[texbirds] Bastrop S. P. Aug. post fire survey day 2

From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, tx-butterfly <tx-butterfly@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:31:06 -0500
   Forgot my notebook this morning so watch for paper currency with a lot
of banding codes, notes and scribbles .   A very nice morning with a lot of
treats.  We in central Texas all know that our Western Kingbirds left on
the 8th...But now we are getting "Arkansas Kingbirds" to some degree.  In
the pine skeletons this morning I found a strange flock of 11 silent
WEKIs...Not once did they utter a peep,...Very un-Western like.  They
drifted off to the west as I watched.  Odd as well was a band of flyover
Scissortails, maybe 15, well up in the air and headed due south....The
usual shorebirds were heard as fly overs around sunrise, but not too many.

I completed the survey by protocol earlier than I usually do so continued
the trek into the back country which still remains closed to the
public....I reached a lake we call Harmon Lake but don't know if that is
its real name.  It was loaded with Blk-bellied Whistling Ducks with at
least 3 families. Two female looking Mallard types shot off before I could
get a good look...Hmmm.   Another surprise here were two Least
Grebes...Maybe a new park bird (?) and a Green Kingfisher!   The lush new
growth around the shore was loaded with inverts and numerous empids.  My
first Yellow-bellied of the fall was in the mix.

Neat was seeing both Yellow-throated Vireo and Yellow-throated Warbler in
the same mixed passerine flock....There were Yellow Warblers here and there
and numbers of B. G. Gnatcatchers

No hairy Woodpecker today but did not spend time in that area.

OK that is about it for the birds, but this note heads in several
directions.

I am not into Dragonflies/odes (I really did try once though)  but there
were tons of the things, however I did count 19 species of butterflies in a
lazy effort...Can't say that I knew all the skippers, but ...Loads of
long-tailed Skippers though and Am Ladies, but as i was looking about I saw
a White-lined Skipper then another and another until I saw perhaps
15-17!....What the heck?  I know this is too far north for these guys but
see them in Port O'Connor

For the herp folks I counted 7 species, mostly frogs and toads.  My first
Green Tree Frog since the fire and it was an adult...How did it survive?
As usual I have posted photos on the blog
http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/  For you folks  that really know your
toads, see if you can ID the one pictured.

Plants...Incredible growth rate continues...The thousands of Cottonwoods
are taller in the past month and many are now taller than me...Where did
they come from...Weren't here before the fire that I recall.  The forests
of pokeberry has set fruit and is dying off, each plants just loaded with
fruit.  Wildflowers are still plentiful despite the heat..

For Monty up there in dog heaven, put down the frisbee and listen up...I
found your tag you lost in 1968....Didn't know you guys had to wear them
then.

-- 
Brush Freeman
Independent and affiliated Field Biologist
361-655-7641
http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/
Finca Alacranes., Utley,Texas
The greatest musician of all time is mother nature.
[texbirds] Bastrop S. P. Aug. post fire survey day 2

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