[texbirds] Lubbock Area Birding Summary for February - Longish
- From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2014 12:41:11 -0800 (PST)
FEBRUARY 2014 BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
With
0.16 inches of rain in Lubbock during the month, below the average February
total of 0.71 inches, we continue to slide further into drought, now 1.05
inches below the average year-to-date total of 1.21 inches. We are 26 inches
off of the average expected rainfall of 54 inches for the last three years and
are pretty much down to artificially-maintained or spring-fed bodies of water
in the region. This has a multitude of effects on birding in the region. On
one hand, what few waterbirds are to be found in the region are concentrated at
easily-viewed sites. On the other hand, virtually every subset of birds one
can think of is not to be found in expected numbers. Birders are still getting
out there and, to my mind, racking up some pretty interesting sightings while
compiling some very poor daily lists ... but the overall mood is not positive.
The
combination of intense observer efforts at some locations and the
increase in data due to e-bird has made it more difficult to separate
individual 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: Fifteen reports of 1-10 birds in the region
(Hale, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Terry) during the period (CC, SC, TmD,
TnD, EFD, AnH, PKe, KP, NP) - THE FEW THAT HAD PERSISTED INTO JANUARY DROPPED
EVEN FURTHER - LOW.
SNOW GOOSE: Nineteen reports of 1-10 birds, one report of 50 birds, and one
report of 77 birds in the region (Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Terry) during the
period (CA, MA, CC, SC, EFD, AnH, PKe, JM, MW) - EASILY FOUND DUE TO
CONCENTRATION BUT NUMBERS GENERALLY - VERY LOW.
ROSS'S GOOSE: 1 at Brashears Lake Park (Hockley) on 2/1/14 (AnH), 6 at Ransom
Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 1 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) on 2/3/14 (SC)
and 2/9/14 (CC), and 1 at Gillham Park (Terry) on 2/15/14 (CC, SC) the only
reports - VERY LOW.
CACKLING and CANADA GOOSE - FAIRLY EASY TO FIND DUE TO CONCENTRATION BUT
OVERALL NUMBERS FOR BOTH SPECIES WERE LOW.
GEESE: All five species of
goose regularly found in the area participated in an early and surprisingly
thorough departure from the region during the third/fourth week of February.
This is somewhat early for some species (Greater White-fronted Goose), solidly
early for some species (Snow and Ross's Geese), and surprisingly early for some
species (Cackling and Canada Goose). This departure occurred in the face of
continuing cold weather and numerous fronts and is indicative, in my opinion,
of the severity of drought in the region.
TRUMPETER/TUNDRA SWAN: One immature swan was seen and photographed at Buddy
Holly Park (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH, JB, CC) and again on 2/8/14 (KM). The
photographs were submitted to several folk for analysis and can be viewed in
Anthony Hewetson's e-bird report for the site on 2/2/14. Expert opinion ranged
from "I'm not sure I can tell the difference between immature swans of these
species" to "This is a slam-dunk
Trumpeter Swan". The two most tentative evaluations came from members of
state review committees and I saw little point to submitting the record
formally ... though I feel the bird was a Trumpeter Swan ... and I am leaving
the bird, formally speaking, unidentified. Sightings and photographs taken of
the bird in early March further support the identification of this bird as a
TRUMPETER SWAN.
WOOD DUCK: 1 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) through 2/11/14 (JB, CC), 5-14 at
Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) through 2/12/14 (SC, PKe), 2-8 at the Plainview
Duck Pond (Hale) through 2/16/14 (NP), and 2 at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on
2/17/14 (AnH) - LOW NUMBER OF SIGHTING AND LOW NUMBERS BY RECENT WINTERS'
STANDARDS.
GADWALL,
AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and
GREEN-WINGED TEAL: Though findable at any remaining water in the
region, all of our dabblers continued to be low in numbers by recent winters'
standards and frighteningly low by historical standards - VERY LOW,
EXTRAORDINARILY LOW, VERY LOW, VERY LOW, EXTRAORDINARILY LOW and VERY LOW
RESPECTIVELY.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1 male at 19th and Quaker (Lubbock) on 2/18/14 (AnH) and 14
bird at a playa east of Post (Garza) on 2/23/14 (AnH) - RIGHT ON TIME, MAYBE
EVEN A TAD EARLY - EVEN DROUGHT HASN'T SHUT DOWN PASSAGE.
