Guest post: BBNP and Marathon

Ultimately, I need to check my pre-sorted emails more frequently: this information is nearly a month old (posting date is 23 Sept, but this will be backdated for the archives). These are from Sue Heath's posts from 28 and 29 Aug, 2015.

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White-eared hummingbird, Brewster county

All,

Found a white-eared hummingbird along the boot spring trail in Brewster county this morning. It was past the buildings but before the juniper canyon trail goes left. It was defending a large patch of flowers against a black-chinned hummer and a blue-throated hummingbird. Appeared to be a female or young bird as it had no gorget feathers. I posted a full description on ebird. Got some very blurry photos but can't post them til I get better internet. Good birds up there today. Many townsends and Wilson's warblers, one Colima warbler, four or five painted redstarts.

Tad thinks he had a buff-breasted flycatcher in the same general area as the white-eared hummer but we could not relocate it so I didn't see the bird.

Sue

Susan Heath
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
Lake Jackson, TX
Sent from my iPhone

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Burrowing owls & long-billed curlews, marathon prairie dog

We found three live and one road kill burrowing owls at the marathon prairie dog town along U.S. 385 in Brewster county today. The live ones were near the northern end. There were also eight long-billed curlew which ebird flagged as rare. Also a dead badger that some vultures were investigating. It looked like it got hit by a car and was just able to drag itself about 30 ft out Into the field before expiring. I wish I would see a live one sometime. The dead owl was unfortunately too far gone for a specimen.

Sue

Susan Heath
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
Lake Jackson, TX
Sent from my iPhone

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The only corrections are to obvious phone-typos, many thanks to Sue for the permission to share!!

Guest sightings: Lake Balmorhea

Mary Beth Stowe has allowed us to post her summary from Lake Balmorhea - it's snagged from Texbirds, backdated, and slightly reformatted for the blog but we're grateful for what we can get! I keep saying "we" - the blog is its own entity, I suppose? At any rate, be sure to check out Mary Beth's site: www.miriameaglemon.com, it's a fantastic combination of birding and art and humor and maaaaybe one of these days I'll even get to meet the brains in person!


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Lake Balmorhea
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2015

Hi, all!


Was on my way to southeast Arizona today, but made a quick stop at Lake Balmorhea first thing. Stopped under the overpass long enough to confirm Cave Swallow and record the Rock Pigeons making a bunch of noise. Got to the lake, stuck my five bucks in the door, and delighted to the calls of both Western and Clark's Grebes and their chicks! And I relished in something else I hadn't experienced since leaving San Diego: the smell of the wet desert! Crawling around to the back side of the lake, a goofy-looking Pyrrhuloxia popped up on a bush, and along the back side of the lake was a nice assortment of water birds: what I'm presuming to be Blue-winged Teal (they were all in eclipse plumage and were quite distant - and of course flew the minute I got the scope out L), a dowitcher, a Greater Yellowlegs, a Great Blue Heron, and even a Black Tern batting by in the distance! Coming around the corner a pair of Scaled Quail were down by the water, and on the west side of the road was another little wetland with several Black-necked Stilts and a couple of Ruddy Ducks. Down at the end of the road a Yellowthroat was singing, and a brilliant Blue Grosbeak sat right up on a mesquite! While enjoying this a night heron, White-faced Ibis, and Green Heron all sounded off somewhere. On the way out a Black-throated Sparrow sang in the distance, and Western Kingbirds were patrolling. I think I mentioned the last time I came out here how much this place reminds me of the fresh-water wetlands near the Salton Sea!

Mary Beth Stowe

McAllen, TX

www.miriameaglemon.com

Guest sightings: GMNP and Davis Mountains

This post has been slightly reformatted for the blog, but is being re-posted from Texbirds with Christian's permission (thank you!)

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GMNP and Davis Mountains last week - possible Gray Hawk
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2015

Hey there,
Sorry for the belated post. Had a great birding/hiking/camping trip last week out in West Texas with friends Matt Melendez and Michael Falconer mainly at Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Davis Mountains. Lots of rain. Hail and rain cut our time a little short in the back country, but we re-located to Davis Mountains and had a good time.

Monday 7/20/15 Short afternoon stop at McDonald Observatory, over to Van Horn, and up to GMNP.
Highlights included Hepatic Tanager pair at McDonald Observatory, and a big flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds at Van Horn Cemetery. And steaks to go from Van Horn Steak House. Also eBird was upset at two Scissor-tailed Flycatchers at the cemetery. Pine Springs at GMNP has an active pair of Summer Tanagers, also great views of Blue Grosbeaks and Scott’s Orioles in the evening sunset. After dark had great looks at Common Poorwills near Frijole Ranch, as well as two huge magnificent meteors, one red and one blazing green, right after another. Matt the astronomer was pumped, as were we. Shockingly exhilarating.

Tuesday 7/21/15 up to Tejas Campground
At around 6:40 drove over to the rest area east of the park and saw the breeding Hooded Orioles, including at least one youngster. Started hike up to high country at around 9:00 AM, but it was not to warm on the hike; packs made it pretty hot and sweaty though. Highlights of the hike in included loads of singing Black-chinned Sparrows, a soaring Peregrine Falcon (bird of the trip for Falconer) and getting acquainted with the high country birds like Cordilleran Flycatcher and Pygmy Nuthatches.

Wednesday 7/22/15 Tejas Campground to Bowl and down
Woke up real early to hear the Mexican Whip-poor-wills. No owls. Hiked up to the bowl, hearing and seeing more of the high country birds including Warbling Vireo, Golden Eagle, a single Virginia’s Warbler, a pair of Pine Siskins, a Zone-tailed Hawk, but no Grace’s Warbler. Also found a tree that had exploded from lightning.

Thursday 7/23/15 Davis Mountains
Spend half the day at the Davis Mountains. No Montezuma Quail, but had Zone-tailed Hawks at the State Park and at Madera Canyon Trail. Here we also had 2 Gray Flycatchers. Had the Common Black-Hawk family along Limpia Creek. On the way out we also briefly saw a small buteo that was probably a Gray Hawk, (before reaching Wild Rose Pass) but only had a split second view as it flew by into the cottonwoods. Stopped and turned around but were never able to relocate it. Clearly a small buteo, with a boldly banded tail. Shape unlike Zone-tailed, and appeared more pale. Oh well maybe someone else will find it.

Also had a Zone-tailed Hawk just east of Ozona in Crockett County.

Good birding,

Christian Walker

Begin forwarded message:

> From: ebird-checklist@cornell.edu
> Subject: eBird Report - Guadalupe Mts. NP--The Bowl, Jul 22, 2015
> Date: July 28, 2015 at 7:41:48 PM CDT
> To: christian.walker@earthlink.net
>
> Guadalupe Mts. NP--The Bowl, Culberson, Texas, US
> Jul 22, 2015 5:00 AM - 4:00 PM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 9.6 mile(s)
> Comments: Birding with Michael Falconer and Matthew Melendez. Walked from Tejas Campground up the Juniper Trail, spent a lot of time in the bowl, walked the entire Bowl Trail, and then back out to the top of Bear Canyon. Clear, with some clouds, calm, 50 degrees in the morning, slowly warming up to 80 degrees about. Couldn't find a Grace's Warbler for the life of us. Damn. One of the best spots was by the creek in the Bowl which had water and constantly had birds coming in to a little pool by the spot in the trail where it pulls a u from going north-east to west.
> 40 species
>
> Turkey Vulture 4
> Golden Eagle 1 AD soaring in from the north over McKittrick Ridge (?) near lightning struck pine on Juniper Trail almost to Bowl. Wowie.
> Cooper's Hawk 2
> Zone-tailed Hawk 1 Nice adult soaring over the bowl
> Red-tailed Hawk 2
> Mexican Whip-poor-will 2 HO in Tejas Campground. Would only sing song once before shutting up for fifteen minutes or so.
> White-throated Swift 8
> Broad-tailed Hummingbird 5
> Rufous Hummingbird 1 Brilliant male briefly seen feeding at red flowers
> Acorn Woodpecker 2 At the creek in the Bowl
> Hairy Woodpecker (Rocky Mts.) 1 HO in Tejas Campground
> Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 6
> Western Wood-Pewee 12 Loads in the open areas in the bowl
> Cordilleran Flycatcher 17 Mainly HO
> Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 Heard up in the Bowl
> Plumbeous Vireo 4
> Warbling Vireo 1 HO on Juniper Trail
> Steller's Jay 4 HO
> Violet-green Swallow 12 Flying high above the bowl. Definitely not WTSW
> Mountain Chickadee 46
> Bushtit (Interior) 20
> White-breasted Nuthatch 7
> Pygmy Nuthatch 17
> Brown Creeper 1
> Rock Wren 4 Family at Hunter Peak
> Canyon Wren 1 HO from Hunter Peak on outer face of range
> House Wren 8
> Western Bluebird 3
> Hermit Thrush 14
> Virginia's Warbler 1 M in the very top of a pine in the bowl. Flew in from a while a way, stayed for two minutes and then flew on. Out of habitat and acting like it.
> Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 3 At the creek in the Bowl
> Spotted Towhee 9
> Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2
> Chipping Sparrow 2
> Black-chinned Sparrow 1 1 imm at the very top of Hunter Peak at about 8,300 ft. Crazy?
> Dark-eyed Junco (Red-backed) 9
> Hepatic Tanager 1
> Western Tanager 4
> Pine Siskin 2 A pair at the creek in the Bowl
> Lesser Goldfinch 3 In the Bowl
>
> View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S24414520
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

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Oh and also heard a Bell’s Vireo singing along Hwy 54 south to Van Horn on 7/22/15.


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Many thanks to Christian Walker of Austin, TX for graciously allowing us to re-post his trip notes!

Guest Sightings: White-eared Hummingbird at Boot Canyon

Better late than never, perhaps - this post has been backdated. Reposted from Texbirds with permission. Slightly edited to fit blog format.

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White-eared Hummingbird, Monday, 7/20/15, at Boot Canyon
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2015

On Monday I saw a White-eared Hummingbird at Boot Canyon that appears to be the same bird reported by Randy Pinkston.
It took the better part of 3.5 hours for me to get a solid view. When I finally saw the bird, it was perched mid-level in a tree near the picnic table above the spring. That was at ~3.30pm. Menacing skies and the threat of hail sent me on my way shortly thereafter.

Thanks to Randy and Byron for getting the word out,

Teresa C. Keck


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Many thanks to Teresa Keck of South Texas for her permission to share her post! White-eared Hummingbirds *not* at feeders are quite an exceptional event!

Sunsets to watch

This blog never did post much in the way of sunsets, but if you'd like to see the Marathon Basin through the eyes of our neighbors... check out this little corner of the blogosphere. There's a horned lizard there, but click on through to the main page and the rest of the posts -- views will make your heart sigh.

::hat-tip to Tom and Klem::

Guest Post: 2 May 2015 by Paul C.

We've worked closely with Paul C. of Ohio during the planning phases of his trip - in exchange for a trip report! No modifications have been made, save correcting Lark Buntings from a typo of Lark Sparrows as requested.
-h

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TEXAS TRIP (CENTRAL, SOUTHWEST) - 2 MAY 2015
I confess it has been awhile since I have done a trip report. For a long time, over a span of 18 years, I had enjoyed doing week-long birding trips in the Lower 48, getting lifers by, well, by the 'bunches' (the smallest was 5 - the largest was 28) - well, the last such trip was to Western Washington in 2009, and I knew after that it would be at most two or maybe three lifer prospects per 4-or-5 day trip (and thus less to write about in a trip report...) but at Heidi Trudell's suggestion, I 'take up keypad' once again, and write a few things about my recent Texas trip:

My lifer prospects for this trip were Colima and Golden-cheeked Warbler - wouldn't mind a Black-capped Vireo, but I had that one from a (incidental) visit to Austin in 1994. I flew in to San Antonio Sat 2 May - arrived about 10:50 AM. Wow, an early arrival, certainly early enough to do some birding prior to getting settled in for the first night. I plan ahead for these trips, but I would not say 'meticulously' - as one might suppose, deciding in what ORDER to try for these two birds was no small part of the planning - driving times, overnight stays, etc. would depend greatly on which order was chosen. Months ago, I picked Sun night as my Chisos Mtn Lodge reservation, i.e. sort of in the middle (to hedge my bet). With the help of eBird, I saw a few places in/near San Antonio that had recent reports of multiple G-C Ws, and by this time such reports would surely mean birds on territory.

After getting the rent-a-car, I immediately set out to the closest stop, noticing that the ubiquitos White-winged Doves seem to replace what would be pigeons in the eastern and midwest US cities. I arrive at Crownridge Canyon Park at about 12:10, and start hiking around - don't know exactly where to look, just looking for oak/juniper areas... Most bird species here are eastern, except for a (uncooperative) Hutton's Vireo or two. After about two hours here, I decide to hop just a few miles north, to Friedrich Wilderness Preserve. An Audubon's Oriole is a nice find, at a small water bath - more Hutton's Vireo's are heard but not seen. At about 3:20, I hear a warbler song that sounds something between a Black-thr Green and Black-thr Blue - some persistence results in a great look at a Golden-cheeked Warbler! (lifer 645)

This is working out great! I was close to having to consider cancelling my reservation at the Fort Stockton Motel 6, in order to allow for an early AM outside Austin at the more reliable Balcones Canyonlands NWR spot for G-C (which in turn would leave the remainder of Sun for the long drive to Big Bend, which in turn would push my first try for Colima into Mon AM...) ...OR having to consider heading to Big Bend without the G-C yet - but instead, I stop and buy food/supplies, have supper, and it has been a long day but, with the G-C now 'in the bag', the drive to Fort Stockton doesn't seem too bad at all!

Overnight at Fort Stockton, then it's US 385 south toward Big Bend National Park. Although trying to make time, I do a bit of light birding as I head south - the habitat is mostly grassland, and Cassin's Sparrows are on territories. After awhile, I come across some Scaled Quail - COOL, have seen only one before this, in Arizona 22 years ago! A few lingering Lark Buntings in breeding plumage - also a sight rarely had prior for Yours Truly. The grasslands later give way to semi-arid desert vegetation, and I enter for the first time the famous Big Bend NP.

Before long, I am into the Chisos Mtns starting up the Pinnacles Trail. White-throated Swifts are one of the most conspicuous birds on the way up, both visually and vocally. A Dusky Flycatcher is identified as much by elimination of other empidonax as it is by its own appearance. This is no leisurely hike, as I was warned about, made no easier that I'm trying to make time, to maximize time to look for the Colima... It is about three hours in, about 1:00, and - an unfamiliar warbler song, and shortly thereafter, a small crowd of birders informs me that, YES, they have a Colima there! A diagnostic look in bad light, then shortly later, a better look - Colima Warbler! (646) They usually say sounds like Orange-crowned Warbler, but to me this one was more reminiscent of a different red-capped congener, Nashville. A calling Whip-poor-will in this same area was a neat bonus.

I hiked a bit further, past the end of the Pinnacles Trail and onto the Boot Canyon Trail, but found no further Colima's - a Canyon Wren was nice... but what can I say? It is mid-afternoon in my second day, and I have both target birds checked off! Couldn't go much better. I am back down at the Lodge about five hours after I started. The hike didn't surprise me too much, had much similar in years past living near the southern California mountains - but I'm older now and certainly wouldn't want this hike every other day! Some storm clouds to the west eventually arrived with a rain shower. A nice nap, supper, and a bit more leisurely birding (and Scott's Orioles!) finished off the evening.

Overnight at the (expensive) Chisos Mtn Lodge. After very cooperative weather so far, this morning is very windy, and so I abandon plans to bird the Park more today, and start heading back to San Antonio. A nice Varied Bunting was found before I left the park - but bird-finding was much reduced for the rest of the day, including even at Amistad NRA... some Lesser Nighthawks near dusk near Del Rio were seen but not heard.

Overnight in Del Rio, and plenty of time to get back to San Antonio for the final night. Some rain /drizzle was now added to the wind, but all this finally let up a bit later in the day. At one stop, heard what sounded like a Bunting - would it be Lazuli? or Indigo? - was I far enough east? Got on the bird, and the surprise for today, a STUNNING Painted Bunting! Gee, didn't even think about THAT one, didn't know they occcur this far west - only the second breeding male Painted I have ever seen!

Overnight in San Antonio, and a very early flight back to Detroit. Just under 1000 miles on the rental car. The trip list fell short of 100 - was pleased to get to 96 considering the poor weather the latter half of the trip (which sure made me think "Geez - sure glad I got Golden-cheeked out of the way first - wouldn't want to have to track one down in THIS weather.") I saw more roadrunners this trip than my entire life previously. Lastly, the person who encouraged me to do this report is the same person whose information and tips were critical to my success (THANKS AGAIN, Heidi).

Getting life birds: has been a bit like doing a very long set of push-ups - the early-on ones came easier and quicker, but the later ones, although more spaced-out and tougher, are a bit more gratifying when they DO come :-)

Trans-Pecos BBS Wrap-up 2015 / Trip Report

The following content was kindly approved for sharing by Stu Wilson, intrepid Breeding Bird Survey adventurer currently living in FL - he's done WTX BBS routes for many years and sent his end of route summary. This is shared with his permission, and with our gratitude for his efforts!

* Post Park was mistakenly listed as being south of Marfa, in Presidio County: it has been corrected to being south of Marathon, in Brewster County. Links were modified to be blog friendly.

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All-

I've put together a little wrap-up for my 4-11May2015 central Trans-Pecos BBS trip. Besides my three current BBS routes, I made a number of "general interest birding" stops, many of which I entered into eBird. The area continues to suffer from the effects of drought as well as the freeze and fire of 2011, but there were signs of recovery, e.g. good numbers of Scaled Quail and Greater Roadrunner. In general, neotropical migrants were in short supply anywhere I went.

El Paso Memorial Park (FWTX 9) 4May2015
One of the best opportunities to find migrants within the El Paso city limits is this urban park (El Paso County). However, I found very few- a Western Wood-Pewee, an Audubon's Yellow-rump, and several Wilson's Warbler- amongst 20 species total. eBird checklist here

McNary Reservoir 5May2015
Auduboners generally have permission to visit this water body located about 80 miles east of El Paso in Hudspeth County. I tallied 34 species in an hour including both Western and Clark's Grebes, as well as a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, possibly a new May record for the area. eBird checklist here

Marathon- Ft Pena Colorado Pk (The Post) (FWTX 28) 5May2015
This popular birding stop 5 miles south of Marathon in Brewster County was flush with water and yielded 26 species, but no rarities and just a couple of migrants. eBird checklist here

Alamito Creek Preserve 6May2015
This was my fourth visit to this cottonwood-lined riparian desert strip 35 miles south of Marfa in Presidio County. I started out the walk with Robert Potts, president of property owner Dixon Water Foundation, as well as Jay Pruett from Tulsa and Bob Ayres from Austin. Those three had to turn back mid-morning to tend to some business, but I walked the full 3.5-mile segment, and return, picking up 40 spp. Although there were some impressive numbers of individuals (52 House Finch, 60 Mourning Dove, 58 Northern Mockingbird, 42 Orchard Oriole, 45 Summer Tanager, and 46 Vermilion Flycatcher), and some good raptor activity (2 nesting pairs of Zone-tailed and 1 pair of Swainson's Hawk), migrants were few... only two species of warbler (Audubon's Yellow-rumped and Wilson's). eBird checklist here

Coyanda Draw BBS (Pecos Co 35 mi WSW of Ft Stockton) 7May2015 Habitat: dry and desolate Chihuahuan Desert scrub
I had to contend with only 2 vehicles the entire route! Veteran BBSers know what a luxury that is. The route produced 25 spp with Northern Mockingbird taking home the bacon at 61 and Scaled Quail trailing with 50.
* The Barn Owls at Stop 1 have apparently been evicted by a pair of Great Horned Owls
* 4 Lesser Nighthawks was very low
* Cassin's and Black-throated Sparrow made nice showings with 28 each
* Cactus Wren (avg 20+) has not rebounded on this route as I had only 2

Balmorhea- Sandia Wetlands (FWTX 20A) 7May2015
I had not previously visited this small facility east of Balmorhea in Reeves County, but was glad I did. I found 25 spp highlighted by Cinnamon Teal, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Baird's Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Phalarope, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Bank Swallow, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Yellow-headed Blackbird. eBird checklist here

Balmorhea Lake - Sandia Wetlands (FWTX 20) 7May2015
I did a loop around the lake, but it was now late afternoon and there just wasn't much happening. I noted about 16 spp, including both Aechmophorus grebes and a couple late Eared Grebes. A lone Ruddy Duck also seemed late.

Toyahvale BBS (Jeff Davis Co between Balmorhea and Ft Davis) 8May2015 Habitat: Davis Mtn foothills
This route was especially fire-ravaged in 2011. I turned up 32 spp with usual champ Northern Mockingbird taking top honors with 55 just overcoming a strong showing by resurging Scaled Quail at 50.
* The Elf Owl pair, present the last two years, could not be found
* Seven (7) Greater Roadrunner may be record for me for any route
* Twenty (20) Black-throated Sparrow was a strong showing
* No evidence of Cactus Wren recovery on this route (avg 16) as I had only 4
* 3 Painted Bunting and 1 Vermilion Flycatcher added some color to things

Bear Mountain BBS (Jeff Davis Co on the NW flanks of Davis Mountains) 9May2015 Habitat: Davis Mtn foothills (desert transitioning to oak/juniper)
This route has become my favorite for reasons I can't quite pinpoint. Only encountering five (5) vehicles on a route with a nicely paved road certainly helps. I tallied 34 spp with Northern Mockingbird achieving top dog at 27 individuals withstanding a strong challenge from Cactus Wren with 24. The Cactus Wren total is right at the historic average and suggests, on this route at least, the species is recovering.
* Cassin's Sparrow (avg 16) curiously absent from this route
* Six (6) Greater Roadrunner might be a record except for Toyahvale above
* Eighteen (18) Canyon Towhees might be a record for me for any route
* A Yellow-breasted Chat lustily singing in the wide open was a nice surprise

Madera Canyon Trail (FWTX 25) 9May2015
This 2.5-mile loop trail starts (and ends) at the south end of the Lawrence E Wood Picnic Area on TX 118 in Jeff Davis County. Most of the juniper trees are dead or dying lending a desolate air, but I nonetheless managed 17 spp including a rampaging young Cooper's Hawk and a Hepatic Tanager pair where the female was doing the singing. eBird checklist here


Big Bend NP- Chisos Basin 10May2015
I had run into some birders from Maryland at Davis Mountains SP who had just been to BBNP (Brewster County) and told me of the rarities lurking there: Short-tailed Hawk, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Flame-colored Tanager, and Evening Grosbeak. Given my limited time, I decided the latter three were out of reach, but I was on point for the STHA, which I thought I understood them to say was being seen (a dark morph and a light morph??) in the Chisos Basin from the lodge area. It didn't fill me with confidence when each of the five (5) rangers I quizzed indicated they were unaware of any rare hawks, and in the end I failed to turn one up. In the course of things, I did a long mid-day hike through the campgrounds, down to the sewage treatment plant, and out and back on the Window Trail, tallying about 17 species, but nothing unexpected. That evening I hiked up the Pinnacles Trail about a half-mile above the cottages and did a 7-9pm sentry duty listening for Mexican Whip-poor-will, but heard not a one. The mountain lion signs say "don't hike alone" and "don't hike at night" and I must confess this weighed on me as the day's light grew dim. My overnight accommodation was a room in the Emory Peak Lodge area but, despite leaving my windows open all night and doing a couple of short local hikes, I heard no owl nor nightjar at all.

Big Bend NP- Cottonwood Campground (FWTX 40) 11May2015
I got up early for the 38-mi drive to Cottonwood CG, arriving just after sunrise, and was promptly greeted by an Elf Owl. Other nuggets amongst 27 spp found were a Cassin's Vireo, a MacGillivray's Warbler, and several singing Yellow-breasted Chats. The prize, however, and the Bird of the Trip for me was a singing male Lucy's Warbler which I found just across the entrance road from the Amphitheater... my first new Texas bird (#489) since a Canada Warbler at Hornsby Bend in Austin on 19Sep2011. eBird checklist here


Out,

Stu

West Texas Hummingbird Banding Report, 2014

While this blog is effectively dead (we're no longer in the region, sadly), snippets may still find their way to a post, like the 2014 Banding Report from Kelly Bryan's West Texas Hummingbird research project. 

tis the season: Agapema Anona

A belated post - Charlie Sansom photographed this Mexican Agapema, Agapema Anona, reportedly one of several, on October 15th. Perfect timing for these beauties, who grace west Texas with their presence squarely in the middle of October every year (based on Marathon observations). Timely find and strikingly fresh individual! Such pristine condition...

Mexican Agapema, Agapema Anona. 15 Oct. 2014 by Charlie Sansom. Marathon/Brewster Co., TX.

Guest Sightings: Davis Mts

Slightly adapted from an email sent by Bill Sain of Alpine, TX:

(From Sunday, July 6, 2014)

No Montezuma Quail at Davis Mountains State Park this morning but I did see a pair on the road three miles from the picnic area [LE Woods picnic area, past the McDonald Observatory - h].  I did see a Hepatic Tanager at DMSP.  There appears to be nesting Cooper's Hawks at the picnic area.  There were five teachers from Weslaco camping there and they were asking me about a hawk they kept seeing.  Sounded like a Coopers to me (poor photos also showed a Coop) but one was adamant it was a Peregrine.  The other folks looked at their bird book and agreed that they had seen a Coopers.  I walked along the road and flushed an unknown hawk from a tree.  It did not go far so I searched the area and found a young Coopers in the tree the first hawk flushed from.  I don't know if the flushed bird was an adult or another juvenile.  The hawks were in the area where I saw Plumbeous Vireo last year...didn't see or hear any vireos there this year.  No Gray Flycatchers either.  Both the park and the picnic area were extremely busy today...it was not easy to bird there dodging people, cars, and noise.  Three year birds for the day, the quail, tanager and the Western Wood-Pewee.

***

While we are in limbo, emailed reports of all kinds are appreciated!

 

Guest Post - John Mariani (Davis Mts, Big Bend)

Post shared with permission:

This weekend I made a trip to the Davis Mountains. Originally I had planned on going from there to the Guadalupe Mountains,  but I got some of my target birds for the Guadalupes in the Davis Mountains, so I opted for Big Bend instead.
On Thursday, on my way to the Davis Mountains, I took a detour off I-10 onto 290, which makes a loop back to I-10 (I think this is all in Crockett Co.). Had Gray Vireo in the canyon below the picnic area about 9 miles from I-10. At Fort Lancaster Historic Site I had Curve-billed Thrasher, Black-throated and Lark Sparrows, and Orchard Oriole.

While driving along Limpia Creek between Balmorhea and Fort Davis I spotted a Common Black Hawk perched in a tall cottonwood. I stopped to check it out, and watched it fly to a nest in another cottonwood. There was at least one downy chick in the nest.

The bird blinds at Davis Mountains State Park were attracting a lot of birds. Montezuma Quail have been coming to the bird blind on the right, just before the campgrounds. According to the log there, they have been seen almost daily, usually in the morning or late in the evening. On Thursday evening they were a no-show. I stopped there again at 8:30 the next morning, and a pair of Montezuma Quail were already there. Some people approaching the blind scared them off, but they returned briefly at 9:14. Other birds coming to the feeders/running water at the blinds included Acorn and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Cassin’s Kingbirds, a pair of Hepatic Tanagers, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, Canyon Towhee, Lesser Goldfinch, Rufous-crowned, Chipping, and Black-throated Sparrows, and Scott’s Oriole. Only hummingbird species I saw at the feeders was Black-chinned.

Walking from the park entrance back through the campgrounds I saw Greater Roadrunner, LOTS more Cassin’s Kingbirds, Western Wood-Pewees, Say’s Phoebe, Western Scrub Jay, Cactus and Bewick’s Wrens, Summer Tanager, and more Blue Grosbeaks. At night it was really quiet in the park – didn’t hear Common Poorwill or any owls.

On the afternoon of 6/5 and early morning of 6/6 I birded the Lawrence E. Wood Picnic Area. Birds seen there and at the beginning of the Madera Canyon Trail included Cooper’s Hawk on a nest, Gray Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin’s Kingbird, Plumbeous Vireo,  White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, Grace’s Warbler, Hepatic Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Chipping Sparrow.

Driving 118 from Davis Mountains State Park toward Mt. Locke, where the road starts a winding ascend through patches of brush with flowering agaves, I had Scott’s Oriole and Rufous-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows. Farther upslope, in a more wooded area, I saw a Hepatic Tanager singing alongside the road.

On the afternoon of 6/6 I hiked the Pinnacles Trail up to Boot Canyon in the Chisos. The ascent to the trail summit was a three-hour ordeal (not fun, felt like I was gonna have heat stroke). Did see Bushtit on the way up, and had a brief look at a Zone-tailed Hawk from the trail’s summit. Spent the night in Boot Canyon. Right at dusk the Mexican Whip-poor-wills started calling...everywhere...at times there were 3 or 4 going simultaneously. Joined a group of birders from Kingsville for owling, and in about an hour and a half we managed to see Whip-poor-will, Western Screech-Owl, and Flammulated Owl. Later I heard a pair of Western Screech-Owls dueting near my campsite, and the Whips were still calling – sometimes sounding like they were only a stone’s throw from my tent - when I finally fell asleep.

On the morning of 6/7, after the Whips finally shut up, I hiked the Juniper Canyon Trail from Boot Springs to the South Rim. The very orange probable Hepatic x Western Tanager was singing right above Boot Springs, with a pair of Hepatic Tanagers nearby. Along the Juniper Canyon Trail I had 4 Band-tailed Pigeons, Blue-throated and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Cordilleran Flycatcher, about a half dozen Colima Warblers, and an adult Painted Redstart with 3-4 recently fledged young (saw another redstart at Boot Springs, and one was heard singing down by the campgrounds). Had a Crissal Thrasher where the Juniper Canyon Trail meets the South Rim Trail.

Returned to Chisos Basin via Laguna Meadows – another grueling ordeal, but at least this time it was mostly downhill. Had another Hepatic Tanager down the trail, which made a total of 8 or 8.5 Hepatics for the trip, depending on how you count that weird hybrid at Boot Springs.

The group from Kingsville told me that they had Lucifer and Blue-throated Hummingbirds the day before near the water treatment plant below the Chisos Basin Campground. After recovering from the the long hike down to the Chisos Basin I went to check it out. There is a little drainage lined with reeds below the water treatment plant, and I saw a male Black-chinned and female Lucifer coming to the yellow flowers of the tree tobacco growing along this drainage. Other birds I saw there included a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and male Indigo Bunting.

In the desert scrub around the ranger station at Panther Junction I had Verdins, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, and Pyrrhuloxias.

On Highway 385, about 6.8 miles north of Marathon,  I found Susan Foster and her birding posse scoping a prairie dog town for Burrowing Owl. Lucky for me they were there when I drove by, because the approximate mileage I had to this site was incorrect - if I hadn’t seen them on the side of the road I would have driven right past the spot. Got to see the owl through their scope, and a little farther north, in the same prairie dog town, I had a pair of Scaled Quail. Farther north there were Cassin’s Sparrows singing in the grassland, and at about 22 miles from Marathon I saw a male Bronzed Cowbird on the roadside.

Special thanks to Sheridan Coffey for directions to some of my target birds, and to the birders from Kingsville (wish I could remember the names!) -

John Mariani
Lumberton, TX

Phrynosoma, say it with me...

Horned lizards are declining as a whole throughout Texas for a variety of reasons (fire ants, grassy lawns, urban sprawl, non-native predators, etc.) but we're fortunate to still have a holdout for Texas Horned Lizards in Marathon... and occasionally, if you're lucky, this little fellow: the Round-tailed Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma modestum. I am starting to think that our neighbors, Klem and Tom, have an affinity for rocks - they sent us some lovely images of a pebble-in-disguise toad lubber earlier this year - and now they've beautifully captured the essence of a remarkably lumpy skipping stone.

Round-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum) photo by Tom Lehr, Marathon/Brewster Co., TX 25 May 2014

To learn more about these cryptic neighbors of ours (the lizards, not the humans!) the herps of Texas site covers the basics: click here for their round-tailed horned lizard species account.

Round-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum) photo by Tom Lehr, Marathon/Brewster Co., TX 25 May 2014

Guest Post/Photos from Ian and Ruth McGeorge

* Prior to their trip, the McGeorges had contacted us with some questions, which we were happy to answer, with the promise of a trip report in exchange. This is far more detail than anticipated, and a fantastic look at the region we call home (and seeing it through the eyes of other travelers will be more helpful, perhaps, than those of locals). All text and photos are courtesy of Ruth and Ian.

South West Texas/South East New Mexico 2013

Ian and Ruth McGeorge, England, UK.

This was a trip that Ruth and I had planned since last visiting Big Bend in 2003 (a long wait!).

Back then we had travelled from Manchester in England to Houston, then via Brownsville, all the way up the Rio Grande and as far west as Terlingua -  Big Bend was more than we had ever hoped for but we still missed out on one or two birds, which kept gnawing away at us in the intervening years.

So, the morning of 28^th April 2013 saw us blinking at the bright sunshine outside our window on the edge of El Paso International Airport (we had arrived the previous evening via Manchester/Philadelphia/Phoenix). The first day was a rest day, getting our bearings and finding that (despite making careful prior arrangements) our credit cards were almost immediately blocked by an incompetent UK banking system. House Finch, White-winged Dove and Red-tailed Hawk were little compensation but at least the birding had begun!

29^th April gave us our first “proper” birding excursion, into the Franklin Mountains State Park, looking quite stark and bare from a distance. The temperature crept into the 90’s that day, not something we experience much in England as a rule. I had strained a ligament in my back a few days before the trip, so this limited my mobility in the first week or so of the holiday. Some of the hikes that were planned had to be revised somewhat and birding was mainly around the picnic areas and slightly less-challenging trails. Still, as we eased ourselves in, we enjoyed birds such as Canyon Towhee, several Turkey Vultures, a perched Red-tailed Hawk, 3 low-flying White-throated Swifts, 6 Black-throated Sparrows (very dapper birds, albeit not new to us), a Brewer’s and a Rufous-crowned Sparrow. Road-runner called nearby but didn’t show. Although we had seen such birds on previous trips to the States, they were none the less great to catch up with again. Two adult and one young Mule Deer were mammals we had not come across before, as were 2 Rock Squirrels close by.

We returned to the outskirts of El Paso and eventually found Arroyo Park (as with some other sites visited, we had used the quite-dated-but-still-useful Lane/ABA Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande Valley to supplement information gleaned from various websites – mention should be made at this juncture of the very helpful and friendly tips and advice given to us by Heidi and also Steve Gross, we really appreciated their quick and informative responses to our e-mails).  It was late afternoon with not a great deal of bird activity but we were treated to our first ever Wood Pee-Wee – maybe not the most striking of birds but new to us and the first lifer of this trip. Other birds included 3 Swainson’s Hawks, a stunningly bright male Wilson’s Warbler, Western Kingbirds, a few Northern Rough-winged and Barn Swallows, a couple of Black-chinned Hummingbirds, some very friendly dog-walkers and an annoying kid on a mountain bike. 

Western Kingbird

We liked the feel of the Franklin Mountains SP, so returned the following day. Although I was still suffering from back pain (we birders are true heroes in the face of adversity…) it wasn’t going to spoil things and our first male Townsend’s and male Black-throated Gray Warbler, single birds feeding about three feet apart in the same small tree, made me forget my twinges. American warblers can be a sight for sore eyes when compared to our more uniform Eurasain phylloscopus warblers, so this duo was an exciting and unexpected find for us. Flipping through the various American field guides over the years, these two species were on my most-wanted list. We pretty much had the place to ourselves, a strange experience compared to birding back home. In addition to the same species as seen yesterday, we caught up with 2 Scaled Quail at the feeder station, several House Finch (we were to see plenty more over the next couple of weeks or so, but never tired of the crimson males), a Rock Wren and a fairly distant Cooper’s Hawk. 

We had wanted to see a little of New Mexico and the Guadalupe Mountains, so the next day saw us heading out of El Paso to spend the next couple of evenings at Roswell. As we left the outskirts of El Paso we found a colony of Cliff Swallows beneath a road bridge and enjoyed fairly close views without disturbing them (always a pre-requisite of birding anywhere in the world!).

We made a small number of stops on the way through New Mexico, spontaneous pull-ins at the roadside really, picking up several Ash-throated Flycatchers, male Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler, Chihuahuan Ravens and Swainson’s Hawks. Passing through Ruidoso, we popped in to The Museum of the American West, where a small flock of Brewer’s Blackbirds (3 males, 2 females) were present in some trees by the car park.

The temperature plummeted overnight, as predicted by the various TV weather forecasters, so we wrapped up as best we could in 40+ deg.F, dropping from the high 70’s the day before. Coming from the north west of England, cool and crappy weather is nothing new! After sampling the delights of the various “out-of-this-world” exhibits we drove to Roswell cemetery, which we understood could produce some good birding. Plenty of sparrows had dropped in, with dozens of Chipping and White-crowned, plus 6 Lark and one White-throated. A few Dark-eyed Juncos included both pink-sided and gray-headed. We never got tired of seeing Western Kingbirds and there were plenty around here, along with several hermit Thrushes, about 30 American Robins and a Spotted Towhee. All the features pointed to what we were pretty sure was our first Hammond’s Flycatcher but a more experienced eye for Empidonax-spotting would have clinched it one way or another. Another pair of Swainson’s Hawks was a welcome addition to the day’s list.

