Greetings All:
I finished the Circle BBS (located in Lamb County, running from Circle to a
point south of Earth, then to a point north of Earth, and then west almost
to the Lamb/Bailey County line) this morning. I will post a full report at
a later date: most likely when I have finished the remaining two routes
that I have to run this year.
Though this part of my region has had plenty of rain it is in the
relatively dry northwest corner and the roads were not the least bit
squishy. Playas were looking good though, vegetation was lush, and quite a
bit of usually farmed land has been left fallow - birding was very good
with good rebound-from-drought numbers of Northern Bobwhites, Cassin's
Sparrows, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Dickcissels.
Highlights from the route included 6 Cattle Egrets southeast of Springlake,
2 Blue-winged Teals southeast of Springlake, 1 male Common Yellowthroat
south of Springlake (singing at a willow-lined playa; likely one of our
rare breeders), 1 Prairie Falcon south of Earth, 2 male Bronzed Cowbirds in
Earth, 2 Cave Swallows northwest of Earth, and a family (2 adults with 3
fledglings) of Say's Phoebes northwest of Earth.
Highlights from Lamb County on the way home: 3 Cave Swallows west of Earth,
2 Black-necked Stilts near Earth, 3 Purple Martins in or near Eartyh, 4
Blue-winged Teals west of Springlake, 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo east of
Circle, 2 Blue-winged Teals north of Fieldton, 4 American Avocets west of
Olton, 4 Wilson's Phalaropes (birds returning southward?) south of Olton,
and 1 White-faced Ibis south of Olton.
Some incidental birds from Lubbock County: 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo along CR
1100 just south of the Shallowater Rest Area, 6 Blue-winged Teals in the
flooded field across from Whisperwood Pond in Lubbock.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock