[texbirds] Panhandle Birding, Good Birding Continues at Thompson Park, Amarillo, Potter Co, 11-MAY 2014

From: "Barrett Pierce" <bpierce@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 15:46:27 -0500

Excellent birding continued at Thompson Park yesterday, 11-MAY 2014. Nothing
rare but I had 87 different species for the day; 24 were new for my park
list; and some such as Rufous-crowned Sparrow were really out of place in an
urban park. Great Egret (6), Snowy Egret (5), Cattle Egret (8), White-faced
Ibis (14), Spotted Sandpiper (7), Bullock's Oriole (4) and Mississippi Kites
(9) were expected birds in good numbers. Shorebirds included Wilson's
Phalarope (2), Semipalmated Plover (1) and others that came and left within
an hour. Winds were light early in the morning increasing steadily into the
afternoon, another gale force dust storm with gusts up near 50 MPH. Hermit
Thrush (1), Swainson's Thrush (6) and Gray-cheeked Thrush (1) were present
at first light and all seemed to have left by noon. It was an spectacular
day for warblers: Yellow-rumped (100+ with 20% Myrtles), Wilson's (10),
Common Yellowthroat (6), Yellow (5), Orange-crowned (1), MacGillivray's
(20), Northern Waterthrush (2), Louisiana Waterthrush (1), Black and White
(1), Mourning Warbler (1), American Redstart (1) and Chestnut-sided (1).
That was a 12 warbler species day and makes 15 different warblers for the
park this spring. Other nice sightings were: Olive-sided Flycatcher (1),
Western Wood-Pewee (2-both silent), Say's Phoebe (1), Ash-throated
Flycatcher (1), Summer Tanager (1), Western Tanager (1), Blue Grosbeak (2),
Cedar Waxwing (1), Yellow-headed Blackbird (2), Orchard Oriole (1) and
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1).

By 11:00 am the winds and dust began in earnest and brought in the sparrows:
Green-tailed Towhee (1), Spotted-Towhee (1), Rufous-crowned Sparrow (1),
Chipping Sparrow (200+), Clay-colored Sparrow (200+), Brewer's Sparrow (30),
Vesper Sparrow (1), Lark Sparrow (6), Savannah Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow
(1), Lincoln Sparrow (5), and White-crowned Sparrow (25) for 12 sparrow
species for the day. When I left at 3:00 pm it was impossible to ID warblers
in the trees but the sparrows were mostly grounded and easier to study and
still arriving.

I have not yet studied my photos to confirm my field IDs for the
Gray-cheeked Thrush, the Louisiana Waterthrush and the Ruby-throated
Hummingbird.  

I will lead a Texas Panhandle Audubon Society bird walk on Thursday (15-May)
from 7:30 am to 10:30 am in Thompson Park. We will meet at the parking lot
at the concession building on the lower pond at 7:15 am. There is no fee but
everyone interested should call me to be sure the walk makes.

Barrett Pierce
Amarillo TX

Cell: 806-290-4855



Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds

Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
from the List Owner


Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds

Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
from the List Owner

[texbirds] Panhandle Birding, Good Birding Continues at Thompson Park, Amarillo, Potter Co, 11-MAY 2014

Other related posts: