The Bowl in Guadalupe Mtns NP (IMHO) is right up there with Boot Canyon in Big
Bend NP and Tobe Canyon at the Davis Mtns Preserve as must-do birding hikes in
Texas. Being a native Texan and long time birder in this great state, it's a
bit embarrassing that I've never been to The Bowl. Well, no more.
Leaving Pine Springs campground this morning at about 6am, I headed up the
Tejas Trail and then Frijole to the entrance to Bear Canyon. Poorwills and a
GHOW called from the hillside. Entering Bear Canyon, the flashlight was no
longer needed. About half way up the canyon where the trail goes under a large
rock along the cliff face, and just after sunrise, I heard the distinctive
'tooting' of a Northern Pygmy Owl. I've heard this bird several times in
California and the even cadence and approximately 1 second spacing of the notes
is unmistakable. Being shocked to hear the bird, I scrambled for the iPhone but
before I could cue-up the recorder the owl stopped calling and/or the bird
moved. If you visit GNP in the near future it would be great if you could go up
Bear Canyon to refind or record the N Pygmy Owl.
Continuing up Bear Canyon, a half hour later an immature Golden Eagle soared
over the top of the ridge. Always neat to see these birds. So majestic and
regal.
The Bear Canyon-Bowl trail intersection was a very welcomed sight at about
8:30. For the next 4 hours I slowly birded The Bowl loop, finishing at Hunter
Peak. The Bowl did not disappoint. It was awesome and well worth the effort;
beautiful Ponderosas, colorful wildflower, a lush meadow, peaceful. Good birds
for me in The Bowl included lots of Mountain Chickadees and Stellar's Jays, a
couple of Townsend's Warblers and Pygmy Nuthatches, a Williamson's Sapsucker
and a Brown Creeper. There were a half dozen flyover Western Bluebirds but no
Mountain Bluebirds or Townsend's Solitaires yet. The afternoon trip down the
Tejas Trail back to Pine Springs was quiet with the best bird being a Rock
Wren. Surprised not to hear a Canyon Wren this day.
It was a very tiring and quite rewarding 9hr, 9.5 mile trip to/from The Bowl;
hopefully the first of many trips. The clear highlight of this outing was the
'tooting' Northern Pygmy Owl in Bear Canyon.
Good birding!
Bob Friedrichs
Palacios
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