JUNE 2012 SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS: With 1.60 inches of rain during the month and 5.25 inches for the year, Lubbock finished up t 5.25 inches for the year - even further behind the average year-to-date total of 8.55 inches but, thankfully, still well above the 2011 year-to-date total of 1.10 inches. Though some playas experienced brief to ongoing periods of recharge, the rains of June seemed to fall into the category of too little, too late ... and there was a pronounced deficit of waterbirds about this summer. There were some oddball late migrant or extremely early post-breeding wanderers about but, overall, birding was pretty slow despite some fairly determined observer effort. 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. CACKLING GOOSE: 4 at Andrews Park (Lubbock) on 6/16/12 (GJ) the only report - IT IS ALWAYS WORTH LOOKING THROUGH THE SUMMERING CANADA GEESE IN LUBBOCK ... AND WE ARE GETTING USED TO HAVING A FEW CACKLING GEESE AS A RESULT. GADWALL: 10 at Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 6/17/12 (CC) the only report - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. MALLARD x 'MEXICAN' DUCK: 1 female persisted at Clapp Park through 6/26/12 (AC, AnH) - DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE MATED; HAS NOT YET BEEN SEEN IN THE COMPANY OF ANY YOUNG AND THERE ARE MANY MALLARD BROODS AT THIS SITE THIS YEAR. BLUE-WINGED TEAL: Five sighting of pairs in the region (Crosby, Floyd, Garza) during the period (AnH, KH) the only reports - VERY LOW. CINNAMON TEAL: 2 on the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/8/12 (KH) the only report - LOW. NORTHERN SHOVELER: 2 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 6/10/12 (AnH), 11 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (SB, CC, CrC, AvH, CR), and 2 on the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/30/12 (KH) - PROBABLY LOWER THAN NORMAL BUT A PHENOMENAL SUCCESS STORY FOR A DABBLER IN OUR REGION THIS SUMMER. NORTHERN PINTAIL: 2 near Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH) the only report - LOW. RUDY DUCK: 1 at the Skeen Playa (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (CC), 2 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 6/17/12 (CC), and 7 at the Old Dairy Place Playa (Crosby) on 6/25/12 (KH) - PROBABLY LOWER THAN NORMAL BUT A SUCCESS STORY BY THIS YEAR'S STANDARDS. LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN: 1 northwest of Plains (Cochran) on 6/9/12 (AnH) and 1 southwest of Lehman (Cochran) on 6/9/12 (AnH) - HARD TO COME BY THIS SUMMER; MAY HAVE BEEN SURVEYED TOO LATE IN THE YEAR. NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 1 at the Skeen Playa (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (CC) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL FOR THE REGION, NOW ANNUAL AND MAY SOON BECOME A BREEDING SPECIES IN THE REGION, GIVEN THE INCREASING NUMBER OF SUMMER SIGHTINGS. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 3 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 6/17/12 (CC, AnH) - A PAIR BRED AT THIS SITE LAST YEAR; NO NEST HAS BEEN OBSERVED SO FAR THIS YEAR. GREAT EGRET: 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 6/9/12 (AnH) and 1 near Southland (Lynn) on 6/17/12 (AnH) the only reports - VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. SNOWY EGRET: Five reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Hockley, Lubbock) during the period (CC, AC, AnH) the only reports - VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. CATTLE EGRET: Seven reports o 1-10 birds and three reports of 11-20 birds in the region (Crosby, Floyd, Lamb, Lubbock) during the period (CC, AnH, KH) - AVERAGE BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS BUT VERY LOW BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON: 1 on the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/24/12 (KH) and 4 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/26/12 (AC, AnH) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE. WHITE-FACED IBIS: 16 on the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/16/12 (KH), 1 near Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH), and 6 near the Abernathy Country Club (Hale) on 6/23/12 (AnH) the only reports - VERY LOW. BALD EAGLE: 2 adult and 1 subadult near Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/18/12 (RN, PS) - ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION DURING THE SUMMER; THE PROXIMITY OF THE SIGHTING TO AN INCREASINGLY WELL-WOODED LAKE MAKES ONE WONDER ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BREEDING. HARRIS'S HAWK: At least two pairs at two nests, one pair accompanied by one subadult in the vicinity of TTU HSC and the TTU Rangeland (Lubbock) throughout the month (AnH) - THE FIFTH YEAR OF BREEDING AT THIS SITE; THE FIRST YEAR WITH MULTIPLE PAIRS. SNOWY PLOVER: 16 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (SB, CC, CrC, AvH, CR) - A PRETTY GOOD REPORT FOR THIS YEAR; LYNN COUNTY HAS HAD SOME OF THE BEST AND MOST PERSISTENT WATER IN THE REGION. BLACK-NECKED STILT: Ten reports of 1-10 birds and one report of 18 birds in the region (Cochran, Crosby, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Lamb, Lynn) during the period (AnH, KH, ML) - VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. AMERICAN AVOCET: Fourteen reports of 1-10 birds and three reports of 11-20 birds in the region (Cochran, Crosby, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn) during the period (SB, CC, CrC, AnH, AvH, KH, ML, CP, CR) - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS. INCA DOVE: 3 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/17/12 (CC) the only report - WE KNEW THE SPECIES HAD TAKEN