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Golden-cheeked Warbler

Besides the first picture that I didn't take,
here are some bad pictures of a good bird ...
hundreds of people a year spend thousands of dollars
to come to the Edwards Plateau to see this bird.

It is the only species whose entire breeding range
lies within Texas. It is one of the most restriced-range
species in North America. It is beautiful, and fascinating.

The above picture was digi-scoped (digital camera up to telescope)
by Kelli Levinson and used with permission. All rights reserved.

The following photos were all taken post-breeding, late June
to early August, mostly in July, of birds in our former
front yard on Thunder Creek Road, where they don't breed.
The numbers seen at this non-descript non-breeding site during
the 6 weeks after breeding and before migrating out of the country
(over 20 birds in 6 weeks) were pleasantly surprising.

Note how green the back might appear, and none of these show the
juvenile females back well. They are as green as a Black-throated
Green Warbler. All the field guides depict *first winter* birds
for immatures in which the back is much blacker than juveniles.
Odd since the first winter plumage they show is not seen in the U.S.,
and what is, is not shown ! Typical experts.

The easiest, prettiest place to see them is at Lost Maples
State Natural Area. Walk the Can Creek trail to the ponds
area, and you should see and hear many mid-March to mid-June.
Don't play tapes.










Now you have virtually seen a Golden-cheeked Warbler!

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