Hi All,
Jim and I went to Clapp this evening to try to find Jim C's Bell's Vireos.
Once again, I dipped on this species, but there were other interesting
migrants. From the moment we arrived, there were more swifts that I am used
to seeing here. As the night continued, their numbers increased and
suddenly there was a large swarm of swifts, swallows, and nighthawks over
the baseball and adjacent fields. I put down 60 swifts, but there could
easily have been more; they appeared to easily be the majority in the
swarm. Later, they flew low overhead and I even watched a couple dart
through tree branches like Red-shouldered Hawks. That was a first for me.
There were also several Wilson's Warblers, a small group of female/immature
Orchard Orioles and, at dusk, we found a Warbling Vireo! I also got a quick
glimpse of another bird with double wing bars, of yellow sides, and a dark
head. Initial guess was a Blue-headed Vireo, but I couldn't be sure. We
never made it out of the fenced area of the Arboretum. No Mississippi Kites
to be found. I thought I heard one near dark, but couldn't locate it, so
left it off the list.
Clapp Park, Lubbock, Texas, US
Sep 5, 2019 6:41 PM - 8:02 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Comments: With Jim but birded alone most of the time. Saw a Painted
Lady. Fixed distance from 1 mile. Went to try to find Jim Crites' Bell's
Vireos. Parked at the Arboretum (house) and then went to the large stone
seats, by the big tree and its shrubs to the right of the circle flower
area, and then to the fence between the Arboretum and Clapp.
16 species (+1 other taxa)
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 6
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 12
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) 9 In with a large swarm of swifts
and swallows over the baseball and adjacent fields. Almost completely
silent again. Heard a few "preents" around sunset.
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 60 Lots. This could easily be an
underestimation. Saw and heard them overhead the entire time. It started
with about 20-30 and then just kept growing. At one point they were in a
large swarm with swallows and nighthawks. Most appeared to be swifts,
though. Some flying extremely low and through trees. When I started paying
attention again (after watching the swarm and then the Warbling Vireo), the
remaining swifts appeared to head south after sunset.
hummingbird sp. (Trochilidae sp.) 1
Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) 1
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1 Only saw from the front and found
around sunset/dusk. Was perched and watching us the entire time between the
middle and top of a large tree. Perched in a recessed area of branches.
Small vireo, had an all yellow front but throat appeared white. Slight
brown patches on the sides under the "shoulders" of the folded wing.
Underside of tail: base was yellow (less than halfway down) then dark,
appeared straight at the tip. Bill appeared to be a little lighter or pink
at the bottom base. All brown head and brown came down below the cheek in
an arc. Whiter line from bill over top of eye was the same width all the
way back. Slight whitish arc below the eye.
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 4
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 3
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 10
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 20
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 16
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) 5 females/immatures
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) 20
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 4 One male, possibly 2. At least
one female/immature. Didn't get good looks at the heads of one or two of
them. Uncertain of the total. Saw a male in one tree, then saw 3-4 in a row
of shrubs at least 20 yards away (one female, one male, and one unknown
sex/age), then saw another, possibly 2, at dusk in a tree on the other side
of the area.
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59544565
--
Jennifer Miller
Lubbock, TX
(o,o)
/)_)
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