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!

Great Backyard Bird Count Wrap-Up

Small flock of cedar waxwings

 Although I did a post for Day One of GBBC, we're going to summarize the other days, as I have been blowing and going lately.

Day Two I visited Lake Arrowhead State Park. Even though I go to Lake Arrowhead frequently, this is a location that usually has some good birds and people know where it is if they want to go. We didn't get a lot of birds, but there were a couple of good ones (in the sense that we don't see them a lot). We started off with neotropic cormorants. When we see a cormorant here, 99% of the time, it is a double-crested cormorant. But we got lucky with a small group of neotropical. Another good bird was a flock of 32 Bonaparte's gulls flying through. Gulls in the winter here are probably 95% of the time, ring-billed gulls. In addition to these two less common species, we saw ring-billed gull, Canada goose, American coot, gadwall, northern shoveler, ladder-backed woodpecker, great blue heron, killdeer, northern harrier,  meadowlark sp., American pipit, song sparrow, fox sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, Harris's sparrow, northern cardinal. northern mockingbird, eastern phoebe, Bewick's wren, and great-tailed grackle.

On Day 3, it was off to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area. The best part of the count was the cedar waxwings. These elegant birds are winter visitors. They tend to stay in flocks and have a distinctive, high-pitched call. Debra and I watched a few groups flying from tree to tree--easily over 100 individuals altogether. In addition to the cedar waxwings, I saw a single double-crested cormorant flying over, a turkey vulture, and a couple of black vultures. Other birds seen included rock pigeon, yellow-shafted northern flicker, blue jay, northern cardinal, northern mockingbird, ruby-crowned kinglet, dark-eyed junco, yellow-rumped warbler,  American robin, song sparrow, Harris's sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, and spotted towhee.

The last day was at Lucy Park. I wasn't there long because of other commitments that day, and I stayed in the picnic area at the Sunset Drive entrance. This has been a pretty good spot for me to find little dickey birds. I did cross the street to take a quick look in the river, but didn't go down the trail more than a dozen yards. The birds I saw included mallard, Canada goose, Eurasian collared dove, white-winged dove, dark-eyed junco, cedar waxwing, blue jay, Carolina chickadee, black-crested titmouse, golden-crowned kinglet, Carolina wren, American robin, great-tailed grackle, white-throated sparrow, American goldfinch, and house finch.

Across the world, birders submitted 911,000 checklists, documenting 8,004 species of birds. 

Good birding!

Day One Great Backyard Bird Count, Lake Wichita Spillway

 

Beautiful clear morning on
Lake Wichita

It was a cold start to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). I started at the Lake Wichita Spillway, arriving just a few minutes before 8 AM. I admit, it was a little warmer than yesterday and not quite as windy, but the wind off the water this morning was still a bit cold with temps in the 20's.

I only stayed 35 minutes, but saw some good birds., mostly water birds. I haven't found any dead birds in my outings, so hoping the bird flu is staying away from our area.

I saw some ducks that I didn't immediately know so I took a short video. The distance was farther than I would have liked, but it turned out between the poor quality video and my memory of the markings I saw through my binoculars, I was able to identify them as lesser scaups. Their plumage was overall dark, with the base of the bill white, which is not what I am used to seeing. I learn something every day.

All told, I saw 15 species of birds in that 35 minutes, so it was worth getting out in the cold. The birds seen included: green-winged teal, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, mallard, lesser scaup, American coot, Canada goose, white pelican, double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, ring-billed gull. northern cardinal, American robin, red-winged blackbird, and great-tailed grackle. I also saw a couple of shorebirds I could not identify. I was looking toward the sun, so they were just black blobs in the general shape of a shorebird. I can tell you several shorebirds I can definitely say they were not, but couldn't be certain of what they were. That happens.

There are still three more days for the #GBBC, so get out and bird. It looks like the afternoons over then next few days are going to be nice. If you want to go with someone, I posted days, locations, and times in my previous post.

Good birding!

Lots of Upcoming Bird Activites

Bird walk at Lake Arrowhead

Most of us have been cooped up for some weeks and are ready to get out and find some birds. There are several opportunities coming up to learn more about the hobby, practice identifying birds, and just enjoy watching their antics.

Since I got interrupted when starting this and didn't get back to editing in a timely fashion, I am leaving off today's Birding 101 class at Smith's Gardentown and the monthly hike at Lucy Park.  I need to do better.

So, let's look at some other opportunities.

First, the monthly bird outing at Lake Arrowhead State Park will be Saturday, Feb 8, beginning at 8 AM. Entry fees to the park apply, so come a little early as you will need to use the self-pay station. The entry is $4 per person, unless you have a park pass. The outing is fairly level and we tend to saunter, so if isn't a strenuous activity. We occasionally have individuals with limited mobility come, so it is doable by pretty much anyone. The route is about 1 mile and may take anywhere from 1 - 2 hours, depending upon the weather and the birds. Meet at the admin building parking lot near the fishing pier.

Next, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is Feb 14 - 17. You can take part in your yard or a local park for as little as 15 minutes. The idea is to document as many birds as possible in that time. For information about the count and how to submit your information, you can read the instructions here, or if you prefer a better visual, watch this webinar.

If you are new to watching birds, or just want to go with someone, here are some places and times I specifically set aside for this event. I would be happy to have you come along.

