Beginning March 29, 2004
Birds seen in and around Concan (area covered in Birder’s Guide to Concan,
Texas)
Dearest All,
We were awakened early this morning to lightning and rolling thunder. Then
the rain came!
Sound familiar? No, we're not still in Concan. We're at home in Waco, but
I
feel compelled to write you the final chapter of "Large Days in Concan",
at
least for 2004; and this rainy day seems like a good time to do that. My last
letter to you was April 26, one week before we came home. A lot of good things
happened that week. I'll try to hit the highlights.
On Wednesday, April 28, we had the privilege of meeting Charles and Anne
Backus from College Station. He is director of TAMU Press who published my
new
book, I'd Rather Be Birding. Last November at the Texas Book Festival in Austin,
Charles had bid on (and won) a birding package during a silent auction that
benefitted the public libraries of Texas. The package included (among other
things): two nights lodging and three meals at Neal's and a day of birding
with
me. What a joy! Charles and Anne are excellent birders and had never been
to the
Texas Hill Country. This was my chance to show them some of the places and
things I'd written about in the book, my favorite spots in all the world.
They
arrived around 3:30, and after they got settled into Cabin 42, we picked them
up and took them to the Cattle Guard feeding area then to Cabin 61. In a little
over an hour before we went to the cafe for supper, they had wracked up a
few
Lifers and had seen a good number of old friends of the feathered kind. (And
WE saw old friends of the human kind: the Alan Lapey family from Boston and
San Antonio.)
Wouldn't you know it? That night we had another one of those Hill Country
spring storms, and it was still raining at breakfast time Thursday morning.
What
to do? I could show them slides of birds of the Hill Country. I could play
recordings of the songs of the special birds of the area. I could read to
them
from my book. We could simply visit and watch the birds on our patio from
the
comfort of our cabin. Or we could take our chances and try to out-drive the
rain. We chose the latter. We decided to drive to Lost Maples. The four of
us
picked up our picnic lunch at the cafe and piled into the Suburban. The farther
away from Concan we went, the better the weather looked.
As I turned off US Hwy 83 to FR 1050 toward Utopia, I wondered: How many
times have I driven this road? I felt that I knew every twist and turn, every
hill, every pass, every speed limit sign, and yes, every vista. It's the vistas
that get me every time. I LOVE that drive! I would NEVER get tired of it.
And
Charles and Anne had the same reaction. They kept saying, "This is beautiful!
This is beautiful!" When we had almost "reached Utopia" (pun
intended), Charles
asked, "Did you see the hawk on that fence post?" No, I had not;
so I came to
a screeching halt, did a 180º turn (Yes, I looked both ways before turning
around in the middle of the road!) and back-tracked to the fence post. Sometimes
when you do that, the bird is long gone by the time you get back, but the
hawk
gods were smiling on us that day, and we got to see the most beautiful
Red-shouldered Hawk any of us had ever seen before. And he stayed on the post
long
enough for us to really study his markings.
As we crossed the Sabinal River and drove into Utopia, I decided on the spur
of the moment to take a quick swing through Utopia Park that skirts the river.
I was hoping for a Green Kingfisher that often hangs out there; instead, we
saw a male Summer Tanager in full spring regalia. Here again, he stayed within
sight for long, satisfying looks. Shortly after leaving Utopia, we were
driving along at a good clip when I suddenly caught a glimpse of two male
Yellow-headed Blackbirds perched on an iron gate to the left of the road.
Once again, I
did an about-face, and the birds stayed put until we got our fill of their
beauty.
After the heavy rains of the night before, I was a little concerned that
a
couple of the low-water crossings we had to go over might be too deep for
us to
cross safely, but that was not the case. Just as we were passing the
Vanderpool Cemetery, I heard Charles say, "I think I just saw a Vermilion
Flkycatcher."
Seeing a Vermilion Flycatcher is always worth turning around for! Yes! I did
it again. We pulled right up to the gate that goes into the cemetery and all
piled out of the "burb". It was so easy to say, "Everyone,
look at the Thompson
headstone," or "the Foster headstone." For those were places
where the
gorgeous vermilion male perched. As someone in the group said, "It almost
looks as
if he has a red light inside his head!" And we also spotted the female
around
the edges of the cemetery. I don't know how many times I've passed that
cemetery, thinking to myself, "We ought to check that out." From
now on, I'll make a
practice of stopping there to see if the Vermilions are still visiting the
Thompsons and Fosters.
We finally arrived at Lost Maples and realized it was time for lunch. My!
How
time flies when you're having fun! After checking in at the office and
enjoying watching the Painted Bunting that was eating at their feeder, we
found a
shady picnic table to enjoy OUR lunch of roast beef salad and pimento
sandwiches. While eating, we enjoyed the company of Black-crested Titmice
and Western
Scrub-Jays who begged for and got hand-outs of Fritos from all of us. It was
really neat to see them up so close. We were also entertained by a Common
Raven
who kept croaking and flying to a certain spot on the cliff across from which
we were eating. I proposed that the raven was nesting somewhere on the cliff.
Soon we noticed the raven was chasing a Red-tailed Hawk. They put on quite
a
show with the raven bumping the hawk from behind, then the two grappling each
other's claws and tumbling through the air. This went on for about five minutes.
When we were getting back into the burb after lunch, a large group of British
birders arrived in the picnic area. They were all looking at something in
the
trees above the picnic tables. We were so curious, we sent Harold over to
see
if they might be seeing a Golden-cheeked Warbler. They were just excited
about the jay and titmouse we had been watching. We drove to the "overflow
parking
lot", found a shady spot to park, and headed down the hill to the stepping
stones leading to The Pond one mile away. We had been told that some people
had
been lucky enough to see Golden-cheeked Warblers within the first hundred
yards of the trail. Would we be so lucky? We decided to give it the old college
try.
Not far up the trail we saw a sign pointing to a spot on the distant cliff
where a pair of Red-tailed Hawks have nested for several years. Park personnel
had attached an iron pipe to a pole oriented so that you could look through
the
pipe and see the nest.While we were looking, along came one of the Red-tails
with something in its talons. It landed in the nest, but we could not see
any
young poking their heads up. We wondered if this was the same hawk the raven
had chased away from ITS nest earlier.
As we walked along the trail, we saw several other birders coming back DOWN
the trail. Of course, we asked each one if they had seen the warbler or the
vireo. Some answered that they had walked all the way to The Pond (two miles
round trip) and had seen the Goldencheek there. Others had had no luck at
all. We
walked a good two hundred yards before deciding to turn back. When we were
about half-way back down the trail we saw the Brits again, a few yards ahead
of
us. They were obviously very excited about SOMETHING. This time, we (and they)
hit the jackpot! Male and female Goldencheeks were flying back and forth
across the trail, foraging insects from the overhanging maple trees. All four
of us
were able to get good looks at it. Some of us better than others. On our way
home, we stopped at River Oaks Resort on River Road to check out the mulberry
tree on their parking lot. Lo and behold, the first bird Charles saw was a
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, number 205 on our compiled list of birds! When we
got
back to Neal's, we couldn't bear to waste good daylight hours resting, so
we sat
at the Cattle Guard feeders and at Cabin 61 until the very last minute before
we knew Randy and Inky's Outdoor Cafe up the road from Neal's would close.
After a supper of chopped brisket sandwiches and all the trimmings, we drove
through The Woods at Neal's so Anne and Charles could see the ten new cabins
and
the view of the Frio from that vantage point. Then we decided to call it a
day.
A VERY LARGE DAY, INDEED!
Friday morning after "rounds" and breakfast, we met Charles and
Anne for one
last "sit" at the Cattle Guard. Remember the raw cotton I told you
about early
on? The cotton I put out on bushes for hummers and other birds to glean for
nest materials? Well, as a very fitting close to our time with the Backuses,
a
male and female Verdin showed up to gather large mouthfuls of cotton for their
nests. It was a new bird for Anne, one she had hoped all along that she would
see. And so ended the Texas Book Festival silent auction birding package.
After bidding farewell to our new friends, Harold and I headed for Sabinal
for one last lunch at Brown's Pharmacy and one last hair cut for me by Lona.
At
supper that night at Neal's, I got to talk to other groups who had come in
during the past two days: one from Field Guides led by Megan Edwards Crewe,
one
from VENT led by David Wolfe, and a private group or two. We were amazed at
how
many individual birders were there that weekend. With so many birders still
around, it was difficult to think about going home on Monday.
Saturday morning we had a chance to sit with the Field Guides group at the
Cattle Guard. Once again, the Verdins performed their cotton-picking act,
making
for a group of happy campers among the Field Guides. Saturday afternoon I
had
a fun birding-by-golfcart session with Johnny and Carol Graves, two of the
owners of Neal's. We were treated to long looks at a male Indigo Bunting among
many other sightings.
After spending most of the day Sunday packing to leave, Harold and I left
Neal's around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, May 3, after lengthy and difficult goodbyes
to all the wonderful people there. We took a different route home than the
way
we normally go: Concan to Medina via Utopia and Vanderpool. We stopped for
a
delicious lunch at the Cider Mill and Country Store in Medina, hoping we'd
see
Carol Adams. She was at a meeting in Kerrville; but we got to see Baxter,
her
husband. The drive from Medina to Kerrville is curvy, hilly, and gorgeous.
Likewise, from Kerrville to Fredericksburg. We didn't stop in either town,
but
shortly after leaving Fredericksburg via Hwy 16, we drove the Willow City
Loop,
which was still breathtakingly beautiful, even though the wildflowers had
passed their prime. Bluebonnets were still profuse as were galardia, paint
brush,
and dozens of other species that I don't even know! From Fredericksburg to
Llano the flowers were growing right up to the edges of the road on both sides.
A few miles out of Llano (on Hwy 29) we came to a spot in the road that
looked as if a lot of cars had parked there in recent days. It was the place
to
stop and see the Bald Eagle's nest that was the primary reason for our going
home
this particular way. When we arrived, the eagles were away from the nest.
We
met a local couple who had photo-documented the eagles from eggs on up. They
told us the eagles leave the nest early in the morning and return in late
evening. We were sorry to have missed seeing this distinctive family, but
the
couple showed us the lovely pictures they had taken at all stages of the nesting
process.
From Burnet to Waco we took our usual route: Lampasas, Rumley, Topsy,
Pidcoke, Gatesville, McGregor, and on into Waco around 8 p.m. The trip took
8 1/2
hours as opposed to our usual 5 hours, but we didn't mind. We took our time
and
enjoyed the ride. Even though we were in two cars, we kept the conversation
going all the way, thanks to two-way radios. It took me an entire week to
feel
rested from such an intensive five weeks. It was almost like getting over
jet
lag, complete with withdrawal symptoms from birding every second of the day
every day! For the next few days I did a lot of sitting on our patio getting
re-acquainted with our own backyard birds. For the life of me I'm still having
trouble NOT calling the Red-bellied Woodpecker the Golden-fronted! And I still
keep hoping that little devil, the Black-capped Vireo, will fly off-course
and
show up in our backyard! :-) And where is that Olive Sparrow????? And the
Long-billed Thrasher? And why can't I hear the squeaks, squacks, whistles,
and
chattering clucks of that rascal, the Yellow-breasted Chat? I guess I'll just
have
to wait until next year.
Love to all, June and Harold
P.S. Stay tuned, because, God willing, we plan to do the same thing all over
again same time next year. The great thing is, it's NEVER "the same thing."
It's always different birds, different people, different places, different
weather, different foods, different EVERYTHING. After all, isn't that what
keeps us
doing what we do?
To sum up statistics for the five weeks between March 29 and May 3, 2004:
We compiled a list of 205 species of birds seen in and around Concan by us,
tour groups, and individuals.
Harold and I used 52 pounds of sugar for the sugar-water feeders we were
maintaining.
We used 550 pounds of blackoil sunflower seeds.
We met people from 42 states and several countries. Many of them told me
they
were there because of something I had written, mostly in WildBird.
States:
Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montanna, Utah, Arizona, Colorado,
New
Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas,
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan,
Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia,
West
Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire,
Connecticutt, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Ohio, and Delaware.
Countries:
Manitoba and Ontario, Canada
Wales
England
Belgium
Holland
The Netherlands
Dearest All,
Wow! What a day this was! When I awoke this morning I felt thoroughly
recovered from my fatigue, so I planned another Large Day for us. While making
our
rounds first thing this morning, we ran into four people from Baltimore,
Maryland. We had met one of the couples in Waco: Carole Hanks's brother Joe
McDaniel
and his wife. Believe it or not, they had found a Baltimore Oriole behind
Neal's Store!! That made 194 on our list and a clean sweep of the possible
orioles
for this area!
After breakfast at the cafe we started on what turned out to be a one
hundred-mile circle (sort of). We went south on Texas 127 toward Sabinal.
My plan was
for us to hit the county roads that I was familiar with and then some. The
first interesting thing we saw was a group of Turkey and Black Vultures and
Crested Caracaras feasting on a HUGE dead hog. I don't know if it was a feral
pig
or a Javelina. All I know is, it was BIG!!! At our first flooded field we
found a number of American Golden-Plovers in the exact "April" plumage
as shown in
the 4th edition of National Geographic. Upland Sandpipers were also in the
field.
All along the way we felt as if we were on "the yellow brick road to
Oz."
Wildflowers are putting on an extravagant display like I haven't seen here
in a
couple of years. Yellow seems to be the dominant color, with White Prickly
Poppies, wild verbena, and so many other colors mixed in, blanketing the fields.
I
shot almost three rolls of film!
When we turned onto FR 2730, we saw many butterflies suckling at thistle
blossoms. The two I knew were Giant Swallowtail and Black Swallowtail. (By
the
way, before I forget to tell you, one of our Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars
is
almost completely a crysallis today! The other one is still feasting on the
grass we put into the jar.) The flowers on this road were also spectacular.
Here we finally heard and saw the Dickcissels that just arrived last Thursday
and
Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Probably the same Swainson's Hawk that I
photographed a week or so ago was sitting on (probably) the same fence post,
and we were
able to get close enough for me to get some good shots. On this road we also
identified a LeConte's Sparrow. This one doesn't show up in this area every
year. At least I don't see it every year, so it was good to see this old friend.
At the end of 2730 we made a left on US 90 and drove into Sabinal for a pit
stop and to buy some snacks, because I knew we wouldn't get back to Concan
in
time for lunch. Outside Sabinal we turned onto the Sabinal-Driskill Feedlot
road and did the whole rectangle from there to FR 30 and back to 127. The
Prickly
Pear Cactus are really putting on a show. I got some good shots of them. We
have found Couch's Kingbirds on more county roads this year than I've ever
seen
them. They are so much like Western Kingbirds, we had to stop and examine
every one. We saw lots of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks on the pond after
the
feedlot. When we got back to TX 127 we hung a right and stopped at a flooded
field we had scoured on the way down. Where there was nothing before, we found
several American Golden-Plovers, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and Lesser
Yellowlegs. When we got to FR 1049 I decided to drive to Knippa (that's pronounced
Kuh-NIP-uh) to look for a flooded field I remembered from a couple of years
back. We didn't find it, but since I had shot two rolls of film at this point,
I
decided for us to go on into Uvalde to drop off the film at HEB's one-hour
lab.
While we were waiting for the photos, we drove down to Fort Inge Park, two
miles south of Uvalde. I was hoping for a Common Moorhen on the Leona River
where I had seen them before, but no such luck. However, we DID get fantastic
looks at a Bullock's Oriole bathing in a mud puddle.
After we picked up the photos, we started back up US 83 toward Concan. On
the
way we turned off onto FR 2690 (the bat cave road, which is still signed
"CLOSED" after the April 6 flood.) We knew how far we could safely
go before
turning back, so we proceeded. There we saw a field full of Red-winged and
Yellow-headed Blackbirds and the bluest Bronzed Cowbird I've ever seen. We
almost
thought we were seeing a Shiny Cowbird but knew that was almost impossible.
When we finally got back to Concan, we barely had time to wash up before
supper at the cafe. There we saw Jon Dunne's group again who added Black-headed
Grosbeak (behind Cabin 15 this morning) and Groove-billed Ani, which they
saw at
Park Chalk Bluff. Mark Korducki added Baird's Sandpiper, and Carolyn Noble
from southern California added Eastern Towhee that she saw at Cabin 61. After
supper I ran into Lee Hale and family who were eating at the cafe, and he
added
White-faced Ibis and Snowy Egret to our growing list. He told me about a
marshy area near Utopia that no one had ever told me about before. Harold
and I
just may have to try to find it tomorrow.
While we were eating, another huge thunderstorm moved through the area. Since
we had no umbrella with us, we had to wait a while to get back to our cabin
without getting soaked. It was still raining at 8 p.m., so we decided we'd
have
to leave all the feeders at Cabin 61 that we usually take in every night.
Tomorrow morning we may find that the raccoons have ruined them again, in
which
case we'll have to start all over again. I think it's supposed to rain again
tonight and in the morning. All this rain seems to have a GOOD effect on the
birds. We've NEVER seen so many in one month in this area! Did I mention that
our
total is now 203????
Stay tuned to see what tomorrow brings.
Good night and love to all,
June
TopDearest All,
This has been a very large week! That's the reason I haven't written in
several days.
April 20-22 found me with a group of Hill Country ladies who meet with me
every year at this time. They are not a tour group, just friends with like
interests who enjoy each other's company. We've been doing this for at least
12
years. Maybe longer. None of us can really remember the exact year we began
gathering. Tuesday through Thursday we had a fabulous friendship retreat which
included birding, butterflying, wildflowering, eating at Neal's, and just
plain
visiting. On one of our "sits" at Cabin 61, we were privileged to
see many birds;
but the most memorable sighting was an Indigo Bunting on one end of a rock
and a Painted Bunting on the other end. Now, it can't get much better than
that!
We also enjoyed an hour-and-a-half ramble through Neal's new property, The
Woods at Neal's, looking at all the wildflowers from the smallest to the tallest
and finding Pipevine Swallowtail caterpilars that we put in a jar. Hopefully,
Harold and I will get to watch them "do their thing" from caterpillar
to
crysallis to butterfly. This group also made a trek to Park Chalk Bluff northwest
of Uvalde. We picnicked under The Big Tree and had the pleasure of the company
of Black-crested Titmice, Cardinals, Summer Tanagers, Vermilion Flycatchers,
Spotted Towhees, Yellow-throated Warblers, and the songs of White-eyed Vireos
while we ate. After tossing my apple core aside for the raccoons, we were
surprised to find a Cardinal nibbling away at it. I'd never seen that before.
I
got some fairly decent photos of it. Another bit of entertainment was provided
by a Black-crested Titmouse looking at himself in the rearview mirrow of one
of
our vehicles. He kept pecking away at his image in the mirror, trying to
drive away the invader. After lunch we drove down to the Pecan Bottoms and
saw a
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher almost diving into the river for insects. I guess
it
was scooping them up off the water's surface. Interesting to watch. One woman
saw a Great Kiskadee. We sat for a while under the oaks in the playground
listening and looking for the Tropical Parulas. I played the CD for the ladies
in
the car, and two or three of them heard the birds singing, but we never saw
them. They move around in the tops of these tall trees, making it very difficult
to see them.
Friday morning I guided a delightful couple from Arizona on a tour of the
grounds at Neal's. Jody's one target bird was the Black-capped Vireo. Finally,
he
was able to add it as number 700 on his Life List of birds in the ABA region!
I was very happy to be a part of that big celebration. Of course, we saw many
other birds during the morning as well. Jody also wanted a close-up look at
the Golden-fronted Woodpecker. While we were sitting at the Cattle Guard
feeders, a goldenfront obliged us by eating at the peanut butter log. Since
Neal's
Cafe was closed for lunch, we had a good deli sandwich and pizza at the Diamond
Shamrock in Concan.
We had a rip-roaring thunderstorm Friday night, so I had to unplug my
computer and phone to avoid having them struck by lightning. Consequently,
I never
got online last night. Today, more thunderstorms roamed the area around Concan,
and I decided to give myself the day off. I was totally exhausted from the
week's activities, so I slept late while good old Harold made the rounds filling
feeders, etc. What WOULD I do without that man???? I slept off and on all
day
in between sightings of a male Painted Bunting ourside our own cabin eating
on
the picnic table, and I didn't get out of my pj's and dressed until time to
go to supper.
Two groups had come in while I was sleeping: a Wings group and a Field Guides
group. I saw them and talked to them at supper. Jon Dunne is here with Wings
and John Rowlett with Field Guides. It's always a pleasure to have these
groups here. They, and a group from Wisconsin, and a couple from Colorado
added
several species to our list today. It now stands at 193. We may break 200
after
all. Harold and I plan to drive up and down county roads tomorrow in search
of
seven more species. Wish us luck. We just may make it by scouring every bit
of
standing water left in fields after the rains.
Stay tuned.
Love to all,
June
TopDearest All,
When we turned around after replenishing the Cattle Guard feeding station,
we
saw a small wren playing in a pile of logs. When I got my bins on it, I
discovered a House Wren, so we added a new bird to our growing overall list.
After
rounds and breakfast, someone at the store reported hearing and seeing the
Black-capped Vireo at Cabins 45, 46, and 47; so we went there and listened
for
them with no luck. We'll go back tomorrow and put a drip and seeds there.
Maybe
they're there and just didn't show up for us.
We drove to Uvalde and arrived at the Park Chalk Bluff entry road a little
after 11. This is always a good road for Bell's Vireo. We heard them all along
the road. Once we entered the park we placed our chairs under the beautiful
live oaks in the playground area where we had been told to look for the Tropical
Parula. When we first walked into the grove of trees, we saw a small bird
perched on the swing set. When we got our bins on it, we saw that it was blue
with
a light-colored front and a little tinge of orange. It was our target bird!
It didn't stay long enough to suit us, so we sat and watched and waited and
listend for an hour or so. Harold heard it singing once, and we saw a small
bird
flitting through the treetops but never could get a "beed" on it.
Soon a
birder from Pennsylvania arrived and started watching with us. She has an
incredible ear for faint bird sounds. Almost immediately, she heard it and
spotted it.
She and Harold got a good look at it. The bird kept moving around the grove
of
trees in a circle. The wind was blowing pretty hard all the time we were
there, so we didn't see much else, even though we drove to the boat dock area
and
to the Pecan Bottoms. This is the first time I ever remember birding in this
park without seeing numerous Vermilion Flycatchers. We did not see a single
one! I think it was due to the wind. Lots of Yellow-headed Blackbirds were
foraging around the Bison and cattle pens. It's always good to see them.
After a few errands in Uvalde, we got back to the cabin around 4:30. I made
rounds of the feeding areas and found they were all in need of more seeds.
We
went to supper at the cafe at 6:15 where we found a group of four from Ohio.
And while we were eating (green salad, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy,
and green peas and carrots), a Boderlands Tour group came in with Rick Taylor
as
their leader. I talked to them for a while, then the VENT group that arrived
yesterday came in for supper. I finally got to talk to Barry and Kevin Zimmer.
They have a group of 16 enthusiastic birders. After supper I visited with
several of them at the store and found out that the fellow staying in Cabin
41
put up a hummer feeder and immediately had a Rufous Hummingbird coming to
it
every few minutes. I hope it hangs around for the group coming in tomorrow.
I've been trying to get online for the last hour, but I'm not getting a dial
tone, so I'll have to wait
Love to all,
June
TopDearest All,
Sorry I missed the last two nights, but we got in so late both nights that
I
just couldn't sit at the computer to write. I intended to write this
afternoon, but instead, I took a three-hour nap, trying to recharge for next
week.
The fifth annual Nature Quest is over. In my opinion, it was our best yet,
certainly attendance-wise. Two hundred-ninety-nine participants registered.
At
the wrap-up banquet Saturday night, when Sage Kawecki was moderating, she
asked
if anyone in the audience was pregnant so we could make it a round 300!! That
got a big laugh!
My Birding By Chair groups saw a total of 57 species, and we barely left
our
chairs. All the NQ birding field trips produced a total of 144 species, which
added quite a few to our month's total. Many of them were quite unexpected,
like some warblers that we never see this far west. I'll send you the list
in a
day or two. We're now up to 185! The butterfly trips saw 75 species, and the
count is still out on plants and wildflowers. NQ participants came from 24
different states, the most ever!
So many birders were here this weekend, it seemed the place was crawling
with
them. Some were not here for NQ but on their own: Two groups from England
and
some individuals from there as well, and lots of others. Numerous NQ
participants were staying over, which is a good thing for the Texas Hill Country
River
Region. I think they liked it here, and many of them will come back!
A VENT group (Victor Emmanuel Nature Tours) arrived sometime this afternoon,
but we didnt see them because we ate supper at the cabin. I'm sure we'll talk
to them tomorrow. Barry and Kevin Zimmer are their leaders.
This morning when we were making our rounds we ran into two young men from
England behind Neal's Store. They were looking at every single bird, even
the
House Sparrows that we inherited from their homeland. We asked them if they
had
seen Eastern Bluebird. When they said "NO", I told them to turn
around. One
was perched on the guy wire from a telephone pole. They were thrilled when
they
got to see both male and female. I asked if they had seen Vermilion Flycatcher
and got the same negative answer. Harold and I told them to look far down
the
fenceline, and there sat a brilliant male! Now they were ecstatic. I told
them the best places to look for Bell's Vireo and other specialties, and later
when we saw them again, they were having incredible luck. That's what makes
this
job of Resident Birder so rewarding.
We also ran into Mike Overton who was leading a tour of Concan this morning,
looking for birds. It had just started raining when we saw him, and his group
was breaking up. Mike is a fantastic leader. Everyone who went on his trips
seemed to fall in love with him.
On our way to breakfast, we met a couple from Boston who had tried to join
one of the field trips that left at 7:30. They had gotten lost trying to find
the meeting place and were just wandering around the grounds here. When I
told
them I was June Osborne, the woman said, "So! You're NOT dead!"
She had thought
we stopped running birding elderhostels here because I had died! Thank
goodness, she was wrong! :-)
We waited to go to the cafe for a late lunch of green salad, fried chicken,
mashed potatoes and gravy, green peas and carrots, those larrapin' dinner
rolls, and cherry cobbler! Ummm, ummmm, GOOD!
We relaxed the rest of the afternoon by driving around so I could unwind
and
take pictures of flowers. I shot almost two rolls of film. We also went to
River Oaks Resort on River Road to watch for a Rufous Hummingbird that was
seen
at their feeders. We missed the hummer, but Cedar Waxwings and a Summer Tanager
were gorging themselves on mulberries in the big mulberry tree in the parking
lot. We sat and watched them for about 30 minutes. (We'll keep a close watch
on that tree this week. No telling what will show up there. When we got back
to the cabin I collapsed and slept three hours. It was a VERY LARGE WEEK!
Tomorrow we plan to drive down to Uvalde and then out to Park Chalk Bluff
to
see if we can find the pair of Tropical Parulas that one of the groups found
there. They think they are nesting. Hopefully, we'll get to see them. So far
as
I know, they've never been seen in Uvalde County.
My reports to you may be a little sporadic from now on, so don't expect one
every night. Even though Nature Quest is over, we still have a rather tight
(but fun!) schedule for the rest of the time we're here.
Stay tuned.
Love to all,
June
TopDearest All,
Another VERY LARGE DAY! SO large, in fact, that I'm going to chicken out
tonight and send you the talk I made this afternoon at 4:30. Birding By Chair
went
very well again today with 44 species. We saw a few that yesterday's group
didn't get to see. The group that went to Park Chalk Bluff saw 80 species
and
added four new ones to our list which is now at 166. I have another BBC tomorrow
then another program at 7:00. I'll read excerpts from I'd Rather Be Birding.
Here's my speech. Don't read it if you don't want to. It took 45 minutes
to
deliver. If you choose to read it, keep in mind that every underlining you
see
represents a slide.
"Wings Along the Texas Hill Country Rivers"
for Nature Quest
Thursday, April 16, 2004
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. at Neal's
by June Osborne
I think the world's a more peaceful place near a river, where steep
canyon walls carved out by its winding path draw me into a deep, mysterious
sense
of my connection with the earth. So what better place to be near the heart
of
the natural world than the Texas Hill Country River Region?
Wherever fresh water occurs, there is abundant life; and the spring-fed
rivers of the Texas Hill Country provide endless opportunities for the
enjoyment of this abundant life, where beauty awaits you at almost every turn.
Frederick Buechner said "Beauty is to the spirit what food is to the
flesh, filling an emptiness in you that nothing else under the sun can."
During these days of NATURE QUEST, I hope you are filling your spirits
with touches of beauty and wonder in the Texas Hill Country River Region,
for
here is a natural treasure chest full of precious jewels.
Come with me as I "wing it" through the Texas Hill Country, moving
from
rocky cliffs to open fields to the water's edge. With our feet firmly planted
on the earth, we will follow the wanderings of rivers and roads, moving from
one natural wonder to another in search of the avian life that wings its way
from branch to branch, pond to pond, and field to fenceline.
We shall also "wing it" through the Hill Country with all the serendipity
of birders ready to be surprised by the bird we weren't searching for at the
moment.
As Proust said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking
new
landscapes but in having new eyes."
You may awake to a pearl-gray morning, hazy with river mist playing on
the heart of the hills, bringing out surprises of beauty, like a double rainbow
stretching across the sky. Or a chalice-shaped Black-chinned Hummer's tiny
nest
, dangling precariously over emerald waters; an Acadian Flycatcher perched
in
a tree beside the water, or a handsome Black-throated Sparrow atop a mesquite.
A Greater Roadrunner may cross your path when you least expect it; or a
Jack Rabbit, with long, long ears and enormous eyes, scurries across a field
so
fast, you almost miss it.
You may be filled with awe as you scout around and see flowers delicate
as Rain-lilies growing out of rocky hillsides. And colorful striped caterpillars
that will eventually become beautiful Monarch butterflies.
If you have visited the bat cave, you were probably awe-struck when
millions of Mexican Free-tailed Bats swarmed out of the cave at sunset, dazzling
you when backlit by a snowy white thunderhead.
You may have already discovered a Verdin nest, a round, messy structure
made of sticks with the opening in the front.
We say that in the Texas Hill Country River Region "There's a vacation
reason for every season." In winter, look high into trees to see abandoned
structures, such as this 10-inch long Bushtit nest, suspended from the arms
of bare
branches.
In Spring new nests await the treasures of life, simple, delicate
dwelling places from which song will eventually echo and freedom of wings
give
flight.
Nests, round, full of warmth (like this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher's nest), a 2
1/2 inch circle of earth's tiny goodness, flown from the far corners, pieced
together and hollowed into a home.
A Zen mystic once said, "When one flower blooms it is spring everywhere."
Undoubtedly, you'll want to return to the River Region often in future
springs when wildflowers will put on extravagant displays.
The Hill Country is an area rich in endemic species of plants, such as
the exquisite Sycamore-Leaf Snowbell, each blossom smaller than a dime, its
entire range restricted to the Edwards Plateau.
Don't miss the bell-shaped Purple Leather Flower, which often escapes the
glance of the casual passerby, because its tiny dark flowers blend so well
with shadows; or the tiny star-shaped blossom of the Green Milkweed Vine.
The delicate Desert willow makes a beautiful spreading bush or tree and
is hard to miss.
Texas Paintbrush is found throughout grassy areas of the Hill Country and
sometimes covers entire hillsides; or you may find a spot that is a virtual
sea of Texas Bluebonnets.
In summer go to a spot overlooking the Frio, and watch the tubers lazily
drifting down the river.
Or be surprised when a handsome Golden-fronted Woodpecker suddenly wings
its way into view.
As summer moves into fall, cypress trees put on a show in living color
you never knew they could do. Their rippling reflections in the river add
a
touch of wonder.
As you can see, ANY time of year is a GOOD time to visit the Texas Hill
Country River Region.
Lost Maples State Natural Aarea is a good place to find two of the main
birds people come to the Hill Country to see: Black-Capped Vireo and
Golden-cheeked Warbler. Not only do you need to know what the birds look like,
but also
what they sound like. Year after year, the most likely place to find the two
birds at Lost Maples has been somewhere along the East Trail to The Pond.
As you walk beside or across Cann Creek toward The Pond, you must keep a
sharp eye out for Green Kingfishers. You have to be quick on the draw with
your binoculars because they fly swiftly and low up and down the creek.
While at Lost Maples I hope you see the colorful Scott's Oriole. They
usually sing from a high, exposed perch on the hillside across from the
restrooms. During spring migration, Lazuli Bunting is often seen at the feeders
outside park headquarters.
Ladder-backed Woodpecker is another good possibility at Lost Maples, as
are Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, and Summer Tanager.
While at Lost Maples, or anywhere in the Hill Country River Region for
that matter, you must examine every Turkey Vulture you see flying over the
canyon walls. One of them just may turn out to be a Zone-tailed Hawk!
Following the Sabinal River south of Lost Maples, you'll soon reach
Utopia! In Spanish, "Sabinal" means "place of the cypress trees."
At Shepherd's Camp
on the river, a resident Barred Owl is not too difficult to find if you ask
at the office in which tree to look. There you may also see a variety of
warblers and vireos foraging in the trees along the river bank. And you might
even
see in Utopia, Western Scrub-Jay, close cousin to the Blue Jay of the East.
Moving farther south, near the town of Sabinal, stop at the Sabinal
Feedlot, where birds abound, especially early in the morning. Lark Buntings
are
sometimes still at the feedlot well into April. This is a good road for a
variety
of sparrows: White-crowned, Lark, and Grasshopper Sparrows, as well as
Curve-billed Thrasher and Common Ground-Dove.
Brewer's Blackbird and Bronzed Cowbird are good possibilities at the
feedlot. The feedlot road is the place I photographed these Black-bellied
Whistling-Ducks. How's that for having all your ducks in a row?
Fifteen miles northwest of Uvalde, the Nueces River flows through Park
Chalk Bluff, one of the birdiest places in the Hill Country. I've often told
the
owners of the park they should name the entry road "Bell's Vireo Road,"
because
in April, Bell's Vireos are singing all along that road. Sometimes I find
their nests in low branches overhanging the road.
Also, along the entry road, look for Painted Bunting, Blue Grosbeak,
Pyrrhuloxia, Indigo Bunting, and Cactus Wren.
Sometimes a Harris's Hawk is perched on the wire or a phone pole. And
surely, you'll see Scissor-tailed Flycatcher for they, too, nest along this
road.
When you finally drag yourself away from the "entry road birds",
go to
the park office, pay your fee and pick up a map. Be sure to check out the
Boat
Dock area where all three kingfishers sometimes hang out: Green, Belted, and
Ringed.
This is also a good place to find Pied-billed Grebe, or a Great Blue Heron
doing a fly-by. Looking across the river at the chalk bluff for which the
park is named, you're almost certain to find the large stick nests of Common
Ravens.
Another almost-guaranteed-bird at Chalk Bluff is Vermilion Flycatcher.
The brilliant male looks nothing like its mate who is often confused with
Say's
Phoebe.
In the Pecan Bottoms at Park Chalk Bluff, look for nesting pairs of
Couch's Kingbird calling loudly to each other, or Brown-crested Flycatchers
nesting
in a snag on the river bank. Ash-throated Flycatchers nest in this park, too.
The last few years, I've found Red-shouldered Hawks nesting in the Pecan
Bottoms. Many, many times I've found Yellow-throated Vireos nesting in this
park on the Nueces. And more than once I've seen Great Kiskadee at Park Chalk
Bluff.
Uvalde is a small city with a big heart. Its citizens love trees so much,
they lay out their streets around them. Uvalde declared itself a BIRD
SANCTUARY after a small bird, never before seen in the U.S., was documented
in 1992
at the Uvalde National Fish Hatchery. This Collared Plover brought so many
visitors to the town, the city fathers and mothers finally caught on that
birders
bring big bucks.
Two miles outside Uvalde and located along the scenic Leona River, at the
foot of an 80-million-year-old extinct volcano, Fort Inge County Park is a
good place to look for birds. You may see a Bullock's Oriole and a Yellow
Warbler
, perched in the same tree.
Watch for Spotted Sandpiper bobbing across the dam on the Leona, Common
Moorhen near its banks, and Wood Ducks paddling in mid-river.
Moving north of Uvalde on US Hwy 83, in some years the Dry Frio River is
not so dry. Cliff Swallows nest under the HWY 83 bridge that spans the Dry
Frio. And if you drive along the winding road to Reagan Wells (RR 1051), you'll
cross the river at several low-water crossings. At some place you will almost
surely see Vermilion Flycatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Lesser Goldfinch, or Black
Phoebe.
The road is so winding, the clouds and hills seem to play tag with each
other at every turn. Sometimes they reflect in quiet pools making it seem
as if
you're looking into a mirror, and making it difficult to know if you have
the
slide in the carousel right side up or upside down.
Eight miles north of the Dry Frio, on HWY 83, you come to the
intersection of SH 127 where Cave Swallows sometimes make their homes under
the picnic
pavilions. Any old mud puddle will do for their nesting materials, which they
glue together with saliva, and plaster to the sides of pavilions, houses,
under
low highway culverts, or in caves.
Less than half a mile east of this intersection you'll see Neal's Lodges
and the Frio River.
Many birding arenas scattered around the grounds at Neal's await you. For
desert birds, you may choose the feeding station just across the cattle guard
on the road behind Neal's Store. For hummers and martins, go to the cafe
where sugar-water feeders hang at every window and a Purple Martin house stands
beside it.
No matter which arena you choose, the show goes on from daylight until
dark on the Frio.
At one of the "theaters," the proscenium arch is framed by juniper
boughs. The small stage is tucked in among junipers and agaritas. The props
are
simple: two sugar-water feeders; seeds in a hanging tray, and seeds scattered
on
the rocks and ground.
At mid-stage the magic ingredient is water dripping from a 2-and a
half-gallon jug into a saucer, splashing over the river rocks inside.
When the spectators arrive, the show is already in progress. We take our
seats and wait expectantly for the next act to begin. The feathered symphony
in the background comprises a Canyon Wren's song cascading down the bluff;
"Cheer, cheer, cheer!" from a Cardinal; twisted notes of a White-eyed
Vireo, and
loud, jumbled phrases of a Long-billed Thrasher. Ever present and beneath
it
all are the drawn-out calls of dozens of White-winged Doves asking "Who
cooks
for you?"
"Ooooohs" and "ahhhhhhs" arise from the audience as a
brightly-colored
Hooded Oriole comes to the sugar water for a sip of nectar.
A Spotted Towhee, decked out in black hood and spotted black cape enters
from the back, scratching through the seeds on the stage floor.
The bird dressed in rainbow colors, a male Painted Bunting, makes a cameo
appearance. Then his unassuming mate appears.
The fans are on the edge of their seats. Although enjoying the
performances of these actors, they still have not seen the star some of them
traveled
thousands of miles to see--the Black-capped Vireo. Some spectators have winged
their way to the theater many times and sat for hours, trying to catch his
award-winning act. They know how lucky they'll be even if they catch a glimpse
of
where he was.
CHANGE CAROUSELS HERE:
Suddenly, a hush falls over the audience as chattery notes fill the air.
Soon, the star, outfitted in a jaunty black cap and white goggles over fiery
red eyes, enters. He flits about between the water dish and the low-hanging
juniper boughs and puts on a show at center stage, enchanting the audience.
Instead of bursting into applause, the spectators sit in stunned silence,
knowing
they have witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime scene in nature's on-going drama.
Just when you think, "It can't get any better than this," someone
plops
an extra cherry on your banana split, or so it seemed a few years ago when
a
couple from England found a Golden-cheeked Warbler nest behind Cabin 61.
Golden-cheek males begin singing to claim their territory as soon as they
arrive in Texas in early to mid-March. A true native of the Lone Star State,
Golden-cheeked Warbler is the only species on the North American list that
nests only in Texas after winging its way from its Central America winter
home.
The golden-cheek nests only where mature ashe junipers grow (commonly
known as "cedar"). The warblers don't necessarily nest IN the junipers,
but they
must have long strips of bark from these trees to weave into their nests.
No
other material will do!
Ideal nesting habitat for the golden-cheek is found in juniper-oak
woodlands distributed along steep scarps and canyons and may contain various
proportions of oaks and other hardwoods.
A diversity of grasses, shrubs, vines and wildflowers is important; and
it helps if water is nearby. Because Golden-cheeks are insectivorous, it
follows that the more diverse the habitat, the greater the variety of insects.
If you want to find this endangered warbler, you must be able to
recognize its soft, wispy song.
As I sit before April's proscenium arch, I know the "squeaks, squawks,
whistles, and chattering clucks" come from a Yellow-breasted Chat. The
"jumbled,
bubbling notes" are the Rufous-crowned Sparrow. "Lilting songs"
emanate from
a distant Canyon Wren. And the sound like a "bouncing ping pong ball
coming to
rest" is an Olive Sparrow.
A few years ago, for the first time in my many years of birding along the
Frio, I saw a Gray Catbird through the juniper boughs. It appeared at the
water dish for several days. Also, for the first time ever, a pair of
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks hung around the same area for a couple of days..
The sight of a Yellow-throated Warbler always about takes my breath away.
While you're in Concan, don't miss the River Oaks Resort Nature Trail,
beginning at the miniature golf course on River Road. The trail is cut through
40 acres of some of the finest juniper and oak woodland on the Frio. In March
2001, Bob Behrstock found a singing Hutton's Vireo there, as well as a singing
Golden-cheeked Warbler. Since then, both birds have been seen there on
numerous occasions. This well-kept trail is well-worth checking out.
This year, YOU have had orchestra seats for the spring performances of
these and many other wandering troubadours winging their way along the five
rivers that run through the Texas Hill Country River Region.
A little before sunset, come with me to my favorite spot on Earth,
the highest point overlooking Frio Canyon. Through cypress branches, look
down and see the river winding its way through the canyon like a coach-whip
snake
on a dusty country road.
Standing at the edge of the cliff, wait with me for "great light"
to give
way to "little light."
The sinking sun's golden glow caresses the hillsides and cypress canopy
and kisses the river goodnight.
Night comes quickly to the Texas Hill Country. Shining out of the
darkness of space, a crescent moon casts its silvery light on the river.
I try to memorize every detail ~ the water, the boulders, the sky, the
birds, the butterflies, the stars and comets, the trees, the roots like melting
wax flowing into the cold water.
I claim the watercolor landscape, washed in hues of holy calm and
cathedral quiet, knowing that in the days to come, the remembrance of this
"rivertime" will be the deep well from which my spirit can drink
its sweet amen of peace.
I am in love with the Texas Hill Country River Region.
Dearest All,
We got up a little before 6 this morning and had to rush to be ready for
my
Birding By Chair (BBC) session at 8. Tomorrow we plan to get up a little
earlier.
Sixteen people showed up for BBC, 18 with Harold and me. I led them by golf
cart. The first bird we saw was a Golden-fronted Woodpecker going into a
nesting hole in one of the large oak trees in front of Neal's Store. We stopped
at
the Eastern Bluebirds' fence and saw male and female going in and out of the
nesting box. We discovered the pair of Vermilion Flycatchers (that earlier
were
on the same fence) had moved farther down the fenceline along Hwy 127, but
we
still had good views of them. At the Cattle Guard feeders we saw the usual
stuff with some people seeing the Black-throated Sparrow.He's a little too
quick
for some. We had both American and Lesser Goldfinch. On a walk down the road
almost everyone got good looks at Bell's Vireo.
Halfway through the morning we had a pit stop at Cabin 35 before driving
across the river to Cabin 61 where we spent an hour or so at the feeders then
took
a short walk up the Birding Trail. Unfortunately, we didn't even so much as
HEAR the BCV. We ended the morning with 37 species, and we hardly left our
chairs.
Almost everyone in the group ate lunch with us at Neal's Cafe. We had a
delicious chalupa plate and chocolate pudding for dessert. After lunch I played
the
BCV and GCW songs for the group. Tomorrow I will play them BEFORE the field
trip.
It's almost 9 p.m., and I am suddenly brain-dead. Let me just tell you that
Harold and I and a small group of birders finally SAW the Black-capped Vireo
this afternoon, a short distance up the Birding Trail at Cabin 61. We went
over
there to meet Roger Breedlove from Alexandria, LA. He's one of the field trip
leaders for Nature Quest. He saw a Hooded Warlber there yesterday, and we
tried to find it again with no luck. Someone from the Houston area showed
us a
Vermilion Flycatcher's nest. We'd been looking for one. We'll try to show
it to
tomorrow's BBC group.
I will do a slide presentation tomorrow at 4:30 p.m., titled "Wings
Along the
Hill Country Rivers." Maybe I'll send excerpts of the speech tomorrow
night
I must get to bed.
Good night and love to all,
June
Dearest All,
I have a feeling these nightly missives will become increasingly shorter
as
this week progresses. Nature Quest began today. Six events got it off to a
good
start. We went to lunch at the House Pasture Cattle Company and greeted some
of the speakers and field trip leaders. Not everyone is here yet. We sat
across from John and Gloria Tveten. After lunch we led them to Neal's so they
could
see some of the habitat here. They liked it for their butterfly workshop,
which is tomorrow afternoon, and they decided to have it here.
On our way from House Pasture back to Neal's, John said a Painted Bunting
flew across the road between our cars. The first one of the season and my
favorite bird! Pray that more have arrived and will be singing in the morning
for my
group. Roger Breedlove, one of the field trip leaders, was scouting at Neal's
and reported a Lazuli Bunting! Look THAT one up in your field guide! It comes
through here on migration almost every year.
We finished getting feeding areas all ready for my Birding By Chair "field
trip" tomorrow morning. We had Oscar, one of Neal's crew, to come and
do some
weed-eating at our Cattle Guard station, and we rearranged the chairs so
everyone would have a good view of the feeding area. Harold and I went over
there
after supper tonight to try out the new arrangement. I think it's going to
work
fine. Now if the birds will just cooperate. While we were there we saw
Black-throated, Clay-colored, Chipping, and Field Sparrows; and there were
more
hummers buzzing around the one sugar-water feeder than we had seen. Harold
counted
fourteen on the feeder at one time, and numerous others were perched in the
trees awaiting their turns.
Couples arrived at Neal's today from North Dakota and Buffalo, N.Y., among
many others. The ones from N.Y. are staying in Cabin 61, so we had to explain
our strange habits of being on the front porch of their cabin very early in
the
morning and late in the evening when we put out and take in the feeders so
the
raccoons won't raid them at night. Pam Moes from Waco and her mom from
Nebraska also arrived today. We ate supper with them and had a good visit.
As usual, Harold and I were busy all day. We hope everything goes well
tomorrow. We're going to have to get up awfully early to get all our chores
done
before my field trip at 8 a.m., so I'd better get to bed.
Good night and love to all,
June
TopDearest All,
At the end of each day, Harold and I say, "Whew! That was a busy one!
What
did we do all day?" We stay busy from the minute we get up until we go
to bed.
We've got this "filling the feeders" down to a science. I scatter
the seeds,
and Harold takes care of the water drips (filling them and making sure the
water
is hitting the water dish) and fills the hanging feeders that I can't reach.
I fill or refill the sugar-water feeders and he hangs them. We have them color
coded so they'll always be in the same places. It takes us about 45 minutes
to make the rounds. That is, if new birders are not there for us to talk to.
If
they are, naturally, we like to talk to them. This morning we met a group
of
20 from the Seattle Audubon Society: four adult leaders and 16 high school
kids. I suppose they are on Spring Break. They're really a neat bunch of people.
We talked to some of the kids this afternoon, and they seem to know a lot
about birds. I told them I was proud of them and wish there were more young
people
just like them, getting into birding. Also met a couple from Connecticut who
had e-mailed me earlier to order my Concan guide. They were busy looking for
you-know-who! The Black-capped Vireo. And Greg and Becky from Houston were
making their last rounds before leaving for home and getting back to the "real
world." (Sometimes I like to think THIS is the real world.)
Yesterday, while we were at Cabin 61, we discovered that a pair of Carolina
Wrens are building a nest in the barbecue pit. I guess we'll have to post
a DO
NOT DISTURB sign on it so no one will barbecue the wrens. They were really
busy taking nesting materials inside the open grate. One of them took in a
long
strip of bark from an ashe juniper just like the Goldencheeks use for their
nests. I hope nothing scares them off. It will be fun to watch their progress
each day.
We had promised Philip we would help him get the conference room, Cabin 35,
ready for the first event of Nature Quest, which is tomorrow. The cleaning
crew
had cleaned it, and Philip had the chairs all out and the screen pulled down
for slide presentations and the PA system plugged in and ready to go. Harold
and I arranged the chairs and made sure the table for the slide projector
was
in the right place. Harold taped down the extension cord that runs to the
projector. Hopefull, no one will get tangled up in it. The first event of
NQ is a
River Ecology workshop from 2-5, led by Sky Lewey. We meet tomorrow for lunch
at the House Pasture Cattle Company with all the speakers and field trip
leaders.
My first event is "Birding by Chair with June" Wednesday from 8
a.m. to Noon.
It will be a birdwalk around the grounds at Neal's. I'll lead the group by
golf cart, since the old gray mare ain't what she used to be. I'll do this
with
different people Wednesday through Saturday. There will be approximately 25
people in each group.
And speaking of NQ, I may not be able to write you every single night this
week, so if you don't hear from me, don't worry. I'll get back to you as soon
as
time allows.
Harold and I drove to Uvalde today for a few supplies and went to the Fish
Hatchery to see if we could pick up any new birds for the list. No new ones,
but
we enjoyed sitting in the blind for a while. After errands were done in
Uvalde, we had a hankering for another root beer float and grilled cheese
sandwich,
so we stopped at the Rexall Drug Store again. I don't know what it is about
driving into Uvalde, but once we hit the city limits, my taste buds kick in,
and we have to go there. :-)
Since the cafe was closed tonight, we went down the road to see Randy and
Inky at the Outdoor Cafe, Frio Canyon Smokehouse, for supper. They have the
best
bar-be-cue, potato salad, and baked beans! It was too cold to eat outdoors,
so
we brought it back to the cabin to eat.
On our way over to 61 to take down feeders for the night, a deer crossed
the
road in front of us just as we were turning into the drive. If it's not
cottontails or jackrabbits, it's deer! We love it! But we really do have to
be
careful and "watch for deer" as well as other wildlife. And I hate
it when we hit a
beautiful butterfly while driving.
I keep forgetting to tell you to check Neal's web site so you can see the
new
cafe and new cabins. It's www.nealslodges.com. They're also posting my daily
letters to you on the web.
Oh, by the way, our 150th bird was the Merlin.
Good night and love to all,
June
Dearest All,
We had a very stormy night last night, so the sunrise service was washed out.
It was still raining at 8 a.m., so we slept a little later than usual. It
has
been a very different Easter for us, mostly because of the weather. Since
it
wasn’t raining this afternoon, we decided to take a little drive to see
what
we could find. We hit the jackpot. We saw a Vermilion Flycatcher perched on
a
pole at the edge of a field blanketed in Bluebonnets. Scissor-tails were
playing “Who can find the most insects?” on a pool of rainwater
dotted with grass
and wildflowers. We took a little county road that I had never been on before,
and Harold remarked that maybe we’d experience serendipity. Sure enough,
we
did! We found Yellow-headed Blackbirds in a pasture with cattle. Also found
some
Greater Yellowlegs in standing rainwater, and a Harris’s Hawk on a pole.
When
we got back to Concan, Greg and Becky from Houston had finally found the
resident Spotted Sandpiper on the river at Neal’s, which we had missed.
Our total
list now stands at 149. What will number 150 be? Who knows?
Since today is Easter, I’m sending you an essay I wrote for the Waco
Trib
three years ago. I know, I should have sent it last night so you would have
it
for today. But here it is.
“Resurrection”
Frederick Buechner said, “Beauty is to the spirit what food is to the
flesh. It fills an emptiness in you that nothing else under the sun can.”
Two weeks ago I sat in Lake Shore Baptist Church, contemplating the
beauty of the stained glass windows. Suddenly, I thought, since I’m going
to
Concan for an extended stay, I’ll miss Easter. Then I realized, I won’t
miss Easter
at all. I’ll simply be in a different sort of sanctuary with signs of
resurrection all around me.
Instead of a structure of bricks and mortar, my place of worship is on
the banks of the Frio River where I am certain bright angel feet have trod.
Frio
Canyon, carved by the river over eons, provides its hallowed walls. Wispy
clouds floating overhead form the vaulted ceiling; river rocks smoothed and
rounded by the rushing water, a mosaic floor; rippling reflections in the
bottle
green water, the stained glass. Stately cypress trees raise their lacy arms
toward heaven in praise and adoration.
Missing are the rich tones from Karrin Ford’s talented fingers’
flying
over the keys of the organ in prelude. The introit on this Sunday is a Canyon
Wren’s song cascading down the walls of the cliff. The choir’s anthem,
instead
of being directed by Richard Aslanian, is replaced by a feathered symphony.
Come with me on this Palm Sunday Eve and fill your spirit with touches of
beauty and wonder in the Texas Hill Country where you may wake to a
pearl-gray morning hazy with river mist playing on the heart of the hills,
bringing out
surprises of beauty. Following a sudden afternoon shower look for a double
rainbow arcing across the sky, a field of coreopsis its “pot of gold.”
As we walk along the river, an Acadian Flycatcher amuses us with its
squeaky, rubber ducky sounds. A Roadrunner scoots across our path when we
least
expect it. A handsome Black-throated Sparrow pops into view atop an agarita,
singing its tinkly silver tune as invocation.
A Jackrabbit with ridiculously long ears and enormous eyes scurries
across a field so fast, we can easily miss it.
Who would think butterflies, jewels of the insect world, emerge from
furry caterpillars or flowers delicate as sycamore-leaf snowbells grow out
of
rocky hillsides?
Discover a Black-chinned Hummingbird’s nest, no bigger than a walnut,
dangling precariously from a cypress limb over the cold river. Watch swallows
scoop mud from puddles with their beaks to mold into basket nests.
In this time of resurrection new nests await the treasures of life,
simple, delicate dwelling places from which song will eventually echo and
freedom
of wings give flight--nests, round, full of warmth, circles of earth’s
tiny
goodness flown from the far corners, pieced together and hollowed into homes.
At dusk we converse with the Great Horned Owl that lives on the cliff
above the river. We’re awe-struck watching millions of bats swarm out
of a cave,
dazzling us when they’re silhouetted against a snowy white thunderhead.
At eventide, come with me to the highest point overlooking Frio Canyon.
Through cypress branches below, see the river winding its way through the
canyon like a coach-whip snake on a dusty country road. Standing at the edge
of the
cliff, wait with me for “great light” to give way to “little
light” as the
sinking sun’s golden glow caresses the hillsides and cypress canopy and
kisses
the river goodnight.
Night comes quickly to the Texas Hill Country. Shining out of the
darkness of space, a crescent moon casts its silvery light on the river in
benediction.
Claim the watercolor landscape washed in hues of holy calm and cathedral
quiet for your sanctuary. Drink deeply from this wellspring of beauty, filling
the emptiness of your spirit with its sweet amen of peace.
Love to all,
June
Dearest All,
Wow! What a day this has been weather-wise! It was 52º at 7:30 a.m.
with fog
and drizzle. We could barely see from one side of the river to the other.
By
mid-morning that had burned off and we had a few hours of sunshine. We were
eating a late lunch at 2:30 and noticed that the sky was getting dark. At
3 p.m.
the cool front hit with a vengeance. The wind was howling like crazy and dust
was swirling around like a whirling dervish, then the rain came. The
temperature began to drop, from 72º at 3 p.m. to 52º at 3:45. We
rushed over to Cabin
61 to take down the feeders in case it was still raining later. At 5:30 the
sun
was shining after what was probably a 3-inch rain.
During the drizzly part of the morning, we met a couple from northern Wales
at Cabin 61. They wanted advice on where to go between here and South Padre
Island. They said they had a few days to kill. I suggested that King Ranch
would
be a good stop for them.
Now let me back up a bit. In between the fog/drizzle of early morning and
the
storm at mid-afternoon, we had a pretty nice day. During that time I met a
couple from Colorado. His sister from Ohio was with them. They were planning
to
stay only one night, but after I talked to them, they decided to stay a while
longer. They said they had no set agenda. I saw them at the store after
supper. They were trying to decide what to do tomorrow.
After supper we met a young couple from Houston. They were standing, watching
the feeders at our cabin because they had heard it was a good place to see
the Hooded Oriole. It was almost dark by that time, and the oriole did not
show
up. They, too, decided to stay another night to try again tomorrow for the
oriole and the Black-throated Sparrow.
At 8:45 Saturday night it is 49º and thundering again. I guess this
front is
not through with us yet. We were planning to go to the Easter Sunrise service
at Big Tree Ranch tomorrow morning. It's doubtful now that it will even take
place.
Who knows? We may have another lazy day ahead of us. That's OK with us,
because we know that once Nature Quest begins on Tuesday, there'll be no let-up
until next Sunday. Can't wait to see the folks who come from far and near
for
this wonderful (5th annual) event!
Happy Easter Eve, everyone. We couldn't be in a better place to anticipate
resurrection in all its natural forms.
Love to all, June
Good Friday, April 9,
2004
Concan, TX. Sunny to mostly cloudy. 50º - 78º
Dearest All,
I’m sorry I didn’t get yesterday’s journal entry e-mailed
to you last night.
I was just worn out and couldn’t sit at the computer another minute.
That’s
why you’re getting two days’ worth tonight. I have to send these
late at night,
because my computer is on the same phone line as the cafe, and I have to wait
until they are closed to get online. That’s why you receive these so
late some
nights.
Today started out sunny and cold, if you can call 50º cold. When we
were
making our rounds, we heard the BCV singing at Cabin 61. A California woman
was
there looking for that rascal of a bird. When we came out of the drive and
turned to go back across the river, the water looked still and placid, like
a
mirror with cypress trees and cabins reflected upside down. (Of course, the
camera
was not in the car!) Closer to the bridge, the water goes over a rise in the
rocks and was flowing very swiftly from there on down. A group of young men
were in the store getting ready to go tubing. I hope they had a safe trip.
After chores and breakfast I parked near the bluebird nest box and took some
pictures. The sun was just right on the birds. Using the car as a blind helped
get me closer to the birds than I could have gotten on foot. Then I saw the
CA woman with her husband. He came over to the car and told me we had met
sever
al years ago when he was here birding with his three brothers. I remembered
seeing them back then and thinking how neat it was for four brothers to be
birding together as adults.
Yesterday’s new birds totally filled the poster where I post the list.
We now
have 132 species. This morning I taped a blank column to the poster for
additional species. While I was working on the list, Harold tended to our
“washing
clothes” chore for the week. I don’t know what I’d do without
his help! I
would probably have to go around in dirty clothes! :-)
This being Good Friday means that people are pouring in for the weekend.
The
weather today is great, but the forecast for the next two days doesn’t
look so
promising for those visitors who want to play in the river. With all this
Easter weekend festivity, the weekend won’t be so good for birding, so
this is a
good chance for us to have a change of pace. I plan to rest all afternoon.
Then we’ll go to the cafe around 6:30 for the Friday night special: fried
catfish, hush puppies, French fries, cole slaw, lima beans, corn on the cob,
etc.
Mmmmm, mmmmmm!!!!
Well, it’s now “after supper”, and we’ve just gone to
take in the feeders at
Cabin 61. No one is staying there this weekend, so maybe our sanctuary will
stay intact. Hopefully, we AND the birds are all tucked in for the night.
Love to all, June
Dearest All,
Today has been a very quiet day. Several groups left this morning after
breakfast: The Arizona, Michigan, and England groups. The Waco group left
BEFORE
breakfast. The Ft. Worth group is still here and the couple from Virginia
and a
young woman from Michigan. The five of us are going to meet for supper at
6:30.
After making our rounds this morning, we came back to the cabin for
breakfast, because by that time the cafe was closed. After breakfast we went
up the
hill toward Cabin 56, where two women saw the Golden-cheeked Warbler last
week.
We took our folding chairs and sat for a while but never saw or heard a peep
out of it. Then we met the Smiths (from VA) at Cabin 61. The Arizona group
had
seen the BCV on the hill beside 61 this morning, and someone else had seen
it
in the sanctuary. We heard it several times while we were there, but it never
came into sight.
After lunch in the cabin, we got in the car to do some driving. I wanted
to
see with my own eyes what the flood had done to the low-water crossing on
Farm
Road 2690, the road to the bat cave. The water is still over the bridge, and
there’s lots of debris. Someone told us the bridge is damaged, but we
don’t
know how badly.
We drove on down 127 to the Knippa road and drove almost all the way to
Knippa. I was trying to find a spot where I saw White-faced Ibis and Cinnamon
Teal
a couple of years ago after a heavy rain. I finally found the spot, but there
was no standing water. Along the road, however, we saw lots of Scissortails,
and we’ve decided that road is the Red-winged Blackbird capital of the
world.
They were everywhere. We also saw some kingbirds and had to look very carefully
to see if they had white outertail feathers, which would have made them
Western Kingbirds. We finally determined that they had no white on the notched
tail, and there was a dark patch through the eye, making them Couch’s
Kingbird!!!
Another new bird for our list.
We turned around at the outskirts of Knippa and started back toward Hwy 127.
When we got to the intersection we decided to turn south toward Sabinal and
go
down FR 2730 to see if the heavy rain had left the ponds a little more full
than they were last week. The only bird we found on the ponds was one Killdeer,
but an interesting looking hawk was sitting on a fence post near one of the
ponds. We looked at it for a long time, and I took several photos of it. It
turned its head almost 180º to look at us. We debated about whether it
was a
Northern Harrier or a Swainson’s Hawk. However, it turned its head and
showed us
the white chin. We decided it was a Swainson’s and confirmed that i.d.
when it
took off flying. We also saw a male Northern Harrier cruising low over the
same field. We think males of that species are some of the most beautiful
of
North American hawks. (The Northern Harrier was also new for our list.)
We checked on the hummer’s nest and, much to our dismay, discovered
that the
flood had washed it away. I guess that when I saw the hummer leave the nest
the other day when we were watching the river rise was the last time she was
in
the nest. I hope she tries again somewhere else and lets us find her.
I got my pictures of the flood back today. I got some pretty good ones. Wish
you could see them, but I have no way to send them to you by e-mail. I could
see the limb where the hummer nest was, and sure enough, the water rose that
high!