CINNAMON TEAL: 1 male at the Olton Playa (Lamb) on 2/16/14 (AnH) - RIGHT ON
TIME, MAYBE EVEN A TAD EARLY.
CANVASBACK: 10-12 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock) on 2/5/14 and 2/6/14 (SC,
EFD), 8 at Post City Park (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe), 2 at Morton City
Park (Cochran) on 2/10/14 (MDL), 1 at Yoakum County Park (Yoakum) on 2/15/14
(CC, SC), 6 at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on 2/17/14 (AnH), and 2 east of Post
(Garza) on 2/23/14 (AnH) - A DECENT NUMBER OF REPORTS BUT, BY HISTORICAL
STANDARDS,
LOW NUMBER.
REDHEAD: 2 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH), 5 at the TTU Sewage
Pond (Lubbock) on 2/5/14 (SC, EFD), 5 at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on 2/6/14
(SC, EFD), 2 at Yoakum County Park (Yoakum) on 2/15/14 (CC, SC), 4 at the Hale
Center Sewage Ponds (Hale) on 2/19/14 (NP), 1 near Lone Star (Floyd) on 2/22/14
(CA, MA), and 2 east of Post (Garza) on 2/23/14 (AnH) - A DECENT NUMBER OF
REPORTS BUT, BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS, LOW NUMBERS.
RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK - As
with our
dabblers, our expected 'diving' and 'sea' ducks were findable at in-town
playas and our few regional lakes but were - VERY LOW, VERY LOW, VERY LOW,
LOW, AND VERY LOW IN NUMBERS RESPECTIVELY.
COMMON GOLDENEYE: 3 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 1 at Post
City Park (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe), and 1 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock)
through 2/11/14 (JB, CC, AnH) - A RELATIVELY RARE WINTER
VISITOR TO START WITH BUT THESE NUMBERS ARE, NOT SURPRISINGLY, LOW BY
NORMAL STANDARDS.
COMMON MERGANSER: 58 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 28 at
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 13 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC),
1 at Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (PKe), 11 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/2/14
(AnH), 10 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/3/14 (SC), 1 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock)
on 2/4/13 (CA, MA), 7 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/17/14 (SC), 1 at Leftwich Park
(Lubbock) on 2/18/14 (TmD, TnD), 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/19/14 (NP) - AN
ENIGMATICALLY SOLID PERFORMANCE FROM A TYPICALLY RARE SPECIES IN THE REGION;
ONE CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHICH EVEN MORE DESPERATELY DROUGHT-STRICKEN PART OF
THE REGION SENT THESE BIRDS OUR WAY.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH) and 2/3/14 (SC)
the only report - A VERY RARE WINTER VISITOR TO THE REGION - THE DUCK OF THE
MONTH.
NORTHERN BOBWHITE: Numbers appear to be declining rapidly throughout the region
.. though the
species is not yet rare enough to track individual sightings - LOW.
SCALED QUAIL: 5 near Plains (Yoakum) on 2/15/14 (CC, SC) and 6 near Shallowater
(Lubbock) on 2/17/14 (MW) the only reports - INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN
THE REGION; NOW WORTH TRACKING INDIVIDUAL SIGHTINGS.
RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1 at the Muleshoe NWR property in (Hale) on 2/16/14 (AnH)
and 2 near Shallowater (Lubbock) on 2/17/14 (MW) the only reports -
INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN THE REGION; NOW WORTH TRACKING INDIVIDUAL
SIGHTINGS.
COMMON LOON: 1 at Lake Two (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH) the only report - A VERY
RARE WINTER VISITOR; NICE TO SEE THIS INDIVIDUAL PERSISTING, HOWEVER ELUSIVELY,
AT THIS SITE.
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (DH) the
only report - A RARE, BUT ANNUAL, WINTER VISITOR.
