[texbirds] Lubbock Area Birding Summary for February - longish
- From: Anthony Hewetson <fattonybirds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, Anthony Hewetson <fattonybirds@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2015 21:29:23 -0600
Despite only 0.66 inches of rain in February, a tad below the average
February tally of 0.71 inches, Lubbock remained well above average with
2.27 inches of rain total, well above the average year-to-date total of
1.21 inches. The region remains in drought but conditions have been
favorable for more in the way of waterbirds than the last several winters.
I am unable to create a usable summary of eBird data of sightings in the
region during the period covered - IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME I HAVE AVAILABLE.
Comments at the end of each species summary have been adjusted, to the best
of my abilities, to reflect this reduction in reports.
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: 700 just south of Floydada (Floyd) on 2/7/15
(AH) and probably the same 'hundreds' just south of Floydada (Floyd) on
2/7/15 (JK, JM, CR, FR) - FEW REPORTS BUT VERY HIGH NUMBERS FOR THE REGION,
EVEN IF THESE WERE IT, BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
SNOW GOOSE: 1740 south of Floydada (Floyd) on 2/7/15 (AH) and hundreds
south of Floydada on 2/7/15 (JK, JM, CR, FR) - FEW REPORTS BY VERY HIGH
NUMBERS FOR THE REGION BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
ROSS'S GOOSE: 60 south of Floydada (Floyd) on 2/7/15 (AH) and hundreds
south of Floydada (Floyd) on 2/7/15 (JK, JM, CR, FR) - FEW REPORTS BY VERY
HIGH NUMBERS FOR THE REGION BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
WOOD DUCK: 5 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/6/15 (CC, CrC), 2 at
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/8/15 (NP), 14 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on
2/23/15 (JB), and 11 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/25/15 (AH) the
only reports - GOOD NUMBERS BUT LESS SCATTER THAN IN RECENT WINTERS.
GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL,
GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED
MERGANSER, RUDDY DUCK - dabblers, divers, and other ducks in - BETTER
NUMBERS THAN RECENT WINTERS BUT NOT AS HIGH AS ONE WOULD EXPECT GIVEN THE
AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE REGION.
CANVASBACK: 3 at the TTU Sewage Ponds (Lubbock) on 2/6/15 (CC, CrC) the
only report - LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND LOW NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE
SPECIES ABUNDANCE IN JANUARY.
REDHEAD: No reports at all - RIDICULOUSLY LOW, GIVEN THE SPECIES ABUNDANCE
IN JANUARY.
GREATER SCAUP: 2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/6/15 (CC, CrC) the only
report - RARE OR, MORE LIKELY, UNDER-REPORTED IN THE REGION.
COMMON GOLDENEYE: 3 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/6/15 (CC, CrC) and 2 at
the Plainview Duck Pond (Hale) on 2/7/15 (NP) the only reports - ABOUT
AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE WINTER RESIDENT.
COMMON MERGANSER: 6-7 at Lake Six (Lubbock) throughout the period (CC, CrC,
AH, PKe) and 30 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/6/15 (CC, CrC) the only
reports - GOOD NUMBERS, POOR SCATTER.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 1 female at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/23/15
(JB) and 2/25/13 (AH) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS VERY RARE
WINTER RESIDENT.
EARED GREBE: 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH) the only report - LOW
NUMBERS AND POOR SCATTER.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 1 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/23/15 (JB) and
2/25/15 (AH) - FORMERLY CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; NOW CONSIDERED
AN ANNUAL VISITOR THOUGH ALMOST UNHEARD OF IN WINTER.
OSPREY: 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 2/28/15 (CnC, JC, RL) - A VERY
RARE REPORT INDEED - THIS MAY BE THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL OF THIS SPECIES TO
SUCCESSFULLY OVERWINTER IN OUR REGION.
BALD EAGLE: 1 immature bird near Halfway (Hale) on 2/7/15 (NP) - FORMERLY
REGULAR IN THE REGION DURING WINTER; NOW VERY RARE THOUGH THIS HAS BEEN A
GOOD WINTER FOR BOTH EAGLES.
SORA: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (Ah) the only report - ABOUT
AVERAGE; FEBRUARY IS THE LEANEST OF THE WINTER MONTHS FOR RAILS IN OUR
REGION.
COMMON CRANE: 1 in the vicinity of Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) from 2/1/15
through 2/16/15 (RA, JmB, SB, JB, MC, JF, GF, DG, KG, CG, DR, JR, AW, JW) -
A CONTINUATION OF THE FIRST DOCUMENTED RECORD FOR OUR REGION AND, IF
ACCEPTED, THE FIRST DOCUMENTED RECORD FOR TEXAS.
