Lubbock received 1.05 inches of rain during November, well above the
average November total of 0.71 inches, putting us at 23.72 inches for
the year, well above the average year-to-date total of 18.01 inches.
With fairly good conditions at regional playas, pretty good
vegetation, and decent levels of forage, from seed to small mammals,
we only await the arrival of winter weather to have a good winter
birding season. As mild as things have been, though, a lot of the
highlights for the month came in the form of lingering fall birds.
Regional summaries of eBird data cannot 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.
SNOW GOOSE: 1 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on
11/3/19 (DH, AH, LM), 1 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 11/9/19
(LM), and 120 over the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on
11/24/19 (LM) the only reports received – LATE TO ARRIVE THIS YEAR,
VERY LOW NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS, AND VERY LOW NUMBERS; WAITING ON WINTER?
ROSS’S GOOSE: 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 11/219 (GK), 1 at the
103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DH, AH), 1
at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) from 11/9/19 (LM) thorugh 11/14/19
(GK), and 1 at Lobo Lake (Hockley) on 11/18/19 (LZ) the only reports
received – LATE TO ARRIVE THIS YEAR, VERY LOW NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS, AND
VERY LOW NUMBERS; WAITING ON WINTER?
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 2-6 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue
Playa (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DH, AH, LM) and 11/4/19 (DH) and 2 at
McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/8/19 (AH) the only reports received –
LATE TO ARRIVE THIS YEAR, VERY LOW NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS, AND VERY LOW
NUMBERS; WAITING ON WINTER?
WOOD DUCK: 2-16 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the period
(JCo, JoC, JCr, DH, AH, BK, GK, PKe, LM, JM, NP), 4 at the 103rd
Street x Chicago Avenue (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (LM), 2 at the 103rd
Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 11/4/19 (DH), 5 at
McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 1/8/19 (AH), and 2 on the Brazos River
(Garza) on 11/16/19 (AH) the only reports received – RUNNING A TAD
LATE, AVERAGE NUMBER OF REPORTS BUT LOW NUMBERS.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa
(Lubbock) on 11/4/19 (DH) the only report – LOW BY RECENT YEARS’
STANDARDS.
CANVASBACK: 5 at Post City Park (Garza) on 11/1/19 (TL, KMD), 2 at the
103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DH, AH) and
on 11/14/19 (DH), 4-12 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) throughout the
period (DH, AH, LM, NP), and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 11/9/19
(JoC) – LATE TO ARRIVE, AVERAGE NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS BUT LOW NUMBERS.
REDHEAD: 4 at Post City Park (Garza) on 11/1/19 (TL, KMD), 3-9 at the
103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DH, AH, LM)
and 11/4/19 (DH), and 11 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/7/19 (DH,
AH) the only reports received – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND LOW NUMBERS.
COMMON GOLDENEYE: 1 at McAlister Park (Lubbock)on 11/7/19 (AH) the
only report received – ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
HOODED MERGANSER: 1 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (NP) the
first report of the season – LATE TO ARRIVE; STILL IN LOW NUMBERS AT
THE END OF THE PERIOD.
COMMON MERGANSER: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 11/8/19
(JoC) – ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 1 female at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue
Playa (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DH, AH) – A TAD EARLY; THIS IS MORE OF A
TRUE WINTER SPECIES FOR US.
SCALED QUAIL: 4 at City Farms (Lubbock) on 11/30/19 (DH, AH) the only
report received – LOW NUMBERS BUT LITTLE EFFORT IN THE SPECIES’ RANGE
IN THE REGION.
EARED GREBE: 2 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 11/2/19 (JCo, DH)
and on 11/8/19 (JoC), 1 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa
(Lubbock) on 11/4/19 (DH), 2 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/7/19
(DH, AH) and on 11/8/19 (DH, AH), and 3 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on
11/30/19 (DH, AH, photographs) – A WATER BIRD THAT IS DOING PRETTY
WELL FAIRLY EARLY IN THE SEASON – NORMAL NUMBER OF REPORTS AND GOOD
NUMBERS.
WESTERN GREBE: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 11/8/19 (JoC) –
RIGHT ON TIME BUT SOME NUMBERS WOULD BE NICE.
INCA DOVE: up to 7 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) throughout the period
(LM) the only reports received – BARELY HANGING ON.
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD: 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) through
11/3/19 (JCr) with one still present through 11/14/19 – ONE OF LESS
THAN A HANDFUL OF RECORDS THIS LATE INTO THE SEASON.
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) through 11/14/19
(JCr) – ACTUALLY ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS, THE MOST LIKELY HUMMINGBIRD
TO WINTER IN THE REGION.
VIRGINIA RAIL: 1 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock)
on 11/4/19 (DH) the only report – LOW.
SORA: No reports received at all – EXTRAORDINARILY LOW.
AMERICAN AVOCET: 7 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/18/19 (DH, AH)
and 7 near Idalou (Lubbock) on 11/19/19 (BSc) – FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL IN
THE REGION THIS LATE IN THE YEAR; WE NOW EXPECT A FEW NOVEMBER
RECORDS.
