Some South Texas Birding

On Saturday, June 25, I left early to travel to San Antonio to attend the Wild Birds Unlimited Annual Meeting. I traveled about 100 miles south of San Antonio to the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area about eight miles west of Artesia Springs. I arrived about 10:30 and had about three hours to go birding. My target bird was the Green Jay, but I knew that I would see several other species I'd never seen before. I pulled up to the office, stepped out of the car and saw a couple of Olive Sparrows hopping on the ground beneath a tree - life bird #1 of the day. Pretty quickly behind the sparrows, two Curve-billed Thrashers were, um, making sure of the continuance of their species, if you know what I mean - life bird #2 of the day. As I walked to the office, a Pyrrhuloxia flew toward a small pond. I had seen them before, but never this close. Being a Saturday, the office was closed. After a quick, unsuccessful search for a map, I walked back toward my car. A Cactus Wren flew to a small bush in front of me - life bird #3 for the day. Little did I know that by the end of my time there, I would be tired of seeing Cactus Wrens! I walked behind the office and found a couple of Bronzed Cowbirds - life bird #4 for me. I had seen a trail head on my way in so I decided to walk it. A Brown-headed Flycatcher flew into a tree and sang - life bird #5. Mockingbirds and cardinals were singing from various locations around the office. As I walked toward the trail, I had to walk toward the tree where I saw the Olive Sparrows. I saw a couple of Long-billed Thrashers chasing each other around the tree - life bird #6. Black-throated Sparrows were abundant on the trail. Those are really pretty birds. I had seen them in Junction a few years ago. Lark Sparrows flew from tree to tree as I walked along the trail. When I finished walking on the trail, a young lady who works at the WMA drove up and told me where my best chance to find Green Jays were. I drove about two miles to a campground used by hunters in the wintertime. The first bird I saw when I got out was a brilliant Vermilion Flycatcher. Brown-headed Flycatchers were more abundant at the campground. As I walked around the campground, an Audubon's Oriole flew into a tree on his way to a stock tank full of water - life bird #7. After deciding that there were no Green Jays at the campground, I got into my car and drove along the driving trail. About 3/4 of the way along the trail, four Cassin's Sparrows were foraging alongside the road - life bird #8. I finished the driving trail with just enough time to head to San Antonio to check into the hotel. I was disappointed that I didn't see a Green Jay, but I was excited to have eight new birds! I don't know the last time I added eight new birds to my list. It was exciting to see them as well as birds I don't get to see all the time. On my way to San Antonio, I stopped in Pearsall to get some gas and a male Bullock's Oriole flew into a tree near the station and sang.

Birds seen at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, 6/25/11: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Turkey Vulture, Crested Caracara, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Vermilion Flycatcher, *Brown-crested Flycatcher, Black-crested Titmouse, *Cactus Wren, Bewick's Wren, Northern Mockingbird, *Long-billed Thrasher, *Curve-billed Thrasher, *Olive Sparrow, *Cassin's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, Painted Bunting, *Bronzed Cowbird, *Audubon's Oriole

* = life bird