[texbirds] Lubbock Area Birding Summary for March - Long
- From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "leas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <leas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2013 21:34:07 -0700 (PDT)
MARCH 2013 SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS:
With 0.00 inches of rain during
the month, well below the average rainfall
for the month of 0.76 inches, Lubbock is relying on better than average totals
from earlier in the year of 2.23
inches of rain for the year to stay a tad above average year-to-date totals of
1.97 inches. Drought is an ongoing problem with the entirety of our region in
the first or second worst drought category - and no relief in sight. March, as
always, presented the typical mixed bag of lingering winter birds,
concentration of wetland migrants at the few remaining playas, and some early
migrant movement. 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.
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 1 at City Farms (Lubbock) on 3/11/13 (SC) and 1
at Earl Crow Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH) the only reports - LOW NUMBERS;
ANOTHER YEAR OF EARLY GOOSE DEPARTURES.
SNOW GOOSE: 1 at Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (AnH), 26 at City Farms
(Lubbock) on 3/11/13 (SC), and 5 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/24/13 (CC) the
only reports - LOW NUMBERS; ANOTHER YEAR OF EARLY GOOSE DEPARTURES.
ROSS'S GOOSE: 2 at City Farms (Lubbock) on 3/11/13 (SC) the only report - LOW
NUMBERS; ANOTHER YEAR OF EARLY GOOSE DEPARTURES.
WOOD DUCK: 10 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) from 3/1/13 to 3/26/13 (SC, AnH),
1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/11/13 (SC), 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on
3/22/13 (CC, AnH, CR), 2 at Dupree Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH), 8 at
Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH), 3 at Aztlan Park (Lubbock) on
3/25/13 (CR).
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 2 at Clapp Park from 3/14/13 to 3/31/13 (AnH), 2 at Miller
Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH), 2-7 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) from 3/24/13 to
3/28/13 (SC, CR), 2 at the Dickens Sewage Ponds (Dickens) on 3/30/13 (SC), 2 at
the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC), and 2 at Mae Simmons Park
(Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE AT THE REMAINING BODIES OF WATER;
PROBABLY LOW THROUGHOUT THE REGION THOUGH.
CINNAMON TEAL: Nine reports of 1-5 birds in the region (Lubbock, Lynn) during
the period (CC, SC, MDL, QE, AnH, NM, CR) - ABOUT AVERAGE AT THE REMAINING
BODIES OF WATER, PROBABLY LOW THROUGHOUT THE REGION THOUGH.
BLUE-WINGED x CINNAMON TEAL: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/28/13 (CR) - AN
INTERESTING REPORT; GOOD EYES!
CANVASBACK: 15 at the TTU Sewage Ponds (Lubbock) on 3/1/13 (CC) was down to 5
by 3/29/13 (AnH), 32 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 3/13/13 (CC, SC) was down
to 3 by 3/31/13 (CC, SC), and 1 at the Whiteface Sewage Pond (Cochran) on
3/31/13 (CC, SC) - ABOUT AVERAGE BY DROUGHT YEAR STANDARDS; AN EARLY DEPARTURE
BY NORMAL YEAR STANDARDS.
REDHEAD: 1-3 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) from 3/1/13 to 3/5/13 (CC, SC, AnH, CR), 1
at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 3/9/13 (MDL), and 2 at Post City Park (Garza) on
3/17/13 (BB) the only reports - VERY LOW NUMBERS; THE SPECIES NEVER REACHED
NORMAL NUMBERS DURING THE WINTER AND MOVED ON EARLY.
GREATER SCAUP: 1 male at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) the only report -
EITHER VERY RARE OR UNDER-REPORTED IN OUR REGION; THIS ONE WAS RUNNING A BIT
LATE.
GREATER x LESSER SCAUP: A very hard to call hybrid - seen and photographed at
Reese Center (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (SC) - RARELY REPORTED BY VIRTUE, IF NOTHING
ELSE, OF BEING A CHALLENGING IDENTIFICATION.
COMMON GOLDENEYE: 1 at the TTU Sewage Pond (Lubbock) on 3/1/13 (CC) the only
report - CASUAL THIS LATE IN THE SEASON; GOOD EYES!
HOODED MERGANSER: 2 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (AnH), 2 at Lake
Six (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC), and 2 at Miller Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH)
the only reports - EXTRAORDINARILY LOW; VERY LITTLE SUITABLE HABITAT REMAINING
IN THE REGION.
