(This reply from Rich is in reference to a question about lack of publicity over the discovery of Polygonia haroldi in the Davis Mts, as seen in our earlier post.)
11:05PM 29 June 2013
via the TX-Butterfly list-serv:
Actually, I think there has been a fair bit of comment on it, just not on this listserv. There are just so many forums to post stuff to nowadays. I think the initial post, which was to get confirmation on the ID, was on a NABA forum. Anyway, because the Spotless Comma was found on private land, the observers have been inclined towards vagueness about the locality of the sighting. I can be a bit more specific. Despite what the AP Press reported (they did a story of several rare Davis Mountains critter sightings and mistakenly stated that the comma was at Davis Mountains State Park), the comma was actually found in the high country (near 8000') on The Nature Conservancy's Davis Mountains Preserve. Apparently, the sighting did generate a fair bit of interest, but we (TNC) don't really have a good handle on that interest as most of the queries were directed at Dr. Hoyt, the researcher from the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute who actually found the comma and initially posted about it. So, I am not sure how much interest there was/is in chasing the comma, possibly collecting it, or whatever. Anyway, the comma or I should say commas, have now been seen for about a month now. We have actually confirmed multiple individuals and a courtship flight has been observed. Their host plant (Ribes) is available in the mountains. According to "A Swift Guide Butterflies of Mexico and Central America", Polygonia haroldii is a bug of pine-oak forest and, until now, it was known to range as far north as the Sierra del Carmen just south of Big Bend. This sort of begs several questions - are these just vagrants, recent colonists, an overlooked/undiscovered until now member of the local butterfly fauna? The site where the commas are being seen is not totally inaccessible (though not necessarily easily accessible), but it is also in an area with sensitive habitat and several rare plants and we do have some concern about potential impacts to that habitat and those plants.
Rich
Richard Kostecke, Ph.D.
The Nature Conservancy
318 Congress Ave., Austin, Texas 78701
Email: rkost73@yahoo.com or rkostecke@tnc.org
Blogging from Marathon, TX about birding, butterflies, moths and more. Exploring the gems of Brewster County, Post Park, Big Bend National Park and the surrounding region. Bird watching: Big Bend and beyond!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Arachnis zuni - I'm lichen it.
Kudos to Rich Kostecke for digging up the ID while I stared at Halysidota in a sleep deprived stupor, wondering why none of them were gray...
Matt and I had the opportunity to blacklight on the Davis Mountains Preserve, a property that The Nature Conservancy manages; it is worthy of many, many posts on its own. After two years of drought and fire and exceptionally hot and cold weather, we were not quite sure what to expect in terms of bird or bug life, but, again, each topic could have many, many posts. Officially, we were along to help with a nocturnal pollination project that the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute is running.
The highlight of Thursday night (27 June) was a very, very worn Arachnis zuni moth. Powell and Opler (Moths of Western North America) list them as a one-flight moth; May - August being their expected flight months.
The not-quite-highlight of Friday morning (28 June) was another, less worn, female A. zuni. She, unfortunately, was squished. Very gravid, and squished.
A. zuni does show sexual dimorphism; males have white hind wings (with a hint of orange) while females have very bright orange hind wings with bold, black markings.
Earlier in the week, Rich Kostecke had found A. zuni in the same area where we found ours - his was also female.
The patterning on A. zuni certainly looked familiar, but in the absence of a photo of A. zuni on an appropriately patterned rock, y'all will have to settle for a photo of a rock. Should have thought to put the moth on it for kicks; looks like a good spot for a lichen-patterned moth to loiter.
For comparison, here are our two A. zuni; very lichen-y in pattern. Variable markings and differences in wear make individuals somewhat easy to tell apart. These gals have had quite an exciting life, if the tattered wings are any indication. Frayed wing tips, loss of wing scales... life's not easy for a moth.
The 27 June individual took a long time to settle down at the lights, but was then quite cooperative. Only one shot of the abdomen even remotely turned out, so it is included for comparison's sake.
Our early morning find on the 28th had more white on the wings, less white on the abdomen, and, unfortunately, a whole pile of eggs that never made it to host plants. It's not unusual for moths in the wee hours of the morning to be somewhat unresponsive, but after nudging this individual off of a leaf, I was not expecting to see eggs when I flipped her over.
