New Yard Birds!

On Saturday Oct. 30, 2010 I had two new yard birds as well as a life bird. The first was a Pine Warbler (life).

I first saw it while in the backyard without binoculars or a camera, but it came real close (probably within 10ft.). I ran in got the camera and got a few ID'able pics of it, but it was not the same one I saw earlier as this one was lighter and grayer, the first one had alot more yellow on it (looked just like the one in National Geographic Field Guide).

The second yard bird was a Golden-crowned Kinglet. I got pics of it too, but they were not great. This was only my second time to see one, first was nearly 3 years ago.

Now jump forward to this weekend, it is just beginning to get colder here so the American Goldfinches and other winter birds are just starting to come to the feeder. My mom was visiting and we were watching the birds from within the house when I saw an Orange-crowned Warbler which I got excited about. Then some minutes later a Pine Warbler landed in the grass where she got great views of it. It was life bird for her.

I also had these in the yard this past weekend:

White-breasted Nuthatch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Pine Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
White-throated Sparrow
Carolina Wren
Turkey Vulture (well flying over the house)
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse

Southwest OK

Mom and I started for Hackberry Flats this morning, arrived about 10:45am. Not a lot going on. It was sunny and a strong North wind.

We left Hackberry about 12:30 and continued SW to the Eldorado area. Lots of snow on the ground made for a lot of muddy roads that we couldn't get down.

Hackberry:
Greater Yellowlegs
1 Snowy Plover
Dunlins
Long-billed Dowitchers
Unidentified Sandpipers
Kestrels
Red-tailed Hawks
No. Harriers
Ruddy Ducks
Gadwall
No. Shovelers
Ring-billed Gulls
Great Blue Herons
Green and Blue Winged Teal
Coots
Snipes
Bufflehead
Redhead
Am. Pipits
Red-winged Blackbirds
White-crowned Sparrows

Eldorado Area:
White-crowned Sparrows
Lark Buntings (had 1 very large flock)
Turkeys

Cardinals and Snow

I don't know what it is, but whenever it snows here, the cardinals come out in droves. February 12, 2010, I went out to the refuge. It was cloudy and cold so I didn't think I would need my camera (famous last words). Drove around while without seeing much. Saw 1 Bald Eagle at Goose Pen Pond. Before calling it a day I decided to check out the Bird Wall close to headquarters. There were the cardinals, more than I could count. Then I saw this odd looking one. Thinking to myself, "I need a picture of this one, but I don't want to drive all the way back home for the camera". So I had my cell phone and binoculars. Lined up the camera lens on the phone with the binocular hole and took a few shots of this bird. I'm still not sure if it is a male or a female or a cross between them. See for yourself:

A Great Day

January 17, 2010 was a great day to start the new year. Everything fell into place that day. We had great birds and sunlight behind me. First great picture was a Red-shouldered Hawk eating a fish.






Turn the corner and I found a Pileated Woodpecker hammering away. This bird has been a long time want for me. Everytime I would see one it would either be cloudy, backlit, or not enough sun. Then I get the perfect day, looks very good printed at 11x14 and double-matted at 16x20 (black outer, red inner).

Fall Migrants

So I'm back posting about the fall migrants. Maybe now I can post more often.

Back in September 09 I found two Red-necked Phalaropes at the TWNR. They stayed around for about a week (plus or minus a few days). Life bird for me.

Great Salt Plains 10-16-09 thru 10-18-09

It's been a while since I posted anything, mainly due to not much going on. Did have an unexpected fall migrant at the Tish Refuge which will come in a later post.


My mom and I made our first trip to the Salt Plains. On the way up in a construction zone on Hwy 81 (not sure where we were) we saw a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk (Picture 1).



The other highlight was seeing Ring-necked Pheasants at the Salt Plains on the road to the crystal digging area.

Not much going on at Sandpiper Trail, 1 sandpiper, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, and some ducks that were too far to ID.

Didn't see any Sandhills or Whoopers even though hunters reported them. This list is for all 3 days.

1. Red-tailed Hawks
2. American Kestrels
3. Scissor-tail Flycatchers
4. Ring-billed Gulls
5. Snowy Egrets
6. American Avocets
7. American Crows
8. Bonaparte's Gulls
9. Red-bellied Woodpeckers
10. Northern Cardinals
11. Barn Swallows
12. Meadowlarks
13. Canada Geese
14. American White Pelicans
15. Dowitchers
16. Sandpipers
17. Greater Yellowlegs
18. Orange-crowned Warblers
19. Northern Flickers
20. Carolina Chickadees
21. Blue Jays
22. Eastern Bluebirds
23. Mourning Doves
24. Great Blue Herons
25. Great Egrets
26. Red-winged Blackbirds
27. Grackles
28. Northern Harriers
29. Brown-headed Cowbirds
30. Snow Geese
31. Greater White-fronted Geese
32. Northern Shovelers
33. Mallards
34. Wood Ducks
35. Killdeers
36. Blue-winged Teal
37. Gadwalls
38. Turkeys
39. Mockingbird
40. Ring-necked Pheasants (3 males, 5 females)
41. Double-crested Cormorants
42. Northern Pintails
43. Tufted Titmouse
44. Pie-billed Grebe
45. Green-winged Teal
46. American Widgeons
47. American Coots
48. Cattle Egrets
49. Belted Kingfisher
50. Eurasian Collard Doves
51. Great Horned Owls
52. Pigeons
53. European Starlings
54. House Sparrows
55. American Robins
56. Forrester's Terns
57. Bobwhite Quail


Also saw: deer, armadillos, coyotes, snakes and the best of all was a badger running around in a wheat field.

Too hot

It's been so hot lately that I haven't been out much. Went to Tish NWR last week, but didn't see anything worth posting about.

Will hopefully get to go to Hackberry Flats this weekend to see the babies that are there: plovers, stilts, avocets.