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK: 1 immature bird at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through 2/22/14
(AnH, PKe) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL TO THE
REGION, NOW ANNUAL AS A MIGRANT AND VERY RARE WINTER RESIDENT.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: Six reports of single birds in the region (Crosby, Hale)
during the period (CC, AnH, KH, NP) - AS WITH MOST RAPTORS THIS WINTER A TAD
LOW; PROBABLY DUE TO DROUGHT-INDUCED REDUCTION OF PREY.
GOLDEN EAGLE: 1 at Dairy Place (Crosby) on 2/12/14 (KH), 1 in (Floyd) on
2/16/14 (CA, MA), and 1 immature at Lamb County Sandhills Historical Marker
(Lamb) on 2/16/14 (AnH) - A RARE WINTER VISITOR THAT CAN LIVE ON JACKRABBITS -
THE DROUGHT ISN'T THAT BAD YET!
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 1 at
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH), 2 at the Olton Playa (Lamb) on
2/16/14 (AnH), 2 just east of Post (Garza) on 2/23/14 (AnH), and 2 at the
Highway 380 crossing of the Brazos River (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) - A BIT LOW
FOR A NORMAL FEBRUARY; PRETTY GOOD FOR THIS PARTICULAR FEBRUARY.
LONG-BILLED CURLEW: 59 near Denver
City (Yoakum) on 2/15/14 (CC, SC) the only report - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL IN
WINTER, NOW ANNUAL THOUGH VERY SPOTTY.
LEAST SANDPIPER: 5 at the Highway 380 crossing of the Brazos River (Kent) on
2/23/14 (AnH) the only report - LOW.
INCA DOVE: 5 in Littlefield (Lamb) on 2/7/14 (AR) - BETWEEN THE DROUGHT AND THE
WHITE-WINGED DOVES, THE INCA DOVE HAS JUST ABOUT BEEN PURGED FROM THE REGION.
GOLDEN-FRONTED WOODPECKER, LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER, and NORTHERN FLICKER: All
of the region's woodpeckers are in short supply this winter; there is little
forage left even in our best woodlands - VERY LOW, LOW, and LOW RESPECTIVELY.
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 1 at Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC) and
1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/22/14 (AnH, JD, TmD, TnD, PR, TT) the only
reports - LOW.
DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 2/22/14 (AnH) the only
report - LOW BY PREVIOUS WINTERS' STANDARDS.
MERLIN: Four
reports of single birds in the region (Floyd, Hale, Lubbock) during the period
( CC, JD, TmD, TnD, AnH, NP, PR, TT) - LOW.
PEREGRINE FALCON: 1 using the water tower at 50th and Indiana (Lubbock)
throughout the month (AnH) the only report - LOW.
MONK PARAKEET; 1 persisted at Waylan Baptist University (Hale) through at least
2/15/14 (NP) - WORTH TRACKING AS ISOLATED COLONIES HAVE POPPED UP IN THE REGION
BEFORE.
EASTERN PHOEBE: 2 in Clairemont (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) the only report - LOW.
SAY'S PHOEBE: 1 at Muleshoe NWR in (Hale) on 2/16/14 (AnH), 1 near Plainview
(Hale) on 2/17/14 (AK, NP), and 1 west of Clairemont (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) -
ABOUT AVERAGE; A FAIRLY DROUGHT-RESISTANT SPECIES.
COMMON RAVEN: 1 along CR 152 (Crosby) on 2/1/14 (KH), at the Himmel Farm
(Crosby) on 2/12/14 (KH), 2 just east of Post (Garza) on 2/23/14 (AnH), 2 west
of Clairemont (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH), 1 north of Clairemont (Kent) on 2/23/14
(AnH), and 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/24/14 (KH) - ABOUT AVERAGE AND
ALL BELOW THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
PURPLE MARTIN: 2 at Post City Park (Garza) on 2/23/14 (AnH), 1 over a Lubbock
yard (Lubbock) on 2/23/14 (BJ), and 11 over a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/28/14
(AnH) - RIGHT ON TIME; HOPEFULLY A FEW CAN PERSIST IN THE REGION OVER THE
BREEDING SEASON.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE: 3 near Jayton (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) the only report -
NOW SPARSE ENOUGH IN THE REGION TO MERIT TRACKING.
VERDIN: 1 at the Highway 380 crossing of the Brazos River (Kent) on 2/23/14
(AnH) the only report - NOW SPARSE ENOUGH IN THE REGION TO MERIT TRACKING.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 near Jayton (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) the only report -
VERY SPARSE IN THE REGION THIS WINTER.
ROCK WREN: 1 at Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 1 at the Highway
207 crossing of the White River (Floyd) on 2/16/14 (AnH), and 1 at the Highway
208 Crossing of
the Brazos River (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) the only reports - A TAD LOW GIVEN
THE AMOUNT OF COVERAGE GIVEN TO THE AREA BELOW THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT DURING
THE MONTH.
CANYON WREN: 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe) and 1 at the
Highway 207 crossing of the White River (Floyd) on 2/16/14 (AnH) - MAY BE
DECLINING IN THE REGION, ALONG WITH A WHOLE COHORT OF CANYON SPECIES, BUT THIS
SEEMS ABOUT AVERAGE.
HOUSE WREN: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC) and 1 in a
Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/5/14 (TS) the only reports - A VERY RARE WINTER
VISITOR, ABOUT AVERAGE.
WINTER WREN: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC) the only report
- LOW.
CAROLINA WREN: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), and 1 at Mae
Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH) the only reports - MAY BE INCREASING IN
THE REGION, AN INCREASE IN RECORDS FROM LUBBOCK COUNTY WEST.
BEWICK'S WREN: 1 at Ransom
Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 1 at Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 2/1/14
(CC), 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe), 2 at the Highway
207 crossing of the White River (Floyd) on 2/16/14 (AnH), and 1 at Lamb County
Sandhills Historical Marker (Lamb) on 2/16/14 (AnH), 2 at the Kent County Golf
Course (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH), and 1 at the Highway 208 crossing of the Brazos
River (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) - FAIRLY SPARSE BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS, THERE IS
CONTINUING EVIDENCE OF A REGION-WIDE DECLINE FOR THIS SPECIES.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2 at the Highway 207 crossing of the White River (Floyd) on
2/16/14 (AnH), 2 east of Post (Garza) o 2/23/14 (AnH), and 2 at the Kent County
Golf Course (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) - LOW, THIS SPECIES IS HAVING A HARD TIME
PERSISTING IN EVEN OUR MOST WOODED REGIONS OF LATE.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD: 29 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 5 near
Justiceburg (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe), 3 at Lake
Alan Henry (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe), 9 at the CR 156/209 Playa (Crosby)
on 2/15/14 (KH), 3 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/15/14 (JM), 4 at the
Thunderbird Playa (Hale) on 2/16/14 (NP), 2 at the Thunderbird Playa (Hale) on
2/17/14 (AK, NP), 5 at the CR 156/209 Playa (Crosby) on 2/19/14 (KH), 22 At the
CR 156/209 Playa (Crosby) on 2/21/14 (KH), 19 at the CR 156/209 Playa (Crosby)
on 2/22/14 (KH), 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/22/14 (AnH), 17 west of
Clairemont (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH), 6 at the CR 156/209 Playa (Crosby) on
2/27/14 KH), and 13 elsewhere along CR 209 (Crosby) on 2/27/14 (KH) - A STRONG
NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS BUT NUMBERS A TAD ANEMIC.
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the period (JD, TmD,
TnD, AnH, PR, TT), 2 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 3 at
Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 2/15/14 (CC, SC), and 1 at the CR 156/209 Playa
(Crosby) from 2/19/14 through 2/22/14 (KH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR A
NON-IRRUPTION YEAR.
HERMIT THRUSH: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/28/14 (AnH) the only report -
VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN THE REGION THIS WINTER - VERY LOW.
AMERICAN ROBIN: While individual reports were not quite worth tracking - VERY
SPARSE IN THE REGION THIS WINTER.
CURVE-BILLED THRASHER: Sixteen reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Floyd,
Garza, Hale, Kent, Lamb, Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (CA, MA, CC, SC,
AnH, KH, Di, NP, WR) - There is some evidence that this species is declining in
the region but - SEEMED ABOUT AVERAGE BY RECENT WINTERS' STANDARDS.
