Bird (and nature) News Archive # 39
January 1 to June 30, 2023

Old Bird News XXXIX

Some commonly used abbreviations used are:
"in town" - means in Utopia
sps. - species
(ph.) = photo obtained
ad.=adult; imm.=immature; ma.=male; fem.=female; juv.=juvenile
odes=Odonata = dragonflies and damselflies; leps=Lepidoptera (butterflies)
FOS - "First of Season" (usually used for 1st spring or fall migrant to show up locally)
FOY - First of year - 1st one seen this year
FOF - First of fall
LTA - Less than Annual
UP - Utopia Park on 1050 just west of 187
UR - Utopia on the River
LM - Lost Maples SNA; GSP - Garner St. Pk.
SRV - Sabinal River Valley
SR - Seco Ridge a couple miles west of Utopia in Uvalde County
 (our yard March 2005 to Mar. 2013)
BanCo - Bandera County
UvCo - Uvalde County
WU = Weather Underground (sometimes local station readings referenced)


Bird News Archives Index

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Bird News Archive XXXIX (#39) ~ January 1 - June 30, 2023

.... in reverse chronological order, unless you scroll to end and read from the bottom up.

BIRD & NATURE NEWS 2023

Notes without location cited are in or from yard which is a couple miles south of town at edge of the river habitat corridor. If it doesn't say where it was, it was in or from the yard. Usually a few daily yard notes is all the drivel you get. Ready, steady, go!

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January through June 2023


Read from bottom up to view in chronological order.

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~ ~ ~ the old news ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ June summary ~ ~ ~

It was on the dry side, I say our early spring luck ran out. Good thing we got that foot in April and May though. We had 2.25" on the 2nd and 4th, whence the tap ran dry for the rest of the month. About half a normal former June. But though, with the aquifer fillup from May, finally the river is again flowing over the spillway at park pond, and is roughly at normal average bankful. Drought stage is still D2 per U.S. Drought Monitor as of 29th, severe.

Odes (dragonflies and damselflies) were about 8 species, sadly a big climb. Has to be the worst June total ever. It remains near dismal for them so far this year. Hardly anything flying still, yet. Some Eastern Amberwing were likely local emergences. On the 30th there were a Turquoise-tipped Darner (at park) and a Widow Skimmer (yard). No Orange-striped Threadtail yet is not good. The bug of the month was on June 30th when a Giant Cicada (Quesada gigas) sounded off at dusk. Note cicadas are not dragonflies.

Butterflies were so-so, also reduced like odes but not as severely. Not a lot blooming naturally out there for them either. We are irrigated, so some flowers. There was a quick fly-by of a Zebra Longwing (Heliconian) which is great, a year since the last one. Vesta Crescent was likely the most common species, and Elada Checkerspot were more numerous than I have seen in 20 years. The total was 44 species locally this month for me, mostly in yard. A caterpillar of some sort decimated our Blue Mistflower Eupatorium this spring. It was wiped out at the library garden several years ago.

Birds were about 70 species, and nothing unusual or out of the ordinary expected types. These are virtually all on territory breeding. Certainly between here and Lost Maples there are another 20 species or more in the area. I am not out there covering it, this is what one sees by accident whilst working in one place and checking the park weekly. The one bird of interest was the Acadian Flycatcher that continues singing on territory in the woods at the north end of the park, since mid-May. Sure would love to confirm nesting.

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~ ~ ~ archive copy June update header ~ ~ ~

June ~ This space available for good birds. A singing Acadian Flycatcher is still at Utopia Park June 30, since May 14, and may be nesting. A Zebra Longwing (Heliconian) butterfly on June 10 is the first in a year. The daily hundred degree F heat index season is here so be prepared. Mornings are usually bearable until clouds break, noonish or so if lucky. There have been 100F plus temps and heat index readings 110-120F since mid-June. Be careful out there folks. The dawn chorus and birdsong is quieting down lots and fast now. Some post-breeding adults are wandering around molting by later in month (now). June 30 a FOY Turquoise-tipped Darner was at the park, by the island again. OMG, just before 9 p.m. I heard a GIANT Cicada out the office window.

~ ~ ~ end archive copy June update header ~ ~ ~


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

June 30 ~ Low of 76F under a blanket of low stratus that kept the heat in. No sun the first few hours anyway is the good part. The heat dome has moved east a bit and eased up on us a few dF. Only 91F at 3 p.m. is a break. Town run and park check, which continues to be fairly empty of things avian. Up in the woods at north end the Acadian Flycatcher continues singing, and now at 6 weeks, it must be nesting. Just only keep seeing one though. Best thing there was a FOY Turquoise-tipped Darner in the same swampy area between bank and island one has occurred in several times in years prior. Nice bug. Methinks there will be a crowd around for the park this weekend with the big July 4th firework show seeming to be a go. Town was busier than any of the last several weeks. Kathy saw a FOY male Widow Skimmer go through the yard late in the afternoon. Two new odes for the year today is great, they have been dismal. OMG, just before 9 p.m. I heard a Giant Cicada (Quesada gigas) outside the office window, out back. They sound like a F-16 fighter jet idling on the runway. Pretty sure it is new here. Have heard it at Cook's Slough in Uvalde, but not here at Utopia. Add-on: saw my FOY open flowers of Old Man's Beard today on 360.

June 29 ~ Low of 71F felt great. Just doesn't last long enough. We get a good solid couple hours of bearable before it deteriorates. Racoons leave the birdbath such a muddy mess I have to dump and clean it first thing every morning. They think they are being clean, making a filthy mess for me. It seems as if they are just bringing dirt to it. By time they are done the water makes the Rio Grande look clear. The entire rim has caked dried mud on it that has to be removed. If I took a bird pic on it the way it is, you would think I was the pig. Did not see anything different but was mostly inside at the desk all day. Maybe 96F or so out there, toasty. Love that male Yellow-throated Warbler at the bath though. Sure have a big bill. Whaddabird. Chipping Sparrow came in for a cooling splash. Just a few Firefly, fair numbers of Katydid though.

June 28 ~ Low of 74F and a bit balmy. We have made it 14 hours and ONE minute of daylength, down a whole full minute now from maxima at solstice. Takes a week to lose that first minute, but it is a start. Saw the male Goatweed Leafwing butterfly on the patio at water again today. Late saw it roosting on stone exterior of house. If only they would sit with wings open. Saw a Texas Powdered-Skipper out back that was mint-fresh. The juv. Red-tailed Hawk is still soaring overhead begging. Hear Martin families up there high too. Saw the male Cooper's Hawk make a dive through yard. If you want to melt, just go outside in the afternoon. Del Rio had 108F today. Did hear the Black-and-white Warbler call a few times, the grating flight note, neat.

June 27 ~ The 71F low felt fantastic. High about 100F plus. Brutal afternoons out there. KERV had a 103F, near 10F above former averages, then add heat index. It did not used to be like this here. Late in day another show at the bath with most of the same visitors. Black-and-white and Yellow-throated Warbler of which the former is ad. fem., the latter, an ad. male. Again the Yellow-billed Cuckoo came in, again I did not get window and slat in blindoscreen open to poke lens through in time. Kathy saw an Ash-throated Flycatcher come in too, which is very rare. This is how hot it is. We have to refresh it at least two, often three times a day now. White-winged Doves splash the most water out, in contrast to Mourning which virtually never come in to it whatsoever. Eastern Bluebird pair still around, am hearing them. Did hear a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher sing in corral early in morn, love that song. Not hearing the Vermilion Flycatcher as usual, hopefully it just moved to south end of the corral.

June 26 ~ Low of 76F, was 80 or more much of night. Still no end in sight. The 100F daily used to be something of Brackettville or Del Rio, not here. As the 30 inches of annual rain line has moved 100 miles east in 30 years (per Texas A & M), we can posit the hi-lo temperature lines did too right with it. Desertification is here now. It is almost as if the climate is changing right before our eyes in a (hopefully) short part of our lives. Had a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in the morn. Likely an adult done breeding, wandering around molting now. Saw a Red Wasp come into water, might be my FOY, and another beastie that has gone from common to scarce. Kathy spotted a Cuckoo at the birdbath, which is about the fourth time in 20 years we have seen one at it. Generally getting enough moisture from caterpillars, but it is hot as hades. By time I got window open with camera it was departing. A bit later Kathy had a Black-and-white Warbler at the bath again, female or immature. Was still 85F at midnight.

June 25 ~ A low of 77F is not so great. Most of the local WU stations were showing 99F, a few higher, about 6 p.m., not a fan of it myself. We had 94F on the cool shady front porch, but which is surely a couple dF cooler due to water being sprayed on the flowers around it. Humid too. At 11 a.m. I did 15 min. of yard work and was dripping. Yellow-throated Warbler singing a bit, heard begging baby Summer Tanager. Bewick's Wren went to the tub pond. Thought I saw a female Indigo Bunting at the birdbath. Which never happens all breeding season usually. The bugs provide enough moisture. Kathy spotted a Goatweed Leafwing that came into the water on patio. I saw a Little Yellow, plus the usual stuff. I heard a large bee swarm go over in the afternoon. A few un-enthusiastic Chuck calls was it for them tonight. Firefly numbers are decreasing quickly now.

June 24 ~ Low of 74F, high just under a hundred. Heat index worse. Be careful out there folks. Hutton's Vireo out back again. A Great Crested Flycatcher was around early morn and after noon. Kathy has a Golden Orb Weaver spider outside the Kitchen window. Late, in early evening heat, Kathy saw a Black-and-white Warbler coming into the birdbath. Then a male Painted Bunting, Chat, Field Sparrow all followed, as well as Cardinal Lesser Goldfinch, and Yellow-throated Warbler. After a hot day the water is very popular. If we had a wildlife cam on it surely lots more would get recorded there. Was after 10 p.m. before it got below 90F.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

June 23 ~ Low about 72F again is fantastic. A Hutton's Vireo was uphill out back early. After just seeing white morph Common Wild-Petunia in yard for years, we have a number of purple ones now. Town run. Great to see water running over the spillway at park pond. The Acadian Flycatcher continues on territory in the woods at north end. Begging juv. Summer Tanager good to see. Barely any odes. Best was a Spicebush Swallowtail, worn as it was, they are very scarce along river south of Lost Maples. If you see something Pipevineish in thick woods, take a close look. Hardly any swallows (should be Barn and Cave) around town this summer, and Chimney Swift is way down too. No Scissor-tails along the road and fencelines. Flying bug eaters are all way down. Brutal hot in the afternoon, just getting below 90F near 9 p.m. as it gets near dark. Another scorcher behind us. After 7 p.m. Kathy sprayed some water and there were 6 Duskywing butterflies on the patio at once. Four were Funereal, one was Juvenal's, and one looked Mournful but could not see underwing. Quite the Erynnis show.

June 22 ~ A rain-cooled low of 72F was great. Was only a tenth of an inch here, but it beat the heat back yesterday evening. A couple fully-leafed Pecan branches have broken the last couple outflow boundries. Maybe 5" branches, big ones, and an indicator of how drought stressed the trees are. Under 40 mph normally would not do that, they have taken over 50 mph many times. Got up to about 94F on shady front porch, but a bit dryer than the last few days in the afternoon under the NW flow aloft. Some begging baby Lark Sparrow out there. Red-tailed Hawk juv. begging still as well. Yellow-throateds, warbler and vireo both around and singing a bit.

June 21 ~ Happy Solstice! Another clear night with no low stratus from the Gulf so a wee bit of radiational cooling. I saw 70.5F and it was wonderful. A scorcher of a solstice is on tap. Birds all sounded the same ones. Lots of panting. Across road toward river Yellow-throated Warbler is singing a bit. Not too late for it to try again or maybe it is still going. By noon was 92F in the shade on front porch. Great was a FOY Marine Blue on the Tropical Sage, but could not refind it when I got back out with camera. A great view though, I saw it from 12 inches! The other butterflies were the same. More nearby rain cells in the afternoon shielding and saving us from solar heating. At 3 p.m. local WU stations were showing temps 105F or so, with heat indices up to 120F! The cloud shield put the brakes on it just in time. Oppresive is the key word folks. Records have been falling all over Texas for a few days. We lucked out with a big temp drop late afternoon. After 6 p.m. there was a little thundercell which brought a 30 mph outflow boundry, and a tenth of an inch of precip. Dropped the temp 20F to 77F over a half-hour and change. Saved the early evening from miserable. After dark the will's-widows hardly give a chuck. They are running out of steam. Be lucky if they call for two more weeks.

June 20 ~ I saw those clear skies after midnight, said a prayer to the radiational cooling gods, yelled at the low Gulf stratus gods to stay away, got up and it was 72F! About 11 days since we saw such chilly temps. Another day, another few mosquito bites, another couple chiggers, and another real broiler. The Tropical Sage patch out front looks great as the blooming dials up. Lots of the stalks are 3-4 feet tall, plus a foot of the inflorescence (the flower spike). We are going to have a Lesser Goldfinch problem when they start going to seed, they are bonkers about them. Birdsong is sure quieting down fast and early. Saw 100F in the afternoon with local WU stations reporting a little over that, and heat indices 115 to 120F. A few nearish-by rain cells passed, I felt a few drops. Butterflies looked the same from what I saw, including the Dun Skipper, and Kathy saw a Questionmark. The Chuck-will's-widow are sure quieting down already. The Firefly also seem to be past peak which was about a couple dozen at once, at dusk several days ago was my high count. Still way down compared to years past.

June 19 ~ Low of 74F was the coldest we have been in days, and great. Some clouds early, but broke early too. A Great Crested Flycatcher moved south down the river habitat corridor calling about 3 p.m., likely a bird done breeding wandering around as it molts. In butterflies Kathy saw a Buckeye, there were a couple Bordered Patch, American Lady, a nice fresh male Cloudless Sulphur, the Juvenal's Duskywing, the Northern Cloudywing, Questionmark, a Queen, and the usual regular common stuff. Add a Gray Hairstreak late in day on Lantana. NOAA is calling this heatwave unprecedented. I think for the combination of date, degree, and duration. This afternoon it was highest 90's F, humidity was 50 percent, and the heat indices at local WU stations ran 110 to 116F. Sound nice? Come on down! Tomorrow and Wed. are said to be hotter, and peak heat. There were a few rain cells around for the lucky, we heard thunder, saw some lightning, but nothing here.

June 18 ~ Low of 77F and muggy with low stratus. Clouds broke before noon, gonna be a hot one. Mostly hid inside by a fan, glad to have work at desk. In butterflies, a female Black Swallowtail was on the Tropical Sage, and a Juvenal's Duskywing was nice to see well at point blank on my leg. There are cooing out there besides White-winged, Mourning, and Collared-, doves, Common Ground-Dove, Roadrunner, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Whole lotta cooing going on. The juv. Red-tailed Hawk still begging loudly. The 30' Hackberry by the gate is a popular singing post. Daily users are Blue Grosbeak, Painted and Indigo Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Summer Tanager, at the very least. Probably Ash-throated Flycatcher too. But only ever one species singing at a time it seems. Apparently they all want to give each other their space, or don't like competition when they are singing.

June 17 ~ The low was 78F, OMG, as the heat turns up. A week of brutal lies ahead. It looks like we are going to have about our tenth summer in a row, maybe a dozen now, that runs 5-10F, sometimes more, above what average temps used to be. I can't help but wonder how much this is a stress factor on the animals and plants, from birds to insects, trees and everything else. Saw the Black Rock Squirrel on the cottage chimney surveying its territory this morning. I went in and out of the cottage without it flushing. It is getting tamer, slowly. Might have had a juvenile Ash-throated Flycatcher out there, was wing-flicking as in begging, seemed to have a very rufous tail. The bird of the day was about noonish when Kathy spotted a (the?) male Golden-cheeked Warbler coming into the birdbath. I got into bathroom, got window and blindoscreen open in time to get a few shots as it went full submarine. Whaddabird! Every week or two since early May if not late April we have been getting a male in the yard, mostly coming to bath. I suspect it is one bird, on territory not too far away behind us on the wildlife conservation easement. Would have better if sunny out, was overcast still, but a few usable shots were obtained.


~ ~ ~ last prior update beloiw ~ ~ ~

June 16 ~ Low 76.5F and very humid with a low stratus deck courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico. Forgot to mention a pile of dove feathers out back yesterday looked White-winged, likely from one of those flushing events when a Cooper's Hawk visits. Town run day. At the park still singing songbirds are the Acadian Flycatcher, Summer Tanager, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Warbler, and a noisy Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Nesting is still underway. Hopefully the Acadian is mated. Keep seeing only one but if one incubating, not hard to do. There were some damselflies out over the water, and my FOY Blue Dasher and Checkered Setwing for dragonflies. No Orange-striped Threadtail yet still, they should be out by now. Had a FOY bright fresh male Large Orange Sulphur on the Tropical Sage this afternoon. Was 94F in the shade on front porch, add 4-5F in the sun, and heat index was 105 or so. Lovely.

June 15 ~ Low of 76F again, overcast and humid. A great relief from the 100F plus heat indices in the afternoon. The 10-day currenty shows actual temps at 100 and up for the next ten days, peaking at 106 next week. Which is about 10F over average normal. Good thing we got all that rain and have some ground moisture and water in the river. We are still at D2 drought stage per today's new map. The D3 and D4 areas in counties to our NE are shrinking, but still there. About 4 p.m. was 90F in the shade on front porch, so low 90's in the sun, and the air so thick you could see it. Heat index over a hun. Saw a very worn Texas Powdered-Skipper, and a Dun Skipper in the afternoon. The juv. Red-tailed Hawk is still begging so must be having a hard time finding food. The parents have usually abandoned the young by early June.

