Circle Trail Bluebird Boxes

Andy  Morffew from Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK,

CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>,

via via Wikimedia Commons

The Rolling Plains Chapter Texas Master Naturalists asked the city of Wichita Falls to allow them to put up bluebird boxes along the Circle Trail. The city agreed. The number of boxes will depend upon the chapter's ability to fund, install, monitor, and maintain the boxes. The intent is to start with a handful and gradually increase the number each year.

The chapter is currently fundraising for this project. The first boxes will be installed in September/October of this year (bluebirds start scouting next year's nesting sites in the Fall).

Eastern bluebirds were in serious decline some years ago, as were other small cavity nesting birds. People don't leave up dead snags as much as they used to, creating a shortage of nesting sites. However, these birds have bounced back since people have started putting up nesting boxes. Other birds in our area which use bluebird nest boxes are wrens, chickadees, titmice, and tree swallows. Invaders which can take over bluebird houses include house sparrows and European starlings.

The Texas Master Naturalists will build and install the boxes and monitor and report nesting success for the various species. They will also ensure non-native birds do not take over the boxes and make repairs as needed.

The chapter is currently fundraising for this project. Any amount is welcome, but a $100 donation will ensure you are recognized as a sponsor for a box. Donations may be sent to Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist, 1300 Lamar Street, Wichita Falls, TX 76301. Since a state agency hosts the chapter website, the chapter does not have the ability to accept online donations.

If you would like more information about this project, you can email the chapter at rollingplainschaptertmn@gmail.com or you can contact me at txbirds@gmail.com.

Good birding!

Bird Outing at Lake Arrowhead State Park

 

Ómar Runólfsson,

CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>,

via Wikimedia Commons

The monthly bird outing at Lake Arrowhead SP on August 8 was, as is usual in August, a little slow. The birds don't like the heat any more than we do. We did have a nice breeze off the lake though, which helped a lot.

The best birds of the morning were a handful of black terns, which made the morning worthwhile. Black terns migrate through our area in the Spring and Fall.

I have trouble with tern ID, mostly because most terns look a lot alike and they are generally moving over the lake feeding, instead of sitting quietly to be observed. However, the black tern is easily identifiable, because it is dark gray/black, instead of the white of the other terns.

The birds seen Saturday included great egret, snowy egret, western cattle egret, double-crested cormorant, white pelican, killdeer, black tern, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern mockingbird, orchard oriole, yellow-billed cuckoo, Bewick's wren, ladder-backed woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, great-tailed grackle, and turkey vulture. Not a bad morning for early August.

The bird outings at Lake Arrowhead SP are the second Saturday of each month at 8:00 AM. We meet at the parking lot adjacent to the admin building (near the fishing pier). The park entrance fee is $4 per person, unless you have a TPWD park pass.

Migration should be picking up in September, so come on out on September 12.

Good birding!

Fall Migration Already?

 

US Migratory Flyways
USFWS Headquarters, Public domain,
 via Wikimedia Commons

The calendar continues to turn. It seems like Spring migration just ended with the arrival of the Mississippi kites, yellow-billed cuckoos, and common nighthawks, and Fall migration fixing to get under way. 

We have a few bird species which will leaving soon. Purple martins start leaving in July. I am looking around for a roost. A roost is a location where a bird species masses over some days before taking off as a group on their migration. For a few years, there was a reliable roost near my house, but that location hasn't been used the last couple of years. No idea why the purple martins decided it was no longer suitable.

We will soon start seeing migratory shorebirds passing through from their breeding season in the Artic, returning to winter in central and south America.

Spring migration is a little more exciting since it occurs over a shorter period of time as birds have a shorter timeframe in which to get to their breeding grounds, mate, and raise their young before the window closes.  Fall migration is spread over a longer period of time. Birds tend to take some time on the way to rest and fill their tank up, waiting for the next favorable front to move through. 

Although the "best" months for fall birding tend to be September/October, it's time to start paying attention. You never know what you might see.

Good birding!

Monthly Bird Outing

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0
 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>,
via Wikimedia Commons

July in our area generally sucks for bird watching. Part of that is a "me problem." I absolutely hate the heat and once temperatures get above mid-80's, I'm done. The projected high for Saturday was around 100.

But it's also the birds. The nesting season is largely over, and although birds do still sing, it isn't with the exuberance of spring. This makes birds harder to find. They, too, are hot and sticking to cover and out of the sun. Many birds are also worn out and some are starting to molt. It is a better survival strategy to lay low and not draw attention to oneself. 

Therefore, as a rule, our monthly bird outings at Lake Arrowhead State Park tend to be more poorly attended, and we see fewer species of birds.

However, we had a fairly decent morning yesterday. A breeze off the lake helped keep the temperatures bearable, although by the time we wrapped up around 9:30, things were becoming uncomfortable. My favorite bird of the morning was the yellow-billed cuckoo, although painted buntings are always nice. Yellow-billed cuckoos are considered threatened but are fairly common in the park during the summer. Because they are relatively secretive birds, we hear many more than we see.

Birds observed this morning were: Canada goose, killdeer, great egret, snowy egret, cattle egret, Forster's tern, cliff swallow, purple martin, mourning dove, Eurasian collared dove, turkey vulture, ladder-backed woodpecker, northern mockingbird, American robin, painted bunting, northern cardinal, orchard oriole, yellow-billed cuckoo, great-tailed grackle, brown-headed cowbird, and red-winged blackbird. Not a bad morning.

