[texbirds] Lubbock Area Birding Summary for February - Long
- From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "leas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <leas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 3 Mar 2013 06:58:34 -0800 (PST)
FEBRUARY 2013 SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS:
With 1.31 inches of rain during the month, well above the average rainfall
for the month of 0.71 inches, Lubbock is refreshingly soggy at 2.23 inches of
rain for the year. 1.02 inches above the year-to-date average of 1.21 inches.
Drought remains a factor (we are tens of inches down over the last several
years) but it is looking as though county amphibians will have their first good
breeding year in some time and things are looking good for waterbirds as well.
The bird of the month (Brant) showed up just in time to be seen by a whole
passel of Houston folk touring the panhandle, allowing them to see two Brants
just a couple of hours apart from each other. The combination
of intense
observer effort at some locations and the increase in data due to
e-bird has made it somewhat more difficult to separate individuals
sightings - the algorithm I am using is relatively conservative and I am
willing to share it with anybody who is interested.
As always the county follows the site in () and birds
are mentioned by virtue of rarity, atypical abundance, or atypical
scarcity.
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: Ten reports of 1-10
birds in the region (Hale, Lubbock,
Lynn) during the period (PB, SB, CC, SC, MD, QE, AnH, NM, JR, CR, AW) - NUMBERS
POOR, EVEN WORSE THAN IN JANUARY - ONE WONDERS IF THIS SPECIES STARTED LEAVING
THE REGION EARLIER THAN USUAL THIS YEAR.
SNOW GOOSE: Sixteen reports
of 1-10 birds and two reports of 11-20
birds in the region (Garza, Hale Lubbock) during the period (PB, SB, CC, SC,
MD, QE, EFD, AnH, NM, JR, CR, ES, AW) - NUMBERS OF THIS SPECIES DROPPED MORE
THAN EXPECTED FOR FEBRUARY, AGAIN SUGGESTING AN EARLY DEPARTURE FROM THE REGION.
ROSS'S GOOSE: Six reports
of 1-10 birds in the region (Hale, Lubbock) during the period (PB, SB, SC, MD,
QE, EFD, AnH, NM, AW) - CONTINUING LOW NUMBER AND STILL ALMOST ENTIRELY
RESTRICTED TO IN-TOWN PLAYAS.
BRANT: 1 Atlantic form Brant was at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) from 2/16/13
through 2/23/13 (JB, BB, PB, SB, CC, SC, DD, MD, EFD, AnH, AvH, KM, JR, CR, RS,
AW, hundreds of pictures) - ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION - THE 11th RECORD FOR THE
REGION.
WOOD DUCK: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/2/13 (CR), 4 at the Plainview Duck
Pond (Hale) on 2/3/13 (SC), 2 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/3/13 (AnH), 8
at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/11/13 (AnH), 1-8 at Whisperwood Pond
(Lubbock) on 2/16/13 (CC, SC, MD, AnH, JR, AW), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on
2/17/13 (SC) the only reports - NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED SUBSTANTIALLY; EITHER
DEPARTING EARLY OR FANNING OUT TO NEWLY DAMPENED HABITAT ELSEWHERE IN THE
REGION.
CINNAMON TEAL: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/17/13 (SC) - VERY RARE IN THE
REGION DURING WINTER.
CANVASBACK: 15 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock) from 2/5/13 though 2/7/13 (SC,
QE, NM), 5 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock) on 2/14/13 (PB), 1 at Tahoka Lake
(Lynn) on 2/24/13 (MDL), 2 at the Hillcrest Golf Course (Lubbock) on 2/24/13
(AnH), and 5 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/26/13 (CC) - ANOTHER STEEPISH DECLINE
FROM JANUARY NUMBERS; THIS COULD VERY WELL BE DUE TO
DISPERSAL TO PLAYAS ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION.
REDHEAD: 1 at the Plainview Duck Pond (Hale) on 2/3/13 (SC), 2 at the TTU
Sewage Pond (Lubbock) on 2/5/13 (SC), 4 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock) on
2/6/13 and 2/7/13 (SC, QE, NM), 27 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/7/13
(CR), 15 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock) on 2/14/13 (PB), 1 at Post City Park
(Garza) on 2/15/13 (MD, JR), 6 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/15/13
(PB), 5 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) on 2/17/13 (WR), 8 at Hillcrest Golf
Course (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH), and 3 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/26/13
(CC) - NUMBERS ACTUALLY INCREASED FOR THIS SPECIES FROM THE UNUSUALLY LOW
NUMBERS IN JANUARY.
COMMON GOLDENEYE: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/6/13 (JH), 1 male at Leroy
Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/11/13 (AnH), and 1 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock)
on 2/14/13 (PB) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE WINTER VISITOR.
COMMON MERGANSER: 12 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/2/13 (CR) was up to 18 on
2/7/13 (CR) but dwindled to 3 by 2/23/13 (SC), 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) from
2/3/13 through 2/14/13 (PB, CC, SC), 1 male at 98th and Quaker (Lubbock) on
2/3/13 (AnH), and 1 female at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (SC, AnH) - STILL A
GOOD WINTER FOR THIS SPECIES, BY RECENT
STANDARDS, IN THE REGION.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 3-5 at Lake Six on 2/3/13 (SC, CR) and 7 at
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/23/13 (SC) - VERY GOOD NUMBERS FOR THIS SPECIES IN
OUR REGION.
COMMON LOON: 1 at Ransom Lake from 2/2/13 through 2/23/13 (SC, CR) the only
report for the month - LOW.
EARED GREBE: 1 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock) from 2/3/13 through 2/14/13(PB,
SC, QE, NM) and 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) the only reports
- LOW.
OSPREY: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/1/13 (SC) - VERY RARE IN THE REGION
DURING WINTER - A VERY NICE RECORD FOR FEBRUARY.
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: Thirteen reports of 1-3 birds in the region (Crosby,
Lubbock) during the period (CC, SC, AnH, KH, JR, CR) - STILL A BIT LOW;
POSSIBLY DUE TO LOW SONGBIRD NUMBERS THIS WINTER.
COOPER'S HAWK: Thirteen reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Crosby, Lamb,
Lubbock) during the period (PB, CC, SC, AnH, KH, JR, CR, mw) - STILL A BIT LOW;
POSSIBLY DUE TO LOW SONGBIRD NUMBERS THIS WINTER.
HARRIS'S HAWK: 4 adult birds at or
near the TTU Rangeland (Lubbock) throughout the period (PB, CC, SC, QE, AnH,
NM) - HOPEFULLY AT LEAST TWO NESTS AT THIS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED 'COLONY' COMING
UP.
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) throughout the month (CC, SC,
AnH, CR) - ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; A CONTINUATION OF THIS PARTICULAR
WINTERING RECORD.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: 1 along the Marshall Formby Highway (Hale) on 2/3/13 (SC), 1
at the TTU HSC fields (Lubbock) on 2/9/13 (AnH), 1 along FM 689 (Floyd) on
2/10/13 (CA, MA), 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/11/13 (KH), 1 near Circle
Back (Bailey) on 2/16/13 (PB, CR), 1 near Reese Center (Lubbock) on 2/16/13
(SC), 1 at Wayland Baptist University (Hale) on 2/18/13 (AK), 1 near the
Lubbock Landfill (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH), and 1 at the Himmel Farm
(Crosby)on 2/24/13 (KH) - VERY GOOD NUMBERS AND SCATTER BY RECENT YEARS'
STANDARDS.
SORA: 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 2/11/13 (KH) - A VERY GOOD RECORD
FOR FEBRUARY AND AN UNUSUAL LOCATION.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/2/13 (AnH), 1 in Crosbyton
(Crosby) on 2/11/13 (KH), 5 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/11/13 (CC), 2 at
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/12/13 (CR), 2 near Crosbyton (Crosby) on 2/14/13
(PB), 2 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/14/13 (PB), and 1 in northeast Lubbock
(Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) - A VERY NICE PICK UP FROM JANUARY NUMBERS,
SUGGESTING SOME NORTHWARD MOVEMENT FROM POINTS SOUTH.
LONG-BILLED CURLEW: 15-17 near the Lubbock Sewage Pond Office (Lubbock) on
2/24/13 (CC, AnH) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL IN THE AREA DURING WINTER; NOW ANNUAL.
WILSON'S SNIPE: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) the only report
- EXTRAORDINARILY LOW.
INCA DOVE: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 2/1/13 thoguh 2/26/13 (Di), 4 in
a different Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 2/15/13 thgouh 2/18/13 (mw), and 2 in
the Tech Terrace neighborhood (Lubbock) on
2/26/13 (CC) the only reports - VERY LOW; JUST BARELY HANGING ON IN THE REGION.
YELLOW-BREASTED SAPSUCKER: 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 2/2/13 (KH)
and 1 in the Tech Terrace neighborhood (Lubbock) on 2/12/13 (CC) the only
reports - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE WINTER VISITOR.
DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) the only
report - LOW.
MERLIN: Ten reports of single birds in the region (Crosby, Lubbock, Lynn,
Yoakum) during the period (PB, SC, MDL, MD, AnH, KH, CR, AW) - ABOUT AVERAGE
FOR THIS RARE BUT DEPENDABLE WINTER VISITOR.
PEREGRINE FALCON: 1 near Reese Center (Lubbock) on 2/16/13 (SC) and 1 at the
Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/19/13 (CR) the only reports - A TAD LOW.
EASTERN PHOEBE: 1 at the 50th Street crossing of the Brazos River (Lubbock) on
2/1/13 (AnH) and 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) the only
reports - LOW, PROBABLY RELATED TO ONGOING
DROUGHT.
SAY'S PHOEBE: 1 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 2/23/13 (MDL) the only report - LOW.
COMMON RAVEN: 1-2 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) throughout the month (KH) and 1
near Ralls (Crosby) on 2/14/13 (PB, CR) the only reports - LOW BY RECENT
YEARS' STANDARDS; NOT MUCH OBSERVER EFFORT BELOW THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT DURING
THE MONTH.
PURPLE MARTIN: 1 over the TTU HSC campus (Lubbock) on 2/13/13 (AnH), 3 in
Dickens (Dickens) on 2/23/13 (ML), and 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/28/13
(GJ) - ARRIVED ON TIME BUT NUMBERS A TAD LOW YET.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 1/1/13 through
2/28/13 (JC), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/4/13 (KD), 4 at the Lubbock
Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/6/13 (CR), 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on
2/7/13 (CR), 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) from 2/10/13 through 2/13/13
(CC, SC), 4 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/19/13 (CR), and 1 at the
Lubbock Country Club
(Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) - THE IRRUPTION RE-INTENSIFIED - EITHER WE MISSED A
BUNCH OF NUTHATCHES IN JANUARY OR THEY ARE MOVING BACK THROUGH ON THEIR WAY
NORTH.
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 in Plainview (Hale) on 2/3/13 (SC), 1 in the Tech
Terrace neighborhood (Lubbock)on 2/15/13 (SC), and 2 at MacKenzie Park
(Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) - NUMBERS DOWN A BIT BUT THE IRRUPTION HOLDS.
BROWN CREEPER: 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/6/13 (CR) the only
report - A BIT LOW; SURPRISING GIVEN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE OFTEN CO-OCCURRING
NUTHATCHES.
HOUSE WREN: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/1/13 (SC) and 1 at MacKenzie Park
(Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) the only reports - A TAD LOW BY RECENT YEARS'
STANDARDS.
WINTER WREN: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/7/13 (CR) and 1 at
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (CC) the only reports - A TAD LOW.
CAROLINA WREN: 1 in the Tech Terrace neighborhood (Lubbock) on 2/15/13 (SC) the
only report - A TAD LOW.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/2/13 (CR), 3 at the
Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/6/13 (CR), 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock)
on 2/7/13 (CR), 2 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/10/13 (SC) and on
2/19/13 (CR), and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/26/13 (CC) - ANOTHER VERY NICE
PICK UP FROM JANUARY NUMBERS - MORE NORTHWARD MOVEMENT FROM POINTS SOUTH?
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 male at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) the only
report - VERY LOW.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD: 5 at the Pole Canyon Ranch (Floyd) on 2/10/13 (CA, MA), 3 in
Dickens (Dickens) on 2/23/13 (ML), and 1 near the Lubbock Landfill (Lubbock) on
2/24/13 (AnH) the only reports - BETTER THAN JANUARY BUT STILL A TAD LOW BY
RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
(
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the month (PB, CC, MD,
AnH, JR, CR, AW), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/3/13 (SC, CR), 1 in a Lubbock
yard (Lubbock) on 2/4/13 (KD), and 1 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/8/13
(CR) - NOT TOO SHABBY - IT HAS BEEN A DECENT WINTER FOR THIS SPECIES WITHIN
LUBBOCK ITSELF.
HERMIT THRUSH: 2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/2/13 (CR) the only report - VERY
LOW.
SAGE THRASHER: 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 2/16/13 (PB, CR) the only report -
ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS VERY RARE WINTER VISITOR.
BROWN THRASHER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the month (CC, AnH), 1 at
the Lubbock Country Club (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH), and 1 in a Lubbock yard
(Lubbock) on2/28/13 (KD) - STILL RARE ABOVE THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 100 at the Becton Cemetery Playa (Lubbock)on 2/3/13 (SC) the
only report - GOOD NUMBERS FOR THIS FAR SOUTH IN OUR REGION; NOT THE MASSIVE
INFLUX THAT WAS SEEN IN DECEMBER, THOUGH.
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR: 4 at the Becton Cemetery Playa (Lubbock) on 2/3/13
(SC), 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 2/17/13 (DH), 30 near Tahoka (Lynne) on
2/25/13 (MDL), and 42 elsewhere near Tahoka (Lynn) on 2/25/13 (MDL) - A NICE
PICK UP FROM JANUARY'S ZERO REPORTS BUT NOT THE MASSIVE IRRUPTION SEEN IN
DECEMBER.
MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR: 5 at the Becton Cemetery Playa (Lubbock) on 2/3/13 (SC), 1
at Cargill Reservoir (Hale) on 2/3/13 (SC), 70 at the CR 152 Prairie Dog Town
on 2/3/13 (KH) and on 2/11/13 (KH), 17 near Tohoka (Lynn) on 2/22/13 (MDL), 10
elsewhere near Tahoka (Lynn) on 2/25/13 (MDL), and 31 at yet another site near
Tahoka (Lynn) on 2/25/13 (MDL) - ANOTHER REBOUND FROM JANUARY'S LOW NUMBERS
BUT, AGAIN, NOT THE STRONG INFLUX OF DECEMBER.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 2 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/6/13 (CR), and
1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/10/13 (SC) and on 2/19/13 (CR) the
only reports - VERY, VERY LOW.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) through the month (CC,
AnH) the only report - A TAD LOW BY RECENT WINTERS' STANDARDS.
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 2/16/13 (NP) - CLOSE TO
ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; THIS REMAINS ONE OF THE FEW SITES WHERE THEY MIGHT BE
FOUND IN WINTER.
FIELD SPARROW: 1 at Lubbock Lake Landmark (Lubbock) on 2/24/13 (AnH) the only
report - EXTRAORDINARILY LOW.
FOX SPARROW: 2-3 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/3/13 (SC, CR), 2 at Mae Simmons
Park (Lubbock) on 2/13/13 (CC), 3 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/13/13 (CC), and
1 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 2/23/12 (MDL) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR
THE AREA IN WINTER; NOTHING LIKE THE STARTLING NUMBERS SEEN IN DECEMBER.
HARRIS'S SPARROW: 1 in west Lubbock (Lubbock) on 2/16/13 (SC) the only report -
THOUGH NUMBERS HAVE BEEN DECREASING IN OUR AREA OVER THE LAST DECADE, THIS
SEEMS LOW FOR FEBRUARY.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 6 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) on 2/17/13 (CR) - VERY
RARE IN THE REGION DURING WINTER.
PINE SISKIN: 70-80 in Dickens (Dickens) from 12/15/13 through 2/28/13 (ML), 2
at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/6/13 (CR), 1-2 in a Lubbock yard
(Lubbock) from 2/19/13 through 2/28/13 (Di), 2 at the Lubbock Cemetery
(Lubbock) on 2/19/13 (CR), 1 somewhere in Hale County (Hale) on 2/26/13 (NP),
and 6 in the Tech Terrace neighborhood (Lubbock) on 2/26/13 (CC) - A VERY
PLEASANT PICK UP FROM THE LOW NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS REPORTED LAST MONTH.
LESSER GOLDFINCH: 5 somewhere in Hale County (Hale) from 2/18/13 through
2/26/13 (NP) the only reports - EITHER MISSED DURING THE WINTER OR SOME VERY
EARLY SPRING ARRIVALS.
OBSERVERS: CA=Connie Andrus, MA=Marlin Andrus, JB=Jennifer Backo, BB=Bonnie
Bailey, PB=Peter Barnes, SB=Susan
Bergeson, CCÊmeron Carver, SC=Steve
Collins, JC=Jim Crites, DDÚn Dawson, MDL=Manuel De Leon, CDR=Cornelia DeRiese,
KD=Ken Dixon MD-Mkie Dupree, QE=Quinn Emmering, EFD=Elizabeth Farley-Dawson,
JH=Jerry Hatfield, DHÚve Hawksworth, AnH=Anthony
Hewetson, AvH=Aveline Hewetson, KH=Kelly Himmel, Di=Donn ianuzi, GJ=George
Jury, AK=Andrew Kasner, ML=Marlene Leiby, NM=Nancy McIntyre, NP=Niler Pyeatt,
JR=Janet Rathjen, CR=Clayton
Rickett, WR=William Robinson, RS=Robert Schwarts, ES=Erin Shaw, mw=mary wilber,
AWam Wood.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson
terrverts@xxxxxxxxx
Bird Records Compiler,
Llano Estacado Audubon Society
www.llanoestacadoaudubon.org
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