[texbirds] Pear Valley BBS route, McCulloch Co. 5/30/14

From: "Rich Kostecke" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "rkost73@xxxxxxxxx" for DMARC)
To: Texbirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:11:52 -0700 (PDT)
On 5/30/14, I ran the Pear Vally BBS route in McCulloch County for my 9th 
consecutive year.  The route is roughly mid-way between OH Ivie Reservoir and 
Brady, and south of the Colorado River.  Conditions were about as green and wet 
as I have seen them along the route.  Recent heavy rains had filled every 
depression and tank and there was sheet water in several locations.  However, 
after months and years of drought, timing of these rains was perhaps too late 
to influence breeding bird numbers for this season; though the breeders that 
are present may be able to capitalize on the improved habitat conditions.  
However, a few late (but expected) waterbird migrants took advantage of the wet 
conditions.  Unless otherwise mentioned, you can assume counts were near the 
long-term average.  In total, I had 61 species and just over 800 individuals.


Blue-winged Teal  1 - late migrant, new for the count.
Northern Bobwhite  35 - still substantially below the long-term average, but 
rebounding after the 2011 super drought
Wild Turkey  5 - above average
Great Blue Heron  1
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  46 - above average
Swainson's Hawk  2
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Killdeer  9 - above average
Lesser Yellowlegs  1 - late migrant, new for the count.
Least Sandpiper  1 - late migrant, new for the count.
White-rumped Sandpiper  38 - late migrant, new for the count.
Wilson's
 Phalarope  3 - late migrant, new for the count.
Eurasian Collared-Dove  15 - above average (numbers fluctuate in relation to 
agricultural activities in the area?)
White-winged Dove  3
Mourning Dove  94
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  12 - about average, but rebounding after several poor 
years
Greater Roadrunner  4 - above average
Common Nighthawk  34 - above average
Chimney Swift  2
Black-chinned Hummingbird  7 - above average
Golden-fronted Woodpecker  6 - above average
Ladder-backed Woodpecker  3
Eastern Phoebe  2
Ash-throated Flycatcher  7 - above average
Western Kingbird  4 - above average
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  39
Bell's Vireo  18 - above average, but on par with recent years' tallies
Black-capped Vireo  1 - limited habitat for this species 
Chihuahuan
 Raven  4  - only recorded once previously and not recently; ID based on call; 
Common Ravens have been recorded previously, but ravens of any type are 
sporadic at best along this route
Horned Lark  4 - below average
Purple Martin  8 - above average, but on par with recent years' tallies

Cave Swallow 7 - above average, but on par with recent years' tallies (has 
either displace Cliff Swallows in the area or Cave Swallows were misidentified 
as Cliff Swallows on the route in the past)
Barn Swallow  13 - above average
Black-crested Titmouse 10 - above average
Verdin  2
Carolina Wren  1 - only 4th time in 37th years that the species has been 
recorded on the route (not much appropriate habitat)
Bewick's Wren  24 - above average
Eastern Bluebird  1 -  new species for count
Northern Mockingbird  100
European Starling  2
Yellow-breasted Chat  3
Rufous-crowned Sparrow  15 - way above average
Canyon Towhee  2 - below average
Cassin's Sparrow  18 - ony slightly below average
Field Sparrow  6 - above average, but on par with recent years' tallies
Lark Sparrow  49
Black-throated Sparrow  3 - above average, but on par with recent years' tallies
Grasshopper Sparrow  1
Summer Tanager  1
Northern Cardinal  23 - above average
Pyrrhuloxia  12 - way above average
Blue Grosbeak  2
Painted Bunting  28 - above average
Dickcissel  2  - only a few recorded between points, way below average (not a 
Dickcissel year)
Red-winged Blackbird  14 - below average
Eastern Meadowlark  8 - below average, but on par with tallies from the past 
few years
Common Grackle  3 - below average, declining along the route?
Great-tailed Grackle  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  23 - below average, but on par with recent years' tallies
Orchard Oriole  1
Bullock's Oriole  5 - a bit below average
House Finch  11 - above average
Lesser Goldfinch  3
House Sparrow  13 - way below the long-term average; seems to have declined 
over the last decade


 
Richard Kostecke, Ph.D.
The Nature Conservancy
318 Congress Ave., Austin, Texas 78701
Email: rkost73@xxxxxxxxx or rkostecke@xxxxxxx
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[texbirds] Pear Valley BBS route, McCulloch Co. 5/30/14

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