[texbirds] Windy Pt and Commons Ford - Common Loon, Sedge Wren, Fox Sparrow, Merlin

From: Christian Walker <christian.walker@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 17:36:30 -0600
Hello,
Went birding this morning at Windy Point and then again this afternoon at 
Commons Ford. Despite the great viewing conditions this morning, the best bird 
I could find on Lake Travis was a Common Loon. The lake was pretty much 
bird-less other than a bunch of coots and a few grebes. No ducks. 
Birding at Commons Ford this afternoon was much better. Spent two hours walking 
a loop from the parking area to the barn and then back down by the river. Had 
great looks at a female Merlin on the west fence line of the park. She perched 
up on a mesquite, and then rocketed away about two feet over the grass. Lost 
her among the pecans down by the river. Almost immediately afterwards I heard 
and saw a Sedge Wren right where Vincent said it would be. 
There were lots of birds down by the river, but I never could find the Purple 
Finch I was looking for. I did find four Fox Sparrows. They sang a little which 
was pretty cool. Also lots of the expected House Finches, Myrtle Warblers, and 
White-throated Sparrows. And some Pine Siskins. 
Other highlights were watching an immature Coopers Hawk drop down in the 
grass, after mice or something, and a Great Blue Heron fish. The GBHE caught a 
six-inch perch, but the Coop went hungry.

Good birding,


Christian Walker
Independent Adjuster
Austin, Texas
(512) 431-2495
Begin forwarded message:

> From: ebird-checklist@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: eBird Report - Commons Ford Pk, Dec 11, 2014
> Date: December 11, 2014 at 5:22:02 PM CST
> To: christian.walker@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> Commons Ford Pk, Travis, US-TX
> Dec 11, 2014 2:05 PM - 4:15 PM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 1.0 mile(s)
> Comments:     Overcast, 5-10 mph S, around 65 degrees F. NO PAWA!@
> 45 species (+1 other taxa)
> 
> Wood Duck  9
> Mallard  5
> Pied-billed Grebe  1
> Great Blue Heron  1
> Black Vulture  1
> Turkey Vulture  1
> Cooper's Hawk  1
> Red-shouldered Hawk  1
> Red-tailed Hawk  1
> White-winged Dove  220
> Mourning Dove  2
> Belted Kingfisher  1
> Golden-fronted Woodpecker  1
> Ladder-backed Woodpecker  5
> Downy Woodpecker  1
> American Kestrel  1
> Merlin  1     Beautiful bird. Great look too.
> Eastern Phoebe  11
> Blue Jay  1
> Western Scrub-Jay  1
> Carolina Chickadee  4
> Tufted x Black-crested Titmouse (hybrid)  17
> Canyon Wren  2
> House Wren  4
> Sedge Wren  1     Heard calling (djit-djit notes) so went and flushed it. 
> Great looks - 15 ft away low down in the grass and dead wildflowers. Bright 
> buffy flanks and under tail coverts, very short tail, short yellowish bill, 
> streaky mantle and cap. No rufous coloration like MAWR, and wrong habitat and 
> call anyway.
> Carolina Wren  5
> Bewick's Wren  2
> Ruby-crowned Kinglet  4
> Eastern Bluebird  4
> Hermit Thrush  3
> Northern Mockingbird  5
> Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  70
> Spotted Towhee  5
> Chipping Sparrow  2
> Field Sparrow  1
> Fox Sparrow  4
> Song Sparrow  7
> Lincoln's Sparrow  11
> White-throated Sparrow  31
> White-crowned Sparrow  1
> Northern Cardinal  31
> Red-winged Blackbird  2
> House Finch  56
> Pine Siskin  4
> Lesser Goldfinch  16
> American Goldfinch  9
> 
> View this checklist online at 
> http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20864597
> 
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)






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[texbirds] Windy Pt and Commons Ford - Common Loon, Sedge Wren, Fox Sparrow, Merlin

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