Probably a great report but I never seem to make it beyond:
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.
Fred Collins, Director
Kleb Woods Nature Center
20303 Draper Road,Tomball TX 77377
281-357-5324
Harris County Precinct 3
Steve Radack Commissioner
www.pct3.com
-----Original Message-----
From: texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On ;
Behalf Of Anthony Hewetson
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2016 11:25 AM
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Anthony Hewetson
<fattonybirds@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [texbirds] Lubbock Area Birding Summary for June - Longish
Lubbock received 1.02 inches of rain during the month, well below the average
June total of 2.98 inches, and is now at 6.17 inches for the year ... even
further short, compared to the end of May, of the average year-to-date total of
8.55 inches. Playas held strong in several counties, however, and most of the
highlights could, at least loosely, be described as waterbirds.
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.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK: 1 was seen near Higginbotham Park (Lubboc) on
6/4/16 (AH) - THIS SPECIES WAS VIEWED AS ACCIDENTAL BUT DURING THE PAST DECADE
HAS BEEN DETECTED ANNUALLY IN INCREASING NUMBERS.
SNOW GOOSE: 1 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/7/16 (JB) - THE BIRD WAS NOT
DESCRIBED AS INJURED IN THE REPORT I RECEIVED; A LATE LINGERER?
CACKLING GOOSE: 1 persisted at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) through the period
(AH) - A FEW, GENERALLY INJURED BIRDS, LINGER THROUGH MOST SUMMERS.
CANADA GOOSE: 1 persisted at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) through the period
(AH) and 3 were at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 6/25/16 (JJ, KP, JW) - AGAIN, TYPICAL
SUMMERING NUMBERS; NO EVIDENCE OF BREEDING IN THE REGION THIS SEASON.
GADWALL: 2 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB), 10 near Wind Farm (Floyd) on
6/6/16 (JB), 6 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/15/16 (JB), and 2 near Rushing
Chapel (Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH) - GOOD BREEDING NUMBERS; NOT SURPRISINGLY IN THE
COUNTY THAT HAS THE MOST PLAYAS.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: Seventeen reports of 1-10 birds, five reports of 11-18 birds,
and one report of 30 birds in the region (Crosby, Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley,
Lubbock) during the period (JB, AH, JJ, KP, NP, JW) - GOOD NUMBERS BY RECENT
YEARS' STANDARDS, SUGGESTING CONSIDERABLE POST-DROUGHT RECOVERY.
CINNAMON TEAL: 2 at the Sundown Water Treatment Ponds (WTP hereafter) in
(Hockley) on 6/4/16 (AH), 4 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB), 10 near
Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/15/16 (JB), 2 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH), and
2 at the Hale Center WTP (Hale) on 6/26/16 (NP) - GOOD BREEDING NUMBERS BY
RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
NORTHERN SHOVELER: Seven reports of 1-8 birds in the region (Crosby, Floyd,
Hale, Hockley, Lubbock) during the period (AH, NP) - GOOD BREEDING NUMBERS BY
RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
NORTHERN PINTAIL: 2 near Roundup (Hockley) on 6/12/16 (AH), 1 near Dougherty
(Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH), 2 near Roundup (Hockley) on 6/30/16 (AH), and 2 near
Anton (Hockley) on 6/30/16 (AH) - SURPRISINGLY LOW NUMBERS, GIVEN THE GOOD
NUMBERS OF OTHER DABBLING DUCKS LINGERING TO BREED IN THE REGION THIS SEASON.
GREEN-WINGED TEAL: Five reports of 1-5 birds at various playas in (Floyd)
during the period (JB, AH) - GOOD BREEDING NUMBERS, BY RECENT YEARS'
STANDARDS; NOT SURPRISINGLY IN THE COUNTY THAT HAS THE MOST PLAYAS.
REDHEAD: 4 at the Sundown WTP (Hockley) on 6/4/16 (AH), 2 near Dougherty
(Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB), 2 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH), and 2 near
Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH) the only reports - SURPRISINGLY LOW NUMBERS,
GIVEN THE GOOD NUMBERS OF OTHER DUCKS LINGERING TO BREED IN THE REGION THIS
SEASON.
