Lubbock received 2.06 inches of rain during June, well below the
average June total of 2.98 inches, putting us at 8.94 inches for the
year, a wee bit above the average year-to-date total of 8.55 inches
with damp conditions prevailing throughout the region. Because rains
kicked in late this year, highlights were not as waterbird-laden as is
normal for our slowest month of the year; instead we got a mixed bag
of breeding waterfowl and shorebirds at persistent water holes and
upland oddballs, mostly from Breeding Bird Surveys.
Regional summaries of eBird data can not be acquired in a timely
fashion. As a result, records submitted to eBird may not appear in
this report. Reports from the region that are submitted to the
texbirds or leasbirds listservs can be reviewed in a timely fashion
and should appear.
As always, the county follows the site in ( ) and birds are mentioned
by virtue of rarity, atypical abundance, or atypical scarcity. Water
Treatment Ponds have come to feature so prominently in these reports
that they will, henceforth, be referred to as WTP.
Some late-arriving May reports:
SCALED QUAIL: 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/27/19 (EH) provided a
second report for the month – LOW.
BRONZED COWBIRD: 2 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 5/27/19 (EH) provided a
fourth report for the month – STILL SOMEWHAT LOW.
And on to June:
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK: 1 near Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 6/23/19
(AH) the only report – EITHER A NEW ARRIVAL OR A WANDERING BIRD FROM
THE LARGE GROUPS THAT ARE SETTING UP IN THE PANHANDLE PROPER.
CACKLING GOOSE: 1 at Yoakum County Park (Yoakum) on 6/2/19 (PKe) and 2
at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 6/23/19 (AH) the only reports received –
LOW BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
CANADA GOOSE: 5 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 6/23/19 (AH) the only
report received – VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 2 well west of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH), 1 west
of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH), 1 near Circle (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH),
and 2 near Fieldton (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH) – VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS’
STANDARDS.
NORTHERN SHOVELER: 2 west of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH) and 4 near
Spur (Dickens) on 6/2/19 (SF) the only reports received – VERY LOW.
GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 2 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 6/28/19 (BO, DAO) the
only report received – LOW.
HOODED MERGANSER: 1 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 6/1/19 (JCr,
photographs) and on 6/7/19 (JCr) – A VERY LATE REPORT; LESS THAN A
HANDFUL OF JUNE REPORTS FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.
SCALED QUAIL: Seven reports of 1-4 birds in the region (Cochran,
Hockley, Yoakum) during the period (AH) – GOOD NUMBERS; AS IS EXPECTED
WHEN THE BREEDING BIRD SURVEYS IN OUR WESTERN COUNTIES ARE COMPLETED.
RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1 near Circle (Lamb) n 6/2/19 (AH), 2 near Earth
(Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH), 1 near Springlake (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH), 2
below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 6/16/19 (PKe), and 1 below Lake Six
(Lubbock) on 6/23/19 (ZS) – ABOUT AVERAGE FOR A MONTH WHEN THE RIGHT
COUNTIES WERE COVERED.
INCA DOVE: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/10/19 (CR, FR) and 2 in
another Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/14/19 (AH) the only reports –
STILL HANGING ON.
BLACK-NECKED STILT: Eight reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Cochran,
Garza, Hale, Lamb, Lubbock) during the period (JCr, AH) – QUITE LOW BY
RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS; MANY POTENTIAL BREEDERS LEFT THE REGION PRIOR
TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE LATE RAINS.
AMERICAN AVOCET: Nine reports of 2-6 birds in the region (Bailey,
Cochran, Garza, Hale, Lamb, Lubbock) during the period (DH, AH, PKi,
BO, DAO) – QUITE LOW BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS; MANY POTENTIAL
BREEDERS LEFT THE REGION PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE LATE RAINS.
LONG-BILLED CURLEW: 4 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 6/28/19 (BO, DAO) –
A FAIRLY EXCITING REPORT AS THE SPECIES IS RARELY SEEN IN THE REGION
DURING WHAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS ITS BREEDING SEASON – THERE IS A
CHANCE THAT THESE WERE EARLY SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS.
WILSON’S PHALAROPE: 2 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 6/28/19 (BO, DAO)
the only report – LOW BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 2 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 6/16/19 (PKe)
– THE THIRD YEAR, OUT OF THE LAST FIVE, THAT THE SPECIES APPEARS TO BE
BREEDING AT THIS SITE.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 2 near Spur (Dickens) on 6/2/19 (SF) the
only report away from the in-town populations of Lubbock – NIFTY
LOCATION.
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 30 were seen at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on
6/24/19 (SC, photographs) – A REMARKABLY LARGE NUMBER FOR ANY SEASON;
PARTICULARLY AMAZING FOR A SUMMER SIGHTING.
GREAT EGRET: 1 north of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH) and 1 at Maxey
Park (Lubbock) on 6/23/19 (AH) the only reports received – LOW.
SNOWY EGRET: 1 north of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH), 2 at McAlister
Park (Lubbock) on 6/7/19 (JCr), and 2 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on
6/23/19 (AH) the only reports – LOW.
CATTLE EGRET: 7 near Bainer (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH), 1 below Lake Six
(Lubbock) on 6/4/19 (JCr), 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 6/15/19
through 6/21/19 (JCo, JCr, PKe), 7 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 6/23/19
(AH), and 7 near Slaton (Lubbock) on 6/24/19 (AH) the only reports
received – VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) throughout the
period (JCr, PKe) and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/16/19 (ZS) the
only reports – VERY LOW BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
WHITE-FACED IBIS: 3 near Circle (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH) and 2 near
Southland (Lynn) on 6/24/19 (AH) the only reports received –
EXTRAORDINARILY LOW..
COOPER’S HAWK: 1 below Lake Six from 6/4/19 (JCr) through 6/16/19
(PKe) and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/21/19 (JCo) – GIVEN THAT
THERE ARE RECENT BREEDING RECORDS FROM WOODED AREAS IN THE PANHANDLE,
THESE REPORTS ARE VERY INTERESTING.
HARRIS’S HAWK: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 6/4/19 (JCr) – THIS
SPECIES IS VERY RARE IN THE REGION BUT WHEN BIRDS SHOW UP THEY OFTEN
BREED – AN IRRUPTIVE BREEDER:)
BROAD-WINGED HAWK: A pair is rumored to have successfully bred at a
well-wooded site in the region but no details on location have been
reported – THIS WOULD, IF DOCUMENTED, REPRESENT THE FIRST BREEDING
RECORD OF THE SPECIES FOR OUR REGION.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 6/15/19
(TT) – THERE WAS A HANDFUL OF LATE REPORTS IN THE PANHANDLE PROPER;
THIS WAS THE ONLY TRULY LATE REPORT FOR OUR AREA.
WESTERN WOOD PEWEE: 1 at Yoakum County Park (Yoakum) on 6/2/19 (PKe)
and 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 6/4/19 (JCr) to 6/15/19 (JCo) –
THE EARLIST TWO REPORTS ARE A TAD LATE; THE LAST REPORT WAS REMARKABLY
LATE BUT CONSISTENT WITH LATE MOVEMENT OF PEWEES THIS YEAR.
WILLOW FLYCATCHER: 1 near Bainer (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH) was at the late
end of the species’ typical period of movement – ANOTHER LATE
FLYCATCHER.
SAY’S PHOEBE: 2 near Bainer (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH), 2 near Earth (Lamb)
on 6/2/19 (AH), and 2 southwest of Lehman (Cochran) on 6/15/19 (AH)
the only reports received – THE SPECIES HAS BECOME A BIT MORE REPORTED
AS A BREEDER IN THE REGION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
BELL’S VIREO: 1 in Post (Garza) on 6/2/19 (AH) and 1 near Fieldton
(Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH) the only reports received – THE SPECIES APPEARS
TO BE AT LEAST HOLDING ON IN THE RECENT REGION OF EXPANSION.
WARBLING VIREO: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 6/2/19 to the end of
the period (JCr, ZS) – THE SPECIES HAS ATTEMPTED SUMMERING IN TH E
REGION BEFORE AND IS, AT LEAST, A POTENTIAL BREEDER.
COMMON RAVEN: 1 near Justiceburg (Garza) on 6/24/19 (AH) the only
report – VERY LOW.
PURPLE MARTIN: Seven pairs fledged young in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock)
during the month (GJ, PJ), 2 in Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH), 4 in
Lubbock (Lubbock) on 6/14/19 (AH), 6 in Lubbock (Lubbock) on 6/22/19
(AH), and 3 immature birds at Buster Long Park (Lubbock) on 6/23/19
(EH) the only reports – A TAD ON THE LOW SIDE BUT SOME OF THE BETTER
PORTIONS OF THE REGION WERE NOT VISITED DURING THE MONTH.
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 2 west of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH)
the only report – ABOUT AVERAGE SINCE THE COLLAPSE OF THE COLONIES
ALONG THE CANYON LAKES SYSTEM OF LUBBOCK COUNTY.
CAVE SWALLOW: 4 near Bainer (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH), 4 near Circle
(Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH), and 3 near Fieldlton (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH) –
THE ONLY REPORTS FROM THE COUNTIES WHICH ARE NOT FULLY OCCUPIED AS YET
(Bailey, Cochran, Lamb).
VERDIN: 1 west of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH) the only report received
– FORMERLY FAIRLY EASY TO FIND THROUGHOUT THE REGION, THE SPECIES HAS
BECOME INCREASINGLY SCARCE DURING EACH YEAR OF THE LAST DECADE OR SO.
CACTUS WREN: 1 west of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH) – VERY RARELY
SPOTTED IN THE REGION DURING THE BREEDING SEASON; APPARENTLY
RESTRICTED TO GARZA COUNTY AT THIS POINT.
SWAINSON’S THRUSH: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/8/19 (NV,
photographs) – ANOTHER SURPRISINGLY LATE MIGRANT REPORT.
GRAY CATBIRD: 1 in Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/6/19 (BSh) – EITHER
ANOTHER SURPRISINGLY LATE MIGRANT OR, AS HAS HAPPENED ON A FEW
OCCASIONS, A POTENTIAL BREEDING ATTEMPT.
BRONZED COWBIRD: 1 male northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH), 1
male near Earth (Lamb) on 6/2/19 (AH), 1 at Yoakum County Park
(Yoakum) on 6/2/19 (PKe), 1 female and 1 male in Lubbock (Lubbock) on
6/14/19 (AH), 1 male west of Lehman (Cochran) on 6/15/19 (AH), 1 male
in Whiteface (Cochran) on 6/15/19 (AH), and 2 below Lake Six (Lubbock)
on 6/21/19 (JCr) – ABOUT AVERAGE; SOLIDLY PRESENT IN THE REGION BUT
NOT YET COMMON.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 male well west of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH)
the only report received – LOW BUT BEST SITES IN THE REGION NOT
COVERED DURING THE PERIOD.
PYRRHULOXIA: 1 northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH) the only
report received – A RARE BREEDER IN THE SITE, APPARENTLY RESTRICTED TO
GARZA AND KENT COUNTIES AT THIS POINT.
LAZULI BUNTING: 1 male below Lake Six (Lubbock) from 6/4/19 to the end
of the period (JCr, JM, BSh, ZS, photographs) – GIVEN THE SPECIES
DOCUMENTED HYBRIDIZATION WITH OTHER BUNTINGS IN OTHER PARTS OF TEXAS,
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THIS BIRD IS BREEDING WITH PAINTED
BUNTING(S) WHICH ARE PRESENT AT THE SITE.
INDIGO BUNTING: 1 male in Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH) and 1 male
northeast of Post (Garza) on 6/1/19 (AH) the only reports – LOW BUT
BEST SITES NOT COVERED DURING THE MONTH.
OBSERVERS: SC=Steve Chapman, JCo=Joe Cochran, JCr=Jim Crites,
SF=Stephen Falich, DH= Drew Harvey, AH=Anthony Hewetson, EH=Ellen
Hildebrandt, GJ=George Jury, PJ=Pat Jury, PKe=Peter Keyel, PKi=Phillip
Kite, JM=Jennifer Miller, BO=Brent Ortego, DAO=Dora Ann Ortego,
CR=Clarice Robertson, FR=Floyd Robertson, BSh=Brad Shine, ZS=Zachary
Schwab, TT=Tess Trost, NV=Natasja Vangestel.
Anthony Hewetson; Lubbock
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