There's much more to be blogged from the evening, and plenty of catching up to do from earlier in the month; exciting news is in the works! For more information, check out Arachnis zuni, Hodges #8150, on Moth Photographers Group and the A. zuni page on bugguide.net!
Matt and I had the opportunity to blacklight on the Davis Mountains Preserve, a property that The Nature Conservancy manages; it is worthy of many, many posts on its own. After two years of drought and fire and exceptionally hot and cold weather, we were not quite sure what to expect in terms of bird or bug life, but, again, each topic could have many, many posts. Officially, we were along to help with a nocturnal pollination project that the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute is running.
The not-quite-highlight of Friday morning (28 June) was another, less worn, female A. zuni. She, unfortunately, was squished. Very gravid, and squished.
A. zuni does show sexual dimorphism; males have white hind wings (with a hint of orange) while females have very bright orange hind wings with bold, black markings.
Earlier in the week, Rich Kostecke had found A. zuni in the same area where we found ours - his was also female.
The patterning on A. zuni certainly looked familiar, but in the absence of a photo of A. zuni on an appropriately patterned rock, y'all will have to settle for a photo of a rock. Should have thought to put the moth on it for kicks; looks like a good spot for a lichen-patterned moth to loiter.
 |
| This is a rock. It has lichen on it. No moths to see here. |
For comparison, here are our two A. zuni; very lichen-y in pattern. Variable markings and differences in wear make individuals somewhat easy to tell apart. These gals have had quite an exciting life, if the tattered wings are any indication. Frayed wing tips, loss of wing scales... life's not easy for a moth.
 |
| Arachnis zuni, female, 27 June 2013 |
 |
| Arachnis zuni, female, 28 June 2013 |
The 27 June individual took a long time to settle down at the lights, but was then quite cooperative. Only one shot of the abdomen even remotely turned out, so it is included for comparison's sake.
 |
| Arachnis zuni, female, 27 June 2013 |
 |
| Arachnis zuni, female, 27 June 2013 |
Our early morning find on the 28th had more white on the wings, less white on the abdomen, and, unfortunately, a whole pile of eggs that never made it to host plants. It's not unusual for moths in the wee hours of the morning to be somewhat unresponsive, but after nudging this individual off of a leaf, I was not expecting to see eggs when I flipped her over.
 |
| Arachnis zuni, female, 28 June 2013 |
 |
| Arachnis zuni, female, 28 June 2013 - note the ruptured abdomen with visible eggs |
There's much more to be blogged from the evening, and plenty of catching up to do from earlier in the month; exciting news is in the works! For more information, check out Arachnis zuni, Hodges #8150, on Moth Photographers Group and the A. zuni page on bugguide.net!
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Exciting Discoveries Return to the Davis Mountains.
Photo © Mark Lockwood  |
| Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) |
The LEOW finds you. It is up to the bird.
Recently, in the Davis Mountains (no more specific than that for a few valid reasons), TWO nests belonging to LEOW were discovered. Two nests and nestlings. Quite the discovery!
Have LEOW had prior, even annual, nesting in these mountains, only revealed post-fires?
It would seem the last nesting record of this species in Texas was in 1996 from Amarillo.
Excellence number two:
Photo © Cathryn Hoyt
 |
| Spotless Comma/Anglewing (Polygonia haroldii) |
This individual was recently discovered in the Davis Mountains by Dr. Cathy Hoyt.
This is THE FIRST U.S. RECORD for this species.
Is this butterfly a lone ranger, perhaps blown to this location by south winds?
Is there actually an isolated population of the species, uncovered only now post-fires?
Amazing, intriguing, stuff.
Greatness.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Flame-colored Tanager via Colima Death March
A bit of background: 6 May, Flame-colored Tanager was reported near the junction of Boot and Juniper trails by Mark Flippo, retired BBNP staff who continues to remain designated Trail Ninja. It has been seen/sort-of-seen almost daily since then. Our first attempt was on 28 May. It's funny, claiming the Colima Death March (traditionally a combination of Pinnacles or Laguna Meadows trails to Colima Trail... and back) in the name of a non-Colima. While we did trot past ~5 singing Colima Warblers on our way up Pinnacles (the steeper and more grueling, but shorter of the approaches), our goal was the same as it was last time... Flame-colored Tanager. "Heard-only" is a heck of a foot note for such a gorgeous bird, but that's what it was. So we had to give it another try. In late June. Because we are masochists and that's what our schedule allowed.