BROWN THRASHER: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC) and 1 near
Jayton (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) the only reports - RECENT EXPANSION IN THE
REGION MAY BE ON HOLD FOR THE DURATION OF THE DROUGHT; ALL SIGHTING MERIT
REPORTING.
SAGE THRASHER: 1 in (Yoakum) on 2/15/14 (CC, SC) the only report - A RARE
WINTER VISITOR, ABOUT AVERAGE FOR A NON-IRRUPTIVE
FEBRUARY.
AMERICAN PIPIT: 3 near Littlefield (Lamb) on 2/16/14 (AnH), 2 near Plainview
(Hale) on 2/17/14 (AK, NP), and 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/24/14 (AnH)
the only reports - DEFINITELY AND RAPIDLY DECLINING IN THE REGION OVER THE
COURSE OF THE LAST TEN YEARS; ALL REPORTS MERIT MENTION AT THIS POINT.
CEDAR WAXWING: 11 in Levelland (Hockley) on 2/1/14 (AnH) and 7 in the Rush
neighborhood (Lubbock)on 2/18/14 (AnH) the only reports - EXTRAORDINARILY LOW;
EVEN IN NON-IRRUPTIVE YEARS BETTER NUMBERS MAKE IT INTO THE REGION BY THIS
POINT IN THE WINTER.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 2 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/1/14 (KH), 1 at Dairy
Place (Crosby) on 2/12/14 (KH), 2 near Lockney (Floyd) on 2/16/14 (AnH), and 4
near Happy Union (Hale) on 2/16/14 (AnH) the only reports - AN AVERAGE NUMBER
OF SIGHTINGS BUT ODDLY LOW NUMBERS FOR A SPECIES THAT USUALLY MOVES INTO OUR
REGION IN LARGER FLOCKS.
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR: 7 near Lockney (Floyd) on 2/16/14 (AnH) the only
report - A VERY LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND, AGAIN, ODDLY LOW NUMBERS FOR A BIRD
THAT USUALLY MOVES INTO THE REGION IN FLOCKS.
MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR: 12 at the CR 152 Prairie Dog Town (Crosby) on 2/12/14 (KH),
1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/13/14 (KH), 3 near Cone (Crosby) on 2/16/14
(AnH), and 16 near Happy Union (Hale) on 2/16/14 (AnH) - A LOW NUMBER OF
REPORTS AND, AGAIN, ODDLY LOW NUMBERS FOR A BIRD THAT USUALLY MOVES INTO THE
REGION IN FLOCKS.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the period (AnH,
PKe), 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe), and 1 in a Lubbock
yard (Lubbock)on 2/18/14 (AnH) the only reports - VERY HARD TO FIND IN THE
REGION THIS WINTER.
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER: While individual reports were not quite worth tracking -
VERY SPARSE IN THE REGION THIS WINTER.
SPOTTED TOWHEE, FIELD SPARROW, VESPER SPARROW, LARK BUNTING, SAVANNAH SPARROW,
SONG SPARROW, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and DARK-EYED JUNCO:
These sparrows are generally fairly common or at least fairly easy to find in
the region during winter. This winter all of our typical sparrows have been
fairly difficult to almost impossible to find and the status of these species
is - RESPECTIVELY ... VERY LOW, LOW, EXTRAORDINARILY LOW, EXTRAORDINARILY LOW,
EXTRAORDINARILY LOW, VERY LOW, LOW, EXTRAORDINARILY LOW, AND VERY LOW.
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW: 1 was at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/27/14 (PS) - A VERY
ODD LOCALE, IN OUR REGION GENERALLY ONLY FOUND BELOW THE CAPROCK OR AT ISOLATED
RIMROCK IN OUR WESTERN COUNTIES.
CHIPPING SPARROW: 5 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 2/8/14 (CC, SC, PKe) the only
report - THIS IS ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE WINTER RESIDENT.