Just a reminder that these bird outings are every month on the second Saturday at 8:00 AM. We meet in the parking lot of the admin building (for those familiar with the park, it is between the swim beach and the fishing pier). You do need to pay park admission of $4 if you don't have a park pass. Since the office doesn't open until 8, plan a few extra minutes to visit the self-pay station. We saunter about a mile. The surface is level and easily maneuvered by those with mobility issues. You don't have to be a bird expert. This is a good opportunity to learn more about birds in a helpful, friendly group. Hope to see you at an upcoming outing.

Good birding!

Time for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)!

One of my favorite birding activities is the Great Backyard Bird Count every February. Birders have several bird count activities, all of which provide data used to monitor population trends.

Basically, participants count birds in any location they wish (yard, local park, etc.) for a minimum of 15 minutes during a 4-day period. This year that is Friday, Feb 13 - Monday, Feb 16. Then you provide the information via Merlin or eBird.  Merlin is probably the app of choice for a new birder; eBird has more functions, but a little more complicated to learn for a newbie. You count every bird you see and you can count as long as you want, just at least 15 minutes.

Our monthly bird outing at Lake Arrowhead State Park on Saturday, Feb 14 will be part of the GBBC. If the weather forecast is accurate, we might get a little wet. We meet in the parking lot near the fishing pier at 8:00 AM. You might arrive a little early in order to stop at the self-pay station, since the office doesn't open until 8:00. We saunter for about 1 - 1.5 hours (depending on the weather and the birds) and cover around a mile. We don't move very fast. We're there to watch birds, not set speed records. The route is paved and level. We do have people come with limited mobility, so don't let physical restrictions put you off.

I will also be birdwatching on the other days as well. Friday at Lucy Park, Sunday at Wichita Bluff, and Monday at Lake Wichita Park.  I may try to slip in a couple of other short observation periods at a few other locations, time permitting. It's a busy weekend already, so it will be a spur of the moment thing.

This is a fun activity to get kids involved. Since you only have to take part for 15 minutes, it isn't a challenge to keep them involved. If you have a budding birder, then you can stretch the activity as long as you want. Instructions for participating are available on the GBBC website.

If you have any questions or would like to participate in one or more of the counts, contact me at txbirds@gmail.com.

Good birding!

Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching

I was reading the December 2025 of Birding magazine and saw a mention of Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching in their Book and Media Reviews section. It's a quiet Sunday, so why not watch? This is a quirky documentary about two brothers, who are relatively new birders who decide the best way to learn about birds is to jump right off into the deep end with a Lower 48 Big Year.

This 2-hour film highlights their efforts, eventually documenting their 579 species for the year, placing them in 23rd place for this competition in 2024. At the beginning of the documentary, there is a "For Mature Audiences" warning. I didn't feel anything was too objectionable, but I know some of my neighbors would have some concerns (marijuana usage, a few swear words, and some low-grade crude commentary). The film is available for free on You Tube. I highly recommend a watch if you enjoy birding and have a sense of humor.

Some excellent bird photos and videos (with identification) highlight the film. At the end of the year, they are much more proficient birders, but decide listing detracts from birdwatching. The real joy of birdwatching is to watch the birds.

Good birding!

Book Review: The Art of Bird Identification, Pete Dunne (2012)

 

This isn't a new book, but it's new to me and one of the books I received for Christmas, so it might be one that will be useful to others.

This isn't what I would call a hard-core birding book, unlike Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion (2006), which is squarely in the experienced category. This relatively short book is aimed more at those newer to the hobby, but certainly, there are some pointers that even more experienced birders could use a reminder about.

Many people start their birding journey with a field guide (which you do need), but those can be overwhelming for new birders. They contain hundreds of birds, many of which look a whole lot alike.

What this book does is focus birdwatchers on non-field guide identification clues. Sometimes, I'll be out with people and a bird may just flash by, and I can identify it. That seems like I am a real expert, but in most cases, I have watched a bird enough to pick out some aspect of the bird that tells me what it is, and sometimes, it is not a field mark shown in a field guide. The overall impression of a bird, referred to as "jizz" (an unfortunate term in current times), can allow a very quick identification. Where it is, its size, how it walks or flies, and certain easily visible field marks all help pull up an accurate ID fairly quickly.

However, when we are getting started, or if you are in an unfamiliar area, a more methodical approach is helpful. Usually field marks are not the most helpful clues until you can narrow the possibilities. Pete Dunne provides a framework to approach field identification.

Habitat is important. Not every bird will be in every habitat. Even if it is the right habitat, it might not be the right time of year. Then, what type of bird is it? If it's a duck-type birds, you can rule out a lot of possibilities and focus just on birds that are ducks, geese, and similar-appearing birds. How big is it? Compare it to some other bird you're familiar with. It's hard to identify size in inches, but you can probably say "It's smaller than a mallard." Again, that narrows your choices, giving you a manageable number to work with.

Now you look for field marks to find the bird you've observed. He doesn't get into this, but it does take practice to try to pick out the most useful field marks quickly. It's likely you won't have much time to look for them, so you get what you can. Songs and calls also can be useful.

Even with a good process, you can still misidentify a bird. I do it. Pete Dunne admits he does it. If bird identification was easy, birding would not be as challenging and interesting. But if you want to improve your odds, consider getting a copy of this book.

Good birding!