Lubbock received 0.00 inches of water during March, well below the
expected total for the month of 1.10 inches. This leaves us at 0.75
inches for the year far below the average year-to-date total of 2.40
inches. According to the US Drought Monitor, 7% of our fifteen-county
region is now in moderate drought, 63% is in severe drought, and 30%
is in extreme drought; considerably worse, in my opinion, than we
were at the end of February. Local birders persisted, despite
frustratingly dry conditions, and thanks to a combination of lingering
winter birds, early spring migrants, and some interesting irruptive
trends managed to kick out yet another interesting month.
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.
SNOW GOOSE: 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) throughout the period (SA, JoC,
JCr, AH), 58 over the Tech Terrace Neighborhood (Lubbock) on 3/1/23
(SA), and 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (JoC) – FORMERLY
REGULAR IN GOOD NUMBERS THROUGHOUT MARCH, NOW CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY IN
MARCH.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1 at Lake Two (Lubbock) on 3/13/23 (SA) was the
first of the season. Eight reports of 1-8 birds in the region (Garza,
Lubbock) during the latter half of the period (SA, JCr, AH, ML, BSc,
BSh) – ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
CINNAMON TEAL: 4 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (SA, AH) and on
3/27/23 (JCr), and 4 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 3/28/23 (SA) the only
reports received directly – A BIT LOW.
MOTTLED DUCK: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (JoC) – A
CONTINUING BIRD; THE FIRST RECORD FOR THE ENTIRE REGION GOES ON.
CANVASBACK: Five reports of 1-4 birds at various sites in (Lubbock)
during the period (SA, JoC, JoC, JrC, JCr) the only reports received
directly – LOW; NOT SURPRISNG, THOUGH, GIVEN THE SCARCITY OF WATER IN
THE REGION.
REDHEAD: 5 at the Post Cemetery (Garza) on 3/6/23 (BSh), 1 at White
River Lake (Crosby) on 3/26/23 (ML), and 2 at Lake Two (Lubbock) on
3/26/23 (JoC, JrC, JCr) – VERY LOW.
GREATER SCAUP: 1 at Lake Two (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (JCr, JoC) and 1 at
Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) on 3/27/23 (BSc) - ABOUT AVERAGE; EITHER
RARE IN THE REGION OR UNDER-REPORTED.
COMMON MERGANSER: 2 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/7/23 (ML) –
RUNNING A TAD LATE BY CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS.
SCALED QUAIL: Up to 17 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) throughout the
period (GK) the only reports received – LOW.
HORNED GREBE: 4 at Lake Two (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (SA, AH, JoC, JrC,
JCr) and 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (SA, AH, JoC, DH) –
VERY RARE IN THE REGION; THIS MANY IN A SINGLE DAY IS REMARKABLE!
INCA DOVE: 2 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/20/23 (fide NN) the only
report to cross my desk – LOW, EVEN BY CURRENT STANDARDS.
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD: 1 male at 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue
(Lubbock) on 3/22/23 (AH) – RGHT ON TIME BUT NUMBERS WERE LOW, EVEN AT
THE END OF THE PERIOD.
BLACK-NECKED STILT: Eight reports of 1-3 birds at various sites in
(Lubbock) from 3/23/23 on (SA, JoC, JCr, AH) – AVERAGE NUMBER OF
REPORTS FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON BUT LOW NUMBERS.
AMERICAN AVOCET: Eight reports of 1-7 birds at various sites in
(Lubbock) from 3/12/23 on (SA, JoC, JCr, AH) – AVERAGE NUMBER OF
REPORTS FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON BUT LOW NUMBERS.
LONG-BILLED CURLEW: 142 in fields near the CR 365 x FM 2196 Ponds
(Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH) – GREAT NUMBERS FOR SUCH AN EARLY
SIGHTING.
LEAST SANDPIPER: Nine reports of 1-7 birds and one report of 17 birds
in the region (Crosby, Garza, Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, AH,
LEAS Trip, ML) – ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: Seven reports of 1-5 birds and one report of 24
birds in the region (Garza, Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, LEAS
Trip, ML) – AVERAGE NUMBER OF REPORTS; NUMBERS A BIT LOW.
WILSON’S SNIPE: Five reports of 1-5 birds in the region (Garza,
Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, ML, BSh) – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS
AND LOW NUMBERS.
SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) From 3/22/23 (SA)
through 3/25/23 (JoC, JCr) – EVEN BY CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS, AN EARLY
REPORT.
LESSER YELLOWLEGS: Six reports of single birds at various sites in
(Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, BSh) – FAIRLY GOOD NUMBER OF
REPORTS BUT LOW NUMBERS.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Twelve reports of 1-3 birds in the region (Crosby,
Garza, Kent, Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, JCr, SK, LEAS Trip,
ML) – LOW NUMBER OF REPORTS AND LOW NUMBERS.
BONAPARTE’S GULL: 3 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23 (ML) the
only report received – LOW.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT: 2 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 3/8/23 (JoC), 1 at
the Rip Griffith Playa (Lubbock) on 3/28/23 (SA), and 1 at Post City
Park (Garza) on 3/29/23 (ML) and on 3/31/23 (ML) – FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL
TO THE REGION; NOW EXPANDING RANGE AS A PERMANENT RESIDENT.
GREAT EGRET: 2 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 3/31/23 (SA) the only
report received – VERY LOW.
SNOWY EGRET: 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/23 (SA), 1 at Stone
Lake (Lubbock) on 3/28/23 (SA), and 1 at Buster Long Park (Lubbock) on
3/29/23 (SA) the only reports received – LOW.
GREEN HERON: 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 3/16/23 (SA, AH) the only
report received – LATE TO ARRIVE AND, THUS FAR, LOW IN NUMBERS.
WHITE-FACED IBIS: 2 over the TTU HSC Campus (Lubbock) on 3/30/23 (AH)
the only report received – BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS, A BIT EARLY – BY
CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS, LATE AND LOW.
TURKEY VULTURE: 1 over south Lubbock (Lubbock) on 3/3/23 (SA, AH) the
first report received – RUNNINGA BIT LATE THIS YEAR.
OSPREY: Five reports of single birds at various sites in (Lubbock)
during the period (TD, HG, JG, JM, NN, BSh, WW) – ABOUT AVERAGE, BY
CURRENT STANDARDS, FOR THIS EARL IN THE SEASON.
HARRIS’S HAWK: 1 near the intersection of CR 197 x FM 1585 (Cochran)
on 3/11/23 (SA, AH) – THIS SPECIES RANGES FROM EXTREMELY RARE TO
UNCOMMON IN THE REGION – A GOOD SIGHTING FOR THIS YEAR.
ZONE-TAILED HAWK: 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 3/29/23 (BSh)
– FORMERL ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; NOW CASUAL TO RARE BUT ANNUAL.
SWAINSON’S HAWK: 1 at 50th Street x Utica Avenue (Lubbock) on 3/15/23
(AH) with numbers slowly filling in from that point forward – RUNNING
RIGHT ON TIME BUT A LTTLE LOW, EVEN AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
EASTERN SCREECH OWL: 1 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23 (ML) –
FORMERLY REGULAR THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN TWO THRIDS OF THE REGION; NOW
INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND.
LEWIS’S WOODPECKER: 1 was found near 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue
(Lubbock) on 3/15/23 (JN, SN) and continued through at least 3/22/23
(SA, JOC, JrC, WC, JCr, TD, GE, HG, JG, LH, BSh) - FORMERLY
ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION; NOW BEST REGARDED AS CASUAL WITH RECORDS
COMING IN EVERY TWO-FIVE YEARS.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER: 1-2 near 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock)
from 3/15/23 through 3/25/23 (SA, HB, TD, HG, JG, AH, PKe, JM, JN,
BSh) – VERY RARE THIS FAR WEST IN THE REGION.
GOLDEN-FRONTED WOODPECKER: 1 male near 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue
(Lubbock)on 3/21/23 (SA, AH), 1 female and 1 male near 58th Street x
Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock) on 3/21/23 (SA, AH), and 1 near 58th Street x
Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock) on 3/23/23 (JCr) – RARE THIS FAR WEST IN THE
REGION; GENERALLY RESTRICTED TO AREAS ALONG AND BELOW THE CAPROCK
ESCARPMENT.
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1 male at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 3/7/23 (SA)
and on 3/9/23 (SA), 1 male near 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock)
on 3/21/23 (SA, AH) and on 3/22/23 (AH), 1 at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on
3/22/23 (SA), and 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock ) on 3/26/23 (SA, AH)
– VERY RARE THIS FAR WEST IN THE REGION; GENERALLY RESTRICTED TO
RIPARIAN CORRIDORS IN THE EASTERNMOST TIER OF COUNTIES IN THE REGION
(MOTLEY, DICKENS, KENT).
GOLDEN-FRONTED x RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1 male at Maxey Park
(Lubbock) throughout the period (SA, TD, HG, JG, BSh) and 1 near 58th
Street x Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock) on 3/24/23 (SA) – GIVEN THE PRESENCE
OF BOTH CONTRIBUTING SPECIES, THE PRESENCE OF HYBRIDS MAY NOT BE THAT
UNECPECTED.
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 1 at Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA,
AH) and 1 near 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock) on 3/21/23 (SA,
AH) and 3/22/23 (AH) – LOW.
DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/2/23 (SA), 1 at
Wagner Park (Lubbock) on 3/7/23 (SA), 2 at White River Lake (Crosby)
on 3/19/23 (ML), 1 near 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock) on
3/22/23 (AH), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 3/28/23 (JCr), and 1at the
TTU Horticultural Gardens (Lubbock) on 3/29/23 (JrC) – GOOD NUMBER OF
REPORTS AND GOOD NUMBERS FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
MERLIN: Seven reports of single birds in the region (Lubbock, Yoakum)
during the period (SA, JoC, TD, AH, JM, BSh) – ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS
LATE IN THE SEASON.
PEREGRINE FALCON: Four single birds at various sites in (Lubbock)
during the period (SA, JoC, JCr, AH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS LATE IN
THE SEASON.
PRAIRIE FALCON: 1 near CR 197 x FM 1585 (Cochran) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH)
and 1 was near Brownfield (Terry) on 3/12/23 (SA, AH) – RUNNING A BIT
LATE BY CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS.
WESTERN KINGBIRD: 1 near Brownfield (Terry) on 3/12/23 (TC) – THIS
BIRD WAS RUNNING MORE THAN A BIT EARLY; PARTICULARLY IN A YEAR WHEN
THE SPECIES TRENDED LATE REGIONALLY.
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 2 at Post City Park (Garza) on 3/29/23 (ML)
and 1 at Post City Park (Garza) on 3/31/23 (ML) – RUNNING A TAD EARLY.
EASTERN PHOEBE” 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock ) on 3/6/23 (WCo) and 2
at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 3/22/23 (SK) and on 3/29/23 (SK) – LOW.
SAY’s PHOEBE: Six reports of single birds in the region (Kent,
Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (SA, JoC, JCr, TD, HG, JG, AH, SK,
BSh) – ABOUT AVERAGE.
VERMILION FLYCATCHER: 1 -2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza, Kent) throughout
the period (SK, ML), 1 male at Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 3/23/23 (SA,
JoC, TD, HG, JG, AH, BSh), and 2 at Boxcar Tank (Kent) on 3/29/23 (TF)
– GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS AND NUMBERS FOR THIS SLOWLY CONQUERING
SPECIES.
AMERICAN CROW: 1 over 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock) on
3/22/23 (AH) – AN ODD TIME OF YEAR FOR THE SPECIES TO BE IN LUBBOCK;
GENERALLY RESTRICTED TO FALL MOVEMENT.
COMMON RAVEN: Eight reports of 1-3 birds in the region (Crosby, Garza,
Kent, Yoakum) during the period (SA, AH, SK, ML) – GOOD NUMBER OF
REPORTS AND GOOD SCATTER.
VERDIN: 1 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 3/12/23 (SA, AH) – AFTER
A LONG PERIOD OF ABSENCE AFTER THE 2021-2022 SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
EVENT, THE SPECIES APPEARS TO BE WORKING ITS WAY BACK INTO THE REGION.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE: 3-9 at Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) at various
times throughout the month (SA, AH, BSh) – A BIT TO THE WEST OF THE
SPECIES’ RECENT RANGE IN THE REGION.
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 1 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) on
3/13/23 (SA) and 1 at Lake Two (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (SA, AH) – RUNNING
A BIT EARLY.
TREE SWALLOW: 1 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/7/23 (ML) – RUNNING
A BIT EARLY.
PURPLE MARTIN: 4 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23 (ML), 1 at
Maxey Park (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (JG), 2 at Post City Park (Garza) on
3/29/23 (ML), and 12 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 3/29/23
(BSh) – RUNNING A BIT LATE; SLOWLY CATCHING UP IN TERMS OF NUMBERS.
BARN SWALLOW: 1-2 at Aztlan Park (Lubbock) on 3/13/23 (SA, JoC) the
only report during the first half of the month – A BIT LOW, EVEN BY
THE END OF THE MONTH.
CLIFF SWALLOW: 1 at Silent Wings Playa (Lubbock) on 3/28/23 (SA), 20
at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 3/29/23 (BSh), and a few over
southwest Lubbock (Lubbock) on 3/29/23 (LH) – BY CONTEMPORARY
STANDARDS, RIGHT ON TIME.
CAVE SWALLOW: 1-5 at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) from 3/23/23 through
3/25/23 (JoC, JrC, JCr) and 1 at Lake Two (Lubbock) on 3/26/23 (SA,
AH) – RUNNING A TAD EARLY.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 2 at the TTU Horticultural Gardens (Lubbock) on
3/28/23 (BSh) and 2 at Lake Alan Henry (Garza) on 3/29/23 (SK) – A BIT
LOW.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: Eight reports of 1-3 birds in the region
(Crosby, Kent Lubbock) throughout the period (SA, JoC, JCr, AH, ML,
WW) – GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS AND GOOD NUMBER; THE IRRUPTIVE EVENT
CONTINUES.
CEDAR WAXWING: Ten reports of 1-10 birds, seven reports of 11-25
birds, and four reports of 32-56 birds in the region (Crosby, Garza,
Kent, Lubbock, Yoakum) during the period (SA, JoC, JrC, WC, TD, HG,
JG, AH, SK, PKe, ML, BSh) – AFTER A STRONG FALL AND A WEAK WINTER, THE
WAXWINGS ARE BACK – WHAT SOME USED TO CALL A SPLIT IRRUPTIVE EVENT?
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: Eight reports of single birds in the region
(Crosby, Garza, Lubbock) during the period (TD, HG, JG, DH, AH, BSh,
KT, WW) – AFTER A GREAT FALL AND EARLY WINTER FOLLOWED BY A POOR LATE
WINTER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, LIKE CEDAR WAXWINGS, ARE BACK.
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 at the Lockwood Farm (Crosby) on 3/2/23
(ML) – VERY RARE IN THE REGION THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
BROWN CREEPER: Five reports of 1-2 birds at various sites in (Lubbock)
during the period (SA, JoC, AH, WW) – GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS AND
NUMBERS FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
ROCK WREN: Four reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Garza, Lubbock,
Yoakum) during the period (SA, TD, JG, AH, BSh) – LOW.
CAROLINA WREN: 1-2 below Lake Six (Lubbock) throughout the period (SA,
JCr, AH) – - THE ONLY REPORTS FROM, MORE OR LESS, ABOVE THE CAPROCK
ESCARPMENT.
HOUSE WREN: 1 at the Wheeler Ranch (Crosby) on 3/2/23 (ML) and 1 at
Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH) – RUNNING A TAD EARLY.
WINTER WREN: 1 below Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/5/23 (SA, AH), 1 in
Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 3/6/23 (JoC), 1 at White River Lake
(Crosby) on 3/7/23 (ML), and 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on
3/20/23 (WW) – GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
SEDGE WREN: 1 at the Wheeler Ranch (Crosby) on 3/2/23 (ML) – A BIT OF
AN ENIGMA, THIS SPECIES – ABOUT EVERY DECADE WE GET A SPATE OF
FALL-SPRING REPORTS THEN … NOTHING.
SAGE THRASHER: Five reports of 1-2 birds in the region (Kent, Lubbock,
Yoakum) during the period (SA, JoC, JrC, AH, SK) – ABOUT AVERAGE;
NUMBERS CAN PERK UP EVEN MORE IN APRIL.
BROWN THRASHER: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) throughout the period (SA,
JoC, AH), 1 near 58th Street x Kenosha Avenue (Lubbock) from 3/21/23
through 3/25/23 (SA, AH), 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/25/23
(AH), and 1 on the TTU HSC Campus (Lubbock) on 3/27/23 (LH) – SOME
UNUSUAL REPORTS FROM ATOP THE CAPROCK ESCARPMENT.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1-3 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) throughout the
period (SA, TD, JG, AH, BSh), 1 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/7/23
(ML), and 6 at Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH) – GOOD
NUMBERS FOR THIS FAR WEST IN THE REGION THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
WESTERN BLUEBIRD: 4 in Lubbock (Lubbock) on 3/2/23 (GE), 2 -3 at
Yoakum County Park (Yoakum) from 3/11/23 through 3/25/23 (SA, AH,
CFRT), 1 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23 (ML) – GOOD NUMBERS
FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON; THE LAST REPORT VERY FAR EAST FOR THIS
LATE IN THE SEASON.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD: 2 at CR 130 x FM 1780 (Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH)
and 2 at Lake Alan Henry (Kent) on 3/29/23 (SK) – THIS IS THE
IRRUPTIVE EVENT, STARTING IN FALL AND DROPPING OFF IN WINTER THAT HAS
NOT, YET, RETURNED.
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE: Fourteen reports of 1-3 birds in the region
(Crosby, Lubbock, Lynn, Yoakum) during the period (SA, JCl, JoC, JCr,
AH, PKi, JL, NN) – VERY GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS AND VERY GOOD NUMBERS –
AN IRRUPTIVE EVENT THAT KEEPS ON KEEPING ON.
HERMIT THRUSH: 1 at Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH) and 1
at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23 (ML) the only reports received
– EXTRAORDINARILY LOW.
CASSIN’S FINCH: 1 female at Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH)
– A BIT OF A LATE REMINDER THAT THIS SPECIES HAD A BIT OF AN IRRUPTIVE
EVENT THIS YEAR.
RED CROSSBILL: 5-7 at 60th Street x Indiana Avenue (Lubbock) on 3/7/23
(SA, AH) – AN IRRUPTIVE EVENT FOR THE SPECIES THIS YEAR WAS A BIT
TOPSY-TURVY, A BIT WEAK BUT … IT IS GOING ON.
PINE SISKIN: Five reports of 1-8 birds in the region (Garza, Lubbock,
Yoakum) during the period (SA, AH, BSh, KT) - A TAD LOW; CERTAINLY NOT
PART OF ANY FINCH IRRUPTIVE EVENT THIS YEAR.
LESSER GOLDFINCH: 2 at Stanford Park (Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA, AH) – A
BIT FURTHER TO THE NORTHWEST THAN EXPECTED FOR THE REGION.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 5 at the FM 1780 Wildlife Management Area (Yoakum)
on 3/11/23 (SA, AH) the only report directly received – LOW.
THICK-BILLED LONGSPUR: 9 at the FM 1780 Wildlife Management Area
(Yoakum) on 3/11/23 (SA) the only report directly received – VERY LOW.
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: 1 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23 (ML) –
ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
LARK SPARROW: 2 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/7/23 (ML) and 1 in
the Tech Terrace Nieghborhood (Lubbock) on 3/27/23 (SA) – THE FIRST
REPORT, SOME PERSISTENT WINTERING BIRDS – THE SECOND REPORT, SOME
EARLY ARRIVALS.
CHIPPING SPARROW: Five reports of 1-4 birds and one report of 14 birds
in the region (Crosby, Kent, Lubbock) during the period (JoC, JCr, AH,
SK, ML) – RIGHT ON TIME BUT RUNNING A BIT LOW IN TERMS OF NUMBERS.
BREWER’S SPARROW: 1 at CR 131 x CR 212 (Crosby) on 3/17/23 (ML) –
RUNNING A BIT EARLY.
FOX SPARROW: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/3/23 (GJ, PJ) and 1 in
Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) on 3/12/23 (SA, AH) – A BIT LOW.
HARRIS’S SPARROW: 1 in Yellowhouse Canyon (Lubbock) from 3/5/23
through 3/12/23 (TD, JG, AH, BSh) – RUNNING A BIT LATE BY CONTEMPORARY
STANDARDS.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 3 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/3/23 (GJ,
PJ), 2 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/7/23 (ML), 1 in a Lubbock
yard (Lubbock) on 3/10/23 (GJ, PJ), 2 at White River Lake (Crosby) on
3/19/23 (ML), and 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/19/23 and 3/20/23
(GJ, PJ) – BY CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS, GOOD NUMBER OF REPORTS AND GOOD
NUMBERS FOR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.
LE CONTE’S SPARROW: 1 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23 (ML) –
FORMERLY REGULAR AT THIS SITE; NOW FAIRLY UNUSUAL.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 5 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 3/19/23
(ML), 1 male at the 50th Street x Magnolia Avenue Seed Dump (Lubbock)
on 3/27/23 (SA), and 6 at Lake Six (Lubbock) on 3/29/23 (MH) – ABOUT
AVERAGE FOR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.
BRONZED COWBIRD: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 3/17/23 (GK) the
first report of the season – RIGHT ON TIME … FOR THESE ACCELERATED
TIMES.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: Seven reports of 1-2 birds in the region
(Crosby, Lubbock) during the period (SA, JoC, JCr, AH ML) – GOOD
NUMBER OF REPORTS AND GOOD NUMBERS BY RECENT YEARS’ STANDARDS.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: Four reports of single birds at various sites in
(Lubbock) during the period (SA, AH) – ABOUT AVERAGE; GIVEN THE DRY
CONDITIONS, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF WE GET A MIGRATORY SPIKE.
OBSERVERS: SA=Sheri Anderson, HB=Holly Bundock, JCl=Jeremy Clark,
JoC=Joe Cochran, JrC=Jordan Cochran, WC=Whitney Cochran, TC=Teresa
Connell, WCo=Wade Cortez, JCr=Jim Crites, TD=Tucker Dangremond,
GE=Grant Ellis, TF=Todd Fitzgerald, HG=Hannah Girgente, JG=Joe
Girgente, DH=Danny Hancock, AH=Anthony Hewetson, LH=Len Hovey,
MH=Melody Huffman, GJ=George Jury, PJ=Pat Jury, , SK=Stephen Kasper,
GK=Glenda Kelly, PKe=Peter Keyel, PKi=Phillip Kite, LEAS Trip (Joe
Cochran, Jordan Cochran, Whitney Cochran, Jim Crites, Joe Heppert,
Kathy Heppert, Barry Keith, Phillip Kite, Nancy Neill), JL=Josh
Lefever, ML=Mark Lockwood, JM=Jennifer Miller, NN=Nancy Neill,
JN=Johny Nelson, SN=Shruti Nelson, BSc=Bobby Schat, BSh=Brad Shine,
KT=Kathy Teague, CFRT=Carlos Fernando Ramirez Torres, WW=William
Wenthe.
Anthony Hewetson; Lubbock