AMERICAN AVOCET: 2 just south of Floydada (Floyd) on 2/7/15 (AH) - A MAJOR
SURPRISE; ACCIDENTAL FOR THE REGION IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/8/15 (AH) the only
report - LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS; VERY LOW NUMBERS.
WILSON'S SNIPE: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/8/15 (AH) the only report -
VERY LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS; ABSURDLY LOW NUMBERS.
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER: 1 remained near Shallowater (Lubbock) through at least
2/8/15 (CC, CrC, PKe) - ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; A CONTINUATION OF OUR 7th
RECORD!
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/28/15 (AH) the
only report - LOW BUT LITTLE TIME WAS SPENT IN EASTERN COUNTIES WHERE THE
SPECIES IS MORE LIKELY TO BE ENCOUNTERED.
DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/8/15 (AH) - RARE THIS FAR
WEST INTO THE REGION; GENERALLY MORE LIKELY TO BE ENCOUNTERED ALONG OR EAST
OF THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
MERLIN: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 2/3/15 through 2/5/15 (AH), 1 at
the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/8/15 (KH), 1 in a Littlefield yard (Lamb) on
2/28/15 (AR), and 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on on 2/28/15 (AH) the only
reports - A TAD LOW.
PEREGRINE FALCON: 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH) the
only report - LOW, SOME OF THE GENERALLY FINDABLE TOWN BIRDS HAVE SEEMINGLY
DISAPPEARED THIS WINTER.
EASTERN PHOEBE: 2 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH) the only report
- A TAD LOW BUT, AGAIN, LITTLE OBSERVER EFFORT IN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES.
COMMON RAVEN: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/3/15 (KH) the only report
- VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
BUSHTIT: 4 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 2/7/15 (CC, CrC) the only report
- FORMERLY EASILY FOUND IN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES; NOW A GENUINE TREASURE
WHENE'ER ENCOUNTERED.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 in the Whisperwood Neighborhood (Lubbock) on
2/3/15 (AH), 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (NP), and 1 at the
Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH) - GOOD NUMBERS BY MOST WINTERS'
STANDARDS BUT A BIG DROP FROM JANUARY NUMBERS.
ROCK WREN: 2 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 2/7/15 (CC, CrC) the only
report - LOW.
CANYON WREN: 1 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 2/7/15 (CC, CrC) and 2 at
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 2/8/15 (NP) the only reports - A VERY RARE
RESIDENT IN THE REGION; THESE ARE TWO OF THE MOST DEPENDABLE SITES.
WINTER WREN: 1 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 2/7/15 (CC, CrC), 2 at
Aztlan Park (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on
2/14/15 (AH), and 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 2/28/15 (RL) - A GOOD
WINTER FOR THIS SPECIES IN OUR REGION AND, YES, WE ARE ALL LOOKING AND
LISTENING FOR A PACIFIC WREN AMIDST THE HERD.
CAROLINA WREN: present at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 2/7/15 (CC, CrC) the
only report - LOW BY RECENT WINTERS' STANDARDS; THE SPREAD ATOP THE CAPROCK
SEEMS TO HAVE STALLED, MAYBE EVEN RETREATED.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 2 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH)
the only report - ABOUT AVERAGE BUT A BIG DROP FROM THE VERY GOOD NUMBERS
PRESENT IN JANUARY.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: a smallish flock persisted at the Lubbock Cemetery
(Lubbock) through the first half of the period (CC, CrC, AH) - LOW, PERHAPS
EVEN VERY LOW, FOR OUR MOST CONSISTENT WINTERING BLUEBIRD.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD: 2 near Cedar Hill (Floyd) on 2/7/14 (AH) the only report
- LOW; DEFINITELY NOT AN IRRUPTIVE YEAR.
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/9/15 (JB) the only
report - LOW FOR THIS RARE BUT GENERALLY FINDABLE WINTER VISITOR.
HERMIT THRUSH: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH) and 1 at Clapp
Park (Lubbock) on 2/15/15 (AH) the only reports - LOW BY RECENT WINTERS'
STANDARDS; VERY LOW BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 21 near Cedar Hill (Floyd) on 2/7/15 (AH) the only report
- LOW, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE NUMBERS AND SCATTER EVIDENT IN JANUARY.
MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR: 9 near Baptist Plains Assembly (Floyd) on 2/7/15 (AH)
the only report - LOW, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE NUMBERS AND SCATTER EVIDENT IN
JANUARY.