Note:
Boot Canyon itself is listed as 'strenuous' but fails to mention 'grueling' in the description! Our traditional approach ends up being something like 11-12 miles round trip. Boot Canyon, as a trail, is not bad at all. But you have to GET to it first! Darn the Pinnacles...
This time we were able to make it out of Marathon before 5 am and hit the trail just before 6:30 am. We scooted past Hutton's Vireo (food carrying), singing and snacking Colima Warblers, Canyon Wrens falling/chasing each other down a cliff face, and begging/parent-chasing White-throated Swifts. Nearing the end of the trek, we were graced by the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Bird Counts Past: Ron Weeks. Also, the Ghost of Gulf Coast Birding Past: Brad Lirette. Having not seen either of them in roughly 10 years, it was a very hasty but pleasant reunion (and introduction to Matt) as they graciously backtracked up the trail to show us the spot where we'd waited for hours last time: instead of sticking to the ridge line, however, the female Western Tanager and male Flame-colored Tanagers were staying mid-canopy along the trail!
Butterflies were definitely out as well: Arizona Sister, Two-tailed Swallowtail, Lyside Sulphur, American Snout, Varigated Fritillary, Gulf Fritillary, Golden-banded Skipper, Juniper Hairstreak, etc.
In addition to the flame-colored proverbial icing on the cake, we shared the morning with a cluster of Painted Redstarts, Black-crested Titmice feeding young, singing Colima Warblers, singing Black-headed Grosbeaks, singing Hepatic Tanagers, fly-by Summer Tanagers, one Band-tailed Pigeon, groups of Mexican Jays, a pair of Dusky-capped Flycatchers, a Cordilleran Flycatcher, some Hutton's Vireos, a female Lucifer Hummingbird, and a smattering of other high-elevation goodies.
As we were leaving the park, we stopped at Panther Junction on social rounds and were given directions to a hybrid agave/lechuguilla... but that may be a plant for another post!
Click here for the eBird list from Boot Canyon, and here for the eBird list from Pinnacles Trail.
Here's another pile of Flame-colored goodness, all heavily cropped:
 |
| Colima Warbler before sun reached our slope. |
Note:
Boot Canyon itself is listed as 'strenuous' but fails to mention 'grueling' in the description! Our traditional approach ends up being something like 11-12 miles round trip. Boot Canyon, as a trail, is not bad at all. But you have to GET to it first! Darn the Pinnacles...
 |
| Flame-colored Tanager, 21 June 2013 |
This time we were able to make it out of Marathon before 5 am and hit the trail just before 6:30 am. We scooted past Hutton's Vireo (food carrying), singing and snacking Colima Warblers, Canyon Wrens falling/chasing each other down a cliff face, and begging/parent-chasing White-throated Swifts. Nearing the end of the trek, we were graced by the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Bird Counts Past: Ron Weeks. Also, the Ghost of Gulf Coast Birding Past: Brad Lirette. Having not seen either of them in roughly 10 years, it was a very hasty but pleasant reunion (and introduction to Matt) as they graciously backtracked up the trail to show us the spot where we'd waited for hours last time: instead of sticking to the ridge line, however, the female Western Tanager and male Flame-colored Tanagers were staying mid-canopy along the trail!
 |
| Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus) |
Butterflies were definitely out as well: Arizona Sister, Two-tailed Swallowtail, Lyside Sulphur, American Snout, Varigated Fritillary, Gulf Fritillary, Golden-banded Skipper, Juniper Hairstreak, etc.
 |
| Painted Redstart adult, preening. |
In addition to the flame-colored proverbial icing on the cake, we shared the morning with a cluster of Painted Redstarts, Black-crested Titmice feeding young, singing Colima Warblers, singing Black-headed Grosbeaks, singing Hepatic Tanagers, fly-by Summer Tanagers, one Band-tailed Pigeon, groups of Mexican Jays, a pair of Dusky-capped Flycatchers, a Cordilleran Flycatcher, some Hutton's Vireos, a female Lucifer Hummingbird, and a smattering of other high-elevation goodies.
As we were leaving the park, we stopped at Panther Junction on social rounds and were given directions to a hybrid agave/lechuguilla... but that may be a plant for another post!
Click here for the eBird list from Boot Canyon, and here for the eBird list from Pinnacles Trail.
