2007 ~
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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.
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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.
Eyed Elatarid - A giant click beetle with false eye spots
on the thorax to intimidate potential predators.
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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.!
Texas (Greater) Earless Lizard - Cophosaurus texana
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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 Smooth Green Snake
(photos).
Smooth Green Snake - and they really are, smooth and green
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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
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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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