The next day saw us head out to Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge, a place that we had seen on the map whilst back home. It looked promising so we made our way there, picking up one of our only American Kestrels of the trip. We hadn’t planned to spend too long here but were more than pleased to take our time, even though we still didn’t do it justice. It’s clearly a great place for wintering cranes and wildfowl but there was still a wonderful array of birds to enjoy. Wildfowl that would draw crowds from miles around back in the UK was great to see without any jostling from competing birders, such as Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon and Lesser Scaup. One of the bonuses was seeing our first Cinnamon Teal, 3 beautiful drakes and one duck. Seeing about 150 Ruddy Ducks was a reminder of days gone by seeing this bird in the UK before the Ruddy Duck cull took its toll – that was down to the theory that Ruddy Duck (an introduced/escaped species in the UK) was inter-breeding with the White-headed Duck, already an endangered bird in Europe. It’s a rare thing to find one back home nowadays.  A flock of about 20 White-faced Ibis was a pleasant surprise but even more surprising was the large number of Wilson’s Phalaropes passing through, perhaps 300 or more. The females were in full breeding plumage and were simply stunning. Again, this is a rarity in the UK, the last one we saw there being about 20 years before. Waders were much in evidence, with about 100 Black-necked Stilts, around 50 American Avocets, plus Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet and Snowy Plover, whilst Sandpipers included Spotted, Stilt, Least, Western and Semi-palmated.

Northern Harrier and 3 Red-tailed Hawks were the only raptors seen. A couple of Forster’s Terns patrolled the pools. Around 400 Cave Swallows were winging their way across the refuge. Other water birds included our first Western Grebe (ever since I saw this species in its amazing display on a TV nature programme many years ago I have wanted to see this bird, regrettably not displaying on this occasion), Pied-billed Grebe  and 2 White Pelicans (one with the breeding “crest” on its bill fully operational). The odd Yellow-rumped and Wilson’s Warbler were pleasing, as were a Spotted Towhee, 1  Brewer’s and  5 White-crowned Sparrows. Our visit here was rounded off with our first Western Meadowlark.

American Avocet

On then to stay at Carlsbad, from where we headed next day to Rattlesnake Springs and what was to be maybe the best birding of the whole holiday. The cold front that had come down across New Mexico and West Texas had brought a fall of migrants that also desposited a number of U.S. birders at the Springs. We met some fantastic, welcoming birders there, some of the nicest people you could hope to meet (aren’t all birders like that?), including two men who, we were told, were two of NM’s top birders. They certainly helped us with a couple of i.d. queries and, to boot, were Packers fans, just like Ruth! On the road in to the Springs we saw a pair of Scale Quail and then, after parking up, started tucking in to the feast before our eyes. In no time at all we saw our first rather raucous Cassin’s Kingbirds, followed immediately by eye-catching Black-headed Grosbeaks (2 males and 2 females - very much on our wanted list).

Our first dainty Lucy’s Warbler (only heard at first) wasn’t far behind, then on the same fenceline sat a Dusky Flycatcher (i.d. clinched by our Packers buddies). Tennesse Warbler surprised us, having been mistakenly identified initially on a very brief half-concealed view as Red-eyed Vireo. Another lifer!

All this was before we even got to the Springs proper, where we then caught up with probably my most wanted bird of the trip, Phainopepla  -a pair was present – we missed them in Big Bend back in 2003 and they were well worth the long wait! Red-eyes, crest, white wing flash, the lot! Also high on our most-wanted list was the amazing male Western Tanager, so when we suddenly caught sight of one of these beauties, the day couldn’t get much better, lifer number 7 for the day – so far….

The supporting cast included some birds that we had seen on previous trips but were nonetheless outstanding – plenty of Vermillion Flycatchers (the males shining like beacons from low-hanging branches and power lines). A couple of Bell’s and 1 Plumbeous Vireos played second fiddle to a stunning male Varied Bunting, 2 equally stunning male Painted and 1 also equally stunning male Indigo Bunting. Hanging around the Springs we also found Gray Catbird, Common Yellowthroat, 5 Yellow-breasted Chats (another personal favourite, very striking), a pair of Eastern Bluebirds, Hermit Thrush, lifer no. 8 for the day in Northern Waterthrush, about a dozen or so Wilson’s Warblers, 2 bright male Yellow Warblers and plenty of Yellow-rumped. 3 Black and 1 Say’s Phoebe showed exceptionally well, as did Summer Tanagers, Western Scrub-Jay, 2 House Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Ladder-backed Woodpecker and a superb but shy Green-tailed Towhee.

Other ground-feeders included both Chipping and White-crowned Sparrows, Lesser Goldfinch and a Gray-headed Dark eyed Junco. Rounding up the list for the Springs were 2 male Orchard Orioles, again a species that we have seen before but still a treat to the eyes.

One of the other visiting birders, Bob, told us about the Washington Ranch, literally round the corner and hosting an over-wintering Lewis’ Woodpecker! This seems too good to be true, even though it had been seen hours before. Once we had parked the car, our first Lewis’ Woodpecker flew across to the dead trees, right where Bob said it would be. Although the plumage can perhaps be quite subtle in certain light, this is truly a beautiful bird and never in our wildest dreams did we expect this. It’s one of those birds that you see over the years in a field guide and think it’s just never an option. Lifer No.10 almost immediately appeared above our heads in a tree, a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak feeding alongside a male Black-headed – wow! We strolled round the ranch, picking up more Vermillion Flycatchers, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Blue-winged and Ring-necked Ducks, another Common Yellowthroat, our second-ever-in-the-space-of-3 hours Northern Waterthrush, Black Phoebe and Wilson’s Warbler. Passing a tree, some movement caught my eye and a little patience gave up our first Blackpoll Warbler, a male. I had actually poorly seen a dingy autumn bird on the east coast of England many years before but this was something special, what a striking bird despite its black and white plumage. Lifer No.12 for the day came in the form of a flock of about a dozen Pine Siskins, streaky and a little on the unspectacular side - I have to say that the male Siskin back in the UK does win in the beauty stakes.  

                                                                                                          

And so on to the end of the birding day, almost… as we drove out across some open weed-strewn land to exit the ranch we stopped to scope a large flock of sparrows, many Chipping, with the odd Lark and White-crowned thrown in for good measure, plus about 20 Dark-eyed Juncos (all looked to be Gray-headed?). Then amongst the flock I caught a flash of blue and orange and there before our eyes was a male Lazuli Bunting – a staggering sight and, again, one of those field guide birds that I didn’t really think I would ever catch up with. Almost as soon as we landed upon it, it flew but fortunately went straight up into a bare tree and sat while we drank it all in. The male American buntings are an amazingly colourful bunch, this species being my favourite by a country mile. So, 13 lifers today, a day to savour for a long time to come.

Buntings were on the menu the next day, as we chanced upon a flock of 10 Lark Buntings, 5 males and 5 females, on the road to Dog Canyon in the Guadalupes, along with 3 pairs of Scaled Quail.      As we drove to higher elevations the weather became a little breezy and cool but our temperature soared with the sight of our first Scott’s Oriole, 2 males seen here, both coming to hummingbird feeders. The intended targets for these feeders were by no means absent, as we sat on a porch swing and whiled away a half hour watching our first Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, joined occasionally by a few Black-chinned. Flying across the mountainside and then low overhead were 3 Violet-green Swallows, the sunlight occasionally showing exactly why they bear that name. Other birds encountered were 2 Say’s Phoebes, plenty of Chipping Sparrows, a singing Plumbeous Vireo, more Dark-eyed Juncos and Wilson’s Warblers, a Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Canyon Towhee and another fabulous male Western Tanager. A Goshawk was a big surprise and we had brief but good views of this raptor.                                                                             

We stopped off on the way back down at Sitting Bull Falls and spotted our only Orange-crowned Warbler of the trip, feeding low down in the vegetation by the car park. 3 White-throated Swifts whizzed around above us and we both heard and saw 2 Canyon Wrens, another very dapper bird.

Slaughter Canyon was our first stop the next day and the temperature was back in the mid 80’s. We actually saw very little here, although still managed both male and female Western Tanager, a female Scott’s Oriole, Canyon Wren and Broad-tailed Hummer, so mustn’t complain.                            

We thought we would try our luck again at Rattlesnake Springs, having had such a monster day there already and having missed on that day both Painted Redstart and Kentucky Warbler, neither of which we had seen before. And we didn’t today, either! Although we again saw many of the species we had seen on our previous visit (and thoroughly enjoyed them all over again) we did in addition find one each of  both Rufous-crowned and Lincoln’s Sparrows, so well worth the second visit in our view. Off we then headed to Van Horn for the next leg of our journey.

Although Van Horn wasn’t quite what we had expected (don’t really know what we had expected), staying at the El Capitan hotel was an amazing experience, so atmospheric. The drive back to the Guadalupe Mountains provided an occasional Gambel’s Quail and Roadrunner across the highway as we made our way to the Pine Springs visitor centre, meeting some very welcoming and pleasant staff in the process. We were impressed with the Centre and even more so by the pair of Western Tanagers that were saw outside soon after. Western Scrub Jay, Summer Tanager, Yellow-rumped and Wilson’s Warblers, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Bewick’s Wren and Black-headed Grosbeak soon followed and I was especially pleased to find another Lincoln’s Sparrow feeding in the car park.     Bird of the day, though, was a male McGillivray’s Warbler, feeding within a few feet of us at the base of a bush. Within a minute we found a female of the same species. Although we had seen this beauty in Big Bend 10 years previously, these views were so much more lengthy and rewarding.            

The Frijole Ranch house had just been opened to a small party of visitors, so we tagged on and were glad we did, a very interesting little place. Occasionally, when people find that we are from the UK, they tell us how fascinating our history is but, believe me, Texas is rich in exciting and very unique history. Unfortunately the birds at Frijole were not that interesting or evident but the best find there was another major highlight of the trip – our first Texas Horned Lizard! Ruth just pulled me back from stepping on the poor blighter and we were then able to get some smashing pictures of it – never thought we would ever see one! The trip back to Van Horn late afternoon turned up a few Loggerhead Shrikes, before we took a diversion to Van Horn Cemetery, where Heidi had given us a tip for Gambel’s Quail – she wasn’t wrong! After a short, slow, respectful drive round, Ruth spotted a pair close to a gravestone – what a truly stunning bird, one of the most exciting views of any bird on the trip. We headed back to the hotel, past an active Say’s Phoebe and saw our only Common Nighthawk of the holiday right outside the hotel, at dusk.

The next morning at McKittrick Canyon was very windy and we saw little, other than Blue Gray Gnatcatchers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Plumbeous Vireo. Pine Springs yielded little in the way of new species, or any actually, so we headed back early to Van Horn. We stopped on the drive back to take a picture or two at the Figure 2 Ranch and, whilst there, heard a song that was unfamiliar to us. After scanning some open ground, we landed upon a singing Horned Lark, the only one of the trip.

9^th May saw us heading off to Balmorhea, where we had next planned to stay. Although we had seen some accommodation on the internet, it wasn’t (again) quite what we expected, a lovely place none the less (with several Wild Turkeys roaming around some of the back roads). We headed straight to Lake Balmorhea and had the time of our life! Waterbirds, waders, there was plenty to see. We very quickly found 3 American Pipits (a real rarity back in the UK), along with the only Savannah Sparrow to be found by us this time round. Other sparrows included Lark and White-crowned. 2 male Pyrrhuloxias, one constantly singing, were special – always reminding me of a washed-out Cardinal that has taken a punch on the nose. Red-tailed Hawk and Osprey were the only raptors present (apart from the ubiquitous Turkey Vultures). Almost the highlight of the day was a flock of about 30 Lark Buntings, some stunning male birds showing well. The actual highlight of the day was our first ever Clark’s Grebe. Sadly, no Western Grebes were here, which we had anticipated seeing rather than it’s cousin, though we did also find 6 Eared (Black-necked in the UK) and about a dozen Pied-billed Grebes. Aside from a few duck species, there was plenty to enjoy with both Snowy and Semi-palmated Plovers, Killdeer, Spotted and Least Sandpipers, a couple of Long-billed Dowitchers, plenty of leggy Black-necked Stilts  and American Avocet (a beautiful wader). Willet, Lesser Yellowlegs and a handful of Wilson’s Phalaropes pretty much completed the list here.                                                       

We had decided by now that we would head for Fort Davis for the evening, but stopped first at Balmorhea State Park. We had hoped to see more birds and less people here but none the less found females of Blue Grosbeak and Lesser Goldfinch and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow.        The habitat changed as we got nearer to the Davis Mountains, the landscape getting more interesting as we drove up to Buffalo Scout Camp Road – this was an attractive area and, although it was getting toward late afternoon, we were thrilled to catch sight of a pair of Zone-tailed Hawks drifting at mid-height across the road – worth the stop just to see them. Black-throated and Lark Sparrows were picked up here also. After finding accommodation for a couple of nights in Fort Davis we went for a stroll and the day was made complete by our first Acorn Woodpecker on the top of a telegraph pole in the middle of town (although we had committed the cardinal sin of not having a pair of bins with us) – all the same, a great end to a rewarding day.

After a wonderful breakfast in the Fort Davis Drugstore (what a fantastic place to eat!) we pottered around the Davis Mountains State Park for a while. We were both a little tired and the weather was cooler, with some rain later in the afternoon. We were heading up to the MacDonald Observatory for an evening of star gazing, so hoped that the cloud cover would disappear, which it partly did later on. We watched male Black-headed Grosbeak and Scott’s Oriole at the Interpretive Center bird blind/screen, whilst a couple of Black-chinned Hummingbirds entertained us. Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch (as everywhere) and “Black-crested” Titmouse also put in an appearance. Roadrunner scurried across one of the paths whilst we enjoyed the sight and sound of a Bewick’s Wren or two singing their hearts out. We spent part of the afternoon at the Fort Davis National Historic Site. As an Englishman brought up as a child on a diet of westerns and “cowboy and indian” films, the chance to visit a real cavalry fort was one I wasn’t going to miss. We really enjoyed it, the people have done a great job. Wandering by the various remains and restored buildings we saw 3 Rock Wrens, one of them in song, another Lark Sparrow (one of the most attractive to our eyes of the American sparrows), Canyon Towhees and heard but couldn’t see a Canyon Wren on the rocks at the back of the Fort. Back to the hotel then for a rest before the evening at the observatory.

The following day we headed out onto Highway 166. The weather was again a little cooler, with rain mid-afternoon but it wasn’t going to dampen our spirits. Swainson’s Hawk, Western Meadowlark and Cassin’s Kingbird were seen before we got to Point of Rock, where we had frustratingly brief views of Canyon and Cactus Wren, both singing (not us, the birds). A male Ladder-backed Woodpecker showed well, however, as did an Ash-throated Flycatcher, seemingly oblivious to our presence. Bloys Camp yielded our first Bushtit of the trip but little else of note. The main event of the day was hopefully going to be at Lawrence E. Woods picnic site, where we had been told it would be impossible to miss Acorn Woodpecker – and they were impossible to miss! Four birds flew back and forth constantly, calling and arguing between themselves, it seemed, all the time we were there. Eventually they separated into two pairs. I had waited 10 years to get a great ‘scope view of this species, ever since I had very briefly seen one in flight on the road to Alpine back in 2003, whilst I was driving at a rate of knots. To say it was worth the wait was a spectacular understatement. They may look a little clown-like facially but are a striking bird and, along with the Phainopepla, they made the whole trip worthwhile. I was now officially a happy bunny but was even happier when we suddenly spotted our first ever Western Bluebird, a male, sat on a low-hanging branch.

