[texbirds] Corpus Christi yard - signs of spring

From: Clay Taylor <Clay.Taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: TexBirds Posting Email <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2015 18:18:14 +0000
Hi all -
After a few lengthy trips in the past 6 weeks, I have had a little time to 
spend in the yard in recent days.   You know spring is here when:

The Chipping Sparrows are singing their Texas Song (a.k.a the Parula Song).  
[side note - is this song found in XenoCanto?  I have not checked.   Cornell 
did not have it the last time I checked there...]

A "kettle" of 32 Great Blue Herons was slowly making its way North.  At one 
time, they were flying in a torus - a rotating ring.  It was pretty cool.

I am having 7-Dove Days again, as the White-tipped Dove is calling from the 
ravine across the street.   I still have yet to see one actually in the yard, 
although a super-fast fly-through last year was likely one.   Yes, 7 - 
White-winged, Mourning, ECD, Inca, Common Ground, White-tipped, and Rock 
Pigeons flying by (they commute from Calallen to Labonte Park).

Oh, yes, the Olive Sparrow is also singing in the ravine.   Hmmm....could be a 
nature movie plot....what species could be Gene Kelly?

The Mockingbirds are continually at war with each other, and they have been 
making some interesting calls lately - Scissor-tail Flycatcher, Groove-billed 
Ani, Upland and Least Sandpipers, etc.   On a similar note, the Starlings are 
driving me crazy with Common Nighthawk calls.  Otherwise, no real nighthawks 
yet.

I am pretty sure that I heard a single Tricolored Waterthrush (have to be 
consistent with the re-naming of the Heron, right, AOU?) chip across the 
street, but only that one time.

The Hackberry trees have leafed out, the mesquites and Retamas are just 
starting, and the Creglow Oak is putting out leaves and growing - it has to be 
about 18 feet tall, now.   New leaves are coming for the Live Oaks and the 
Texas Olive, as well as the Cedar Elms.

The big Huisache in my yard got hammered by the Girdler Beetles, as about 70% 
of the 1-inch diameter branches got chopped off.   I really hope that it 
recovers.   The tree in my neighbor's yard escaped the carnage, and is 
flowering now, so that's where I am watching for warblers.

Oh yes, the other day a Muscovey Duck flew from the convent pond in the 
direction of the Nueces River / Hazel Bazemore Park / Wood River golf course.   
Is anybody seeing "tame" Muscovies in those areas?   If not, it's awful 
tempting to count it......  ;-)

I am gone next week, so all kinds of good stuff will show up in the meantime - 
get out there!


Clay Taylor
TOS Life Member
Calallen (Corpus Christi), TX
Clay.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Clay.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>





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[texbirds] Corpus Christi yard - signs of spring

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