June 14 ~ Low of 76F is up there for a low. Overcast and balmy. No change in forecast, more steaming ahead for forseeable future. Carolina Wren is seeming to like the place and around a lot. Wonder if it was one that was hatched here in the last few years? Saw the single Eastern Phoebe as well. Weird we lost both of those long-term resident pairs here recently. The wrens this spring, the phoebes over a year ago. Now we have acquired singles of each so far. Presume a matter of time until they get mates. Great to hear that noisy wren again though! About 4 p.m. it was about 90F and heat index a hundred with humidty at about 60 percent. One star, would not recommend. I hear Ground-Dove over in the draw, heard it last week too, maybe a nest thataway? Once when Kathy sprayed water around I soon after saw at least 3 Elada Checkerspot at once. A No. Cloudywing is around, Kathy saw a Checkered-Skipper, I saw a Giant Swallowtail, lots of Vesta Crescent, some Pipevine Swallowtail.

June 13 ~ Low about 75F, overcast and muggy. Dawn chorus quieting down quite a bit now. With the low stratus we get a few hours of bearable in the 70's before it starts to burn. No relief in sight through the solstice and ten-day forecast, so far. The summer sub-tropical high seems to have moved into place. Saw a couple fancy tiny juv. grasshoppers of some sort eating holes in the Tropical Sage. Got a pic but will have to dispatch if many appear. Saw another Questionmark laying eggs on Hackberry saplings at front porch. The birds were the same gang. The ad. ma. Yellow-throated Warbler came to the birdbath late in day. A docushot allowed me to see it is in heavy molt now, so it is likely, as the weak singing indicated, done breeding for the year. Maybe 88F or so on front porch, a few dF hotter in sun, and oppressively humid, the clouds never broke today. A few times some sun briefly poked through. Heat index a few dF over a hundred.

June 12 ~ Still just getting down to 74F for a low and happy it got down to that. Low stratus so no sun for a few hours let's us do a few things before the sticky starts. The Carolina Wren that found us seems to be sticking around somewhat, so now if it could just attract a mate and they could replace the pair we lost. Saw nothing new or different today. It is that time of year where we see the same players every day. The yard is way too long from all the rain and have to get to doing some weed-whacking soon. The Firefly like tall grass, so I like to leave it until they have peaked and are fading. Clouds hung in for a while and was still not 90F at 3 p.m. but very humid, and probably got near 93F or so in the sun later. Heat index a hundred. Feels like summer. More worse heat is on way.

June 11 ~ Another 74F low is a balmy start. Low stratus for a few hours in a.m. kept it bearable for a bit. Then came the heat. Birds seemed the same. The Yellow-throated Warbler was around a bit, and sang weakly, as if it is done for the year. Today we provide a botanical report on the currently blooming wildflowers around the yard now. Tropical and Mealy Sage, American Germander, Straggler and Pincushion Daisy, Tube-tongue, Frog-fruit, Mexican Hat, Scarlet Pea, Texas Verbena, Zexmenia, Red Turkscap, Coreopsis, Prairie Fleabane, Prickly Poppy, Silver-leaf Nightshade and Western Horse-Nettle, Lantana, Indian Mallow, a few Malta Star-thistle I missed pulling, Horehound (non-native), Three-seeded Mercury, Wild Poinsettia, Common Wild-Petunia, Texas Thistle, Clammy-weed, White Rock-lettuce, and Day Flower (aka Widow's Tears). Also that little peachy orange ground-cover thingie that looks sorta like a Rev. Stick-leaf or a Sida but is neither.

Surely if I braved the chiggers in the knee-high stuff I could find a few more, like Cardinal-flower, Skeleton-plant, etc. Anyway, at minimum, a whopping 29 species of blooming wildflowers right now in the yard including the three non-native introduced species. Surely 30 species around then. I see lots of Cowpen Daisy, over in the horse pen, but none on our side of the fence. I don't see any Lazy Daisy yet, the Wooly Ironweed has its first green flower buds growing, an Old Man's Beard has not yet flowered, and the Blue Mistflower Eupatorium was devoured and destroyed by caterpillars this year (over 20 sq.ft.!). It appears we have finally achieved ZERO Musk Thistle, after 10 years of not letting any go to seed, none has come up this year so far, even with a foot of rain this spring. A big success story frankly. Countin' flowers in the yard, that don't bother me at all... old folks will get the musical reference...

June 10 ~ A low of 74F almost qualifies for 'a rude awakening'. And so it begins. There was a little bit of clouds early, and a small patch that sprinkled a few raindrops went over around 10 a.m. which should really help when it warms up. Heard the Scissor-tail across the road. I see a few Texas Verbena flowers open now. Saw the Six-lined Racerunner pair copulate again. It was a good day for butterflies. Mid-morn there was a FOY Mexican Yellow on the Tropical Sage. After noon saw the first Zebra Longwing (Heliconian) in a year. Maybe saw one fly by one day last year. When we are in drought times they are rare here, and less than annual in occurrence. Then saw a Crescent I suppose was a real black Vesta, but will have to study. Missed the underwing though. A Northern Cloudywing continues around.



~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

June 9 ~ Low about 67F was nice, hardly any low stratus. The heat wave starts now. The Blue Grosbeak is back singing up top of the big Pecan the last few days. It was not around several days and I think it fledged the first batch of young so was showing them the ropes around the 'hood. I heard a juvenile Blue-gray Gnatcatcher out front in the morn. First juvenile post-breeding wanderer of the season. A fledged young out on its own. Kathy saw the Black Rock Squirrel sunning at first sun on top of the plugged chimney on the cottage. Which it does some times, just appearing to be surveying its kingdom.

Town run day. Acadian Flycatcher still at the park singing, since May 14, it might be nesting. Red-eyed Vireo also singing up in the woods. The rest was the expected. A few Eastern Amberwing dragonfly are the FOY, and likely emerged there at the pond. In butterflies, in the morn when Kathy sprayed water in came I would guess the same Bordered Patch she saw yesterday, a male Black Swallowtail, and my FOY Dun Skipper, finally. In the afternoon a couple Giant Swallowtail were cavorting around the yard. It was low to mid- 90's F in the afternoon. Uggghhh. There was a Roadrunner singing up the hill behind us late in the afternoon.

June 8 ~ Low about 68F, just an hour or so of low stratus. Forecast is for summer to start tomorrow, with upper 90's for a week, hot spots over a hundred. It is here. The summer sub-tropical high that parks too close. We beat the odds getting this far into the year before it hit. April and May were entirely bearable. There is some loud construction outside, mostly on the road today, the birds went silent when the diesel fired up.

I will never get used to hearing a Hutton's Vireo in a Mesquite. They will always be the live-oak vireo to me. We broke 90F as the heat wave (summer) begins. Several local WU stations were 91-92F. Kathy saw a Bordered Patch, which is the first in a while, a Checkered White, and twice she saw a big yellow Swallowtail that was likely the Eastern Tiger we saw a couple or few days ago. In the pale-by-comparison department, I saw a couple Comm. Checkered-Skipper and a Northern Cloudywing. Eastern Phoebe was at tub pond late in day. Kathy saw the Chat take a bath at last light. I saw a larger dark moth that was likely an Underwing (cf. C. obscurus) with the brown hindwing.

June 7 ~ Low about 66F is fine, some brief low stratus, but not much. Clouded back up in afternoon when some nearish thundercells. There was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher out front across road calling and singing mid-morn and mid-afternoon. That is a bird I don't see how one could ever tire of. On the other hand, a male Bronzed Cowbird is out there daily. Far fewer Brown-headed Cowbird here this year, which is great to (not) see. No comparison to the numbers the last few years. Saw a pair of Texan Crescent butterfly interacting. The Zexmenia is blooming well out back where some grow. Heard Roadrunner singing up the hill behind us late in afternoon.

June 6 ~ Low of 62F and only a brief bout of low stratus. Very humid and wet, the grass is soaked. It all looked the same from my view. The two cuckoos were moving about the yard together. Some clouds in afternoon, some raincells to the east. A touch odd to have NW flow this time of year. Maybe hit 84F peak heat, and somewhat dryish due to foreign air infiltration. Saw the Texan Crescent around the Am. Germander which is still going great and stinking the place up with its sweet sweet scent.

June 5 ~ Another incredible rain-cooled low of 60F! These are precious in June, in a week we will be in upper 90's F. Cool and wet out there is wonderful. The Tropical Sage and Frostweed are still reaching for the sky. Grow babies grow! In butterflies an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is always nice. Saw Tawny Emperor and Questionmark ovipositing on some sapling Hackberries right off the front porch. Something is chewing up the Red Turkscap leaves. Weird is the lack of Shining Flea Beetles on the Germander, usually they are all over it. One Texan and several Vesta Crescent. At least two begging baby Lark Sparrow out front. The bluebird pair is around, young are gone (were 2), and with the rain they should go for another round of nesting now. That cuckoo nest must be close by, I think in the draw again like last year. Probably less than a hundred yards, it or they, go through yard a bunch of times daily, calling all the way. Heard a couple Cicada today, sounded one big type, one small type as in those little one-inch jobs. Several Katydid after dark.

June 4 ~ Even though we didn't get the nearby rain last night, we got the rain-cooled low this morn, of 66F. Very nice. Overcast a couple hours at first, then sunny by 10 a.m., becoming more summerlike. It is now climatalogical summer of course, as of June 1, running through August, and based on climate, not astronomy. Heard a Hutton's Vireo out back upslope in the live-oaks. Yellow-throated Warbler sang briefly a bit in the big Pecan early. Between 2-3 p.m. another thundercell found us, which made severe status right after it went over. It was about an inch of precip here that hour, and a couple hours later another cell found us which dropped a bit over 1.25"! It was 57-58mm, about 2.25 to 2.33" total. Incredible! So 3" since late Friday night, the last 48 hours. We could hear the river roaring from flow, and frogs.

June 3 ~ A low of 60F is incredible. Let me tell ya why. Late last night, actually the brunt of it 11 to midnight, so on the 2nd, a large MCS with severe thunderstorm warnings went over NW to SE more or less. We ended up being in a weaker part of it and only got .75", three-quarters of an inch of precip. It marched from Del Rio to San Antonio, lightning all the way, ho ho ho. There were tornado watches, 1" and bigger hail, and 50-60 mph gusts in the worst parts. So we got some rain on the board for the 2nd, and June. The birds and butterflies were all the same today. Still good, still there. At least there are some good birds around outside. Heard a Cicada in the afternoon. Might be the FOY. Some rain cells went by to our south in the evening, we may have gotten a spit or two. At midnight I heard a few Nighthawk booms right over the house.


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June 2 ~ Low about 70F, just like June. The low stratus here for the first four hours or so. Kathy had a quick look at a male Golden-cheeked Warbler in the Pecan over the bath. I might have heard it chip across the road a minute or two later. Now is the time for the post-breeding wandering birds, and hopefully some juveniles. Town run day. A Red-eyed Vireo was singing at the 360 x-ing. The Acadian Flycatcher continues singing at the park. Might be a pair. A baby begging Cowbird was there but I did not see what was feeding it. Eastern Wood-Pewee is also still there and likely nesting. On Main St. had a Zone-tailed Hawk, and across from the store, a singing Yellow-throated Vireo. Someone said water went over the spillway at the park pond for two days. At least there was some flushing. Later afternoon here I saw my FOY Desert Checkered-Skipper on our driveway Frog-fruit patch. Must be June.

June 1 ~ Low about 67F, overcast with the low stratus the first few hours. Have not had the Couch's Kingbird in a month but the Lesser Goldfinch is still doing a good imitation. The Yellow-throated Vireo has been around more, maybe got a mate and is nesting in the corral? Hearing begging House Finch, Cardinal, Lesser Goldfinch, and Lark Sparrow fledglings. Two big dove flushings were a couple dozen White-winged, and obviously an unseen raptor. Obviously unseen he said. The rest was the usual cast of characters. A Red Admiral landed on my leg early to start the butterfly list for the new month. Still hearing the just-fledged Red-tailed Hawk beg, for a month now, and the parents have only been coming back every few days if that with food.

~ ~ ~ May summary ~ ~ ~

Wettest month in at least a year, maybe two or three. About 8" for us is fantastic and was way beyond much-needed. We made it up to D2 for drought stage, a big improvement. River is now at normal bankful and park pond is filled to spillway for first time in over a year. Temps were fine, about average, no early major heat waves, and no late freeze. March and April were below normal for flowers, which continued in May, but we should get a bit of bloom in June now.

Insects remain depressed from years of drought. Very few dragonflies are out yet. Butterflies are a bit better, but stlll way below normal numbers. It will take a few wet years to catch up and recover from a few years of extreme to exceptional drought. Firefly numbers are down too. Maybe saw 5-6 species of odes (dragonflies and damselflies), pretty pitiful. Butterflies are far below normal numbers so far, and we are still scraping for some diversity. They were about 30 species for the month, a very weak May.

Birds were fair but seemingly very depressed in numbers overall. Both breeding species, and transient passage migrants seemed down in numbers. Fewest Nashville or Yellow Warbler of any spring in the last twenty. Did not see Tennessee, Mourning, Black-throated Green, or any Parula Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, and other usually regular species. No shorebirds since no flood ponds, and didn't even hear any going over at night. Looks to be about 90 species for the month locally.

Save one bird, nothing rare or unusual that we saw though some others saw some goodies nearishby, as at Lost Maples and Concan. Where armies of birders in spring, they enjoy near daily coverage by lots of eyes scouring miles of trails repeatedly. See ebird for those reports. Our best bird was a brief glimpse of a Hooded Warbler, which are far less than annual. There were singles seen this spring at other local birded spots like Junction, Lost Maples, and either Concan or Park Chalk Bluff. We had three American Redstart here which is a high total for a spring in one spot here. A singing Rose-breasted Grosbeak is always good, not a sure thing every year here. Nothing at the park all spring is shocking to depressing. In the woods there is no understory due to drought, and what a difference it makes. One Catbird one day in the Mulberries on the island was it.

Recapping precipitation by month this year so far: Recall Dec. 22 was dry at .7 of an inch. For 2023: Jan. had .65; Feb. 2.25"; March 2.5"; April 4.5"; and now May with about 8". So a foot in April and May is awesome to astounding considering the drought regimen we have been in. We are at about 18" for the year Jan.-May now. Hopefully this signals a change in regimen, from the dry cycle to a wet one.

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~ ~ ~ May update header archive copy ~ ~ ~

May ~ The 1st saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and nearing last sun, my FOS Common Nighthawk. My FOS Bronzed Cowbird was on the 4th, a bit tardy, but no one complained. May 6 we saw our FOS American Redstart at our bath, a first-spring male. On the 7th heard a FOS Baltimore Oriole, and our FOS Lazuli Bunting (a female) visited the bath. On the 10th my FOS Warbling Vireo was singing in the yard. My FOS Catbird was at the park on the 12th. My FOS Broad-winged Hawk and the third Am. Redstart of the spring here were on the 13th. A singing Acadian Flycatcher at Utopia Pk. the 14th (continues on 26th) was my FOS since I have not been to Lost Maples. A Coral Snake here on the 17th was great. A calling Alder Flycatcher on May 23 seems to be my last new FOS this spring.

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~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~

May 31 ~ Low about 67F, overcast, the usual for the time of year. As we settle into several months of climate sameness. At least the real heat has not arrived yet. We dodged most of it this spring so far, a great side-effect of a rainy one. Dawn chorus is starting for some at 6 a.m. now, ya gotta get up early! Best alarm clock there ever was. Can't beat nature. Cardinal and Chat were mostest first, and Chuck-will's-widow though the Chuck is of course finishing its shift. White-eyed Vireo, Summer Tanager, Indigo Bunting and Ash-throated Flycatcher are all soon to follow. Then add Carolina and Bewick's Wren, and finally Painted Bunting which is always at the tail-end of it all getting going. Late in day got an ovipositing female Buckeye for the monthly butterfly species list. Just under the wire.

May 30 ~ An amazing rain-cooled 58F for a low temp is great. KERV was below 60 from midnight to 7 a.m., remarkable for the date. They had 56F! Could well be the last of that until September. Here we had instant fog when the first bit of sun warmth hit after dawn. With migration behind us the wee bits of avian excitement here will be mostly any breeding successes of our locals. In butterflies saw Texan Crescent and Giant Swallowtail, Gulf Fritillary and Sleepy Orange, and one Gray Hairstreak on Tropical Sage. The Am. Germander smells fantastic if you stand by the big patch of it, has a real sweet pea thing going on to my nose. Some of the fast small gray E. Treehole mosquitoes out now, the flip side of the double-edged rain sword. Kathy heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee over at the river at the end of the day.

May 29 ~ Low about 67F, mostly overcast. High in low 80's, pretty nice for the date. Had a couple Northern Rough-winged Swallow go over, and later a couple Barn, plus the daily Purple Martins. Saw my FOY juvenile Cardinal. Cuckoo is in yard alot, must be nesting very closeby. Still seeing an Elada Checkerspot out front, besides the usual Vesta Crescents. Still no skippers yet seems unusual. Probably right after I wrote that, a Texas Powdered-Skipper showed up out front. Hopefully the efforts to de-Aphid one of the Frostweeds worked yesterday. The tallest one, had hundreds on the top three leaves. One Ladybug was nearby appearing gorged. From just after 6 p.m. to after 7 p.m. there was a thundercell which dumped a half inch on us. This bumps us over the 8" mark for the month here! Near dusk a couple Black-bellied Whistling-Duck flew over, whistling.

May 28 ~ Light showers from about 2-4 a.m., some thunder, and by dawn 17mm of holy precip. About five-eighths of an inch. Low about 66F. A bit damp out there. Great to be beating the heat, while getting some water. We are now just under 8" for the month, and have chances this afternoon and evening for more. One of the Frostweeds has a bunch of aphids on it. Likely unrelated there was a Buprestid beetle on it too. Saw my first couple flowers of our Red Turkscap open, and the first Frog-fruit flowers. Must be near June. One of the times all the White-winged Dove flushed I caught a glimpse of a raptor crossing the patio into the corral. Expecting a Cooper's Hawk, it did not appear to be one, it struck me as a small Buteo. Uniform brown above, wings and tail wrong shapes for an accipiter. Not a Red-shouldered either. In the afternoon heat (about 80F) a few butterflies out. I saw a Giant Swallowtail, a Queen, a Questionmark, a FOY Phaon Crescent on the Frog-fruit, and a FOY Hackberry Emperor. All in a brief bit of sun.

May 27 ~ About 68F for a low, overcast early, then partly sunny. Got up to about 84F, a nice late spring day. The big Memorial Day opening weekend of summer. We will hide out here and hopefully miss all the hominids. Did have Yellow-throated Warbler sing a few weak bars late in afternoon here. Yellow-throated Vireo was around too. I hear Purple Martin every day overhead but the nearest nesting I know of is at the golf course across the river. Saw a Questionmark probably laying eggs, on Hackberry, and saw Elada Checkerspot again. The Am. Germander is in full bloom and with those native bees on it getting nectar. Dull green eyes, black and white abdomen, fast and hyper-active, nectar eating, not pollen gathering. Kathy got a Cerambycid out of the window this evening. I grabbed a docushot. Turns out to be another Elytrimitatrix undata, of which we photo'd one last year on May 21. So in the same week. As in 'like clockwork'.




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May 26 ~ Maybe about 67F for a low. Anything below 70 is great from mid-May to mid-September. Very humid and wet out there, but no more precip after yesterday afternoon's downpour. Did the town run thingie. Looks like water was over the 360 x-ing yesterday. One probably last check for spring migrants, but sooo late down here below 30N, not likely. I look anyway. The 354 Pecans had no migs, but still maybe four Dickcissel singing along the road just east of 187. Must be some females or they would have left. No Kingbirds along the fencelines for the 3 miles I checked, both ways. At the park in town, the park pond is full and it looks like water must have gone over the spillway in the downpour yesterday. It is right at the lip for the first time in about a year, maybe more. No migrants there either, but the Acadian Flycatcher is still singing on territory. Maybe it has a mate? That would be great. It is only an acre of decent forest. The island is one again, also for the first time in a year. The Eastern Wood-Pewee are likely nesting just north of the park woods in the tall Cypresses along river.

May 25 ~ Low maybe 66F briefly, partly cloudy and humid. Nothing new or different in birds or butterflies. But some weather in the afternoon whence some NW flow brought a serious thunder cell which was completely unpredicted. Finally a NOAA update said, as you hear thunder, 'the models totally missed this'. Our rain chances were none this morning. Only Del Rio was to get some this evening. Between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. we got a whopping 2"! Kathy saw ball moss flying sideways off the trees. That stuff is pretty well anchored. It doesn't just blow or brush off a tree. There was a, well, to use modern rocket science parlance, an unscheduled partial disassembly of one of the PVC greenhouses. They are unglued, so like legos, snap it right back together. Pretty sure we were hearing the river roar for a brief bit around 3 p.m., wow. Means it was so much so fast that lots ran off. The drought monitor update today has us at D2, and the rest of the county save a, our, triangle here at the NE corner is at D1 now. Much of Bandera Co. made it into D2 now too, the western two-thirds or so. At least the hydrology is showing signs of improvement. We are now at or over 7" (!) for the month here. The biology will still take years of good times to recover.

May 24 ~ Low about 64F, party cloudy early, but not for long. I think the Summer Tanager might be nesting in the big dying Pecan right out front. They are in it, in one particular area, an inordinate amount of time. Great to have it and Blue Grosbeak using the tree as a singing post. Weird how the Indigo Bunting eats here, but only sings out of the yard across road, except sometimes in flightsong as it leaves. There is an Eastern Phoebe around a bit. One of the Chats used the tub pond again for a bath. Some waxwing briefly out front. Lots of Tropical Sage coming up strong due to all the rain, which is great as blooms until November. Hummers and some butterflies love it.

May 23 ~ Clear and mid-60's in wee hours, upper 60's and overcast by dawn. The gulf flow got here. One Cardinal was singing just after 6 a.m., sunup is about 6:40 right now. A nice late spring day. Less than a month to solstice. Only adding a minute per day, and its dropping fast now. Mid-day there was a FOS calling Alder Flycatcher in the yard Pecans. Might be the last FOS I get this spring? Unless a Yellow-bellied shows yet. Good look at a Tawny Emperor butterfly. Got up to low 80's F, and humid.

May 22 ~ Low of 60F is great for the date. Partly cloudy, and wet out there. A day of drying will do it well. The birds made short work of that first morning seed toss. No migrant motion, methinks that party is all but over. Maybe we will get a late Empidonax yet. I would say it was probably the weakest spring migration I have seen here. Numbers of Yellow and Nashville Warbler, our two most common migrant warblers, were way below normal and usual. I did not see a Black-throated Green Warbler (though Kathy probably had a quick glimpse of one). Starting to seem I missed Mourning Warbler as well. Those two I may have missed once each in the prior 19 springs. Most years we see multiples of both. Did see a nice fresh Questionmark butterfly at the mulch pile out back. A couple Black-bellied Whistling-Duck flew over early evening. There have very few the last few years of drought except at the ranch where they feed corn to domestic geese, a few miles East of town. Lots of the usual stock tanks, and river, have been dry.

May 21 ~ Overnight some drizzle and light rain, maybe a tenth of an inch or so by dawn. Was near 70F much of night but nearing dawn dropped to 66F or so, and began lightly raining. Have biz work at the desk to do anyway. It kept coming until about 3 p.m., by which time we were at about 1.25"! Later I measured 34mm. After yesterday's 17mm, makes 2" for the weekend event! Pretty soppy out there. And green.

No migrant motion detected, and not much else either. Just the closestby gang of breeders was it. A fine bunch they are anyway, even if wet. Saw an Olive-Juniper Hairstreak on the Lantana. We are going to have good June flowers, and chiggers. And second broods from everything that does that, which is most of it. Maybe hit 70F about 4 p.m., wow. A couple Barn Swallow bolted over late. They flew like migrants on the move, not local birds. The sun broke out a bit at last hour plus of light which inspired a great round of singing from everything to finish the day. Barred and Great Horned Owl were calling after dark.

May 20 ~ The front and rain got here after midnight, woke us up with thunder after 2 a.m., and a half-inch of precip. Low was about 63F and felt great. A bit more rain over morning brought us to about 17mm for a total. A little over five-eighths of an inch. Outstanding. For drought, we are now in D2, with D3 just east of town. Heard the Orchard Oriole again this morn first thing. Some begging House Finch around, been so for a week, in case I forgot to note it. No migrant motion around yard. Kathy saw a snake in the flower bed, of which I only saw plant motion as it jumped. Did not sound like the usual Ribbonsnake, fairly uniform with no bold pattern or color. Was probably a new species for the yard had we been able to ID it. Might have only reached about 74F here today. Hearing the pair of Cuckoo (Yellow-billed here) moving around and calling back and forth, through yard a couple times or more daily. Great birds to see, and hear regularly.


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May 19 ~ Overcast, low about 69F, muggy. The warm day in front of the cold front tonight. This morn Kathy found the Sphinx moth I heard buzz my ear two evenings ago (Wed. night) here at the desk. I told Kathy when it happened so she would keep her eyes out for it. We saw no trace all day yesterday or eve when a light is on. Got docu shots of it and returned it to the big ol' world. Hope it does not mind a Pecan trunk, I did not have a Walnut tree handy. Not positive, but I think a Walnut Sphinx, of which I see one almost every year so are probably fairly common here. An Orchard Oriole singing out by road early sounded like a first-spring male to me.

Town run day. No migrants at the 354 Pecans. No E. Kingbirds on the fencelines, or any Scissor-tails for that matter. The park had no transients either. But the Acadian Flycatcher was still singing. A few times I heard it trill, which is usually only a sound I hear when there are two. Maybe it attracted another? Would be great if they nested there. Otherwise pretty slow, and water still near a foot below the spillway. A fair bit of Sneezeweed now in bloom. Saw my first bit of Dodder at the 360 x-ing. On Justicia as nearly always here, Am. Water-willow.

Our Blue Mistflower Eupatorium has again been ravaged by caterpillars. I still have not figured out which beastie is doing it, but they have destroyed it. The last two years we dodged the bullet on them, our luck runneth out. In a week, all but shot. It is about as big a bummer as can be, magic butterfly flowers that they are. Got up to about 88F this afternoon. The cold front sounds good tonight. Hope we get wet. The Blue Grosbeak put in a long singing session from the big Pecan early evening.

May 18 ~ A low of 60F was great. Clear, and not a sign of any bird migration. An excellent dawn chorus is the thing now. Sure would be nice to see that Coral Snake in the sun and open. Before it got too hot I changed the oil filter on the trucklet. This Mazda is one you have to get on the ground and reach up from below. Made me realize the last bunch of cars we have had were all from the top removals. Saw what was likely a Goatweed Leafwing blast past. In the mid-80's F at 3 p.m., feels like summer is coming. Some clouds arrived from the west later afternoon and kept it from getting hotter. Supposed to get a cold front and rain tomorrow night. Finally about 7 p.m. I had a transient migrant bird, a Lincoln's Sparrow, which is the first in a week, and a nice tardy date. A few Waxwing still around. The adult Red-tailed Hawk have just been coming to feed their fledge every few days or so, for a couple weeks now.

May 17 ~ Clear and sunny for a change. Low was a fantastic 58-59F. Nearing the last of that for several months. Got up into the mid 80's F in the afternoon. Good for drying out. Heard a C. Nighthawk before sunup. Did not see any passage transients, no migration motion. The party is about over. Neat are some Scissor-tailed Flycatcher stopping in the big (dying) Pecan in front yard, nearly daily it seems as they make rounds. It does not seem they are set on a site or they would be on eggs already. Noisy is great in this case. They were there an hour, saw the female sally out on a sortie to take a hapless passerby. Pick my tree, pick my tree! In early eve while sun still up I saw a Coral Snake was on the sidewalk on side of house. It saw me and bolted. They sure are ginchy about people. It was a couple feet long, like the one I last saw here about a year and a half ago. Like skunk or Ringtail, they live here, and you never see them.

At dusk the pair of Scissor-tails were around. The male dashing about I presume impressing the female. I have mentioned before how they can make a mechanical noise with their tail feathers. A whooshing fluctuating or reverberating sound somewhat akin to a nighthawk boom, though made with tail feathers not wings. And it sounds like woo woo woo woo woo. Usually I detect this when a male is doing full-360 circle loop displays. But, they can also do it in level flight, though it would take a high speed camera to figure out what exactly is going on. The male flew low over my head at highest speed and accelerating. It zigged and zagged hard left and right, 90 deg. square-cornered turns, as it went by gaining speed, already at blazing (Scissor-tail) speed, and the tail did its quavering whoosing sound as it cut back and forth left and right hard. It seems like distal part of abdomen is being quivered as it does this. The sound has an odd flutter or wow to it (in audio terms). It was slightly gaining altitude, but for the most part this was nearly level flight. So they do not need to dive for speed to make this mechanical sound with their tail feathers. They can do it under their own power In fairly level flight. This is the kind of thing you experience when you spend time around species, instead of just seeing them. Actual old-school bird watching.

May 16 ~ A low of 64F, and no more precip after the late afternoon showers yesterday. Nice and wet out there. Time to start facing facts, most of migration is past us by mid-May. We get some stragglers, mostly first-srping birds, and some flycatchers the last half of month, but the bulk of the push is past us, by early May really. First and second weeks if lucky we get a last couple splashes of some fallout when weather to ground them. But aside of those couple days it is already markedly slower for transients. After mid-month it gets real thin real quickly. I saw no transients today. Two beetles were FOY and the best beasts. A Dicerca Buprestid (cf. obscurus), and an Eyed Elaterid, both of which are regular. Also saw a Questionmark butterfly. In the afternoon we did get some more rain, light, but for a few hours and totalled about 14mm, just over a half-inch. We had .75 yesterday, and 2" a couple days before that, so are over 3.25 for the event the last few days. Outstanding! Did get up into the low 80's F before the rain got here.

May 15 ~ We might have hit 69F briefly. Great dawn chorus out there at 6:30 a.m., it is roaring. I don't know how anyone can sleep through it - LOL. Had a Dickcissel fly over calling early. I did some weed-whacking for an hour just before it got wet out there. Late morn to about 1 p.m. some rain cells found us and we got another half-inch to add to the total. Every bit helps. And we don't have to water. Seeing 68F at 1:30 p.m. is amazing. I see an Elada Checkerspot out there, probably the one I got a great underwing (ventral) pix of last week. A fair bit of Tropical Sage and Am. Germander are both opening flowers now right off the front porch. There were a couple more rain cells that gave glancing blows later afternoon, another quarter inch. So .75 for the day total. A big win. But no migrants.

May 14 ~ The rain moved east and we had a dry partly clear night, with an amazing low of 58F! A House Wren was singing in the stick piles out front in the morn and afternoon was the only migrant in yard. After breakfast late morn we checked the park. No transient migrants there but a couple trollers. My FOS Acadian Flycatcher was singing in the woods, where they have been territorial in some rare years for a couple or few weeks in past, but yet to see breeding there. A Great Crested Flycatcher was also up in the woods. Some baby Carolina Wren and Yellow-throated Warbler out of nest, heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee which may nest.

Another Great Crest was out front of the park on Cypress St., a Bell's Vireo at the deco garden at park entrance, and a Dickcissel across 1050 in the pasture with Mesquites. At the 354 Pecan patch also no transient migrants. Anything grounded must have bolted when it cleared last night. Still some singing Dickcissel. A few singing Bell's Vireo, one Red-eyed singing, a Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, heard Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Painted Bunting, Chat, all breeders. At the 360 x-ing there were no migrants in the Pecan patch there either. A few singing breeders were Eastern Wood-Pewee, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Vireo, Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and heard Chimney Swift overhead, plus heard baby Carolina Chickadee. There was some FOY Cedar Sage and Rock Flax in bloom there.

May 13 ~ It started raining around 10 p.m. yesterday evening (last night) and severe thunderstorms went over in a couple rounds. So very wet and mucky out there today. Low was about 61F and might have reached 72F when some diffused sun tried to poke through. We got a whopping TWO inches! Awesome! Despite it being World Migratory Bird Day, it was dead for transient passage migrants through yard all day. Though of course lots of our breeding species are migratory and only here a few months to nest.

After 6 p.m. late in day Kathy had a quick look at a female Am. Redstart leaving the bath. I was out looking for it in yard and a FOS Broad-winged Hawk flew over very low. I do not get them every spring, so a LTA, and good. Saw some FOY Scarlet Pea flowers along the driveway. Took advantage of the soft ground and pulled maybe 50 Malta Star Thistle in the driveway. Shoulda grabbed gloves on the way. I presume it serves some purpose, in Malta. Saw my FOY Pincushion Daisy out back. Kathy said she saw some Blue-eyed Grass flowers two days ago (the mini-micro Iris). After midnight when I laid down I discovered I had harvested the chigger from hell out there.


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May 12 ~ A low of 72F is not very low. Was clear at midnight, at dawn overcast and very muggy. A major rain event progged to be on tap for the weekend, starting tonight. One of those late spring somewhat stationary lows that pour for a few days. We could use a foot which would go a long way to catching us back up to nearish normal. Not to mention a couple shorebird flood ponds for anything late going over.

Town run. On 354 there are still three singing Dickcissel just east of 187. Only migrant at the Pecan patch was one female Yellow Warbler. At the park in the Mulberries on the island in the woods there was my FOS Catbird. Great to not miss that this spring. Did not see any Eastern Kingbirds on fencelines and so starting to worry about missing them this spring. Maybe one more week with chances. When I returned, right after I got out of car I thought sure I heard a couple squeaks of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and then nothing. Saw a fair bit of Coreopsis in bloom, were a few a week ago, and my first of the year flowers for Sneezeweed and Mexican Hat.

May 11 ~ Low of 70F with some mist on it. Not much for migrant motion. An Orchard Oriole early, a Willow Flycatcher on corral fence, and later a heard Yellow Warbler. Otherwise just the breeders, which since I have not given a rundown lately... Blue Grosbeak, Indigo and Painted Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, White-eyed Vireo, Cardinal, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Bewick's Wren, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, House Finch, Lesser (Black-backed) Goldfinch, Chipping, Lark, and Field Sparrows, (edit- add White-winged, Mourning, and E. Collared Dove), are most of the closest yard-adjacent stuff. Further away I hear Vermilion Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Warbler, Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Ladder-backed and Golden-fronted Woodpecker, and the begging baby Red-tailed Hawk. Most days seeing some Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Caracara. Two species nesting in yard last 8-9 years but we have recently lost them are Carolina Wren and Eastern Phoebe. And too many Black-chinned Hummingbird. One Carolina Wren just found us and seems to be hanging a bit so far. Edited to add: an additional five nocturnal species are present calling nightly: Eastern Screech-, Barred, and Great Horned Owl, plus Common Nighthawk and Chuck-will's-widow.