While we were eating supper, the Ft. Worth group leader reported to me two
more new birds for our list: Blue Grosbeak and a Northern Bobwhite that they
saw
in the Sabinal Feedlot area.
More tomorrow.
Love to all,
June
Dearest All,
Well, today was not as exciting as yesterday! But we were grateful for blue
skies and sunshine all day. Harold and I got up extra early this morning so
we
could get all our “chores” done before breakfast at 8. At that point
we still
couldn’t get across the bridge to go to Cabin 61. The water was down,
but the
bridge was covered with rocks.
After breakfast we picked up our sack lunches and headed to Garner State
Park. We went to two different locations where we’d been told to look
for
Golden-cheeked Warbler. Didn’t find it at either place. We drove through
the park and
saw that not much damage was done by the rise yesterday and decided to drive
on to Lost Maples to enjoy our picnic lunch. When we got there the staff told
us the best place for GCW was on the East Trail. Lee Hale (please forgive
if I
got his name wrong.) had been up the same trail 30 minutes earlier and showed
us some video he had taken of a male GCW harvesting strips of ashe juniper
bark for its nest. So we left the office with high hopes.
By the time we got to the overflow parking lot, four of the group had decided
they would sit in the van while the other four of us went up the trail. I
took a folding chair, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it as
far as
Harold and Gordon and Janda Hill. After we crossed the creek on the large
stepping
stones, I found a shady spot and stayed put. In just a few minutes, the four
men from England came walking down the trail. They were ecstatic that they
had
had good views of the GCW in the Pond area, a good one-mile hike (one way).
They reported that they saw a Common Black-Hawk in the park, and skeptical
old
me asked if they were sure it wasn’t a Zone-tailed Hawk. They were quite
adamant about its being a Black-Hawk. Then along came the group from Fort
Worth;
and lo and behold, they, too, reported a Black-Hawk. Some of them had recently
seen them in West Texas or Arizona, and they looked at the book and studied
it
for quite some time and determined that it couldn’t be anything else.
So I
added it to the list, even though its range is much farther west. (But then,
look
in the book at the range of the Short-tailed Hawk! The group from Canada saw
IT last week at Lost Maples.)
Harold, Gordon, and Janda returned shortly after having HEARD the GCW but
not
seeing it. We got back to the group around 12:45 and left immediately for
the
picnic grounds near the river. Our sack lunches, prepared by Rodger and Chase
at Neal’s Cafe, consisted of roast beef salad and pimento sandwiches
(two
separate sandwiches), fruit, chips, and cookies. They make the best of both
here
at Neal’s. Their pimento cheese has always been one of my favorites,
and
Rodger “invented” the roast beef salad a couple of years ago.
The Fort Worth group ate at a picnic table about 50 yards from ours, and
when
we headed for the vans, their leader, Bob Scott, came over and told us a
Goldencheek had flown right over their picnic table and landed in the tree
above
them! Some people have all the luck!!!!
On our way back to Concan we stopped in Utopia and drove through the city
park hoping to spot a kingfisher or Black Phoebe. We struck out on all counts.
But when we turned on a wrong road, we found a large rain puddle with four
Blue-winged Teal paddling around. Sometimes it pays to get lost.
When we got back to Neal’s we checked at the store to see if it was
safe to
go across the bridge so we could put the feeders back out at Cabin 61. The
highway crew had cleared it off while we were gone. When we got there, a group
from Arizona had been there looking and listening for the Blackcap. They had
heard it but not seen it. I guess I’m going to have to name him “El
Diablo” again
this year if he doesn’t improve his willingness to be sociable.
Another group was here from Michigan. All the groups who had planned a trip
to the bat cave tonight were disappointed to learn that there was no way they
could get there due to flood damage at a couple of low-water crossings.
Hopefully, that situation will improve before Nature Quest next week, because
many
trips are planned for people to see the bats.
I met a couple from Fairfax, VA, who had been planning to come to Concan
ever
since they read an article I wrote for WildBird about Neal’s in 1999!
Through
the years, I wish I had kept up with the number of people who have come here
for the same reason.
Supper tonight was fantastic, as usual: baked catfish, tartar sauce,
twice-baked potatoes, lima beans, and the best dinner rolls on the continent--perhpas
even ON THE PLANET! We bid farewell to the Waco group tonight after supper.
They plan to leave for home in the morning at 6:30. They are always such a
delight when they visit here.
Keep your fingers crossed for us to continue to have good weather, even
though the weathermen are predicting rain and cold for Easter Sunday! What
do they
know???? I’ll let you know if they were right or wrong. We’re hoping
for the
latter.
Love to all,
June
Dearest All,
Wait until you hear what happened today! This VERY LARGE DAY started this
morning at 3:45 with a streak of lightning and a clap of thunder. Then the
rain
started and didn’t let up until after 7 this a.m. The thunder rolled
and
rolled, and we thought it would never stop lightning. It was still raining
when we
got up, so there was no need to make our rounds of feeders. When we stepped
out
the door at 8 to go to breakfast, David, a young man who lives here, greeted
us with the news that a 14-foot rise was expected on the Frio this morning,
so
we should not cross the river to go to 61 because we might get stranded
there. The group from Waco (Champe & Virginia Fitzhugh, Jack & Marian
Jeffrey, and
Gordon & Janda Hill) decided to go to Uvalde, and Harold and I opted for
staying here.
At 10 a.m. the river was flowing clear and green. People were beginning to
gather at the bottom of the hill where the HWY 127 bridge is. At 10:05 the
rise
came. By the time we got down to the bridge, the water was already cascading
across, so we were just a minute late to see the wall of water coming down
the
canyon. We were in awe at the debris that started careening down the muddy
river: driftwood, logs, whole uprooted trees, ice chests, tree stumps, small
propane tanks, inner tubes, a paddle boat from Garner State Park, several
miles
upriver, and all kinds of junk! We stood there a while and I took pictures.
Then
it dawned on us that the camcorder was at the cabin. We raced back to get
it,
but Harold could not get it to work even though he tried two different
batteries. We’ll just have to be satisfied with still shots.
Rumors were flying almost as fast as the water was rising. It turned out
that
there was an 18-20-foot rise, half the rise of the flood of 2002. We went
up
to Cabin 42 to sit on the porch and watch. When we got there the road to the
campground 100 feet below us was already under water. Thank goodness, warnings
about the flood came early enough to get the people out who were staying in
the cabin closest to the river. We watched a volley ball net on the rocky
beach
across the river (that Harold said is normally about 9 feet tall) as it
gradually disappeared beneath the roiling furor. The cypress tree where we
found the
hummer nest the other day is about a hundred feet directly below Cabin 42.
Believe it or not, from that distance (and with my binoculars) I saw the hummer
leave the nest then return. At that point the water was approximately 10 feet
below the nest. Thank goodness it never reached the nest. But we’ll certainly
keep tabs on it and let you know if the flood scared the little hummer to
death or if she tacitly sits on that nest for the duration. I’m betting
on the
hummer!
It was amazing to watch from this side of the river as the water reached
and
covered the driveway that goes up to Cabin 61. It never reached the cabin,
but
it came awfully close. On this side of the river it got to the base of the
porch at Cabins 27 and 28. Our cabin is high enough that we were in no danger
whatsoever.
We watched some of the young cypress trees swaying as the rushing water and
debris slammed into them. Mentally, I begged them to hang on and not give
up!
We saw a Black Phoebe flying around, as if looking for the bridge where I
am
certain she was working on a nest. Cave and Barn Swallows were fluttering
around
cabins 27 and 28 where they already have nests that are probably loaded with
eggs. Harold saw a large kingfisher fly downriver. We’ll never know if
it was
the Ringed!
I’ve been here during floods several times, but Harold had never seen
such a
sight. About lunch time, when the Waco folks returned from Uvalde, the water
began to recede. They were shocked to see what had happened the short time
they
were gone. By supper time water was still across the bridge but had gone down
considerably on either side. Piles and piles of white river rocks were once
again deposited on the bridge. (Where DO they all come from? And where does
all
the debris end up?) Rodger assured me at supper that the highway crew will
have the rocks and debris cleared from the bridge by tomorrow morning. So
maybe
we’ll be able to get back to Cabin 61 by sometime tomorrow. Never fear!
The
water did not reach the Black-capped Vireo’s hillside.
After lunch Harold and I drove down HWY 83 to see how high the Dry Frio had
risen. I’ve never seen it with so much water! But it did not get as high
as the
bridge.
We’ve heard all sorts of rumors about various low-water bridges that
may have
been partially or totally washed away. We’re beginning to wonder how
all this
is going to affect Nature Quest, which begins one week from today. The
headquarters for the festival, House Pasture Cattle Company Restaurant, is
halfway
between two crossings that are rumored to be heavily damaged. It will be
interesting to see what’s on the news tonight and in the newspapers tomorrow.
Later this afternoon we DID get to do a little birding with Champe’s
group at
the Cattle Guard feeders, which are nowhere near the river. From 4 to 5, we
watched Black-throated, Lark, and Clay-colored Sparrows. Black-chinned
Hummingibrds and Black-crested Titmice were picking cotton for their nest
linings. And
it seems that House Finches are EVERYWHERE!
After supper I went to the store to make some phone calls after which four
or
five guys from England were waiting to talk to me. They’re here for only
two
nights and want to make the most of their time. They went down the list and
asked where to find their “target” birds. I hope the instructions
I gave them
will help them have a productive day tomorrow. If they hit all the spots they
mentioned tonight, they’ll have a Large Day indeed. The rain is supposed
to stay
away for at least two days, and they are predicting more rain and much cooler
weather beginning Easter Sunday. What WILL this mean for Nature Quest????
Stay tuned.
Love to all, June
Dearest All,
This will probably be another quickie tonight. It’s already after 10
p.m.,
and we need to get to bed for another early morning tomorrow.
We met a couple from California this morning when we were filling the feeders
at 61. They were on a 56-day birding trip (on their own) and were having a
ball. They’d been watching and listening for the BCV. I hope they saw
it after
we left. They were going down to The Valley after they left here then on to
southern Arizona.
When we got to the Cattle Guard feeders, Elaine Robbins was there. All the
chairs were filled with rain water, but she didn’t seem to mind standing.
She
asked if there was a better place for her to see the birds this morning. I
told
her she was in just the right spot. We didn’t see her again before she
and her
parents left.
