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!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Nice Walk on the Chat Trail
The Chat Trail in Lake Wichita Park is a favorite with the local birders. I finally found out what the name means. The small bits of gravel on the trail is called "chat," thus the name.
Anyway, Saturday morning I did make a short stop and walked back to the tank on the chat trail. It was beginning to mist a little. Unfortunately, we did not get any rain. But I did see and hear a few birds: Cardinal, Great-tailed grackle, Mourning dove, Bewicks' wren, Bufflehead, Northern shoveler, Common Coot, Mallard, Ruddy duck, Great blue heron, Rock pigeon, Northen mockingbird, Yellow-rumped warbler, Robin, Double-crested cormorant, Dark-eyed junco, White-crowned sparrow, Eurasian collared dove, White-winged dove, and Red-winged blackbird.
Good birding!
Anyway, Saturday morning I did make a short stop and walked back to the tank on the chat trail. It was beginning to mist a little. Unfortunately, we did not get any rain. But I did see and hear a few birds: Cardinal, Great-tailed grackle, Mourning dove, Bewicks' wren, Bufflehead, Northern shoveler, Common Coot, Mallard, Ruddy duck, Great blue heron, Rock pigeon, Northen mockingbird, Yellow-rumped warbler, Robin, Double-crested cormorant, Dark-eyed junco, White-crowned sparrow, Eurasian collared dove, White-winged dove, and Red-winged blackbird.
Good birding!
Purple Martins Back
Although there have been reports of scouts for a few weeks, I didn't see any purple martins myself until last week, when a few pair started to take up residence at the martin house at Wild Bird Rescue.
Bob Lindsay, the Executive Director, told me there was a starling also trying to move in, but I didn't see him. Bob said the martins were harassing the starling and one martin had tangled with him enough to bring both birds to the ground. As of Saturday, I saw not evidence of any starling in the vicinity of the house--just 3 pair of martins going in and out. They are rather noisy birds--chattering constantly. There are room for a few more pair; hopefully, we'll have a full house this year.
Now I am waiting for the chimney swifts to move in.
Good birding!
Bob Lindsay, the Executive Director, told me there was a starling also trying to move in, but I didn't see him. Bob said the martins were harassing the starling and one martin had tangled with him enough to bring both birds to the ground. As of Saturday, I saw not evidence of any starling in the vicinity of the house--just 3 pair of martins going in and out. They are rather noisy birds--chattering constantly. There are room for a few more pair; hopefully, we'll have a full house this year.
Now I am waiting for the chimney swifts to move in.
Good birding!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club Meets Tonight
The North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club meets tonight at 7PM at the NALC building on Southwest Parkway (next to Wichita Valley Nursery). I have the program and have decided to talk about pigeons. That will go over big, I'm sure.
Fortunately, I also have the snack, so I'll bribe the group with cookies.
Good birding!
Fortunately, I also have the snack, so I'll bribe the group with cookies.
Good birding!
Display at Midwestern State University
A couple of weeks ago, Andrea Williams from the Midwestern State University called me to set up a display for Women's History Month about my birding hobby. She must have been desperate.
Anyway, I have a lot of bird stuff, but people like pictures, so I called Terry McKee, a very good photographer who has lots of pictures of birds. Terry took some items to the library and Andrea tranferred some information I sent her into a more visually appealing format and the two set up the display. I am feeling guilty, but between the two, they did a better job than I would have done.
If the display gets anyone else interested in birding, then it will be a good thing.
Good birding!
Anyway, I have a lot of bird stuff, but people like pictures, so I called Terry McKee, a very good photographer who has lots of pictures of birds. Terry took some items to the library and Andrea tranferred some information I sent her into a more visually appealing format and the two set up the display. I am feeling guilty, but between the two, they did a better job than I would have done.
If the display gets anyone else interested in birding, then it will be a good thing.
Good birding!
Monday, March 16, 2009
A Warm Afternoon in Lucy Park
I decided to take a walk through Lucy Park this afternoon on the way home from work. It was very warm and late in the afternoon, so birding could have been better. However, the birding wasn't bad either. I took the circle trail with the extension into the wooded area to the back of the park along the river.
Among the birds seen and/or heard: Northern cardinal, Blue jay, Belted kingfisher, Clay-colored sparrow, Mallard duck, Canada geese, Great-tailed grackle, Rock pigeon, White-winged dove, Eurasian collared dove, Northern mockingbird, Robin, Yellow-rumped warbler, Carolina chickadee, Wood thrush, Downy woodpecker, Red-bellied woodpecker, and Dark-eyed junco.
I also saw a large snapping turtle in the river, which is still very low. Obviously the rain we had soaked into the ground instead of running off into the river, so that is a good thing. We still need more rain.
Good birding!
Among the birds seen and/or heard: Northern cardinal, Blue jay, Belted kingfisher, Clay-colored sparrow, Mallard duck, Canada geese, Great-tailed grackle, Rock pigeon, White-winged dove, Eurasian collared dove, Northern mockingbird, Robin, Yellow-rumped warbler, Carolina chickadee, Wood thrush, Downy woodpecker, Red-bellied woodpecker, and Dark-eyed junco.
I also saw a large snapping turtle in the river, which is still very low. Obviously the rain we had soaked into the ground instead of running off into the river, so that is a good thing. We still need more rain.
Good birding!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Birding By Car
I need a big sign that says, "Danger! Birder Driving!" I don't think I am often a hazard, but my children have said something often enough that maybe I just don't think about it. My husband almost always drives when he is in the car (it's a guy thing.)
Anyway, I was coming back to Wichita Falls from Iowa Park on Hwy 287 and saw my first roadrunner since the Christmas Bird Count, hunting in the grass. I also got good looks at two red-tailed hawks soaring over the fields near the road.
Good birding!
Anyway, I was coming back to Wichita Falls from Iowa Park on Hwy 287 and saw my first roadrunner since the Christmas Bird Count, hunting in the grass. I also got good looks at two red-tailed hawks soaring over the fields near the road.
Good birding!
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