I almost didn’t bother to scope the playa. When I drove by yesterday it was
full of birds, but today it appeared empty. I saw a handful of ducks and
thought “what the heck” and walked out with my scope. I was really glad I did
when I spotted a raptor on the far shore and then even happier when it turned
out to be a Peregrine Falcon! As if that wasn’t enough, a couple of harriers
appeared, chasing each other, and then the Peregrine joined in on the chase!
The harriers disappeared pretty quickly after landing for a few moments. That
was definitely the highlight. Was hoping to find a Burrowing Owl, but haven’t
seen any here yet this year. The full list is below.
Jennifer
Jennifer Miller
Lubbock, TX
{o,o}
/)_)
" "
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Begin forwarded message:
From: ebird-checklist@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: February 8, 2018 at 5:56:54 PM CST
To: foundnatureblog@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: eBird Report - McAlister Park, Lubbock, Feb 8, 2018
McAlister Park, Lubbock, Lubbock, Texas, US
Feb 8, 2018 4:20 PM - 5:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.424 mile(s)
Comments: Sunny and breezy at 63 degrees. Wind made it a little chilly.
Had a small flock of small chipping birds pass over. Probably sparrows, but
couldn’t decide if the calls were familiar or not. Landed far away in the
grass, but could not refind. Didn’t see the Bob Mills playa well, but it
looked full of geese. Hares and Prairie Dogs, but no Burrowing Owls.
18 species (+2 other taxa)
Snow/Ross's Goose (Anser caerulescens/rossii) 7 Looked like they were
going to land at the playa, but couldn’t refind. May have been on the other
side of a berm even though I walked a good ways towards the playa to find
them.
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) 100
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 20
Cackling/Canada Goose (Branta hutchinsii/canadensis) 200
American Wigeon (Mareca americana) 1 Male
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 8 2 females, 6 males
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 16 4 Males, 2 females
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 1 Female. Was foraging on the surface
rather than diving.
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 3
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 3
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 2
Females/juveniles. Chasing each other and a 3rd bird, possibly the Peregrine
(grayish back, extremely flat soar, no white rump patch). Started chasing
each other and then the Peregrine joined in and continued to chase one after
the other harrier dropped off.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 2 One ran from one of the harriers as it
flew by and landed within a few yards.
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 3
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 1 Standing on the far shore. Medium
sized raptor with a dark gray back, light throat, dark cap and nape, a thick
dark (almost triangular) mustache, and caramel colored barring down by its
leg. Undertail coverts looked white and its legs appeared feathered with
yellow feet. Mostly had its back to me. Later saw its front with brown
streaking and a white bib with some darker streaking.
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 4
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) 40
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42601907
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)