Greetings All:
Though the weather was a bit squiffy for photography, I spent close to
seven hours birding in Hockley County today.
Highlights included 6 Blue-winged Teals at Roundup Playa, 2 Blue-winged
Teals south of Smyer, 20 Blue-winged Teals southwest of Pep, 6 Redheads
along FM 2646, 2 Ring-necked Ducks south of Smyer, 1 Ring-necked Pheasant
south of Roundup, 12 American Avocets at Roundup Playa, 12 American Avocets
south of Smyer, 3 Least Sandpipers south of Smyer, 3 Long-billed Dowitchers
at Roundup Playa, 2 Long-billed Dowitchers south of Smyer, 1 Wilson's Snipe
south of Smyer, 2 Spotted Sandpipers south of Smyer, *36 *Greater
Yellowlegs south of Smyer, 12 Greater Yellowlegs west of Anton, *44* Lesser
Yellowlegs south of Smyer, 3 Lesser Yellowlegs west of Anton, 2 Wilson's
Phalaropes south of Smyer, 2 White-faced Ibises south of Smyer, 1
Swainson's Hawk southeast of Pep, 3 Ferruginous Hawks southeast of Pep, 1
Merlin south of Smyer, 1 Say's Phoebe in Pep, 1 Say's Phoebe west of Anton,
1 Eastern Phoebe in Pep, 1 Eastern Phoebe in Petit, 2 Eastern Phoebes
southwest of Pep, 1 House Wren at the Foster x Hawk Roads Playa, 1 House
Wren southwest of Pep, 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at the Foster x Hawk Roads
Playa, *3 Mountain Bluebirds *in Pep, 1 Gray Catbird at the Foster x Hawk
Roads Playa, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers at Anton Ponds, 5 Orange-crowned
Warblers at the Foster x Hawk Roads Playa, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers south
of Roundup, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers west of Anton, 1 Nashville Warbler at
the Foster x Hawk Roads Playa, 1 Wilson's Warbler southwest of Pep, 1
Green-tailed Towhee at the Foster x Hawk Roads Playa, 1 Spotted Towhee at
the Foster x Hawk Roads Playa, 7 Chipping Sparrows in Pep, 12 Chipping
Sparrows southwest of Pep, 4 Clay-colored Sparrows in Pep, 5 Clay-colored
Sparrows southwest of Pep, 2 Brewer's Sparrows in Pep, 2 Brewer's Sparrows
southwest of Pep, 1 Grasshopper Sparrow southeast of Pep, 1 Song Sparrow
south of Roundup, 1 Song Sparrow west of Anton, 5 Yellow-headed Blackbirds
at Roundup Playa, 8 Yellow-headed Blackbirds south of Roundup, 22
Yellow-headed Blackbirds south of Smyer, 2 Yellow-headed Blackbirds west of
Anton, 20 Brewer's Blackbirds at Roundup Playa, 24 Brewer's Blackbirds
south of Roundup, 4 Brewer's Blackbirds west of Anton, and 14 Common
Grackles at the Foster x Hawk Roads Playa.
The Spotted Towhee was the 199th species of bird I have seen in Hockley
County this year - one short of my goal of 200 species in Hockley County
during 2016 - what will it be?
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
