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Bird Reports from Lost Maples SNA |
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Lost Maples birding news.... SPECIAL NOTE ** Sometimes I can guide you or your group on a bird and or nature walk at Lost Maples (or locally). If you would like to have a naturalist and birder with expansive and intimate knowledge of all birds and beasts here, that knows all the calls, at a level past the field guides, to help you find, see, and enjoy things, send an e-mail. If you are at Lost Maples SNA and see something good or of interest, please feel free to let us know. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Below are notes I made from visits to Lost Maples SNA. Mostly in the season that most birders come, spring and early summer, which hopefully give you an an idea of what to expect, or what you might look out for. The most asked question is 'when' for 'the' Golden-cheeked Warbler and 'the' vireo. Golden-cheeked Warbler arrival is mid-March so the last half of that month is easiest for the warbler, as the trees aren't all leafed out yet and they are singing their keisters off. April they are still easy most days, May and June they can be tougher, until the begging young are out of the nest whence they are easy again and this is usually in May and June, but many pairs will be quiet as you pass by then. They are present through July, though in much smaller numbers the last half of that month. I have seen them in early early August but that is exceptional. The Black-capped Vireo arrives a month later, in mid-April, present to August into September. Though at Lost Maples it usually requires a steep incline hike up to the high ridges as it is not found down in the lush canyons with the Golden- cheeked Warbler usually. They are present at Lost Maples but easier to see at Kerr WMA. With Black-capped Vireo there is no such thing as "easier to see" though, the term is quite relative. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Below the reports start with most recent and working back. There is a bit of a rant first about non-native fish introductions which have taken place recently at the park, and which I think upset the balance of nature at the state natural area, so not a good idea for the web of life. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I try not to be political whatsoever here, however sometimes I find it neccessary to voice a point of view, usually when I see what I consider a crime against nature. ~ ~ ~ ~ Rant warning! Following 8-9 paragraphs about Lost Maples State NATURAL AREA. I have really tried hard 8 years to keep anything remotely political off the website, with only the rare outburst about usually an injustice against nature, or some of the citiots that come visit. Sometimes we must say something. Lost Maples is a State Natural Area (SNA), which would seem to infer it's intrinsic natural history values are the priority, since it is not a PARK, but a NATURAL AREA. Per their website, non-native channel catfish have been introduced into the pond up Can Creek. I can't take a leaf out of the park, but the state can introduce non-native species that eat the native aquatic fauna? Could this happen if it were a predatory mammal, bird or reptile? But a non-native fish is OK? What's the difference? Non-natives have no place in a natural area. If I can't take a leaf out because the nutrients in it are considered vital to the ecosystem, why is it OK to remove literally tens of thousands of aquatic invertebrates from the ecosystem by introducing non-native fish to the natural area? All the animals matter and are part of the ecosystem. It takes all of them to make it work for some reason. Not just the ones we eat. Wasn't there a good book that implored us to take care of all creatures no matter how small? Because they are all there for a reason? They all play a role in making it work and whether we dummies know or understand how and why which puzzle piece does what is not what matters. Intelligent tinkering requires saving all the parts. It's our job to at the least save all the puzzle pieces. Introducing non-natives into the NATURAL AREA is not saving all the parts, it is destroying some of them, willfully and intentionally for some (mis-) perceived gain. There were non-native trout introduced there for a year or two, a couple years prior to this. This is ridiculous to have as pristine a natural waterhole as we have left that is publicly available, that is IN an official State NATURAL Area, and be constantly introducing non-native (some high-end predator) species in it. Aren't there a million waterholes in Texas full of introduced fish already? Can't we have one without more non-native introduced species? Wasn't Lost Maples saved to be preserved in its natural state? Why does the aquatic invertebrate fauna not matter, but a fallen leaf does? This is simply more human folly that causes detruction of the environment and ecosystems, a little piece at a time, the damage is insidious and no one notices, save perhaps a nature nerd studying it, whom then are labelled as radical environmentalists. If this is a natural area to be preserved as such, why is it up to someone's whim and fancy whether or not non-native predators are introduced that will absolutely positively have detrimental effects on the ecosystem and animals that are native in the SNA? I have little doubt why native dragonfly populations have crashed at the ponds since non-native fish introduction began at the State Natural Area. Odonata are the only group I've looked at hard enough to see the *catostrophic* drop in their numbers at the ponds at Can Creek. The pond has stayed at the same level, but odonata populations haven't. Surely all the aquatic invertebrates have taken the beating as well. That pond ecosystem is a unique habitat, and is being destroyed from the inside out, with public money, because TPWD is soooo flush with bucks? We just can't see the damage for the most part so it's OK? Aquatic non-native fish introduction negative impacts are just as sure as a goat's or cat's is. For some entrance fee money TPWD takes the natural history OUT of the State NATURAL Area? They don't seem to know or care about what natually lives in the ponds. I thought mistakenly apparently, the site was one where being conservative, saving what we have, the conservation of our natural history and resources, was the prime directive. Aquatic ecosystems get no respect despite them being the huge part of what makes the terrestrial ones work. Lost Maples is only a natural area in name apparently. Write or call TPWD and tell them to stop introducing non-native species that upset the balance of nature, in the State Natural Area. You'd have thought after TPWD in the not too distant past recently nearly caused the extinction of our endemic Guadalupe Bass by introducing Largemouth Bass into every wet hoofprint in the state, that they'd have learned something. Can't we have just one REALLY natural as possible waterhole hidden in the hill country, in the SNA without introduced non-native predators and study what is there, and what happens, naturally? Seems too much to ask? They couldn't begin to tell me what lives there, and are systematically removing it with non-native fish introductions. Natural means WITHOUT Channel Catfish or Rainbow Trout in the case of the ponds up Can Creek. That is not natural. Those are not native species in the headwaters streams here. I have seen Golden-cheeked Warblers take teneral (just emerged) damselflies sometimes there. Well they used to, when they were there, that food source at the pond has been mostly eliminated, by man's folly. You'd think it was someone's private play pond, not a State Natural Area. To me it goes against the the very reason it was given to the state, to save and protect it, in its natural state, and to NOT treat it like any game ranch endlessly introducing non-natives, upsetting the balance of nature. One of the reasons we moved here was to study the natural area, so it is extremely painful to watch the natural be removed. It is a shame man can't watch and appreciate nature, without having to play God and have a hand at being mother nature, which seems invariably to result in an epic fail. End of Rant. I feel much better now. If you agree please do call or write TPWD and tell them you don't agree with them introducing non-native fish at the pond in the natural area. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2011 Reports ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  Golden-cheeked Warbler, bathing, July 10, 2011 (taken through binocs) Here's a fall report. :) Sept. 24 ~ We did a quick walk at Lost Maples SNA, it was pretty birdy for fall. The morning was in the 50's (!) and wow was that amazing to feel that! The best action now, is in the main lower canyon, especially at first crossing, the migrants are feasting on a mayfly emergence that was thousands of mayflies, (you had to get a long stretch of river backlit to see) and dozens of birds eating them. The higher back canyon country does not have a mayfly hatch and many fewer birds, as one typically finds in fall. So remember a different strategy is called for at different times of the year. If we hadn't have checked the 1st (& 2nd) crossings well, early, as we did, we'd have missed most of the passerine migrants. Due to the water there is a good bloom going in places, again, especially below the first crossing, but few butterflies, though lots of flies on the flowers, so birds, in the frostweed especially. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that some Maples are at peak color. There are orange spots all over the slopes, as in late October! Some are already browning up, some dropping leaves, and many are turning dull orange, so it is not likely there will be a blazing show there this fall. A spot or two here and there will be it, if lucky. You heard it here first. Best bird was an immature female Magnolia Warbler (my first fall record for the Sabinal Valley drainage) up behind the second pond in blooming frostweed in the creek bottom. Runner-ups were two adult Eastern Wood-Pewee, which I doubt are migrants, as one Louisiana Waterthrush too, all may well be the last vestiges of breeders still present. Two FOS Orange-crowned Warbler looked like Gray-headed (orestera) to me, and the FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet is always nice to see. Four House Wrens shows they've gotten here, and the one that got away was a heard warbler a Black-throated GRAY Warbler, a loud flat chup I know so well, nothing like it, but I couldn't get a visual on it, at the second crossing area. Since I had one at Thunder Creek (already in Bandera Co.), I gave up quickly to move on to the mega-rarities I was dreaming of seeing. Other things of interest were a bright Bell's Vireo, a male Baltimore Oriole on a fruiting tree way in the back country, Orchard Oriole, 2+ Summer Tanager, some White- eyed Vireo, but no Lincoln's Sparrow, Green Kingfisher or Zone-tailed Hawk. The overall warbler movement was very good for here, mostly on the mayflies along the lower canyon: 9 Nashville, 13 Wilson's, 1 Yellow, heard Mourning (glimpsed it), a couple Common Yellowthroat, one Chat, and twice I heard what sounded like Black-throated Green Warbler, but couldn't see them on slopes. Nine species seen plus 2 heard is very good here in fall. A bunch got away. A few Least and a Willow Flycatcher were all I saw ID'ably for Empis. A single flock of over a dozen Clay-colored Sparrow, plus others scattered about, some Indigo Bunting, and one greenie Painted Bunting. Only heard one Canyon Wren, maybe one Hutton's Vireo, it seems mighty quiet compared to spring and summer. Saw one Rufous- crowned Sparrow, a few Scrub-Jay, no Bushtit, some Eastern but no Black Phoebe. There were at least a couple dozen Monarchs, mostly nectaring on Frostweed. One Giant Swallowtail, a couple Pipevine Swallowtail, two Juniper Hairstreak, 3 Orange sulphur, a Dainty Sulphur, 2 Sleepy Orange, a few Red Admiral, 3 Queen, a Painted Lady, one Checkered- Skipper, a Variegated Fritillary. Slow for leps. Better though was finally figuring out the WITCH HAZEL there. I'm botanically challenged, so, very cool, seemingly about as lost a population as the maples are? I've been walking by them for years, wondering what the heck those were. They are not rare, but like everything, you just have to know what they look like, or what to look for, and knowing where to look can really help too. There were two great odes seen, first I finally got a Bandera Co. photo of Twelve-spotted Skimmer and saw perhaps 4 males in the park (not the first time there), and a couple females, and now after seeing a couple dozen, finally a Bandera Co. photo, which to my knowledge will be a NCR - new county record.  Here's the evidence. The other good ode was a Jade-striped Sylph at the main site for them there, the big pouroff waterfall below the big main pond on Can Creek. Just below the newish scout bridge, where the water pours off the cliff is the area they are most likely to be found, and I saw one there well, but didn't get pix. Otherwise odes were sparse even in the warmth on the way back down, but Kiowa and Violet Dancer were seen, numbers of Green Darner, some Black Saddlebags, a few Wandering and 2 Spot-winged Glider, Checkered Setwing and a few others I'm forgetting at the moment. Later at UP there was Blue Dasher and Eastern Pondhawk. So, it can be good in fall, if you hit it right, and know where to go, the main lower canyon around the first HQ crossing and the second crossing between the day-use area and the trailhead parking lot. Then get lucky and hit the mayfly hatch. These are a bigger and paler mayfly than the winter ones, and I know little of the emergence pattern, but IF they are going off, they are where the birds will be. Must be there early if it is going to be warm out as they quiet down in heat. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's a summer (July 10) report. First a couple second hand reports (which I don't do unless I think they good) from some young ladies that were part of a tour group there. The group photo'd male LUCIFER and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds at the HQ feeders this a.m.. The gals also had just heard an Audubon's Oriole before I walked up. I heard an odd warbler song just below the main big pond on Can Creek that was surely a Hooded Warbler. If I hadn't have been turned on to a lead of a report from there I'd surely have missed it, it only sang twice and that was it, I never saw it. I saw at least 5 Golden-cheeked Warbler very well in a couple/few hours walking up Can Creek (East Trail) to and past ponds. Most found as they bathed at the various creek crossings along the trail. Two were stellar males, one an adult female, two were juveniles (at crossing between ponds 8:30 a.m.), and I heard one single measure of song at 9:37 from an unseen bird on the hillside, and heard a couple chips that were additional individuals along the way as well. So they are still entirely seeable, heck I've had harder times finding them in May and June. Being at the water crossings early may be key. One adult male was with a mixed sps. flock at a scolding event (11:30), the other bathed at the far back spring (below service road switchback) just 15' from me, followed by the full monty preen show (9:30). The female bathed at the second crossing 20' away (7:30). I heard a couple others up on the hillsides. So roughly one per hour or crossing on that one trail. I heard 3 Black-capped Vireo though did not persue, and as many Hutton's Vireo went zzuweeee. I did not see a Black-and-white Warbler, man they are in and out of there quicker than Golden-cheeks. I did run into someone that said they had one B&W yesterday or day before. They also had seen a Yellow-throated Warbler, perhaps some of them summered again this year, last year was the first proven fledged young successfull breeding for them in the park. Saw a Zone-tailed Hawk over the trailhead parking lot, no Green Kingfisher again, heard singing Scott's Oriole at parking lot, and saw a first-summer female behind the ponds. The rest was pretty textbook, though overall numbers seem way down like everyhwere here, save Indigo Bunting. Still some Acadian Flycatchers, Eastern Wood-Pewee, 6 Louisiana Waterthrush - some have acquired the buffy flanks now which they lack in spring, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, one male Painted Bunting, Chipping, Field and Rufous-crowned Sparrow all with young, Canyon Wren, Black Phoebe, Scrub-Jay, Blue-gray Gnatcats - some still in family groups, Yellow-throated (+ a few just fledged young), Red-eyed, and of course lots of Wide-eyed Vireo, Ash-throated Flycat., Common Raven, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bushtit, begging Chuck-wills-widow, one juvenile Mockingbird, etc.. About 4 Spicebush Swallowtail were seen, one probably Horace's Duskywing, butterflies were exceptionally weak. Buttonbush is in bloom, as was some Cedar Sage, a little Mountain Pink was showing but it is not a nectar source. The Escarpment Cherries have no fruit. There was one Black Rock Squirrel and two Anole. Red-breasted Sunfish look fine in breeding color, couple Guadalupe Bass, lots of Notropis (Sand - lidibundus?) Shiner, a Mexican Tetra (Astyanax mexicanus) and some Gambusia that don't look like affinis, and a few Long-nosed Dace (Rhinichthys). A few Odes were out on the walk down after it had warmed. One each Four-striped and Five-striped Leaftail, 1 Comanche Skimmer, 1 Flame Skimmer, 5 Neon Skimmer, 1 Green Darner, 1 Black Saddlebags, 1 Pale-faced Clubskimmer. Zygops were a single teneral American Rubyspot, a Blue-ringed Dancer, and 4-5 Kiowa Dancer. Weak beyond belief for the site compared to 4 or more pre-drought years ago. But still great compared to next-to-nothing as is the case at so many local sites nowadays. Some parts of the creek are not running, though most of the regular wet holes are still. It was pretty birdy early early but really quiets down quickly, dawn chorus a shell of its former self already. Very nice out early but for birds you should be on the trail at 7 a.m. as it gets morguelike by 10-11. They're still there, but are retiring to the shadows decreasing activity as it heats up. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ May 1 ~ Did a walk up the Can Creek trail to beyond the ponds. Heard lots of Golden-cheeks but only saw one distantly, they are playing hard to get in the heat of nesting as usual. Young will be out soon and they'll be easy again shortly. Also it seems as human trail activity increases in the hiker season, they move away from it. A real highlight was non-avian, a big Tarantula, which I do not see every year here. Bird wise the highlight was a SY male Magnolia Warbler at the HQ building before they opened, as it is not on the 2002 park list. A singing Northern Parula was my first there in lots of visits, though they nest across the divide at Big Spring, in Real Co.. There were also Wilson, Yellow, Common Yellowthroat, Nashville and Myrtle, Warblers, plus the breeders: Golden-cheeked, Black-and-white, Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow-breasted Chat, and three territorial Yellow-throated Warbler. It might have been the first time I saw 11 species of warblers there in a morn. I couldn't find the Screech-Owl at his stump which is odd. Hope it wasn't disturbed away. A Zone- tailed Hawk flew over with prey in its talons, carrying food that is (nesting). I heard Scott's Oriole, didn't see Green Kingfisher again, only a few Acadian Flycatcher were in, several Eastern Wood-Pewee in, lots of Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireo, a few Yellow-throated Vireo, heard a Black-capped Vireo sing next to the restroom at the pond. One Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Lots of Painted and Indigo Bunting, and Blue Grosbeak, no Varied Bunting, a dozen each Chipping, Clay-colored, and Rufous-crowned, a half dozen Lincoln's Sparrow. All the regulars like Canyon Wren, Black Phoebe, Ladder- backed Woodpecker, texana Scrub-Jay, Carolina Chickadee and Wren, Black-crested Titmouse, A migrant Least Flycatcher or two. no Bushtit or Hutton's Vireo (quiet during nesting). Some Scarlet Clematis was blooming, a little Cedar Sage, but it is not normal as far as flowers go, and so go the butterflies. A few Spicebush and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, one Two-tailed Swallowtail, lots of Pipevine, some Sleepy Orange, Horace's Duskywing, but was overcast and windy on top of it so tough going for leps. Odes aren't doing much better, a Prince Baskettail, Common Whitetail, some Epitheca Baskettail (cf. Dot-winged), but ode numbers are severely depressed still. ~ ~ ~ ~ Derek Muschalek posted a note on the net that on April 27 he saw a Worm-eating Warbler at Lost Maples. The park bird hosts reported TWO together seen by a number of people on a walk in late April. There was one prior sight record from the park (and Bandera County), I think a couple decades ago, and that was it. I don't know if Derek's was one of theirs, or was it (probably) 3 different birds after one in 30 years!?!?! Amazing! Coincidently I saw TWO, weeks apart, in Utopia this spring (my first ever in 8 springs here), so at minimum FOUR, and probably 5 Worm-eating Warbler were at Lost Maples and Utopia this spring. Remarkable! It well shows the magnitude of the inland warbler event this spring. ~ ~ ~ ~ April 23 ~ Showed some folks from the windy city around. The highlight was a pair of Audubon's Orioles first between the ponds, then on the road/trail along the second pond. Simultaneously the bird hosts there were leading a walk a half mile+ from the site and were hearing them, so there are at least two pairs there. Bob Behrstock was leading a group there last week and had one at the end (turnaround) of the Maples Trail, the next canyon over from Can Creek, so there could be even more there. Last spring was my first sighting there and I've said here before the depart my feeders in spring and probably go the high back country divides to nest. There were my FOS Acadian Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Pewee finally back on territory. Four male Indigo Bunting in a binocular view at once was a lot of blue. Some Blue Grosbeak are back too. There were Very few passerine migrants in general though. A few Nashville and Orange-crowned Warblers, at least three Yellow-throated Warbler singing on territory, a Hermit Thrush and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet are getting tardy, probably passage migrants, a few Waxwing passed over. Great Blue Heron is likely nesting in there somewhere. A Red-winged Blackbird is singing in the new cattail patch at the big pond. Cattails got there last year, Red-wing Blackbird the next. We need a gully washer to clean the silt (and cattails) out up there. White-M and Southern (favonius) Hairstreak were good butterflies to see and there were some flowers due to the water in the canyon/creek, but it is much depressed as everything hereabouts. The Golden-cheeked Warbler showed well, though you may have to put more time in now, until the babies get out of the nest. Black-and-white Warbler much less conspicuous as well, and Louisiana Waterthrush present but not many. The mccallii Screech-Owl showed well. Of course the regulars are all about like Rufous-crowned Sparrow, texana Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Canyon Wren, Black Phoebe, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bushtit, Ash-throated Flycatcher, lots of Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireo, some Yellow-throated, the Hutton's are silent now. Early early there were some Cave Swallow and Chimney Swift over HQ up high, and two Common Grackle flew out of the park seemingly having roosted there and going out for the day, they're not often seen at Lost Maples SNA. Heard a Scott's Oriole. The bird hosts reported many birders on a walk seeing (2!) Worm-eating Warbler about April 19, there is one prior park sighting/Bandera Co. report in 25 + years. April 16 ~ Led a couple nice guys from Canada that were serious photographers up the Can Creek trail and we had a great time. I think they got great shots of most of it, Golden-cheeked Warbler being key, and of which we saw a half dozen well. They have really quieted down now that nesting is full bore underway. Instead of singing half the day, they are fairly quiet by 9 a.m. with only shorter bits of singing after that from a few. I'm sure dawn chorus is still good, but they are much quieter, much earlier now than a couple weeks ago. There were a couple male Indigo Buntings and a couple male Blue Grosbeaks at the trailhead parking lot feeders, lots of Chipping, a few Clay-colored and Rufous-crowned Sparrow. A few Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireo were in, more White-eyed of course this early still. Saw a few Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and only heard a few Black-and-whtie Warbler, amazing after the din of song a few weeks ago. Again, nesting underway and they are much quieter much earlier in the day. Some migrant warblers in the way of Nashville (12+) and Orange-crowned (4+), and a Wilson's. One Yellow-throated Warbler was singing near the big ranger house along the trail at the only cypress there as usual. One Lousiana Waterthrush was seen, and no Green Kingfisher, Zone-tailed Hawk or Scott's Oriole though they have been getting reported off and on. Acadian Flycatcher not in yet. We glimpsed a Bushtit or two, heard Canyon Wren, and got great looks at/pix of my secret mccallii Screech-Owl. Saw regulars like Black Phoebe, texana Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, a fuertes' Red-tailed Hawk is nesting on the cliff again, after missing last year when seemingly one of the pair died. Yesterday the 15th a male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD was seen by many and photographed at the HQ feeders. We spent a half-hour plus and didn't see it today, though there was a male Ruby-throated with a single snow white outer rectrice (tail feather) on each side of tail for consolation. LMSNA Park bird news: There was a report from the park bird hosts in March of a 3-day photographed male Broad-billed Hummingbird, which would be the second park record, the first just two springs ago April 10, 2009. Maybe we just missed it last year? :) March 20 Kathy and I took a walk up Can Creek at Lost Maples SNA this first day of spring. We counted Golden-cheeked Warbler detections only on the way up, totalling 24 birds, two by chip only, the rest singing or seen. All seen were males. Total was from trailhead parking lot to a half mile past second pond at service road switchback, about a mile and a half. Roughly one every 300' or so. Also counted one-way on the walk were 18 Black-and-white Warbler, one female seen, the rest singing males. There were seven White-eyed Vireo, five Hutton's Vireo, I heard one good burst of Scott's Oriole song (FOS), 3 Ash-throated Flycatcher, 6 Canyon Wren, a couple seperate single Bushtit, a few Rufous-crowned Sparrow, singles of Zone-tailed Hawk (FOS), Clay-colored Sparrow (FOS), & mccallii Screech-Owl, 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 8 Black-chinned Hummingbird. Non-breeding warblers were 1 Nashville (FOS), 4 Orange-crowned, 1 Audubon's, 3 Myrtle. Winterers (or spring migrant breathen) were 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Spotted Towhee, 3 Lincoln's, 1 Song Sparrow and 60 Chipping Sparrow. A Mockingbird at the pond is clearly a migrant. Some Common Raven, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, two Red-tailed and a Red- shouldered Hawk, 4 Ladder-backed Woodpecker, 5 Scrub-Jay. Not seen/heard and believed not yet present were Louisiana Waterthrush, N. Rough-winged Swallow, Black Phoebe, Yellow-throated Vireo. We didn't see Green Kingfisher but staff said one was at 2nd pond last week. Lots of Spicebush (FOS), couple Two-tailed, several Eastern Tiger, few Pipevine were a good Swallowtail show. Added a Giant at home. Twenty plus Horace's Duskywings mostly on the laurel. I'd guess due to the rainfall defecit, the Mountain Laurel bloom is nothing like last spring's after the wet winter, but parts of the trail were pretty darn sweet. Few nectar sources besides the Mountail Laurel and Redbud. Agarita is about done blooming, Maples and Buckley (Spanish) Oak are blooming and with leaf buds, but otherwise barely a detectable sign of budding on Chinkipin and Lacey Oaks, and not a sign of spring yet on the Sycamore, Pecan, Walnut, and Cherry. Mostly still looks pretty winter, but for the Buckley Oaks which are really bustin' out in leaf buds, just right for when the Golden-cheeks arrive. Single Springtime Darner and Pale-faced Clubskimmer were the only two dragonflies I saw but for a damselfly that got away. A lizard (ph.) was believed a Rosebelly. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ March 6 2011 ~ Kathy and I were in the park a couple hours on March 6 and did not see or hear a Golden- cheeked Warbler though it was middle of the day, after noon. Staff said someone reported one I think Saturday the 5th, which was the date they returned last year. The first very few arrive the end of the first week of March. The Buckley Oaks are still mostly in winter phase with only a few starting to break out. Some nice Redbud in bloom. But most it is leafless, and the live-oaks are yellowing up ready to drop. In a week there will be numbers of Golden-cheeked Warblers singing, but it will be two weeks before it starts to really fill in. Interestingly There were none of the other early returnees either, like Black-and-white Warbler and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher both of which should be back within the next week. In fact most of the regular usual wintering passerines seemed to be gone, with none of the breeding ones having arrived yet. So very typical for the period. The best excitement was a Mourning Cloak butterfly, quite scarce in the area, this at least the second I've seen in the park, both in early spring. The only ode I saw was a Springtime Darner (Basiaeschna janata). There was a neat area of beautiful purple flowers I don't know or recognize at a seep that I'll have to send pix away to get ID'd. The few other leps were Horace's Duskywing, Southern Dogface, Sleepy Orange. The neat thing about these late winter visits is that you can feel it is about to explode in green and birdsong while it remains brown and quiet. It is right on the cusp, with just a few signs of spring the trained eye might notice, but most of the park walkers and darn it now noisy "mountain" bikers, seem not to. The first mile of either path from the trailhead, or the picnic lot, will never be the same. Some SPRING 2010 NEWS Below are 4 reports most recent first, from June (brief), May, April, and March, 2010. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ June 14, 2010 Just a couple things from a short walk to the ponds. First, a pair of Yellow-throated Warblers were feeding young in the campground. This is the first known successful park nesting to my knowledge. Significant especially for it being a NON-cypress tree habitat nest site. Apparently using the ball moss in the large old live-oaks. The other thing of interest was a number of Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which means they are staying to nest this year. It has been several years since I've seen them stay to nest due to the drought I'd guess. They do not nest here annually as the park checklist might lead you to believe. We saw or heard a couple dozen Golden-cheeked Warblers, of which half were hatch-year juveniles, so it appears as though they had a good breeding season here this year. May 22, 2010 Kathy and I went up Can Creek, past the ponds ca. 1/2 mile to above spring, about 3.5 miles round trip. Fog mist drizzle on and off until 2 p.m. or so, so coolish, low 70's to low 80's at end, but 99% humidity. Often too windy with 15-20+ gusts fairly consistent, occasional brief quiet spells, and a couple doglegs of canyon with sort of wind sheltered areas. In case I haven't mentioned it before my pet name for the area of canyon where the big main pond is, is HURRICANE GULCH. It can be quiet just above and below the pond area, and be howling at the pond. In fact, this is a normal state there, I presume due to the dogleg in the canyon right there. Dawn chorus long over by time we got there but still some song since overcast, but nothing like April, since much breeding so far underway things quiet much of the time now. Begging young are often the first clue to a bird. We found adults feeding young of 3 sps. that way today, Indigo Bunting, Black-and-white Warbler, and Golden-cheeked Warbler. All three were also heard singing throughout the canyon. About 10 Golden-cheeked Warblers were heard, 4 seen. About 3-4 Black-capped Vireo were heard, 1 glimpsed, we did not go "up on top" where they are more numerous. Other singing breeders were the regulars: Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Summer Tanager, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, White-eyed, and Hutton's Vireos, Rufous-crowned and Chipping Sparrow, Canyon, Carolina, and Bewick's Wren, Black and Eastern Phoebe, Louisiana Waterthrush, Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Blue Grosbeak, plus (texana) Scrub-Jay, Ladder-backed Woodpecker and Common Raven. Two Zone-tailed Hawks (adults) were seen at once, so had to be a pair, this above the spring at the top of the normally usually running section of Can Creek. No Green Kingfisher or Scott's Oriole. There was a minor fallout though of Yellow-billed Cuckoo with at least 4, probably 5 heard or seen. Dry years they do not stay here past early June and these are passage migrants. The Yellow- throated Warblers seem to have departed as always, after a few weeks of singing. The rare bird of the day was the other migrant we saw, albiet briefly, a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. It is my first there, and I don't see it on the park list, but no one birds there for migrants in fallout weather in late May when they pass through in very low numbers locally. The best bird is usually to me something I got to see well, or close, or watch do something neat, not a matter of rarity. Today's thrill was finding a nearly fledged juvenile Screech-Owl trying to dry out from the mist and drizzle. These are McCall's Eastern Screech-Owl, and/or "Mexican" Eastern Screech-Owl, a very different bird from the standard Eastern Screech-Owl. We got to scope it, and a lucky boy scout troop happened by so they got to see it well too. One asked if "they will come after you". We have a long ways to go with youth outdoor nature edumacation. At least they were out there, and got to see something different, very well.  Tex-Mex Screech-Owl (Otis asio mccallii) Due to the mist and drizzle there were very few insects out, I'm sure in the late afternoon there is much more activity. We saw a few Prince Baskettail and Banded Pennant dragonflies. An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Kathy spotted a Celia's Roadside- Skipper, and the usual numerous Sleepy Orange and Pipevine Swallowtail, a few Red Admiral, Variegated and Gulf Fritillary, but not lots of leps out, too wet. On the way back I found a couple scarabs that were spectacular. I got a few pix, hopefully will show the beauty. It was a pair in copula, or at least one of them wanted to be, and the brighter (male?) was 3/4"+ long, metallic green of head and thorax, with metallic blue elytra (the hard front wings that cover the rear part (abdomen) of a beetle. Mind-boggling stunning in color. True jewels of nature. The flowers were amazing as has been the case all spring. Large showy displays of Western Venus' Looking Glass were outstanding. I found a group of Larkspurs (Delphenium) next to the bench below the parking area at the trailhead, a couple over 2' tall, one over 3' flower stalk. Twist-leaf Yucca, Coreopsis, Firewheel, all had impressive shows. Some Green Milkweed Vine in bloom was neat. The Canyon Mock-Orange is done already, good bits of Scarlet Clematis scattered about. Saw some Notropis, probably Sand Shiner, and some Red-breasted Sunfish are finally getting good color now. The place is hummin' with activity now, and within a month things like the Golden-cheeked Warbler will be mostly done, and on the way out, some leaving breeding grounds already by late June!!! Until mid-June you can usually find a late nesting family or two in the canyon somewhere. Some of the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Black-and-white Warblers will finish nesting and depart within a month too, but some of those will stay for a second nesting. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ April 10, 2010 ~ Went to Lost Maples mid-morning to mid-afternoon for a walk up the Can Creek trail past the ponds. There were a couple Scissor-tailed Flycatcher just north of town, but darn few are up here yet, still. At the HQ building at Lost Maples there was a Tarantula that appeared to have been kicked, HARD, as to have damaged a couple legs and who knows what internally. It was still, not moving, and didn't look good. Thanks ya citiots! You go to a State Natual Area to kill the animals? It was the first one I've seen there, apparently dying from human interaction, and completely needlessly, without reason. It could have easily been moved without hurting, damaging, or possibly killing it. Do nature a favor and stay in the city. As if that wasn't bad enough, we saw a sign at the pond that said "NO Bikes past this point". Which I presume means they have changed the rules and are going to allow mountain bikes on the trail to the pond. Which last time I checked bikes were vehicles, and the loose rocky trail is not whatsoever a vehicle path, but a pedestrian hiking trail. Bicycle tires on it will be so loud as to nearly ensure you won't be able to hear birds. What a great idea from the state to run vehicles through endangered species nesting grounds. In California where this has all played out a long time ago, I can can tell you hikers and bikers do not mix. There will be accidents, injuries, and lawsuits. Pedestrians will be hit. Bikers like going downhill fast, have no braking control on this type of loose rock substrate the trail is, and expect everyone to just get the hell out of their way. The natural experience of listening to the birds, some endangered species, will no longer exist. The person that though this up is an mental midget that does not care about the experience of the majority of park users, but of that of a special interest group they probably belong to, whose presence will diminish the experience of all other types of users there due to the noise pollution alone, no different than boomboxes. Locally there are hundreds of miles of roads for bikers. There are only a few miles of pedestrian hiking trails open to the public. Now they will have vehicular traffic. TPWD sees Lost Maples as its cash cow, and exploits, er, manages it, for maximum cash extraction, not what is was saved for and given to the state for, PROTECTION. It is not natural to have a bunch of bikers going up and down the trail. That's a bike park. Now let me get down off my soapbox and recount a little of what nature we saw there. Since our last visit a month ago, it turned green, with most trees leafing out, or starting to. The flowers were the big show, very spectacular, a great display from the fall and winter rains. There were very very few odes (dragonflies) about, a female Common Whitetail, and a gomphid that looked like a Clubtail that just after emerging flew to the wrong place and was taken by a jumping spider one tenth its size. Photographed some type of bumblebee sphinx moth as well. Heard about 8-10 Golden-cheeked Warbler and one Black-capped Vireo. There were a few Louisiana Waterthrush singing, and over a dozen Black-and-white Warbler, one Yellow-throated Warbler, which will sing a while and depart. For migrant warblers there were a several each Nashville and Orange-crowned, and 1-2 Myrtle, so 7 species of warblers all together. A pair of Red-shouldered Hawks seem to be nesting again, and they probably run off any rare small buteo that shows up. Only a few Summer Tanager were back, no females yet, but about 6 Hutton's Vireos were heard. Other things not back yet are Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher (of course), and while White-eyed Vireo was in fair numbers, only a half-dozen Yellow-throated were about. Heard a couple Bushtit, numbers of Ash-throated Flycatcher. In the bird notebook there were reports of Scott's and Hooded Orioles, and a Lazuli Bunting. Go enjoy the trails while you can without constantly listening to vehicle wheels on it, while you can still hear the birds, and not have to constantly be watching to jump out of some idiots way. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ March 13, 2010 We went to Lost Maples to see what the state of spring was there. We went 2 miles up the Can Creek trail to the last permanent water. It's still winter. Well barely spring. Most deciduous trees are just starting to bud, if that. Many show virtually no signs yet, like Lacey Oak and Sycamore, a few Maples were barely beginning to flower, the Buckley Oaks are just budding leafs. The Redbud is just starting to flower, whereas back in Utopia at 1350' instead of 1800-2000' it is really going. I heard two Golden-cheeked Warblers, we saw one male Black-and-white Tree-Creeper (Warbler) singing closely, what a cool bird they are. Two Hutton's Vireo were singing, as were Canyon Wren and Rufous- crowned Sparrow, 1 White-eyed Vireo, a pair of Common Raven, 1 Scrub Jay, a couple Lincoln's Sparrow, and a pair of Black Phoebe at the pond. We did not see Green Kingfisher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Zone-tailed Hawk, Louisiana Waterthrush, though the Kingfisher had been seen yesterday. There were about 3 Spotted Towhee, one doing some quiet singing (sub-song), a few Pine Siskin. There were an amazing number of Anemone flowers, I believe Wind-flower is the one. But little was going in that regard, some Dakota Verbena just opening, a few of the Agarita (Texas Holly) were going good but nothing like around Utopia 500+' lower. Butterflies were good though with about 3 Two-tailed Swallowtail, a few Black and one Pipevine Swallowtail, one Falcate Orange-tip, a dozen fresh bright Olive Juniper Hairstreak, a couple Questionmark, a dozen Orange Sulphur, a few Sleepy Orange and Dogface, one Common Checkered-Skipper, 10 Erynnis Duskywing likely Juvenal's but some could be Horace's, one Gulf Fritillary, 5 Red Admiral. We saw 10 species of butterflies in a few hours, as many as I recorded in all of February, but these mostly fresh, not last years beat worn leftovers. Kathy spotted an Anole at the spring 2/3 mi. past the ponds. It was 8 deg.F this winter in Utopia, I don't know how they make it through the winter. That permanent waterhole there had Mexican Tetra (Astyanax), Long-nosed Dace (Rhinichthys), and Notropis Shiners I think may be Sand. For Odes we saw one Springtime Darner (Basiaeschna janata) and a Zygop that got away un-ID'd (damselfly). Overall still winter. OK, not quite, more like very very early spring, as all the the hominids (people) there indicate, actually a very high number of them seemed to be out. Cabin fever I guess. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ SPRING 2009 UPDATE I have been too busy to keep this current so always check the bird news page. We made a couple trips there and I made a couple guiding people and groups since the last entry March 22. So here I will summarize highlights of the last 6 weeks of trips and news. Starting with the oldest first, on March 29 Kathy and I had a calling pair of WESTERN Wood-Pewee behind the ponds. Perhaps a new park bird. Brreeerrr they called back and forth. Also a dozen Nashville and two dozen Orange-crowned Warblers was serious movement. LOTS of singing Golden-cheeked Warblers. A Mourning Cloak butterfly was my first ever there. It was also my dullest, surely an overwintering individual. No Indigo Bunting or Summer Tanager back yet. April 10 - Dan Sherick of Katy photographed a male BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD at the HQ hummer feeders, this day. Surely a new park record! April 13 - I saw two male Lazuli Bunting at the overflow parking feeding area. A beautiful mint Red-spotted Purple was puddling for pictures. Some female Golden- cheeked Warblers were nest material gathering. Red-eyed Vireo was back. April 23 ~ I led a Nature Quest group and we got to see male Lazuli, Painted, and Indigo buntings at the feeding station. Also first returning nester Acadian Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Pewee. I had a glimpse of what was surely a Short-tailed Hawk. Bird of the day got away. Several good looks at Golden-cheeks for everyone. April 28 - I found it written in the bird report book at HQ that the temporary park bird hosts this day, on their last walk before they left saw a VARIED BUNTING at the overflow parking lot feeding station. May 3 - The Varied Bunting was posted to Texbirds, and there was also a sighting date of May 2 (according to notes at park). May 7 - Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at the HQ feeders. May 10 - Kathy and I did the Can Creek trail. We had a 10 second look at the male VARIED BUNTING at the feed station at 9 a.m.. Also there was about 5 Indigo, a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a FOS Willow Flycatcher. Up the trail to the ponds and beyond, we saw about 10 Golden-cheeked Warbler, one feeding a fledged young. My FOS Swainson's Thrush between ponds was a highlight. Lots of Yellow-throated, Red-eyed, and White-eyed Vireo, one migrant Blue-headed. Several each Acadian Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Pewee, a couple Great Crested Flycatcher (migrants?), a couple Scott's Orioles at the HQ hummer feeders, 3 Hutton's Vireo (so regular I'm starting to forget to mention them), 3 seperate Bushtit, a quick look at a Zone-tailed Hawk, Canyon Wrens, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, all the regulars. May 20 - A male Golden-cheeked Warbler was right around HQ early in the a.m. as was Scott's Oriole again. A few golden-cheeks were singing, but they were hard to see. No Varied Bunting. One Yellow- throated Warbler singing below overflow parking lot. I'm surprised how quiet some things are already, which is an indication of being secretive due to breeding. Vireos are noisy though as are Summer Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Acadian Flycatcher and Eastern Pewee. May 25 - Eyed Elatarid, baby Louisiana Waterthrush being fed, 400 Reakirt's Blues on Mexican Hat, see the regular bird news page for more notes. So there you have a brief readers digest version overview of the last 6 weeks' highlights. And now we will go back to noraml - reverse chrono order. FOS = first of season (spring here) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And now back to reverse order where we were..... March 22, 2009 11a.m.-4p.m. Lost Maples SNA Can Creek trail to ponds and past a little. Kathy and I, very windy mostly cloudy 70-80 deg.F Almost drizzly at start, warm, clearer by end. I do hope I don't get in trouble with the state. I removed an animal from the park. Unknowingly of course. I got home and found a tick. It made me wonder if I could get in trouble when I get chiggers? Like fined for each chigger? One day I took 500 out of Aransas NWR. :P Mountain Laurel was in heavy bloom so the whole trail smelled from wonderful to amazing. Many metallic dark turquoise hymenops, bees methinks, on it, more than twice the size of halichtids, about like honeybees. Also at least a dozen Monarchs were seen, the first multiple numbers of the returning migrants from the Mexican overwintering population I've seen locally this spring. Other butterflies included two Sachem (was Field Skipper), a bunch of Erynnis Duskywings (most Horace's/ Juvenal's, and Funereal or unID-d), some Pipevine Swallowtail, a Question Mark, some Sleepy Orange, and a Gulf Fritillary, was about it for butterflies. Very few other nectar sources besides laurel were available. A little Texas Buckeye still blooming, and some of the Redbud trees were still blooming well. The Bigtooth Maples were in full bloom as were some of the live-oaks which are often leafless now. Lacey and Buckley Oaks are just budding out. Overall a nice "spring green" tone to the hills. A Eumeces sps. skink was spotted by Kathy, that I may have gotten a docu shot of for ID later. Blanchard's Cricket Frogs were occasionally calling. Streams flowing well, but must have been low until last week's 3-4" or so of rain there. Red-breasted Sunfish starting to get some color now. Very few Odes (dragon or damselflies) out in the 20-30 MPH winds. You can usually find a dogleg in the canyon every half mile or so that is not a hurricane gulch where near-normal bird or insect activity is taking place. Birds were good as always in spring, and it will only get better the next 2 plus months. There were by my count at least 2 dozen (24+) singing male Golden-cheeked Warblers, in the small section of the place we did. I did not see a female. I got the feeling they aren't here yet. The males are of course fighting with each other alot now, and the lack of leaves on many trees makes for excellent to outstanding viewing. We saw many very well. We did not cover but <5% of the trails/habitat. There are very very many present undoubtedly. There were 2 Louisiana Waterthrush, one sang briefly. I was very surprised to hear the song of a Red-eyed Vireo, which made more sense when I found it being made by a White-eyed Vireo. There were two Hutton's Vireo. At least a dozen Black-and-white Warblers were also singing on territory. Migrant Myrtle, Orange-crowned, and a Yellow-throated that will stay a while at the pond, and then depart, made for 5 species of warblers there. The best bird I thought, since it was the first time I have detected it there, was a couple heard only Audubon's Orioles. They were up on the west hillside just before the first big pond, but way up. I heard a series of the quiet contact calls, single notes, sorta like few, .... few, well spaced from each other, back and forth. Had to be at least two birds. Hear 'em in my yard daily. New for my personal LM list, but there is at least the previous 1986 park record. Any others? Expected suspects were present: Common Raven, Canyon Wren, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Ash- throated Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, N.Rough-winged Swallow, White-eyed Vireo, Bushtit, and texana Scrub-Jay, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (nesters), Carolina Chickadee & Wren, Black- crested Titmouse, Bushtits, and a couple Green Kingfishers. What I didn't see in yet was Yellow-throated Vireo (though one was at Utopia Park day before 3/21), or Red-eyed Vireo, Scott's Oriole, Eastern Wood-Pewee (about 3 weeks away still), and Acadian Flycatcher (about 4 weeks or more). Summer Tanager is still 7-10 days away too, Indigo Bunting about the same. No Zone-tailed Hawk yet either. So much is not here yet. The flip side is that the dominant song you hear is Golden-cheeked Warbler right now in all flavors and variation. In two to four weeks they will fall into the background of the din of the songbird chorus there. Staff said someone had Black-capped Vireo "up on top" which means above the pond probably up the steep trail to the highlands, not the canyon floor trails. So the spring birding season is open and the returning neotropical migrants are arriving daily. There are still Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, and other signs of winter about, but not for too long I think. Lots of Black-chinned Hummingbirds around too, a sure sign of spring arriving here. In the bummer department was the negative human effects we always seem to see signs of. This time it was finding TWO freshly stepped on dying millipedes. The hoardes of spring breakers that walked down the trail from the ponds Sunday a.m. before we got up to them (which were devoid of tents and people before noon and staff said it was packed) apparently had some of those "stop the millipedes" people amongst them. Wonder why I call 'em citiots? Is this what happens because an animal crosses the path? Yes, TWICE on one short piece of path on one morning. What are we doing out there? Have we become oblivious? Are we that out of touch? Somehow every entrant to the park needs to be absolutely informed that the millipede has more right to be there, than them. And that in the web of life, everything is connected. Just because you can't see the millipedes importance, does not mean it does not posses more than you, there. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Spring 2008 birding notes..... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ May 18, 2008 Lost Maples SNA - Kathy and I walked the Can Creek trail, past ponds to Mystic Canyon and 1/2 mi. up that before turning around. About 5 miles total roundtrip, 8:30 to 2:30 p.m.. Still cool early, very nice out. A long walk, with lots of cool critters seen. No migrant bird species were seen, but two were heard. Regular migratory breeders were generally common to abundant such as Indigo and Painted Bunting, Summer Tanager, Eastern Wood-Pewee and Acadian Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Yellow-throated, Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Also common were resident species like Carolina Wren and Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Bewick's and Canyon Wrens, and Rufous-crowned Sparrow. Most obvious was the near constant begging of juvenile warblers along the trail. Most were Golden-cheeked, but Black & White and Louisiana Waterthrush were numerous too. If watched for a while, good views of adults were had. At least a half-dozen of each species were seen as begging juveniles getting fed or foraging on their own already. Some of the Golden-cheeks were golden cheekless, just gray, white and charcol. No green back yet, no yellow on face, just out of the nest. White wingbars and outer tail feathers are still conspicuous, and a dark eyeline. Many adults are starting to molt now. A pair of Red-shouldered hawks were in the area of the creekside spring ca. 1/2 mi. above the ponds. One flew over with a Ringneck Snake in its beak! A Black Rock Squirrel was seen in this area too. They are so very cool looking, and have a very different sounding (soft quiet) alarm note. The highlight of the 5 miles for me though was seeing a new to me beast of a lizard, way back in Mystic Canyon. It was a Crevice Spiny Lizard Sceloporus poinsetti. And I do mean spiny. This is a lizard you should use a glove to grab, if so inclined with ignorance to think you could catch it! (AND OF COURSE DO NOT CONSIDER IN STATE PARKS!!) It wouldn't let me get but about 7' away. They're noosers. It was a colored up male about 11-12" long and looked at least a half pound (I've kept smaller fish to eat). It had some blue scales on the