Here's another pile of Flame-colored goodness, all heavily cropped:
 |
| Flame-colored Tanager, 21 June 2013 |
 |
| Flame-colored Tanager, 21 June 2013 |
 |
| Flame-colored Tanager, 21 June 2013 |
 |
| Flame-colored Tanager, 21 June 2013 |
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Tricolored Heron, Post Park
This morning, after kicking up some interesting waterfowl* at the ponds SW of town, Matt and I headed over to Post Park. I quickly lost myself in documenting some moths** that turned up at the light in the little shelter at the corner of the dance 'slab' and Matt promptly found a Tricolored Heron! I was able to get a few poorly lit shots of the 'trike' before we left it.
Tricolored Heron, Post Park, Brewster Co. 20 June 2013 -
* first = streaky, female-looking Gadwall... with black rump. So, male in not-quite-eclipse?
* second = male Redhead that had a very dark bill - nonbreeding, very distinctive
** likely our latest ever Apotolype brevicrista
Tricolored Heron, Post Park, Brewster Co. 20 June 2013 -
* first = streaky, female-looking Gadwall... with black rump. So, male in not-quite-eclipse?
* second = male Redhead that had a very dark bill - nonbreeding, very distinctive
** likely our latest ever Apotolype brevicrista
 |
| Apotolype brevicrista - usually a visitor in March and early April! |
Texas Bird Records Committee (TBRC) Reviewed Jan.- June 2013
via Eric Carpenter of TBRC
TBRC Members, Observers & Record Submitters, and other interested parties,
Below is a summary of the records that the Texas Bird Records
Committee (TBRC) has reviewed and voted on thus far in 2013.
The highlight of this batch of records is the acceptance of the first
state record of Black-tailed Godwit, bringing the official state list
to 639!
Accepted Records (27):
2012-74 - Red-necked Grebe (1), 4 December 2012, White Rock Lake, Dallas County
2012-60 - Great Shearwater (1), 31 August 2012, Wright Patman Lake, Cass County
2012-54 - Great Shearwater (1), 10 August 2012, Padre Island NS - mile 1, Kleberg County
2012-55 - Brown Booby (1), 25 August - 3 September 2012, Canyon Lake Dam, Comal County
2012-56 - Brown Booby (1), 29-30 August 2012, Lynchberg Ferry, Harris County
2012-64 - Brown Booby (1), 29 September 2012, Lynchberg Ferry, Harris County
2012-68 - Northern Jacana (1), 3 November 2012, Pintail Lake, Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo County
2012-45 - Black-tailed Godwit (1), 4 June - 13 August 2012, Brazoria NWR, Brazoria County
2013-03 - Purple Sandpiper (1), 24 November 2012, Baytown, Harris County
2012-67 - Red Phalarope (1), 27-30 October 2012, Hagerman NWR, Grayson County
2012-69 - Red Phalarope (1), 31 October 2012, Balmorhea Lake, Reeves County
2012-61 - Heermann's Gull (1), 24 September 2012, Tornillo Reservoir, El Paso County
2012-70 - Mew Gull (1), 27 October 2012, Delta Lake, Hidalgo County
2012-80 - Long-tailed Jaeger (1), 1 December 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County
2012-62 - Ruddy Ground-Dove (1), 5-18 October 2012, Crescent Bend Nature Park, Bexar County
2012-49 - White-collared Swift (1), 3 July 2012, along Galveston seawall, Galveston County
2012-77 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 24 December 2012 - 3 February 2013, El Paso, El Paso County
2013-07 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 14-20 January 2013, Study Butte, Brewster County
2013-09 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 29 December 2012 - 26 January 2013, Kerrville, Kerr County
2012-73 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 7-17 November 2012, Christmas Mountains, Brewster County
2012-46 - Buff-breasted Flycatcher (1), 26 April - 15 July 2012, Davis Mountains Preserve, Jeff Davis County
2012-76 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher (1), 15-26 December 2012, near McKinney Falls SP, Travis County
2012-66 - Varied Thrush (1), 20 October 2012 - 19 March 2013, Christmas Mountains, Brewster County (our posts are here and here)
2012-82 - Rufous-capped Warbler (1-2), 22 April - 27 May 2012, Chalk Bluff Park, Uvalde County
2012-59 - Slate-colored Fox Sparrow (1), 20-27 September 2012, El Paso, El Paso County
2013-01 - Pine Grosbeak (1), 30 December 2012, upper Dog Canyon, GMNP, Culberson County
2013-04 - Evening Grosbeak (4), 27-31 October 2012, Davis Mts Resort, Jeff Davis County
Not Accepted Records (6):
2013-08 - Masked Duck (2), 22 December 2012, Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo County
2013-13 - American Flamingo (4), 13 January 2013, Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo County
2012-71 - Northern Goshawk (1), 21 November 2012, se. of Lockett,
Wilbarger County
2012-52 - Long-toed Stint (1), 5 August 2012, Hagerman NWR, Grayson County
2012-53 - Brown Noddy (1), 4 August 2012, Lake Tanglewood, Randall County
2011-06 - Vaux’s Swift (1), 9 August 2009, Mitchell Lake, Bexar County
**trans-Pecos in BOLD
TBRC Members, Observers & Record Submitters, and other interested parties,
Below is a summary of the records that the Texas Bird Records
Committee (TBRC) has reviewed and voted on thus far in 2013.