It seems the Ruby-throated have mostly all cleared out already. Some years some seem to stay and breed, not apparently this year, or last. Likely not enough gnats flying in drought times. I think there has been a wave of the first crop of juvenile hummers the last prior week and change. They were real thick for a bit over a week, and now thinner.

May 10 ~ Was clear and about 60F at midnight, overcast and misting at 65F at dawn. Another tenth of an inch of precip. From the desk early heard a couple measures of song and then chips from an American Redstart, but didn't see it when I went out, and no more audio clues to help me find it. After 10 a.m. there was a FOS Warbling Vireo singing around the yard. I do not get one every spring, so LTA - less than annual, and a good bird. They are surprisingly scarce here. Heard a Yellow Warbler later in day. Begging baby Red-tailed Hawk for several days now, about 5 maybe. Sounds like another year with just one young, third in a row. Not a replacement rate. Heard some juvenile Eastern Bluebird calls, sounds a couple of them got out of the nest. Kathy heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee calling over in the draw at dusk. Had a great Common Nighthawk boom very closeby at twilight.

May 9 ~ A bit after midnight some thunder cells found us and I see this morn we got about an inch in an hour. Was lots of lightning. We also had a 60F low from it! Which was almost as good as the water. Hope some birds got knocked down, but it was already cloudy all over all day so stuff was probably just moving on the ground anyway. Just hope something finds the house, since work to do at the desk. Always make sure the drip is going good. The drip is your best friend. It does not work as well when it is too drippy out. As today was here. From noonish to 3 p.m. we added another half inch, so 1.5" now. One Yellow Warbler was my migrant haul for the day. Good thing there are lots of cool breeders around. Just 75F at 4 p.m. is amazing.

May 8 ~ Some rain went by to the south late in the evening yesterday, which just spit on us, but we got a rain-cooled low of 65F out of it. Which was great after not feeling that for a few days. Dawn chorus is going great at 6:30 a.m. already. I saw 89F in the afternoon, a bit sticky. No migrant motion through yard. We had a few more spits of rain around dark, there was some to east and north of us. Had work to do at the desks anyway. The Chat used the tub pond, it came up wet. Cattails and the small lily doing well, grabbed some Money-Dollar-Penny wort and another un ID'd emergent the other day as have to replace every spring. Heard the Scissor-tails nearby again. Two cuckoos calling lots back and forth, surely the nearby nesting pair that is often in yard. Not seeing daily in yard, or hearing, the usual closeby Yellow-throated Warbler. Nearest probably 400-500 feet from here. I hear a distant Great Crested Flycatcher. Hope it gets a mate, did not seem to last year.

May 7 ~ Low of 73F is not whatsoever low. We were awakened by a couple less than mile away lightning bolts at 5:30 a.m., but only got spit on for precip. Early morn whilst sitting up in bed with first cup of coffee I heard a Baltimore Oriole outside, a FOS. Late morn an Opossum was out back seeming to be hunting sunflower seeds. It is missing much of its tail, having only a 3-4" stub. Nothing to hang with which would seem like a major handicap for a prehensile-tailed Opossum.

Noonish there was a flock of ten or 12 Cedar Waxwing, first I have seen in a couple weeks or more. Usually we get one last little push early to mid May when the Mulberries ripen. Maybe from birds that wintered southward? I always get the sense that the winterers depart, we have a couple or few weeks with few to none in April, then a wavelet shows up on the ripe berries. Or are they the same, go somewhere else for a few weeks, and return? Saw one female Yellow Warbler depart the bath. Mid-afternoon Kathy spotted our FOS Lazuli Bunting. A female in the birdbath brushpile, of which I got a shot I needed.

May 6 ~ Low maybe 70F if we were lucky. Overcast and muggy Back to that again! Late morn Kathy spotted our FOS American Redstart at the birdbath. It was a first-spring male. A Nashville came in between Redstart visits. Otherwise a slow day for migration motion, heard one Yellow Warbler go through in afternoon. The rest was the breeders. Got warm, about 88F or so in shade, a bit steamy in the thick overcast. We have tons of stuff to do here, so work it is. Hoping the bath draws in more good stuff. The male Indigo Bunting came in for a quick splash, which it only very rarely does, but I was unable to get a pic before a female Cardinal flushed it, dernit. Painted is a daily user, Indigo very rarely uses it, and Blue Grosbeak, just about never. Usually eating enough insects provides enough moisture for many species. More seed eating requires more water, so the difference is likely a clue to differences in diet.

A pair of Eastern Phoebe prospected under the eaves around the house and cottage a bit but moved on. We have not had them in the yard since we lost the resident pair that was here 8 years. Just a brief bird in passage or two. I looked and the old nest is gone without a trace. Without their maintanence it fell off. I never saw them do anything to it, but obviously they were keeping it glued to the stone wall. Kathy had four Carolina Chickadee at the birdbath at once, which means the pair got two young fledged from their first nesting of the season. A low brood count, likely due to a lack of bugs.


My hypothesis is that first spring males do not randomly molt adult feather tracts in, but first molt in the ones that might lead to getting to be able to breed this year. Which are those key feathers a female uses to ID a male and give the bird a two-second chance. First spring Blue Grosbeak get blue on head first. Some first spring male Painted Bunting have some salmon on underparts, others some blue in head. Something to show the females they are a male. Black-capped Vireo head molts in the black head at nape last, where least likely to be seen and matter. And so on, a bunch of examples exist.

~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

May 5 ~ Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Beer and tacos seems an appropriate way to celebrate. ;) No migrant motion through yard in the morn. Two Lincoln's Sparrow were here already, but getting latish, the two Clay-colored Sparrow might have been around, had one a couple days ago. Town run and nothing in the park woods either. At the UvCo 354 Pecans there was one female Yellow Warbler. Now 3 Dickcissel singing in the field on north side of that road. I doubt they will stick but so nice to hear now. A few Chimney Swift over town, hardly any Barn Swallow and very few Purple Martin it seems. Hopefully we will get a weather system or two before migration is over. Next couple weeks is last chance, much if not most is already past us. Weather will knock down all the tardy stuff at the uh, tail end of it. Got hot this afternoon, I saw 91F on cool front porch, was mid-90's F in the sun. Uvalde had 99F, Hondo 97, Junction 98F. A burner of a day, and with humidity. It's wonderful, come on down. Summer starts early here.

May 4 ~ Low of 67F is not very, overcast and humid, better get used to it, just five months of it ahead. Kathy heard a Common Nighthawk first thing early. She had a male Yellow Warbler mid-morn, then shortly before noon she saw a warbler with a yellow cheek coming in above bath, which disappeared without showing. Either Golden-cheeked, or maybe more likely now, a Black-throated Green. Which has been unseen for us so far this spring. Normally we get a few, or a handful. It looked like 3 male and 1 female Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in a noisy gaggle in the big Pecan briefly. Seemed 3 males competing for one female. Which is not a good sign methinks. Mid-day finally saw my FOS Bronzed Cowbird, which is late for a FOS on them. After noon a male and a female Painted Bunting bathed, a third bird came in, also a greenie, was a first-spring male, and the FOS of those for me. Still a pair of Eur. Collared-Dove around, could do without hearing them just fine. Got up to about 85F in the later afternoon, then a few sprinkles happened toward end of day. Heard a couple Nighthawk booms, the FOS of that. The new drought monitor report today still shows us on the D3-D4 line, extreme to exceptional. That big rain last week seems to not have even dented the big D4 area that is the SE quarter of the Edwards Plateau.

May 3 ~ Low about 64F, some clouds but not socked in, partly sunny early. Ran to town early, only a Nashville Warbler and a Common Yellowthroat at the park, heard a Yellow Warbler on 360 in the Pecans by the barn. Here after 9 a.m. a Nashville and an Orange-crowned Warbler hit the birdbath, and after 10 a Yellow-billed Cuckoo called. Quite oddly the male Blue Grosbeak came into the birdbath which it essentially never does despite nesting here for years. Also the Chat came in but it is a daily bather. A male Yellow Warbler made a quick stop too. Auto focus could not grab the grosbeak in 7 tries. It is amazing how often it works so incredibly poorly, the Canon Powershot autofocus. Full frame bird and it grabs the sunny grass highlight way in the back. Zooming in and out to help it see the subject and try at different focal lengths, to no avail. Fortunately it came back again in the afternoon and 1 of 7 more tries is usable. A pair of Scissor-tails spent a few minutes atop the big Pecan just before the day over. The pair that has been prospecting in the area, and which then are not settled in to a site yet. They flew off towards the river.

May 2 ~ Overcast, gulf flow is back, low about 64F. Probably two Yellow Warbler went through yard. Both zzzeeted properly. Not much for movement though. Was still overcast and only 71F at 3 p.m., the cool kept butterfly activity down too. It was a wash of day in the yard. Kathy saw the Carolina Wren late in day at the birdbath again, we did not see it all day around the house though. A greenie female Painted Bunting was around. Thought I had a female Indigo briefly as well. At dark the Screech-Owl, and Chuck-will's-widow were calling nearby.

May 1 ~ Dawn chorus is nearing a mild roar at 6:45, many are starting about 6:30 now. Had a warbler sing a few times that I only saw in flight, not sure what it was, but good. Often here when you get stuff moving on the ground in the day, it is on the move and gone as fast as you find it. Such as about 1 p.m. when I had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak male. It first called so I knew it was there and then it sang. Their songs vary, this one was three two-note phrases (structurally similar to Audubon's Oriole, descending pairs, each lower than the prior), which it did three times. I was lucky to be outside when it happened! It then flew right over my head from front yard toward the big live-oaks on slope out back. Saw the rose pink wing-linings. I do not see one every spring, so always a treat, and even better to hear it sing!

Saw the male Vermilion Flycather in yard. Nice to not see it getting chased out by the formerly resident Eastern Phoebe pair, which we lost over a year ago (winter before this past one). In the afternoon Kathy saw a Carolina Wren in a brush pile, first one here in near a month. Which took a long bath. She also saw a greenie female Painted Bunting. Then nearing last sun I finally saw my FOS Common Nighthawk. Surely Kathy heard one a few days ago.

~ ~ ~ April summary ~ ~ ~

We got some rain, which is the biggest news. We had over 4" at our place, about 4.5! Other local totals ran mostly 3-5" nearishby, more further away. Four inches is a good wet April. At D3 for (extreme) drought level at end of month, but half was spent at D4 Exceptional still. Park pond is still nearly a foot from going over the spillway, which shows how low the water table is. We should get some flowers and bugs out of the precip though, and it helps the trees get well-leafed out. We had a number of 90F or warmer high temp days, but no freezes and only a few lows in the 40's F.

I count 5 species of odes, dragonflies, this month, a big uptick for this year, but way down from recent modern April totals not even a couple decades ago (over 20 sps.). Nothing unusual, but nice to see a Springtime Darner and a Pale-faced Clubskimmer. Only damselfly were a couple un-ID'd tenerals one day.

Butterflies were 37 species, up a couple from April. Prolly the last Falcate Orangetip and Henry's Elfin of the year. The rest we will still see more of. Nothing unusual, spring is not the time for rare insects. It is time to see what is popping out after winter dormancy and another year of drought. A porch light one night saw a fair response of moths, enough to give hope after what it was like last fall. A few June Beetles showed, the first few Firefly late in month, and heard one Katydid one night.

Birds were good considering overall they seem way down in numbers. Lots of migrants showing up is always great. There seem fewer of the local residents, and there seemed fewer migrants in general. Nashville Warbler which is our unit of migration measurement here, the Nash, was way down, again. No big wave of Painted Bunting like last year, fewer Scissor-tails again, and so on. Far fewer birds along the roadsides, even common things like Lark Sparrow are less so. Mostly it was the expected migrants, but great to see since for most it has been six months or more since we last saw them. I saw about 94 species, without going anywhere but the park, besides here. If I would have visited Lost Maples, a hundred was doable.

Best birds for me were a frustrating encounter with a Hooded Warbler on the 30th, and a Couch's Kingbird (likely a returnee) in late April. Sylvia Hilbig had a few good birds in BanCo just NW of town a bit. A male Yellow-headed Blackbird (16th), a male Lazuli Bunting (17-18th), and best, on the 24th a male Varied Bunting. No ponds so no shorebirds, and I did not even hear any at night. Maybe lots can tell how bad it is from the drought, from the air, and is just bypassing or overflying the area.

A few good birds were reported in ebird at Lost Maples. Best was a photographed Gray Hawk, which recall one was there a few Aprils back. Likely the same bird. Some good warblers were found by the near daily coverage of an army of eyes. Best was a Cerulean, but also great were Prothonotary, Canada, a Hooded, and early in month a Black-throated Gray Warbler. A Varied Bunting was there late in month. A Blue-winged Warbler was entered into ebird from near Vanderpool. What a bunch of eyes can do!

~ ~ ~ end April summary ~ ~ ~

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~ ~ ~ archive copy April update header ~ ~ ~

April ~ Another month of FOS excitement started on the 1st with a Summer Tanager calling at last light and singing morn of 2nd. Calling at dawn on the 4th was my FOS Chuck-will's-widow, probably my earliest date here, a week ahead of average. After a long dry spell for the dates, a few FOS on the 14th were a female Hooded Oriole here, in town some Chimney Swift, and at the park, my FOS Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (a pair). The 16th was my FOS Blue Grosbeak and Yellow Warbler. The Hilbigs NW of town in Bandera Co. had a Lazuli Bunting (17-18th) and a Yellow-headed Blackbird (16th) this week. Good birds here anytime you see them. On the 20th we had our FOS Indigo and Painted Bunting, and Wilson's Warbler, and an inch of rain. The 21st the park had FOS Red-eyed Vireo and Eastern Wood-Pewee. At dark the 21st saw my FOS Firefly. The 22nd I had FOS Least, and Great Crested flycatchers. About 3" of rain in an hour pre-dawn on 23rd was noteworthy. In BanCo NW of town Sylvia Hilbig described a Varied Bunting on the 24th, and a FOS Orchard Oriole on the 25th. On the 26th my FOS House Wren was singing here, and a FOS Yellow-billed Cuckoo called. There were a couple Hooded Warbler nearishby this week, singles at Concan and Lost Maples, always a great bird locally. Late in day the 27th my FOS Willow Flycatcher was out front singing a bit. A Couch's Kingbird around our place 27-28th so far could well be last years's territorial bird back. On the 28th a FOS Swainson's Thrush was at the park. The 30th we had a FOS Dickcissel at the usual 354 pasture just east of 187. Also there in the Pecan patch was a Hooded Warbler. Late in day there a second check found a FOS Bullock's Oriole.

~ ~ ~ end archive copy April update header ~ ~ ~

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~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~

April 30 ~ And so goes another month! A third of the year now gone. We finished with an outstanding low of 45F, KERV had a 43F! Felt great! A large raptor flew out of yard early I missed an ID though. Saw a greenie, female Painted Bunting, FOS, though I thought I saw one two days ago. Heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the corral. Since we had a couple hours checked a couple local spots for migrants.

On UvCo 354 a FOS Dickcissel which sang the most pathetic atypical song I ever heard from one. He will never get a mate singing like that. Also there were a Nashville Warbler or two, a Yellow Warbler, a Common Yellowthroat, and a frustrating Hooded Warbler, which is a rary locally. Kathy glimpsed most of it, I heard it repeatedly call for a couple minutes and saw it for a second in flight. Also there was one Couch's Kingbird there. Breeders were Bell's Vireo, Orchard Oriole, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, and Summer Tanager, but no Red-eyed or Yellow-throated Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, or Eastern Wood-Pewee, all of which are usualy there nesting. Then we went to park for a check of the woods. A couple Nashville and a Yellow Warbler, and two Common Yellowthroat was it for migrants. Nothing in the Mulberries. Slow and quiet. Odes were a dozen or so Dot-winged Baskettail along river edge, a red one got away that was likely a Red Saddlebags, single Green and Springtime Darner above island.

On the Blue Mistflower mid-day here there were a couple Queen, one Monarch, and a Mournful Duskywing. Later afternnon saw my FOY snake, a W. Ribbonsnake in yard. After dinner we ran back over to the 354 Pecan patch hoping to get a decent look at the Hooded Warbler last hour of sun, to no avail. Did have a FOS Bullock's Oriole. Oh well, we tried. Heard a toad call a couple times, sounded like a Gulf Coast to me.

April 29 ~ Wind blew from NW all night, low was maybe 49F, KERV had 47F. Wow! Calmed a little towards morning, but picked right back up to 15-20 mph gusting to 30, so unbirdable to me. Sure if I was on vacay I would, but not just for the fun of it. Heard my FOS Blue-headed Vireo singing in the live-oaks uphill behind us. Also probably a Wilson's Warbler sang too. It is a little wind-sheltered when northerly. Got more pics of the orange beetle still on the Blue Mistflower, in sun, so much better than yesterday's results under overcast. Had to hold the stem still with one hand the wind was blowin' so hard. I think it is a Meloid, a Blister Beetle, of which, you can look but you better not touch.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

April 28 ~ Was about 60F most of the night, so nice and coolish, until about 7 a.m. when the southerly gulf flow arrived and it shot to 70F. Some sun in morn but mostly cloudy by afternoon, might be rain overnight with a front passing. Maybe migrants tomorrow? Got up to at least 88F in the afternoon here, and very humid. Some local WU stations were showing 90F and higher. Summer is a comin'. The front got here about 6 p.m. with a severe line of thunderstorms, but there was one little dry slot, you guessed it, at Utopia. We missed the precip so far. Bandera and to NE got pounded, and needs any water they can get worse than us.