COMMON MERGANSER: 5 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) 3/2/13 (CC) and 2 at Lake Six
(Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC) the only reports - CASUAL IN THE REGION THIS LATE IN
THE YEAR - GOOD NUMBERS FOR MARCH.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 6 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC) - A VERY GOOD
NUMBER FOR THE REGION; EVEN MORE SO THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN: 5 somewhere in (Cochran) on 3/19/13 (CC, SC) the only
report - A FEW RELIABLE SITES REMAIN WITHIN THE REGION; FAR BETTER LUCK CAN BE
HAD JUST TO THE WEST IN NEW MEXICO.
EARED GREBE: 1 at Reese Center (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (SC) and 1 at Lake Six
(Lubbock) on 3/30/13 and 3/31/13 (CC, AnH) the only reports - LOW.
GREAT EGRET: No reports at all - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS; DROUGHT HAS
KNOCKED THIS SPECIES BACK TO HISTORICAL LEVELS.
SNOWY EGRET: 1 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 2/27/13 (CR) and 1 at Dupree
Park (Lubbock)on 3/30/13 (CC) the only reports - A BIT LOW BY RECENT YEARS'
STANDARDS; DROUGHT HAS KNOCKED THIS SPECIES BACK TO HISTORICAL LEVELS.
GREEN HERON: 1 at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH) the only report -
A BIT LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
TURKEY VULTURE: 1 over the TTU HSC Campus (Lubbock) on 3/7/13 (AnH) was the
first report; 56 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/14/13 (CC) was the first large
group reported - QUITE LATE BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS AND LOW NUMBERS EVEN BY
THE END OF THE MONTH.
OSPREY: 1 at Ransom Lake from 3/1/13 to 3/24/13 (CC, CR) and 1 at Lake Six
(Lubbock) from 3/25/13 to 3/31/13 (AnH, CR) - ABOUT AVERAGE BUT NOTE THAT THERE
WERE NO PLAYA SIGHTINGS.
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 1-3 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the month (CC, SC, QE,
AnH, NM, CR), 1 at Higginbotham Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH), and 1 at Lake
Six (Lubbock) on 3/24/13 and 3/25/13 (SC, CR) the only reports - LOW NUMBERS,
GIVEN THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE SIGHTINGS WERE PROBABLY OF THE SAME BIRDS AT ONE
SITE.
COOPER'S HAWK: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the month (CC, SC, QE, AnH,
NM, CR), 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 3/8/13 (KH), 1 near Wilson (Lynn) on
3/13/13 (MDL), 1 at the Purina Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (CR), and 1 near
Clairemont (Kent) on 3/30/13 (SC) - LOW NUMBERS BUT, AS EXPECTED, A BIT MORE
PERSISTENT AND WIDESPREAD THAN SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.
HARRIS'S HAWK: up to 4 adults and 1 subadult at the TTU HSC Fields (Lubbock)
through the period (AnH) - FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, WE ARE LOOKING AT
MULTIPLE NESTS AT THIS SITE.
SWAINSON'S HAWK: 1 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/20/13 (PK) was the first report
of the season; ten additional reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Cochran,
Crosby, Kent, Lubbock) soon followed (CC, SC, QE, AnH, KH, NM, CR) - FORMERLY
QUITE RARE IN MARCH; WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT DECENT NUMBERS BY THE END OF THE
MONTH OVER THE LAST DECADE.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWAK: 1 east of Lorenzo (Crosby) from 3/4/13 to 3/12/13 (KH), 1
at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) from 3/5/13 to 3/21/13 (KH), and 1 in (Lynn) on
3/15/13 (MDL) - GOOD NUMBERS, BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS, FOR THIS LATE IN THE
SEASON.
GOLDEN EAGLE: 1 immature bird in (Cochran) on 3/19/13 (CC, SL) the only report
- ABOUT AVERAGE; THE SPECIES IS VERY HARD TO FIND IN OUR REGION OUTSIDE OF
WINTER.
SNOWY PLOVER: 4 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 3/9/13 (MDL) - RIGHT ON TIME AT ONE OF
OUR FEW REMAINING SITES.
BLACK-NECKED STILT: 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) from 3/28/13 to 3/31/13 (CC, SC,
QE, AnH, NM) and 4 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) the only
reports - BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS, A LITTLE LATE AND A LITTLE LOW.
AMERICAN AVOCET: Nine reports of 1-8 birds at sites in (Hockley, Lubbock) from
3/21/13 onward (CC, SC, QE, AnH, NM, CR) - ABOUT AVERAGE BY RECENT YEARS'
STANDARDS IF A BIT CONCENTRATED.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Seven reports of 1-3 birds at sites in (Crosby, Lubbock)
during the period (CC, SC, QE, AnH, KH, NM, CR) - A TAD LOW; FEW SPOTS LEFT TO
BE A YELLOWLEGS IN THE REGION.
