I got up this morning and looked out to check the feeders--no birds. But there were two of the large feral cats camped out under the feeders at the side of the house waiting for breakfast. They didn't flinch when I let the dogs out into the back yard for their morning constitutional, so they obviously knew the fence was an effective barrier.
I went to Lucy Park for a walk this morning and when I returned home and checked the feeders, again there were no birds. However, there was a sharp-shinned hawk staking out a tree in the back yard, waiting for the chance to pounce.
Hopefully the birds will have a chance to eat later as the weather is turning more wintry.
Good birding!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Phantom Gluttons
I haven't been seeing all that many birds at my feeders, as my Project Feederwatch reports will attest, but I am certainly going through the food, especially the mixed seed. I bought 50 lbs of mixed seed just a couple of weeks ago and put out the last of it this morning.
Either I have some phantoms that like bird seed or some birds are visiting when I am not watching. Since the windows to the back and side of the house are not on the side where I have my office and require a trip to look out, that is entirely possible. Judging from the number of white-winged doves sitting on the wires and in the trees when I went out to fill up the feeders, my money is on them.
I can remember when I first moved to Wichita Falls, white-winged and Eurasian collared doves were not uncommon, but neither did one see them every day. How times have changed! Most birders consider both of these doves more pests than not. They travel in large flocks and can eat a LOT of bird seed.
The white-winged dove comes from Mexico and used to be seen almost entirely in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas, However, the birds have expended their trange northward, seemingly following the I-35 corridor.
There is some speculation that these birds are out competing the mourning doves and Inca doves. I have great doubt about the Incas as I am sure they tend to eat smaller seed than the much larger White-winged and Eurasian doves. I could see an argument for mourning doves. But I don't have any factual evidence to back that up. The local chapter of Texas Master Naturalists sent in some data on the two populations a few years ago, but we weren't informed of any results of the study, which is unfortunate. There is an interesting set of papers from a Dove Symposium in 2004 that discusses this briefly but comes to no conclusions.
I can remember seeing many more mourning doves in town in years past, but perhaps it merely seemed that way because I wasn't seeing the hordes of white-winged and Eurasian, as I do today. Once you are in the county, the birds are primarily mourning doves.
Good birding!
Either I have some phantoms that like bird seed or some birds are visiting when I am not watching. Since the windows to the back and side of the house are not on the side where I have my office and require a trip to look out, that is entirely possible. Judging from the number of white-winged doves sitting on the wires and in the trees when I went out to fill up the feeders, my money is on them.
I can remember when I first moved to Wichita Falls, white-winged and Eurasian collared doves were not uncommon, but neither did one see them every day. How times have changed! Most birders consider both of these doves more pests than not. They travel in large flocks and can eat a LOT of bird seed.
The white-winged dove comes from Mexico and used to be seen almost entirely in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas, However, the birds have expended their trange northward, seemingly following the I-35 corridor.
There is some speculation that these birds are out competing the mourning doves and Inca doves. I have great doubt about the Incas as I am sure they tend to eat smaller seed than the much larger White-winged and Eurasian doves. I could see an argument for mourning doves. But I don't have any factual evidence to back that up. The local chapter of Texas Master Naturalists sent in some data on the two populations a few years ago, but we weren't informed of any results of the study, which is unfortunate. There is an interesting set of papers from a Dove Symposium in 2004 that discusses this briefly but comes to no conclusions.
I can remember seeing many more mourning doves in town in years past, but perhaps it merely seemed that way because I wasn't seeing the hordes of white-winged and Eurasian, as I do today. Once you are in the county, the birds are primarily mourning doves.
Good birding!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Brisk Thanksgiving Morning
Since it is just me and my husband for Thanksgiving this year, I didn't have as much cooking to do, so went to Lucy Park birding when I got up. It was a brisk morning, with a heavy layer of frost on my windshield. But there was little or no wind and bright sunshine, so the weather was perfect for a good bird walk.
Lucy Park was wonderful this morning. I followed the sound of dozens of robins flying from tree to tree and then noticed some smaller birds. I followed them over to the river and had the rare pleasure of finding myself in the middle of a flock of approximately 70 Cedar Waxwings. They were bathing in the river, so were perched low and were taking turns going to the shore, splashing in the water and back to the lower branches. I stood just a few feet away and was able to see them clearly, even without binoculars. These are the first cedar waxwings I have seen this season.
