[texbirds] katy prairie today: short-eared owls, couch's kingbird, cave swallows and lack of sparrows
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2013 16:20:23 -0600
Did the Katy prairie this morning and arrived on Porter Road with 2
short-eared owls overhead and around me where I first parked. Another bird
was being very noisy off to the north. The owls were active and visible
against the light in the east at 6:30 and all went to roost off to the west
around 6:45. A communal roost of northern harriers took off a the same time
from the east around 6:50 and red-tailed hawks headed for poles to sit on.
It was cold with a consistent 28 degrees for the first hour. Horned owls
were hooting but only 1 bird.
When I was in the car warming, savannah sparrows came and perched in the
lights and fed while it was still dark. This is the first time I have seen
this and they were moving before 6:45. No bewick's wrens for the day and no
Harris's sparrows. Only a few savannah and white-crowned at a few spots. It
looks like there is good food but without the birds.
Paul Rushing park had the single couch's kingbird which was complaining
about the cold. Might have heard a couple of kiskadees type notes but
mockingbirds and starlings were noisy at the spot so no go on either try
today.
A good number of cave swallows were feeding over the wetlands on Richard
Frey just east of Blinka. No ferruginous hawk up there as usual for many
years.
Only heard a single sedge wren and few house wrens. Some robins and
waxwings were drinking in a puddle and heading off to the east. Heard a
goose pre-dawn. 2 ducks up in the dark. There were ducks in at Paul Rushing
but I did not walk in due to cold and games.
Maybe my worst list ever for species and numbers in many years at least.
But the owls were great and hearing them calling was better.
Most excitement was when I thought I found a couple of prairie chickens
dancing out there in the vegetation. Bobbing at both ends but a domestic
chicken out there would have been unusual too. Turns out to be coyote ears
sticking up from the vegetation with 3 of the critters lying down but
moving their heads a lot.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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- » [texbirds] katy prairie today: short-eared owls, couch's kingbird, cave swallows and lack of sparrows - Joseph Kennedy