• 14 Feb, 8:00 - 8:45 AM, Lake Wichita Spillway (this is a short one as I have another appointment at 9:00)
• 15 Feb, 9:00 - 11:00, Lake Arrowhead State Park. Meet at the same location as for the monthly bird outing.
• 16 Feb, 9:00 - 11:00, Wichita Bluff Nature Area. Meet at the trail head off Seymour Hwy. This is a paved trail, a little more challenging due to the hills. The distance will be around 2 miles.
• 17 Feb, 9:00 - 11:00, Lucy Park, Meet at the 3rd Street entrance parking area. We will be staying on the paved trail which is fairly level. My intent is to walk the trail to the falls and on down behind the MPEC and back. 

You can see there are some opportunities to get out, enjoy being outside, and see some birds.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count Coming Up!

One of my favorite birding events is coming up February 16 - 19. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a joint citizen science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology,  National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada. It has found its way worldwide since tallies are now submitted through eBird.

The idea is to watch birds at home, your local parks, or wherever you happen to be for 15 minutes (or more) and submit your checklists through eBird. I usually try to hit up several local parks since I do Project Feederwatch in my yard every week. I might change my mind, but right now, I am thinking I will bird Lake Wichita Park on Friday, Lake Arrowhead SP on Saturday, Wichita Bluff Park on Sunday, and Lucy Park on Monday. I might throw in some short times at Williams Park and the Circle Trail at a couple of spots that are sometimes good birding.

This is a great project for kids. Since you only need to spend 15 minutes, even the little ones can stay focused. This would also be a good project for homeschoolers.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count

 The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is 12 - 15 February 2021. The count is an annual event, sponsored by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Audubon Society, and Birds Canada. I have taken part for several years. The GBBC was launched in 1998 as a citizen science project to capture a snapshot of bird populations.

I block the mornings of these days out well in advance. I usually spend about two hours each of the mornings birding in the local parks and then some time later updating eBird with my findings. However, you can use any period of 15 minutes or more and your yard is fine, so anyone can participate. Last year, over a quarter million people around the world took part, documenting just over 6,900 species of birds.

This is a great activity to do with the kids. Since you're not required to devote a lot of time, if the kids (or your non-birding significant other) get bored, you have still contributed to our knowledge of birds.

The next Lake Arrowhead State Park bird walk occurs during the GBBC, so if you want to go with a group, plan to attend the bird walk on that date. February 13, 8:00 AM. COVID-19 safety requirements will still be in place. Currently, the requirements include no group larger than 10, social distancing, masks, and no sharing of binoculars or field guides. Those requirements may change, so check with the park the day before.

I usually publish the dates I plan to go to the various parks in case someone wants to go with me, but due to COVID-19, I am not doing that this year. However, if you would like to go, you can email me at txbirds@gmail.com--all of the COVID-19 safety requirements will be in effect, however. I plan to bird 8:00 - 10:00 each day, longer on the days I do the Wichita Bluff Nature Park segment and a portion of the Wichita Valley Rail Trail, due to the length of the trail. If I'm having a good day, I sometimes add short stops (15 - 30 minutes) at some local hot spots.

Plan to take part. If you are not already signed up with eBird, you will need to set up an account and become familiar with at least the basics to update your count information.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count Coming Soon!

One of my favorite birding "events" of the year is the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) that occurs mid-February every year.

This is a great project to do with your kids or grandkids as you only have to participate for 15 minutes. For homeschoolers, this is a great science project to show how field data is collected and compiled for use in various studies.

Want to participate? It's easy. Here is a link to instructions.

Again this year I will be doing the GBBC all four days and invite anyone who would like to come. I am a little restricted on time on Monday, February 18, but I plan to go anyway for a couple of hours. Here is where and when I intend to start each day:

Friday, February 15: 8:00 AM, Wichita Bluff Nature Area, off Seymour Highway. Meet in the parking lot. We'll walk the entire trail to Loop 11 and back (about 2.5 miles round trip). This will probably be the longest in terms of time, so expect around 3 or 4 hours, depending upon the birds. Although not a strenuous hike, it is the most hilly of the GBBC target places. People with limited mobility may find this difficult, but the trail is paved.

Saturday, February 16, 8:00 AM, Lake Arrowhead State Park. This is the regularly scheduled monthly bird walk. We usually walk about 1 mile. We take our time, so it normally takes around 1.5 hours. The ground is level, but there are places where we are not on a paved surface surface.

Saturday, February 16. TBD. I am thinking about heading from Lake Arrowhead to do a short walk along the Wichita Valley Rail Trail. I have been meaning to hike this trail and haven't yet. The trail is 5.6 miles and I don't have any intention of hiking the entire distance (especially as I would have to walk the return as well.) I thought I would hike a mile or so and then turn around. If someone wants to go, we can iron out the details. The trail is reported to be cinder and gravel.

Sunday, February 17, 8:00 AM. Circle Trail between Lucy Park and Williams Park. This is a very pretty section of the trail. We had some good birds here last year. This is not a strenuous walk. There are a couple of low-grade hills. The entire distance is paved. I have never measured the distance but I estimate the walk there and back would be around 2 - 2.5 miles.

Monday, February 18, 8:00 AM. I have some limitations on time on Monday, so my plan is to go to the Chat Trail in Lake Wichita Park and walk around the borrow pit as well. When the birds are cooperative, this is "the" birding location in Wichita Falls. This is a short hike on gravel and some on a paved surface. About a half mile total. If I have time, I may walk more of the trail toward the spillway or along the lake shoreline--weather dependent.

Contact me at green.wichitafalls@gmail.com if you would like to bird with me one of these days.

Good birding!

Report Out Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count was February 16 - February 19. I took part all four days, although I would have liked to have been able to get to more locations. But we do what we can, right?

The drought is obvious along the chat trail

 Day One

You don't often see the beavers, but you can see they've been busy!

The first day of the count was not promising. The temperature was in the low 80's the day before and the first day of the GBBC was low 40's with a bitterly cold north wind. I decided the Chat Trail in Lake Wichita Park would be my best bet as it has some shelter from the wind. But there wasn't much happening--the birds apparently had more sense than I. I only spent 45 minutes on the trail and at the end of the barrow pit.

Fourteen species:
Ring-billed gull
Canada goose
Gadwall
Downy woodpecker
Northern flicker
Red-tailed hawk
American robin
Northern cardinal
Blue jay
Fox sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
Spotted towhee
Dark-eyed junco
Song sparrow

I went home and did a quick, 15-minute count at my own feeders: white-winged dove, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, American goldfinch, orange-crowned warbler.

Day 2

We had a little rain overnight and it seemed to make all the difference. It was a little warmer and there wasn't a lot of wind. I went out to Lake Arrowhead State Park and had a great couple of hours. The birds were out enjoying the beautiful morning. This is really a good time of year to bird. Some of our local birds are beginning to sing (most notably cardinals, eastern bluebirds, and Bewick's wrens) and there aren't many leaves in the trees, making it easier to find the birds. I ran into Robert Mauk, a local wildlife photographer, and he told me he had seen a golden-crowned kinglet on the Dragonfly trail, so I added that to my area (and found it!)

Forty species:

Red-tailed hawk
Killdeer
Ring-billed gull
Great blue heron
Lesser yellowlegs
Canada goose
Double-crested cormorant
Mallard
Northern pintail
Blue-winged teal
Northern shoveler
American coot
Pied-billed grebe
White pelican
Red-bellied woodpecker
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Northern flicker
Northern cardinal
Northern mockingbird
Carolina chickadee
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Golden-crowned kinglet
Orange-crowned warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Common yellowthroat
Bewick's wren
Eastern phoebe
Eastern bluebird
American pipit
Harris's sparrow
Song sparrow
Field sparrow
Fox sparrow
Eastern meadowlark
Dark-eyed junco
White-crowned sparrow
Red-winged blackbird
Great-tailed grackle
European starling
House finch

Day 3

On Sunday, the Rolling Plains Chapter Texas Master Naturalist scheduled a public GBBC event. Apparently, those that went on the trip to Hackberry on Saturday were worn out. When I arrived, no one else was on the overlook behind Wild Bird Rescue. All I have to say is, "You snooze, you lose." I spent only 45 minutes there and had 21 species. I would have liked to stay longer, but it is the end of the semester for one of the universities I teach for, so duty called. My 21 species:

White pelican
Double-crested cormorant
Black-crowned night heron
Great blue heron
Killdeer
Ring-billed gull
Mallard
American coot
Canada goose
Pied-billed grebe
Sharp-shinned hawk
Eurasian collared dove
White-winged dove
Red-bellied woodpecker
Belted kingfisher
Northern cardinal
House wren
Red-winged blackbird
European starling
House finch
Goldfinch

Day 4

Overlooking the Wichita River

Construction of the next trail section underway

Monday was another beautiful morning. I didn't have President's Day off work, but did play hooky for a bit on the Wichita Falls Bluff Nature Park trail. This is my favorite park because it is intended to remain a nature area. I started out in a bit of a bad mood. When I parked, I noticed people are already trashing the park. I picked up beer bottles, a plastic water bottle, plastic shopping bag, and a hamburger wrapper before I even started my walk. I picked up napkins, a Whataburger bag and other assorted odds and ends when I returned to the lot at the end of my walk. Fortunately, the trail itself was clean. I spent an hour and a half enjoying this trail, which is not the level flat walk of most of the Circle Trail. They have started work on the next section of the trail, between the end of this one and Loop 11. Right now, it looks terrible, but when it is done, it should be another nice section along the river.

At the end of the current trail, where I took the pictures, there were a pair of red-tailed hawks on the other side of the river. It looked like they might be building a nest. I'll keep an eye on things.

Twenty species:

Canada goose
Turkey vulture
Red-tailed hawk
Rock pigeon
White-winged dove
Northern cardinal
Northern mockingbird
Blue jay
American robin
Bewick's wren
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Yellow-rumped warbler
Dark-eyed junco
Song sparrow
Field sparrow
Spotted towhee
American crow
Great-tailed grackle
Red-winged blackbird
House sparrow

All-in-all, a great Great Backyard Bird Count. I still need to upload my counts into the database, but that's happening in a few minutes. Put this event on your calendar for next President's Day weekend.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count

The annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is coming up this week. I hope you are planning to take part sometime between Friday, 16 February and Monday, 19 February.

Thousands of people submit checklists of birds they see in their yards or other places around town during this 4-day event. This is a great project to do with your kids/grandkids, as any period of observation of 15 minutes or longer counts. This is great way to introduce kids and novice birdwatchers to the hobby.

For those in the Wichita Falls area, the Texas Master Naturalist Rolling Plains Chapter will be holding a public count behind Wild Bird Rescue, 4611 Lake Shore Dr, from 8 AM - 10 AM on Sunday, February 18. You can come for part or all of the count. There is usually a good breeze coming off the lake, so I suggest wearing layers.

For those who cannot make this event, you are invited to bird with me. Here are some days/times/locations I plan to bird:

Friday, February 16, 9:30 - 10:30 (I have an earlier appointment, so this is later than I normally go). Lake Wichita Park, Chat trail.

Saturday, February 17, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM, Lake Arrowhead State Park ($4 entry fee applies). (I may also pick up a couple of other spots this day--weather and other commitments will determine)

Sunday, February 18, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM, Wild Bird Rescue, with the Texas Master Naturalist (I may also pick up a couple of other spots this day--weather and other commitments will determine)

Monday, February 19, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM, Nature Bluff Park segment of the Circle Trail (I may decide to do the trail section between Lucy Park and Williams Park, but time may be tight--work day!)

For more information, email me at txbirds@gmail.com or you can call 940-867-8761.

Good Birding!

Reporting Out Great Backyard Bird Count

Last week concluded this year's Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) event. I was happy to once again be able to schedule work around participating in this event, so I got to bird four days in a row! Life doesn't get much better than that.

I have finished filing all of the GBBC checklists into eBird, so I can finally report to all of you how it went. Overall, it was pretty good weekend.

On Friday, February 17, a group of us birded the chat trail and barrow pit in Lake Wichita Park. One of our group is fairly new to birding. I enjoy having new birders in a group--it really helps to go with others when you're first learning. Sue got a lifer marsh wren. One of the highlights was a hairy woodpecker. Although you don't see one every day, I don't think most of the regular birders in the area think of them as rare, but eBird does. Several of the group independently identified the bird, but no one thought to take a picture of it, so we'll see whether they accept the sighting. We had a good morning for woodpeckers overall, with the hairy, a couple of downy woodpeckers, a northern flicker, a ladder-backed woodpecker, a northern flicker, and a red-bellied woodpecker. We didn't do as well on the duck side of the house, but a quick sighting of a great-horned owl in flight made up for the lack of ducks.

Foggy morning at Lake Arrowhead SP

Disputed sandpiper

On Saturday, a few of us tackled Lake Arrowhead State Park. Thick soupy fog made visibility poor and prevented being able to scan the lake and opposite shore for birds. Since the picture to the left was taken with my cell phone, if you haven't been to Lake Arrowhead SP, you probably don't recognize how foggy it was. From this spot, we should be able to see over the lake, but there is just a wall of white. We saw some good birds regardless. The long-eared owls were still on site. There were a lot of people who traveled from elsewhere in the state to get a good look at the owls. One is remarkably mellow about all of the coming and going. Sue King, who had the lifer marsh wren on Friday, picked up another lifer with a golden-crowned kinglet here. We spent a great deal of time studying a flock of sandpipers. To all of us the legs appeared dark and we made an identification of semipalmated sandpiper. The editor for eBird thinks the legs are yellow in the photo. We are still in discussion at this point. The list at the end of this post is accepting the sandpiper as we identified it because the legs were definitely not yellow. But the editor has only the photo and range maps to go by, and semipalmated are not supposed to be here right now. But, as the saying goes, the birds can't read the field guides. However, it is possible the sandpiper is something else, so we will see. I sent out a call to those who were there to forward any clear pictures they might have.

On Sunday, several of us met out back of Wild Bird Rescue for a GBBC in a Big Sit format. It was pretty disappointing in terms of numbers, although James got a lifer with a yellow-rumped warbler. A Bonaparte's gull and a couple of Forster's terns were highlights for me.

River up in Lucy Park

Recent rains mean quishy areas in Lucy Park

On Monday, I birded the Circle trail from the entrance of Lucy Park on Sunset Drive to Williams Park. Lucy Park is not the bird mecca it was before, but there is still some good habitat on this stretch of trail for little dickie birds. As you can see in the photos, the recent rain made much of the park pretty quishy and the river was up and moving fast. I enjoyed seeing a white-throated sparrow--the first I have seen in Lucy Park since they tore out much of the understory. However, there is still a good stand of trees and vines near the footbridge, behind the sanitation building. Down the trail some, Lynn and I saw two brown creepers, which are always a highlight for me. A surprising find in town was the pair of eastern bluebirds behind the MPEC. I have seen bluebirds a couple of times over the past 20 years in Lake Wichita Park, but never here. A belted kingfisher flying up and down the river was also nice.

I am hoping by next year's, GBBC the Nature Bluff area will be ready for visitors.

So what did we see? I am hoping I don't inadvertently leave a bird out, but here goes:

Canada goose
Double-crested cormorant
Mallard
Northern shoveler
Ruddy duck
American wigeon
American coot
Pied-billed grebe
Ring-billed gull
Bonaparte's gull
Forster's tern
White pelican
Great blue heron
Killdeer
Semipalmated sandpiper
Belted kingfisher
Great horned owl
Long-eared owl
Turkey vulture
Red-tailed hawk
Northern flicker
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Downy woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
Red-bellied woodpecker
Inca dove
Mourning dove
Eurasian collared dove
White-winged dove
Rock pigeon
Northern cardinal
Northern mockingbird
Blue jay
Tufted titmouse (both regular and black-crested)
Eastern phoebe
Eastern bluebird
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Golden-crowned kinglet
Orange-crowned warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Common yellowthroat
American robin
Great-tailed grackle
Red-winged blackbird
European starling
House finch
American goldfinch
Cedar waxwing
Song sparrow
White-thrated sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
Field sparrow
Dark-eyed junco
Harris's sparrow
Brown creeper
Marsh wren
Carolina wren
Bewick's wren

If my count is correct, that's 58 species.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count Was "Great!"

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was Feb 12 - 15. I have finished updating my checklists, so thought I would give you a summary of four great mornings of birding. Four days worth of birding makes for a long post, but some good birds.

I am not going to provide the number of each species as those are in the eBird checklists I turned in. You can either pull them from eBird or email me at txbirds@gmail.com and I can forward them to you.

Fires in Lucy Park

On Friday, I started the GBBC in Lucy Park. It just makes me want to cry to go to Lucy Park any more. On the advice of hydrological engineers, the city of Wichita Falls has been cutting down many of the old trees in the park, clearing all of the understory and clearing and burning pretty much all of the branches and leaves on the ground. This is intended to reduce the potential for flooding. I know the City Council isn't going to weigh bird habitat heavily against potential property loss among their constituents, but it still makes my heart hurt. This used to be a premier place to bird. Lucy Park still has relatively decent birding, at least for woodpeckers, as there are still many old trees with cavities still in the park. However, as the understory is removed, the habitat is likely to be more favorable to starlings. The birding has steadily declined over the past 2 years. I don't know if Lucy Park will be worth the effort next year. I was joined on this count by Ray and Sharon, fellow Texas Master Naturalist.

We had a pretty decent morning with the following species seen: turkey vulture (unusual for this time of year), red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk, mallard, Canada goose, Eurasian collared dove, white-winged dove, mourning dove, northern flicker, downy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, ladder-backed woodpecker, tufted titmouse, American robin, Carolina chickadee, northern cardinal, blue jay, ruby-crowned kinglet, cedar waxwing, northern mockingbird, song sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, dark-eyed junco, great-tailed grackle, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, house finch, American goldfinch, yellow-rumped warbler, and European starling,

Saturday was the regular bird walk at Lake Arrowhead State Park, which we also did as a GBBC count. Mike and June, two regulars for the Saturday walks, came.  For me, the highlight was the yellow-bellied sapsucker, a pretty winter visitor to our area. Our species for the morning included: double-crested cormorant, Canada goose, American coot, pied-billed grebe, mallard, gadwall, white pelican. ring-billed gull, red-bellied woodpecker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, mourning dove, white-winged dove, Eurasian collard dove, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, blue jay, ruby-crowned kinglet, Bewick's wren, American pipit, eastern meadowlark, dark-eyed junco, white-crowned sparrow, Harris's sparrow, common grackle, great-tailed grackle, loggerhead shrike, orange-crowned warbler, and house sparrow. On my way home (still in Clay County) I saw a great blue heron, a couple of American kestrels, and a red-tailed hawk. A Cooper's hawk was sitting on a pole on Sisk Road (Archer County.) Altogether a nice outing.

Sunrise on Lake Wichita

Debra, Terry and James at the GBBC count behind Wild
Bird Rescue

People wonder why I like birding. One of the big reasons is that it is so quiet. Look at this picture of Lake Wichita at sunrise. Even with a cell phone photo, you can see just how peaceful it looks. It helps that this time of year, sunrise comes at a very reasonable 7:20 or so. This was right around 7:30. Several Texas Master Naturalist came out for this count--Terry, Debra, James, Tami. Katherine from Wild Birds Unlimited also came out. Both James and Katherine scored a lifer with the yellow-rumped warblers (Myrtle).  We had some momentary excitement when we heard a barred owl calling, but then we remembered where we were--Lindsay, one of the education birds at Wild Bird Rescue was the culprit.

This count was a stationary count behind Wild Bird Rescue, where we also host the Big Sit. Species seen included: white pelican, pied-billed grebe, mallard, northern pintail, gadwall, redhead, American coot, northern shoveler, bufflehead, Canada goose, double-crested cormorant, greater yellowlegs, killdeer, great blue heron, ring-billed gull, Eurasian collared dove, white-winged dove, yellow-shafted flicker, ladder-backed woodpecker. northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, blue jay, cedar waxwing, great-tailed grackle, red-winged blackbird, American robin, western meadowlark, American crow, European starling, song sparrow, dark-eyed junco, American goldfinch, yellow-rumped warbler (Myrtle's), orange-crowned warbler, house finch, and house sparrow.

Monday I was the lone birder for Lake Wichita Park. I limited the walk to the chat trail and the barrow pit--unfortunately, I do have to work sometime as I like to eat. The first bird I heard/saw when I got out of my truck in the parking lot was a belted kingfisher, one of my favorites. I had 11 species of birds before I got out of the parking lot, which boded well for the morning. But then, I came across this mess--can you believe the nerve of people?

Dumped trash at Lake Wichita Park

 Fortunately, some good birds helped my temper. Birds seen this morning included: Canada goose, white-fronted goose, mallard, norhtern shoverler, bufflehead, redhead, ruddy duck, American coot, gadwall, pied-billed grebe, northern pintail, ring-billed gulls (hundreds circling the water treatment pond), killdeer, Eurasian collared dove, white-winged dove, great horned owl,  great blue heron, belted kingfisher, northern flicker, red-bellied woodpecker, northern cardinal, blue jay, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, yellow-rumped warbler, Carolina chickadee, Bewick's wren, cedar waxwing, northern mockingbird, white-crowned sparrow, song sparrow, field sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, great-tailed grackle, European starling, American robin, and American goldfinch.

