler

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.



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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.

housewren

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.



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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.

pyrrhuloxia

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.


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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!

lichen

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.


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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.
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~ ~ ~ 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.

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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.

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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.

lazydaisy

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.


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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.

mealysage

This is Mealy Sage. Deer ate our biggest one, all 3 dozen flower stalks!


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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.

clouds

This is a photo of no significance whatsoever.


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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.

mountainlaurel

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.


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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.

moth

This is another unknown (to me) moth species.


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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.

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~ ~ ~ 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.

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~ ~ ~ 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.

anemone

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.



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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.

blackswallowtail

This is a closeup of the central hindwing area of the
male Black Swallowtail which is still around the yard.



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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.

blackswallowtails

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.



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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.


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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.

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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.

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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.

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~ ~ 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.


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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.

ribbonice

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.



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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.

commonraven

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.



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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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Index page with links to all 'Old Bird News' pages ...

Bird News Archives Index




Links to last decade of old bird news pages below,
broken into six month increments. One day I'll quarter it
out by season as well, so all years of each season are
together, perhaps making say, searching springs easier.


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



Bird News Archive XXXVIII
July 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022

Bird News Archive XXXVII
January 1, 2022 - June 30, 2022

Bird News Archive XXXVI
July 1, 2021 - Dec. 31, 2021

Bird News Archive XXXV
January 1, 2021 - June 30, 2021

Bird News Archive XXXIV
July 1, 2020 - Dec. 31, 2020

Bird News Archive XXXIII
January 1, 2020 - June 30, 2020

Bird News Archive XXXII
July 1, 2019 - Dec. 31, 2019

Bird News Archive XXXI
January 1, 2019 - June 30, 2019

Bird News Archive XXX
July 1, 2018 - Dec. 31, 2018

Bird News Archive XXIX
January 1, 2018 - June 30, 2018

Bird News Archive XXVIII
July 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017

Bird News Archive XXVII
January 1, 2017 - June 30, 2017

Bird News Archive XXVI
July 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

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

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

Bird News Archive XXIII
January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015

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

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

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

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

Index page with links to all 'Old Bird News' pages ...

Bird News Archives Index

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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