This Weekend's GBBC Events

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) starts today and runs through Monday. If you feel you don't know enough to participate on your own, there are two events where you can bird with others.

Smith's Gardentown will be participating in the GBBC from 10 AM - 2 PM. Members of the Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist chapter will be there from 10 AM - Noon to tell customers about the GBBC and to help them identify birds.

On Sunday, from sunrise until 9 AM, the Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist members will be behind Wild Bird Rescue to do a GBBC count and to help people identify birds.

You can take part in these counts for as little or as much time as you want.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count is this weekend. I plan to bird every day for a while. If you want to go, message me and we'll connect. I try to bird at least Lucy Park and Lake Wichita Park. I haven't decided if I will try to add to my Texas Century Club count or perhaps try several spots along the city trail system.

Smith's Gardentown is doing a count at their store all day on Saturday.

The Rolling Plains chapter Texas Master Naturalist usually has a public count out behind Wild Bird Rescue. I haven't heard about a definite time/date. I'll post as soon as I hear something.

This is a great activity to do with kids, whether you know much about birds or not. You can participate for as little as 15 minutes.

I hope you find the time to take part sometime over the weekend.

Good birding!

Lake Arrowhead This Morning

No one turned up at Lake Arrowhead State Park this morning for the bird walk. The park was fairly empty. The cooler weather combined with a rainy forecast seems to have kept people away. Since I have been fighting the crud for two weeks, in a way it was nice, since it meant I could get home and get back into my PJs and under my fuzzy blanket.

Once it was apparent no one was going to show, I made a short drive through the park and on W. Arrowhead Rd. to Bridwell tank.

Inside the park, I saw a Carolina wren, who was scolding me while I filled out my pass at the gate. Later I saw the following birds: great blue heron, double-crested cormorant, mourning dove, Eurasian collared dove, ring-billed gull, red-tailed hawk, northern flicker, ladder-backed woodpecker, red-winged blackbird, northern cardinal, northern mockingbird, white-crowned sparrow, house finch and European starling. The prairie dogs were mostly underground, although the sentries barked a warning when I was in the area.

Upon leaving, I took a short jaunt around W. Arrowhead Rd. to Bridwell tank. Only the back side of the tank has any water and the Lake Arrowhead side of the road is completely dry, as it has been for several months. However, I did see three white-tailed deer along the way as well as some eastern bluebirds, eastern meadowlarks and American kestrels. Coming home on FM 1954 in Archer Co, I added northern harrier, mallard ducks and a loggerhead shrike.

So not a bad morning for a quick trip. I'll spend the rest of the day watching birds at my feeder for Project Feederwatch. At least I am getting some American goldfinch now in an otherwise lackluster year.

Good birding!

Bird Walk at Lake Arrowhead State Park Saturday

Tomorrow, Saturday, February 9, is the date for this month's bird walk at Lake Arrowhead State Park. Meet at the firewood shed in the first camping area on the left. Meet at 8 AM.

It's supposed to be fairly cold in the AM, but we shouldn't see rain until later in the day (although if it rains, it will be so awesome, I'll be dancing in it--cold or no cold!)