[texbirds] Re: Eagle Lake Lakeside Cemetery Kiskadee still present (local interest)
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: jcazberner@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 11:07:32 -0500
The kiskadee people have been in the cemetery for at least 3 years. They
are easier to see at this time of year as they also range into the estate
to the south. I had them earlier in the summer and spring. And on summer
and early fall trips for last year and the year before. They are nesting
and have had young in past years but the nest is to the south of the
cemetery at least by the begging noises which I assumed were still in a
nest a year ago.
The best spot to see them is to park on the first cross-over through the
cemetery loop road and walk south through the open grass to the fence line.
They are often on the posts and stones in the area or the trees toward the
cemetery entrance. They fly off to the south quite a bit. I have not found
the at the back of the cemetery where the habitat is good.
Note that this can be a really good place during the next month for
empidonax and mourning and Canada warblers which tend to be inland
migrants. Work the edges but do not block the road or go near visitors or
burials out of courtesy. There is some good tangles down near the lake
shore fence. There are 2 small ponds just past the south fence line that
attract birds to the edge. Ladder-backed woodpeckers during much of the
year here and elsewhere but mainly in winter.
Go down the road a bit further south in the middle of the week and you can
access the lower Colorado river authority property that has good birds too.
Or go north in town on 90 and turn into the city park across from the Dairy
Queen. Park behind the swimming pool and take the trail through the jungle
down to the boardwalk into a back arm of the lake. There is a ditch beside
the road with water and herons, waterthrushes etc and gallinules etc from
the boardwalk. Couch's nest and winter in the area here and at the other
stops. And it is a great place for Mississippi kites in late summer.
The park and boardwalk was a gift from the family that gave much of the
land that is now Attwater Refuge.
The eagle lake always has water even though the farmers it serves have been
cut off for 2 years for the benefit of Austin yuppie boaters. There are
spillover ponds and gravel pits on the west side of the lake that can have
good stuff but is hard to view now that the scrub has grown higher. Join a
duck club and you can have access to some of the best birding areas in
Texas at least out of duck season.
On Mon, Aug 12, 2013 at 10:40 AM, Berner Family <jcazberner@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> Texbirders:
>
> Ron Weeks and Brad Lirette refound a Great Kiskadee at Eagle Lake
> (Colorado County)'s Lakeside Cemtery on Saturday afternoon. After a 60
> minute search I also refound it on Sunday afternoon in a tree well back in
> a field across the railroad tracks (& road)--East of the Cemetery. Kiskadee
> has apparently been present for quite a while here--seen on December, 2012
> CBC but is locally rare. No other Kiskadee has ever been reported to ebird
> in a 45 mile radius circle around Eagle Lake. Note the same kiskadee shows
> up at several locations in Eagle lake in ebird --but 1-2 kiskadee(s) have
> only ever been seen at/near the cemetery--I have added Eagle Lake- Lakeside
> Cemetery as an ebird hotspot to eliminate confusion.
>
> The cemetery has many huge live oaks and is a very pleasant place to
> bird--hopefully be good for migrants in the coming weeks.
> John Berner
> W. Houston/Katy
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--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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