I woke about 5 a.m. to another
humid morning at 75º, and to the kids and dogs from the other guests at the
Motel 6. The morning was mostly
overcast, with a south breeze at 5-15 knots, and 75-78° F.
I drank some of the motel’s coffee and made
my way over to Balcones Canyonlands NWR, where I hope to find the
Golden-cheeked Warbler - a species I’ve never seen, and one which nests only in
the juniper and oaks of central Texas.
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| Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat |
I drove to the
Cactus Rock trailhead and began my walk through the Ashe junipers.
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| Why do people stack rocks? |
Within
about 100 meters, a bird cut across the trail.
A female Golden-cheeked! I
watched her feed in the ‘cedars’ for a bit, then she dropped to the ground to
forage, and I snapped a few shots of her. This was my ABA 'Life Bird' No. 610!
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| Golden-cheeked Warbler female gathering her breakfast |
I continued
along, and heard several males singing, but they remained hidden in the
branches until finally one of them came out and gave me a glimpse.
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| The males are a bit more brightly-colored |
There was a
birder there from New York, who was trying to find the bird for her Life List
as well, and I played the call for her on my cell phone, so she could recognize
it, and let her know where I’d heard the birds singing. A bit later, I bumped into her again and she
said one flew into a juniper right in front of her!
I ended up
walking the Cactus Rock, Ridgeline and Vista Knoll trails.
I wish I were a better birder, and I am
jealous of the Big-Year birder types that can memorize all of the calls and songs. My memory skills are diminishing, and I have to sit and listen to recordings of the
‘target’ species and focus on those calls.
Then, I end up chasing the Cardinals and Titmice calls that I’m still
unfamiliar with. As it is, there are
many chips and chirps that I don't recognize, and I need to get my binoculars
on those birds for a positive ID.
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| It always seems I can get good views of birds I'm familiar with - Hutton's Vireo here . . . |
That said, I am
really enjoying seeing these birds that are new for me. And, I’m enjoying
the wildflowers of the prairies and hills.
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| Coneflowers |
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| I don't know what these are - they're common & I'll have to look them up later |
And the butterflies. I bought a copy of Kenn Kaufman's Butterflies of North America guide, but it's packed away & i don't have it handy, as I write this. I'll look them up when I get the book out . . .
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Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria) - Brown on top . . .
|
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| . . . until it opens its wings!! |
The view from the top of Vista Knob gave a perspective of the country around Lake Travis.
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| View From Vista Knob |
Here, the Field Sparrows were singing their hearts out.
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| I do recognize the calls of Field Sparro |
A federal judge
in Austin ruled back in February that the Golden-cheeked Warbler should remain protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The species is severely threatened by rampant urban sprawl, and nest
usurpation by Cowbirds. In affirming the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s denial of a petition to take the
golden-cheeked warbler off the endangered species list, the court found that
the warbler continues to be threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation,
predation and climate change. That
petition was submitted by several right-wing think tanks and Susan Combs, acting
secretary of policy, management and budget in the Trump administration’s U.S.
Department of the Interior.
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| Ashe Juniper Juniperus ashei - the bark is used for building the nest |
After walking the
Cactus Rock trail area, I stopped at the Refuge Headquarters and Visitors’
Center, where they have planted the area below the buildings to a glory of
wildflowers.
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| Balcones Canyonlands NWR headquarters & Visitors' Center |
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| I was greeted by a Wild Turkey at the HQ entrance |
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| The Refuge has erected nest boxes for Purple Martins |
Driving up the
Cow Creek Road, I noted the cryptic Texas “No Trespassing” sign: Purple Paint.
Throughout the State, under the Texas Penal Code, a property can be
marked off-limits with the simple expedient of painting the tops of the fence
posts, or a gate, or a rock, with purple paint.
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| Just a dab of paint on the fence post means "Keep Out" |
I finished my
day’s birding at the Refuge’s Doeskin Ranch, walking the Creek and Rimrock
trails. It was overcast and 88° with a
3-8 knot south breeze. Not a lot of bird activity in the late afternoon, but I
picked up views of the Rufous-crowned Sparrow and heard a Bobwhite calling.
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| Sing your heart out! |
This was a great
morning to be out, and although the afternoon was hot and a bit humid, a great
day in the field. I left the Cedar
Brakes and took a room at the Days Inn in Georgetown, with plans to bird around
Bastrop tomorrow.
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| Prickly Pears are in bloom |
Balcones Canyonlands NWR HQ eBird Checklist is Here
Cow Creek Road eBird Checklist is Here
Balcones Canyonlands NWR Doeskin Ranch eBird Checklist is
Here
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