RUDDY DUCK: 14 at the Sundown WTP (Hockley) on 6/4/16 (AH), 15 near Dougherty
(Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/11/16 (AH), 40 near
Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/15/16 (JB), and 2 near Abernathy
(Hale) on 6/18/16 (AH) - GOOD BREEDING NUMBERS BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
GAMBEL'S QUAIL: 9 at the Terrace Cemetery (Garza) on 6/4/16 (SF, m.ob.) - NOT
NATIVE TO THE REGION BUT THE SITUATION SHOULD BE MONITORED AS INTRODUCED BIRDS
HAVE BECOME ESTABLISHED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE REGION AT TIMES.
SCALED QUAIL: Twenty-nine reports of 1-10 birds, one report of 12 birds, and
one report of 16 birds in the region (Cochran, Garza, Hockley, Yoakum) during
the period (AH) - EXCELLENT NUMBERS AND GOOD SCATTER FOR A SPECIES THAT CAME
CLOSE TO VANISHING FROM THE REGION DURING THE RECENT DROUGHT.
NORTHERN BOBWHITE: AS WITH SCALED QUAIL, EVIDENCE OF RECOVERY FROM THE DROUGHT
PERIOD WAS EXCEPTIONAL WITH HIGH NUMBERS REPORTED THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
RING-NECKED PHEASANT: Ten reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Floyd, Hale,
Hockley) during the period (AH, NP) - GOOD NUMBERS; MORE EVIDENCE OF AT LEAST
SOME DROUGHT RECOVERY IN THE REGION.
LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN: 1 seen in (Hockley) on 6/27/16 (AH) the only report
from the region in some time - A VERY ODD SPOT BUT THERE ARE OTHER RECORDS,
THROUGHOUT THE SPECIES' RANGE, OF POST-BREEDING VAGRANCY.
EARED GREBE: 2 at the Sundown WTP (Hockley) on 6/4/16 (AH), 2 near Dougherty
(Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB), 12 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/15/16 (JB), and 1 near
Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF
BREEDING THIS SPECIES IS CAPABLE OF IN THE REGION.
GREAT EGRET: Four reports of single birds in (Lubbock) during the period
(AH) - A TAD LOW BUT THERE WAS LITTLE REPORTED BIRDING EFFORT AT FAVORABLE
SITES.
SNOWY EGRET: Eight reports of 1-10 birds and one report of 11 birds in the
region (Hale, Hockley, Lubbock) during the period (AH, JJ, KP, NP, JW) - A TAD
LOW BUT THERE WAS LITTLE REPORTED BIRDING EFFORT AT FAVORABLE SITES.
CATTLE EGRET: Twenty reports of 1-10 birds and three reports of 11-25 birds in
the region (Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Lubbock) during the period (AH,
NP) - A TAD LOW BUT THERE WAS LITTLE REPORTED BIRDING EFFORT AT FAVORABLE SITES.
GREEN HERON: LOW NUMBERS REPORTED THROUGHOUT THE REGION DURING THE PERIOD;
THIS IS A SPECIES THAT IS NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF INCREASED WATER AVAILABILITY.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON: 2 near Cone (Crosby) on 6/19/16 (AH) and 1 at the
Anton Ponds (Hockley) on 6/30/16 (AH) - SOME GOOD REPORTS AWAY FROM THE KNOWN
ROOSTS AT IN-TOWN SITES IN LUBBOCK.
WHITE-FACED IBIS: Nine reports of 2-6 birds in the region (Floyd, Hale,
Hockley) during the period (AH, NP) - VERY LOW NUMBERS, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF
HABITAT AVAILABLE IN THE REGION; THE ODD TIMING OF RAINS IN THE REGION THIS
YEAR PROBABLY LED THESE BIRDS TO OVERLOOK THE REGION DURING PASSAGE.
HARRIS'S HAWK: 1 in (Cochran) on 6/27/16 (AH) - RARE TO THE REGION; THIS BIRD
WAS NEAR SUITABLE BREEDING HABITAT. THE EXACT LOCATION IS NOT BEING REPORTED
DUE TO RECENT POACHING OF THE SPECIES BY RAPTOR ENTHUSIASTS.
BLACK-NECKED STILT: Seventeen reports of 2-10 birds and one report of 16 birds
in the region (Crosby, Floyd, Garza, Hockley, Lynn) during the period
(AH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR BREEDING IN SEMI-WET YEARS; SOME RECOVERY FROM DROUGHT
YEARS SHOWN.
AMERICAN AVOCET: Twenty reports of 2-10 birds in the region (Crosby, Floyd,
Garza, Hale, Hockley,) during the period (JB, AH, NP) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR
BREEDING IN SEMI-WET YEARS; SOME RECOVERY FROM DROUGHT YEARS SHOWN.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 4 at the Hale Center WTP (Hale) on 6/26/16 (NP) and 3 near
Roundup (Hockley) on 6/30/16 (AH) - WERE MOST LIKELY EARLY SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS.
LESSER YELLOWLEGS: 2 at the Hale Center WTP (Hale) on 6/26/16 (NP) - WERE MOST
LIKELY EXTREMELY EARLY SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS.
LONG-BILLED CURLEW: 8 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 6/25/16 (AR) - WERE QUITE
POSSIBLY BREEDERS - AS THIS SITE IS AT THE SOUTHEASTERN EDGE OF THE SPECIES'
BREEDING DISTRIBUTION.
UPLAND SANDPIPER: 2 near Idalou (Lubbock) on 6/28/16 (CL, RL) - WERE MOST
LIKELY EXTREMELY EARLY SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS.
WILSON'S PHALAROPE: 2 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH) - WERE MOST LIKELY
BREEDERS AS THE SPECIES DOES BREED IN THE REGION, ALBEIT IN SMALL NUMBERS,
DURING WET YEARS.
INCA DOVE: 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/16/16 (GJ, PJ), 2 in a Lubbock
yard (Lubbock) from 6/18/16 to 6/19/16 (AH), and 3 in southwest Lubbock
(Lubbock) on 6/30/16 (GJ, PJ) - MORE REPORTS THAN HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN RECENT
JUNES; THE DROUGHT RECOVERY MAY FAVOR THE SHELTER THESE BIRDS NEED TO PERSIST
IN THE PRESENCE OF AN EVER-SWELLING WHITE-WINGED DOVE POPULATION.
COMMON POORWILL: 1 near Post (Garza) on 6/12/16 (AH) and 1 at the Silver Falls
Rest Area (Crosby) on 6/18/16 (AH) - TYPICAL SHOWING FOR THE THIS LOW-DENSITY
CAPROCK ESCARPMENT DENIZEN.
SAY'S PHOEBE: 2 near Dougherty (Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB), 1 near Wind Farm
(Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB), 1 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH), 2 with 4
fledglings near Plains (Yoakum) on 6/26/16 (AH), 2 with 3 fledglings near Pep
(Hockley) on 6/27/16 (AH), 2 with 4 fledglings near Petit (Hockley) on
6/27/16 (AH), and 2 with 4 fledglings in Pep (Hockley) on 6/27/16 (AH) - SAY'S
PHOEBES DO NOT BREED IN THE REGION EVERY YEAR - THIS MANY REPORTS IS TRULY
EXCEPTIONAL.
VERMILION FLYCATCHER: 2 well-separated males east of Matador (Motley) on
6/11/16 (DB, LB) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; NOW CASUAL IN ALL SEASONS
AND, INCREASINGLY, SUSPECTED OF BREEDING.
EASTERN KINGBIRD: 1 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH) - A BIT EARLY FOR
POST-BREEDING WANDERING; MIGHT BE REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE OF THE SPECIES'
RARE BREEDING EFFORTS IN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES.
BELL'S VIREO: Six reports of singing males in the region (Floyd, Garza,
Lubbock) during the period (AH) - FORMERLY CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION;
THESE REPORTS ALL COME FROM SITES WHERE THE SPECIES HAS BEEN, OVER THE LAST
FIVE YEARS, DOCUMENTED AS A BREEDER.
COMMON RAVEN: 1 near Wind Farm (Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB) and 2 near Wind Farm
(Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH) the only reports - LOW NUMBERS BUT FEW FOLK REPORTED
FROM THE APPROPRIATE COUNTIES.
PURPLE MARTIN: 4 in Floydada (Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH), 16 near Floydada
(Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH), 4 in Ralls (Crosby) on 6/19/16 (AH), 8 in Floydada
(Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH), 1 over the White River (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH), 8 in
Post (Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH), 1 near Post (Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH), and 7
pairs/24-30 fledglings in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/27/16 (GJ, PJ) - A GOOD
YEAR FOR THE SPECIES IN EXPECTED COUNTIES; NO EVIDENCE OF EXPANSION.
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 4 near Post (Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH) the only
report - LOW BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS; TYPICAL OF RECENT YEARS.
CAVE SWALLOW: Twelve reports of 1-10 birds in the region (Floyd, Garza) during
the period (AH) - ABOUT AVERAGE; MANY MAY HAVE TO RENEST AS CULVERTS WERE
CLEARED BY LATE RAINS.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE: 3 at Plains Baptist Assembly (Floyd) on 6/25/16
(NP) - RATHER FAR NORTHWEST BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS; THE SPECIES HAS BEEN
RETREATING EASTWARD AND SOUTHWARD FOR AT LEAST A DECADE.
VERDIN: 2 along the White River (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH), 1 near Post
(Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH), 1 near Plains (Cochran) on 6/27/16 (AH), and 2 near
Lehman (Cochran) on 6/27/16 (AH) - GOOD NUMBERS BY RECENT YEARS STANDARDS; THIS
SPECIES HAS BEEN RETREATING SOUTHWARD FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.
ROCK WREN: 2 at Plains Baptist Assembly (Floyd) on 6/25/16 (NP) the only report
- A VERY RARE BREEDER IN THE REGION; THIS SITE IS AT A FAVORED CANYON CROSSING.
CANYON WREN: 1 at the White River crossing south of Floydada (Floyd) on
6/19/16 (AH) - A VERY RARE BREEDER IN THE REGION; THIS SITE IS AT A FAVORED
CANYON CROSSING.
CACTUS WREN: 1 in Post (Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH) - A VERY RARE BREEDER IN THE
REGION; RESTRICTED TO KENT AND GARZA COUNTIES.
BROWN THRASHER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/11/16 (AH) - THE ONLY REPORT
FROM ATOP THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 male near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH), a pair at
the Wind Farm Ponds (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH), and 3 near Halfway (Hale) on
6/25/16 (NP) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS VERY SPARSELY DISTRIBUTED BREEDER.
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: 1 near Wind Farm (Floyd) on 6/6/16 (JB) - VERY OUT OF
TIME; MIGRANTS ARE ALMOST UNHEARD OF BEYOND THE THIRD WEEK OF MAY.
PYRRHULOXIA: 1 in Post (Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH) and 1 just northeast of Post
(Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH) - A VERY RARE BREEDER IN THE REGION; RESTRICTED TO
PORTIONS OF THE REGION BELOW THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
INDIGO BUNTING: 2 near Plainview (Hale) on 6/29/16 (NP) - A VERY SPARSELY
DISTRIBUTED BREEDER IN THE REGION.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 4 near Floydada (Floyd) on 6/18/16 (AH) - SUMMER
STATUS UNCERTAIN; ABSENT IN SOME YEARS; SUSPECTED OF BREEDING IN OTHERS.
BRONZED COWBIRD: 2 males at Levelland City Park (Hockley) on 6/4/16 (AH), 2
male at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/11/16 (AH), 4 males near Floydada (Floyd) on
6/18/16 (AH), 1 male at the White River crossing (Floyd) on 6/19/16 (AH), 1
male in Post (Garza) on 6/25/16 (AH), 3 males just northeast of Post (Garza) on
6/25/16 (AH), 2 males further northeast of Post (Garza) on
6/25/16 (AH), a female and 2 males well northeast of Post (Garza), 2 males near
Pep (Hockley) on 6/27/16 (AH), 3 males at the Anton Ponds (Hockley) on
6/30/16 (AH), and 1 female and 2 males north of Levelland (Hockley) on
6/30/16 (AH) - AFTER A DROUGHT-ERA SLUMP THIS SPECIES, WHICH STARTED EXPANDING
INTO AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, IS REBOUNDING NICELY.
LESSER GOLDFINCH: 2 near Pep (Hockley) on 6/27/16 (AH) - WERE AT THE NORTHWEST
EDGE OF THE BREEDING RANGE FOR THIS SPECIES IN OUR REGION.
OBSERVERS: JB=Justin Bosler, DB=David Brotherton, LB+Luanne Brotherton,
SF=Susan Ferguson, AH=Anthony Hewetson, JJ=Jan Jannett, GJ=George Jury, PJ=Pat
Jury, CL=Carol Lee, RL=Rob Lee, KP=Kennedy Perry, NP=Niler Pyeatt, AR=Anona
Roberts, JW=Janice Whittington.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson, Lubbock
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