[leasbirds] Lubbock Area Birding Summary for January - Longish
- From: Anthony Hewetson <terrverts@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <leasbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2014 09:33:26 -0800 (PST)
JANUARY 2014 BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
With
0.00 inches of rain in Lubbock during the month, below the average January
total of 0.50 inches, we are off to a not-so-good start with regards to our
ongoing drought. Considering our 13 inch deficit in 2011, our our 7 inch
deficit in 2012, and our 6 inch deficit in 2013 I am surprised that the area
still has any standing water ... and things are looking grim for the region's
reservoirs. This, paradoxically, mean that most of our highlights are
waterbirds and the paradox disappears when one realizes that every single
waterbird in the region is now located at a highly visible, easily birded, and
probably artificially maintained watering spot. Upland species are really
having a harder time of it, though, as we are now into our fourth year of
relatively low food resources - this is a hard winter to rack up a good sparrow
list, for instance. Our local birders persevere, though, and we did manage to
kick up a few highlights in what is left of our
brushlands and woodlands. The
combination of intense observer efforts at some locations and the
increase in data due to e-bird has made it more difficult to separate
individual sightings - the algorithm I am using is relatively
conservative and I am willing to share it with anybody who is
interested.
As always, the county follows the site in ( ) and birds are
mentioned by virtue of rarity, atypical abundance, or atypical
scarcity.
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: Fifteen reports of 1-10 birds and two reports of
11-25 birds in the region (Floyd, Hale, Hockley, Lubbock, Lynn) during the
month (CA, MA, CC, SC, AnH, PKe, CR, FR, NP) - DECEMBER NUMBERS WERE ABOUT
AVERAGE BUT FEW PERSISTED INTO JANUARY - LOW
SNOW GOOSE, ROSS'S GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, CANADA GOOSE - All four species were
relatively easy to find, albeit in small numbers, at in-town playas but
elsewhere numbers were - LOW, VERY LOW, VERY LOW, and LOW RESPECTIVELY.
TUNDRA SWAN: One adult bird was at Brashears Lake Park (Hockley) from 1/24/14
though 1/28/14 (LS, SC) - A VERY RARE VISITOR TO OUR REGION - THOSE LEVELLAND
LAKES ARE WORTH WATCHING!
WOOD DUCK: 2-12 at the Plainview Duck Pond (Hale) through the period (AK, PKe,
NP), 2-5 at Leroy Elmore Park (Lubbock) through the period (SC, AnH, PKe), 1 at
Higginbotham Park (Lubbock) on 1/11/14 (AnH), 2 at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock)
on 1/11/14 (AnH), and 2 at Lobo Lake Park (Hockley) on 1/31/14 (AnH) the only
reports - NOT BAD, DROUGHT CONSIDERED, BUT LOW BY NORMAL STANDARDS.
GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and
GREEN-WINGED TEAL: Though findable at any remaining water in the region, all
of our dabblers were in fairly short supply by normal standards - LOW, VERY
LOW, LOW, VERY LOW, and VERY LOW RESPECTIVELY.
CANVASBACK: 30 at the TTU Sewage Ponds (Lubbock) on 1/10/14 (CC), 15 at the
Lockney Sewage Ponds (Floyd) on 1/25/14 (PKe), and 30 at the Whiteface Sewage
Ponds (Cochran) on 1/18/14 (SC) the only reports - FINDABLE BUT LOW.
REDHEAD: 1 at Whisperwood Pond (Lubbock) on 1/11/14 (AnH), 5 at Post City Park
(Garza) on 1/18/14 (PKe), 3 at the Lockney Sewage Ponds (Floyd) on 1/25/13
(PKe), and 3 at the Whiteface Sewage Ponds (Cochran) on 1/28/14 (SC) the only
reports - FINDABLE BUT VERY LOW.
RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED MERGANSER, and RUDDY DUCK -
As with our dabblers, our expected 'diving' and 'sea' ducks were findable at
in-town playas and our few regional lakes but were - VERY LOW, LOW, VERY LOW,
LOW, AND VERY LOW IN NUMBERS RESPECTIVELY.
COMMON GOLDENEYE: 1 along the Canyon Lakes (Lubbock) on 1/5/14 (CC) and 1 at
Post City Park (Garza) on 1/18/14 (PKe) the only reports - A RELATIVELY RARE
WINTER VISITOR TO START WITH BUT THESE NUMBERS ARE, NOT SURPRISINGLY, LOW BY
NORMAL STANDARDS.
COMMON MERGANSER: 1-9 at Lake Six (Lubbock) through the period (CC, SC, PKe), 3
at the Lakeview Golf Course (Lubbock) on 1/19/14 (SC), 8 at White River Lake
(Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH), 1 at Buffalo Springs Lake (Lubbock) on 1/30/14 (JB),
and 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 1/30/14 (JB) - SEEMINGLY GOOD NUMBERS
BUT THE CRASH (HUNDREDS IN DECEMBER DOWN TO LESS THAN TEN) AT WHITE RIVER LAKE
IS WORRISOME.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 1-3 at Lake Six (Lubbock) throughout the period (CC,
SC, PKe, PKi) the only reports - THIS IS A VERY RARE WINTER VISITOR TO THE
REGION; THESE ARE ACTUALLY GOOD NUMBERS!
OSPREY: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 1/14/14 (PKi) - ACCIDENTAL AT THIS
POINT IN THE WINTER; ONE OF BUT A HANDFUL OF JANUARY RECORDS.
HARRIS'S HAWK: Two different birds were spotted at different locations in the
region during the period (JB, AnH) - I WILL NO LONGER SUPPLY SPECIFIC LOCATIONS
FOR THIS SPECIES AND WOULD ADVISE OTHER BIRDERS IN THE REGION TO FOLLOW THE
SAME POLICY.
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK: 1 adult bird persisted at Lake Six (Lubbock) through the
period (CC) and 1 immature bird persisted at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the
period (CC) - FORMERLY ACCIDENTAL TO THE REGION DURING ANY PERIOD, THE SPECIES
SEEMS TO BE SETTLING IN, AT LEAST AS A WINTER RESIDENT, AT OUR BETTER WOODLANDS.
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: Nine single birds reported from at least six sites in the
region (Crosby, Floyd, Hale, Hockley) during the month (AnH, KH, AK, PKe, NP) -
EITHER ABOUT AVERAGE OR, GIVEN SOLID COVERAGE OF OUR BETTER COUNTIES, A TAD LOW.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 1 at MacKenzie Park (Lubbock) on 1/5/14 (CC), 2 at Dupree
Park (Lubbock) on 1/11/14 (AnH), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 1/20/14 (SC), and
2 at White River Lake (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (SC) the only reports - AS WOULD BE
EXPECTED, LOW.
WILSON'S SNIPE: 2 at the FM 789 Wetland (Hale) throughout the period (AK, NP)
the only report - EVEN GIVEN THE ONGOING DROUGHT, SURPRISINGLY LOW. WHAT WATER
IS LEFT IS JUST NOT MAKING IT TO THE LOWEST LINE OF VEGETATION.
LONG-EARED OWL: 1 at Muleshoe NWR (Bailey) on 1/30/14 (JB) the only report -
LOW.
SHORT-EARED OWL: 1 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) on 1/2/14 (KH) the only report -
LOW.
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 1 along Red Mud Road (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the
only report - LOW.
DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 near Afton (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) and 1 at MacKenzie
Park (Lubbock) during the last days of January (RR) the only reports - LOW.
MERLIN: Eight reports of 1-2 birds scattered across six sites in (Crosby,
Hale, Hockley, Lubbock) during the period (JB, AnH, KH, NP) - A TAD LOW.
PEREGRINE FALCON: 1 near the TTU HSC Campus (Lubbock) on 1/10/14 (AnH), 1 on
the TTU Campus (Lubbock) on 1/10/10 (PKe) and 1/13/14 (PKi), 1 at Clapp Park
(Lubbock) on 1/20/14 (SC), and 1 at 50th and Indiana (Lubbock) on 1/26/14 (AnH)
- ABOUT AVERAGE; WE EXPECT UP TO A HALF DOZEN BIRDS TO AT LEAST WINTER IN
LUBBOCK THESE DAYS.
MONK PARAKEET: 1 at the Wayland Baptist Campus (Hale) during the latter half of
the month (NP) - COLONIES HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES IN LUBBOCK AT LEAST TWICE
DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES - GENERALLY VANISHING DURING A SEVERE WINTER -
THESE ARE THE FIRST NON-LUBBOCK SIGHTINGS.
EASTERN PHOEBE: 2 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH) and 1 at
Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only reports - LOW.
SAY'S PHOEBE: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) on 1/26/14 (Di) the only report -
LOW.
COMMON RAVEN: 1-2 at the Himmel Farm (Crosby) throughout the period (KH), 2 at
the CR 183 Playa (Crosby) on 1/8/14 (KH), 2 at the CR 156 Playa (Crosby) on
1/9/14 (KH), 2 near Post (Garza) on 1/15/14 (AnH), and 1 at White River Lake
(Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH) - ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THIS STILL MOSTLY BELOW THE
ESCARPMENT SPECIES.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE: 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH)
and 4 near Afton (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only reports - STATUS UNCERTAIN
- AS THIS SPECIES APPEARS TO BE DECLINING IN THE REGION, SIGHTINGS ARE
CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY.
VERDIN: 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock) on 1/26/14 (SC) the only report - AS THIS
SPECIES APPEARS TO BE DECLINING IN THE REGION, SIGHTINGS ARE CONSIDERED
NOTEWORTHY.
BROWN CREEPER: 1 in the Tech Terrace neighborhood (Lubbock) on 1/10/14 (CC) the
only report - DEFINITELY NOT IRRUPTIVE INTO THE REGION THIS WINTER!
ROCK WREN: 1 along Bole's Road (Lubbock) on 1/26/14 (SC) the only report - AS
THIS SPECIES APPEARS TO BE DECLINING IN THE REGION, SIGHTINGS ARE CONSIDERED
NOTEWORTHY.
CANYON WREN: 2 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH), 1 at the
Dickens Sewage Ponds (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH), and 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock)
on 1/26/14 (SC) - AS THIS SPECIES STATUS IS UNCERTAIN IN THE REGION, SIGHTINGS
ARE CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY.
HOUSE WREN: 1 near Afton (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only report - AS THIS
SPECIES STATUS IS UNCERTAIN IN THE REGION, SIGHTINGS ARE CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY.
WINTER WREN: 1 at Mae Simmons Park (Lubbock) on 1/11/14 (PKe) the only report -
A RARE WINTER VISITOR TO THE REGION; ABOUT AVERAGE FOR JANUARY.
CAROLINA WREN: 1 near Afton (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only report - AS
THIS FORMERLY RARE SPECIES APPEARS TO BE INCREASING IN THE REGION, SIGHTINGS
ARE CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY.
BEWICK'S WREN: 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/25/13 (PKe), 2 at
Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH), 1 along Red Mud Road
(Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH), 4 near Afton (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH), and 1
along Ellis Road (Hockley) on 1/31/14 (AnH) the only reports - AS THIS FORMERLY
COMMON SPECIES APPEARS TO BE DECLINING, AT LEAST IN SOME PARTS OF THE REGION,
SIGHTINGS ARE CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 1/20/14 (SC) and 1/21/14
(PKe) the only reports - LOW.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH), 2 at
White River Lake (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH), and 1 near Spur (Dickens) on
1/26/14 (AnH) the only reports - VERY LOW.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD: 2 near Justiceburg (Garza) on 1/15/14 (AnH), 4 at White
River Lake (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH), 4 at the Dickens Sewage Ponds (Dickens)
on 1/26/14 (AnH), 23 just north of Dickens (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH), 45 near
McAdoo (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH), and 2 near Morton (Cochran) on 1/28/14 (SC)
the only reports - NOT GOOD; NOT BAD - AVERAGE.
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE: 1 at Morton City Park (Cochran) through the period (CC,
SC), 1 at Clapp Park (Lubbock) through the month (CC), 1 at Dickens Springs
(Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH), and 1 at Levelland City Park (Hockley) on 1/31/14
(AnH) - NOT GOOD; NOT BAD - AVERAGE - AND THAT'S GOOD BY THIS YEAR'S STANDARDS.
HERMIT THRUSH: No reports at all - LOW.
AMERICAN PIPIT: 5 near Floydada (Floyd) on 1/9/14 (NP) and 1 along Bole's Road
(Lubbock) on 1/26/14 (SC) -AS THIS SPECIES STATUS IS UNCERTAIN IN THE REGION,
SIGHTINGS ARE CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY.
CEDAR WAXWING: Ten reports of 1-10 birds and two reports of 11-25 birds in the
the region (Crosby, Dickens, Hale, Lubbock) during the period (JB, CC, AnH, AK,
PKe, NP) - A CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT OVER DECEMBER IN NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS AND
OVERALL NUMBERS BUT STILL - LOW.
LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 5 somewhere in (Floyd) on 1/9/14 (AK, NP), 5 elsewhere in
(Floyd) on 1/9/14 (AK, NP), 30 along FM 789 (Hale) on 1/18/14 (PKe), 50 at the
Lockney Sewage Ponds (Floyd) on 1/25/14 (PKe), and 3 along FM 789 (Hale) on
1/25/14 (NP) - A CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT OVER DECEMBER'S NUMBERS - CLOSING IN
ON AVERAGE.
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR: 1 along FM 789 (Hale) on 1/18/14 (NP) and 11 at the
Lockney Sewage Ponds (Floyd) on 1/25/14 (PKe) the only reports - VERY, ALMOST
EXTRAORDINARILY, LOW>
MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR: 4 somewhere in (Floyd) on 1/9/14 (AK, NP), 5 along FM 789
(Hale) on 1/18/14 (NP), and 15 near McAdoo (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only
reports - VERY, ALMOST EXTRAORDINARILY, LOW.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 1 in a Lubbock yard (Lubbock) through the period (AnH),
1 in another Lubbock yard (Lubbock) through the first half of the month (DH), 1
at Buddy Holly Park (Lubbock) on 1/11/14 (PKe), 1 at the Lubbock Cemetery
(Lubbock) on 1/14/14 (PKi), 1 at the TTU Gardens (Lubbock) on 1/30/14 (SC) the
only reports - LOW BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS; THIS IS BECOMING NORMAL FOR OUR
DROUGHT-STRICKEN WINTERS.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: No reports at all - LOW DESPITE KNOWN VISITS TO THE THREE
BEST SPOTS IN THE REGION FOR THIS RARE WINTERER.
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER: While individual
reports are not worthy of note - yet - IT IS NOTABLE THAT THIS SPECIES
WAS IN VERY LOW, PERHAPS EXTRAORDINARILY LOW, NUMBERS THROUGHOUT THE
REGION AND PERIOD.
VESPER SPARROW, LARK BUNTING, SAVANNAH SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, LINCOLN'S
SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and DARK-EYED JUNCO: These species are
generally common to abundant throughout the region during the winter
and, while not low enough to make individual sightings worth noting, it
could be difficult to find some of these birds during the month - VERY
LOW, EXTRAORDINARILY LOW, VERY LOW, VERY LOW, LOW, VERY LOW, and VERY
LOW RESPECTIVELY.
SPOTTED TOWHEE: 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH) and 1 at
Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only reports - WOW - HORRIBLY
LOW.
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW: 2 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/25/14 (PKe),
2 at Dickens Springs (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH), and 1 at Ransom Lake (Lubbock)
on 1/26/14 (SC) - AS THIS SPECIES STATUS IS UNCERTAIN IN THE REGION, SIGHTINGS
ARE CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY.
FIELD SPARROW: 2 along FM 789 (Hale) on 1/25/14 (NP) and 2 at Dickens Springs
(Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only reports - WOW - INCREDIBLY LOW.
FOX SPARROW: No reports at all and that is - NOTEWORTHILY LOW.
SWAMP SPARROW: 1 at Silver Falls Rest Area (Crosby) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only
report - EXTRAORDINARILY LOW.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: No reports at all and that is - NOTEWORTHILY LOW.
HARRIS'S SPARROW: 2 near Afton (Dickens) on 1/26/14 (AnH) the only report - LOW.
PINE SISKIN: 1 at the Plainview Cemetery (Hale) on 1/18/14 (NP) and 2 at a
Lubbock yard (Lubbock)on 1/18/14 (Di) the only reports - RIDICULOUSLY LOW.
EVENING GROSBEAK: 1 re-appeared at Clapp Park (Lubbock) on 1/29/14 (CC)
apparently the same female that was seen earlier in the season - ACCIDENTAL TO
THE REGION, THE SPECIES IS MAKING A BIT OF A SHOWING IN TEXAS THIS YEAR - A
CONTINUATION OF THE THIRD RECORD FOR OUR REGION SINCE 2005.
OBSERVERS: CA=Connie Andrus, MA=Marlin Andrus, JB=Jennifer Bristol, CC=Cameron
Carver, SC=Steve Collins, DH=Danny Hancock, AnH=Anthony Hewetson, KH=Kelly
Himmel, Di=Donn ianuzi, AK=Andrew Kasner, PKe=Peter Keyel, PKi=Phillip Kite,
NP=Niler Pyeatt, CR=Clarice Robertson, FR=Floyd Robertson, LS=Leanna Smith.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson
terrverts@xxxxxxxxx
Bird Records Compiler,
Llano Estacado Audubon Society
www.llanoestacadoaudubon.org
Other related posts: