Just getting back in Texas from a three week road out West and stopped in Dog
Canyon for the night. I headed up the Tejas trail at sunrise. It has been 10
years since I have done this hike and had forgotten how enjoyable this oak and
pine tree canyon can be. A handful of trees have started the color change and
in two weeks it should be great....color change occurs earlier than Mckittrick.
The birding was great providing summer and winter residents. Immediately I
came across a Townsend’s solitaire. It would turn out to be a solitaire
morning as they were perched, flying, fighting, and calling everywhere. I
easily undercounted this species. The woodpecker show is great with red-napes,
acorn, ladder-backed, flicker, and a pair of Williams’s sapsuckers!! A adult
male and a first year male. Hepatic Tanager and Black-headed Grosbeak were
great to see as well as Cassin’s and Plumbeous vireo in the same tree.
At the campground there are several Red-naped Sapsuckers and the Juniper
titmouse were at their usually spot at the beginning of the nature trail.
Upon getting in yesterday, I hiked the Bush Mountain trail and was greeted with
a Cassin’s Finch. This trail maybe the best Black-chinned sparrow spot in
Texas.
Still waiting on my Dog Canyon Montezuma Quail, but gotta save something good
for a future visit.
Joe Fischer
http://www.pbase.com/joe_e_fischer
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: RENEE FISCHER <fischer13@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 4, 2018 at 11:40:55 AM CDT
To: Home <fischer13@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: eBird -- Guadalupe Mts. NP--Dog Canyon (FWTX 18) -- Oct 4, 2018
Guadalupe Mts. NP--Dog Canyon (FWTX 18)
Oct 4, 2018
8:09 AM
Traveling
1.80 miles
180 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Texas Trail birding
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.7.4 Build 36
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Williamson's Sapsucker -- A stunning male!, photos through the branches,
mile 1.5, a first year male found a .1 mile further, photos of both to
separate them
2 Red-naped Sapsucker
9 Acorn Woodpecker
1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)
1 Say's Phoebe
1 Cassin's Vireo -- Olive back and yellowish flanks, very different than the
plumbeous, gray head
1 Plumbeous Vireo
4 Mountain Chickadee
14 Bushtit (Interior)
2 White-breasted Nuthatch
3 Canyon Wren
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
13 Townsend's Solitaire
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Cedar Waxwing
3 Spotted Towhee
9 Yellow-rumped Warbler
3 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)
2 Hepatic Tanager
1 Black-headed Grosbeak
Number of Taxa: 23
Joe Fischer
http://www.pbase.com/joe_e_fischer
Sent from my iPhone
