Three More Year Birds

I went into the woods on Monday hoping it would be a little more active than I found on Sunday. Unfortunately, the birds just weren't there. Even with the strong northwest winds, the birds just weren't there. I thought they might have sat tight for the night with those winds, but I guess they decided to go on. I did add three new ones for the year. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo foraged in an oak tree right above the trail giving me some great looks at him. A Veery skulked beneath a thicket of yaupon. A Chestnut-sided Warbler announced his presence with his song, leading me directly to him. Indigo Buntings continue to have a strong showing, including on my feeders. I saw several individuals including females at my feeders yesterday.

For years I had tried to attract woodpeckers to my feeders. I blogged a few weeks about about Jim's Birdacious Bark Butter and how it finally got Red-bellied Woodpeckers to my feeders. Now I'm using a Cranberry Fare seed cylinder from Wild Birds Unlimited and have really had some great luck with it! The ingredients are pecans, sunflower chips, peanuts, safflower, black oil sunflower and cranberries and they're put together with gelatin. The woodpeckers almost exclusively feed from it now. Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, House Sparrow, Carolina Chickadee, Red-winged Blackbird and American Goldfinch have been seen eating from it. The Eurasian Collared Doves and White-winged Doves seem to leave it alone since they can't eat from it easily because they don't peck at it to break parts out and their beaks aren't strong enough to pull the seeds off. They are content to pick up what is dropped to the ground below. It is a great product (can be ordered online through the Houston Wild Birds Unlimited web site) and is easy to use. If you've got a problem with White-winged Doves at your feeders, it can be a problem-solver!

Speaking of White-winged Doves, I have seen several of them lately. I had five of them at the feeders yesterday. For years I had two at the most. It seems they have moved out this way.

I checked the Eastern Bluebird nest box in my aunt's yard yesterday and found the beginnings of a nest. So, brood number two is on its way!

Birds Seen 4/26/10 (45 species): Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Laughing Gull, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo*, Barred Owl, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Veery*, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided Warbler*, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Sparrow

* = First of Season

Bird-a-thon 2010

I spent the entire day birding. Well, after I cooked omelets and bacon for my family this morning, I spent the rest of the day birding! I started off on my property where things were a little slow. I did add three new birds for the year - Mississippi Kite, Broad-winged Hawk and Common Yellowthroat. I ended up with 35 species on the property, but very few migrants. Most of them were resident birds. I went next to the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. One of most encouraging things there was seeing how many alligators there are. Hurricane Ike's storm surge covered the refuge with about ten feet of water and 75% of the alligators dehydrated and died because of the salt water. There were several little ones out there. I ended up seeing 28 species there. I was a little disappointed that I didn't see a Purple Gallinule. There are lots of Barn Swallows there. I left ANWR and went to High Island. The Houston Audubon Society has several sanctuaries there. I went to the two where I have had most luck. I started out at Boy Scout Woods. Before I even walked in the gate, a Tennessee Warbler landed in the front yard of one of the neighbors across the street. Things were a little slow in the sanctuary. It took some slow walking in the woods to find some migrants. I found 13 species of warblers there. There were also more Painted Buntings than I have ever seen at one time! I easily saw 10 males and at least that many females. I went from Boy Scout Woods to Smith Oaks. When I pulled into the parking lot, a male Baltimore Oriole and male Painted Bunting were in the mulberry tree right in front of my car. I went through the gate and there were several species of warblers in the live oak trees to the left. I only saw 7 species of warblers, but there were lots of them. I went through the woods, went to the rookery and then went back to the live oaks. I was watching a Bay-breasted Warbler and Black-throated Green Warblers when a lady came down the trail and told me the Fork-tailed Flycatcher that had been seen the day before was back. She told me where it was and off I went. I rounded the corner and saw a group of about 50 people with their binoculars pointed toward the top of the trees. I got over there and a lady pointed it out to me. It is life bird #369 for me. Fork-tailed Flycatchers are very rare on the Upper Texas Coast. It was a special find!

Overall, I ended up with 97 species. It was a fun day! I am hoping that our woods will be a little more active in the morning. The wind is still blowing pretty strong out of the northwest. I am hoping that the birds left the coastal woodlots and have spread out over the region.

Birds seen April 25 (97 species total):

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (28 species): Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Great Egret, White-faced Ibis, Black Vulture, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Common Tern, Mourning Dove, Eastern Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Red-winged Blackbird, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole

Boy Scout Woods (38 species): Turkey Vulture, Laughing Gull, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Inca Dove, Common Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Swainson's Thrush, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Blue-winged Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Painted Bunting, Baltimore Oriole

Chambers County (2 species seen while driving): Green Heron, Eastern Meadowlark

Property List (35 species): Neotropic Cormorant, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Mississippi Kite, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Upland Sandpiper, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Parula, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow

Smith Oaks (41 species): Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Common Moorhen, Laughing Gull, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, White-eyed Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Summer Tanager, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Boat-tailed Grackle, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole

Birding on a Windy Day

I had a couple of hours after I got home from work and my family was all gone, so I went down in the woods to see what was moving around. I wasn't expecting much because of the strong southeast winds, but hoped something would be worth seeing. I was pleasantly surprised with 44 species and seven first of season birds! Wood Thrush, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Orchard Oriole, Bank Swallow and Eastern Kingbird were the FOS birds seen today. There was only one Louisiana Waterthrush (very late in the area), but there were five Northern Waterthrushes around the gully. The Eastern Wood-Pewee lit in a tree in front of me and called. There were swallows flying overhead almost without a break. Several Bank Swallows flew over for the first time this spring. A Kentucky Warbler looked for food on the ground under some thick understory.

I checked the bluebird box this afternoon. No second nesting has begun yet, but the chicks have only been out of the nest for six days. Maybe they'll start within the next couple of weeks.

Birds Seen 4/22/10 (44 species): Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, Upland Sandpiper, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Barred Owl, Chimney Swift, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee*, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird*, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow*, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Swainson's Thrush, Wood Thrush*, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Tennessee Warbler, Northern Parula, Northern Waterthrush*, Louisiana Waterthrush*, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole*, House Sparrow

* = First of Season

Excellent Day in the Woods

On Sunday, I walked in the woods with Amberlyn to see what migrants might be there. It was raining on us nearly the entire time, at some times pretty heavily! We came across a few birds, but for the most part it was pretty slow. I figured Monday would be a better day with the rain all night and front moving through. I was right! I ended up with 60 species today. Some of them were at my feeders and in my yard, but the majority were in the woods. I added fourteen birds to my year list today. I saw fourteen species of warblers, three thrushes, both tanagers, both buntings and one grosbeak. There were several places in the woods where there were just too many birds to look at. It was a lot of fun. Before I knew it, I had been down there for four hours. The time just flew by! Yellow-breasted Chats sang from the thick understory. It seemed everywhere I went a Kentucky Warbler was singing. Hooded Warblers sang from several locations too. Red-eyed Vireos have begun singing from high in the canopy. A Blue-winged Warbler sang from thick tree. I almost gave up seeing him, but he finally came out and gave me some really good looks at him. Another Prothonotary Warbler caught my attention. After six years of not seeing them, I've seen one the last two times I've been in the woods. A Scarlet Tanager almost took my breath away with his neon red and striking black wings. Scores of Indigo Buntings called from the understory and looked on the cleared land for seeds. A Painted Bunting perched on a tree limb that had fallen and allowed me about 30 seconds of viewing pleasure! A Cooper's Hawk flew across my yard carrying a bird. The male Eastern Bluebird was chasing him. I hope he didn't get one of the juveniles that just fledged on Saturday. I sure wish I had tomorrow off because it will be a good day as well.

Our Bird-a-thon day was rescheduled to the 25th because of the rain and a stomach bug. Apparently Sunday was an excellent day at High Island. If we can see 200 species, we'll raise over $400 for the Houston Audubon Society.