LEAST SANDPIPER: 12 at Post City Park (Garza) on 11/1/19 (TL, KMD), 32
at the CR 198 x FM 207 Playa (Crosby) on 11/4/19 (LZ), and 2-3 at
McAlister Park (Lubbock) from 11/7/19 through 11/9/19 (JoC, JCo, DH,
AH) – ABOUT AVERAGE; HOPEFULLY SOME CAN BE RELOCATED DURING CBC
SEASON.
WILSON’S SNIPE: Ten reports of 1-5 birds at various sites in (Lubbock)
during the period (JrC, DH, AH, BK, LM, JM, LZ) – ABOUT AVERAGE.
SPOTTED SANDPIPER: 1 at the Ashe Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 11/10/19
(LZ) and 1 near Idalou (Lubbock) on 11/19/19 (BSc) the only reports
received – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND LOW NUMBERS.
SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 2 near Idalou (Lubbock) on 11/19/19 (BSc) –
FORMERLY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED A LATE REPORT; NOW WE HAVE
COME TO EXPECT A FEW NOVEMBER BIRDS.
LESSER YELLOWLEGS: 1 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa
(Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DH, AH) and on 11/4/19 (DH), 1 at McAlister Park
(Lubbock) on 11/7/19 (DH, AH), 3 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on
11/8/19 (DH, AH), and 1 near Idalou (Lubbock) on 11/19/19 (BSc) – A
GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Ten reports of 1-4 birds in the region (Garza,
Lubbock) during the period (JCo, DH, AH, LM, JM, LZ) – ABOUT AVERAGE
FOR THE MORE COMMON OF THE TWO WINTERING YELLOWLEGS.
BONAPARTE’S GULL: 1-2 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) from 11/7/19 through
11/30/19 (JCo, DH, AH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
HERRING GULL: 1-2 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) from 11/7/19 through
11/30/19 (JCo, DH, AH) – A TAD LOW WITH NO REPORTS FROM SOME OF OUR
MORE REGULAR SITES.
COMMON LOON: 1 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/9/19 (JCo, DH) – A
TAD EARLY AND AN ODD SITE.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: -2 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the
period (JoC, JCo, JCr, DH, AH, BK, PKe, LM, WO) – FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL
IN THE REGION; NOW A PERMANENT, LOW-DENSITY RESIDENT.
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 1 was at Leroy Elmore and Dupree Parks
(Lubbock) throughout the period (HB, JoC, JCo, JCr, DH, AH, BK, GK,
PKe, LM, JM, NP, CR, FR) and 3 were at Quincy Park (Lubbock) on
11/10/19 (LZ) – ABOUT AVERAGE BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS – STILL A
RARE VISITOR.
LEAST BITTERN: 1 at the former LEAS Nature Trail (Lubbock) on 11/2/19
(JCo, DH) – A RATHER LATE REPORT FOR THE REGION.
GREAT EGRET: Eight reports of 1-8 birds at various sites in (Lubbock)
during the period (JoC, DH, AH, LM, JM) – A TAD LOW BY RECENT YEARS’
STANDARDS; IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF ANY ATTEMPT TO OVERWINTER
GIVEN THESE SOMEWHAT LOW NUMBERS.
SNOWY EGRET: Five reports of single birds at various sites in
(Lubbock) during the period (JoC, DH, AH, CR, FR) – A TAD LOW BY
RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS; IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF ANY ATTEMPT
TO OVERWINTER GIVEN THESE SOMEWHAT LOW NUMBERS.
OSPREY: 1 at the Ashe Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 11/14/19 (LZ) the only
report received – VERY LOW.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: 1 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/24/19 (LM) the
first and only report received – LOW EVEN BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) throughout the
period (HB, photographs) – ACCIDENTAL THIS FAR TO THE WEST; ONE HOPES
IT IS LOCATED ON CBC DAY!
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 11/12/19 (JCr)
the only report received – VERY LOW.
PEREGRINE FALCON: single birds at six different sites in Lubbock
(Lubbock) during the period (JoC, DH, AH, PKi, LM, CR, FR, DS) 1 in
Abernathy (Hale) on 11/3/19 (NP), and 1 in (Bailey) on 11/13/19 (BSc)
– GOOD SCATTER AND BETTER THAN AVERAGE NUMBERS.
CORDILLERAN/PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER: 1 at Clapp Park from 11/11/19
(JCo) through 11/17/19 (JoC, JrC, JCo, JCr, DH, RM, JM, BSh, ST) –
‘WESTERN’ FLYCATCHERS SEEN THIS LATE IN THE SEASON CAN’T BE ASSIGNED
TO SPECIES (UNLESS CAPTURED AND MEASURED) AS PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS
HAVE BEEN RECORDED AS FAR EAST AS LOUISIANA IN LATE FALL/WINTER.
CORDILLERAN REMAINS, BY FAR, THE MORE LIKELY SPECIES DURING THE
REGULAR FALL PERIOD (AUGUST-OCTOBER).
BLACK PHOEBE: 1 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock)
on 11/3/19 (LM) and on 11/4/19 (DH, LM) – FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL TO THE
REGION; NOW CONSIDERED CASUAL WITH SIGHTINGS INCREASING IN THE REGION.
SAY’S PHOEBE: 2 at City Farms (Lubbock) on 11/30/19 (DH, AH) the only
report received – VERY LOW.
RED-EYED VIREO: 1 in a Littlefield yard (Lamb) on 11/4/19 (AR) – A
VERY LATE RECORD.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on
11/23/19 (LZ) and 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on
11/24/19 (LM) – FORMERLY REGULAR THIS FAR WEST IN THE REGION; NOW
NOTEWORTHY WEST OF THE MOTLEY/CROSBY/KENT TIER.
VERDIN: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 11/10/19 (LM) – FORMERLY REGULAR
THROUGHOUT THE REGION; NOW RARE AWAY FROM KENT AND GARZA COUNTIES.
ROCK WREN: 2 at the former LEAS Nature Trail (Lubbock) on 11/2/19
(JCo, DH) the only report – LOW.
HOUSE WREN: 2 at the former LEAS Nature Trail (Lubbock) on 11/2/19
(JCo, DH) and 1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on
11/24/19 (LM) – LOW.
SEDGE WREN: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) from 11/8/19 through 11/12/19
(JrC, DH) – CASUAL IN THE REGION WITH THE MAJORITY OF RECORDS IN LATE
FALL AND WINTER.
CAROLINA WREN: 1 at the former LEAS Nature Trail (Lubbock) on 11/2/19
(JCo, DH) the only report – LOW.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 2 at the former LEAS Nature Trail (Lubbock) on
11/2/19 (JCo, DH) the only report – VERY LOW.
HERMIT THRUSH: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) from 11/1/19 (LZ) through
11/18/19 (JoC, JrC, JCr, DH, LM, JM, BN), 1 in a Lubbock yard
(Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DHa), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 11/4/19
(KD), and 1 at Woods Park (Lubbock) on 11/30/19 (DH, AH) the only
reports – LOW.
BROWN THRASHER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 11/9/19 (DH, LM) – THE
ONLY REPORT FROM ATOP THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
CEDAR WAXWING: 17 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/8/19 (AH) the only
report received – VERY LOW.
PINE SISKIN: 8 at the former LEAS Nature Trail (Lubbock) on 11/2/19
(JCo, DH), 2 at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on
11/3/19 (DH, AH), and 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 11/15/19 (BN) –
LATE AND LOW.
LESSER GOLDFINCH: 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 11/2/19 (JCr) –
FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL THIS LATE IN THE YEAR; WE NOW EXPECT A LATE
FALLWINTER RECORD OR TWO.
MCCOWN’S LONGSPUR: 6 at McAlister Park (Lubbock) on 11/24/19 (LM) and
1 at the Purina Mountain Bike Trail (Lubbock) on 11/24/19 (LM) the
only reports received – LATE AND LOW.
CHIPPING SPARROW: 5 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 11/4/19 (LZ), 3-4
at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 11/9/19 (JoC, DH, LM), and 2 at City Farms
(Lubbock) on 11/30/19 (DH, AH) – A TAD ON THE LATE SIDE; THE TRAILING
END OF A DISAPPOINTING FALL SEASON FOR THE SPECIES.
HARRIS’S SPARROW: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 11/9/19 (DH, LM) –
RATHER EARLY BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 11/11/19 (KD)
– A RARE ATOP THE CAPROCK REPORT; AN EVEN MORE RARE URBAN YARD REPORT!
GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 11/10/19 (LM) the
only report received – LOW.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 1 male at the 103rd Street x Chicago Avenue
Playa (Lubbock) on 11/3/19 (DH, AH) the only report received – LOW.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) from 11/8/19 through
11/12/19 (JrC, JCr) the only report – INCREDIBLY LOW.
NASHVILLE WARBLER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) from 11/8/19 (JrC)
through 11/16/19 (JoC, JCr) – A RATHER LATE, THOUGH NOT UNPRECEDENTED,
REPORT – ONLY A HANDFUL OF NOVEMBER REPORTS FOR THE REGION.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 at Woods Park (Lubbock) on 11/30/19 (DH, AH)
the only report received – VERY LOW.
OBSERVERS: HB=Holly Bundock, JoC=Joe Cochran, JrC=Jordan Cochran,
JCo=Jamie Court, JCr=Jim Crites, KD=Ken Dixon, DH= Drew Harvey,
AH=Anthony Hewetson, BK=Barry Keith, GK=Glenda Kelly, PKe=Peter Keyel,
PKi=Phillip Kite, TL=Tony Leukering, RM=Robbin Mallett, LM=Liam
McGuire, KMD=Kathy Mihm Dunning, JM=Jennifer Miller, BN=Bob Nieman,
WO=Wolfgang Osterreich, NP=Niler Pyeatt, AR=Anona Roberts, CR=Clarice
Robertson, FR=Floyd Robertson, BSc=Bobby Schat, DS=David Shelburne,
BSh=Brad Shine, ST=Sandi Templeton, LZ=Lena Zappia.
Anthony Hewetson; Lubbock
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