Wilson's Wood-nymph

Xerociris wilsonii is a creature that speaks for itself. Not that it says much.

Found on 28 April, 2012 in the middle of the afternoon. Last year's were in September.

This individual was five miles south of Hwy 90 on 385; a wealth of creatures there.

Unfortunately, wildlife viewing is not encouraged at the location.

However, when there is no moon at all, these lights are the brightest for many miles around.

And blister beetles dodge cameras at the same spot; this huge, ornate beast was quite shy.
Edit: possibly Epicauta atrivittata.

(This entry is backdated; it was composed 5 May 2012.)

Migration in action

This week's list is brought to you by the letter "T" for "turnover" - daily fluctuations in local numbers indicate that some birds are on territory and many others are still just passing through. "First of season" birds are indicated in bold. First "red racer" (western coachwhip) of the season was on Post Road, as well.

Post Park 8:30-9:45 AM

28 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
2 American Coot Fulica americana
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
15 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
3 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
2 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
5 Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons
2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
1 Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
10 Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
2 Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
4 Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii 
6 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
5 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
1 Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus
1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
8 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
1 Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota 
4 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
3 Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
1 Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris - heard only
2 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
2 Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre
2 Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
2 Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
1 Hermit Warbler Setophaga occidentalis

5 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
2 Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus
6 Canyon Towhee Melozone fusca
1 Cassin's Sparrow Peucaea cassinii - heard only
3 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
5 Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri
1 Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
1 Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata - heard only
1 Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
3 Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
2 Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
2 Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
1 Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
4 Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
10 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
5 Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
2 House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus

43 species total

Hermit Warbler

Gage Gardens 10:30-11:30 am (heat of the day and four people with an unleashed dog)

3 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
1 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
2 Rock Pigeon Columba livia
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
6 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
1 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
3 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
1 Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
3 Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
2 Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans 
3 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
1 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
1 Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
10 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
4 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
1 Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
2 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
6 European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
8 American Pipit Anthus rubescens
4 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
1 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
2 Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
3 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
4 Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
20 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
5 House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
20 House Sparrow Passer domesticus

27 species total


Compare to yesterday's highlights (incomplete list from the evening):

7 Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
1 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 
1 Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda 
3 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
4 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
1 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
15 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
5 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
2 Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis - thinly striped/spotted throat. Narrow supercilium from front to back
1 Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
5 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
3 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
2 Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
1 Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria

15 species total


Just for future reference, a tank (stock pond) ~5 miles west of town has held water since the last rain and today was the first day that there were no birds on it at all. It is drying slightly, but that didn't stop it from intermittently holding, in chronological order: 8 American Avocents, 1 Wilson's Phalarope, 2 "real" Mallards, 2 Mexican Mallards, 7 Blue-winged Teal, 1 'peep' and a good variety of loitering passerines.

Bold, yet subtle - Genista Broom Moth

5 March, 2012 - Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Brewster Co, TX

Habitat: cigarette butts, fallen leaves, granite chunks."Xeriscaping."

26 April 2012, Double Bacon Ranch, Marathon, Brewster Co, TX

A familiar face at the blacklight! But now we're sipping at horehound.

Genista Broom Moth - Uresiphita reversalis

Very similar to Mellilla xanthometata, the Orange Wing, the Genista Broom Moth has a stunning flash of citrus beneath a drab exterior. One listed host plant is Texas Mountain Laurel. No wonder there were so many at the lights! Perhaps a dozen graced the wall during this particular session; our first good flight of the year (singles rarely being noted prior).

[Edit: This entry has been backdated for chronology's sake - it was originally posted 18 May 2012.]

Swainson's Warbler!

Until further notice - it was seen intermittently from 2:05-5:30 pm and observed by Carolyn Ohl along with the two of us. Only 700+ photos to sort through now!

**EDIT:  This bird was at the Gage Gardens in Marathon, TX and was not relocated the following day(s)
**EDIT:  FIRST TRANS-PECOS DOCUMENTED RECORD !
















And for folks who are unfamiliar with West Texas warblers, here's why this is exciting:


(via musicofnature.org)

EDIT: More photos! With kicking and scratching and digging, too!

And Carolyn has also blogged it over at CMOasis.blogspot.com with some commentary about its foraging - it really did jitter on the mulch when it wasn't scratching or thrashing. Only vocalizations were "seep" type calls in flight, and flight/seep was observed perhaps thrice. Snack items seem to be dark pellet-shaped morsels that we're guessing are moth pupa. Here's a link to an entry from last September that has a clear shot of a geometer pupa.

A bit of novelty

Today was a nice departure from the routine. A corn-caching Golden-fronted Woodpecker amused folks who were fishing, a few FOS birds were noted, and an interesting Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler provided food for thought. Notable by their absence were White-crowned Sparrows and Lark Buntings, both of which are still lingering in Marathon, mostly at/around feeders. Say's Phoebe was also an unusual miss, but an abundance of people fishing and cold, gusty wind may have had something to do with the lower numbers.

Post Road:
17 White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi - flyovers
1 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
6 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
1 Scott's Oriole Icterus parisorum
















(Above: Golden-fronted Woodpecker investigating bait corn.)

Post Park:
1 Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
20 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
2 American Coot Fulica americana
1 Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
9 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
3 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
7 Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons
2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
7 Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
1 Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
2 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
2 Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
4 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
1 Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus - FOS
3 Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
1 Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
10 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
5 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
2 Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
1 Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
2 Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
3 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) Setophaga coronata auduboni
2 Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus
4 Canyon Towhee Melozone fusca
2 Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
1 Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
2 Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
5 Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus
5 Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
1 Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
4 House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
















A lovely follow-up to Matt's Cassin's Vireo post: FOS Plumbeous Vireo. If the picture is blown up enough, there's a bit of bug guts visibly smeared on the breast. A bit of an assumption, but a delicious one. The snack appears to be a leaf-footed bug of some sort.























Now something to ponder - the tail of an adult male Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler. Generally, from below, they look like this:


















Above is a roadkilled adult male Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler from May 2011. Below is the bird in question from Post Park . It appears that both in feather count and in pattern, the bird below has exactly one-half of a tail. The slight notch on the left side should be the center of the slightly forked tail. Still a handsome fellow, but curious.

New for the year Spring Migrant

... just passing through.

Cassin's Vireo (Vireo cassinii)

Post Park, ~5 miles south of Marathon.