I mentioned before that the Eastern Bluebird chicks fledged on Saturday. I cleaned the old nest out today. Hopefully they'll start a second nest within the next couple of weeks.

Birds seen April 19, 2010 (60 species): Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, Black Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Laughing Gull, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Barred Owl, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cliff Swallow*, Barn Swallow, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Gray-cheeked Thrush*, Swainson's Thrush*, Hermit Thrush, Gray Catbird, Blue-winged Warbler*, Tennessee Warbler*, Nashville Warbler*, Northern Parula, Black-throated Green Warbler*, Blackburnian Warbler*, Blackpoll Warbler*, Cerulean Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Kentucky Warbler*, Hooded Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat*, Summer Tanager, Scarlet Tanager*, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak*, Indigo Bunting, Painted Bunting*, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

*= First of Season

Bluebird Chicks - 14 Days Old

The bluebird chicks are 14 days old today. They have really gotten their feathers in. They should fledge either Saturday or Sunday. Hopefully this year we'll have a second brood. The first brood is fledging early enough where they should have plenty of time to start a second brood. Hopefully I can get some pictures of the fledglings when they come to the water in my backyard. It's fun to watch them following the male around learning how to live. Here's a picture of them at 14 days old.

More and More Migrants

More and more migrants are coming in. My day began with three Indigo Buntings on my feeders. Walking in the woods was very productive. A male Summer Tanager busily ate insects in the tops of the trees. A little further down the trail, I ran into a mixed flock of birds. The majority of them were Red-eyed Vireos. I don't think I have ever seen so many at one time. A Yellow-throated Vireo showed up and gave me some good looks at him. A Blue-headed Vireo was just below him. White-eyed Vireos and Carolina Wrens called from the thickets. A male Cerulean Warbler was looking for insects in the top of an oak tree. The Cerulean Warbler is a little early. That's what I love about migration. You just never know what you'll see!

The bluebird chicks in my nest box will fledge sometime around April 17. Hopefully they'll have a second brood this year. Last year they just had the one. They started late with the first one, so hopefully we'll have more than one this year.

Birds seen April 11 & 12 (44 species): Neotropic Cormorant, Tricolored Heron, Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, Upland Sandpiper, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Barn Owl, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Parula, Cerulean Warbler, Summer Tanager, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

First Swallow-tailed Kite

While I was out mowing this afternoon, the first Swallow-tailed Kite of the season flew overhead. He flew in really low and then climbed in altitude until he flew off to the east. I know that they aren't all that rare in the area anymore, but they are so beautiful to watch. They just seem to effortlessly fly through the air. It's always a treat to see them!

New Property Bird - #194

I spent about three hours walking in the woods this morning. There was a lot of activity, but not a lot of migrants just yet. Just to the east of the new pond, several warblers and other birds were flying around. Most of them were Yellow-rumped Warblers, many in their breeding plumage. A Northern Parula called incessantly and came out several times to show off his brilliant plumage. Then my new property bird showed up. A Prothonotary Warbler was in the same tree as the parula. He gave me some great looks! I never would have thought I'd see a Black-throated Blue Warbler and Cape May Warbler on the property before a Prothonotary, but that's just the way it worked out. He is property bird #194. In a clump of yaupon trees just below the Prothonotary, a Worm-eating Warbler looked for insects. A female Hooded Warbler came in and out of the thicket. A Red-eyed Vireo and Black-and-white Warbler flew from tree to tree in search of breakfast. Swallows, martins and swifts flew overhead. On the way back in, an Osprey flew overhead.

The Eastern Bluebird chicks hatched on 3/30. I checked the box yesterday (4/4) and this is what they look like.
They're starting to get feathers in on their wings. They should fledge around April 17. I'll post more pictures over the next couple of weeks.

Here's a picture of Mr. Bluebird I took a while back.


Birds seen 4/5/10 (43 species): Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Mourning Dove, Barred Owl, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo (FOS), Blue Jay, American Crow, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler (FOS & new property bird), Worm-eating Warbler (FOS), Hooded Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting (FOS), Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow