Hi,
I was in Hockley County, sitting on a fence watching my daughter ride a horse
when a woodpecker flew by. I had my cheaper, small binoculars, but watched it
as it flew past, in open space. The closest it came as it flew left to right
was maybe 45 yards away.
This was a woodpecker, with that distinctive flight. (I'd never seen a
woodpecker fly for so long; at times it kind of fluttered, as if it too didn't
know what to do with so much space between trees.) What I could see was that
it was almost all dark, and had that kind of rounded, thick-necked look of a
Lewis's. Had I been able to observe it perched, I could have gotten a yes/no
reading on whether it was indeed a Lewis's. As it stands, I cannot be sure.
Sure did look like one, though. I did not see it land, so who knows how far it
went. (If a Lewis's, it already traveled pretty far!)
This was just across the Hockley county line from Lubbock, just south of 19th.
(Off Armadillo Road). It was flying southeast. This was near dusk—clear
sunlight, but low. I know we've had a Lewis's in that general area some years
ago.
So, if you're in the vicinity of the Lubbock/Hockley county line, keep an eye
out.
Bill