[texbirds] Bastrop birding (local interest only)

From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:32:50 -0700
  Had a couple of appointments in Bastrop today with a fair bit of time
between the two so birded around town mostly, some decent birds for this
beautiful but oddly quite day...This morning it was cold and foggy
especially at the Colorado River Preserve where I started....the fog burned
off and it got warm again (I ain't ready for cold yet)... the highlights...

At the preserve
3 distant flying gulls Franklin's/Laughing...to far to  be sure
2 Anhingas
several Neotropic Cormorants and 2 Double Cresteds.
1 E.W. Pewee (not a single empid)
1 Hairy Woodpecker
2 E. Kingbirds
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet...My first fall bird
1 House Wren...My first fall
1 Heard only Brown Thrasher
The usual Warblers in very low numbers

At the east end of the golf course on the river....and near the bluff
I looked up at a high flying Cooper's...In doing so I saw a sky full of
swifts above it that would have been invisible to me otherwise...I bet
there were 60 or so.
Some Broad-wings that were very low suggesting they roosted nearby
1 Tricolored Heron on the River
1 Am. Robin on the golf Course

A slow drive thru the remains of Colo Vista....
My first N. Flicker of the fall (heard only)
a few more hawks
many more Gnatcatchers
2 Belted Kingfishers.

At the medical center on 71 (St. David's ER and the Bastrop Cancer Center
lake.)
2 Pileated Woodpeckers literally digging at something in the ground?
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
4 Wood Ducks
1 distant Bald Eagle
1 Forster's Tern
1 Pied Billed Grebe

Sayersville road...Stiener Ranch
1 Tricolored Heron
3 Long-billed Curlews
a tree with at least 45 Scissortials
1 streaky imm/juv. Vermilion Fly
8 Blue-winged Teal.

in Old Town Bastrop...Church, Cedar St.s etc.
3 Y. B. Cuckoos and a flyby possible Black-billed (no rufous in wings but
maybe a young YBCU)
the expected warblers in low numbers
 one first year (HY) Bay-breasted that had me stumped for a bit..my first
fall bird
2 Summer Tanager
3-4 Balt. Orioles
about a doz. swifts
1 Willow type flycatcher.
more gnatcatchers and scissortails

Fisherman's Park
N. Waterthrush
1 Red-eyed Vireo
3 Indigo Buntings
1 Blue-headed  Vireo..My first fall

Near the Courthouse.
1 kingbird that got away from me, Likely Couch's
a couple of warblers including a bright male Am. Redstart.

Back at the St. David's Medical center area...
 A nice streaming flock of Broad-winged Hawks high overhead.. ..around 35
a completely white Rock Pigeon..

Back toward my house and Utley....at various locations
2 Mississippi Kites
E. Phoebe
Large flk. of B. W. Teals heading south ~22
1 Merlin (present since last night)

  Stopped by this thing called a Corn Maze on the river at 969 as I know
the landowner...I figure this was kind of a dopey waste of time and
groundwater when it was started, something Brits might do ;-) but it is
actually pretty cool...The purpose is to walk into the corn (over your
head) and get lost in a maze...I did not do it but bet it could be fun for
kids, ...... while there a late bunch of Dickcissels flew out of the area

Got home and found my favorite bins had arrived already from Eagle Optics
after I just sent them in for free repair not even a week ago...They almost
look brand new and I can see thru them again.

The property still has plenty of Ruby-throats, the dull Rufous and you
guessed it...More Gnatcatchers...One of my busier birding mornings in a
good while but the weather and chores just begged it.

-- 
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 birding (local interest only)

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