 Overall, a great GBBC.

Good birding!

Additional Public GBBC Count

In my last post, I mentioned I did not know if the Rolling Plains Chapter Texas Master Naturalist were planning their usual public Great Backyard Bird Count. The answer is, yes, they are.

For those who may want to hone their skills in a group setting or don't want to walk, the Master Naturalists will be hosting a GBBC public event on Sunday, February 14 from sun up to around 10:00 AM behind Wild Bird Rescue at 4611 Lake Shore Dr, Wichita Falls, TX.  Anyone is welcome for part or all of the time.

You don't need to RSVP, just show up. You may want to bring a lawn chair if you would like to sit. I would suggest layers as the wind coming off the lake makes it feel colder.

Now you have 4 possible days and times to participate in the GBBC, if you want to take part with someone else.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count

One of my favorite events of each winter is the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), held mid February of each year. The GBBC is a joint effort of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society. It is a global event, with people in many countries sending information on the birds they see during their backyard count. Last year participants submitted over 147,000 checklists, counting over 5,000 species of birds.

I have blocked out the mornings of the next 4-day count, February 12 - 15, in order to participate.

You do not have to be a great birder to take part. In fact this is an excellent way to introduce new people to birdwatching, so it is perfectly fine if you are new to the hobby. Nor do you have to spend a lot of time (unless you want to.) How do you take part?

• Choose a nearby location (your backyard is fine.)
• Find at least 15 minutes to watch birds
• Count every individual bird you can identify
• Submit your counts (you may have to set up an account if you are not already registered with eBird or one of the Cornell Lab citizen science projects.)

This is a great project to do with your children or grandchildren, since it doesn't require a long attention span. It could also be a great introduction to birds for home schoolers, classrooms and scout troops.

One of the GBBC counts will be the monthly bird walk at Lake Arrowhead State Park on Saturday, February 13. It will start at the firewood shed (1st camping area to your left after you enter the park) at 8:00 AM. The entry fee to the park does apply.

Usually there is a group Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist count on Sunday. I haven't heard if that is happening and it isn't on the chapter calendar. I am keeping that date open, just in case.

I will be doing a count at Lucy Park on Friday, beginning at 8:00 AM. If anyone is interested in taking part, just meet at the first parking area on the left after entering the park on Sunset Street (the entrance adjacent to River Bend Nature Center and behind the Sanitation Department.) 

I will also be doing a count at Lake Wichita Park beginning at the head of the Chat Trail beginning at 8:00 AM on Monday, February 15.

Anyone who wants to take part is welcome to come along. If you need more information, send me an email at txbirds@gmail.com. Be sure to put GBBC in the Subject line so I don't think your email is spam.

Good birding!

North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club Meets Tonight

The North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club meets tonight, February 17, at 7 PM at 5310 Southwest Parkway (The NALC building next to Wichita Valley nursery.)

The group will certainly review the results of the Great Backyard Bird Count and discuss interesting sightings by the members. Guests are always welcome.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count Highlights

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was February 13 - February 16. I was traveling on the 13th, so didn't have the opportunity to bird that day(airports don't try to attract birds.) However, I did take part in two group counts on Saturday and Sunday and did a solo count on Monday.

I was very happy to see 13 people join me for the GBBC at Lake Arrowhead State Park on Saturday. Since the Rolling Plains Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist counted this as volunteer time, it did help our numbers, and we had several members there. We had some very experienced birders with the McKees and also some very new birders. Our new birders were able to add some life birds to their lists--that always makes for a great day.

It was really a beautiful morning. During our 2-hour walk, we saw several good birds. I am sure I captured all of the species we saw, although I may have missed some of the numbers. Our list:

Canada goose
White pelican  11
Double-crested cormorant   4
Killdeer    10
Greater yellowlegs  1
Great blue heron   1
Ring-billed gull   31
Mourning dove  2
Ladder-backed woodpecker   3
Red-bellied woodpecker   1
Golden-fronted woodpecker   1
Northern flicker  1
Roadrunner   1
Northern mockingbird    5
Bewick's wren    4
Northern cardinal  10
Eastern phoebe  2
Eastern bluebird   2
American crow  3
Red-winged blackbird  2
Western meadowlark  13
Meadowlark species   9
Brown-headed cowbird   5
White-crowned sparrow  8
Fox sparrow   1
Harris's sparrow   13
House finch  15
House sparrow   2


On the way home from Lake Arrowhead, I did see a red-tailed hawk and a couple of kestrels (just nice for me--they didn't count for the GBBC.)

GBBC participants at Wild Bird Rescue trying to locate
the ruby-crowned kinglets

On Sunday, we had a group count that started behind Wild Bird Rescue. However, with no water at that end of the lake, the birding was rather flat, so we moved to the Chat Trail in Lake Wichita Park. We spent an hour at Wild Bird Rescue and another 1 hr, 25 minutes on the Chat Trail.

At Wild Bird Rescue we counted:

Canada goose   2
Mallard duck   2
Ring-billed gull    9
Killdeer    1
White-winged dove   9
Eurasian collared dove   7
Northern harrier   1
Northern cardinal  2
American robin  1
Ruby-crowned kinglet   2
Blue jay   1
American crow   6
Great-tailed grackle   1
Red-winged blackbird   5
European starling    3
House sparrow   6

On the Chat Trail we had the following birds (and I am quite sure the cardinal numbers are low--they were everywhere!)