LESSER YELLOWLEGS: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) the only report -
LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
LONG-BILLED CURLEW: 80 somewhere in (Yoakum) on 3/16/13 (CC, SL), 7 south of
Whiteface (Yoakum) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC), and 2 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on
3/31/13 (KH) - A BIT BETTER THAN AVERAGE; THE ONGOING TREND OF INCREASING
WINTER NUMBERS IS, WELL, ONGOING.
LEAST SANDPIPER: 2 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 3/9/13 (MDL), 2 at Ransom Lake
(Lubbock) on 3/28/13 (CR), and 2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) the
only reports - LOW.
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/28/13 (CR) - CASUAL THIS
EARLY IN THE SEASON; GENERALLY NOT SEEN UNTIL WELL INTO APRIL.
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: 3 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (CR) the only
report - LOW.
WILSON'S SNIPE: 3 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (CR) the only report -
VERY LOW.
FRANKLIN'S GULL: 1 over the Tech Terrace Neighborhood (Lubbock) on 3/24/13 (CC)
the only report - A TAD LOW; NUMBERS SHOULD PICK UP IN APRIL.
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD: 1 male at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/14/13 (AnH) the
only report - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS; WE HAD GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO MORE
MARCH ARRIVALS.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER: 1 continuing near Robertson (Crosby) through the period
(MLo) - VERY RARE AS A WINTERING SPECIES IN THE REGION.
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 3/20/13 (PK)
the only report - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS LATE IN THE WINTER SEASON.
RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/3/13 (CRo, FR) the only
report - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE MIGRATORY SEASON.
DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/14/13 (AnH) the only report -
ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
MERLIN: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) the only report - LOW.
PEREGRINE FALCON: 1 atop the TTU HSC building (Lubbock) on 3/7/13 (AnH) and 1
at Miller Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (AnH) the only reports - A TAD LOW.
PRAIRIE FALCON: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 3/2/13 (KH), 1 at the TTU HSC
Fields (Lubbock) on 3/27/13 (AnH), and 1 near Whiteface (Cochran) on 3/31/13
(CC, SC) the only reports - LOW.
EASTERN PHOEBE: 1 at the Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 3/1/13 (KH), 1 at
Clapp Park (Lubbock)on 3/16/13 (CC), 1 at the Spur Picnic Area (Dickens) on
3/30/13 (SC), and 1 in Flomot (Motley) on 3/31/13 (GB) - LOW; ACTIVE CREEK
CROSSING IN SHORT SUPPLY.
SAY'S PHOEBE: 2 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn)on 3/9/13 (MDL), 1 at the Himmel Farm
(Crosby) on 3/9/13 (KH), 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 3/19/13 (CC, SL), 1 at
Aztlan Park (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (CR), and 1 near Wrangler (Hockley) on 3/31/13
(CC, SC) - GOOD NUMBERS AND SPREAD; LOOKS TO BE A GOOD MIGRATORY SEASON FOR
THIS SPECIES IN OUR REGION.
VERMILION FLYCATCHER: 1 in Flomot (Motley) on 3/31/13 (GB) - FORMERLY
CONSIDERED ACCIDENTAL IN THE REGION; CAN NOW BE ENCOUNTERED, ALBEIT IN VERY LOW
NUMBERS, AT ANY SEASON.
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER: 1 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 3/19/13 (AnH) and 1
near Wrangle (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) the only reports - LATE AND LOW.
WESTERN KINGBIRD: The second year in a row with no March reports - after at
least five years in a row of March arrivals - LATE? LOW?
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 3/31/13 (KH) -
FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL IN MARCH; WE NOW EXPECT AT LEAST A FEW ARRIVALS DURING THE
LAST WEEK OF THE MONTH.
COMMON RAVEN: 1-2 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) through the month (KH), 2 along
CR 152 (Crosby) on 3/12/13 (KH), and 1 at the Ralls FFA Playa (Crosby) the only
reports - AVERAGE NUMBERS; POOR SCATTER.
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 1-3 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/24/13 (CC, SC)
and 1 over Morton (Cochran) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) - LATE AND LOW.
PURPLE MARTIN: 12 in Dickens (Dickens) on 3/24/13 (MLe), 1 at Ransom Lake
(Lubbock) on 3/24/13 (CC), and 8 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/28/13 (CR) the
only reports - LOW.
TREE SWALLOW: 1-3 at Lake Six (Lubbock) from 3/22/13 to 3/25/13 (CC, SC, CR), 4
at the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) - ABOUT AVERAGE; NUMBERS
GENERALLY PICK UP IN APRIL.
BARN SWALLOW: 1 at Post City Park (Garza) on 3/10/13 (MB), 6 at Lake Six
(Lubbock) on 3/21/13 (SC, QE, NM), and thereafter (CC, SC, MDL, AnH, CR) in
barely average numbers throughout the region (Cochran, Lubbock, Terry) - SLOW
TO MOVE IN THIS YEAR AND NOT UP TO NUMBERS EVEN BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
CLIFF SWALLOW: 4 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/22/13 (CC) the first of the year;
six additional reports of 1-6 birds in (Kent, Lubbock) during the remainder of
the period (CC, SC, AnH, CR) - SLOW TO MOVE IN THIS YEAR AND LOW NUMBERS THUS
FAR.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 2 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC), 1 at
Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (AnH), 1 at Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 3/12/13
(CC), 1 in Tahoka (Lynn) on 3/15/13 (MDL), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on
3/23/13 (KD), 1 at Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 3/30/13 (CC, SC, AnH, TT), 1 below
Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) - VERY GOOD NUMBERS AND SPREAD; ESPECIALLY
FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC), 1 at the
Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC), and 1 continuing at MacKenzie Park
(Lubbock) through 3/31/13 (AnH) - VERY GOOD NUMBERS; ESPECIALLY FOR THIS LATE
IN THE SEASON.
BROWN CREEPER: 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC) the only
report - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE CLOSE OF WINTER.
CANYON WREN: 1 at the Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 3/2/13 (KH) the only
report - A GOOD SIGHTING AT A DEPENDABLE SITE.
HOUSE WREN: 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 3/1/13 (CR) the
only report - LOW BY RECENT YEARS' STANDARDS.
WINTER WREN: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) 3/11/13 (SC) and 1 below Lake Six
(Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE CLOSE OF THE WINTER SEASON.
CAROLINA WREN: 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 3/9/13 (SC) and 1 at Tech
Terrace (Lubbock) on 3/30/13 (CC, SC, AnH, TT) - GOOD REPORTS FOR ABOVE THE
CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/28/13 (SC, QE, NM) and 1
below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/30/13 (CC) the only reports - ABOUT AVERAGE;
NUMBERS SHOULD PICK UP IN APRIL.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC) and
1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/3/13 (CC) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE CLOSE OF THE
WINTER SEASON.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 at Coleman Park (Terry) on 3/13/13 (CC, SL) and 3 at
MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 3/22/13 (CR) the only reports - A TAD LOW.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD: 1 female at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/16/13 (CC, SL) - NOT
UNEXPECTED IN MARCH BUT THIS IS A SURPRISINGLY URBAN SITE FOR THE SPECIES.
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through 3/14/13 (AnH, CR), 1 in
a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) through 3/14/13 (KD), and 1 at Tech Terrace (Lubbock)
on 3/30/13 (CC, SC, AnH, TT) - GOOD NUMBERS FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
HERMIT THRUSH: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/22/13 (AnH), 1 at the Purina
Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (CR), and 1 at Tech Terrace (Lubbock)
on 3/30/13 (CC, SC, AnH, TT) the only reports - A VERY POOR WINTER FOR THE
SPECIES IN THE REGION.
SAGE THRASHER: 2 at the TLP entrance (Lynn) on 3/9/13 (MDL), 1 elsewhere in
(Lynn) on 3/9/13 (MDL), 1 in (Cochran) on 3/16/13 (CC, SL), 1 at Muleshoe NWR
(Bailey) on 3/16/13 (CC, SL), and 1 near Wrangler (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC)
- A GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS WITH TYPICAL TIMING.
BROWN THRASHER: 1-2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the month (CC, SC, QE, AnH,
NM, CR), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 3/4/13 to 3/23/13 (KD), 1 in a
Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/20/13 (JD) - A GOODLY NUMBER OF REPORTS FOR ABOVE
THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 6 near Abernathy (Hale) on 3/2/13 (SC) the only report - THE
LAPLAND LONGSPUR EVENT OF 2012-2013 WAS A BIT SHORT-LIVED.
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR: 10 near Abernathy (Hale) on 3/2/13 (SC), several in
(Cochran) on 3/19/13 (CC, SL), several in (Yoakum) on 3/19/13 (CC, SL), and 5
at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 3/21/13 (KH) - A TAD LOW; A BIT UNEVEN THIS
SEASON.
MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR: 3 near Abernathy (Hale) on 3/2/13 (SC) the only report - LOW.