We needed to go into Uvalde today, so we decided to make a fun day of it
(actually, only 3 or 4 hours). After doing all our errands there, we ended
up at
the Rexall Drug Store where they still have an old fashioned soda fountain,
and
they serve lunch. We had our usual grilled cheese sandwich and root beer
float. A young couple at a seat near us had ordered a cherry soda. It looked
so
good! Harold said he hadn’t had one of those in about 60 years!!! :-)
Maybe I
can talk him into having one the next time we go. We had a good visit with
Alan
Carmichael, the pharmacist who owns the Rexall. We are convinced he is
Uvalde’s best ambassador. He LOVES Uvalde and talks it up to all his
out-of-town
customers. He told us to be sure to drive by the new library that is going
up a
few blocks from downtown. We did, and it is fabulous. He said it will serve
not
only as a library but also a museum. It’s a 5 million dollar project.
Quite an
undertaking for a town whose population is less than 15,000 souls. I told
Harold on the way into town, I think Uvalde is the smallest BIG CITY I’ve
ever
seen. There’s always something exciting going on there.
We decided to come back to Concan via a different route, so when we got to
Farm Road 2690 we turned off of US 83. It was a good choice. We added four
new
species to our list. Since it had rained all day yesterday, water was standing
in the fields like small lakes. In one of those spots we got three of our
new
birds: Upland Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Lesser Yellowlegs. Farther
on
down the road we saw two winter-plumaged Lark Buntings on a phone wire.
Hooray! We saw another bird that was very distant. I thought it could be a
White-tailed Kite, but I couldn’t be sure, so we didn’t add it to
the list. I’ve seen
them in the area before. Maybe someone else will have the fun of finding it.
Then we’ll add it. We also saw wide expanses of Bluebonnets in the fields
on
2690. Absolutely breathtaking!
A group of 12 birders from Ft. Worth came in this afternoon. And my group
of
six from Waco arrived shortly after they did. We all had scheduled supper
for
6:30, and a few other birders also showed up. I took my CD player and CD of
birds of southern Texas to the cafe to play the BCV’s song for everyone.
Some of
them had told me they needed to refresh their memories of it. Hope someone
not only hears but sees it tomorrow.
It started raining again tonight when I went to make some phone calls at
the
store. According to the weather men, it was supposed to rain all day today,
but it didn’t. Now that more birders are here, it will probably rain
tomorrow!!!
Even as I write these words I hear raindrops hitting our tin roof. Should
be
a good night for sleeping.
We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
Love to all,
June
TopDearest All,
Today turned out to be a SMALL DAY, but believe me, we needed it! We met
with
Elaine Robbins, the person writing the article for Texas Highways, a little
after 8:00. Her parents from New Jersey were with her. She’s putting
together
an article on the Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail - West, the new addition that
Texas Parks & Wildlife has just announced. The new map is now available.
You
can get one at Neal’s if you’re in this area, or order it from TP&W.
Since Harold and I were just about to make our rounds of the feeders, we
led
Elaine and her parents to Cabin 61, so she could get an idea of what we do
at
Neal’s to attract birders. Shortly after we arrived at 61, it started
raining.
They had spent the night last night at Bluebird Hill B&B between here
and
Utopia and needed to get back there for breakfast, so we didn’t get to
show them
very much. I really wanted to show them the hummer nest, but by the time we
got to it, it was raining too hard to put the scope up for them to get a good
look at it. They left Neal’s at 9:30 but came back here later to spend
tonight.
I saw them again briefly after supper.
A huge line of thunderstorms came through here beginning around noon and
lasted until around 5:00. I love to hear that rolling thunder that seems to
keep
on rolling and echoing from hilltop to valley and back again to hilltop. The
lightning was pretty constant, so I had to unplug my computer. We sat at the
windows and watched the birds that didn’t seem to mind the rain: American
Goldfinches, House Finches, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Black-chinned Hummingbirds
who
drank sugar water like it was going out of style; and the male Hooded Oriole
honored us with his presence with his time at the jelly jar. The rain and
the
birds had a rather hynotic effect on me, so I gave in, put on my pj’s
and
crawled back into bed. I slept soundly for almost four hours! Harold spent
the
afternoon reading, watching the birds, and nodding off now and again.
We ate supper at the cafe, which is normally not open on Sunday evenings.
But
since there were several birders here they opened just for us. Of course,
I
had my usual good time of table-hopping and talking to everyone to see how
they
had spent this wet Palm Sunday afternoon. Surprisingly, many of them had gone
to Lost Maples to see the Golden-cheeked Warbler and got soaked in the
process. But they saw the bird!!!!
Well, that’s about all for today. We were grateful for a time to slow
down
and relax a little after such an intense week. Looking forward to a group
from
Waco tomorrow. More tomorrow night.
Love to all, June
Dearest All,
This is going to be a quickie tonight. It’s already after 10 p.m., and
we
lose an hour of sleep tonight and have to get up early. So I’ll just
try to hit
the hightlights of this Large Day.
We started the day by making our rounds to all the feeders. Since this is
a
weekend, there are lots of folks here, including two large groups of
motorcyclists. One of the two groups is from England. We still haven’t
figured out how
they got their bikes here. We’ll make it a point to ask one of them tomorrow.
When we got to Cabin 61, a couple from Houston was there. They had heard
the
BCV but didn’t see it. Later in the morning, word got around that someone
else
had actually SEEN it in the middle of the sanctuary. They didn’t say
if it
came to the water drip or not, but at least, it was there!! Great news!
Two women from Alabama discovered a singing male Golden-cheeked Warbler up
the hill from the Cattle Guard feeding area. Another bit of good news! We’re
hoping the male’s singing is a good sign that a pair will nest here (and
that we
can find them!). These two women also added Nashville Warbler to our list.
Tom Hince’s group from Canada had a wonderful day of birding here at
Neal’s
and at the Frio Bat Cave. They added several new sightings to our list
including a Barn Owl that flew over their cabin at dusk, a Rock Wren and Commom
Poorwill at the Bat Cave, and a kettle of Swainson’s Hawk. While we were
sitting
with their group at the Cattle Guard, one lone Swainson’s flew over and
gave us a
show. The group got to see Black-throated Sparrow while we were with them.
This sighting evoked quite a few ooohs and ahhhhs.
Harold and I checked on the hummer nest late this afternoon and discovered
that the little female had added lichen to the outside of the nest, so it
looked
quite different from the first day we found it. We’ll check on it everyday
and keep you posted. Two women from Louisiana found two more hummer nests
down
by the river, but we didn’t get a chance to see them. One of the highlights
of
the day for Harold and me was getting to watch a female hummer get pieces
of
the raw cotton I had placed in a tree near their feeder at the Cattle Guard.
What an amazing thing! The female picked quite a large piece from the wad,
and
immediately, a male started doing his swinging dance in front of her. Wish
we
could find THAT nest!
I tried and tried to find Bell’s Vireo for a woman from Canada and another
from Wisconsin. I took them in the golf cart down the Cattle Guard road. We
kept
hearing it, but it wouldn’t pop into view. They will try again in the
morning.
Harold and I put out several more hummer and sunflower feeders at the cafe
today. We’re trying to give those (people) who come to dine a show at
every
window.
Tomorrow I’m supposed to meet with a woman who is writing an article
about
the Hill Country for Texas Higways magazine. She wants me to show her the
sights
at Neal’s. She didn’t say exactly what time she’d be here,
so we may not conne
ct. I’ll let you know tomorrow night.
By the way, our list is up to 116 species now.
What WILL tomorrow bring? Stay tuned.
Love to all,
June
Dearest All,
Wow! What a Large Day this was!! We didn’t stop from the moment we got
up
until we - - - well, until we GO to bed. I woke up at 4:15 a.m. and had a
hard
time going back to sleep. We intended to get up early to go fill all the
feeders, but not THAT early, thank you very much. When I woke again at 7:30
I heard
thunder, and rain was hitting the tin roof, so I rolled over and went back
to
sleep. No use filling the feeders in THIS weather!
After a quick breakfast at the cabin, we went over to the store to tell them
we were leaving for Sabinal and wouldn’t be back for several hours. After
my
haircut we wanted to do a little birding. I always like to let them know where
we’ll be at any given time in case someone is looking for us.
It rained off and on all the way to Sabinal and looked as if it would keep
it
up all day. By the time Lona finished my haircut it had cleared off a little.
We went to Brown’s Pharmacy for a delicious lunch. They converted a beautiful
old bank building into a really nice pharmacy and fountain where they serve
gourmet lunches. I’d recommend eating there to anyone!
After lunch we went to the Sabinal Grain Company to talk to the owner, Danny
Dean. He is trying to diversify his ranching business to include nature
tourism. I had been told he wanted to talk to someone for some pointers. I
told him
Dan Brown was the man he needed to talk to. I also told him to talk to Sage
Kawecki, director of the Texas Hill Country River Region. I’ll try to
go to his
ranch myself before we leave here. I wish him all the success in the world
for
his endeavors.
We birded on the Sabinal Feedlot road for 30 or 40 minutes and saw many,
many
Brewer’s and Red-winged Blackbirds, White-crowned Sparrows,Loggerhead
Shrikes, mockers, doves, and three Crested Caracaras, among other things.
We were
disappointed that we saw only three Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks flying over
the
pond at the end of the road where we usually see hundreds. You really need
to
bird that road early in the morning for the best results.
We got back to Neal’s between 2:30 and 3. We HAD to do some washing,
so we
got that started then went into the store because we had told Mary Anna we
would
help her with a few little chores. Then, while I worked on the bird list to
post in the cafe and the store, Harold tended to our washing. All this time,
things really started hopping in the store. Friday afternoons are always busy,
with weekenders checking in. But I was totally surprised at the number of
birders who checked in while a rip-roaring thunderstorm was underway and
flash-flood warnings kept coming over the internet. A large group from Canada
with Tom
Heinz as their leader arrived. Tom has brought groups here for several years.
They had had a fantastic day of birding between San Antonio, Lost Maples,
Kerr
Wildlife Management Area, and here. He and his group added a number of bird
sightings to our growing list. They had one serendipitous sighting that everyone
in the group was excited about. Before they got to Kerr, they stopped beside
the road for a good look at a Western Scrub-Jay. While they were enjoying
the
jay on one side of the road, two Black-capped Vireos popped into view on the
other side. The group had had good views of the Goldencheek as well, so Tom
said the pressure was off and they could really enjoy the rest of the trip.
They
had a rare glimpse of a Short-tailed Hawk from the East Trail at Lost Maples.
Their group will be here at Neal’s until Sunday morning. We’re all
hoping the
weather will be better for birding tomorrow. However, their bird list for
the
day in the rain wasn’t bad!
We got to eat supper in the NEW part of the cafe, because by the time we
got
there at 6:15, only two small tables were unoccupied! Every table in the old
part was packed. While we were waiting for our orde