The highlight of this batch of records is the acceptance of the first
state record of Black-tailed Godwit, bringing the official state list
to 639!
Accepted Records (27):
2012-74 - Red-necked Grebe (1), 4 December 2012, White Rock Lake, Dallas County
2012-60 - Great Shearwater (1), 31 August 2012, Wright Patman Lake, Cass County
2012-54 - Great Shearwater (1), 10 August 2012, Padre Island NS - mile 1, Kleberg County
2012-55 - Brown Booby (1), 25 August - 3 September 2012, Canyon Lake Dam, Comal County
2012-56 - Brown Booby (1), 29-30 August 2012, Lynchberg Ferry, Harris County
2012-64 - Brown Booby (1), 29 September 2012, Lynchberg Ferry, Harris County
2012-68 - Northern Jacana (1), 3 November 2012, Pintail Lake, Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo County
2012-45 - Black-tailed Godwit (1), 4 June - 13 August 2012, Brazoria NWR, Brazoria County
2013-03 - Purple Sandpiper (1), 24 November 2012, Baytown, Harris County
2012-67 - Red Phalarope (1), 27-30 October 2012, Hagerman NWR, Grayson County
2012-69 - Red Phalarope (1), 31 October 2012, Balmorhea Lake, Reeves County
2012-61 - Heermann's Gull (1), 24 September 2012, Tornillo Reservoir, El Paso County
2012-70 - Mew Gull (1), 27 October 2012, Delta Lake, Hidalgo County
2012-80 - Long-tailed Jaeger (1), 1 December 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County
2012-62 - Ruddy Ground-Dove (1), 5-18 October 2012, Crescent Bend Nature Park, Bexar County
2012-49 - White-collared Swift (1), 3 July 2012, along Galveston seawall, Galveston County
2012-77 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 24 December 2012 - 3 February 2013, El Paso, El Paso County
2013-07 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 14-20 January 2013, Study Butte, Brewster County
2013-09 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 29 December 2012 - 26 January 2013, Kerrville, Kerr County
2012-73 - Costa's Hummingbird (1), 7-17 November 2012, Christmas Mountains, Brewster County
2012-46 - Buff-breasted Flycatcher (1), 26 April - 15 July 2012, Davis Mountains Preserve, Jeff Davis County
2012-76 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher (1), 15-26 December 2012, near McKinney Falls SP, Travis County
2012-66 - Varied Thrush (1), 20 October 2012 - 19 March 2013, Christmas Mountains, Brewster County (our posts are here and here)
2012-82 - Rufous-capped Warbler (1-2), 22 April - 27 May 2012, Chalk Bluff Park, Uvalde County
2012-59 - Slate-colored Fox Sparrow (1), 20-27 September 2012, El Paso, El Paso County
2013-01 - Pine Grosbeak (1), 30 December 2012, upper Dog Canyon, GMNP, Culberson County
2013-04 - Evening Grosbeak (4), 27-31 October 2012, Davis Mts Resort, Jeff Davis County
Not Accepted Records (6):
2013-08 - Masked Duck (2), 22 December 2012, Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo County
2013-13 - American Flamingo (4), 13 January 2013, Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo County
2012-71 - Northern Goshawk (1), 21 November 2012, se. of Lockett,
Wilbarger County
2012-52 - Long-toed Stint (1), 5 August 2012, Hagerman NWR, Grayson County
2012-53 - Brown Noddy (1), 4 August 2012, Lake Tanglewood, Randall County
2011-06 - Vaux’s Swift (1), 9 August 2009, Mitchell Lake, Bexar County
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