Another treat was having the chance to watch a red-bellied woodpecker cache acorns. He would fly to the trunk of an oak tree midway between the lowest branches and the ground, scooch down the trunk backwards to just a few inches above the ground, jump down, grab an acorn, then fly right over my head to a tree across the river to hide them away in a high branch. He made a good half dozen trips with me watching him--he was still busily working when I walked on.
It was a great morning for woodpeckers overall. In addition to the red-bellied woodpecker, I saw an immature red-headed woodpecker by the duck pond, a downy woodpecker and a flicker. I heard several red-belllied woodpeckers throughout the park.
Other sitings this morning included: cardinal, blue jay, great-tailed grackle, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, Carolina wren, yellow-rumped warbler, white-throated sparrow, house sparrow, house finch, white-winged dove, Eurasian collared dove, starling, pigeon, junco, spotted towhee, fox sparrow, mockingbird, song sparrow, great blue heron, ruby-crowned kinglet, Canada goose, and mallard.
A great start to Thanksgiving--I hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends. There's nothing like the smell of pumplin pie baking (like mine is now). Soon it will be the smell of the turkey.
Good birding!
Lucy Park was wonderful this morning. I followed the sound of dozens of robins flying from tree to tree and then noticed some smaller birds. I followed them over to the river and had the rare pleasure of finding myself in the middle of a flock of approximately 70 Cedar Waxwings. They were bathing in the river, so were perched low and were taking turns going to the shore, splashing in the water and back to the lower branches. I stood just a few feet away and was able to see them clearly, even without binoculars. These are the first cedar waxwings I have seen this season.
Another treat was having the chance to watch a red-bellied woodpecker cache acorns. He would fly to the trunk of an oak tree midway between the lowest branches and the ground, scooch down the trunk backwards to just a few inches above the ground, jump down, grab an acorn, then fly right over my head to a tree across the river to hide them away in a high branch. He made a good half dozen trips with me watching him--he was still busily working when I walked on.
It was a great morning for woodpeckers overall. In addition to the red-bellied woodpecker, I saw an immature red-headed woodpecker by the duck pond, a downy woodpecker and a flicker. I heard several red-belllied woodpeckers throughout the park.
Other sitings this morning included: cardinal, blue jay, great-tailed grackle, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, Carolina wren, yellow-rumped warbler, white-throated sparrow, house sparrow, house finch, white-winged dove, Eurasian collared dove, starling, pigeon, junco, spotted towhee, fox sparrow, mockingbird, song sparrow, great blue heron, ruby-crowned kinglet, Canada goose, and mallard.
A great start to Thanksgiving--I hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends. There's nothing like the smell of pumplin pie baking (like mine is now). Soon it will be the smell of the turkey.
Good birding!
Monday, November 23, 2009
For the Birder on Your Gift List
Family and friends sometimes despair finding an appropriate gift for the bird mad. I don't know why as it seems a fairly straightforward proposition to me. But for those who struggle in this area, here are some ideas (and if you're a birder with family members who tell you you're hard to shop for, feel free to leave a copy of this blog laying about.)
Let me say first that just because your gift has a bird on it, doesn't mean your birding friend will like it. I have been on the receiving end of some truly ugly bird stuff that the giver has been convinced I would love because a bird was on the item somewhere. Although your friend will appreciate the thought, but if you think it's ugly, the chances are he/she will too.
Next you need to consider what type of birder your friend is. Whether your birding friend is a casual birder or obsessive. New to the hobby or been doing it for years. Someone who enjoys watching birds in their backyard or likes to tromp the fields in search of a lifer. Whatever category they fall into, there is something on the following list they'll enjoy.
Here are some ideas almost any bird lover would like:
- Subscription to a birding magazine (be careful here--they are likely to have some subsciptions already, but no one is likely to subscribe to them all. Too much money involved in that. Do a little snooping and see which magazines they get and choose another--some popular choices include: Birds and Blooms, Birdwatchers Digest, and Birder's World.)
- A new field guide. No one has enough field guides. Your friend probably has at least 3 already. If you think they have several, you might consider a specialty guide, covering one species or family (Hawks, sparrows, shorebirds, etc.) in detail. If you think they may have every bird field guide known to mankind, consider a subscription to Birds of North America Online. It contains a lot of information not in field guides and includes video and sound clips.
- Audio CDs and DVDs: A CD of bird songs or a DVD about birds (David Attenborough's The Life of Birds is a great choice.) If they have an iphone, the bird sound app would be appreciated.
- Field gear: hiking boots, rain gear, a hat, walking stick, backpack or a vest would all be warmly received by the field birder.
- Bird feeders, bird baths, and bird food. For the birder who likes to watch birds through the window, feeders and feed can be expensive.
- Bird books and classes. Most of us like to learn more about our feathered friends and a good book on a yucky cold day is wonderful. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a couple of bird courses many birders would love to take. They're a little pricey, but worth every penny.
- Membership to a birding related organization like Audubon or the Cornell Lab or Ornithology. They'll know they are helping birds and receive a magazine and other interesting items. Or membership in an organization of birders--the local bird club or the Texas Ornithological Society.
- For the person who doesn't want any more stuff: they would appreciate a donation to a birding related organization made on their behalf. You might consider Wild Bird Rescue if you're looking for a local organization (or a similar organization in your area) or perhaps to preserve habitat for birds (an example would be the sanctuary fund of the Texas Ornithological Society.)
- Bird friendly plants for the yard to attract more birds.
- Bird art, stationery, etc are also much appreciated.
- Camera equipment for those who enjoy photography.
- Optical equipment. This is at the high end of the price range and birders tend to be picky about their binoculars and spotting scopes, so it might be better to offer a gift certificate. But if you want to take the plunge, try Binoculars.com for great prices. For the average birder, a good pair of 8 x 42 binoculars will work. Consider the person you're buying for. My husband bought me a nice pair of 10 x 50 binoculars one year on the theory that more is better. The problem was that the binoculars were heavy, and I couldn't hold them steady enough to get a clear image. Also, as much as I might love a real nice pair of binoculars, the fact is that I am a klutz and drop or bump my binoculars on a regular basis--not good for a delicate instrument. I need sturdy and serviceable. He let me pick my last pair, so we were both happy.
- Birding trips or events. Again this can be pricey, depending upon where you go, but you can swing travel, food, field trips and hotel for one of the TOS meetings for a few hundred dollars.
I hope this gives you lots of ideas for that not-so-hard-to-shop-for birding enthusiast on your list.
Good birding!
Let me say first that just because your gift has a bird on it, doesn't mean your birding friend will like it. I have been on the receiving end of some truly ugly bird stuff that the giver has been convinced I would love because a bird was on the item somewhere. Although your friend will appreciate the thought, but if you think it's ugly, the chances are he/she will too.
Next you need to consider what type of birder your friend is. Whether your birding friend is a casual birder or obsessive. New to the hobby or been doing it for years. Someone who enjoys watching birds in their backyard or likes to tromp the fields in search of a lifer. Whatever category they fall into, there is something on the following list they'll enjoy.
Here are some ideas almost any bird lover would like:
- Subscription to a birding magazine (be careful here--they are likely to have some subsciptions already, but no one is likely to subscribe to them all. Too much money involved in that. Do a little snooping and see which magazines they get and choose another--some popular choices include: Birds and Blooms, Birdwatchers Digest, and Birder's World.)
- A new field guide. No one has enough field guides. Your friend probably has at least 3 already. If you think they have several, you might consider a specialty guide, covering one species or family (Hawks, sparrows, shorebirds, etc.) in detail. If you think they may have every bird field guide known to mankind, consider a subscription to Birds of North America Online. It contains a lot of information not in field guides and includes video and sound clips.
- Audio CDs and DVDs: A CD of bird songs or a DVD about birds (David Attenborough's The Life of Birds is a great choice.) If they have an iphone, the bird sound app would be appreciated.
- Field gear: hiking boots, rain gear, a hat, walking stick, backpack or a vest would all be warmly received by the field birder.
- Bird feeders, bird baths, and bird food. For the birder who likes to watch birds through the window, feeders and feed can be expensive.
- Bird books and classes. Most of us like to learn more about our feathered friends and a good book on a yucky cold day is wonderful. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a couple of bird courses many birders would love to take. They're a little pricey, but worth every penny.
- Membership to a birding related organization like Audubon or the Cornell Lab or Ornithology. They'll know they are helping birds and receive a magazine and other interesting items. Or membership in an organization of birders--the local bird club or the Texas Ornithological Society.
- For the person who doesn't want any more stuff: they would appreciate a donation to a birding related organization made on their behalf. You might consider Wild Bird Rescue if you're looking for a local organization (or a similar organization in your area) or perhaps to preserve habitat for birds (an example would be the sanctuary fund of the Texas Ornithological Society.)
- Bird friendly plants for the yard to attract more birds.
- Bird art, stationery, etc are also much appreciated.
- Camera equipment for those who enjoy photography.
- Optical equipment. This is at the high end of the price range and birders tend to be picky about their binoculars and spotting scopes, so it might be better to offer a gift certificate. But if you want to take the plunge, try Binoculars.com for great prices. For the average birder, a good pair of 8 x 42 binoculars will work. Consider the person you're buying for. My husband bought me a nice pair of 10 x 50 binoculars one year on the theory that more is better. The problem was that the binoculars were heavy, and I couldn't hold them steady enough to get a clear image. Also, as much as I might love a real nice pair of binoculars, the fact is that I am a klutz and drop or bump my binoculars on a regular basis--not good for a delicate instrument. I need sturdy and serviceable. He let me pick my last pair, so we were both happy.
- Birding trips or events. Again this can be pricey, depending upon where you go, but you can swing travel, food, field trips and hotel for one of the TOS meetings for a few hundred dollars.
I hope this gives you lots of ideas for that not-so-hard-to-shop-for birding enthusiast on your list.
Good birding!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
RBNC Bird ID Course December 12
As promised, here is the official flyer for the bird ID course on December 12.
Good birding!
A Tiny Surprise at Lake Wichita This Morning
A cool morning at Lake Wichita Park today. I was watching the ducks on the tank and saw a little bird zip by me. My first thought was, "swallow;" my second, "not possible." Fortunately for me, the little guy stayed in my area, circling over and around me for several minutes. It was definitely a lone barn swallow. According to the North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club checklist, barn swallows are common through the end of October. No sitings are listed for November (but I have an older checklist.) I hope the little guy was finding some bugs--there weren't many moving at ground level.
I also saw my first buffleheads of the winter. Such an ugly name for such beautiful ducks.
Also seen this morning at Lake Wichita: American Coot, Spotted Towhee, Cardinal, American Goldfinch, Mockingbird, House Finch, American Widgeon, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, White Pelican, Ring-billed Gull, Great-blue Heron, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-rumped warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Phoebe, Mallard, and Killdeer.
I also continued to scout my CBC route. Not repeating sitings I had at Lake Wichita, I stopped in Rosemont Cemetery and saw a large flock of Blue Jays and three Wild Turkeys. I also went to the spillway and saw several Green-winged Teal, a Kestrel, meadowlarks, and a small flock of peeps (that's little shorebirds that you can't identify.)
Overall, a good morning.
Good birding!
I also saw my first buffleheads of the winter. Such an ugly name for such beautiful ducks.
Also seen this morning at Lake Wichita: American Coot, Spotted Towhee, Cardinal, American Goldfinch, Mockingbird, House Finch, American Widgeon, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, White Pelican, Ring-billed Gull, Great-blue Heron, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-rumped warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Phoebe, Mallard, and Killdeer.
I also continued to scout my CBC route. Not repeating sitings I had at Lake Wichita, I stopped in Rosemont Cemetery and saw a large flock of Blue Jays and three Wild Turkeys. I also went to the spillway and saw several Green-winged Teal, a Kestrel, meadowlarks, and a small flock of peeps (that's little shorebirds that you can't identify.)
Overall, a good morning.
Good birding!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
TOS Happenings
There was an email today on TEXBIRDS concerning upcoming Texas Ornithological Society (TOS) meetings. Here is the information posted for those who might not subscribe to TEXBIRDS or be members of TOS:
January 14 - 17, 2010 Westaco
April 15 - 17, 2010, Rockport
January 13 - 16, 2011 Ft Worth
I will not be able to make either of the 2010 meetings, but I am going to put the January 2011 meeting on my calendar now. Being in Ft Worth it is very convenient. Detailed information on the meetings will be posted to the TOS website as it becomes available.
I also received the most recent Texas Birds Annual from TOS today. Jack Eitniear and Bron Rorex did a super job on this publication. The picture of 3 species of buntings (indigo, painted and lazuli) at a feeder at the same time is beautiful, as you'd expect. And there are articles on a number of Texas birds (purple martins, reddish egrets and the northern Aplomado falcon for example.) A good read.
Good birding!
January 14 - 17, 2010 Westaco
April 15 - 17, 2010, Rockport
January 13 - 16, 2011 Ft Worth
I will not be able to make either of the 2010 meetings, but I am going to put the January 2011 meeting on my calendar now. Being in Ft Worth it is very convenient. Detailed information on the meetings will be posted to the TOS website as it becomes available.
I also received the most recent Texas Birds Annual from TOS today. Jack Eitniear and Bron Rorex did a super job on this publication. The picture of 3 species of buntings (indigo, painted and lazuli) at a feeder at the same time is beautiful, as you'd expect. And there are articles on a number of Texas birds (purple martins, reddish egrets and the northern Aplomado falcon for example.) A good read.
Good birding!
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