Western Meadowlark

We had checked out that morning and headed for the Indian Lodge in the State Park, where we had pre-booked 3 nights some months before. It was everything we hoped for, what a stunning location. The next morning I was out at dawn and greeted before long by several male and female Blue Grosbeaks, two females being very territorial over a patch of scrub. One of the very few Cardinals of the trip popped up, whilst two more Bushtits were very welcome (very similar in shape and habit to our Long-tailed Tit back home). It was nice to see another Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Cassin’s Kingbirds were certainly around! After breakfast we spent a little time around Lympia Creek but didn’t find much, other than a few Cave Swallows, Lark Sparrow and “ male and one female Brown-headed Cowbird, not seen previously on this trip. We returned to the State Park and had a wander around the various trails – Ladder-backed Woodpecker (male), Western Wood-Pewee, Bewick’s Wren (one carrying nesting material), male Summer Tanager drinking from a puddle, several male Black-headed Grosbeaks (1 in song), Blue Grosbeak, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, a singing male Black-throated Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow and a Yellow Warbler were all eclipsed by a male Scott’s Oriole, we could never get tired of seeing them! We saw all the usual suspects at the interpretive Center, plus a small flock of Pine Siskins. As we left here, an Acorn Woodpecker landed on a telegraph pole close by – still felt like the first time we’d seen one! In the evening we found a Say’s Phoebe by the Lodge.

Another morning walk before breakfast was well worth the effort. As I started to walk, a Phainopepla appeared, briefly showing it to be a male before it took flight. What a cracker. Ash-throated Flycatcher and a few Cassin’s Kingbirds soon followed, before a flock of about 10 blackbirds flew low overhead, one of which was a fine male Yellow-headed. Brown-headed Cowbird and a singing Rufous-crowned Sparrow completed the pre-breakfast list. After chow, we stopped off at the Prude Ranch, where Ruth hoped to get in a spot of horse-riding; unfortunately they had nothing available due to a pre-booked party that day, but we did see another Acorn Woodpecker and an extremely close Cooper’s Hawk taking flight from a small tree.                                                                            

We had decided to go back to Lawrence E. Woods, as we also wanted to walk the Madera Canyon Trail for one or two birds that we had hoped to see, but had so far eluded us. We again found Acorn Woodpecker as we arrived (or, rather, they found us), 5 birds this time, still flying form tree to tree. A couple of Western Scrub Jays popped up and we found a pair of Western Bluebirds this time, the female looking like she was attending a probable nest site. A few more Pine Siskins were followed by our first White-breasted Nuthatch, which was frustratingly chased away almost immediately by an Acorn Woodpecker before we could take out time to enjoy it. We stocked up with cool drinks and headed off on the Madera Canyon Trail. Bushtit, Chipping Sparrow and a singing Lark Sparrow were the only birds seen for quite a while, until we chanced upon another of our “most-wanted” – a Black-chinned Sparrow, which was drinking from a small pool. Further along the trail we found another (?) singing from a tree top, giving great views. The highlight of the day for me, though, came in the shape of a fine male Hepatic Tanager – it was very confiding, landing on a low tree branch about 15 feet away before flying to join its mate close by. Great to see all the features close up which separate it from the Summer Tanager, although the female looked a little greener above and yellower below than shown in the Sibley Guide – could have just been the light. We did also chance upon an Empidonax flycatcher – with decent views the features leaned toward it being a Dusky. Back down at the car, we then promptly found a female Hepatic Tanager! I took an evening walk on the Montezuma Trail back at the State Park – no quails but it was great to be above the Turkey Vultures and look down on them as they went to roost in some trees below.

The next day we were leaving Indian Lodge and the Davis Mountains – and very sad to be doing so; we could certainly see what all the hype was about, a magnificent place. My pre-breakfast walk gave many of the same species as previous mornings, with the added bonus of a male Scott’s Oriole singing from the top of a pine almost outside our door.

Red-tailed and Swainson’s hawks featured on our drive down Highway 17 South and 90 West. On the rough farm roads to a rather dry McNary Reservoir we still found some waders, including Black-necked Stilts, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer and a solitary Solitary Sandpiper. A flock of about 4 dozen Red-winged Blackbirds seemed to be moving through, we found another Roadrunner and then 3 pairs of Gambel’s Quail – what a sight. A storm was brewing and thunder and lightning was around. As the rainstorm threatened, we were briefly birding at Fort Hancock Reservoir, with American Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, a beautiful female Wilson’s Phalarope and a Least Sandpiper. A pair of “Mexican” Mallard was tucked in a channel nearby. At Fabens we drove down to the border fence, just so we could say that we had almost made it to Mexico on this trip, and notched up another Roadrunner. We came across a smallish man-made lake/stretch of water somewhere between Acala and Tornillo, upon which sat about 60 Ruddy Ducks, a dozen or so Shoveler and 3 American Avocets, which seemed to be swimming out in the middle.

Wilson's Phalarope

After a day back in El Paso catching up on buying presents for family and friends and ourselves (we thought we deserved it), the 16^th May was singled out for another site that I had wanted to visit – Hueco Tanks. This turned into a hot day, so we just took our time mooching round. The Indian pictographs that we saw were amazing, although we were not booked to go elsewhere in the State Park, where those that had not been vandalised by graffiti could be found. Still, we enjoyed what we saw and frankly, we were also fascinated by some of the “graffiti” from the 1800’s, still a slice of history in our book. Bird-wise, which is mainly why we went of course, it was well worth the effort. We saw our only Verdins of the holiday, a beauty of a bird, including an adult feeding a fledged youngster. A couple of male Western Tanagers were, perhaps, out last chance to see them on this trip. A pair of both Black-throated and Brewer’s Sparrow were present and we touched lucky with another male Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Canyon Wrens were singing and we managed to get our best view of the trip here. We accidentally flushed a pair of Scaled Quail and picked up two Hairy Woodpeckers in flight. Our only Warbling Vireos of this trip were found with just a little patience, with Bell’s also showing up. A Says’ Phoebe flitted around and a male Wilson’s Warbler was eclipsed by another, closer, female McGillivray’s Warbler. The last lifer of this journey came in the form of a fine Cordilleran Flycatcher - it was surprisingly confiding and gave us ample opportunity to check out all the features in quite some detail, the i.d. confirmed by reference to Sibley’s and discussion with the warden back at the centre – a little gem of a bird.

Our final day was going to be somewhat laid-back, but we still made it back into the Franklin Mountains for another quick look round the picnic areas. As well as expected birds, such as Black-throated Sparrow, we found a Cactus Wren visiting its nest, our best views of this bird in the 3 weeks we had been birding. We finished at the bird feeding area, meeting a very friendly chap who put out the bird food and had helped to install the pump that kept this little oasis going. A White-throated Sparrow drank from the trickle, a pair of Scaled Quail pottered around and we finished off with what proved to be our last view of one of the most colourful birds we had seen on our holiday, a male Western Tanager coming down to quench its thirst.

And so came to a close 3 weeks of birding heaven, plenty of new species, some of which we did not really think we would catch up with, some we had hoped to catch up with and, with the Lewis’ Woodpecker, a bird we had never even contemplated seeing.

There couldn’t really be a down side with such a wonderful array of birds but, not managing to make it to Big Bend this time, just left us hungry for more. So, in the words of MacArthur…….