Lubbock received 0.83 inches of rain during June, well below the
expected total for the month of 2.58 inches, leaving us with 4.79
inches for the year, still well below the average year-to-date total
of 9.00 inches. According to the US Drought Monitor, 30% of our
fifteen-county region is now in moderate to severe drought, 30% is in
extreme drought, and 40% is in exceptional drought; remaining somewhat
better than the 100% in exceptional drought at the end of April.
Fall, across the board, will be dependent, I feel, on substantive
improvement in terms of rainfall but, thanks to the tireless efforts
of our most faithful birders, I suspect surprises will continue to
surprise.
Regional summaries of eBird data cannot be acquired in a timely
fashion. As a result, records submitted to eBird may not appear in
this report. Reports from the region that are submitted to the
texbirds or leasbirds listservs can be reviewed in a timely fashion
and should appear. Due to the abundance of records now supported by
photographs, I only report photographs for exceptional birds.
As always, the county follows the site in ( ) and birds are mentioned
by virtue of rarity, atypical abundance, or atypical scarcity. Water
Treatment Ponds have come to feature so prominently in these reports
that they will, henceforth, be referred to as WTP.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK: Up to 5 persisted at Travis Trussell
Park (Hale) throughout the period (MO), 2 were at the Olton Playa
(Lamb) on 6/20/22 (TW), 5 were at the CR 7500 x University Avenue
Playa (Lubbock) on 6/28/22 (SA), and 2 were at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on
6/30/22 (JoC, JCr) – THE SPECIES CONTINUES TO POP UP AT VARIOUS SPOTS
THROUGHOUT THE REGION – ONE WONDERS WHICH COUNTY WILL FILL IN NEXT.
SNOW GOOSE: 1 was seen near Abernathy (Hale) on 6/2/22 (SA,
photographs) – A VERY ODD RECORD FOR A FLIGHTED BIRD; ONE OF A HANDFUL
OF JUNE RECORDS FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.
WOOD DUCK: 1 was seen at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/6/22 (SK) and on
6/29/22 (SK) – A RARE SUMMER REPORT FOR THE REGION.
GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 4 near McAdoo (Dickens) on 6/2/22 (ML) – RARE BUT
REGULAR DURING THE SUMMER.
RUDDY DUCK: 6 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 6/13/22 (SA) the only report
received – A TAD LOW.
SCALED QUAIL: 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/8/22 (SK) and 5 at the
CR 7500 x University Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 6/20/22 (GK) the only
reports – A TAD LOW.
INCA DOVE: Up to 4 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) throughout the period
(JoC) – STILL HANGING ON.
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD: 1 female at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/21/22
(JG, HW) – WAS RUNNING A BIT EARLY; GENERALLY NOT SEEN UNTIL WELL INTO
JULY.
WESTERN GREBE: 1 at Leftwich Park (Lubbock) from 6/2/22 (SA, JoC, JCr,
BSh) through 6/7/22 (SA, LH, BSc) – A VERY UNUSUAL SUMMER FOR THE
REGION THOUGH THERE ARE SOME REPORTED DURING SUMMER TO THE SOUTH AT
LAKE BALMORHEA AND TO THE NORTH AT LAKE MEREDITH.
BLACK-NECKED STILT: Ten reports of 1-10 birds, six reports of 16-44
birds, and one report of 57 birds in the region (Hale, Lubbock) during
the period (SA, JoC, TD, JG, AH, LH, GK, LEAS Trip, ML, JM, BSc, HW) –
LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND LOW NUMBERS BUT NOT BAD CONSIDERING THE
ONGOING DROUGHT.
AMERICAN AVOCET: Eight reports of 1-7 birds in the region (Crosby,
Dickens, Lamb, Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, TD, JG, AH, KH,
GK, ML, TW, HW) – VERY LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND INCREDIBLY LOW
NUMBERS; NOT TOUGHING IT OUT IN SPITE OF THE DROUGHT.
UPLAND SANDPIPER: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 6/22/22 (KH) – AN
UNUSUAL, THOUGH NOT UNPRECEDENTED, SUMMER REPORT.
LEAST TERN: 1 at Leftwich Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/22 (SA, photographs) –
ANOTHER VERY UNUSUAL SUMMER REPORT; ONE OF A HANDFUL OF JUNE REPORTS.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 2-9 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) throughout the
period (SA, JoC, JrC, WC, JCr, TD, JG, AH, LH, PKe, JM, HW), 1 at
Kelsey Park (Lubbock) on 6/27/22 (TD), and one over a Lubbock yard
(Lubbock) on 6/28/22 (AH) – STEADILY INCREASING NUMBERS WITH NOW
MULTIPLE BREEDING PAIRS.
DOUBLE-CRESTED x NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 1 was picked out of the crowd at
Leroy Elmore Park (JM, BSh, photographs) and up to 1 were seen at the
same site on 6/21/22 (JM, photographs) and on 6/23/22 (JM,
photographs) – IF THE RECORD IS ACCEPTED BY EBIRD, THIS WILL REPRESENT
THE SEVENTH RECORD OF THIS HYBRID IN THE UNITED STATES!
GREAT EGRET: Fifteen reports of 1-10 birds and four reports of 12-28
birds at various sites in (Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, JCr,
TD, AH, LH, GK, PKe, LEAS Trip, JM, BSh) – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS, LOW
NUMBERS, AND VERY POOR SCATTER.
SNOWY EGRET: Eleven reports of 1-10 birds and thirteen reports of
16-41 birds, and one report of 52 birds at various sites in (Lubbock)
during the period (SA, JoC, JCr, TD, JG, AH, LH, GK, PKe, LEAS Trip,
BSc, JM, BSh, HW) – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS, LOW NUMBERS, AND VERY POOR
SCATTER.
CATTLE EGRET: Five reports of 2-6 birds, three reports of 15-25 birds,
ten reports of 26-50 birds, and eight reports of 52-79 birds at
various sites in (Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, JCr, TD, JG,
AH, LH, GK, PKe, JM, BSc, HW) – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS, VERY LOW
NUMBERS, AND EXTREMELY POOR SCATTER.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON: 1 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on
6/19/22 (SA, AH) and 2 at Kelsey Park (Lubbock) on (JoC, TD, JG, LH,
JM, HW) the only reports – VERY LOW.
WHITE IBIS: I immature bird was spotted at Leroy Elmore Park
(Lubbock) on 6/18/22 (NH), 1 adult and 1 immature persisted at the
same site through 6/21/22 (SA, JoC, JrC, WC, JCr, TD, JG, AH, PKe, JM,
HW) with 2 adults and 1 immature putting in an appearance at the site
on 6/20/22 (SA, LH). 1 bird was spotted at the CR 7500 x University
Avenue Playa (Lubbock) on 6/25/22 (GK) and on 6/26/22 (JoC), Numbers
swelled to 1 adult and 1 immature at the CR 7500 x University Avenue
Playa (Lubbock) or nearby Kelsey Park (Lubbock) from 6/26/22 (GK)
through 6/28/22 (SA, JoC, JG, LH, GK, JM, HW) with 1 bird lingering
at the site through 6/30/22 (SA) - CASUAL TO THE REGION WITH RECORDS
COMING IN EVERY 2-5 YEARS … WITH A MINIMUM OF THREE BIRDS SEEN IN THE
REGION, THIS WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL MONTH.
WHITE-FACED IBIS: One report of 9 birds, four reports of 11-22 birds,
one report of 38 birds, and eight reports of 53-93 birds at various
sites in (Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, TD, JG, LH, GK, JM,
BSc, HW) – GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS AND GOOD NUMBERS AT A FEW SITES IN
THE REGION.
BROAD-WINGED HAWK: 1 over Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 6/20/22 (SA,
LH) – FORMERLY UNREPORTED IN SUMMER BUT SUMMER REPORTS, THOUGH RARE,
ARE BECOMING MERELY SURPRISING.
WESTERN WOOD PEWEE: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/22 (SA) and 1 in
a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 6/4/22 (KT) – VERY LATE REPORTS FOR THE
REGION.
EASTERN PHOEBE: 1-3 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the period
(SK) – THE SPECIES HAS BECOME QUITE HARD TO FIND IN THE REGION DUE, I
THINK, TO THE GRADUAL LOSS OF HABITAT IN THE REGION TO ONGOING
DROUGHT.
VERMILION FLYCATCHER: 1-2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the
period (SK) – FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; NOW SUSPECTED OF
BREEDING IN THE REGION.
BELL’S VIREO: 1 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 6/1/22 (SA, AH), 3 at
Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/6/22 (SK), 2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza)
on 6/8/22 (SK), 3 at Lamb County Sandhills Historical Marker (Lamb) on
6/17/22 (BSh), and 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/29/22 (SK) –
STEADILY BECOMING A WELL-ESTABLISHED PORTION OF THE SUMMERING AVIFAUNA
IN THE REGION.
COMMON RAVEN: 1-2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the period
(SK) and 1 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 6/19/22 (SA, AH) the
only reports received – LOW BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
BANK SWALLOW: 1 at Guy Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/22 (JoC) – A RATHER LATE
REPORT FOR THE REGION.
PURPLE MARTIN: Up to 7 pairs in one Lubbock (Lubbock) colony during
the period (GJ, PJ), 2 at Guy Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/22 (JoC), 1 at
Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) on 6/20/22 (TD), 2 at Ransom Lake
(Lubbock) on 6/21/22 (JG, HW), 2 -5 at Kelsey Park (Lubbock) on
6/27/22 (JoC, TD, JG, LH, JM, HW) – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS, LOW
NUMBERS, VERY POOR SCATTER.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/22/22 (SA) and
3-4 at the V8 Ranch (Lubbock) on 6/25/22 (LEAS Trip) – THE SPECIES,
FORMERLY REGULAR AS FAR WEST AS LUBBOCK COUNTY, HAS BECOME QUITE RARE
WEST OF A CURVED LINE RUNNING THROUGH MOTLEY, CROSBY, AND KENT
COUNTIES.
BUSHTIT: 4 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 6/1/22 (SA, AH) the only
report received – THE SPECIES, FORMERLY REGULAR TO LARGE PORTIONS OF
THE REGION IS NOW RESTRICTED TO A FEW SITES IN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/8/22 (SK) the
only report received – ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS VERY RARE BREEDER IN THE
REGION.
ROCK WREN: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/22/22 (SA) the only report
received – VERY LOW DESPITE GOOD EFFORT AT APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS.
CANYON WREN: 1-2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) throughout the period (SK)
the only reports received – VERY LOW DESPITE GOOD EFFORT AT
APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2 at Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 6/19/22 (SA,
AH) – THIS SEEMS TO BE THE WESTERNMOST BREEDING SITE REMAINING IN THE
REGION.
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT: 1 at the V8 Ranch (Lubbock) on 6/25/22 (LEAS
Trip) the only report received – VERY LOW.
BRONZED COWBIRD: 2 at Swenson Park (Dickens) on 6/2/22 (ML), 3 at Guy
Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/22 (JoC), 1 in Littlefield (Lamb) on 6/17/22
(BSh), 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 6/22/22 (SA), and 1 at the V8
Ranch (Lubbock) on 6/25/22 (LEAS Trip) – A BIT LOW BY THE STANDARDS OF
RECENT PEAKS.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 3-4 at the V8 Ranch (Lubbock) on 6/25/22 (LEAS
Trip) the only report received – VERY LOW; MANY FAVORED BREEDINGS
SITES ARE DECIDEDLY OUT OF FAVOR DURING THIS DROUGHT PERIOD.
SUMMER TANAGER: 1 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 6/1/22 (SA, AH) and
1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 6/2/22 (SA) – THE DICKENS COUNTY BIRD
MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN A BREEDING BIRD; THE LUBBOCK COUNTY BIRD WAS
PROBABLY A LATE MIGRANT.
PYRRHULOXIA: 1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/8/22 (SK) the only
report received – THIS SPECIES IS BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND IN
THE REGION DURING SUMMER.
INDIGO BUNTING: 2 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 6/1/22 (SA, AH) and
1 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 6/8/22 (SK) – THESE BIRDS MAY HAVE
BEEN LATE MIGRANTS BUT BOTH SITES ARE SUITABLE FOR BREEDING FOR THE
SPECIES.
OBSERVERS: SA=Sheri Anderson, JoC=Joe Cochran, JrC=Jordan Cochran,
WC=Whitney Cochran, JCr=Jim Crites, TD=Tucker Dangremond, JG=Joe
Girgente, NH=Natalie Harryman, AH=Anthony Hewetson, Kelly Himmel,
LH=Len Hovey, GJ=George Jury, PJ=Pat Jury, SK=Stephen Kasper,
GK=Glenda Kelly, PKe=Peter Keyel, (LEAS Trip= Joe Cochran, Jordan
Cochran, Tucker Tangremond, Joe Girgente, Bob Heitzman, Len Hovey,
Barry Keith, Glenda Kelly, Phillip Kite, Dianna LaManna, Johny
Nelson, Gloria Paraskeva, Brad Shine, Matt Smith, William Wenthe,
Hannah Wojo), ML=Mark Lockwood, JM=Jennifer Miller, MO=Melba Olsen,
BSc=Bobby Schat, BSh=Brad Shine, KT=Kathy Teague, TW=Ted Wolff,
HW-Hannah Wojo.
Anthony Hewetson; Lubbock