Canada goose   6
Mallard duck  18
Double-crested cormorant  10
Killdeer  7
Turkey vulture   1
Eurasian collared dove  2
Downy woodpecker   1
Ladder-backed woodpecker  1
Carolina wren   1
Northern mockingbird  2
Blue jay  3
Northern cardinal   13
Eastern phoebe   1
Yellow-rumped warbler  3
Orange-crowned warbler   1
Ruby-crowned kinglet  1
Cedar waxwing   8
American robin   30
Dark-eyed junco  1
White-crowned sparrow   5
Song sparrow   3
Lincoln's sparrow    1
Harris's sparrow  2
Red-winged blackbird    3
Brown-headed cowbird  2
Great-tailed grackle  5
American goldfinch   6
House finch   1

On Monday, I headed to Lucy Park for a count. The temperatures took a nose dive between Sunday and Monday, so I was fairly certain that I would be the Lone Ranger for this walk, and I was right. I've noticed that Texans don't like cold weather much (which here, means anything much below 50 degrees.) My thermometer read 26 degrees when I headed out the door. However, there was very little wind, so it was a fairly pleasant morning.

How do you like the new trail signs? I think they are great--many thanks to the Parks and Recreation Department.

I didn't take the entire route I normally take as Monday was a work day and I always feel like I am playing hooky. If the birding had been stupendous, I would have sucked it up, but it was average at best, so I kept my walk down to 1.25 hour.  The birds found included:

Northern shoveler  2
Mallard duck  28
Ring-billed gull  37
Rock pigeon   14
Mourning dove  1
Red-bellied woodpecker  2
Northern flicker   4
Brown creeper  1
Blue jay   6
Northern mockingbird   1
Northern cardinal  4
Ruby-crowned kinglet  1
Carolina chickadee  4
Tufted titmouse  1
Dark-eyed junco  12
American robin  43
Great-tailed grackle  17
Red-winged blackbird  22
House finch    5

Overall, a fairly good few days of birding. I'm already looking forward to next year's count.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count This Weekend

The annual Great Backyard Bird Count is February 13 - February 16. This is a great opportunity for new birdwatchers to learn more about the birds and is also an excellent way to introduce young people to birdwatching in a painless way.

Participation can be for as little as 15 minutes. The idea is to watch birds in your own backyard--literally or figuratively. Usually I make it a point to count all four days, but will be out of town on the 13th. However, I plan to count the other days. On Saturday and Sunday there are some special events to help people get involved.

On Saturday, Lake Arrowhead State Park will host the GBBC with their monthly bird walk. The walk starts at 8:00 AM. It usually lasts an hour--more if the participants want to bird longer. Meet at the firewood shed in the first campground to the left after you enter the park (take the second left and first right--the firewood shed will be on the left.) Look for a black pickup.

On Sunday, Wild Bird Rescue and the Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalist chapter will host a GBBC event out behind Wild Bird Rescue at 4611 Lake Shore Drive in Wichita Falls, TX. Again the count will start at 8:00 and will last as long as people want to count. This is a come-and-go, so you can stay for as long or short a time as you wish.

There are no group counts scheduled for Monday, February 16, however, I will be birding Lucy Park on my own and am making an open invitation to others who might want to take part. Meet at the main entrance to the park in that first parking area to the left as you enter the park at 8:00 if you are interested in taking part. This parking area is adjacent to the picnic tables and River Bend Nature Center. If you want to contact me ahead of time, email txbirds@gmail.com. I expect I'll be birding for about 2 hours, if I follow my usual route.

Take advantage of the many opportunities to get outside and watch the birds this weekend!

By the way, this weekend is also the education weekend at Wild Bird Rescue. 10:00 AM on Saturday will be the hawk/owl program. A special program on "Birds in Love" will be Sunday at 1:00 PM on Sunday (at least one education bird will be present at this program as well.)

Good birding!

This Coming Week's Bird Events

The Big Day for Wild Bird Rescue is really happening Saturday, January 17. We had so many teams members drop out because they already had plans for the 10th, we needed to move it once again. But we are at full strength for Saturday and were even able to add a third team, so it should be a great day. The weather promises to be decent (it is January, after all!)

Next Tuesday, January 20, is the monthly meeting of the North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club at 7 PM at the NALC building at 5310 Southwest Parkway (next to Wichita Valley nursery.) We'll be discussing the Great Backyard Bird Count coming up in February.

Do you know that another way to keep up with birding events in our area is to check out the bulletin board in Wild Birds Unlimited? Katherine Smith posts details in her store.

Good birding!

Looking Back on the 2014 Great Backyard Bird Count

Texas Master Naturalist and friends enjoying the GBBC at Lake
Arrowhead State Park.

I had a pretty good Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC.) Whenever possible, I try to do a little birdwatching all four days. It doesn't always work out, but this year I did manage to bird every day, although the time available wasn't much on Friday and Monday.

I started out my Valentine's Day at Lake Wichita Park at 7:45, spending about 45 minutes walking from the parking lot next to Murphy's Mound around to the barrow pit and back. It was a beautiful, clear morning with a temp near 40 degrees, but the wind was bitter cold. The best bird there was a brown thrasher. Other birds included: northern shoveler, gadwall, Canada goose, double-crested cormorant, ring-billed gull, greater yellowlegs, northern flicker, Eurasian collared dove, northern cardinal, northern mockingbird, white-crowned sparrow, Harris' sparrow, song sparrow, American robin, and meadowlark (sp.)

On Saturday I started at Lake Arrowhead State Park where the Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalists hosted a public GBBC count. It was fairly windy. The best bird there was a ferruginous hawk. We didn't get a lot of species, but other birds included: American white pelican, double crested cormorant, Canada goose, ring-billed gull, killdeer, downy woodpecker, red-tailed hawk, northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, Bewick's wren, meadowlark (sp.), white-crowned sparrow, and house finch.

On the way back from Wichita Falls from Lake Arrowhead, I stopped in to Crestview Memorial Cemetery. Probably the best birds there were the large number of cackling geese (they look rather like stumpy Canada geese.) In addition, the following birds were present: Canada goose, mallard, bufflehead, ring-necked duck, gadwall, northern shoveler, red-tailed hawk, red-winged balckbird, northern cardinal, northern mockingbird, song sparrow, and Harris' sparrow.

Still not ready to head home and grade final exams (bleh!), I decided to cut through by Stone Lake.  I drove by there and parked behind Grace church for a quick survey of a nice wooded area. I stayed for about 20 minutes and saw American coot, northern shoveler, mallard, Canada goose, American kestrel, northern cardinal and spotted towhee.

In yet another delaying tactic, I swept through Kiwanis Park and Lakeview Cemetery (any idea why it is called Lakeview?) I have never seen any good birds in this park, but you have to give it a shot every once in a while. The only finds there were 1 each, great-tailed grackle, blue jay and starling.

I then cut back across Southwest Parkway to check out Rosemont Cemetery. I haven't had a lot of luck since they started expanding and making "improvements" in the cemetery, but nonetheless, I did see my first turkey vulture of the year soaring overhead, so that was a good find. Other birds included: Eurasian collared dove, northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, American robin, white-crowned sparrow, Harris' sparrow, and house finch.

On Sunday the Rolling Plains Texas Master Naturalists hosted another public GBBC count behind Wild Bird Rescue, where the Big Sit is held. There is no water in the lake at the west end due to the drought, but we did have some good birds, notably a flock of white-fronted geese flying over and an orange-crowned warbler. In addition to these sightings, the group saw: Canada goose, double-crested cormorant, ring-billed gull, killdeer, northern harrier, rock pigeon, Eurasian collared dove, northern cardinal, blue jay,  red-winged blackbird, European starling, great-tailed grackle, spotted towhee, dark-eyed junco, song sparrow, and house sparrow.

On Monday, I drove through Riverside Cemetery between meetings. I was only there for 15 minutes, but the only bird I saw was a northern mockingbird. However, the wind was blustery and cold--not promising.  Although I didn't expect to get much, I was right by Lucy Park, so had to at least make a quick 15-minute drive through. Although I didn't spend much time and didn't get out of the vehicle, I had the good fortune to see three wood ducks on the duck pond. Even if I didn't see another bird, I would have been happy. As it happened though, the wood ducks were not the only birds (although they were far and away the best ones.) Other birds includes: Canada goose, mallard, northern shoveler, great blue heron, Eurasian collared dove, northern mockingbird, blue jay, American robin, European starling, great-tailed grackle, and common grackle.

All told, I spent 7.75 hours birding over the four days and drove about 50 miles all told. I had a great time and saw some good birds.

Good birding!

Upcoming Bird-Related Events

Yes, I do realize I have made more posts today than I have for the past two weeks. My life is like that. I need to learn how to write them in a big purge and schedule when they show up, but I haven't yet.

There are some upcoming events for those interested in birds I thought I would pass on.

February 14 - 17: Great Backyard Bird Count. I have already written a separate post about that, so I won't repeat everything here--you can read the post. It looks like the weather is going to be decent (of course, that could easily change.)

February 18: Movie Night with the North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club. 7:00 PM. The club will have its regular meeting in the home of two of its members to watch "The Big Year." Guests are welcome, but email me at txbirds@gmail.com for information on the location. Popcorn will be served.

March 8: Raptor ID class at Hackberry Flat. 9:30 AM. There will be a group leaving from Wichita Falls around 8 AM. For more information contact Terry at dgm59@aol.com.

March 8: Bird walk at Lake Arrowhead State Park (and the reason I won't be going to Hackberry--boo!) 8:00 AM. Meet at the Firewood shed in the first camping area to the left after you enter the park.

Try to check out some of the bird-related activities in our area.

Good birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count Coming Up

Beautiful American Goldfinch from 2013 GBBC
Photo by Pamela Wertz

It is time to prepare for the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), February 14 - 17, 2014. This is a great opportunity to visit all of those nearby places we overlook to look for birds and report your sightings via eBird or on the GBBC website.

In 2013 almost 135,000 checklists were submitted as part of this project.

This is great opportunity for classrooms, scouting groups and new birders to get out and learn about the birds. The time can be as little as 15 minutes, or as long as you are still having a good time.

Locally, two group GBBC events are planned--if you want to take part, but don't feel our bird identification skills are up to par, team up with some more experienced birdwatchers at these events.

• January 15, 9 AM, Lake Arrowhead State Park
• January 16, 9 AM, Behind Wild Bird Rescue

 In addition, I'll be doing some independent bird counts  on the 14th and 17th, and would welcome any new birders who would like to take part. Just contact me at txbirds@gmail.com or comment below.