Christmas Bird Count Just Around the Corner

Me, studying my field guide, trying to decipher a sparrow

The 2013 Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is just around the corner. The North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club will be sponsoring the Wichita Falls count on Saturday, December 14.

This is the 114th year for this citizen science project, sponsored by the Audubon Society. The CBC is the longest running citizen science project in the world, with over 63,00 participants counting every bird they see in one of 2,300 15-mile diameter circles.

I don't know exactly when the Wichita Falls count circle started, but it has been awhile. The center of the circle is located at FM 369 and Kavorik Rd. Traditionally the club has divided the circle into three parts, with different groups birding each segment. This allows the club to be more thorough in covering the circle. We'll be doing the same this year. Each section has a team captain that organizes the team for his/her area. The captains will decide when/where their team members will meet, what time they'll start the count and the route. They are also responsible for compiling their team's data before the count supper. This year, the captains and their areas are:

  - Wichita Falls: Includes Lucy Park and most of the the city area. Some walking and quite a bit of driving. Team captain is Terry McKee.
  - Lake Wichita: Includes the area of Wichita Falls south of Southwest Parkway to include Lake Wichita, out to Holliday and along many of the country roads. A lot of walking in the Wichita Park and Lake Wichita and a lot of driving as well. Team captain is Penny Miller.
  - Iowa Park: Includes Iowa Park and a lot of countryside nearby. Some walking, but mostly driving. Team captain is Jimmy Hoover.

The Christmas Bird Count is a great event for a new or inexperienced birder. Someone in the group will be familiar with the birds, but they need help with recordkeeping and sighting birds. The pace is fairly leisurely, so there is time to talk about the birds and their identification. You also have a chance to learn some of the best birding spots in the area for return visits on your own. Participants don't have to take part the entire day. You can arrange to meet up with the group at a specific place and time and stop when you need to leave. If you're interested in taking part, you can email me at txbirds@gmail.com, and I'll hook you up with one of the team captains.

The teams then converge at the North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club count supper to combine the results of the three teams to submit to Audubon. The atmosphere is a little competitive to see which team got the most birds or the "best" bird.  Normally the count supper is the evening of the count. However, this year, some of our members have tickets to the Wichita Falls Symphony concert that same night, so we are moving the count supper to Tuesday night. It will serve as both the count supper and the club Christmas party. You don't have to participate in the count to participate in the count supper. We often have members who can't take part in the count for some reason, but want to hear about what they missed. If you're interested in taking part in the count supper, again email txbirds@gmail.com, and I'll give you the address.

Hope you can take part for some or all of the day.

Good birding!

Reminder: Wichita Falls Christmas Bird Count Saturday

Just a quick reminder that the Wichita Falls Christmas Bird Count is Saturday, December 19. We have three teams counting our circle. If you haven't signed up and want to attend, you can still call one of the three team leaders today or you can just show up in the morning for 2 of the 3 teams. You don't have to know anything about birds--just want to learn. You can bird all day or just part. There is a $5 charge per person, which is sent to Audubon to pay for maintaining the database. Dress warmly in layers. Bring binoculars, a field guide, water and snacks if you need them. The teams may stop for a quick lunch, depending upon the desires of the group. Groups usually conclude by 2 or 3 PM so members who plan to attend the count supper can clean up and prepare their contribution to the pot luck.

Here is the information:

- Lake Wichita area: includes Lake Wichita, Holliday, and a portion of Archer Co. Lots of walking, especially early and then driving. Contact: Penny Miller, txbirds@gmail.com or 940-867-9761. Meeting at the Lake Wichita spillway (off Kemp) at 7:30 AM.
- Lucy Park area: includes Lucy Park and much of the city of Wichita Falls. There will be some walking early, and then driving with short walks intermittently. Contact Terry McKee, dgm59@aol.com or 940-766-4097. Meet at the Log Cabin parking lot in Lucy Park at 7:30 AM.
- Iowa Park: mostly driving with a few walking areas. Contact: Jimmy Hoover, 940-692-4975. Jimmy is picking up his team so you must call.

Jimmy and Janette Hoover are hosting the count supper, where the teams will compile their data for submission to Audubon. This is a pot luck spaghetti dinner and all team members and North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club members are invited.

Good birding!

Birding Lane

I am convinced for reasons of safety, there needs to be a birding lane on the highways (or nature-watching lane.)

I was going to Iowa Park late last week and saw hawks about every half mile--vultures, kestrels, red-tailed hawks, and Swainson's were ones I could quickly identify at 70 mph. There were some I just couldn't get a good enough look at.

I was driving to Vernon yesterday and was checking out the wildlife on the way. There should be plenty of deer for the hunters this year--I saw several along the highway between 8 and 8:30 AM.

I also saw a large V of geese high in the sky. I was trying to get a good look to determine the species, but wasn't able to make them out well enough at 70 mph. Fortunately, there wasn't a lot of traffic (not that it would have mattered much to me, but probably a good thing for other drivers on the highway.) At 70 mph by the time you can safely stop on the shoulder of the road, the birds are long gone.

Yep, we need a lane of the highway you can go much slower and stop to check out the birds, deer, and other neat critters (had a bobcat pass in front of me the other morning.)

I can just hear the response of Rep Thornberry, and Sen Hutchison/Cornyn on that idea!

Good birding!

Iowa Park

I was driving to Iowa Park today for business and saw a sign on Business Hwy 287 (Old Iowa Park Road) a sign proclaiming Iowa Park a Bird Sanctuary. I have seen this sign before (although it isn't very conspicuous) and was wondering if this is an official city declaration. I know there is some good birding in the area, but I don't know what if anything the city is doing to promote birding.

I sent an email to the city and will let you know what I find out.

In the meantime, I did see a red-tailed hawk and a roadrunner in the area today. Unfortunately, I was on business and didn't have time to look around.

Good Birding!

Mussel Watch at Gordon Lake

I went out to Gordon Lake in Iowa Park to look for mussels. I got skunked on mussels, but it was as good an excuse as any to go birdwatching as well.

I got out a little late. I set the time at 9 AM for the mussel watch so others wouldn't have to get up so early, since I have been fussed at about the time in the past. Since no one else came (for the second time in as many watches), I am thinking after the next one in July, I am going to suit myself and go earlier in the day. Less hot and better birding.

Anyway, there were no extra special birds, but I did see the following in addition to the domestic ducks in the park: Canada geese (at least 50), great blue heron, chimney swift, barn swallows, cliff swallows, killdeer, scissor-tailed flycatcher, mallard ducks, Western kingbird, great-tailed grackles, mourning doves, white-winged doves, Eurasian collared doves, rock pigeons, red-winged blackbirds, purple martins, and house sparrows.

There were two baby barn swallows on a barn branch overlooking the lake being fed by their parents. There were also a couple of fledgling purple martins on a wire.

It should be a good year for the dove hunters. There were hundreds of doves (mostly white-winged) in the fields around the lake.

Good birding!

FOS Scissor-tailed Flycatchers

Today, I had to take a run out to the Wichita Falls Vineyards and Winery in Iowa Park to make some purchases for a door prize at tomorrow's Business After Hours. At any rate, while driving down Petersen Road South, I saw three scissor-tailed flycatchers, my first of the season in Wichita County (I saw one in Parker County last week).

I also nearly squashed a roadrunner, which decided to run across the road just in front of me. Since he was fast and my brake reflects were good, he made it.

I saw several loggerhead shrike on the wires in the Iowa Park area. Although they are not a rare bird, I don't recall ever seeing 6+ within 20 minutes.

Good birding!