My friend Micky (Coach) Casaday and I departed Junction on Sunday afternoon
(5/3) for Fort Stockton with plans for Big Bend National Park (BBNP) the next
day. Our first stop was the Sheffield Picnic Area off of H290. We had great
views of a close soaring Zone-tailed Hawk. Sometimes we were actually looking
down on the bird as it flew in the canyon below. We heard a Gray Vireo call way
down canyon. Then on to Fort Lancaster especially looking for Bullock's Oriole
but none seen this day.
The next morning (5/4) we made a 20 minute drive through of Rooney Park in Fort
Stockton where a Brown-crested Flycatcher was "whit, whit, whit". Interestingly
that night a powerful thunderstorm tore through Fort Stockton and flooded
Rooney Park. We saw the front page photo's on the Fort Stockton newspaper today
as we dined at a local restaurant. Hail damage was extensive in town and good
for us that we were there on Sunday night and not Monday night.
After Rooney Park, we headed down H385 toward BBNP. I planned to look for
Burrowing Owls at the known prairie dog town about 10 miles north of Marathon.
We observed 4 owls, a flying pair on each side of the highway. We had great
views although the birds were a good distance off of the road. It looked like
the birds were sky hopping from one mound to another.
On to the park and we did get our Bullock's Oriole 2 miles south of Marathon. I
had to do Big Bend differently than any previous trip. Micky's health and my
lower back combined to restrict our trip to the lowlands only. I knew all about
the Flame-colored Tanager, N. Pygmy Owl and Short-tailed Hawk but was not going
to be able to do it this time. Interestingly I ran into Dennis Shepler and Fred
Collins in front of the Basin store and Dennis may have just observed a kiting
Short-tailed Hawk up on the ridge.
On Tuesday May 5th we worked the Rio Grande Village area and I was really
looking for the Tropical Parula Mark Lockwood had found a few days earlier. We
spent most of the morning on the road to Daniels Ranch and easily observed the
nesting Common Black Hawk and two Gray Hawks. We just enjoyed watching the Gray
Hawks closely, a bird that has such a limited range in the U.S. We had few
migrants on this day but did get 2 Olive-sided Flycatchers.
Wednesday, May 6th, we visited Cottonwood Campground early. Not 5 minutes out
of the car and I heard the Lucy's Warbler song. The bird was skittish and
working a cottonwood and acacia and then would hop on over to the thick
brushline along the fence just above the river. With persistence I finally
managed a decent view. We also heard Gambel's Quail calling and I think they
were on the Texas side of the river in the thick brush on the high bank. An
added bonus at Cottonwood was a quick, but great view of a single Virginia's
Warbler. After Cottonwood we hiked 1.5 miles into Blue Creek Canyon at the old
Wilson Ranch site. We had 3 Gray Vireo but two were heard only. Also a nice
close view of a male Varied Bunting. On this trip I had Varied Bunting at 4
different locations: Sewage lagoons below the Basin Campground (Blue-throated
Hummingbird also here), Sam Nail Ranch, Blue Creek Canyon and this morning
(5/7) 3 observed on the Window Trail.
Rhandy J. Helton
Junction, Tx.
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