CEDAR WAXWING: 17 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/7/15 (fide JCr), 19 at
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/8/15 (AH), and 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on
2/28/15 (JCr, AH, WW) the only reports - LOW BY MOST YEARS' STANDARDS BUT
SUGGESTING A SLIGHT REBOUND OVER RECENT, DROUGHT-STRICKEN WINTERS.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) almost daily (KD) and
1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/15/15 (AH) the only reports - FORMERLY
COMMON ENOUGH IN WINTER TO NOT WARRANT REPORTING; VERY SCARCE THE LAST 4-5
WINTERS.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 female at Aztlan Park (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH), 1
male at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/15/15 (AH), and 1 male at a different
spot in Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/21/15 (AH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR DEEP
WINTER.
EASTERN TOWHEE: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/9/15 (JCr) the only
report - VERY RARE AS A WINTER VISITOR TO OUR REGION; THIS WINTER HAS BEEN
FAIRLY SOLID.
CHIPPING SPARROW: 8 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 2/7/15 (CC, CrC) - A
VERY EXCITING REPORT; THIS SPECIES GENERALLY DISAPPEARS FROM THE REGION IN
FEBRUARY.
LINCOLN'S SPARROW: Hard to find this winter; A STRONG MOVEMENT OF THIS
SPECIES WAS REPORTED BY SEVERAL OBSERVERS (JCr, TD, AH, GJ, PJ, JM, AR, TT)
during late month storms.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 2 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 2/14/15 (AH) the only
report ) LOW BUT LITTLE TIME WAS SPENT IN EASTERN COUNTIES WHERE THE
SPECIES IS MORE LIKELY TO BE SEEN.
DARK-EYED JUNCO: Not particularly common this winter; A STRONG MOVEMENT OF
THIS SPECIES WAS REPORTED BY SEVERAL OBSERVERS (JCr, TD, AH, GJ, PJ, JM,
AR, TT) during late month storms.
NORTHERN CARDINAL: Not terribly noteworthy but A STRONG MOVEMENT OF THIS
SPECIES WAS REPORTED BY SEVERAL OBSERVERS (JCr, TD, AH, GJ, PJ, JM, AR, TT)
during late month storms.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 3 male birds in a large blackbird flock near the
TTU farms (Lubbock) on 2/3/15 (AH) the only report - VERY RARE IN THE
DEPTHS OF WINTER.
RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 1 male at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 2/8/15 (KH) -
FORMERLY CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; NOW KNOWN AS AN ANNUAL,
THOUGH VERY RARE, WINTER RESIDENT.
PINE SISKIN: 80 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 2/7/15 (CC, CrC), 4 at
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/8/15 (AH), 18 at Wayland Baptist Assembly (Hale)
on 2/13/15 (NP), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/16/15 (KD), 5 in a
Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 2/26/15 thorugh 2/28/15 (GJ, PJ), 2 in a
Littlefield yard (Lamb) on 2/28/15 (AR), 8 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on
2/28/15 (TD), 3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/28/15 (AH), 2 in a Lubbock
yard (Lubbock) on 2/28/15 JM), and 5 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 2/28/15
(TT) - NOT PARTICULARLY NOTEWORTHY BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS, THIS IS A VERY
STRONG SHOWING BY RECENT, DROUGHT-STRICKEN WINTERS' STANDARDS.
LESSER GOLDFINCH: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 2/15/15 (AH) - VERY RARE IN
THE REGION DURING WINTER.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: Not terribly noteworthy but A STRONG MOVEMENT OF THIS
SPECIES WAS REPORTED BY SEVERAL OBSERVERS (JCr, TD, AH, GJ, PJ, JM, AR, TT)
during late month storms.
OBSERVERS: RA=Robert Ake, JeB=Jeremy Besette, SB=Susan Bonfiglio, JB=Justin
Bosler, CC=Cameron Carver, CrC=Craig Carver, CnC=Canyon Clark, JC=Jeremy
Clark, MC=Matt Clark, JCr=Jim Crites, KD=Ken Dixon, TmD=Tom Dolan, JF=Jane
Flo, GF=Gary Froelich, DG=Dan Gesualdo, KG=Karen Goetz, CG=Charles Grair,
AH=Anthony Hewetson, KH=Kelly Himmel, GJ=George Jury, PJ=Pat Jury,
PKe=Peter Keyel, JK=Jim Kringle, RL=Rob Lee, JM=Jennifer Miller, NP=Niler
Pyeatt, DR=Daniel Raleigh, AR=Anona Roberts, CR=Clarice Robertson, FR=Floyd
Robertson, JR=Jeff Rusinow, TT=Tess Trost, AW=Alan Wormington, JW=John
Whittle.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson, Lubbock
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