[texbirds-freelists] [texbirds] Ringed Kingfisher at Balcones Canyonlands Refuge
- From: "Tillman, Jane F" <mljt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:50:44 +0000
Theresa Bayoud and I along with four beginning birding participants at the
Balcones Songbird Festival decided to ditch Warbler Vista- too windy- and check
out Cow Creek instead. Near what I think is the first (lowest) creek crossing
of Cow Creek Road we had a nice surprise at about 10:15 a.m. today.
We were looking at the Ladder-backed WP, Eastern Phoebe, Painted Bunting, Blue
Grosbeak, White-eyed Vireo, Lark Sparrows and Scissor-tails there, and dodging
motorcycles, when a Ringed Kingfisher flew right over us. It was flying fairly
high (as opposed to low along the creek), and so we were able to get nice looks
at its all rust belly, and black and white checkered pattern on the trailing
edge of the wings. Then it circled around so we could confirm it.
That's western Travis County and according to Chuck Sexton it is a first Refuge
area record (although I heard later at the countdown that there may have been
some other sightings that no one told Chuck about!) If you are looking for it,
where the road crosses the creek, there is a rock cliff complete with Canyon
Wren. On the opposite bend in the creek which looks like softer rock, there is
a large oak that is just about to fall in the creek, and one that already has.
Jane Tillman
Austin
BTW, the Festival was a lot of fun, very well run, and we had people from as
far away as North Carolina, Minnesota and New Mexico visit to get a look at
"our GCWA and BCVI."
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