[texbirds] Canyon Lake Brown Booby Friday morning 8-31-12
- From: drbirdie@xxxxxxx
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:15:44 -0400 (EDT)
Hi Texbirders,
I was able to make the trip down to Canyon Lake this morning for the adult
Brown Booby that is hanging out at the dam.
I reached Overlook Park by about 7:15 a.m. and parked as close to the south end
of the dam as possible. I was concerned initially because the concrete ledge on
the south side of the dam control tower did NOT have a booby perched on it. It
was necessary to walk north on the paved road over the dam for about 5 minutes
to reach the walkway to the dam control tower, from where I could see the booby
perched on the concrete ledge on the north side of the tower. So, if the bird
is perched on the north ledge, you won't be able to see it from the parking lot
unless your scope has X-ray vision.
The bird remained perched from 7:25 a.m. until just before 8 a.m. when it flew
out over the lake and then came back to the perch again. It flew out over the
lake and returned two more times while I was there, once perching for a few
minutes on the south concrete ledge before flying off and then returning to the
north ledge. The bird appears to be an adult female, as the head, neck and
upperparts are completely chocolate brown, and there is a dark mark at the base
of bill in front of the eye. There is also a narrow strip of pale skin or
feathers that seems to outline the upper and lower parts of the base of the
bill adjacent to the dark brown feathering of the rest of the head.
Many thanks to Bruce Jones of Canyon Lake, who had the bird "pinned down" with
his binocs when I arrived. Gene Majors of San Marcos was also able to enjoy the
view during part of the time I was there.
Another good bird this morning was a very dark Peregrine Falcon that flew from
the north over the dam control tower and disappeared over the hills on the
south side of the lake. The Peregrine's flyover may have prompted the booby's
initial flight from the concrete ledge, and its arrival was announced by
repeated single-note pipings from an unseen Spotted or Solitary Sandpiper.
Another interesting sight was a flock of 14 dark ibis that flew in from the
north and disappeared to the southeast.
Several of the locals who walk the dam road for exercise are now aware of the
booby. Some of them responded enthusiastically to a chance for a scope view of
such a rare and unusual creature. A bassboat cruised slowly near the control
tower as I walked up at 7:20, but didn't seem to bother the bird. Boat and
vehicular traffic will undoubtedly be heavier over the holiday weekend.
Good birding ya'll,
Byron Stone, Austin
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- » [texbirds] Canyon Lake Brown Booby Friday morning 8-31-12 - drbirdie
