Event Blog

On February 12th, 10 birders braved a cold Sunday morning to bird the Eckhardt tract. Scoffing at the sub-freezing temps, we made our way down the trail. We were delighted to see a few Mountain and Eastern Bluebirds. The large flocks of Cedar Waxwings and Field sparrows had us forgetting how cold we were. While we didn't see much at the pond, the work being done will pay off on future trips. Making our way back to the cars, we came upon sizable flock of Mountain Bluebirds. They were stunning and let us get great looks. It made up for the chilled fingers and toes. Everyone agreed that they had a great time! The species list follows:

Black Vulture 12
American Kestrel 1
Mourning Dove 4
Northern Flicker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
Eastern Bluebird 14
Mountain Bluebird 40
American Robin 5
Northern Mockingbird 3
Cedar Waxwing 30
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 6
Spotted Towhee 12
Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2
Chipping Sparrow 2
Field Sparrow 15
Vesper Sparrow 12
White-crowned Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 6
American Goldfinch 6

A small but perfect :-) group met on January 8, 2012 to bird the Gainer Tract of the Refuge. The weather was coolish (40's), but very nice for January. Take that, Minnesota! The birding followed the routine which has seemed to be the case this year--very quiet in many areas, then spots here and there with several different species, often very good species. I'm assuming this is due to the drought and food shortage--the birds are congregated in the fewer spaces that can support them. We began the day with the yipping of foxes (not fox sparrows, actual foxes) and spotted bobcat tracks along the draw. Unfortunately, there were also hog tracks out there... And we got to pet the neighbor's donkeys!

As for the birds, we tallied about 30 species, including Golden crowned kinglet, Brown creeper, Northern harrier, Loggerhead shrike, American kestral, Western scrub jay, and several sparrow species--Spotted towhee, Dark-eyed junco, Vesper, Harris's, White-crowned and Chipping sparrow. And, oh, yes, about a gazillion American robins. Unfortunately, we dipped on the Fox sparrow I saw yesterday while scouting. Still, yet another great day on the Refuge!

This dedicated group met at the Flying X Ranch Tract of the Refuge on August 14, 2011. An informal meeting in the shade had been promised, to avoid the heat, but this bunch elected to spend half the time walking and looking at live examples. Diane Sherrill, owner of NativeEarthscapes, brought a number of books about native plants: field guides, landscaping, wildscaping, and land restoration. After a discussion about these resources, a plant sample was identified and questions were answered. Naturally, which plants best survive in drought was one of the main topics. Gardening for butterflies and other wildlife was another popular subject. Both these topics, of course, provided much fodder for the discussion of the benefits of using natives. That includes the dangers of non-natives, especially those known to be invasive. A trek in the sun gave much evidence of this toughness, as we admired a large colony of full blooming fall gumweed, silver leaf nightshade, a few small damianitas and blackfoot daisies, and many still healthy specimens of native shrubs and trees. We still need rain desperately, but it's good to know that some plants can survive and help support our native wildlife even in the bleakest of conditions.

The morning started cold and wet, temperature in the high 40’s with the threat of much needed rain.  We never saw the rain storms, but a light mist hung in the air.  Our main goal was to see the two Endangered birds on the refuge, the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo, and then any other birds of the region.  To do this, we needed to travel from one end of the Refuge to the other end to hit the right habitats in areas that are usually closed to visitors.  We moved as quickly as we could from headquarters to the far north-western edge of the refuge to the Simons tract.

We headed up Cow Creek drive, barely stopping to see the strutting Turkeys and the Osprey perched along the creek.  Arriving at the gate we were able to spot the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.  Exiting the van, we made our way through the wet grass trying to avoid the hidden prickly pear, listening for Vireos in the Oak motts, or small groves of trees.  We flushed a small covey of Northern Bobwhites and listened to a Rufous-crowned Sparrow close in a bush.  After passing a few motts, we heard a male Black-capped Vireo singing up ahead.

As we came around the Oak mott trying to spot the singing bird, I noticed a metal rectangle on the ground that I first thought was was some metal pieces left from the previous ranching operations.  Then I noticed the wire running from the metal to a plastic case that I recognized as a battery case.

By the time I figured out we were near one of the nests being monitored with a camera by a Texas A&M student, I spotted the nest and tried to move everyone away from the nest.  We were about 20 feet back and the female sat low in the shin-high nest.  Everyone got a good view and we moved on as quickly as possible.  The female never flushed.

On our way out we flushed another covey of Bobwhites and had a nice view of a male Painted Bunting.  We loaded back into the van for our almost hour-long drive past the headquarters to the other side of the refuge.  During the trip across the refuge I revealed that the Black-capped Vireo we just saw was a Life-bird for me.  That’s why I recruited Jake to co-lead the tour.  We stopped once to look at a Raven’s nest with four large babies on Cow Creek Road and headed to our final destination near the Lago Vista airport.

One down, one to go.  The Golden-cheeked Warblers are found in very different habitat, closed canopy forest with a fairly open understory.  We headed through the gate to the first potential site for the Golden-cheeked Warbler, looking down the steep hillside.  We heard a Hutton’s Vireo and eventually we heard the Golden-cheeked Warbler about 50 feet away.  We never did get a good view.  We went back to the gate and followed the dirt roads into the forest.  As we headed back to the gate we heard another Golden-cheeked Warbler and tried to track it down.  One quick flash of yellow and it was 100 feet away.  We saw at least 3 more Golden-cheek’s, but the views were about the same every time.  They just would not sit still for a look.

It never did rain very hard.  I saw my first Black-capped Vireo.  65 species were logged including 6 Vireos.  The tour participants, mostly from Texas but some from California, Ohio, and Wisconsin, seemed happy with their trip, especially considering the weather.

The group assembled right on time on a cloudy but calm dawn at the refuge headquarters. After participant introductions the birding began in earnest with a fine pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers on wires behind the main building, a fly-by subadult Osprey dreaming of finding some water along Post Oak Creek, and an adult “dark-lored” White-crowned Sparrow with a (apparently) Hispid Cotton Rat (at the time thought to perhaps be some kind of vole) in grass near the road. An hour birding the Post Oak Creek trail produced Yellow-throated and White-eyed vireos and migrant Tennessee and Yellow Warblers, and a couple of “heard-only” Painted Buntings. Once back up to the road, we were treated to the first of several fine views of singing male Painted Buntings, absolutely exquisite birds!

Walking further into the refuge we came across Lark Sparrows and and a singing male Blue Grosbeak and, a bit farther along, a group of five Clay-colored Sparrows, migrants bound for breeding territories in the prairie provinces of Canada. A second White-crowned Sparrow proved a member of the “pale-lored” group, which was interesting.

Between birds, Jim and Linda Hargrove shared their knowledge of and interest in wildflowers with us. Then it was down the hillside and into the woods along the creek. A Black-crested Titmouse darted in too close for anything but wide-eyed stares. We moved ahead slowly, listening intently for the song of a male Golden-cheeked Warbler. We were in ideal habitat, surrounded by a variety of oaks and abundant Ash Junipers; the pale-blue berries of these “cedars” littered the dry, sometimes rocky trail. We enjoyed a truly outstanding view of a singing male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher just above eye-level -- but the Golden-cheeks remained elusive.

At one point, we heard a male singing well up a hillside and decided to move that direction to attempt to see him. That plan worked, as a male Golden-cheek did allow everyone an inspiring glimpse.... but his cameo served mainly to whet our appetites for more. We eased back down the trail and continued slowly along the parched, boulder-strewn creekbed imagining what it must be like in a flash-flood. We were headed for a remnant bit of water that I and our refuge guide Diane Sherrill had scouted a couple of weeks earlier.
About halfway along the hike, I suddenly turned to the group and moved everybody back a little ways to watch a spot that I suspected must have a little water; I’d seen a couple of birds fly up from behind a massive boulder in the streambed. We waited quietly and were rewarded just a couple of minutes later as a handsome, indeed perfect, male Golden-cheeked Warbler hesitantly emerged from cover just a couple of feet above ground, and dipped to the water behind the boulder. He then sat on a low, dry, cedar limb and tipped back-and-forth, showing off every aspect of his gold, black, and white plumage. I don’t think any of us let out a breath for that delicious minute, but revelry and “high-fives” went full circle after he darted away up the hillside!

The mental image of that male Golden-cheek at knee-height only a few feet in front of us will, without a doubt, remain with all of us forever. A pair of Summer Tanagers a few minutes later provided another indelible memory as they repeatedly crossed the wash to scold us up close. As we headed back to the van, and after a few lucky folks got to see a female American Redstart before she retreated into the cedars, I stopped to recount the 10 species of warblers we’d listed so far (Yellow-breated Chat a heard-only among them) then observed that we were “light on raptors”. Not ten seconds later an adult Red-shouldered Hawk started screaming up the creek a ways, and soon lifted up to circle above the trees, allowing everyone a beautiful view. Isn’t birding grand?!

Back at the van, we spotted a distant Eastern Kingbird, and finished with a Western Kingbird on a wire at the HQ building: neat to see them both bam-bam like that. Finally, we disbanded with handshakes and hugs. A couple of us spotted a Red-tailed Hawk and, in the background of the same binocular field, a Sharp-shinned Hawk and a single Kite! All told, we tallied 61 species on our morning excursion along Post Oak Creek near refuge headquarters, and had a mighty fine time enjoying good birds and making new friends in the process.

Guest Blogger: Joe Beach

We flushed a Barred Owl across Cow Creek just after leaving HQ then motored up 1174, trying to get to Flying X before the winds kicked in. Mother Nature cooperated and treated us to good looks at Cave Swallows, Painted Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, Dickcissels, Eastern Kingbird and several Sparrow species including Lark, Rufous-crowned, Clay-colored and White-crowned. A Prairie Falcon shot back and forth across the old runway in the distance and a male Golden-cheeked Warbler sang his “A” song near the house before he flew off. We hustled over to the Simons Tract before the winds got really strong and a couple of Western Kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher greeted us. Black-crested Titmice, more Painted Buntings and an unusually silent Red-eyed Vireo ventured to check us out. On the way back down Cow Creek Road, the Common Ravens on their nest performed for us. At Turner’s Pasture, more Scissor-taileds performed for us while a Bell’s Vireo and Kentucky Warbler scolded Joe for disturbing them. Wild Turkeys and Black Vultures also presented themselves for good views before we headed back to the barn. Thank you everyone for supporting Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge and please come back and see us again!