A SHARP DOWNTURN FROM ITS FORMER STATUS AS UNCOMMON THROUGHOUT THE REGION ... BUT WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS THIS BAD! THE SPECIES MAY BE ON THE BRINK OF DISAPPEARING FROM THE REGION ALTOGETHER. RED-HEADED WOODPECKER: 1 on the Andersen Ranch (Dickens) on 6/1/12 (CA) - SEEMS A BIT LOW BUT THE BIRD WAS NEAR ONE OF THE WELL-KNOWN BREEDING SITES FOR THE SPECIES IN OUR REGION. NORTHERN FLICKER: 1 yellow-shafted bird was seen at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 6/6/12 (SC) - THE SPECIES IS A RARE BREEDER IN THE REGION AND SUMMER REPORTS ARE BECOMING SCARCER. OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 1 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/2/12 (AnH) - ACCIDENTAL IN JUNE; PRESUMABLY A LATE MIGRANT. WESTERN WOOD PEWEE: 1 at the Whiteface Cemetery (Cochran) on 6/10/12 (AnH, photographs) - CASUAL IN JUNE; PRESUMABLY A LATE MIGRANT. EASTERN PHOEBE: 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 6/6/12 (SC) the only report - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS; SEVERAL OF THE MORE TYPICAL BREEDING SITES WERE SURVEYED DURING THE MONTH WITH NO LUCK. BELL'S VIREO: 1 carrying food to a nest west of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH) and 1 carrying food to a nest northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; NOW AN ESTABLISHED BREEDER; PARTICULARLY BELOW THE CAPROCK. COMMON RAVEN: 2 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/2/12 (AnH), 1 on the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/5/12 (KH), 1 in eastern (Lubbock) on 6/11/12 (KH), 1 on the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/12/12 (KH), and 2 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/23/12 (AnH) - AVERAGE NUMBERS FOR THIS RECENTLY REESTABLISHED BREEDER IN THE REGION. PURPLE MARTIN: Five pairs produced at least 16 young at a Lubbock colony (Lubbock) by 6/16/12 (GJ), 3 adults in Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH), 2 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/17/12 (CC), and 2 adults with 1 fledgling in Springlake (Lamb) on 6/24/12 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE REGION; NO REPORTS FROM THE LARGE COLONIES IN DICKENS COUNTY THIS MONTH. CAVE SWALLOW: 12 near Matador (Motley) on 6/2/12 (AnH), 3 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 6/6/12 (SC), 1 at the Tahoka Lake Pond (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (SB, CC, CrC, AvH, CR), 2 at the Tahoka Lake House (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (SB, CC, CrC, AvH, CR), 14 well west of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH), 2 just west of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH), 6 just northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH), and 4 well northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE. BROWN THRASHER: 2 carrying food to a nest northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH) - THOUGH IT SHOULD BE A REASONABLY COMMON BREEDER IN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY BELOW THE CAPROCK THIS SPECIES IS RARELY REPORTED FROM THIS COUNTY. COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 at Tahoka Lake Pond (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (CC, CrC), 1 at Mae Simmons Pond (Lubbock) on 6/17/12 (CC), 4 males and 1 female tending 2 fledglings at the Petersburg Sewage Ponds (Hale) on 6/23/12 (AnH), 1 male singing at a willow thicket near the Abernathy Country Club (Hale) on 6/23/12 (AnH) - A RARE BREEDER IN THE REGION; ALL OF THESE BIRDS WERE IN APPROPRIATE HABITAT AND MOST LIKELY REPRESENT A BETTER THAN AVERAGE YEAR OF BREEDING FOR OUR AREA. AMERICAN REDSTART: 1 male at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/26/12 (AnH) - CASUAL IN OUR REGION; GENERALLY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF THE MONTH AS A LATE MIGRANT - THIS BIRD WAS MORE LIKELY A POST-BREEDING OR NON-BREEDING WANDERER. YELLOW WARBLER: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/2/12 (SC), 1 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/2/12 (AnH), and 1 near Abernathy Country Club (Hale) on 6/22/12 (fide AnH) - ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION IN JUNE; THE FIRST TWO WERE LATE MIGRANTS - THE LATE JUNE SIGHTING IS DEFINITELY ODD. PYRRHULOXIA: 2 pairs tending nests northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RARE BREEDER. DICKCISSEL: 1 on the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/16/12 (KH) was the only report - AMAZINGLY LOW; THIS SPECIES IS USUALLY EASILY FOUND THROUGHOUT THE REGION DURING THE BREEDING SEASON; THIS YEAR IT IS CLOSE TO ABSENT. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 1 male west of Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH) the only report - GENERALLY SCARCE IN JUNE, THIS WAS A BIT OF A LET DOWN AFTER A SPECTACULAR SPRING. BRONZED COWBIRD: 1 at Tahoka Lake Draw (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (SB, CC, CrC, AvH, CR), 2 at Tahoka Lake House (Lynn) on 6/16/12 (SB, CC, CrC, AvH, CR), 1 male in Post (Garza) on 6/17/12 (AnH), 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/17/12 (CC), and 1 female/1 male in Earth (Lamb) on 6/24/12 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED SUMMER VISITOR AND BREEDER> OBSERVERS: CA=Carl Andersen, SB=Susan Bergeson, CC=Cameron Carver, CrC=Craig Carver, SC=Steve Collins, AC=Anita Cooper, AnH=Anthony Hewetson, AvH=Aveline Hewetson, KH=Kelly Himmel, GJ=George Jury, ML=Manuel De Leon, RN=Reid Norman, CP=Cathleen Pollard, CR=Clayton Rickett, PS=Peter Syapin. Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson terrverts@xxxxxxxxx Bird Records Compiler, Llano Estacado Audubon Society www.llanoestacadoaudubon.org