[texbirds] Exotic birds of Houston bus trip

From: "Collins, Fred (Commissioner Pct. 3)" <Fred_Collins@xxxxxxxx>
To: "1 Texbirds (texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:59:43 +0000
We took a senior birding bus trip on June 7 to see exotic birds in Houston. We 
started at Author Storey Park where we found a nice flock of about 35 Orange 
Bishops in the giant cut-grass on the banks of the lake in the SE corner of the 
park. All were in female/immature plumage except one molting male with several 
large orange patches and a few darkening black spots. We found no Nutmeg 
Manikins at this site or any other during the trip.
Next we tried El Franco Lee Park hoping to find Orange-cheeked Waxbills but 
failed to find them. Six birds were recently reported but with several hundred 
acres of suitable habitat they are a needle in a haystack.  Our next stop was 
Alexander Deusen Park. We hoped for Egyptian Goose and Peacock. Both birds were 
no-shows and we settled for the Fish Crow at the boat ramp. We stopped at 
Summerwood Lake and found 5 Egyptian Geese along with a host of domestic 
waterfowl.

We had lunch at BB's Café in the Heights and then went to Aurora Street at 
Arlington where we found a pair of nesting Red-vented Bulbuls.  It is the 
second year in a row that we have found a nest of a pair at this location. It 
is enjoyable to watch a bird I am so unfamiliar with.  Bulbuls are as distinct 
as any other bird family and seeing a family I have not regularly encountered 
is interesting.  We missed a pair at 13th Street but caught a glimpse of one on 
White Oak Blvd a few blocks east of Studemont. There are many pairs in the 
Heights. They are remarkably cryptic and can be difficult to locate. I tested 
the nesting pair we found and they showed no response to a call.  It was early 
afternoon and hot. They are feeding babies in the nest so that may explain the 
lack of response.

Our next stop was an electric transfer station just off 34th street. This 
facility has at least 16 Monk Parakeet nests as well as 2-3 pairs of Western 
Kingbirds.

Our final stop was in the Memorial area off Kirkwood north of Buffalo Bayou. 
There we enjoyed about 16 Peafowl.  The adult males were stunning, especially 
one sunning on a lawn. The peahen with two chicks was the group's favorite.

The trip also had the more regular exotics: Cattle Egret, Pigeon, Eurasian 
Collared Dove, Starling, and House Sparrow.

If you would like a more detailed report of this trip with pictures please 
e-mail me a request. It will be supplied as a word doc.


Fred Collins
             (281) 357-5324
Director: Kleb Woods Nature Center
             Cypress Top Historical Park
Commissioner Steve Radack
Harris County Precinct 3
www.pct3.hctx.net<http://www.pct3.hctx.net>



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[texbirds] Exotic birds of Houston bus trip

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