sides of the black collar, a blue throat and ventral sides, but it was changing that quickly, and some pale cerulean sky blue running dorsally down the back behind the white bordered black collar! Holy lagarto ! I got a couple so-so photos I'll have to try to work some magic on. He was breathtaking unbelieveable spectacular! It was on a limestone outcrop with a big crevice it dashed into as we passed by too closely. It made up for seeing a Ring-necked Snake in the beak of a hawk. Misses were buteos, neither of the two Short-tailed Hawks I've seen there in the last month were seen (both morphs), or was Zone-tailed Hawk, but both are the easiest to miss birds. Both species were present and easy my last visit 10 days ago. No Hutton's Vireo either, which was singing last trip. Migrants heard were one Least Flycatcher, and one Thrush. At first I thought the thrush was a Swainson's but then the song fell like a waterfall, so couldn't have been. I presume Gray-cheeked, since Veery wouldn't have ascended anywhere and mislead me for two or three nano-moments. I couldn't get to where it was across a pond on an impenetrable slope where you aren't supposed to go off the trails anyway (so I don't). and I only heard it twice and it shut up. One Yellow-throated Warbler was still singing near the ranger's residence at the intersection of East and West trails. Bird behaviorally the most interesting thing perhaps was a Golden-cheeked Warbler responding to begging. I can not yet tell the begging notes made by a fledgling Black-and-white Warbler from Golden-cheeked Warbler fledglings. The fast repeated bkbkbkbkbkbk metallic "I see a warbler bill with food" begging notes. The Golden-cheeked moved toward the begging notes. I thought for a moment "its going to feed the B & W !. At about 6' to 8' distance though, it made the ID, of a fledgling Black-and -white Warbler, and quickly moved away when another fledgling saw it and went off begging, it a Golden-cheeked, which got fed. Then a male Black-and-white moved in and fed its young. The fledgling Golden-cheeks are golden cheekless and without green on back yet either, so are very similar in appearance to fledgling Black-and-white Warbler, but not to them. :) The second "best-of-day" was an easy great close view of a male Black-capped Vireo right on the trail. At one point it went to a mostly obscured female and fed it. The fed bird had a smooth even pale gray sharply defined cap. That male though is one of the sharpest looking birds in North America. It sure made that last third mile back a whole lot easier! There were a few insects out, but they were really just starting to get going as we were on our way out, and 5 miles tired. A large dark dung-beetle was circling around the big pond. A number of Pompilids and a Staphylinid were seen some neat Syrphids and Bombyliids, and a hornet or two. We did see of butterflies Red-spotted Purple, Spicebush Swallowtail, Cloudless Sulphur, Lyside Sulphur, dozens of Duskywings, probably mostly Horace's, a Southern Broken-Dash, and numbers of Little Wood Satyr (1 Viola's) and Sleepy Orange as always. Amongst Odes were a few Flame Skimmer way up in the back country canyons where they always are, and on ponds some Prince and Dot-winged Baskettails, Black, and Red Saddlebags, Blue Dasher, Common (Eastern) Pondhawk, Common Whitetail and Widow Skimmer, and lots of Pale-faced Clubskimmers. Some of the damsels were Aztec, Violet, Dusky and Kiowa Dancers, and Rubyspot (Am.) but I didn't work them really. In the back country canyons were numerous Great Spreadwings where there was surface water. Where is the Real Co. line back there, I didn't see a sign? Other things seen included a 15" Softshell Turtle, Red-eared Slider and another type I'm not sure of (cf. Map or Cooter type), then Blanchard's Cricket Frog (100+ heard, few seen) and Rio Grande Leopard Frog (heard, and saw tadpoles). A Water Snake was photo'd. Largemouth and Guadalupe Bass were seen, as were Long-nosed Dace, Texas Shiner, Sand Shiner, and one other unknown minnow (!&%*^^&%!). Several species of Lepomis sunfish were seen: Bantam, Longear, and Red-breasted at least. A few beasts got away as always. We'll just have to go back and look again. :):) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Between April 20 and May 8, I made four trips birding Lost Maples, sometimes guiding folks or groups there. I'll summarize some of what we saw here. NOAA's "Fog-mist," of course is common in the early mornings, but generally clearing late morning or noonish this time of year. The best birds were the two SHORT-TAILED HAWKS I found, first a light morph on April 24, and a dark morph was seen (some in the group got photos) on May 7. In prior years when one light bird has been present, most people miss it most of the time. They are often quick views when they are seen. These two both soared in the open low overhead with other birds (vultures) right over the groups. If they are of opposite sexes, we might really have something. The May 7 trip every 30 mintues there was one or two Zone-tailed Hawks in view, never have I seen them so often or easily before. Usually lucky to get one, and often missed is the norm. The April 24 trip we had a migrant Peregrine Falcon soar over for everyone to see. I have not been seeing Green Kingfisher though, which was also seemingly absent last year, after the ice storm. It seems to have become very scarce locally as typical after severe cold events historically. Eastern Pewee and Acadian Flycatchers are back and singing, and we found 3 JUVENILE just-fledged Black Phoebe that Ron Sprouse of Concan got photos of. It is the first fledglings I have seen there in 5 years. Yes a Black Phoebe at the pond, but I had never seen actual fledglings before. On April 20 there was a COUCH'S KINGBIRD calling from up on a hillside, probably new for the park. The abundant nesting Red-eyed, White-eyed, and Yellow- throated Vireos, remain so. There are some HUTTON'S VIREO singing, mostly in the back country past the ponds. We had a pair of Chihuahuan Ravens fly over the ridges high, in heavy molt, but did not see the Commons (two nests unattended when checked). There is a Great Horned Owl nest on a cliff there, besides the Red-tail Hawk nest. A migrant Ruby-crowned Kinglet was still there May 7. Bushtits have been easy too, with some dark-eared birds. Migrant warblers are very limited, save Nashville. A few Wilson's, maybe a Yellow, some Orange-crowned, a couple Yellow-rumps and that's about it. As last year multiple Yellow-throated Warblers are singing, but they will probably not stay again. They just have to stop and sing in every Sycamore they pass. If we could get a female there, nesting could be possible. Breeding warblers make up what is lacking in migrants of course with Golden-cheeked Warbler being abundant. April 20 I saw copulation. April 24 I saw a bird taking food to a nest, and May 7 fledged young being fed. Before June 15 they will be getting hard to find here. This is a beautiful, wonderful, special, warbler. Nowhere is it easier to get more intimate views without disturbing the birds. By mid-May, they are already becoming harder to find. Please do not play tapes for it or the Black-capped Vireo (which we heard only). Good numbers of Black-and-white Warbler and Louisiana Waterthrush are nesting as usual, and both also had fledged young out of the nest they were feeding May 7. To me the best sparrow was a CASSIN'S on May 7, clearly a grounded migrant. It was my first ever there. Lots of migrant Clay-colored Sparrows of course, and the resident Rufous-crowned have been easy at the nice new feeding station at the overflow parking area, or Can Creek Trailhead. Also at that seed pile were a couple male and a female LAZULI Bunting, amongst many Painted and Indigo Buntings, and a male Black-headed Grosbeak was there. I haven't heard Scott's Oriole though yet this year, but on April 20 there was a migrant sub-adult male Bullock's Oriole there. Pine Siskins continued with 3 at least still on May 7. So now you have a bit of an idea of how its been birding Lost Maples this spring, which is great as always. I haven't mentioned many of the common species like Canyon Wren, whose songs are constantly dripping off the cliffs, or Indigo Bunting or Summer Tanager, whose singing also never seems to stop. The butterflies and dragonflies are just getting going, and with the fog-mist, they really don't start till much later in the day, after noon. I haven't been there in the heat of the day to see much. Elsewhere locally it has been weak so far, but it is early in the season. May 7 I did see Large Orange and Cloudless Sulphurs, Red-spotted Purple, Southern Broken Dash, Dun Skipper, Spicebush and black Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2007 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ August 5, 2007 We went for a walk through the afternoon heat, which felt like a sauna, up to the ponds, along Can Creek. It is always interesting to see what is gone as much as what is there. Done nesting and not apparently present were Black-and-White Warbler, Golden-cheeked Warbler (of course by this date), and Yellow-throated Vireo. All 3 are March arrrival breeders. Still present singing and apparently territorial, which means on probably 3rd nests by now, were Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, lots of Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos and Indigo Bunting. A couple Lousiana Waterthrushes were heard and still present. No Black-capped Vireos were heard. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were abundant. I don't know if those are young from nestings there, or migrants (presumably somewhat local), as I've been getting in the yard for over a month now. On the butterfly front, Swallowtails were showing well with a sweep of all the regular expected species. There were lots of Spicebush flying, at least 6 or 8 were seen. Also at least 2 of the large black form female Eastern Tiger were seen (ph). We also saw a couple Two-tailed, a Giant, a Pipevine and a Black Swallowtail. A Silvery Checkerspot was on some frogfruit. A few Sleepy Oranges and Little Yellows were puddling. One Clouded Skipper, a probable Desert Checkered Skipper, and Western Checkered Skipper of course, but seemed slow in numbers. The flowers were largely in between blooms, but the frostweed and snow-on-the-mountain is about to go off. Odes were worse than butterflies. There was hardly anything. I wonder if the 40" of rain for the year there has washed away lots of the larvae that were here. The numbers are nothing. These 8" rain events in narrow canyons can have scouring effects. I did see one Banded Pennant, a Green Darner, American Rubyspot, Violet Dancer, Kiowa Dancer, and a few unID'd Argia, but it was the most dismal I've ever seen it in summer. There was clearly lots of aquatic vegetation cleared out of the ponds by the water. I saw the bottom where I hadn't in years. It was plenty warm for them at 85-90 degrees from 2 to 5 p.m.. The highlight though was a small baby lizard I found, which I haven't ID'd yet, but it may be a Collared Lizard. Young small lizards can be tricky to ID..... At least I got a small picture, so someone who knows better than me should be able to figure it out. It was nice for the lack of people as compared to busier peaks of camper, hiker, tourist season. It was quiet enough that you could study things along the path without too much disturbance most of the time. Except for Labor Day, from August until when the leaves change, is a great time to visit, for the reduced hominid populations on the trails, and what seems like should be high potential for unusual or rare birds, butterflies, or dragonflies! I did once have a Black-billed Cuckoo there August of 96, and a Common Black-Hawk in 86 or 87 I never reported. Late summer to fall is probably the best time for vagrants. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2006 - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lost Maples SNA 6-25-06 11 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to pond on Can Creek. Very warm and humid - drippin' Odes: Anisops (Dragons) Darner sps. ~ Anax sps. NOT junius - prob walsinghami Sulphur-tipped Clubtail - Gomphus militaris 5-striped Leaftail - Phyllogomphoides albrighti 4-striped Leaftail - Phyllogomphoides stigmatus Prince Baskettail - Epitheca princeps Libellula luctuosa - Widow Skimmer Common Whitetail - Libellula lydia Comanche Skimmer - Libellula comanche - 3 males, 1 fem. ovipos. Neon Skimmer - Libellula croceipennis "E. type" Pondhawk - Erythemis simplicicollis Black Saddlebags - Tramea lacerata Banded Pennant - Celithemis eponina Checkered Setwing - Dythemis fugax Swift Setwing - Dythemis velox Black Setwing - Dythemis nigrescens Pale-faced Clubskimmer - Brechmorhoga mendax 16 sps. ~ 12 at once at the pond. A bunch of Damsels, probably 10 species of them seen. Aves: just the regulars: one male Painted Bunting, one Scott's Oriole, heard both Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo (singles), Acadian Flycatcher, E.Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed, White-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo still common, did not hear Black & White Warbler, did hear 2+ Louisiana Waterthrush, 1 Hutton's Vireo out at entrance turn, lots of Indigo Bunting, Canyon Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, one Common Raven, lots of Caro Wren, few Caro Chicks, lots of Tits (Black-crested) and Cardinals. Leps: not lots, flowers scarce. Numbers of Pipevine and few Spicebush Swallowtails still. One Two-tailed Swallowtail. Several Large Orange Sulphur including one pale morph female, few Cloudless Sulphurs, lots Sleepy Orange, one Dogface, many many Lysides, some Snouts, a Sister, few Queens, one Hackberry Emperor, a Hairstreak that looked to me like a Red-banded, not a Dusky-blue (Calycopis). But it got away before I got a shot of it... One Checkered Skipper. Besides the dragon diversity the highlight of the walk was a 2" Eyed Elatarid. A ginormous click beetle with false eye spots on its thorax. I've seen a few around each summer, and may have gotten some poor photos of this one. For insect collectors it is a cadillac in the collection. P.S. ALL living things are fully protected in Lost Maples SNA.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lost Maples ~ June 18, '06 ~ Maples Trail 1-3 p.m. few birds due to heat of day syndrome but the persistent singers were still at it: Indigo Bunting, Cardinal, Summer Tanager, Red-eyed, White-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos (all recorded at once), Canyon Wren, Black-crested Titmouse, Acadian Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Pewee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. I did hear both a Golden-cheeked Warbler and a Black-capped Vireo call from up a hillside. A couple Spicebush Swallowtails were about, lots of Lyside Sulphurs, numbers of Sleepy Orange, a few Gulf Frits, a Large Orange Sulphur, a Checkered Skipper, but low #'s of butterflies and flowers. Dragonflies were a bit better. There was a Dragonhunter, a Marcromia sps. River Cruiser (ph.), Neon Skimmers (ph.), Pale-faced Clubskimmer, Wandering Glider (ph.), and a few others I can't recall at the moment, but the photos of Macromia and Pantala (the Glider) will be new for Bandera Co.. The highlight of the walk though was a Texas (Greater) Earless Lizard. A spectacular 7" or so beautiful male, one of the prettiest lizards in the U.S.!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lost Maples SNA - May 29, '06 ~ 2-6:30 p.m. Can Creek trail We arrived as most of the holiday visitors were leaving and the park was surely quieter than the previous few days. Also because we went in the heat of the day we naturally were going to see more butterflies and dragonflies than birds. We went past the ponds and for a couple hours above them saw NO people! That made up for the second trip in a row having screaming people jumping off the rocks into the first pond. We did hear the Kentucky Warbler chipping again, so it is now a 10 day "territorial" record. There were just fledged Louisiana Waterthrushes about, quite unlike anything in the books. From the side in profile there were NO streaks visible on the underparts. Only a short necklace of them on the center breast could be seen when it faced you. There were some butterflies, but not the numbers I am used to.... the drought is having its effects. Most numerous were Spicebush Swallowtails with nearly a dozen seen. A few interesting dragonflies were seen that are not often noted at Lost Maples. I photographed a male Flame Skimmer, a male Blue Dasher, a male Eastern Amberwing, a Dragonhunter, and a couple Orange-striped Threadtails. A few other things I'll need to wait to see pictures of to ID. About .75 mi. past the ponds where the trail drops down to the creek junction there was a LEECH in a pond. It was olive green with a row each of small black and red dots. Quite neat looking since it wasn't attached to you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ LMSNA May 20: Mostly a visit to record some bird songs (not play tapes). Did record a singing Kentucky Warbler at the start of the 2nd pond behind the TPWD bass sign. Few Black-capped Vireos singing. The best find was probably the Rough Green Snake (photos). Not a Smooth Green as previously reported.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lost Maples - 4/30/06 - 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. As substitute leader for bluebird society walk ~ past ponds on Can Creek Black and Turkey Vulture, 1 Mississippi Kite, 1 Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Eastern Screech-Owl, 50 Black-chinned Hummer, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Black and Eastern Phoebe, Ash-throated & Great Crested Flycatcher, Acadian Flyc. Least Flyc.-1, E.W-Pewee, White-eyed, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated & Black-capped Vireo (HO), Co.Raven, N.Rough-winged, Barn and Cave Swallow, Carolina Wren and Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Canyon and Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet-1, Nashville Warbler-1, Golden-cheeked (heard 12+ saw one ad.male incubating), Louisiana Waterthrush -4, awesome song; Black-and-white 6 (saw 2), male MacGillivrays -1, Wilson's Warbler - 1, Chippy 25, Clay-colored2, Field 1, Lincoln's 2, White-throated 1 (very late); Cardinal 20, Blue Grosbeak 5, Indigo Bunting 15, Painted Bunting 12, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch. HO = Heard Only ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ April 22, '06 We walked the Can Creek trail to a ways past the ponds. Almost no migrant birds were present, which was surprising after yesterday's fallout in the valley. I guess the clear skies and light southerlies were enough for them to be "good to go", and they left. The only real migrant seen was a lone adult Broad-winged Hawk (photos). Some new/recent arrivals were Acadian Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Pewee. Vireos present were Black-capped, White-eyed, Red-eyed, Hutton's and Yellow-throated. Golden-cheeked Warblers are thick (males fighting), as are Black-and-white Warblers, and a couple Louisiana Waterthrush were in the "ponds" area. A freshly fledged juvenile Green Kingfisher was at the upper pond. Lots of Spicebush Swallowtails were out and about. One Silvery Checkerspot was seen. Odes (dragonflies) are just starting to get going at nearly 2000', but the pond does have good activity as always. Park personell said there has been a male Lazuli Bunting around the HQ feeders. Two March '06 visits (Notes will be coming soon) Of course, Golden-cheeked Warblers are back in high numbers; some Louisiana Waterthrushes and one pair of Green Kingfishers are up Can Creek, near the pond; and, Hutton's Vireos are singing everywhere in the park. 2005 Sorry but we haven't had any outside reports from Lost Maples (e.g., from visiting birders) and we haven't been hanging out there this year.... We decided to check every county road and creek crossing we could find locally (there are dozens and dozens) for birds, odes, butterflies, etc., instead of doing Lost Maples so much this year.... I'm sure we missed some great stuff, but we found great stuff too by looking in places that otherwise would never get looked at.... always trades... However, if I might say, there is a fair account below from which you might get an idea of what to expect expect from a spring or summer visit to Lost Maples in the way of birds, butterflies or dragonflies. We will insert a winter (Jan. 05) quick look here shortly. 