What's Up With This?

Eastern Bluebirds are generally birds of the countryside. For example, in Wichita Falls, you see them in the county but not inside the city, and the "city" isn't really all that urban. I have seen occasional bluebirds in Lake Wichita Park, but that is pretty much it.

We're on vacation and got stuck in a traffic jam in Atlanta (I-20 E, just outside the Loop 285) and decided to pull off as soon as possible and find a motel for the night. As my husband is checking in what do I see? I had to get out my binoculars to be sure, but there it was, a male Eastern Bluebird at the side of the road.

In addition to the bluebird, I saw a brown thrasher carrying food to its young. Two good birds for anywhere, seen in Altanta, GA.

Good birding!

Going on Vacation

Tomorrow my husband and I are leaving for a vacation, visiting North Carolina and Florida, so I look forward to birding en route. I will be sure to post any good birds. Ya'll watch the Texas birds for me.

Good birding!

Great Day at Wichita Moutains

Photo taken by Michael Male and used with permission from Wikimedia Commons.

My father-in-law visited over the weekend and my husband and I took him to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. My husband always wants to see elk, which rarely happens (and didn't this trip either), but we did see lots of buffalo, some white-tailed deer, prairie dogs, a wild turkey and of course, Texas longhorn cattle.

However, my best sighting of the day was a couple of black-capped vireos along one of the trails. The black-capped vireo is an endangered species and the Wichita Moutains is one of the few places you have a good chance of seeing one. I have actually seen one in Lake Wichita Lake park some years back, but that sighting wasn't accepted by the Texas Bird Records Committee (TBRC) since I was the only one who saw it, and I didn't have a camera. Wichita Falls is not considered a mecca for the bird. But the bird is distinctive enough I am satisfied I saw it, so that is the important thing.

I looked for the canyon wren at Quanah Parker Dam but no luck this time. I almost always hear one there at the very least, but not this time. I guess I shouldn't expect to see everything on every trip.

The weather, although hot, wasn't miserable. There was a fair amount of shade in many areas, and a good breeze atop Mount Scott, which is usual. A good day in the refuge topped off by beef ribs at Meers (hubby had his usual Meers burger and Dad got one of the 1/4 lb burgers.)

Good birding!

Bluebird Symposium Coming Up

A few years ago, Wichita Falls hosted the Texas Bluebird Society Bluebird Symposium. I really enjoyed it. This year, the Symposium will be in Henderson, TX. Here is some information on the symposium in case you can make time to attend.

August 14, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

New Civic Center at Lake Forest Park

1006 Hwy 64, Henderson, TX

$10 registration includes lunch

Register by July 1 and receive 10 extra door pr1ze tickets

Special guest speakers Keith Kriedler and Greg Grant with information on woodpeckers and bluebirds. Other speakers as well.

Silent auction will provide funds for bluebird conservation projects. Also, anyone who signs up to watch 2 bluebird boxes, gets one free.

The registration form is available on the website.

Good birding!

Baby Bird Photo #2

Photo courtesy of Wild Bird Rescue

Well, our ID challenge is giving people fits, so I am posting another photo in hopes that by providing more information, we can make a good identification in case we receive another, similar baby.

Good birding!

And You Think Adults Are Tough!

Photo courtesy of Wild Bird Rescue.

We've talked before about the challenges of bird identification. Immature birds present their own special challenges. Some look like their parents, and some not so much.

In the picture at left, Bob Lindsey from Wild Bird Rescue is holding a new "patient" at the center. It's important to know what bird we're dealing with to ensure its proper nutrition and care until release. This is a new one and we're not entirely sure what it is.

Any ideas?

Birding Trip to Costa Rica

Katherine at Wild Bird's Unlimited (Smith's Gardentown) sent me a flyer for a birding trip to Costa Rica she has arranged for November. I wish I could go--this is on my bucket list of birding places, but this year isn't in the cards.

The trip is 4 - 14 November. A deposit of $350 is required to make a reservation; the balance is due in August. Price per person (not including air fare) is $2495 (single)/$1975 (double). She can accept only 18 more people.

If interested, contact Katherine Smith at 940-733-2423. She'll send you the flyer as well as lists of birds you can expect to see at the various stops.

Good birding!