[texbirds] Highlights from recent trip to TOS meeting from Lubbock
- From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "leas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <leas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:04:31 -0800 (PST)
Greetings All:
I took advantage of the recent TOS meeting to spend several days of vacation in
areas I had explored but poorly before. I drove from Lubbock to Houston by way
of Austin - over the course of 16 and 17 January, spent time in several
counties around Houston during the meeting, and returned to Lubbock via
Anderson, Henderson, Van Zandt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Ellis Counties during 21,
22, and 23 January - not exactly the most direct route but a lot of fun. I saw
lots of birds (and other critters) in every county visited and am restricting
this highlights post to birds that I think would be of interest to compilers
for the regions I passed through: birds that, according to the TOS handbook,
seem out of range or birds that, by virtue of being encountered infrequently
during the trip, might be notable.
On 16 January I made my way to Austin. Highlights included an adult Golden
Eagle near the intersection of Highway 84 and CR 1613 (Scurry County), 2 adult
Harris's Hawks over Interstate 20 just east of Sweetwater (Nolan County), and 1
White-breasted Nuthatch in Lampasas (Lampasas County).
On 17 January I made my way to Houston. Highlights included 5 Purple Martins
over a pond near the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 105 (Grimes County)
and 2 White-tailed Hawks along FM 362 (Waller County). The martins were also
seen by Rich Kostecke and surprised both of us.
On 18 January I participated in the TOS Waller County big day trip. I saw or
heard 89 species in 9 hours but the only ones that folk seemed truly excited by
were the 9 White-tailed Kites at the Mary Manor wetlands and the Palm Warbler
at another Katy Prairie property. We hit so many backroads during the day that
I couldn't put the Palm Warbler to a specific point on a map if I tried.
On 19 January I participated in the TOS trip to Brazos Bend State Park.
Highlights amongst the 85 species seen in 9 hours on or near the state park
property were 3 American Bitterns and 2 Wilson's Warblers at the state park and
1 White-tailed Hawk at the landfill near Long Point.
On 20 January I did some Harris County chasing on my own. The first highlight
of the day was an American Woodcock flushed while walking in/wading through the
woods across the road from bathroom #9 at Bear Creek Park. The only other
highlights were 1 Palm Warbler and 1(possibly 2) Henslow's Sparrow(s) at the
Woodcock Spot north of Bear Creek Park. Anyone trying for the sparrow will
need rubber boots, patience, and quick ears/eyes - no posing for these guys. I
had no highlights on my way up to Palestine during the prevening.
On 21 January I wandered through Henderson, Anderson, and Van Zandt Counties -
trying to find workable lakeshore in each county. Highlights included 1 adult
winter Herring Gull amidst the horde of Ring-billed Gulls>Forster's
Terns>Bonaparte's Gulls at Cedar Creek Reservoir in Henderson County; 1 first
winter Herring Gull amidst the horde of Ring-billed Gulls>Bonaparte's
Gulls>Forster's Terns at Purtis Creek State Park in Van Zandt County; 2 Common
Goldeneyes on a stock pond along CR 3080 near Odom in Van Zandt County.
On 22 January I wandered through Kaufman, Navarro, and Ellis Counties.
Highlights included 4 Greater Scaups on a large pond/small lake near the
intersection of FM 148 and CR 4056 in Kaufman County; 3 Mottled Ducks (2
drakes, 1 hen) on a pond along CR 3250 just south of Highway 85 in Navarro
County; 1 Common Merganser from the beach at Love Park in Ellis County. I
suspect the Mottled Ducks are part of the NE Texas population described in the
TOS handbook but these were the only Mottled Ducks I saw in that part of the
state on this trip. The Common Merganser may not be a big deal but it was the
only one seen on the entire trip - so maybe it is?
On 23 January I made my way from Waxahachie to Lubbock with a big lump of time
spent in Parker County. Highlights included 1 Ferruginous Hawk seen flying
from Parker County into Tarrant County - from Interstate 20; 6 Eared Grebes, 8
Horned Grebes, 35 Least Sandpipers, and 1 adult winter Herring Gull at Lake
Weatherford in Parker County; 3 Least Sandpipers and 1 Common Yellowthroat at
Lake Mineral Wells State Park in Parker County; 4 Canvasbacks, 26 Redheads, and
2 Greater Scaups at Post City Park in Garza County. The even mix of grebes at
Lake Weatherford was surprising - I would have bet that Eared Grebe would be
ten times more likely than Horned Grebe at this site. The Common Yellowthroat
may not be a big deal but it was the only one I saw in northeast Texas on this
trip.
The highlight reel does not give the greatest impression of how good the
birding was during the trip. Relatively short visits (3-4 hours) in each of
the six counties I had never been in before (Anderson, Ellis, Henderson,
Kaufman, Navarro, Van Zandt) brought each county list up into the high 60s or
low 70s and numbers of some individual species were, in my book, quite
remarkable.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
P.S. I tallied 84 American Alligators during the visit to Brazos Bend State
Park: that, alone, would have made the trip worth it.
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