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Wingin'
It
by June Osborne |
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Bird
List for Concan
Birds seen in area covered by Birder’s Guide to Concan, Texas (and surrounding area) Code for locations:
Pied-billed Grebe--CS |
Wingin’
It for June 8, 2005 “The Pecan Grove Trail” by June Osborne Who would ever think a pecan grove could be a virtual sanctuary for birds AND birders? I should have known, because it was in The Pecan Bottoms at Waco’s Cameron Park where the birding bug first bit me 30 years ago. There my mentor Jean Schwetman pointed out colorful warblers that I never knew existed until that day in 1975. It should have come as no surprise then, that the new Pecan Grove Trail we opened on April 1, on the grounds of Neal’s Lodges in Concan proved to be a huge success. Let me back up a bit. Four years ago Neal’s owners bought 200 acres of property adjacent to their lodges. It is loaded with prime wildlife habitat. When they took me on a tour looking for new birding hotspots, I noticed a huge grove of pecan trees at the outer edge of the property. Since there was no road to the site I dismissed it as being a possible location for birders to visit. However, the vision of those pecan trees and my memories of the warblers in Cameron Park ate away at my imagination for three years. I dreamed of a spot where we could put bird feeders and birders could go and sit to wait for birds to come to them. Early last winter, I asked if it was possible to cut a road to the grove. The owners said yes. I was ecstatic. When Harold and I visited Neal’s in January, a road had already been cut, and the grove was easily accessible by car or foot. We drove the 1.2-mile trail and decided where signs should be placed to make it easy for birders to follow. Now, I told the owners, all we needed was a source of water to make a bird-feeding area complete. When we arrived at the end of March, a large sunflower feeder swung from a pecan limb, and a waterline had been laid reaching the edge of the grove. Neal’s crew took the base from an old shower stall, set a faucet in the middle where the drain would have been, and voila! They created a dandy bird bath with a drip. We installed a pole for a sugar-water feeder. Everything was falling into place. But would the birds find this oasis as attractive as I had dreamed they would? It didn’t take them long to find the seeds. House Finches and American and Lesser Goldfinches were gorging themselves at the large feeder when we arrived, and Chipping and Lark Sparrows were feeding on the seeds on the ground. Birds are naturally drawn to water, but MOVING water is a stronger magnet than STILL water. On April 1, we took the folding chairs from the back of our Suburban, found a shady spot to sit with binoculars and notebook in hand, and turned on the faucet to a slow, steady drip. The drama that unfolded over the next five weeks was a birder’s dream come true. Pecan trees are some of the last to unfurl their spring foliage, so we got to witness this miracle from day to day as leaves came out and “tassels” formed, and “the grove” became more and more a peaceful, shady spot to sit, birds or no birds. But the birds came, and they continued to come. And the birders who visit Neal’s Lodges from all over the world were amazed at the birds they saw. Every day we added new species to the list as a result of that tried-and-true combination of food, shelter, and water in the right place. Since warblers eat insects, and pecan trees harbor insects, it naturally followed that warblers and other insectivorous birds would show up. Before the month was out we had seen 17 species of warblers and 9 species of flycatchers and swallows, among many others. After foraging in the trees, the warblers came to the water for a drink or a dip. What fun to see Eastern Bluebirds and Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, and Golden-cheeked Warblers bathing at the same time. Painted and Indigo Buntings and Blue Grosbeaks perched on the faucet, turned upside down and drank directly from the drip. Brilliant male Scarlet Tanagers and Lazuli Buntings took our breath away when they appeared at the fount; and Ruby-throated and Black-chinned Hummingbirds played in the mist from the water splashing on the rocks we placed in the basin. From April 1 through May 5, our last day in Concan, we recorded 78 species of birds from that one spot. Who, indeed, would have thought a pecan grove could be a magical place? (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) Wingin' It for April 20 Dear readers, as Mae West often said, “Too much of a good thing is wonderful.” I hate to sound like a broken record, but we are still having such a wonderful time that this will be my last letter to you from Concan for this April. The days are simply not long enough for me to see everything there is to see and do everything there is to do and write, too. So I’m taking a little time off and will write you again in two or three weeks after we return home. Some days I close my eyes and imagine myself in a tropical rain forest. Hearing the array of squeaks, squawks, whistles, chattering clucks, jumbled, bubbling notes and lilting songs, I could just as easily be in Central America or Panama. I open my eyes and discover I’m not in Central America or anywhere near Panama, but rather I am seated once again at one of the “theaters” at Neal’s Lodges on the Frio River. The juniper branches are still heavy with moisture from the shower the night before. Droplets of water, backlit by the sun peeping over the hill, cling to the green boughs like sparkling lights on a Christmas tree. The cast of characters includes a variety of colorful birds. I know the “squeaks, squawks, whistles, and chattering clucks” are coming from the Yellow-breasted Chat that is hunting for insects. I’ve never understood why the chat is classified as a warbler. It certainly doesn’t warble. Nevertheless, Icteria virens at 7.5 inches is largest of the wood warblers. Its size, long rounded tail and stout bill defy its scientific classification, as most wood warblers are in the 4.25- to 5.75- inch range with thin, pointed bills. Since the chat is usually shy and retiring, we are surprised when he appears at center stage. He is anything but shy when he boldly hops under the drip and begins splashing water in all directions less than ten feet away from our chairs. The “jumbled, bubbling notes” are from the Rufous-crowned Sparrow. He always sings off-stage before entering. The “lilting songs” emanate from a distant Canyon Wren. The sight of a Yellow-throated Warbler always just about takes my breath away. The gray and white bird has a large white patch on each side of its head, black around the eyes, white wing bars and bright yellow on its upper breast and throat. It usually forages high in the cypress trees along the Frio, but this one is in the junipers, completely oblivious to its audience. When it flies out to catch an insect, it is so close we hear the snap of its bill when it catches a small white butterfly. In my opinion, Yellow-throated and Golden-cheeked Warblers would come in neck and neck if there were a beauty contest for warblers. The Golden-cheek’s black and white body provides a perfect foil for the stark yellow of its cheeks. Other birds in the chorus line today provided a constant parade of living color. Hooded Orioles came often to the sugar-water feeders as well as the bird bath for a sip of plain old water. A Blue Grosbeak with wide chestnut-colored wing bars made a cameo appearance, then disappeared into the nearby thicket . The Olive Sparrow enjoys plunging into the water full force for a thorough soaking as do Lincoln’s and Clay-colored Sparrows. By contrast, the White-eyed and Bell’s Vireos act as if they are afraid of getting wet. Tentatively, they flutter above the water, dip only their tails, then fly to a branch to preen. While we are sitting in the pecan grove, a majestic Red-shouldered Hawk flies over and we see the “windows” in his wings. All this action could have taken place in a rain forest. Almost the entire cast of characters spends its winter months in Central America, some as far away as Panama. I’m glad we had tickets for the spring performances of these wandering troubadours making their way through the Texas Hill Country. These soul-restoring experiences in nature have been wonderful, indeed! I’ll see you again soon. Meanwhile, keep on wingin’ it. Love to all, June Wingin' It for April 13 Hey Gang! Things are so hectic (but good!) here I decided to go ahead and send you this week's Wingin' It a couple of days early. For those of you who actually receive Hometown News, my column probably didn't make into this week's paper. I got an e-mail (too late) today saying their computers were down last week when I sent it to them, and I found out too late in the day today to make the deadline. We've had British birders all over the place the last few days as well as lots of folks from other countries and states. Everyone, of course, wants to see the BCV, which we haven't even HEARD the last two or three days, much less seen. Please understand that parts of the essay I'm sending you tonight were written in other years. I sort of recycled and old column and tried to update it a litte. But the part about the BCV happened in another year. But as you may imagine, we're always hopeful that it will happen again this year. “Through Juniper Boughs” by June Osborne (Concan, Texas) Dearest readers, I’m sitting before April’s proscenium arch once again at Neal’s Lodges in Concan, Texas. Juniper boughs define its shape. The stage is a small wooded glen, no bigger than my office at home. Three large boulders form the backdrop. All observers have orchestra seats at this outdoor theater. Stage props are simple: A hummingbird feeder hanging from a branch, an oriole feeder from another, a tray feeder with sunflower seeds from another, a 2.5 gallon water jug with a spigot suspended four feet above a water dish filled with river rocks. The water drips slowly, splashing over the rocks. Its sound and motion attract birds from all over the scrubby hillside. An Eastern Phoebe, nesting under the eaves of the nearby cabin, flies down and deftly catches a single droplet of water falling from the jug, the same way it catches insects on the wing. Bushtits snatch yellow butterflies from the juniper canopy, carrying them to their hanging basket nest. The parent birds are so small, I can’t imagine how tiny their hungry nestlings must be. A Rufous-crowned Sparrow wrestles a white butterfly, shakes it until the wings come off, then devours the insect body. A Carolina Wren, so intent on its search for food on the ground, walks across the feet of a birder standing in its path. As if on invisible wheels, a Long-billed Thrasher scurries across the road toward the water dish. Another follows. The two have a conversation in bird Latin, then go in opposite directions. Even though it’s noon, a cacophony of feathered sounds surrounds us. A Northern Cardinal proclaims “cheer, cheer, cheer” to the audience. White-winged Doves ask repeatedly, “Who cooks for you?” A Spotted Towhee invites us to “drink teaaaa!” A Bewick’s Wren’s high, thin buzz and warble enchant the audience. We hear the bouncing song of the Olive Sparrow before it approaches the water. It plunges in, tries to immerse its entire body in the shallow water, hops up to the dish rim and shakes all over before plunging back in for another soaking. A Yellow-breasted Chat’s squeaks, squawks and whistles, not like a song at all, entertain us. Occasionally, we catch a glimpse of its brightly colored yellow vest as it forages for insects among the juniper boughs. It delights us when it comes to the water for a drink a few feet in front of us. A dainty Yellow-throated Warbler lands at the water dish and takes off too quickly for our slow eyes before joining the chat searching for moths. An azure-blue Western Scrub-Jay darts across the stage every few minutes, lands in a patch of sunlight and grabs a mouthful of peanuts. Suddenly, we hear a persistent string of varied, twittering two- or three-note phrases and know the star for which the audience has been waiting is approaching. Some spectators have flown across the Atlantic Ocean to see this bird. The audience holds its collective breath, waiting for the bird to appear. A male and a female Black-capped Vireo silently hunt for bugs and butterflies in the branches over our heads. They’re so close we hardly need binoculars. When they’ve been onstage just long enough for everyone in the audience to see them, the birds make their exit. Instead of bursting into applause, we sit in stunned silence. One man who has sat here all morning for the last four days quietly announces he’s coming back tomorrow to see if he can spot the vireo five days in a row. In the Texas Hill Country the wondrous beauty of spring is slowly coming to life. The foliage on the ancient cypress trees that line the Frio River is beginning to show its lacy green. Minuscule yellow and purple flowers are peeping their heads above ground. Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Black-crested Titmice, Verdins, and Hooded Orioles are gathering bits of cotton we have placed on bushes near their feeders to line their nests with softness in preparation for eggs in the coming days. Having wonderful time. Wish you were here! Love to all, June. (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) Dear Ones, I know many of you were expecting my daily reports from Concan in the form of Large Day letters. Sorry to disappoint you. We have been so busy since we got here a week ago, with all our other responsibilities, I barely have time to get my weekly column written. There are simply not enough hours in the day for me to do the things I'd like to do. We're working our tails off trying to beat the night critters to our feeders at three different feeding stations scattered around the grounds at Neal's. We have to take them in at dusk and put them out again in early morning. Have already "entertained" visitors from Texas, NY, MD, MN, England, and Scotland. And of course, many more are on their way. The large groups will begin arriving this weekend. Last Friday I had a book signing in Leakey for a small bird supply store at its grand opening. Tomorrow I speak to the Sabinal Civic Club and have a book signing there after touring a ranch outside town that is trying to get bird tourism started. Got signs posted on our new Pecan Grove Trail at Neal's on Monday. Don Castello, our photographer and good friend from Waco, spent the day with us yesterday and stayed to watch the Baylor Lady Bears become the national champs in the NCAA tournament. Yay! Lady Bears! Don is staying at the above-mentioned ranch and taking pictures for their web site. As you can see, our days (and nights) are filled with interesting people and interesting birds. Will write you as often as I find the time. Love to all, June Wingin’ It
April 6, 2005 For the next few
weeks my column will come to you from Concan (not Cancun!) at the southwestern
edge of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. I serve as “Resident
Birder” at Neal’s Lodges for the month of April every year.
Located on the Frio River, Concan is 80 miles west of San Antonio at
the intersection of US 83 and Texas 127. Wingin’ It March 30, 2005 “Holy Owls” of Holy Week by June Osborne On a magical Monday night, I heard a guttural “Hoo-ahh!” The sound was so soft and indistinct I thought I imagined it. After several minutes it came again. This time Harold heard the soft “Hoo-ahh” too. Strix varia was somewhere in our backyard. On rare occasions in years past we’ve heard the Barred Owl’s familiar call in our neighborhood: “Who-cooks-for-you? Who-cooks-for-YOU-awl?” I stepped outside, owl spotlight in hand, hoping for a glimpse of this denizen of the night. The oh-so-soft, quavering tremolo of an Eastern Screech-Owl, Otus asio, greeted me from the front yard.Wow! Two owls in our yard in one night. Surprising, since Barred Owls often eat screech-owls. Surprise was not yet finished with us. After we went to bed we heard a loud “Whoo! Whoo-whoo! Who-who-who!” coming from outside our bedroom window. Then we knew Bubo virginianus had joined the clan. We went outside in our pajamas and listened in awe as the Great Horned Owl stole away farther and farther from our house, still calling. Do we live out in the country where owls’ preferred habitat exists in abundance? No. We live in a quiet Waco neighborhood. We’ve now heard “Hoo-ahh” countless times at night AND in the daytime. Is this elusive owl nesting in a hollow tree in our backyard? Stay tuned. Hearing the owls aroused my curiosity about a pair of Great Horneds that have nested in Hewitt for several years. I wrote a story about them in 1999. Since they can live up to 30 years, we decided to see if they were still there. We drove to Brazos Meadows Baptist Church, pulled into the parking lot and looked across the road to the other side of the railroad tracks where the owls nested before. The nest tree was gone. Looking around, we spotted a large stick nest in the crotch of a tree near Hewitt Community Church. From that distance it looked empty. We drove to that church’s parking area. Using the car as a blind, we saw the silhouette of a Great Horned Owl’s head above the rim of the nest, its ear tufts blowing in the wind. We got out of the car and set up the spotting scope. The mother owl’s sleepy face popped into view. Her half-open yellow eyes locked into the “eye” of the scope as if she were observing us from her hackberry hideaway. We don’t know when the nesting began. Incubation of their one to three eggs takes 28 to 35 days beginning with the first egg. During incubation the male brings food to the brooding female. When will the owlets appear? Whooo knows? Nancy Bratcher, one of my readers, told me about a Red-tailed Hawk’s nest at Hewitt Park. The last two weeks I’ve spent hours observing the two nests, with my tripod and camera set up beside the busy streets. Dozens of cars have passed, but amazingly, not one person has stopped to ask what I was watching. Nancy also told me about a Barn Owl roosting in the roofline of yet another Hewitt church: Unity of Greater Waco. We went to their beautiful meditation garden and found whitewash on the roof under the owl’s favorite perch, but Tyto alba was not at home. Two men of the church, Allen Lee and Leonard Prnka, told us church members have named the owl “Strafer” since it delights in dive-bombing “Chris” their church cat. With Chris the cat living under the church and Strafer the owl in the attic, church mice at Unity don’t have a chance. The nesting owl and hawk dramas on Hewitt Drive will soon be behind closed curtains. In a few days unfolding leaves will obscure the nests. Not even the most powerful telescope will be able to penetrate the thickening foliage. We can only imagine the unfolding events. You will read these words the week after Easter. But the stories of the “holy” owls came to light for us during Holy Week, reminding us once again that “all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, in love God made them all.” (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) (For questions or comments, e-mail June at jobirder@aol.com.) Wingin' It for March 23 Wingin’ Flying Rainbows by June Osborne Spring and fall are the most thrilling times of all to be a nature-watcher. For then one of God’s greatest miracles occurs right before our eyes--the mass movement of entire populations of certain species of birds from one location to another, in many cases from one hemisphere to another. The words “spring migration” invoke images of north-bound Sandhill Cranes by the thousands calling to one another as their lazy-V formations crisscross the heavens; wildly honking geese heading for watery nesting grounds; the plaintive “kip-ip-ip” of Upland Sandpipers whistling in the night; soft wispy notes of warblers floating through the tree-tops; and the repetitious, yet musical, “pill-will-willet” of Willets, lake-hopping their way between Tierra del Fuego and Alaska or Canada. Experts have pondered the mysteries of migration for centuries and still don’t know the answers to many of the questions. The odyssey of a hummingbird’s migration is a mystery in itself. How does that tiny atom of bird life find its way year after year from hundreds of miles south of the Mexican border to the same branch of the same tree to rear its young in spring? During fall migration, how do young hummingbirds, born in Central Texas in the spring, find their way all alone to their winter homes in Central America? As Sara Lee might say: “Nobody doesn’t like hummingbirds.” As long as humans have watched these avian gems they've found it almost impossible to describe them without using superlatives. Pete Dunne, bird writer extraordinaire, says: “They sneer at gravity, laugh at physics, and humble the colors of the rainbow." These feisty little birds, not much bigger than some insects, have feathers that glow or change colors at the slightest turn of the head or body. They seem to fly at the speed of light frontward, backward, up, down, side to side, and even stand still in midair. Hummers are often referred to as the “flying jewels of summer.” Many were named for jewels they best depict: White-bellied Emerald, Glittering Emerald, Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Ruby-topaz, Ruby-throated. The names alone conjure intensely colorful mental images. Worldwide there are more than 340 species, all in the Western Hemisphere. The two most common where we live are Ruby-throated and Black-chinned. Their eastern and western ranges overlap in Central Texas. Both species nest here. You may see them from mid-March until late October. Black-chins and Ruby-throats are metallic green above and whitish underneath. Both males have slightly forked tails with no white spots and dark gorgets (throat patches). The Ruby-throat's lights up to bright red when seen at the proper angle. The Black-chin's flashes purple. The females seem identical at first glance. The female Black-chin's throat is all white or may show faint dusky or greenish streaks. The female Ruby-throat’s is white with no streaking. Both females have double-rounded, white-tipped tails. The Ruby-throat's bill is about 1.1 times the length of the head, from base of bill to back of head. The Black-chin's is noticeably longer at about 1.5 times the length of its head. When the birds are at rest, check wing length. The Black-chin's rounded wingtips reach almost to the end of the tail. The Ruby-throat's pointed wingtips barely reach past the base of the tail. Now is the time to put out sugar-water feeders. Many hummingbird experts now recommend this formula: one part pure cane sugar to three parts water. This more closely matches the sugar content in flower nectar than the former ratio of 1.4. Stir the sugar with warm water until it’s dissolved. No need to boil or add red food coloring. Most feeders have red on them. Store leftovers in the fridge. No matter how many hummingbirds I see or how many words I write about them, I never cease to be awestruck by the iridescence and artistry of these mystical creatures, these microcosms of wonder, these jewels of the bird world, these flying rainbows. What mystery! What power! What infinite glory wrapped in feathers, radiant color, and motion! The least we can do is offer hummers a welcoming spot on their long journey back home . (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) (To ask questions or make comments, readers may e-mail June at jobirder@aol.com) Wingin' It for March 16 Wingin’ America’s First Backyard Birds by June Osborne Ready or not, they’re here! Purple Martins are one of the earliest neotropical species to return to the U.S. from their South America winter home. Their average date of arrival in Central Texas is February 15, give or take a couple of weeks. It’s time to get those martin houses cleaned up and put up. Humans have intentionally managed housing for North America’s largest swallow since the first native Americans hung hollowed-out gourds in their villages to attract these special birds to their lodges. Early European settlers were quick to follow their example, and today over one million North Americans provide housing for Purple Martins, either nestboxes or gourds. So you might say that these handsome swallows were this country’s first “backyard” birds. Today, Purple Martins, especially those east of the Rocky Mountains, are almost totally dependent upon humans for their housing needs. Historically, martins nested in abandoned woodpecker holes or natural cavities. With the onset of urban sprawl, logging, and “clean farming,” most of these cavities disappeared; and competition became fierce among our native cavity-nesters. Later, human intervention became imperative with the introduction into our country of House Sparrows and European Starlings. If you find them in your martin houses, kick ’em out! At 7 1/4 to 8 1/2 inches long, Purple Martins weigh about 1.75 ounces and have a wingspan of around 15 inches. During their second winter, males become glossy blue-black above and below, giving them a purple sheen. Adult females are duller, with a sooty-gray forehead, neck, and underparts. Young males resemble females except for dark spotting on the chin, throat, breast, flanks, and undertail. Martins have short bills and wide gapes. Flying with their mouths wide open, they trap insects at 100 to 200 feet above the ground. Contrary to popular belief, Purple Martins do not eat large quantities ofmosquitoes. Most mosquito species are simply not available for martin consumption due to the insect’s nocturnal and low-flying habits. Because of their huge appetite for insects, martins are extremelybeneficial to gardeners and farmers. Their diet is almost 100% “aerial plankton”: flying ants, beetles, butterflies, cicadas, damselflies, dragonflies, (drone)bees, flies, grasshoppers, hoverflies, katydids, mayflies, midges, moths, stinkbugs, and wasps, with only about 3% being mosquitoes. Being colonial nesters, many pairs will nest close to each other. Martin colonies in excess of 350 pairs are not uncommon. Most martin houses contain several “apartments.” Four is the minimum number a landlord should make available. The more the merrier. Cluster multiple houses within about 10 feet of each other, as opposed to spreading them all over your yard. Add gourds to expand your colony. Martins favor white housing. Oil-based white paint helps reflect heat from the house and protects wooden houses and gourds from the elements Proper placement of martin houses is vital. Erect them on telescoping poles (for ease of lowering for nest inspection and cleaning) in open areas at heights between 10 and 15 feet and at least 40 feet away from taller trees or buildings. A site near a body of water is all the better but not necessary. It’s impossible to place martin houses too close to human housing. The birds are social creatures and insist upon living near human dwellings. They use utility wires or antennas as perches for singing, resting, and preening If you’ve had a martin house for several years and the martins simply haven’t bought it, move it to another location. Even a few feet may make all the difference. For extra calcium and grit in their diet, offer crushed eggshells in a pan attached to the pole or on a platform feeder nearby. Place nesting materials--bits of string, yarn, twigs, or woodchips--on the ground or a raised platform. If you are trying to attract martins to an unestablished site, these items may help grab their attention. Martin dawn song recordings are available commercially. Playing these on spring mornings can be the key to establishing a new colony. Wherever Purple Martins reside, whatever their reasons for being attracted to towns, city-dwellers welcome “America’s first backyard birds” to our neighborhoods and miss their friendly chatter and bubbling song when they are gone. (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) Wingin' It for March 9 Wingin’ Lake Waco Wetlands by June Osborne One afternoon Harold and I drove out to the 180-acre Lake Waco Wetlands for our first visit since its opening in August 2004. It’s at the upper end of the lake along the North Bosque River at 1752 Eichelberger Crossing Road off FM 185. What a voyage of discovery was in store for us! Nora Schell, Program Coordinator, escorted us into the rotunda of the beautiful 5,000-square-foot Research and Education Center. Everywhere we turned, something new waited to be discovered: aquariums with aquatic plants and fish from the lake for closeup study; a case filled with plaster casts of animal footprints; photos of flowers, trees, birds, and other animals of the area; a 30-student classroom with basic science equipment; a research lab for Baylor biology students and professors. I could go on and on. Two of the most impressive exhibits in the center are a twelve-panel mural-in-progress by Jody King, an art instructor at MCC, and a display of pastel paintings of waterfowl. King’s finished mural will be about 15 feet tall, depicting the levels of habitat in the Wetlands, from underwater, upwards into the sky. The outstanding waterfowl paintings are by budding young artists from Robert Meek’s sixth-grade art class at Midway Intermediate School. Climb the stairs to a balcony-level observation deck, ideal for warbler-watching come spring migration. No more “warbler neck” from looking UP from beneath the trees. You’ll be able to look DOWN on them. I can’t wait to try it! Floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of nestboxes, bird feeders, and the wetlands beyond. We sat on comfortable wooden benches at the windows for thirty minutes and racked up a list of 26 birds, including several winter sparrows, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Cardinals, woodpeckers, American Goldfinches, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet flashing his red crown, and more. Members of the Central Texas Audubon Society have already recorded almost 140 species of birds on the property, including a spectacular Roseate Spoonbill. Walk out the back door onto a 500-foot concrete walkway that is ADA-approved. Meander down to the water, stopping at three observation decks to view birds at feeders and in the woods; owl, bluebird, and Wood Duck nestboxes that we hope will soon be occupied; ducks, grebes, and coots swimming and feeding among the aquatic plants; Swamp and Song Sparrows in a tangle of cattails; egrets and herons fishing at water’s edge; and hawks and vultures flying overhead. Thanks, Boy Scout Troop #453, for building one of the decks. Even the trail itself is educational. Schell said that when the crew was pouring the concrete she went behind them, placing leaves from the surrounding trees in the wet cement. After the roller passed over them, leaf impressions were permanently embedded in the walkway. Animal tracks from deer, raccoons, ducks and bobcats are there as well. How did this environmental project come about? In an effort to mitigate the loss of wildlife habitat when Lake Waco was raised seven feet, the City of Waco, U.S. Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joined forces in 2001 to begin construction of the wetlands. Not only does the Wetlands provide habitat for aquatic plants, insects, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, and birds, it also filters approximately 11 million gallons of water each day from the North Bosque River, helping improve our water quality. One of the most popular features is a Nursery Area, six acres where volunteers take plants from the surrounding area and transplant them for future use throughout the Wetlands. The Wetlands is open Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4 pm, and alternating Saturdays, 8 am - noon. Special Saturday family events are planned throughout the year. Coming up shortly: Spring planting day, April 2, and “Marsh Madness”, May 7. Call 254-848-9654 to volunteer or for details on these and other environmental workshops and children’s summer daycamp programs. As we got into the car to leave, Purple Martins circled above the Visitor Center as if checking out this living laboratory that will provide opportunities for research, education, and recreation for many generations to come. Why don’t you check it out for yourself? (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) (For more info about the Wetlands click here) (To ask questions or make comments, readers may e-mail June at jobirder@aol.com) Wingin' It for Feb. 23 “Fruitcake and Honey Buns” by June Osborne When birders think "warblers" they usually think of some of the most colorful birds that migrate between the tropics and our continent twice each year: fiery-throated Blackburnian Warbler, yellow-all-over Yellow Warbler, or gold-capped Chestnut-sided Warbler, to name a few. National Geographic’s “Field Guide to the Birds of North America” (fourth edition) describes 58 warbler species recorded in the U.S. In Central Texas we're lucky if we get fleeting glimpses of a third of these “butterflies of the bird world” during spring or fall migration. In the winter we have a good chance to observe at least three of the warbler clan: Orange-crowned, Yellow-rumped and Pine. Even though Pine Warbler is an eastern and southeastern bird that prefers pine trees as its habitat and food source, it sometimes visits western Central Texas. Orange-crowned Warblers spend the winter all across the South, giving us ample opportunities to view them. Vermivora celata is about the plainest bird you’ll ever see and best identified by its LACK of field marks. Olive-green on the back and drab olive-yellow below, it has yellow under the tail, a slightly down-turned thin beak, and faint, hard-to-see blurred streaks on the sides. Both sexes are alike. With a name like "orange-crowned" you'd think it would have a bright orange topknot. Not so. Its scientific name, celata, means "concealed," and its dull rusty crown patch is seldom visible unless the bird is agitated and raises its crest. You have to be quick on the draw to see this feathered bundle of quicksilver, for it is hyperactive, darting from branch to branch or disappearing into a weedy tangle at the blink of an eye. A shocking burst of lemon-yellow in a tree or bush may signal the presence of a Yellow-rumped Warbler. It flits out and back from its perch like a flycatcher, hawking tiny insects on the wing. While hunting, it utters a faint “chip” note that sounds much like a Cardinal’s “chink”. You may hear it before you see it, but its bright yellow rump patch is hard to miss as it flies away from you. Yellow-rumps are common almost all over Texas in the winter, sometimes appearing in small foraging flocks. Listen for that “chip” note. Two distinct subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler were formerly considered separate species: Myrtle that nests in the north and east and Audubon’s, in the west. When scientists discovered that they interbreed where their ranges overlap, they reclassified the two as one species. In breeding plumage Myrtles have white throats and yellow caps. Audubon’s, bright yellow throats AND caps. Females and winter males of both subspecies have subdued markings, but the lemon-yellow rump patch is the one feature distinguishing it from all other winter birds in Central Texas. Pine Warbler is greenish-olive above and mustard-colored underneath. It has distinctive wing bars, a rather thick bill and a longish tail. Two years ago they showed up at feeders all around Waco. That’s when I discovered they love peanuts and coconut cake. Be on the look-out for this little beauty. The spring and summer diets of these three charmers consist mostly of insects, but try to entice them up close and personal by offering other foods that they relish. I first saw these hardy winter travelers at the suet log in my yard, and I wondered what else they might enjoy. I soon learned the answer when I placed a large chunk of leftover fruitcake in the wire basket hanging in front of my writing window. With the regularity of a grandfather clock, the Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers struck this delicacy every few minutes to snatch nibbles of bright red cherries, green citron, and pecan bits. And the Pine Warbler kept coming back for peanuts. All three like stale bakery products, especially Honey Buns. I'm the only one at our house who likes fruitcake, so I sacrifice a little each day; and we make weekly visits to Mrs. Baird’s Day Old Bakery for Honey Buns, a small price to pay to keep the warblers coming. (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) Wingin' It February 16, 2005 “Winter Finches” by June Osborne The seed store’s marquee announced: GOLDFINCHES ARE HERE! WE HAVE THISTLE SEED! During the winter in Central Texas we usually see three finches: American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin and the year-round resident House Finch. And if you live from Clifton westward, Lesser Goldfinches can appear in your yard any time of the year. All are partial to that small black seed, nyjer, that is commonly known as “thistle”. American Goldfinches arrive in Central Texas from late November to early December and stay here well into May. In fact, they’re among the last migrants to leave our area. They nest from the Texas/Oklahoma border all the way into Canada. The winter attire of both male and female American Goldfinch is drab, with brown or gray above, black and white tails, and black wings set off by white chevron stripes. The male has a yellow shoulder patch. The female keeps her drab plumage year-round becoming slightly brighter during breeding season. They may be drab upon arrival, but ahhh! Before departing for northern breeding grounds, the males are transformed into “wild canaries” with shiny black caps and lemon-yellow plumage that will almost take your breath away. I’ve already seen numerous males with dazzling yellow spots on chests and heads, and some of them are beginning to show their black caps. Male Lesser Goldfinches keep their same bright plumage all year: black on the back, lemon-yellow underneath. Female Lessers are similar to female Americans, only their legs are dark, American’s pink. Almost everyone I’ve talked to recently says they are “covered up with goldfinches,” and almost every time I step out my front door I hear their soft, ascending call: “swee-EET.” At my home in Waco, we began the season with two thistle feeders outside my writing window. Soon the diners were so numerous that we doubled it to four; and the endearing little birds still have to take a number for a place to eat. On first sight, Pine Siskin appears to be a lackluster bird in streaked apparel. Its thin, pointed bill distinguishes it from the similar looking female House Finch. But just wait until it takes to flight. Flashes of yellow in wings and tail transform the siskin into a butterfly of a bird. Unpredictable winter visitors that they are, some years siskins are abundant locally, totally absent the next. So far, this winter I’ve seen only two in my yard. They travel in foraging flocks with American Goldfinches and come to thistle feeders in preference to all others. Hang a sock or tube feeder with small seed ports and perches, decorate it with yellow ribbons if it’s not yellow, and watch these three finches come to your offerings like metal filings to a magnet. They also eat black-oil sunflower seeds and visit virtually any feeder with a vertical surface providing a toehold or perch. Add a handful of uncooked rice to thistle feeders to keep the pricey seeds dry and fresh. Fill the tube or sock only 2/3 full at first. After the finches find it, fill it to the brim and watch out! I have to “top off” my four feeders almost every day. Some people think of House Finches as pests, but I still welcome them, even though sometimes they’re almost as ubiquitous as House Sparrows. With the male’s red bib and red on the head and rump, at least they’re more colorful than sparrows, and they have a beautiful song. If House Finches are eating you out of house and thistle, offer the expensive seeds in a feeder with perches ABOVE the seed ports. Pine Siskins and goldfinches are adept at hanging upside down to extract the seeds, but House Finches are not that acrobatic. After feasting at your banquet, their next stop will likely be at your birdbath to drink and bathe. Nyjer or thistle. Whatever you want to call it, when you hear that soft call, “swee-EET,” run, don’t walk, to your nearest seed store and stock up on those little black seeds. I think you’ll be glad you did. (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) (To ask questions or make comments, readers may e-mail June at jobirder@aol.com.) Dear Friends, “Wingin’ It” February 9, 2005 by June Osborne The tight-knit flock of birds, wheezing high-pitched, sibilant notes, circles and lands en masse in the winter-bare elm tree in my front yard. The well-groomed birds perch close together, erect and motionless, like toy soldiers standing at attention. The last week of January was cold and wet, just the sort of weather Cedar Waxwings seem to like. Droplets of water hung from every branch of the tree, like icicles about to form. Clumps of bright green mistletoe loaded with plump, white berries--delicious to birds but poisonous to humans--decorated the tree like Christmas balls. The birds fed ravenously on the berries without aggression. A bond of fellowship seemed to prevail, dictating that every bird had equal rights to its share of the feast. But almost before I could say "Bombycilla cedrorum," all the berries had been stripped from the clumps of mistletoe. When a flock of waxwings finds a tree, such as ligustrum or holly, loaded with berries, the tree becomes a veritable banquet hall. The waxwings swarm like bees around the hanging fruit, sometimes hovering to grab a bite. Often birds gorge themselves until they are so full they can’t fly away. If the fruit is overripe and fermented, waxwings may become intoxicated and tumble from the tree to sober up on the ground before they can fly. Some die from this intoxication. After their feast in my front yard, the birds lowered their heads, turning upside down, to drink the water droplets suspended beneath the limbs. Then, as if choreographed, the Cedar Waxwings dropped to the street below where numerous American Robins were drinking and bathing in puddles of rainwater. A water feature in your yard may be more attractive to Cedar Waxwings than food offerings. Like all fruit-eaters, waxwings seem to have an unquenchable thirst. Once they find your birdbath, they flutter down from the treetops like miniature helicopters and encircle the water dish, resembling mechanical toys, bowing and dipping for a drink. After satisfying their thirst they take turns going into the water for a session of splashing. One of the most interesting behaviors among waxwings is when they perch on a utility wire or tree limb and pass a berry or small fruit from one bird to the next, beak to beak, as if playing a game. Finally, one bird claims the prize and eats it. This ritual is thought to be a component of their courtship. Cedar Waxwings are dapper little birds that come to Texas for the winter. With silky, sleek plumage in soft shades of brown, gray, and yellow, they are some of the most beautiful North American birds that winter in our area. They are easy to identify with their long, tufted crests, square yellow-tipped tails, white undertail coverts, dark bibs, and rakish black "Zorro" masks outlined in white. The tips of their grayish wings look as if they’ve been dipped in red wax, which is where the species gets its common name. The sexes are alike, except the female's bib may be brown, the male's black. Waxwings have no seasonal variation in plumage. You hardly ever see just one Cedar Waxwing. These gregarious, wandering birds travel in large flocks year round and appear to be nonterritorial except when nesting. Typical of birds that feed on patchily distributed foods, their movements are totally unpredictable. When they find a source of food like the mistletoe in my elm tree, they stay long enough to deplete the supply, then move on to find another. Recently, we were away from home for twelve days. When we left on January 10, the large ligustrum in our backyard was loaded with fruit. When we returned, nary a berry could be found. But the birds had left their calling card:purple stains all over the patio. We were just sorry we had missed the show. If waxwings decide to grace your yard with their elegant beauty thiswinter, be forewarned: Don’t park your car under the tree where they’re likely to feed or you’ll have to make a quick trip to the nearest carwash. (Copyright © 2005 June Osborne) |
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