Lubbock received 1.36 inches of rain during June, well below the the
average June total of 2.98 inches bringing us up to 3.70 inches for the
year, well below the year-to-date average of 8.55 inches. This left the
majority of the region in severe to extreme drought at the end of the
month; still the worst I have seen since 2011. June is our slowest month
for birding; this June crawled.
Regional summaries of eBird data can not be acquired in a timely fashion.
As a result, records submitted to eBird may not appear in this report.
Reports from the region that are submitted to the texbirds or leasbirds
listserve can be reviewed in a timely fashion and should appear.
As always, the county follows the site in ( ) and birds are mentioned by
virtue of rarity, atypical abundance, or atypical scarcity. Water
Treatment Ponds have come to feature so prominently in these reports that
they will, henceforth, be referred to as WTP.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/15/18 (KH0
the only report - A RECENT ADDITION TO OUR AVIFAUNA; THIS MAY BE A LOW
NUMBER.
CACKLING GOOSE: 1 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the period (AH)
and 2 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) throughout the period (AH) the only
reports received - LOW NUMBERS.
CANADA GOOSE: 3 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) throughout the period (AH) and
2 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 6/26/18 (GY) the only reports - LOW NUMBERS
WOOD DUCK: 2 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/18 (AH) the only report
- A VERY RARE SUMMER LINGERER; TYPICAL NUMBERS.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 4 in Floydada (Floyd) on 6/2/18 (AH), 2 near Windmill
Farm (Floyd) on 6/2/18 (AH), and 4 at the FM 37 x FM 378 Playa (Floyd) on
6/3/18 (AH) the only reports received - VERY LOW; DROUGHT DOES EFFECT THE
DUCKS.
NORTHERN PINTAIL: 2 near Windmill Farm (Floyd) on 6/2/18 (AH) the only
report - LOW.
SCALED QUAIL: Seven reports of 1-4 birds in the region (Cochran, Garza,
Yoakum) during the period (AH, ZS) - ABOUT AVERAGE; APPROPRIATE COUNTIES
WITHIN THE REGION FINALLY SURVEYED.
RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 2 north of Floydada (Floyd) on 6/2/18 (AH), 1 near
Earth (Lamb) on 6/24/18 (AH), and 1 near Springlake (Lamb) on 6/24/18 (AH)
the only reports - LOW.
INCA DOVE: 1-7 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) throughout the period (LM), 1 in
a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/23/18 (CR, FR), and 2 in Littlefield (Lamb)
on 6/24/18 (AH) - THE SLIGHTEST OF REBOUNDS; POSSIBLY DUE TO THE DROUGHT'S
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON LARGER DOVES IN URBAN AREAS.
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: Thirteen reports of 1-5 birds in the region (Floyd,
Garza, Kent, Lamb, Lubbock) during the period (JB, AH, SK) - GOOD NUMBER OF
SIGHTINGS AND NUMBERS GIVEN THE DRY CONDITIONS.
COMMON POORWILL: 1 at the White River crossing of Highway 207 (Floyd) on
6/2/18 (AH), 1 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH), 1 at lake Alan Henry
(Garza) on 6/14/18 (SK), 2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/18/18 (SK), and
1 near Fieldton (Lamb) on 6/24/18 (AH) - POOR NUMBERS BUT GOOD SCATTER.
BLACK-NECKED STILT: Five reports of 2-8 birds in the region (Crosby, Floyd,
Lubbock) during the period (JB, AH, GY) - LOW NUMBERS AND POOR SCATTER;
VERY LITTLE APPROPRIATE HABITAT FOR BREEDING IN THE REGION.
AMERICAN AVOCET: Seven reports of 2-5 birds and three reports of 12-23
birds in the region (Crosby, Floyd, Garza, Lubbock) during the period (JB,
AH, GY) - LOW NUMBERS AND POOR SCATTER; VERY LITTLE APPROPRIATE HABITAT FOR
BREEDING IN THE REGION.
SPOTTED SANDPIPER: 1 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 6/26/18 (JB, GY) -
PRESUMABLY AN EARLY SOUTHBOUND MIGRANT.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 3 at Buenos Playa (Garza) on 6/22/18 (JB) - FELT BY THE
OBSERVER TO BE EARLY SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 2 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the period
(DH, AH, GK, JM) - LIKELY NESTING AMONGST THE DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS AND
WADERS ON THE ISLAND ROOKERY.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 18 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the
period (DH, AH, GK, JM) and 1 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 6/26/18 (GY) -
FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION IN SUMMER; NOW A BREEDER IN SUITABLE
HABITAT.
GREAT EGRET: Up to 7 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the period
(DH, AH, GK, JM), 1 at Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 6/14/18 (CR, FR) and
6/15/18 (CR, FR), and 1 at Stevens Park (Lubbock) on 6/15/18 (CR, FR) - LOW
NUMBERS AND VERY POOR SCATTER.
SNOWY EGRET: Up to 16 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the period
(DH, AH, GK, JM), 1 at Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 6/11/18 (CR, FR), 2 at
Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 6/14/18 (CR, FR), 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on
6/15/18 (KH), and 2 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 6/26/18 (JB) - LOW
NUMBERS AND POOR SCATTER.
LITTLE BLUE HERON: 1 in south Abernathy (Lubbock) on 6/26/18 (DK) - A TAD
EARLY FOR POST-BREEDING WANDERERS TO SHOW UP!
CATTLE EGRET: Up to 47 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the period
(DH, AH, GK, JM) and ten reports of 1-9 birds elsewhere in the region
(Crosby, Floyd, Lamb, Lubbock) during the period (JB, AH) - LOW NUMBERS AND
POOR SCATTER.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON: 2 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/18 (AH)
the only report received - VERY LOW NUMBERS AND VERY POOR SCATTER.
