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Texas birding trip. April 30th – May 9th 2005,
This report is about the birding trip I made in Texas.
Preparing the trip
In february 2003 I visited Texas. I mainly birded the coast and Rio Grande Valley. The main reason for coming back to Texas was for the summerbirds and a second chance for some missed species. I visited the High Island area and the Edward's Plateau. After birding Texas I drove to Arizona. To break the long drive, and for some good birding I added Big Bend NP and Davis Mountains.
I used 3 ABA Birdfinding Guides:
- Birdfinder. A Birder's Guide To Planning North American Trips. Very usefull!
- A Birder's Guide to the Texas Coast.
- A Birder's Guide to the Rio Grande Valley (Edward's Plateau and western Texas)
I used the new Sibley North American Bird Guide for identification and the Stokes Field Guide to bird songs for sounds using a MD player.
At the Internet I found many trip reports which were usefull.
Itinerary ( * = lifer)
30/4
Flight from Amsterdam to Houston. Arrival at 2 pm. Picked up the Ford Explorer from Hertz and drove to White Memorial Park east of Houston.First regular birds were Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Killdeer, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Mockingbird, Purple Martin, Starling, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Snowy Egret and American Crow. Lifers were Red-bellied Woodpecker* (White Memorial Park), Chimney Swift*, Great-crested Flycatcher* (White Mem. Park), Pileated Woodpecker* (along the road to the golfpark east of White Memorial Park) and Common Grackle*. Camped for 5 nights at Turtle Bayou RV Park, which is directly along the highway and very noisy. I slept in the car the other nights at this RV park.
1/5
Up at 5 am. Drove to Anahuac NWR. Drove the Shoveler Pond road and stopped at the Willows. Good birding. Common Nighthawk* was flying and calling at first light. Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Eastern Kingbird*, shorebirds and herons were common. Most of the birds were seen in the canal along the road and the marshlands at Shoveler Pond: Purple Martin, Orchard Oriole*, Purple Gallinule, Northern Waterthrush*, Least* and American Bittern*, Marsh Wren* responding well to the tape, King Rail on the track, Yellow Warbler* and Savannah Sparrow at the drier patches.
Around 9 am drove to High Island. Birded first at Boy Scouts Wood which was full of birds and birders. Saw 18 lifers there in a few hours: Catbird*, Rose-breasted Grosbeak*, Baltimore Oriole*, Grey-cheeked*, Swainsons and Wood* Thrush, Bay-breasted*, Tennessee*, Magnolia*, Chestnut-sided*, Yellow, Blackburnian, Kentucky* and Worm-eating* Warbler, American Redstart*, Indigo Bunting, Summer and Scarlet* Tanager, Philadelphia Vireo*, Ovenbird*, Least Flycatcher*, Veery*, Blue Grosbeak* and Sora (heard). Afternoon at Smith Oak which added Cedar Waxwing*, Golden-winged Warbler* and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher*.
At the sea-side of Rd1 (west) is a small but promissing TOS park with a drip. I checked this just before dark. Today 29 lifers!
2/5
Started at White Memorial Park. Saw 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers flying away..
Went to Sabine Forest. Many birders prefer Sabine Forest above the High Island sites. It is farther east, easier birding and has many good species. I didn't see all the species I saw at High Island, so I think you should do both. Added Hooded* and Black-and-white Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird*, Eastern Wood-Pewee*, Yellow-billed Cuckoo*, Green Heron, Little Blue Heron and an Armadillo. A few miles further on the road takes one to the Willows. Same species and Northern Parula*. Texas Point had Seaside Sparrow*, Least Tern*, Willet and many King Rail.
3/5
Today I headed for the Big Thicket. I started at Gore Store Road, where I saw a Swainsons Warbler*. At the Kirby Trail (nice trail with good forest) I taped in a beautiful Prothonotary Warbler*, Yellow-throated Vireo* and Acadian Flycatcher*. Saw Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Louisiana Waterthrush* and Red-eyed Vireo. Drove to Roy E. Larsen Sandyland. Walk in and after a short while you will see an open area with dead trees. Red-headed Woodpecker is easy here. At Tyrell Park they wouldn't let me enter the dump. I missed Fish Crow. Drove to Farmrd. 1941 south of Winnie where I found the Upland Sandpiper also seen by others.
4/5
Checked the notes at the board at Boy Scouts. Nothing special. Went to Bolivar Flats. Many good and new birds although only 2 lifers. Among others were Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Glaucous Gull (rare for Texas), Laughing Gull, Royal, Forster's, Sandwich and Least Tern, Marbled Godwit, Peregrine, Great Blue Heron, Piping Plover*!, Veery, White Ibis, Tricolored Heron, Shore Lark, Ring-billed Gull, Black Skimmer, White-tailed Kite*, Northern Crested Caracara and Seaside Sparrow. At Yacht Basin Road (directly west of Rollover Pass) I saw a few Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows*.
Spent an hour at Boys Scout and some time at Smith Oak. Looked for Hudsonian Godwit, without any result, along Hw 1985. I heard of a Bald Eagle nest at "Hatchers Christmas Tree". This is just north of White Memorial Park along the road to Lake Charlotte. This is private property, but if you ask, they will proudly show you the nest. Saw 1 adult Bald Eagle* in a tree.
5/5
Left at 6 am to San Antonio and Kerrville. Drove straight through Houston to Katy. No good birds here. At a stop I heard, and after some searching saw, a Northern Bobwhite*. At Kerr WMA the refuge people gave me good information (a drawn map with the best spots) about the Golden-cheeked Warbler* and the Black-capped Vireo. At their advise I first tried the warbler which was still singing and was pretty easy to find. Didn't find the Vireo. The staff told me you have to be there at dawn, because that's the only time the vireos sing. Other birds were Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Red-tailed Hawk, Cliff Swallow, Lark Bunting (on the wires), White-eyed Vireo. Driving back to Hunt, at the Guadalupe River crossing, found Wood Duck*, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Canyon Wren* and Cooper's Hawk*.
Motel in Kerrville.
6/5
To Kerr WMA at 5 am. A few stops after Hunt produced Horned Owl (heard), Chuck-will Widow* and possible Lesser Nighthawk. Right at first light the Black-capped Vireo* started singing and I found it in a tree. A singing Field Sparrow* kept me busy for half an hour, because I didn't recognise the sound. Saw a beautiful male Painted Bunting*.
Drove to Lost Maples. This is other habitat again. At the feeders came Black-chinned Hummingbird*, House Finch* and Western Scrub-Jay*. Walked the East trail. Nice scenery with Chipping Sparrow (for the first time in summer plumage for me), Red-shouldered Hawk* with a snake, Canyon Wren (the Ponds), Green Kingfisher (the Ponds), Eastern Phoebe.
Drove to Del Rio at the end of the day. Harris' Hawk beside the highway.
Three Rivers RV Park just west of Del Rio.
7/5
Drove to Big Bend. Very harsh country with a few Swainson's Hawk*. At a stop saw Bullocks Oriole*, Bewicks Wren, Pyrrhuloxia. Starts getting interesting if you're entering Big Bend. Saw a large Rattle Snake on the road and many Texas Jack Rabbit trying to kill themself by jumping in front of your car. New birds were Cactus Wren, Roadrunner and Northern Mockingbird. Walked the hot, but rewarding Window Trail. Saw Canyon Towhee*, Scott's Oriole*, Black-chinned Sparrow*, Varied Bunting* Ladder-backed Woodpecker and Winter Wren (heard). Walked the Basin Loop Trail just before dark where I found Rufous-crowned Sparrow*. Heard Elf Owl* and Common Poorwill at night.
Campsite at the Basin.
8/5
Left at 5 am to walk the Boot Spring Trail via Laguna Meadow and back via the Pinnacles Trail. One of the best days of the trip! Very beautiful area, good forest, nice views (Mexico and Big Bend) and good birds (17 lifers). Had Colima Warbler* a few hundred meter (elevation) under the pass before Laguna Meadow. Other birds were Black-headed Grosbeak*, Western Scrub Jay, Black-chinned Sparrow, Broad-tailed Hummingbird*, Ash-throated Flycatcher*, White-throated Swift*, Mexican Jay*, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee*, Yellow-rumped (Audubon) Warbler, Acorn Woodpecker* (one of the prettiest birds of the trip), Blue-throated Hummingbird* (Boot Spring), Hermit Thrush, Cordilleran Flycatcher* (Boot Spring), Violet-green Swallow*, Orange-crowned Warbler, Rock Wren*, Western Tanager*, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, "Black-eared" Bushtit. There was a Say's Phoebe* at the campsite when I came back.
Campsite at the Basin.
9/5
Drove to Tuscon today. At 5 am to Davis Mountains State Park. Searched for the Montezuma Quail, but couldn't find one. New were Cassin's Kingbird* and White-breasted Nuthatch*. Also around were Summer and Western Tanager and Vermillion Flycatcher. Than on to El Paso. Just before it is Mc Nary's Reservoir. Both Clark's* and Western* Grebe, Ruddy Duck, Neotropic Cormorant, Wilson's Phalarope and Black-crowned Night- Heron at the reservoir. A Burrowing Owl* was along the FM-192. If you come from the TX-20 and turn SW onto the FM-192, it was on the north side of the road, opposite the first house on the left. After that drove to Arizona.
Birdlist Texas.
* I didn't pay much attention to the identification of sandpipers.
* F = first/lifer
1. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
2. F Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
3. F Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii
4. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
5. Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus
6. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
7. Great Egret Ardea alba
8. Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor
9. Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
10. Snowy Egret Egretta thula
11. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
12. Green Heron Butorides virescens
13. Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
14. F Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
15. F American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
16. White Ibis Eudocimus albus
17. White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
18. Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja
19. Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor
20. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
21. F Wood Duck Aix sponsa
22. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
23. Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
24. Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
25. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
26. F White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus
27. F Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
28. F Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii
29. Harris' Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus
30. F Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
31. Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
32. F Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni
33. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
34. Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway
35. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
36. Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
37. Scaled Quail Callipepla squamata
38. F Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus
39. Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris
40. King Rail Rallus elegans
41. Sora Porzana carolina
42. Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica
43. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
44. American Coot Fulica americana
45. Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
46. American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
47. American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
48. Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
49. Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
50. Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia
51. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
52. F Piping Plover Charadrius melodus
53. Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
54. Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
55. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
56. Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
57. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
58. F Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
59. Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
60. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
61. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia
62. Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
63. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
64. Sanderling Calidris alba
65. Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
66. Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
67. Dunlin Calidris alpina
68. Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
69. Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
70. Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
71. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla
72. Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
73. Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
74. Royal Tern Sterna maxima
75. Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri
76. F Least Tern Sterna antillarum
77. Black Tern Chlidonias niger
78. Black Skimmer Rynchops niger
79. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
80. White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
81. Inca Dove Columbina inca
82. F Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
83. Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus
84. Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
85. F Elf Owl Micrathene whitneyi
86. F Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia
87. F Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
88. F Common Poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
89. F Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis
90. F Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
91. F White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis
92. F Blue-throated Hummingbird Lampornis clemenciae
93. F Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
94. F Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
95. F Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus
96. Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana
97. F Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
98. F Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
99. F Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
100. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
101. Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
102. Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
103. Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
104. F Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
105. Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
106. F Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
107. F Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
108. F Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
109. F Cordilleran Flycatcher Empidonax occidentalis
110. Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
111. F Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
112. Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
113. F Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
114. F Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
115. F Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans
116. F Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
117. F Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
118. F Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus
119. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
120. Purple Martin Progne subis
121. F Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
122. N.Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
123. Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
124. Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
125. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
126. F Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
127. Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
128. F Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
129. F Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus
130. Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
131. Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
132. Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
133. House Wren Troglodytes aedon
134. F Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
135. F Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
136. Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
137. F Veery Catharus fuscescens
138. F Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
139. Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus
140. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
141. F Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
142. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
143. F Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus
144. Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
145. Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
146. Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus
147. F White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
148. Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
149. Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
150. F Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
151. F Mexican Jay Aphelocoma ultramarina
152. American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
153. Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus
154. Common Raven Corvus corax
155. European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
156. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
157. White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
158. F Black-capped Vireo Vireo atricapilla
159. F Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
160. F Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni
161. F Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
162. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
163. F House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
164. F Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
165. F Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina
166. Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
167. F Colima Warbler Vermivora crissalis
168. F Northern Parula Parula americana
169. Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
170. F Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
171. F Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
172. Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
173. F Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia
174. Black-thr Green Warbler Dendroica virens
175. Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
176. Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus
177. F Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea
178. Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
179. F American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
180. F Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
181. F Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus
182. F Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii
183. F Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
184. F Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis
185. F Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla
186. F Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus
187. Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
188. F Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
189. Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis
190. F Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
191. Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
192. F Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
193. F Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
194. F Canyon Towhee Pipilo fuscus
195. F Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps
196. Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
197. F Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
198. F Black-chinned Sparrow Spizella atrogularis
199. Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
200. Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
201. F Seaside Sparrow Ammodramus maritimus
202. F Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni
203. White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
204. White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
205. Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
206. Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus
207. F Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
208. F Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
209. F Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
210. Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
211. F Varied Bunting Passerina versicolor
212. F Painted Bunting Passerina ciris
213. F Dickcissel Spiza americana
214. Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
215. Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
216. Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major
217. Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
218. F Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
219. Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
220. F Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
221. F Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii
222. F Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
223. F Scott's Oriole Icterus parisorum
Species Seen: 223
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