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/24/13 (CC, SC) - QUITE
EARLY; SO FAR AS I CAN TELL OUR FIRST MARCH RECORD.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the period (CC, AnH)
the only bird reported - STAGGERINGLY LOW; THE WORST WINTER FOR THE SPECIES IN
OUR REGION THAT I KNOW OF.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 male at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (AnH) and 1 male
below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE; FAVORS ONLY THE MOST
PERSISTENT WETLANDS IN OUR REGION.
CASSIN'S SPARROW: 1 near Petty (Lynn) on 3/15/13 (MDL), 2 near Clairemont
(Kent) on 3/30/13 (SC), 5 near Wrangle (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC), 3 at
another spot near Wrangler (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC),and 1 south of
Whiteface (Yoakum) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) - DECENT NUMBER OF REPORTS AND NUMBERS
FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
CHIPPING SPARROW: 1 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 3/12/13 (CC), 1 at Clapp
Park (Lubbock) on 3/16/13 (CC), 3 at the TTU HSC Fields (Lubbock) on 3/27/13
(AnH), and 6 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 3/28/13 (CR) the only reports -
VERY LOW.
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW; No reports at all - LOW.
BREWER'S SPARROW: 2 near Wrangler (Hockley) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) the only report
- ABOUT AVERAGE.
LARK SPARROW: 1 at the Himmel Farm (KH) the only report - A TAD LOW BY RECENT
YEARS' STANDARDS.
SWAMP SPARROW: 1-2 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through 3/14/13 (AnH, CR), 1-2 at
Ransom Lake (Lubbock) through 3/28/13 (SC, CR), and 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock)
on 3/31/13 (AnH) - A TAD LOW; TAPERING OFF QUICKLY THIS SPRING.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 3/9/13 (SC), 2 at
the Smyer Playa (Hockley) on 3/25/13 (SC), and 1 at the Smyer Playa (Hockley)
on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) - NOT BAD FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON; ESPECIALLY AFTER A
FEBRUARY WITH NO REPORTS AT ALL.
HARRIS'S SPARROW: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (CC) - CASUAL DURING
MARCH; A NICE REPORT.
PYRRHULOXIA: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 3/5/13 to 3/29/13 (Di) - A
LITTLE OUT OF PLACE ABOVE THE CAPROCK - AND IN AN URBAN SETTING.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 1-3 at Lake Six (Lubbock) from 3/9/13 to 3/30/13 (SC,
EFD, PK), 2 in Morton (Cochran) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC), and 2 in Whiteface
(Cochran) on 3/31/13 (CC, SC) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE SLOW BUILDUP DURING MARCH.
PINE SISKIN:1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/1/13 (CR), 2 at the Lubbock
Cemetery (Lubbock) on 3/2/13 (CC), 5 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) from 3/5/13 to
3/27/13 (Di), 1 at Tahoka Lake (Lynn) on 3/9/13 (MDL), 1 at Ransom Lake
(Lubbock) on 3/11/13 (SC), 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/23/13 (KD), 24 in
Littlefield (Lamb) on 3/28/13 (AR), 25-29 at Tech Terrace (Lubbock) on 3/30/13
(CC, SC, AnH, TT), 20 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 3/30/13 (SC), 12 at Tech
Terrace (Lubbock) on 3/31/13 (WW), and 40 in Flomot (Motley) on 3/31/13 (GB) -
GOOD NUMBERS AND SCATTER; ESPECIALLY AFTER A SOMEWHAT POOR WINTER FOR THE
SPECIES IN THE REGION.
LESSER GOLDFINCH: 7 at Lubbock City Park (Lubbock) on 3/1/13 (CR) and 3 at the
Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 3/25/13 (CR) - GOOD NUMBERS FOR THIS
EARLY IN THE SEASON.
OBSERVERS: GB=Grant Beauprez, MB=Margaret Bowman, BB¾nji Brooks, CCÊmeron
Carver, MDL=Manuel De Leon, KD=Ken Dixon, JD=Jewel Downing, QE=Quinn Emmering,
EFD=Elizabeth Farley-Dawson, AnH=Anthony Hewetson, KH=Kelly Himmel, Di=Donn
ianuzi, PK=Phillip Kite, MLe=Marlene Leiby, MLo=Mark Lockwood, SL=Stephan
Lorenz, NM=Nancy McIntyre, CR=Clayton (Ross) Rickett, AR=Anona Robers,
CRo=Clarice Robertson, FR=Floyd Robertson, TS=Tom SoRelle, TT=Tess Trost,
WW=William Wenthe.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson
terrverts@xxxxxxxxx
Bird Records Compiler,
Llano Estacado Audubon Society
www.llanoestacadoaudubon.org
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