WHITE-FACED IBIS: 6 in Floydada (Floyd) on 6/2/18 (AH) and 1 west of
Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH) the only reports - INCREDIBLY LOW NUMBERS!
NORTHERN HARRIER: 1 at Yoakum Dunes WMA (Cochran) on 6/7/18 (ZS) - CASUAL
TO THE REGION IN SUMMER WITH NO RECENT BREEDING RECORDS.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/21/18 (SK) -
ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION DURING JUNE BUT NOT UNPRECEDENTED.
EASTERN PHOEBE: 2-5 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the period (SK)
the only reports - LOW NUMBERS AND VERY POOR SCATTER.
SAY'S PHOEBE: 2 east of Allmon (Floydada) on 6/3/18 (AH), 2 northwest of
Earth (Lamb) on 6/24/18 (AH), and 2 west-northwest of Earth (Lamb) on
6/24/18 (AH) - FORMERLY QUITE SCARCE IN THE REGION AS A BREEDER; NOW ANNUAL
IN OUR NORTHERN TIER OF COUNTIES.
BELL'S VIREO: 1 at the White River crossing of Highway 207 (Floyd) on
6/2/18 and 6/3/18(AH), 1 at the White River crossing of CR 121 (Floyd) on
6/3/18 (AH), 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/6/18 (SK), 1 in Post (Garza)
on 6/16/18 (AH), and 1 at Lamb County Sandhills Historical Marker (Lamb) on
6/24/18 (AH) - THOUGH NUMBERS WERE LOW, THE SPECIES CONTINUES TO SPREAD
THROUGH THE REGION.
COMMON RAVEN: Eleven reports of 1-5 birds in the region (Floyd, Garza,
Kent) during the period (AH, SK) - ABOUT AVERAGE AND ALL ALONG THE CAPROCK
ESCARPMENT.
PURPLE MARTIN: 8-9 pairs in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) throughout the period
(GJ, PJ), 5 in Floydada (Floyd) on 6/2/18 (AH), 4 south of Floydada (Floyd)
on 6/3/18 (AH), 16 southeast of Floydada (Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH), 3 in Post
(Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH), 10 northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH) -
GOOD NUMBERS AND SCATTER, DROUGHT BE DARNED!
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 2 near Post (Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH) the only
report - LOW.
CAVE SWALLOW: Eight reports of 1-4 birds in the region (Floyd, Garza)
during the period (AH) the only reports received - VERY LOW NUMBERS AND
VERY POOR SCATTER.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE: 2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/6/18 (SK) -
FAIRLY FAR WEST FOR A REPORT IN THE REGION THESE DAYS.
VERDIN: 2 northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH) the only report - ABOUT
AVERAGE FOR THIS DISAPPEARING OR VERY POORLY REPORTED SPECIES.
ROCK WREN: 1-2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the period (SK) the
only report - LOW.
CANYON WREN: 2-4 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the period (SK), 1
at the White River crossing of Highway 207 (Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH), and 2 at
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/26/18 (DHa) - ABOUT AVERAGE AND ALL ALONG THE
CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 6/26/18 (JB) - A
NICE REPORT FROM A HISTORICAL BREEDING SITE.
CANYON TOWHEE: 1 at the Yoakum Dunes WMA (Cochran) on 6/7/18 (ZS) - RARELY
RECORDED AWAY FROM THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT DURING THE BREEDING SEASON.
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT: 1 singing bird at the White River crossing of FM 37
(Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH) the only report - LOW BUT FEW VISITS WERE REPORTED
FROM SUITABLE HABITAT.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 2 west of Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH) the
only report - LOW.
BRONZED COWBIRD: 1 male in Cone (Crosby) on 6/2/18 (AH), 1 male at the CR
200 x FM 602 Playa (Floyd) on 6/2/18 (AH), 1 male southeast of Floydada
(Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH), 1 male west of Post (Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH), 1 male
northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH), 1 female further northeast of
Post (Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH), a female and 1 male near Springlake (Lamb) on
6/24/18 (AH), and 1 male southwest of Lehman (Cochran) on 6/30/18 (AH) the
only reports received - ABOUT AVERAGE; IF SOUGHT IT CAN BE FOUND.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 male at the Windmill Farm Pond (Floyd) on 6/2/18
(AH) and 1 female and 1 male south of Floydada (Floyd) on 6/3/18 (AH) - LOW
NUMBERS AND POOR SCATTER; VERY LITTLE HABITAT TO BE FOUND IN THE REGION
THIS YEAR.
PYRRHULOXIA: 2-3 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the period (SK), 2
at Lake Alan Henry (Kent) on 6/6/18 (SK), and 1 northeast of Post (Garza)
on 6/16/18 (AH) - ABOUT AVERAGE; GENERALLY RESTRICTED TO OUR SOUTHEASTERN
COUNTIES DURING SUMMER.
INDIGO BUNTING: 1 singing male near Post (Garza) on 6/16/18 (AH) the only
report - VERY LOW BUT LITTLE EFFORT REPORTED FROM FAVORABLE BREEDING
HABITAT.
OBSERVERS: JB=Justin Bosler, DHa=Danny Hancock, DH=Drew Harvey, AH=Anthony
Hewetson, KH=Kelly Himmel, GJ=George Jury, PJ=Pat Jury, SK=Stephen Kasper,
GK=Glenda Kelly, DK=Delaney Kempf, LM=Liam McGuire, JM=Jennifer Miller,
CR=Clarice Robertson, FR=Floyd Robertson, SZ=Zack Saavedra, GY=Gary Yoder,
Anthony Hewetson; Lubbock