2004 Sept 6 - Kathy and I walked the main canyon on the paved road since we usually pass it for the trails... Again it was cool and had drizzled so there was little insect activity. We saw besides the common expected birds, about 8 Indigo and 2 Painted Buntings. The highlight was damselflies: about 5 Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) at the cement bridge over the river where you turn to go to the overflow parking (Can Creek trailhead). These red eyed beasts have a copper thorax that glows if you get the sun on them at the right angle, otherwise looking black. They are stunning beauties you'll never forget seeing! August 22 - The Texas Bluebird Soc. sponsored a birdwalk... It was a bit slow, even drizzled a little up by the ponds. We saw Northern and heard and glimpsed Louisiana Waterthrush though. Also Yellow Warbler, Orchard and Scott's Oriole, some Indigo Buntings, an Acadian Flycatcher still there, 3 Red-eyed Vireos, 2 Green Kingfisher at pond, and a first of fall Loggerhead Shrike by the maint. bldgs.. An Upland Sandpiper flew over calling early in the a.m. at HQ. Very few butterflies or dragonflies out due to cool temps, but a nice walk as always. July 24 - A Common Black-Hawk was on the bird list kept at HQ for visitors to log their sightings in, dated July 18. Such a rarity should be posted to listservs, or otherwise made public, etc., so others might know to look for it, or better, attempt to document it. I saw a Zone-tailed Hawk there 7/24 as expected. There was also a male Golden-cheeked Warbler up at the pond. It was a comparitively cool overcast afternoon, so butterfly and dragon/damsel fly activity was slow. There were some of the usuals at the pond....Black Saddlebags, Red Saddlebags, Eastern Pondhawk, Blue Dasher, Common Whitetail and Widow Skimmer. The highlight of the trip was at least two, maybe four, of a species new to the park (and only once seen in Bandera Co.), Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara). This damsel has an incredibly long thin abdomen deserving of the Threadtail name. Of course the usual array of Dancers (Argia sps.) were about, and American Rubyspots. We also saw one of those amazing looking Black Rock Squirrels about a quarter mile above the second pond. The Threadtails were at the top of the 2nd pond on Can Creek. There were many Eastern Wood Pewees, Red-eyed Vireo , a very young fledgling Yellow-throated Vireo, lots of Indigo Buntings, and the regular stuff (Titmice, Chickadees, Wrens, etc.). June 20 - With visiting friends we again took the Can Creek trail up to the ponds. The butterflies were lackluster, coinciding with an apparent a lull in the flower bloom. But birds and dragonflies made up for them.... We had great looks at an adult male Golden-cheeked Warbler between the two ponds. Two Green Kingfishers were at the upper pond. A pair of Black-capped Vireos were above the restroom on the East trail, just above the ponds a short way. The male was singing and after quietly sitting for a short while he came by closely and gave us great (brief) views. The Black Phoebe continues at the first pond. Another Golden-cheek was seen on the way back down. Then of course were the regular expected things like Red-eyed Vireos, Summer Tanagers, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Yellow-throated Vireo, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, singing Canyon Wrens, Carolina Wrens and Chickadees, Black-crested Titmouse, and fantastic looks at an Acadian Flycatcher feeding several young. The only butterflies of note were 3 black form female Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, stunning beauties that they are. There were about 20 species of Odes (Dragons and Damsels) in the area of the ponds. Nothing unusual, all the regular most likely expected species, but that type of diversity in that small and area is always impressive. Those male Widow Skimmers I never tire of looking at! Surely someone who knows their damsels well would have seen a few more species than I did. As always too, our friends were thoroughly "blown away" by the scenic beauty and bio-diversity of Lost Maples. May '04 news May 16 There are two reports for this date. First, one given to me by Derek Muschalek who walked up the pond trail, over the top, to the east/Maples trail, to the camp, and back up to the overflow parking lot. He was mostly counting butterflies. But by accident he recorded about 3 dozen Golden-cheeked Warblers including adults feeding young. Also he had 4 singing male Black-capped Vireo, 4 territorial singing Louisiana Waterthrush, a couple Scott's Orioles, 5 Great Blue Herons, and a tardy Lincoln's Sparrow! He saw about 44 species of Butterflies, which will be on the BFLY news page in a few days (when I get some time!) Kathy and I went up mid-day to the pond, waiting for Odes to become active. We did see a House Wren, and an Olive- sided Flycatcher, two migrants. Also a Green Kingfisher was at the pond. Then it was mostly the regulars, White- eyed Vireo feeding a young out of the nest was nice. A Western kingbird was near the maintenance building. We had a 7-8 species of Dragons at the pond, and about 7 species of Damsels with the highlight being a male Widow Skimmer (ph.). See the full list on the Ode News page in a couple days. May 9 The first excitement was seeing my first Bandera Co. Black-headed Grosbeak at the feeder at HQ. Don't forget to look for Inca Doves there too. We deceided to check the Maples/East trails. We walked the Maple trail up, and a quarter mile past its junction with the east trail, and came back down the east trail, which makes a nice mile loop. Mostly it was the expected regulars, like Red-eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Carolina Wren, Black & White Warbler, Summer Tanager, Eastern Wood Pewee, White-eyed Vireo, Canyon Wren, and hearing Golden-cheeked Warblers. We did however have an Osprey go over up high moving north, and a Zone-tailed Hawk. Only migrant Warbler was a single Yellow, and saw what was likely an Alder Flycatcher. On the slope above the picnic area I heard a Black-capped Vireo call. It was too cold for Odes (Dragonflies) for the most part, but the butterflies were good at the Mealy Sage patch above the two aforementioned trails' junction. It had numerous sps., about 20 in all with highlights being Green Skipper, Nysa Roadside-Skipper, Question Mark, 3 Monarchs, California Sisters, Vesta Crescent, and the normal stuff. April '04 news April 26 Our friend Bob Beckler from CA was visiting so of course he wanted to bird LMSNA again, which is always OK with us! We went up Can Creek as usual. We saw a female Audubon's Warbler on the way, and the Short-tailed Hawk flew up canyon in a big hurry offering only a brief ID look. Also saw a Red-shouldered and a Broad-winged Hawk to round out the small buteos. We got good brief looks at a male Black- capped Vireo singing by the restroom above the pond. Saw a few and heard many Golden-cheeked Warbler, a couple pairs of Louisiana Waterthrush, Kathy saw Green Kingfisher at the pond. I heard 3 and saw one Acadian Flycatcher. Lots of the regulars like Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos, Indigo Bunting, Summer Tanager and Eastern Wood Pewee. There were 13 species of dragonflies at the pond, plus about 5 species of damselflies! They were outstanding! Then there were 5 species of Swallowtail butterflies, and other ones like Red-spotted Purple, Green Skipper and Silvery Checkerspot! This place is sooo unbelieveably awesome, everytime you go! April 24 There was a note in the bird/guests notebook at the HQ for 4/24 citing flyovers of a large flock of White Pelican and a smaller flock of Franklin's Gull! Good SRV birds! April 16 Our friends Dave and Carol Roelen were visiting from CA, and we made a couple hour (quick) walk up Can Creek. Things were amazingly different from 4 days ago with Derek!. It was cool, and misting so there was no butterfly or dragon- fly activity, nor raptors soaring. But, many "new arrival" migrants and or breeders present. Besides lots of Golden-cheeked Warblers singing (we saw a few), and other already present regulars like Yellow- throated Vireo, and Summer Tanager, we saw one and heard several Red-eyed Vireos and Indigo Buntings. Many Nashville Warblers were singing, and many Black & White Warblers too. A male Orchard Oriole was new, as was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in the day use picnic area. A Lazuli Bunting sang from the bluff just before the pond. A Blue Grosbeak was just south of the park entrance. April 12 Derek Muschalek, my wife (Kathy) and I walked up Can Creek on a brisk, windy, wintery day. The low in the morning was in the upper 30's!! Regardless Lost Maples came through as usual. We did not see the Short-tailed Hawk, though it was seen a half hour before we got there. A late female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was in the "overflow" parking lot, as were White-crowned, Rufous-crowned, and Clay-colored Sparrows. Up the trail we saw Yellow-throated Vireo, Summer Tanager, heard lots and saw few Golden-cheeked Warblers, and in the "ponds area", Louisiana Waterthrush, Green Kingfisher, and a Black Phoebe. We also saw a first of season Eastern Wood Pewee, and I saw a Zone-tailed Hawk from the car park. Also of interest were 7 Common Whitetail Dragonflies, Spicebush Swallowtail, Question Mark, and Derek had a Silvery Checkerspot. I photographed a Ring-necked Snake while he was working the Checkerspot. Sometimes you just have to make decisions :) ! April 3 Kent Nelson saw an adult light morph SHORT-TAILED HAWK above the pond on the Can Creek Trail on April 3! (I'm betting it was the bird that went over my place 3/26). This bird was in the notebook for having been seen there 4/2. The first report of Black-capped Vireo was also April 2. There will be lots of them in a week or two .... March 28 '04 Cool, wet, drizzly, temp in 60's Notes of Mitch & Kathy Heindel Golden cheeked Warblers were singing everywhere, including the headquarters building hillside. We went up the 'West Trail'. We saw a couple of them very well very closely right overhead. There were also singing Yellow-throated Vireo and Black & White Warblers as expected. A Two-tailed Swallowtail was seen as was a Red Satyr, but it was too wet and cold for insects. Regulars like Rufous-crowned Sparrow & Canyon Wren were 'easy'. Can't wait to go back when the weather is nice! Others had reported Louisiana Waterthrush at its regular haunts just above the pond on the Can Creek Trail. January 4, '04 Warm, mid-'70's peak in early afternoon Notes of Mitch & Kathy Heindel This visit was part of our inaugaral or test CBC for the "upper Sabinal River Valley" area. We were there about 3 hours, and tried to find and count everything we could in that brief period. The main lower canyon around the entrance and campground was birded, as well as a half mile of the "maples" trail, and a quarter mile of the "ponds" trail. Surely, many more birds are there than we found in the brief period alloted, and a more extensive scrutinous winter search is merited. Hopefully we'll be able to do that in early February. Bird List: Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6; Eastern Phoebe 2; * White-eyed Vireo 1; Western Scrub-Jay 3; Common Raven 1; Carolina Chickadee 6; Black-crested Titmouse 10; Rock Wren 1; Canyon Wren 2; Carolina Wren 4; Bewick's Wren 2; House Wren 1; Golden-crowned Kinglet 2; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3; Hermit Thrush 2; Northern Mockingbird 2; Orange-crowned Warbler 2; Spotted Towhee 2; Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2; Chipping Sparrow 95; Field Sparrow 1; Song Sparrow 3; Lincoln's Sparrow 4; White-throated Sparrow 1; Northern Cardinal 16; House Finch 25; American Goldfinch 1 27 species, 201 individuals. The White-eyed Vireo was in a mixed species winter flock, and is not on the park list for winter. This is probably the first winter record for the park! As it flew across the road/trail, I said to Kathy "it was olive and yellow with wingbars". It responded well to a Screech-Owl imitation and gave me great looks at 20'. I was able to note the bright yellow spectacles and sides, grayish head, olive back, two bold wingbars, and that the eye was dark (1st yr.). Significantly, there are two other White-eyed Vireos wintering in the Sabinal River Valley this winter. Of interest nearby, a couple miles south of Vanderpool, a flock of 38 Turkey flew across the road (187). |
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