Birding

[hookem2010 2624]

I stopped at a couple neighborhood parks this morning for my typical bird walks, and realized I had a amassed a decent number of species with little effort. After getting bored at home, I decided to see how many species I could get in a single day, within 2 miles of my very suburban home. Ended up with 63 species. Nothing too crazy, but swamp sparrow, pine warbler and a very COOPERative cooper's hawk were nice. I'm ready for spring birds to replace the winter contingent that has been here for a few months now, though.

[Biff Tannen 45688]

4 hours ago, hookem2010 said:

I stopped at a couple neighborhood parks this morning for my typical bird walks, and realized I had an amassed a decent number of species with little effort. After getting bored at home, I decided to see how many species I could get in a single day, within 2 miles of my very suburban home. Ended up with 63 species. Nothing too crazy, but swamp sparrow, pine warbler and a very COOPERative cooper's hawk were nice. I'm ready for spring birds to replace the winter contingent that has been here for a few months now, though.

Reminds me, I finally made it out to Hornsby Bend the other weekend. Fairly disappointing, but I think it’s just the time of year. Some ducks and such on the ponds, but not much else besides vultures circling and the usual cardinals. Will try and hit it up again this spring when the trees have budded and temps are warmer (nevermind the 87 high today!) 

[hookem2010 2624]

Despite being the #1 Hotspot in Travis County, I've never found Hornsby to be the most enjoyable place to bird most of the time. If you do go, I'd recommend taking the hike back to pond 3, along the river trail. It's the most natural seeming area and usually has a lot going on. And in spring, you've got to check out Mills Pond. The birder watching is almost as good as the bird watching.

[Biff Tannen 45688]

33 minutes ago, hookem2010 said:

Despite being the #1 Hotspot in Travis County, I've never found Hornsby to be the most enjoyable place to bird most of the time. If you do go, I'd recommend taking the hike back to pond 3, along the river trail. It's the most natural seeming area and usually has a lot going on. And in spring, you've got to check out Mills Pond. The birder watching is almost as good as the bird watching.

I did the full length. Almost 6 miles. But yes. 

[hookem2010 2624]

I should have known that you wouldn't be one to drive the pond loops without ever getting out of the car.

[DoobieWah 1441]

On 2/22/2024 at 8:06 PM, Biff Tannen said:

I did the full length.

NowThis sock?

[Jerry Callo 8703]

Here is a terrible picture of a cool experience.  Was fishing this morning on the north end of Lake Georgetown and I was out fished by a damn bird.  Heard some commotion behind me in the shallower water and there was a raptor, osprey I suspect, grabbing a white bass out of the river.   I watched him fly to a dead tree a little ways away.   Got a close as I could from the opposite side and took this picture.  If you look close and squint a little, you can see the fish he is holding. You can make out one of the fish's eyes.  By the time I walked around to the other side, he was gone.

[hookem2010 2624]

Thanks for making the rare photos I post look good by comparison!

[hookem2010 2624]

Spring migration is finally underway and should be peaking in about 3 weeks here in central Texas. A few good things pushed down by the storms yesterday, including several hundred Franklin's gulls, and these long-billed dowitchers. An eastern screech owl also recently cooperated as I fumbled to get my phone to my bins for pictures.

[Chico_SA 521]

I know we have had a couple of Hawks in our neighborhood for a while now. Hard to get a picture of them. But just had this guy in my neighbors yard. Crested Caracara Falcon?

[Biff Tannen 45688]

1 hour ago, Chico_SA said:

I know we have had a couple of Hawks in our neighborhood for a while now. Hard to get a picture of them. But just had this guy in my neighbors yard. Crested Caracara Falcon?

I’ll let the real birders chime in here, but looks right to me. 

[deadshank 24653]

2 hours ago, Chico_SA said:

I know we have had a couple of Hawks in our neighborhood for a while now. Hard to get a picture of them. But just had this guy in my neighbors yard. Crested Caracara Falcon?

Caracara.  Mexieagle.  

[hookem2010 2624]

Yep, falcons that really just want to be vultures

[hookem2010 2624]

Found a really good migrant for central Texas today in MacGillivray's warbler. I also found the gas company cutting a wide path through this particular stretch of woods during peak migration and early nesting season. Fuckers.

[Mdhorn 5949]

5 hours ago, hookem2010 said:

Found a really good migrant for central Texas today in MacGillivray's warbler. I also found the gas company cutting a wide path through this particular stretch of woods during peak migration and early nesting season. Fuckers.

Went to a place a few times that I counted over 20 turkeys, multiple harriers, a horned owl nest with owlets, 4 or 5 short eared owls, fox and coyote dens, a red tailed hawks nest, several eagles, multitude of different ducks, deer, snipe and woodcock and now there's a bulldozer where they're about to begin developing.  What I love about development is all the empty buildings of prior developments already leading up to it. This land has been dormant for 30 years so kudos I guess, for allowing nature for little while and us on a few birding tours, but in the end, somebody wanted to get paid while they were still alive.  The place should be a nature preserve. Progress.  

[Brisketexan 105143]

I know we have had a couple of Hawks in our neighborhood for a while now. Hard to get a picture of them. But just had this guy in my neighbors yard. Crested Caracara Falcon?

Yeah. Interesting thing is, I’ve seen multiple in just the last few weeks, after never seeing any around here (only ever saw them in S Texas). They’re a cool-ass bird.

[Chico_SA 521]

Second one came around later in the day.  Yeah, pretty cool to see them hanging around and taking flight.  I wish my neighbor was a little more subtle with his leftover feedings. 

[hookem2010 2624]

8 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Yeah. Interesting thing is, I’ve seen multiple in just the last few weeks, after never seeing any around here (only ever saw them in S Texas). They’re a cool-ass bird.

They used to be restricted to south Texas, but their range has been steadily moving northward. Even in DFW, they're somewhat regular now.

[Jerry Callo 8703]

On 4/29/2024 at 7:35 AM, hookem2010 said:

Yep, falcons that really just want to be vultures

And the vultures will let them.  A pair of Caracaras will disperse a group of vultures from a feeding site with little effort at all.

[Masshole Horn 773]

Potato camera failed, but have been seeing painted buntings at the feeder. /CSB

[hookem2010 2624]

Spring migration is peaking probably today through the weekend. Lots to see out there right now. Had a nice golden-winged warbler along Brushy Creek earlier and probably a dozen orioles.

[ftf82 485]

Any ID on this bird at my feeder? Sorry not a great pic. Nothing like I've seen here before. Cheap free app says Summer Tanager.

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

Yep, looks like a Summer Tanager to me.

[Brisketexan 105143]

We were at a cabin by canyon lake, thick cedar and oak around us, identified a crapload of singing birds by song.
Carolina wren
Goldfinch
Tufted titmouse
Cardinals
Golden cheeked warbler (!)
White eyed vireo
Painted bunting
Also saw hummingbirds, but couldn’t ID exact species.
And of course mourning and white wing dove.

Birds were singing and active all day, and there were a lot of em.

[hookem2010 2624]

48 minutes ago, ftf82 said:

Any ID on this bird at my feeder? Sorry not a great pic. Nothing like I've seen here before. Cheap free app says Summer Tanager.

Yep, a young male that hasn't attained the fully red plumage of an adult

[Biff Tannen 45688]

3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Golden cheeked warbler (!)

Nice

[hookem2010 2624]

This red-tailed hawk could not give fewer fucks about the dozens of purple martins mobbing it as it calmly landed on the side of the house, jammed its talons into a hole and pulled out one of the birds.

 

[Biff Tannen 45688]

[Ten Bears 2481]

I videoed a Red Shouldered Hawk attacking something in my yard the other day in Round Rock.  Very cool.

[DoobieWah 1441]

Caught this one this morning. Memorial area in west Houston

The face looks like a bobwhite but definitely gray not brown. Never saw one of those around here.  Maybe our recent storm blew it in. 
 

 

[hookem2010 2624]

May be a pen-raised escapee, but given the craziness of that storm, a bird blowing in from the Katy Prairie seems possible. Definitely looks like a bobwhite, despite the odd coloration.

[billfromlaketravis 11482]

Surprise visitor yesterday. What is it?

[locodos 5387]

11 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Surprise visitor yesterday. What is it?

Looks like a Night Heron...  eats crabs

[billfromlaketravis 11482]

8 minutes ago, locodos said:

Looks like a Night Heron...  eats crabs

I think I don’t have crabs? Very cool. There’s a bayou that runs the length of the neighborhood nearby. I assume he stopped by for a drink before heading over there. 

[locodos 5387]

1 minute ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I think I don’t have crabs? Very cool. There’s a bayou that runs the length of the neighborhood nearby. I assume he stopped by for a drink before heading over there. 

Cool birds...  the bayou makes a good home for them.  I see them in my neighborhood regularly.  We have small land crabs and you see them hunting early in the morning.  A couple of days ago, at a nearby state park, we saw one absolutely demolishing a land crab the size of a brick.  The crab was trying to get away, but the little heron would just hop around, grab the crab and slam it down.  It was a lot more violent/athletic than you would expect out a sleek looking bird.  Very much a predator.

[Mdhorn 5949]

Looks like a yellow-crowned night heron.  They always look like big muppets to me--especially their young.  

[hookem2010 2624]

They grab crawfish out of the little stream in our neighborhood park. You can find them around any pond or creek east of 35 from April-August or so. Cool dudes.

[WBT 20572]

Had a couple of Mississippi kites calling in the front yard yesterday

[billfromlaketravis 11482]

I don’t know if this the right place for it, but the 40 year old ash tree in my front yard needs some help if not its last rites. Does anybody have a good arborist in Houston? I hope we can save the tree. 

[Brisketexan 105143]

I don’t know if this the right place for it, but the 40 year old ash tree in my front yard needs some help if not its last rites. Does anybody have a good arborist in Houston? I hope we can save the tree. 

You can’t. It’s already 10 years past its lifespan. Seriously, my parents planted three Arizona Ash trees at our Houston tract house when we bought it in 1973. The ones in the backyard split and died at 21-22 years old. And the one in the front yard fell on my wife’s new car when the tree was maybe 24 yrs old. They’re fast-growing, but shit trees.

[Farmerted 125]

Maybe it’s a Texas ash those are native , 

[Brisketexan 105143]

Maybe it’s a Texas ash those are native , 

Maybe. Maybe I’m just being an ashhole.

[hookem2010 2624]

I've got some sort of ash in the front yard we inherited when we moved in last year. It already looks like trash and my plant friend said it will probably die soon and need to be dug up.

[WBT 20572]

Had a visitor this evening

[hookem2010 2624]

Kind of a mixed feelings story about barred owls. They are so successful and have expanded westward across the continent the last century, with tree planting and fire suppression, that they are now threatening the endangered spotted owl. The barred owl is larger, and will kill, outcompete, and hybridize with spotted owls, which also suffer from loss of old-growth forest. 

To combat this, nearly half a million barred owls are to be culled where the two species overlap.

Edited June 11 by hookem2010

[Brisketexan 105143]

We have a feeder camera set up. Got a nice Tanager visiting today.



But this next one is my current favorite. We get several cardinals, but this guy…stands out.

I have named him I AM BECOME DEATH DESTROYER OF WORLDS.




From what we can tell, his bald head is due to some sort of louse infection or something similar. I hate to judge, but…he ugly.

[Mdhorn 5949]

Death Destroyer is just molting.  He'll have a beautiful new red crested dome shortly.   

 

Edit: and hopefully, I'll bring a better comma game to my postings.

Edited June 12 by Mdhorn

[Brisketexan 105143]

Death Destroyer is just molting.  He'll have a beautiful new red crested dome shortly.   
 
Edit: and hopefully, I'll bring a better comma game to my postings.

He’s either molting, or he’s coming for your soul moments after you drift off to sleep tonight. We’ll see which one happens.

[Biff Tannen 45688]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

We have a feeder camera set up. Got a nice Tanager visiting today.



But this next one is my current favorite. We get several cardinals, but this guy…stands out.

I have named him I AM BECOME DEATH DESTROYER OF WORLDS.




From what we can tell, his bald head is due to some sort of louse infection or something similar. I hate to judge, but…he ugly.

Like a fucking Skeksis

[Willfully Horn 8017]

We live just south of Hays City, and have since ‘99. First year Painted Buntings have fed at our feeders.