LARK SPARROW: 7 birds at the Kent County Golf Course (Kent) - EARLY MIGRANTS
OR, LESS LIKELY, AN OVER-WINTERING FLOCK.
FOX SPARROW: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH) and 1 at the Highway 380
crossing of the Brazos River (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) the only reports - VERY
LOW.
SWAMP SPARROW: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 2/1/14 (CC), 1 at Lake
Six (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH), 1 at Eagle's Hall Park (Floyd) on 2/16/14 (AnH),
1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/22/14 (JD, TmD, TnD, AnH, PR, TT), and 1 at Post
City Park (Garza) on 2/23/14 (AnH) the only reports - LOW.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 3 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/2/14 (AnH) and 1 below
Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/9/14 (CC) the only reports - DECLINING AND HARD TO FIND
IN THE REGION BUT THIS IS STILL QUITE LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARD.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/13/14 (KH) the only
report - A VERY RARE WINTER SIGHTING FOR THE REGION.
RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 1 female north of Littlefield (Lamb) on 2/16/14 (AnH) -
FORMERLY CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; NOW KNOWN TO BE A VERY
LOW-DENSITY WINTER RESIDENT.
COMMON GRACKLE: 5 in Plainview (Hale) on 2/4/14 (NP), 6 at Buddy Holly Park
(Lubbock) on 2/4/14 (CA, MA), 1 at SkylarknTexas (Lubbock) on 2/14/14 (CP), 6
in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/16/14 (TmD), 2 at Stone Lake (Lubbock)on
2/16/14 (DS), 11 at Wayland Baptist University (Hale) on 2/18/14 (CA, MA), 10
at Lone Star (Floyd) on 2/22/14 (CA, MA), and 6 at the Post Rest Area (Garza)
on 2/23/14 (AnH) - ANOTHER SPECIES THAT, PROBABLY DUE TO DROUGHT-INDUCED
COLLAPSE OF REGIONAL WOODLANDS, HAS MADE IT TO THE NOTEWORTHY LIST.
PINE SISKIN: 1 at the Thunderbird Playa (Hale) on 2/1/14 (NP) and 2 at Clapp
Park (Lubbock) on 2/28/14 (AnH) the only reports - VERY LOW, EVEN BY
NON-IRRUPTIVE WINTER STANDARDS.
LESSER GOLDFINCH: 1 at the Kent County Golf Course (Kent) on 2/23/14 (AnH) -
PROBABLY ONE OF OUR RARE WINTERING LESSER GOLDFINCHES AS THIS SITE HAS
SUPPORTED WINTERING BIRDS IN THE PAST.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: Twelve sightings of 1-7 birds in the region (Garza, Hale,
Lubbock, Kent, Lamb) during the period (CC, SC, AnH, Di, PKe, NP) - A VERY LOW
NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS AND EXTRAORDINARILY LOW NUMBERS.
EVENING GROSBEAK: The female continued at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the end
of the period with sightings on 2/2/14 (AnH), 2/26/14 (PKe), and 2/28/14 (AnH)
- A CONTINUATION OF THE REGION'S THIRD RECORD SINCE 2005.
OBSERVERS: CA=Connie Andrus, MA=Marlin Andrus, JB=Jeff Boatright, CCÊmeron
Carver, SC=Steve Collins, JD=Jeanne Davis, MDL=Manuel De Leon, TmD=Tom Dolan,
TnD=Toni Dolan, EFD=Elizabeth Farley-Dawson, DHÚnny Hancock, AnH=Anthony
Hewetson, KH=Kelly Himmel, Di=Donn ianuzi, BJ=Brad Jury, AK=Andrew Kasner,
PKe=Peter Keyel, JM=Jennifer Miller, KM=Kevin Morris, KP=Kennedy Perry,
CPÊthleen Pollard, NP=Nily Pyeatt, PR=Paula Richardson, AR=Anona Roberts,
WR=William Robinson, DSÚwn Schluetz, TS=Tom SoRelle, PS=Paul Sunby, TT=Tess
Trost, MW=Mary Wilber
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson
terrverts@xxxxxxxxx
Bird Records Compiler,
Llano Estacado Audubon Society
www.llanoestacadoaudubon.org
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