[texbirds] Bingo birds - south Austin

From: "LMarkoff" <canyoneaglej@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:47:46 -0600

Hi Texbirds,

After dropping my mom off at bingo this morning I ran errands until it was
time to pick her up for the ride home.  There were a few good birds along
the way.  

I saw my FOY Cedar Waxwings, a flock of about 15, in the vicinity of
Manchaca and Ben White (route 71).  

I cut through the Independence neighborhood, Amur and Manchaca, to check out
their retention pond.  Sadly, the vegetation has been whacked to nothing, so
all cover is gone.  Water was high due to the recent rain, so there was no
mud available either.  There were no birds about that I could see, except
for a beautifully-plumaged adult Red-shoulder Hawk.  It was on a light post,
and then dropped down to the ground.  I thought perhaps it was after a
rodent, but it came up empty, so I couldn't be sure. 

Coming out of Lowe's on Brodie Lane, I heard a Loggerhead Shrike.  I found
it sitting in a tree at the edge of the lot.  Looking east from that tree
across Brodie I saw the Purple Martin gourd rack with only its PUMA decoys,
no real birds.  I also heard a few Yellow-rumped Warblers from the parking
lot trees as well, but didn't get a visual on them.

Interestingly, wherever I went I saw Blue Jays noisily flying about.  The
number seemed more than usual.  I am wondering if they were simply more
active on this warmish day, in foraging mode and preparing for the
next cold spell that is coming?  Or, might there have been a fresh wave of
Jays from other areas, moving in to look for food?  Whatever the reason, it
was the most I have seen of late.

Here at home a pair of Downy Woodpeckers has moved in for the winter, yay!

Lori Markoff
Austin, TX 





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[texbirds] Bingo birds - south Austin

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