Very nice...Couch's seem widespread this fall and I agree it pays to be
careful. Last year we had a rare Cassin's in Leander. Wensday day in I had
I heard only Sprague's flyover at the Port Aransas city park where we made
a restroom stop. I thought that was mighty early and said so to my wife
, so checked the Nueces Co. Checklist on Ebird and that showed it to be too
early but your note convinces me that my ears were right all along.
On Thursday, September 29, 2016, Justin Bosler <justin.bosler@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hello all,
What an interesting week it's been for an otherwise dull part of Texas, the
cotton plains. Yesterday, while working in an area directly south of Tahoka
Lake I discovered an adult WHITE-TAILED KITE. It was perched in a salt
cedar snag and was eyeing the ground for prey for some time before it went
to roost in a dense thicket of salt cedars. This particular area appears to
be a lush, spring-fed basin with tall grasses, scattered brush, and two
large playas. More or less ideal habitat for a WTKI. I wouldn't be
surprised if this bird stuck around for a while.
Today, after wrapping up work, I attempted to explore Tahoka Lake. There's
really only one public access road that leads to Tahoka Lake Pasture,
overlooking the lake on the west side. That road is CR FF and this is where
I located my second COUCH'S KINGBIRD in less than a week. The last was just
inside Garza County and this one is solidly in Lynn County. It was
cooperatively vocal the entire time I observed it, giving the single noted
'pip' calls.
So, if you're keeping track at home, in the last week I have located 3, and
only 3, "yellow-bellied" kingbirds on the South Plains. As it turned out,
two of them were Couch's and one was a Western. This goes to show that you
should really CHECK and DOUBLE CHECK your "yellow-bellied" kingbirds this
time of year, and not default to Western because that's what's supposedly
"expected." 2:1 Couch's: Western.
Other new, first-of-fall birds included a single Chestnut-collared Longspur
and Sprague's Pipit east of Tahoka.
Good birding!
Justin Bosler
currently in Slaton, TX
--
[image: photo]
*Justin Bosler*
Wildlife Biologist
717-475-9998 | justin.bosler@xxxxxxxxx <javascript:;> | 5604 Southwest
Pkwy., #1812
Austin, TX 78735
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