Here in the morn around 10 a.m. there was a Couch's Kingbird in the big (dying) Pecan. No doubt what I heard yesterday eve calling from the river. And likely a returnee of one of the birds that were territorial last year in the area here. Town errand and taco run day. One spot with nice Pecans between here and crossing has Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Chat, Summer Tanager, all singing at usual territory areas. At the 360 x-ing there was a Common Yellowthroat in the cattails left that the big rain runoff didn't crush (half of them). At the park the water is still just under a foot from going over the spillway.

At the 354 Pecan patch I had my FOS Orchard Oriole (Syliva Hilbig had one a few days ago), and three Yellow Warbler. The mesquite is now too tall and thick in the pasture on north side of 354 and I heard no Dickcissel. Painted Bunting and Bell's Vireo both there though. At the park in town was a FOS Swainson's Thrush singing in the Mulberry trees on the island in the woods at north end. N.Rough-winged Swallow over pond, Purple Martins high overhead, one Great Blue Heron. A few of the breeders like Yellow-throated Vireo and Warbler, singing Red-eyed Vireo territorial there again, Summer Tanager, White-eyed Vireo, the usual suspects.

A couple Blue Mistflower Eupatorium opened today, followed quickly by the two fresh Queen butterfly. Also a rusty colored beetle showed up I don't know (which doesn't mean much) but maybe got a docushot of it, hopefully can get it in proper family anyway. Have seen it before. Post frontal passage we have a high wind advisory with gusts 35-45 mph possible. Northerlies, won't be much moving into that.

April 27 ~ Front arrived about midnight. All the precip was way north and east of us. Low about 60F and N to NE winds. I heard passerine migrants last night at midnight, and this morning at 6 a.m., so there was movement. Stuck at the desk here though. No migrant detections in the morning as last couple days when inclement, save one Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Weird not getting much through the yard after hearing migrants in the dark. Painted Bunting singing in the yard again is nice to hear. Saw 80F on the cool shady front porch, was a few dF warmer in sun. Very dry so quite nice. Finally about 7 p.m. a FOS migrant, a singing Willow Flycatcher. Thought I heard a distant Couch's Kingbird over at the river and working up it last hour of sun. In butterflies saw a female Falcate Orangetip, a Questionmark, and a Texan Crescent amongst more regular expected things. Heard one short burst of Katydid wing rubbing, the FOY.

April 26 ~ Another night flatlining, at 66F or so this time, some mist, mostly just heavy overcast, chance of a shower. Greenest it has been in over six months out there. Big rains get seemingly instant results this time of year. Saw 80F about at 3 p.m. I see the first few not yet open Blue Mistflower Eupatorium flower heads getting ready to go off. Couple Nashville Warbler early in morn, couple more in afternoon. A FOS House Wren was singing from one of the big stick piles. Build the habitat and they will come. No stick piles = no House Wren. My FOS Tawny Emperor (butterfly) flew past late morning. After noon heard my FOS Yellow-billed Cuckoo. At last light Kathy thought she heard a Common Nighthawk. Couple Firefly.

Apr. 25 ~ About 60F all night, overcast, misting off and on, so, wet out there. Over the day at least 5 Nashville and 1 Yellow Warbler went through yard. The neatest thing was a pair of Scissor-tails nest stie prospecting, which they have done here before they never pick us. The female goes tree to tree looking and checking for just the right one. The male at each tree she stops at sings his head off like yeah this is it, this the one, it is perfect, and so on, hoping she finally picks one of the hundreds of trees they have visited. I have seen Vermilion Flycatcher do the same thing. To the males this is the carpet and drapes portion of the selection. Sylvia Hilbig had a FOS Orchard Oriole today NW of town. Been wondering where they are so far. Firefly after dark.

Apr. 24 ~ Flatlined about 52F all night, some mist in the morn. Maybe 58F at noon. Light variable breeze. Heard at least three Nashville Warbler sing uphill in the live-oaks behind us over the day. Prolly good out there today. Also heard some Brewer's Blackbird fly over high up. That will be the last of them until next fall. I am stuck at the desk. Both Yellow-throated Vireo and Blue Grosbeak including the yard in their morning territorial singing rounds, which is nice, what great voices. Hearing little bits of Indigo and Painted Bunting song. Whereas Chat is in full roar. Tons of hummers since cool, wet, and breezy. Warmer days when some small flying insects out, there is not this kind of swarming. Can't wait for some flowers to get going. Sugar is almost a buck a pound at the store here. On a side note, I got an email from Sylvia Hilbig today and she had a quick look at what surely was a Varied Bunting. But it never came back, as they are wont to be.

Apr. 23 ~ Well a real front passed, the severe thunderstorm line with it, arrived about 4:30 and it rained for an hour. Hard. Like, you ain't sleepin' through this hard, with lots of thunder. Got up to find the terrain rearranged outside from just over 3" of precip! In an hour! And a 52F or so low! The rain looks over but northerlies are shaking the trees pretty good, the post-frontal blow. The major precip is just what the leafing trees and sprouting wildflowers needed. A major shot for the spring greening. I can guarantee this is one happy valley today. Was too breezy all day, cold, wet, and muddy out there so did not go out. Probably some things got knocked down if you braved it would be my guess. I saw a couple seets go through that seemed Nashville Warbler. Hummers are bonkers at the 3 feeders. Never got out of the 50's and with wind no flying food for them, hardly any flowers they use are open yet. I am sure the one of each blooming Tropical and Mealy Sage got pollenated today. A good measurement on the rain was 81mm, or just over three and one-eighth inches. Amazing. Way too many Brown-headed Cowbird were around, about 35 or so.

Apr. 22 ~ Hope you had a great Earth Day! The post- weak coldish front low of 54F or so was great. Got up to 76F in the afternoon, but it stayed mostly cloudy, very humid. A real cold front is inbound tonight, allegedly with rain. There was a FOS Least Flycatcher across from the gate late morning, and a FOS Great Crested Flycatcher in the corral in the afternoon. Many flycatchers are often the last to arrive as it takes a lot of flies and other flying insects to sustain them. No other migrants around yard all day. Did a dump and recycle run noonish. Went out the west end of 360 and saw no birds, only heard a couple Bewick's Wren. Near dump on 357 heard Bell's Vireo and Painted Bunting singing. A couple more Bell's in town where lots of Hackberry trees, and a couple more out Jones Cmty. Rd. Five or six heard along roads. No water below spillway at park means no Cliff Swallow at the 1050 bridge. No Caves at the bank since they chased them all off two years ago. Out Jones Cmty. Rd. along the river no Parula singing, only a couple Yellow-throated Warbler, and one Eastern Wood-Pewee called. No Lark Sparrow or Scissor-tails all the way to W. Sabinal Rd. Nothing along the roads. At the park woods, nothing for migrants. Had a much closer Chuck-will's-widow calling tonight, just a couple hundred yards away.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Apr. 21 ~ A rain-cooled low about 62F was great. An inch plus (1.1 here) of precip yesterday and last night was just what the flowers, trees, bugs and birds needed. Not to mention the people. Yard is greener than it was yesterday. In town the local reports were of 2 inches up-valley, where also some hail, some of that stripped leaves in a couple spots, hail was golf balls north of Leakey, and 2-3" of rain in Bandera and Uvalde areas. Lots of the area got lots of much needed water. At the park in the woods were my FOS Eastern Wood-Pewee and Red-eyed Vireo. A singing Orange-crowned Warbler is scarcely heard here. Still bubbling Ruby-crowned Kinglets going through. One Belted Kingfisher still here. No Scissor-tails on the fencelines. More Chimney Swift in town this week, but not much for Barn or other swallows it seems. Some white Prickly Poppy is now opening flowers, as are the first Cowpen Daisy. See a couple first red berries on an Agarita out back. Sure be nice to get a crop this year since none the last two years and missing that jelly. At first dark saw my FOS Firefly of the year. Near 10 heard a Barn Owl fly over very low. At 11 p.m. there was Great Horned, Barred, and E. Screech-, for calling owls. So four species of owls in an hour here this eve. Listened for the Long-eared to no avail, presume it gone for the season.

Apr. 20 ~ Overcast with chances of rain later today, flatlined about 69-70F all night. Great dawn chorus at 6:45 a.m. out there. We had our FOS Painted Bunting here today, which is right on schedule. Common Ground-Dove singing out there. Pecans are dropping flowers. Hope they got pollenated, though not seeing any bees here yet. About 11:30 finally a small group of warblers found the birdbath. Kathy had four Nashville at once, and I saw two Orange-crowned and a FOS Wilson's Warbler. There were at least six Nash I think. It was fantastic, for five minutes. Nice to see some migrant warblers, even if they are common ones. They have not been very common here lately. There were lots of Lyside Sulphur going by bearing NNE today, I saw at least a couple hundred.

Was about 85F at 4 p.m. when a rain cell found us and dropped it back to a far more reasonable 74F in a few minutes, and then to upper 60's F. Not much precip so far yet, about 8mm or a third of an inch from the lucky-to-find-us cell. After 6 p.m. a FOS Indigo Bunting was singing over in the draw where they have nested the last couple years, I presume a returnee. We had a quick downpour from a second thunder cell that miraculously found us just before midnight. It was 2cm here, four-fifths of an inch. Giving us a 28mm total for the day, so near 1.1", which is beyond fantastic.

Apr. 19 ~ Flatlined about 67F all night. Heavy overcast, almost misty a few times. At dawn I heard a Chuck-will's-widow again, finally, very distantly again. Where is our local breeder? Kathy had a Nashville Warbler at the bath, I heard one singing a bit later out front. Sure quiet without our pair of Carolina Wrens around. Bummer. They must have been predated in their nest one night to just disappear. A pair of Ash-throated Flycatcher seem to be taking up residence again as usual, at one of the boxes out on fenceline I presume, are a few. Heard a Yellow Warbler singing nearishby. Bird numbers seem down so far this spring. A Red Satyr in the afternoon was great, though worn, and clearly been out for a bit. Heard a Clay-colored Sparrow in the afternoon, and at twilight, a Chuck-will's-widow. Lots of male Ruby-throated Hummingbird here now, I suspect at least a dozen. Also saw a couple females, which are the first of them but I have not been paying much attention to the females.

Apr. 18 ~ Low about 64F and thick clouds, some precip maybe to south with low chances here today. Hear the Blue Grosbeak out there chipping first thing. There were a few hundredths of drizzle precip over the morn, so soppy. Kathy had a Nashville Warbler out the kitchen window in the afternoon, but otherwise not much for movement. Some Lincoln's Sparrow here, which these now are surely migrants and not the birds that wintered here. The wintering Chipping Sparrow are gone, the remaining birds are the breeders now. Great to get an email from Sylvia Hilbig, they had a male Lazuli Bunting there on Apr. 17-18. Sure some go through annually, but you can miss it any spring here, and those males are off the charts beautiful. They also had a male Yellow-headed Blackbird the 16th, which is another one that is annual but not a sure thing every spring at any given place. Great birds, especially around the house! Thanks for the news Sylvia!

Apr. 17 ~ Low of 43F or less, KERV had a 42F, and I looked prolly before the final dip. At midnight NOAA still had KERV for a 49F low. The day after frontal passage, lows always way lower than predicted here. Was clear overnight but clouding up in morn. Yesterday and today have record highs at SAT of 100dF, the 2nd and 3rd dates of the year with such, the first a couple weeks ago. I saw 77F on the cool shady front porch about 3 p.m., sunny and breezy. No migrants through yard in a.m. again. Maybe tomorrow there will be a push? Stuff has been held back a few days as the front passed with northerlies behind it. Did see another worn Monarch bearing NNE. Kathy saw our FOS female Summer Tanager. I thought I saw a female at the park last Friday but a male chased it off before I could confirm. Otherwise a bit quiet in yard.

Apr. 16 ~ The winds behind the frontal passage got here overnight, so breezy and clear in a.m., low about 55F is nice. But a bit breezy for spotting birds in trees. Likely shut most migrant motion down when it hit. Heard a Scissor-tail early out near wellhouse. Heard a FOS Blue Grosbeak chipping about 9 in the morning. Near noon I heard a FOS Yellow Warbler singing after yesterday's probable heard singing bird. Otherwise nothing new though. Great to hear all the singing of the breeders though. One Monarch went by bearing NNE. The rest of the butterflies were the expected.

Still lots of vultures coming in to a pig carcass on the other side of corral somewhere. So a Caracara or two the last few days as well. At one point 75 or more mostly Black Vulture flushed at once and were very low right over the yard. Not all going in the same direction in the circle, it appears total chaos, with no impacts. It looked like a skating rink where half of the people were each going in the other direction. I did not see so much as an evasive maneuver. You could not do this with people. It was amazing being right under all those wings cutting air sounding like little fighter jets.

Apr. 15 ~ A rain-cooled low of about 56F felt good. Late last night after 11 p.m. until about 12:30 a.m. there were some light showers as a group of cells went over. Up valley and north of town got more than is south of town. This morn we show just over 8mm, a third of an inch, or just over five-sixteenths, however you like to perceive it. No migrant motion today, was hoping something was overhead when it hit. Today was the big warmup day in front of another cold front.

A Hutton's Vireo was across road in Mesquites, again. Thought I heard a Yellow Warbler sing over in the corral, probably the FOS, but letting it go. Afternoon winds turned out of west, and it got hot and dry, 92F locally, was 88F on the cool shady front porch. Winds will turn to NW, then N, so do not expect much for migration motion tomorrow either. See some Zexmenia flowers open out back. At last sun I was out on driveway and a Zone-tailed Hawk flew over just above treetop level, right overhead, low and slow. Only takes one near bird to make the day. Light was so good on the yellow bill, legs and feet, and it was so low I could see it look at me, and be totally non-plussed.



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Apr. 14 ~ Low about 63F and misting, was clear at midnight. Probably got a few hundredths of an inch of wet stuff over the morn. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was bubbling in song in the big pecan. A FOS female Hooded Oriole, finally, came into hummer feeders, Kathy later saw it at the birdbath. I suspect it has been here before. Often returning birds hit the bath soon after showing up. Town run, and did have a Scissor-tail along 360. Finally. Over town I heard a couple FOS Chimney Swift. The park was fairly quiet, but for a few breeders singing: Black-crested Titmouse, Summer Tanager, White-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireo, and Yellow-throated Warbler, the regulars. Saw my personal FOS Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (2), though Little Creek Larry has had over at his creek since Mar. 23, where the game ranch just south feeds corn, and they know. Heard one warbler seet, likely a Nashville, and had one Orange-crowned Warbler. The beehive in the biggest ancient Cypress in the woods at north end of park is finally active again, after a couple years being dormant.

Apr. 13 ~ A low of 50F was nice, and a second day with sun at sunrise is great. The dawn chorus is really getting good and noisy the way I like it. Thought I had a Great Crested Flycatcher stop on a clothesline early, but it was bare-eyed in bad light, not good enough for a FOS. Ash-throats have been back around yard a month now, it did not look like one. An Olive-Juniper Hairstreak I saw was already completely worn of green overscaling below and strictly brown ventrally (contra last week's photo break pic). Must have been one of the first ones out a couple months ago. Which is why you have to learn multiple ID characters and not rely on one feature. That goes for everything. Numbers of Six-lined Racerunner racing about now is good to see. Not very many Anole though. Not hearing our Carolina Wrens. Where did they go? Or were they predated? An eerie silence to say the least, for about a week now. Late in day a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was in the Pecan out kitchen window, kipping away.

Apr. 12 ~ A brisk 46F low felt great, and sun at dawn has been rare lately. This is fine. Still not seeing migrant motion in the mornings. Weird. Great was mid-morn after I sprayed some water, a FOY summer form Questionmark butterfly, with orange hindwing came in to it. A Giant Swallowtail went by mid-day, and in later afternoon a Two-tailed Swallowtail came into my pipe tobacco and nearly assaulted me. Otherwise the same things we have been seeing, but surely over a dozen species of butterflies daily now which is nice. Heard a Clay-colored and saw a couple Lincoln's Sparrow, besides some Lark, Field and Chipping. Got up to about 78F, and was dry, so quite nice and springy.

April 11 ~ Nothing but a couple Chats going at it after midnight, no owls, after three species last night. What changed? Still waiting for second of year Chuck-w-w to call. Flatlined at 56F or so overnight. Overcast all morn, sun finally showed in the afternoon. Not seeing any signs of migrant movement. Oddly slow so far this spring for the transient types. Saw the Mournful Duskywing back on the Mealy Sage today. I think on one or two shots yesterday auto-focus finally found itself. The butterfly on a 2' lone flower stalk with ground behind it is nearly impossible for Canon Powershot autofocus to do. They could not have made the manual focus more clunky to operate either. Must have taken a lot of engineers with degrees to figure out how to make something so simple so complex that works so poorly.

April 10 ~ Shortly after midnight I was outside for last listen. The Great Horned Owl was going over across corral, the Barred Owl was still calling at the river, then the Long-eared Owl joined in! Three big owls all calling at once. I tried for 15 min. to hear a Screech-, or maybe a flyover Barn, to no avail. Somewhat odd is that since I heard that early Chuck-will's-widow at dawn on the 4th, I have yet to hear another. This morn was about 55F and overcast. Saw 72F in the afternoon. Did not see or hear anything in the way of migrant motion today. The first Tropical Sage flowers opened today. A few spits of precip mid-afternoon, and a few peeks of sun over the day. In one quick shot of sun a Mournful Duskywing showed up on the Mealy Sage. Then a Common Streaky-Skipper showed up on the stone steps next to it.

Apr. 9 ~ Low about 54F or so, overcast but no more precip. Was clear last night late. Stayed cloudy all day, I saw only about 68dF on the front porch, the sun only popped out for a half-hour at best. Looked like a couple Nashville Warbler went through yard over day, giving flight notes on the move. Heard a Ruby-crowned Kinglet bubbling in the big Pecan. Kathy spotted an orange beetle on the Mealy Sage flowers, hopefully I got an ID docushot. After 11 p.m. I heard a Barred Owl from Cypresses along the river, the first I have heard since last spring. For years they were a regular feature of the nocturnal soundtrack here, and then silence, for the last 8-9 months. So, this is great!

Apr. 8 ~ Flatlined in mid-50's F all night, just a little more mist in morn. Only 65F at noon and hit 70 about 3:30 when the sun sorta broke through the overcast. In the morn a Bell's Vireo was singing across road from gate in the newly leafed out Mesquites. A Nashville Warbler went through, as did a Gnatcatcher. Heard Clay-colored Sparrow and N. Rough-winged Swallow. A few Lincoln's Sparrow zzzzee-ing around yard. A number of male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, besides the ton of Black-chinned. The hummers have been going through the sugar these last few chilly days. Lots of vultures (both types) and a Caracara going down between us and the river. I presume where a pig fell from when I heard a big gun late on Thursday night. Saw another Six-lined Racerunner (lizard). After dark E. Screech-, and Great Horned Owl calling.


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Apr. 7 ~ Low about 48F or so, and a second day just making the mid-50's for a high. Which is 20F below average highs for the date and in fact, near our average lows in early April. Some drizzle-mist early, hoping some actual rain finds us. Great was a singing Golden-cheeked Warbler out back late morn in the mist. It was right over the fence line when I was tossing seed along it, and just kept singing. I could have hit it with seed. What a neat beastie. Town run fer stuff. River up a bit at the 360 x-ing a couple miles below town, but still a foot from going over the spillway at the park pond. One Belted Kingfisher still there, a Summer Tanager singing and another one out front on Cypress St. singing. But too misty and nothing much moving. There was a nice patch of blooming Texas Onion in the woods. Hattie Barham said she had a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on 360 yesterday. We did get a wee bit of precip from the near constant drizzle over the day. As of 5 p.m., about 11mm, or, around seven-sixteenths of an inch. So now just over 5" in the last nine weeks.

Apr. 6 ~ Still overcast and still no rain, but it cooled down. Went from 60F at midnight to about 50F by 8 a.m., finally. Now if we could get some precip it would be nice. Not warming up today so will be a hummer feeder day. Might have gotten up to 56F, and the breezy lasted all day, so never felt it. Not seeing much for bird action outside. Chilly and windy so everything is hunkered down. It seems many of the Chipping Sparrow have departed now. For a few days I have been noticing there are far fewer here than have been the last few months. Maybe a couple dozen now, at tops. A few are resident but most of our winterers are migratory birds from elsewhere. It appears they have mostly departed now. Did have some Black Vultures overhead on one trip out to toss seed.

Apr. 5 ~ Cold front arriving before dawn. It was 70F all night until about 7 a.m. whence temp dropped to 62F or so in short order. We got a spit, that was it for precip, which was east of us. Wind blew 15-20 mph gusting higher all day until late afternoon. Kathy had a Scissor-tail go over early. Noonish she saw the FOY Six-lined Racerunner, which I saw a few hours later. They are a beautiful lizard. The color of those green lines I just will never get over, it is a wowser every time. I presume the northerlies shut down any migrant motion, and apparently nothing over our place when it hit. No sign of any in the yard. You can sometimes get things moving north on the ground through the trees over the day when like this though. Kathy saw the first male Summer Tanager at the birdbath briefly late in the afternoon, and I had a Gnatcatcher out front. Interesting watching the hummer feeders as it gets dark. After last male left, the feeder I watched filled up with 8 females. No more males came in. So, they are hanging out watching and waiting for that last feeding but wanting the males to depart so they can really tank up undisturbed. Eight females can sit on the ring with hardly a notice of each other whereas two males have issues.

Apr. 4 ~ Started at 75F still at midnight. Might have gotten down to 71F. Overcast and humid. Another hot one on tap before a cool-down arrives. At 6:45 a.m., before the Cardinals started singing, I heard my FOS Chuck-will's-widow calling distantly. On the early side nearly a week. The last two years FOS Chucks were April 11 and 13 but have had them earlier than those. This might be my earliest though. Have to check records. A couple Gnatcatcher went through over the day, one each Nashville and Orange-crowned Warbler. Heard a couple Barn Swallow go over. Kathy had the Yellow-throated Warbler at the bath. The two transplanted Frostweed look fine, the two Lantana still in major shock. Got up to 88F or so, stayed cloudy and so cooler than progged a few dF. Front is inbound tomorrow morning early. Fair numbers of butterflies, the regular expecteds so far. A couple Checkered White. One probable Orangetip, I wish they would stop some time. A Monarch or two bearing NNE.

Apr. 3 ~ Overcast and about 65F for a low. Summer Tanager singing in the big Pecan is a great way to start the day. Heard a Gnatcatcher early. A couple Scissor-tailed Flycatcher flew over early. The two Frostweeds look like they made the transplant fine. Was a couple no doubt self-seeded from the main clump, but was out in grass where going to get mowed. Moved them to nearish the mother plant to create a mini-patchlet. Worked more on gardens a bit, but wow it got hot. I saw 90F at 3 p.m., KERV had a 92F, the record at SAT for the date is 93F. There were lots of upper 90's around south and central Texas. Prolly hottest day of the year so far. At least sorta dryish. Saw a couple Orangetip blast past, as well as a couple Checkered White, and several Lyside Sulphur. One Giant Swallowtail, numbers of Sleepy Orange and Vesta Crescent, a fresh American Lady, and late in day a nice Reakirt's Blue.

Apr. 2 ~ A little mist early, thick overcast, flatlined about 66F all night. Summer Tanager singing over by river early. No doubt the one I heard calling at last light last night, and likely our local territorial breeder. About three Gnatcatcher through yard over the day. Otherwise no migrant motion apparent. One Robin here. Two or three Lincoln's Sparrow. We did a bunch of yard and garden stuff since behind on it. Moved a couple Lantana and Frostweeds to where wanted, hope they make the transplant. The Chat was singing at midnight last night. The first nocturnal singing I have heard, so it was here a week, and is now going at night.

April 1 ~ No foolin'! A quarter of the year has passed already! OMG! I am wayyyy behind. KERV had a 42F low, we were more like 44F. Cloudy and overcast all day, got up to 82F or so. No signs of bird movement apparent in the morning. I have biz work on Saturdays so mostly inside, but did do some yard and garden work between desk jobs. The Eastern Bluebird pair looks like it is setting up shop in a natural cavity (Ladder-back made it) in the big Pecan very close to house. They are taking material into the hole. The last couple years she has prospected around quite a lot, but settled on the box again every year. I think the box is hot out in the open. I moved one box that they used to use but quit so there would be another choice.

Two or three Lincoln's Sparrow around yard. A huge flock of 9 Robin was here at last of dusk. Even better was my FOS calling Summer Tanager! Saw some FOY White Rock Lettuce flowers along fenceline out front, also FOY of a Vetch, I think Deer Pea Vetch, and some Prairie Fleabane is now open. The Two-leaved Senna that had some flowers opening was eaten, deer no doubt. Which are no longer that dear to me. They are like coons, dillos, squirrels, once ya lived with them, your view changes. The one good Mealy Sage we have is opening flowers and looking great though. The deer do not touch it or the Tropical Sage, Wood Sage (Am. Germander), Texas Onion, Crow-poison, and others. I guess I need to make a list.

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I don't think we froze, or if so, only briefly and barely. There was a little bit of rain as we enter wildflower and leaf growing season. The river is still a foot from going over the spillway at the park (normal). We are about two feet behind in precip, and in D4 exceptional stage drought again. We had about 2.5" of rain over the month, most in one event was 41mm on the 18th. With the 2.25" in Feb. makes 4.75" the last two months which is critical for spring when in D4 drought. Unfortunately Jan. was nearly bone dry at .65".

Odes were a whopping two species: Dot-winged Baskettail and Pale-faced Clubskimmer. Two more than either Jan. or Feb., so hope for a good season ahead. For butterflies it was 35 species, nearly double the 18 sps. in February. Nothing unusual, as is the case in early spring. It is not the time for raries. Just great to see everything again, especially those 'EARLY spring ONLY' fliers like Falcate Orangetip and Henry's Elfin.

Birds were 80 species, a huge increase in diversity, mostly with the arrival of insect eating migratory species. The most spectacular avian event was thousands of White-fronted Goose calling as they migrated north overhead in the dark, evening of the 3rd. The best two birds were the Long-eared Owl being heard again (24th), and a Couch's Kingbird (10th). A Brown Creeper at park (10th) was also good, they are less than annual here. An ad. male Rufous Hummingbird (22nd) was a good migrant snag. A Yellow-breasted Chat (27th) was my first ever in March and a couple weeks early.

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March ~ Meteorological spring is here! Oh boy, a whole month of FOS - first of season - sightings ahead. Golden-cheeked Warblers in a week! The march of the FOSs began the morning of the 1st with a White-eyed Vireo. In the afternoon a FOS singing male Vermilion Flycatcher seemed our local corral breeder back. On the 2nd my FOS Zone-tailed Hawk was low over yard. Also the 2nd were my FOS Cricket-Frogs clicking. Morn of the 3rd a FOS Lark Sparrow was singing in yard. This just in, a couple FOS Purple Martin were seen on Feb. 28 at the park pond briefly. On the 3rd at the park was my FOS Great Egret. About 9 p.m. on the 3rd I heard my FOS White-fronted Goose northbound way high up, it was thousands. On the 6th saw my FOS Barn Swallow. On the 9th was my FOS N. Rough-winged Swallow. The 10th was a mega-big day for FOS sightings. There was FOS Couch's Kingbird, Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Brown Creeper, my FOS Purple Martin, and in the afternoon FOS Monarch and Golden-cheeked Warbler! My FOS Barn Owl was after 11 p.m. on the 10th as well! Spring is now showing near you! March 12 we saw our FOS Black-and-white Warbler and Ash-throated Flycatcher. Also the 12th were our first dragonflies of the year, Dot-winged Baskettails, of course, at least five of them. The 14th was a first Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. The 15th saw my FOS Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. On the 17th was my FOS Clay-colored Sparrow. An adult male Rufous Hummingbird on the 22nd is a good snag of a migrant. A FOY Two-tailed Swallowtail floated by on the 24th. Late p.m. on the 24th we heard the Long-eared Owl calling out front not far away. On the 26th we had FOS Common Yellowthroat and Bell's Vireo. The 27th a record early Yellow-breast Chat was singing across the road right where territorial every year. The 29th just after noon a FOS Ruby-throated Hummingbird was at our feeder, and a FOS Nashville Warbler at birdbath. Late in day on 30th I heard FOS Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. On the 31st my FOS Louisiana Waterthrush was at Utopia Pk. Dang if that wasn't a month of fun!

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Mar. 31 ~ Heavy overcast but no precip, flatlined about 67F all night. Lots of trees are really filling out with leaves, Hackberry nearly fully leafed, Pecans are just starting, Mesquite getting underway. Stayed overcast and coolish until after noon. At 5 p.m. it was sunny and about 87F or so, saw 84F on cool shady front porch. Town run fer shtuff. Did not see any Scissor-tails on fencelines yet, checked over 3 miles of fencelines. Including about 5 spots where pairs usually nest. At the north end of town one Bell's Vireo was back singing in the Mesquite Patch at the curve, none along county-line road to the river or that N-S road at NW corner of town, or at the P.O. yet. The P.O. said their Barn Swallow pair came back Monday the 27th. Late. None along Main St. yet at other usual sites.

The park had a FOS Louisiana Waterthrush at north end of the island, a real peachy buffy flanked one. Great to see teetering and hear that chip. One Golden-crowned Kinglet was also there, and a couple singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet. We just get to hear that wonderful exhuberant bubbling a few weeks a year here. There are a LOT of new flowers popping out. I saw Englemann's Daisy, Limestone Guara, Square-bud Primrose, Bluebonnets, one of the small Bladderpods, a nice patch of Crow-Poison, tens of acres of Dakota Verbena in the pastures, and some great Mexican Poppy patches in a couple lots in town. This greening of spring thing is very cool. There was at least one Monarch floating around yard, may have been two. Later in day saw at least two male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Mar. 30 ~ Still thick low overcast, bits of mist and drizzle, flatlined about 58F overnight. Hear the Chat over in his spot this morning, so surely was our returning bird a few days ago since still in same place, its annual primary singing post patch of trees across the road. An Orange-crowned Warbler went through yard early. The Robin is still here. Great was for the first time this year when a small group (4 this time) of Lark Sparrow do this thing whence they all together at once shoot fast into a tree and-or brush pile, and then immediately all explode into chorus, creating an incredible cacaphony of song, the whole bunch seemingly competing to be loudest or spit the most notes out. Awesome audio. Late in day after 7 p.m. I heard over by the airstrip my FOS Scissor-tailed Flycatcher sing a few bars! Over the day the drizzle and mist might have neared a tenth of an inch.

Mar. 29 ~ Flatlined about 54F all night. Overcast and humid, no precip though. We won't hit 70F today. Sure is great to have daily Yellow-throated Vireo singing in the yard again. Got to stand around a few minutes at noon seed toss. Great to hear a singing Mockingbird. They never stick and nest around our place though. Trollers is all we get. Just after noon a FOS male Ruby-throated Hummingbird showed up at a feeder. Minutes later Kathy saw the FOS Nashville Warbler at the birdbath. She even saw the ruficapilla, e.g., the rufous crown patch. A couple Eurasian Collared-Dove have been hitting the seed in the afternoons. Not a fan. Kathy saw two Lincoln's Sparrow at the birdbath. Flatlined about 64F all day, no precip, just heavy overcast and one quick spit.

Mar. 28 ~ Started at midnight about 70F still! Slowly dropped to about 60 by 6:30 a.m. as the front hit, and was 55F by 8:45 or so. A northerly blower of a day, with 10-20 mph sustained, gusting to 30 mph. We missed any precip with frontal passing in the morn. Had a hundredth of a spritz in the afternoon. Birds are hunkered down trying to stay out of the wind. Seems like the Chipping Sparrow numbers are decreasing, methinks departures are ongoing maybe 40 was my count. Which is fine, town is out of bird seed again, for two weeks! First they get me hooked on it, and now this. Only a few Lark Sparrow around so far, but sure great to hear. Saw one Lincoln's Sparrow. By now I sorta doubt it is the one that wintered, as migrants are showing up, and it likely left already then.

Mar. 27 ~ Overcast and flatlined at about 65F for the overnight. At dawn seed toss a Gnatcatcher and a Yellow-throated Vireo were in the male Mulberry flowers first thing. Mid-morn a Hutton's Vireo was singing in the live-oaks out back. After 10 a.m. there was a record early FOS Yellow-breasted Chat singing right across the road where the territory each year, and surely the returning bird. The last two years it returned April 10. This then is two weeks early. It was out there much of the day singing away. Very cool. Another Gnatcatcher mid-day. Nothing diff in the afternoon except I heard a Gambell's White-crowned Sparrow sing over in the biggest brush pile. We get small numbers in spring, I wonder from where do they come? On a climate note, today the 27th is the first date in the year that there is a 100dF record high in the books for SAT, San Antonio. On a personal note, ten years ago today was the first day we woke up here in this house. Had a singing male Golden-cheeked Warbler in yard, so knew the place would work.

Mar. 26 ~ Was clear in lower 40's F in wee hours but about 47F and climbing fast by dawn as the gulf flow and low stratus got here. Noon we went down to the crossing for an hour walkaround and listen. There were at least one and likely two Common Yellowthroat, our FOS. A Yellow-throated Vireo and a couple Yellow-throated Warbler. A FOY Pale-faced Clubskimmer dragonfly was nice to see. The Texas Persimmon is mostly done down here at 1325'. On the slow roll back Kathy called our FOS Bell's Vireo singing in the river habitat corridor. A few Yellow-throated Warbler between crossing and here. At least a couple dozen, likely twice that, of Red-winged Blackbird in the corrals across the river, and a couple dozen Brewer's Blackbird were in the corral here in afternoon. I see a few Rain Lily open, the FOY. Late heard Turkey gobbling uphill to the west, and a Belted Kingfisher over at the river.

Mar. 25 ~ Low I saw was 42F and I likely missed the dip. KERV had a 40F low, despite NOAA having them progged for 49F at midnight. Day after the frontal blow, off a category on the low. Almost every time, for the twenty years I have been here. I suspect with the NW flow and winds much of any migrant motion was shut down before it got going last night and long before it got near here. So then, tomorrow should have a push or wave of progress that was stacked up. With any luck. It was dead out there today. Did see my FOY stalk of Crow-poison flowers, and a puffed Silver-puff, besides some Yellow Wood-Sorrel. Saw what was surely a Falcate Orangetip blast past. A Texan Crescent stopped for views. At least one Monarch went by bearing NNE. A Two-tailed Swallowtail was out back, after yesterday's FOY at the park. We started in on the garden and yard work since way behind on it, so far, already, again, as usual.



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Mar. 24 ~ Flatlined about 68F again all night. A front will be arriving and a showerlet passing at dawn is all the precip we will get from it. Maybe a hundredth or two of an inch. Clear with breeze by 10 a.m., will be cool tomorrow morning after the blow today. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was in the male Mulberry flowers. At the park there were a couple Ruby-crowns, even singing. A couple Myrtle Warbler getting some better plumage now. One Gnatcatcher. The rest was the locals, a couple each of the Yellow-throateds, warbler, and vireo. Saw a Monarch and my FOY Two-tailed Swallowtail. No Barn Swallows along Main St. yet.

Little Creek Larry said he saw his first Whistling-Ducks (Black-bellied here) yesterday at Little Creek. Some great purple pastures of Dakota Verbena around. In town was a patch of Mexican Poppy with open flowers, a nice satiny yellow. The Spanish Buckeye are blooming in the deco-gardens at corners of town. I heard a Clay-colored Sparrow out front in the afternoon. Late about 11 p.m. we heard besides the Great Horned, the LONG-EARED Owl calling out front over in river habitat corridor. Have not heard it in two months, and figured it left or the Great Horned got it. GREAT it is still around!

Mar. 23 ~ Stayed about 67F all night, and overcast with low clouds and humidity. Red-shouldered Hawk noisy outside early, it flushed out of the far yard Pecans yesterday. Hope it is getting cotton rats and that it doesn't nest too close. They are very noisy around the nest. Lots more Tube-tongue starting to show, and the one good Mealy Sage we have has fast-growing flower buds. Kathy heard a Black-and-white Warbler singing over in draw a bit after noon. Did not detect the Rufous Hummer today, it was a one-hour wonder. The rain has not apparently helped much according to the new U.S. Drought Monitor map out today. We are back in D4 Exceptional level again.

Forgot to mention, yesterday morn, noticed the Buttonbush we have been trying to grow for years which had a bunch of new leaflets sprouting looking great, got eaten by a deer overnight. A foot from house in raised planter. Every year. Wonder why I can't have a Buttonbush? Same reason you can't grow a baby Hackberry, Pecan, Spanish Buckeye, or almost anything else, unless it is caged. The trees are not replacing themselves for years, decades, now, due to deer overpopulation. Which is mostly due to deer corn feeders. We also can't grow a new Prickly Pear patch due to feral pigs. There is a great imbalance of the natural ecosystem due to artificially high populations of a couple animals, which are man-generated. Protect a habitat from them and a different ecosystem will appear in the same place. See Bamburger Ranch over toward Boerne.

Mar. 22 ~ Overcast still, flatlined at about 66F all night. About 1 p.m. at least three separate groups of Sandhill Crane flew over northbound. A Gnatcatcher went through yard, they should get thick soon. The Robin was around, 10 waxwings went over. In butterflies saw a Lyside Sulphur go by. A Satyr flopped up and then away just as fast so I did not get an ID, though thought it was Red, not Little Wood. Saw my first few Straggler Daisy flowers of the spring. An Ash-throated Flycatcher and a singing Yellow-throated Warbler moved up the river habitat corridor.

Kathy said she heard a different hummingbird in the afternoon, so I had no choice but to stand around out there then, seemingly doing nothing. Until an adult male Rufous Hummingbird flew up and sat on the feeder. It tanked a long time too. The male Black-chinnned that chases things away came up and flared at it a few times, to no avail, the Rufous was completely unfazed. The Black-chin did not dare get aggressive beyond posturing, and apparently knew that. Just that one there, it's OK if he stays and drinks. The Black-chin knows those little bright rufous ones are mean little bastards punching far above their weight! It sure was great to hear that wing-whistle again! Though multiples are annual in fall, I do not detect one every spring, so a good snag (and mig date) of a passage transient.

Mar. 21 ~ Stayed about 50F until the wee hours whence it warmed a few dF, and got soppy wet with drizzle and mist. Almost 60 at noon. Finally not cold, but still misting. Must have sprinkled overnight. Looks like 8mm (roughly a third, or five- sixteenths, of an inch) more of precip overnight and in morn, as of noon as it ended. Wow! Keep it coming, we need every bit. Lots of White-winged and Mourning Dove singing now, great to hear the White-wings going off again. A Turkey was gobbling up the hill behind us. So a strutting tom is within a hundred yards. Lincoln's Sparrow and Robin still here. There was a Yellow-throated Vireo singing south about a hundred yards at other side of corral. They are still mostly not here, though a few are. About 3:30 it was a solid 65F which felt great after the four day chill. Saw a N. Cloudywing butterfly.

Mar. 20 ~ Happy Equinox! After midnight last night I heard Barn Owl number three in the last 10 days. Was clear then, but overcast and some drizzle in the morning. Flatlined about 42F all night. Warming up to about 53F, it still feels like winter here this first day of spring. About 20F below average for the date! And with some breeze and wet on it makes it too uncomfortable for me out there. The birds were the same gang, nothing new and different. I expect that when this system clears out we will get a good wave of birds, like swallows and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. Hopefully this is our last FOUR-day major chill event of the winter. By the end of winter my cold tolerance is roughly equal to that of my heat tolerance at the end of summer.

Mar. 19 ~ Low about 39F, overcast, no more rain, and calm finally. Great to have wet ground! The spring greening forecast is looking good. Staying cool, about 15-20F below averages. This last day of winter felt like it. I think we had a case of the accipiters hiding in the trees much of the day as it was far far quieter than usual or normal. Still hear a couple Red-winged Blackbird calling, a few American Goldfinch, the Robin, the Bluebird pair. More cranes northbound just after noon. Saw some sun in the afternoon, and it surely hit 56F, for a moment, felt great. A Belted Kingfisher rattled over at last sun.

Mar. 18 ~ It began raining last night before midnight, and was a perfect slow soaker as they call them. Might have been 40F here around sunup, but dropped to mid-upper 30's F for a couple hours. Rocksprings had snow reports and mid-morn on the divides right here and on the top of the plateau the radar showed snow. So cold and wet, still winter for a few more days. Some extra seed rations. It looked like about 1.5" of precip, which could not come at a better time for spring sprouting and blooms. We needed it bad. Drizzled off and on all day, and might have clawed its way up to 40F for a bit. Added another eighth of an inch over the day. About 41mm or 4.1cm total at dark.

A few Red-winged Blackbird hung around for the white millet. At least a couple called off and on, what a great sound. Too wet and cold to be fun out there for me. There is one of the super red House Finch males around, spring is the time of year they peak in color. Lark, Field, and Lincoln's besides all the Chipping Sparrow. Twenty Brown-headed Cowbird, yech. Hummers were thick as it got dark. They know they are in for a cold night.

sorry about the rerun pic from a few years ago.



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Mar. 17 ~ Happy St. Paddys Day! I don't often think 'green beer' but when I do, it is on this day. The front and northerlies hit about 11 p.m. last night. Blew 20 mph gusting to 30 all night. Low about 40F this morn, and 10 to 15 mph winds, some higher gusts, so feeling pretty winter out there despite the greenery. There are four days like this on tap, through the weekend and Monday. Would hate to be a swallow or Martin that just got here. No precip since the 4mm yesterday morning. After 11 a.m. as I loaded up the wagon for ride to town, there was a FOS Clay-colored Sparrow grinding away in the front yard. Nothing in town but more cold and wind. At the park one chilly Yellow-throated Vireo was it for migrants, and likely the local breeder that arrived last week. It did get a nice fat little moth out of the Cypress bark while I watched. Wind finally settled down after noon, and warmed to about 56F or so. Per NOAA official day length (sunrise to sunset) here today was 12 hours and 1 minute. Yesterday it was 11 hours and 59 minutes. So we crossed the 12 hours of daylight mark today.

Mar. 16 ~ Flatlined at about 62-62F all night, a brief bit of showerlets and drizzle. Totalling about 4 mm, or, nearing three-sixteenths of an inch, or, a sixth of an inch, which absolutely no one can visualize. A dust buster for a day or two. We have a big warmup with SW winds later today ahead of a strong cold front inbound tonight. Heard some Purple Martin low over yard nearing noon, I presume a dive over Chez Martin' was involved, they sounded IN the yard. Nothing at the chalet when I got around corner though. First ones I have heard from the yard this year. The birds otherwise were the same gang so far. Mighta hadda White-crowned Sparrow sneak into the brush pile, sounded like one, and looked like the west end of an eastbound one. Got up to about 82F or so in afternoon. Have another quick shot at a squirt of rain tonight and in the a.m. as the front passes. Saw my FOS Bumblebee in the heat of day.

Mar. 15 ~ Overcast, low about 54F. A bit before noon had my FOS Blue-gray Gnatcatcher feeding in the blooming male Mulberry. Great to hear that air leak pressure release of a psssss again. A bit later a Golden-crowned Kinglet went through the yard, a spring migrant. A Lincoln's Sparrow was in the garden. The Robin flock (1) is still here. Some Persimmon flowers beginning to open. Stayed cloudy in the low 60's F all day. The green explosion continues, the Pecans are showing some leaves breaking stem. Yard is greenest it has been in more than six months. Soon I have to go into the corral and harvest some super grow. Just before midnight I heard another Barn Owl go over northbound. Second one in a week, their spring passage window is now open.

Mar. 14 ~ Overcast, a low of 42F felt great, and more like what mid-March should be. It was another electric salmon sunrise as the sun winked through the narrow opening below the cloud deck. We'll see, I tried to grab a shot of it this time, in my sleep. Usually I try not to play with things before coffee. Nice to hear that Vermilion Flycatcher out there sputtering over the corral like it is his. Saw a FOY - first of year - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail after noon. The Robin and a few American Goldfinch were around a bit, a couple Red-winged Blackbird. Coolish though without the sun and a bit of breeze, might have hit 62F peak heat.

Mar. 13 ~ Low about 50F, maybe 49F, was great. Northerly flow and cooler air is nice. Was getting a bit muggy and warm a bit early in season. We like a long spring here, the longer the better, because summer seems dang near forever. Mid-morn what seemed a pair of Ash-throated Flycatcher moved through yard, probably very local breeders. Heard the Rough-winged Swallows zipping around again. Numbers of Black-chinned Hummingbird increasing fast. The Robin was out there in morn. A Giant Swallowtail was on Tube-tongue flowers. In afternoon saw two Monarch go by NNE bound. After dark the Eastern (Tex-Mex mccallii) Screech-Owl are calling lots lately, it is that time.

Mar. 12 ~ We took a holiday this morn. Did not reset clocks, nor did I turn on computer to get to biz mail first thing. What a treat that was. After some quick cinnamon toast we rolled over to the 1450' knoll less than a mile south of us (priv. prop.) which is part of the same Wildlife Conservation Easement we are on. Our first spring quickie walk to see how the season is arriving. Got a nice mile-and-a-half plus walk in, saw some new flowers out, some birds, butterflies and even dragnflies, and got a couple hours out of the box.

I said to Kathy last night tomorrow FOS Ash-throated Flycatcher. We saw one heard another. Two FOS singing Black-and-white Warbler were great. One responded to my worst rendition ever version and gave nice views. LOL! We heard Turkeys, Purple Martin, and the first Rufous-crowned Sparrows I have detected in five months. At least five singing Hutton's Vireo, a few White-eyed, too early for Black-capped. The lack of vegetation was surprising in the herb, forb, and wildflower layer. I think beyond the rain, the Texas Longhorns they have been running are like goats and take everything to the ground. Never saw it so bare of forb layer veg and wildflowers, even the last couple exceptional drought years. But likely nothing was able to go to seed for two years now. Some birds not detected were Gnatcatcher, Olive Sparrow and Long-billed Thrasher, all still not here yet. At another spot on a ridgelet between our house and the knoll, the one that ends at our place, we had a singing Golden-cheeked Warbler.

In flowers, the Laurels are mostly over, only a couple still in good bloom, but worth hanging around with your nose in for five minutes of aroma therapy. The most purple blooms have the strongest sweetest scent, according to my research. The Agarita is mostly done now too. At higher elevations both may still be going. Some fuzzballs of a pale yellow Acacia were open, not sure what type. Wildflowers we saw were Blackfoot Daisy, Diamentia, Slender-stem Bitterweed, and Paralena, plus a white thing I photo'd not in my book. In butterflies a number of Olive-Juniper Hairstreak were on flowers, at their freshest greenest. The best laurel had a Horace's Duskywing, and some Pipevine Swallowtail. We saw a couple Variegated Fritillary, a Red Admiral, a Giant Swallowtail, and a Northern Cloudywing was puddling at the 360 crossing. Had a total of about five Dot-winged Baskettail, the first dragonfly sighting of the year. Also a FOY Asilid, e.g., Robberfly. The Buckley Oaks are just starting to break stem and leaf out. The live-oaks are mostly dropped of leaves up on the knoll, yellowing and about to drop elsewhere. At the river some Sycamore and Cypress showing first leaves breaking stem.

Here after lunch I heard another Ash-throat uphill in the live-oaks behind us. Kathy had a Lincoln's Sparrow at the bath in the afternoon. I might have had a female Orangetip butterfly go by. That is what it looked like to me. I have seen a few beasties blast past so far the last couple weeks I thought probably were, they just won't stop, and only males are easy to ID as they pinball past. There was a flock of at least a dozen of those dang Brown-headed Cowbird here today. The first one just showed up a couple days prior, maybe 8 yesterday, and now we already have too many. These are arriving spring migrants.

Mar. 11 ~ Low about 58F was nice, overcast. Nothing in the way of migrants in the morn. Mid-morn my FOY Giant Swallowtail and Common Streaky-Skipper came into water on the patio. Noonish heard Sandhill Cranes going over, a bit later a Yellow-throated Warbler sang from over by the river. Saw a Lincoln's Sparrow in a brush pile, it is about time migrant Lincs start to show up. The afternoon was the same gang best I could tell. Looked through 50 or so Chipping for a Clay-colored, but none yet I could find. Is still early for them. The Robin was up in the big Pecan at last light. Heard a Barking Frog again after dark.


This week's photo break is courtesy of Sydney Killough. She took these pics of a Black Vulture nestsite and eggs in a little cave out 354. Great pics of beautiful eggs!




Thanks for sharing Sydney!

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Mar. 10 ~ The low of 58F was nicer than the recent 60's, but overcast as often. Was clear after midnight last night, when I heard my FOS Barking Frog at last listen. Have not heard a Chorus Frog this year, or the last two years in the D4 exceptional drought. Starting to get concerned about it. Currently we are in D3, only briefly being in D2 some weeks after a couple decent rain events. After yesterday's FOS, this morn there were three N. Rough-winged Swallow chasing closely right over yard. Probably a female seeing which male was the better flier.

It was an amazing day for FOS sightings. In the morn before 10 a.m. there was a calling Couch's Kingbird at the airstrip. Not my first March record here but might be my earliest. Thought I heard a Yellow-throated Warbler over at the river from front porch mid-morn. Just east of river on 360 at the corrals lots of calling Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbird. Nothing at the 360 x-ing.

At park in town I heard at least two Yellow-throated Warbler! On the early side. Also at park was a FOS Yellow-throated Vireo, a second of which was behind the store in a town yard. Also on the early side. An Orange-crowned Warbler in the woods was a FOS, none were around this winter. A few Purple Martin were high over the pond, my FOS. A BROWN CREEPER was the first in maybe three years here for me. They are less than annual here. Two Golden-crowned Kinglet probably indicate passage. As do a couple Ruby-crowned. Live-oaks are yellowing and dropping leaves now. Then back here after Rosie's tacos, about 1:30 there was a FOS Golden-cheeked Warbler singing from over in the draw just north of the fence. About 3 p.m. a FOS Monarch flew through yard. A worn spring migrant from Mexico. Must have gotten up to about 77F in the late afternoon. The Robin was out there late in day. After I posted the weekly update (usually 8-9 p.m. on Friday) at 11:15 a FOS Barn Owl flew over calling.

Mar. 9 ~ Overcast, flatlined at about 64F for the overnight. Thought I might have heard a distant Golden-cheek out back when I was behind the shed at the edge of the live-oaks uphill. The laurels on the slope are now blooming as the ones in the yard finish. A flock of cranes went over northbound noonish but were above the low cloud deck. Great to see all that green out there! A Tube-tongue flower was my first. A Texan Crescent butterfly was my FOS for them this year. In the afternoon a FOS N. Rough-winged Swallow was calling out front. Got up to about 80F again in the afternoon.

Mar. 8 ~ Was about 62F for a bit, but more like 65F at dawn and overcast. Had a quick town run early. Forgot to mention a Spanish Dagger on 360 has a couple big blooms opening. A Madrone tree in town was in bloom as well. At the park entrance live-oak motte there were a dozen Robin on the ground. Further in park, there were THREE Barred Owl calling, first for that for me here. Two were the pair above the north end of park in the big live-oak motte, and one was in the main park area by the restroom building. All at once. Great sounds! A White-eyed Vireo and a Myrtle Warbler were on the island in the green leaf-sprouting willows. That was it. In town there were a couple lot-sized patches of Dakota Verbena in bloom, a purple carpet. Nothing at the 360 x-ing responded to my chitting and pishing. Late in day here it was again two whole Robins heading off to roost somewhere.

Mar. 7 ~ Flatlined at 65F all night, nearly foggy, dampish. Sure great waking up to bird song! Cardinal and Black-crested Titmouse are seriously going off now. A bit of White-eyed Vireo is a nice snappy addition the last week. I heard a little bit of Chipping Sparrow song, first of that so far. Still hearing Brewer's Blackbird flocks. The rest was the same. In butterflies a Lyside Sulphur was new and seemed a new fresh beast. One old worn Snout, Red Admiral, Sleepy Orange, So. Dogface, some Vesta Crescent, a female Black Swallowtail looking for something to oviposit on. After dark the Rio Grande Leopard Frogs were roaring, squeaking, and all manner of assorted noises they make. First time since the freak Jan. calling event that I have heard them.

Mar. 6 ~ Low briefly 58F, mist and 60 by dawn, still low overcast and 70F at noon. It hit about 80F in the later afternoon. The Robin was over in corral early and here in the afternoon. A few American Goldfinch still here, one getting a bit of yellow. Later morn a FOS Barn Swallow went over, GREAT to see after five months without. Eastern Bluebird is wonderfully noisy in the morning, Kathy saw it at the bath in the afternoon. The male Mulberry flowers are growing out well. I see some flower buds on the Texas Persimmons, which smell as good as the Laurels. Weird is that there has been no Juniper (cedar locally) bloom (and fever) yet. When it begins seems to float unlike many things. Often it starts in Jan. and is roaring in Feb., and so far nothing. I presume the trees are just waiting to go off still. A pair of Turkey Vulture coursing back and forth and interacting were likely one of the very local breeding pairs.

Mar. 5 ~ Low about 46F, which is fine. Got up to about 80F. Was pretty breezy from late morn to later afternoon. Have to get out early to beat the wind. Was the same gang here, including the same new arrivals all still here. Heard a couple White-eyed Vireo though. Did not see anything different today but a FOS Olive-Juniper Hairstreak butterfly. Some things now breaking ground here include Frostweed, Tropical Sage, Wooly Ironwind, American Germander, and our planted Lantana and Blue Mist Eupatorium. It is a whole new season out there! Great to see a green yard. Cleaned up last years Blue Mist stems to make way for the new growth. Cricket-Frogs were going in the afternoon.

Mar. 4 ~ Low a category below predictions, again. We had 34F here. It was chilly. Then got up to about 80F in the afternoon! Hutton's Vireo singing first thing at dawn. Heard Lark Sparrow singing early over in the corral. Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks diving on the seed eaters lots. Heard a flock of northbound cranes overhead noonish. A few Black-chinned Hummingbird around, at least one female, a few males. Forgot to mention a couple other things seen with green leaves sprouting yesterday: Black willow and Texas Persimmon. E. Screech-Owl calling late evening. Turned on the front porch light to see if any moth activity yet. Was surprised to see a couple dozen come in, plus as many micros. Quite a lot of action compared to how it has been. Hope to work on more photos of them this year.

They're back!
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March 3 ~ Wind blew hard much of night, was 20 gusting to 30 mph for quite a while. Low was maybe 48F. Sunny. Great was mid-morn hearing a FOS Lark Sparrow singing! First one here since last fall. Town run day. At the 360 x-ing I tried to chit up the Marsh Wren to no avail, however was able to pish up a Song Sparrow. Which has not been there all winter and is undoubtedly a spring migrant. The other thing there was a hundred yards up the backwater channel there were three Ring-necked Duck. I had only seen Wood Duck in that tightly wooded site before.

Little Creek Larry said Tuesday (Feb. 28) two male Purple Martin came down and drank at the park pond briefly. Those were the FOS that I heard of locally. I still haven't heard one. A few reported hummingbirds being seen. I saw my FOS female today, though thought I saw one yesterday. Earlyish for females. Usually the first week is just about all males. I heard Field Sparrow singing just outside fence, Kathy heard it a couple days ago. Lots of signs of spring though. The native Plum has lots of flowers, some Hackberries are sprouting leaves, the Maple trees in town have flowers, the Redbuds there are blooming nicely. No Barn Swallow yet on Main St. At the park there was a FOS Great Egret, a spring migrant, but that was it save a half-dozen Turkey Vulture seemingly on the move northward.

Not over yet, about 9 p.m. in the dark, thousands of White-fronted Goose went over calling. For several minutes, they were way high up, but I have been under these groups in daylight south of here. This was the big flight. The V's just kept coming. I just asked Larry today if he had heard any yet after dark, he had not either. There are probably only a couple days each spring in the area you can catch the wintering population to our south as it departs. Very cool.

March 2 ~ We got some rain about 2 a.m., with thunder to wake you up. Low about 65F, briefly. Was about 9mm, or three-eighths of an inch of precip. Every bit is outstanding this time of year. Kathy heard the White-eyed Vireo over in the draw first thing early. I heard the Vermilion Flycatcher singing a bit too. Lots of Titmouse and Cardinal song. First thing to sing though, before 7 a.m., was Carolina Chickadee. It must be nesting either in the Mulberry, or the broken dying Hackberry. Which a couple low branches have sprouted leaves or buds on. A couple Lesser Goldfinch were out there, and Black-chinned Hummingbird, so all the recent new arrivals are still around. And more likely indeed the local breeders. Got up to mid-80's F in the afternoon. I heard my FOS Blanchard's Cricket-Frog calling today in afternoon, several were going at it. Also in the afternoon my FOS Zone-tailed Hawk coursed low over yard a couple times just above treetops. I saw none this winter locally. Usually we have one or more, there was no food. The return date is right on time, the first week of March here. About 6 p.m. the big blow got here and a severe line of storms just missed us.

March 1 ~ Today is the first day of meteorological or climatalogical spring. Winter being Dec., Jan., and February. Three weeks to astronomical spring. Flatlined about 68F all night, not ready for that yet. Hot day today, another front tonight with low precip chances, and a big blower tomorrow. Before 9 a.m. Kathy heard the FOS White-eyed Vireo of the spring. I got my ears out just in time to hear the last two calls. Great after five months of not hearing one. The first of a bazillion times I will hear that in the next seven months. After not hearing it all day, it was back in the late afternoon, in the usual tangle the draw breeder uses. I suspect it is the local breeder returning. In the afternoon another great FOS was a singing male Vermilion Flycatcher in the corral, which also seemed like the local breeder. Been five months gone for them too. Those Laurel flowers smell wonderful. A brown butterfly shot off one that looked an Elfin.

~ ~ ~ February summary ~ ~ ~

We had about 2.25" of rain, which is a nice wet Feb. here. There were a couple serious cold (freezing) spells. River came up a bit, the island at the park is almost one again, but water still not going over spillway. The last week of month the first few Agarita and (Texas) Mountain Laurel flowers were open, the first dozen Anemone flowers opened the last day of the month.

No odes (dragon or damselflies) were seen, as expected. Some butterflies were out on warmer days. A few were new fresh emergences of the expected early birds, though most was the worn winter leftovers still. It was about 18 species for the month. The first Elfin of the year snuck under the wire on the 27th. Best beastie of the month though, was a Javelina on the 23rd, a first IN our yard a couple miles south of town.

Birds continued fairly slow as a winter is in drought times. But many of our resident species have begun singing and it sounds way better already. Also the first spring migrants show up, giving hope for better days ahead. Sandhill Crane was the first northbound migrant to arrive on the 15th. The first Turkey Vulture was back on the 22nd. The first Black-chinned Hummingbird showed up on the 26th. The first Lesser Goldfinch on the 27th. An overwintering Marsh Wren continuing from January to late Feb. at a small cattail patch along river is very rare in winter here. The Hilbigs had a Vermilion Flycatcher winter at their place in Bandera Co. a few miles NW of town, rare up here in the hills in winter. I saw about 50 species and heard of 10 more a couple others saw locally this month. Surely another ten or twenty were around.

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February ~ A whopping 1.25" of rain on the 8th is noteworthy. Much less to north and west of us a couple miles south of town. A couple interesting reports I received this week were of a Vermilion Flycatcher that wintered a couple miles NW of town in Bandera Co., and of some Townsend's Solitaire at Lost Maples and Love Creek on the bird counts there, of which I think some are likely still around. The first spring migrants of the year were Sandhill Cranes, going north on Feb. 15. A Marsh Wren first seen Jan. 20 continues at the 360 x-ing on Feb. 24, providing a rare over-wintering record here. Mid-day Feb. 19 a large number (well over a thousand) of Sandhill Crane went over northbound. A pair of Audubon's Oriole were south of town moving up the river habitat corridor the 22nd. Also the 22nd was my first Turkey Vulture this spring. A Javelina was in our yard (a couple miles south of town) Feb 23. As we finish the month, there are Agarita and Mountain Laurel flowers opening, and the yard is more green than brown, with new growth sprouting. My first hummingbird this spring was the afternoon of Feb. 26, a male Black-chinned of course. On the 27th there was a FOS male Lesser Goldfinch, and a FOS Henry's Elfin butterfly. Last day of the month had a FOS Pipevine Swallowtail, and Anemone flowers. Great to see signs of spring.

~ ~ ~ emd archive copy February update header ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ back to the daily drivel ~ ~ ~

Feb. 28 ~ A low about 46F is great. In for a big climb today. That adult male Sharp-shinned Hawk looks a fresh beauty, though the little birds don't see it that way. Mid-morn saw a FOS positive Pipevine Swallowtail, had a glimpse or two of possibles the last week. Saw two Lesser Goldfinch today, these are spring returnees. Also had one male Brown-headed Cowbird up in big Pecan that also is likely a new spring arrival. Some few winter in local corral blackbird flocks, but they do not sit solo up in the treetops calling like this. Heard Belted Kingfisher over at the river. Another FOS was a dozen open Anemone flowers, great to see. Last year there were hardly any due to the drought. And so we end climatalogical winter. Three months of spring ahead!

Feb. 27 ~ Was about 65F most of the night until pre-dawn when it dropped briefly to about 55F as the NW winds got here. Only blew for a brief period, then warmed up to a blazing 85F or so! A couple good FOS sightings today. A male Lesser Goldfinch was the first one of spring, as was a Henry's Elfin butterfly. Though sure I glimpsed an Elfin a few days ago. This one came into sprayed water. As did a Funereal Duskywing. The FOS Black-chinned Hummingbird of yesterday continued today. Finally I saw my second Turkey Vulture of the year. They are on the tardy side this year.

Feb. 26 ~ Flatlined at 65F all night, with increasing density of overcast, adding drizzle and mist, a showerlet or two by morning. Maybe some few hundredths of an inch here. I keep forgetting to mention that in the afternoons the last week you can hear seemingly a couple dozen Red-winged Blackbird braying over in the Cypresses along the river. In the afternoon a male Black-chinned Hummingbird was my FOS. It flew up to side porch without a feeder (are two feeders out), so methinks not its first time here. It is on the early side of return dates, last years was March 5, so a week earlier than that. Southerlies were blowin' pretty strong today. Got up to upper 70's F, maybe 76F or so.

Feb. 25 ~ Overcast, low about 50F. Got up to about 68F or so peak heat. Did not see anything different here today. Did have 3 Robin up in the big Pecan. Saw Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawk diving on stuff out back in the morn. There is a Laurel blooming that we planted here, about 8 years ago or so, and this is the first year it bloomed. It is neat in that it is growing as a single trunk tree. Some make bushes or shrubs, others are tree-like. This one is nearly 7 FEET tall! I see buds breaking stem on the big male Mulberry, and on the native Plum. The plum was from a switch, and I do not know which it is of the three native types there are. This is year three for it, so it seems to be making it.


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Feb. 24 ~ Overcast all day, low about 55F, may have hit 64F for a high. Was the same aroud the yard. Except for Mountain Laurel flowers open throwing that award-winning scent around. Someone in town said they saw one blooming as well. I heard a couple say they saw blooming Agaritas, and one said they had one Redbud with flowers open. It is coming soon. The park had about 25 Ring-necked Duck, a Great Blue Heron, and one Golden-crowned Kinglet. Little Creek Larry said he had lots of Cranes going over northbound early in the week.

Best was getting another date on the Marsh Wren at the 360 x-ing. As I approached the one-lane bridge, I thought I ought to roll window down and give a chit, or two. I consider myself a skilled chitter, having been chitting and pishing as far back as I can remember. So, I rolled the window down and hoping no vehicles came along needing the bridge I took a chit out the window. I did not give 10 chits and the Marsh Wren was chitting back at me. Bam! Another date, another week of stay recorded. Feeling very satisfied with my chit, fairly certain it was going to be the best chit I take all day, I headed into town. All the way I thought how important it was to never miss a chance to take a chit or a pish whenever you can.

Feb. 23 ~ Low about 55F, bit of clouds early. Lots of Black-crested Titmouse song first thing now, a half-dozen singing in earshot. A bit before 10 a.m. a Javelina (proper name is Collared Peccary) showed up at the mulch pile out back! Got poor pics through the window and screen, just ID docushots. New beast IN the yard here. Lots of feral hogs, these are rare here. We had one up on Seco Ridge a decade plus ago scavenging under our sunflower seed tube a few times. A great beast to see! Some butterflies were out in the heat. A worn Variegated Fritillary, a few each So. Dogface and Sleepy Orange, a fresh Dainty Sulphur, a Little Yellow, a couple Orange Sulphur, a Red Admiral, and a small brown one that surely was an Elfin. I saw 80F on the cool shady front porch, a few dF warmer in sun.

Feb. 22 ~ Low was about 64F or so and that only briefly. Great was before 9 a.m. hearing Audubon's Oriole, as we have not had any in yard for at least 6 months, probably more. The exceptional drought seems to have really set them back up here in the hills. It was a pair calling back and forth and at least a couple measures of song were given. Great to hear again! Also great was nearing noon, finally my FOS Turkey Vulture! Thinking of big dinosaurs, time to get your hummingbird feeders ready. The earliest first Black-chinned can return the last week of Feb., and numbers start showing up the first week of March. Saw the Black Rock Squirrel. A few butterflies were out in the heat. In the morn I saw a Checkered White, later an American Lady, couple Sleepy Orange and So. Dogface, and a quick look at what might have been an Orangetip. Local WU stations were at 83-88F, hottest temps likely at sunny stations.

Feb. 21 ~ Got into highest 40's F at low point but was 52 or so by dawn. Great not to be cold, a real treat. After noon another flock of Sandhill Crane was heard passing over. Otherwise the birds were the same. Where is that FOS TV? Must have been a cold winter with fronts making it way south for none to have shown up here yet. Kathy in the morn (and myself in the afternoon) saw a male Black Swallowtail (butterfly), a bit worn, so likely the one seen a couple weeks ago. A couple each So. Dogface and Sleepy Orange. A few butterflies got away.

Feb. 20 ~ Was near 50F at midnight, KERV had upper 40's, but about 57F at the overcast dawn. Got up to about 80F at peak heat, outstanding. We open up and air out. Kathy heard some more cranes after 1 p.m., but just a short burst, as a single flock. She also saw a Queen butterfly. I saw a couple So. Dogface, a Snout, and a few other butterflies that got away. Looked for the first of year TV (Turkey Vulture) and Martin, to no avail so far yet. Kathy saw the Black Rock Squirrel out in the heat of the day. Lots more birdsong going on out there is great.

Feb. 19 ~ Low about 41F, overcast, we are to hit 70F this afternoon. Supposed to be near 80F highs daily for the next week after tomorrow! Bring it on, I am tired of living in long johns. About 1:30 p.m. flocks of Sandhill Crane were going over northbound at around 1000' altitude above ground level. Which was where the clouds were, so we could only see groups when they hit clear spots. In 15 minutes we saw 500-600 go over, probably lots more, and heard twice as many we could not see. I would guess 1500 went over, at minimum. Mostly it was flocks with 75-150 birds, from what we could see. Sounded wonderful for 15 minutes as the call of the wild rode the southerlies north. Saw a few open Agarita flowers. Saw a Duskywing butterfly which appeared a Funereal by my glance. Likely the duskywing Kathy saw a week ago. At dusk Kathy spotted the Gray Fox out back scavenging I presume sunflower seeds. Must be slim pickin's out there now.

Feb. 18 ~ A beautiful electric salmon sunrise through the silhouetted bare trees of the river. I keep saying to myself that I have to bring the camera out first thing to catch some of these. The low of 26F was a bit chilly, and that was before the usual last drop. KERV had 25F. Winds came around to south mid-day but just blew the freezing air back past us. Said to be 54F peak heat but never felt near that. A warm day sure would be a nice treat. Same gang for birds around the yard. I am busy with work on Saturdays now, so barely get to peek around the yard. Thought the southerlies might bring up the first Turkey Vulture, but not yet that I saw.


Here are a few poor pics taken through an old grayed window and screen, of the Javelina that visited our mulch pile this week.




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Feb. 17 ~ Wind stopped sometime last night, was a 24 hour blow. Low was 30F. Sunny and no wind is nice. Nothing different in the yard this morn. Town run. At the 360 x-ing I heard the Marsh Wren, which I first saw on Jan. 20. This provides a very rare over-wintering record here. That is a small patch of cattails to hold it, about 500 sq. ft. maybe? The park continues to be an avian desert. So weird to have that big patch of trees with nothing in it. Little Creek Larry said he had ONE Robin yesterday, our single was here too. He also said at the pond on the creek are some Pintail, Gadwall, and Wigeon, plus one Pied-billed Grebe. He also has a small flock of Inca Dove coming to seed. I see a couple Agarita flowers that may well open in a day, two at most. This on a bush in the shade, so I expect in sunny locations there are flowers out already.

Feb. 16 ~ It was 65F just before midnight last night when the front got here. Blew 15-20 gusting to 30 mph all night, and continued all day. Low about 47F, no rain, dry passage. Got up to about 55F but did not feel like it. Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers foraging for sunflower seeds on patio. Amazing. Grab a couple or few, fly up to Mulberry to wedge into crevices for holding while then drilling open. A few American Goldfinch still around, saw 6 female Red-winged Blackbird in the afternoon. Lincoln's Sparrow still here.

Feb. 15 ~ A low of about 56F was nice. Great not to be cold. Got up to about 82F, the pre-frontal warm-up strikes again. Tomorrow will be windy in the 50's F. It is a rolly coaster of temps here. Lots of birdsong out there early is great to hear. Damp ground is great to see too. After last years bust of a bloom, maybe we get one this year. Saw some butterflies out in the heat. Common Checkered-Skipper, Sleepy Orange, Vesta Crescent, female So. Dogface, and a few that got away. Kathy thought she saw a duskywing blast by. The bird excitement of the day was the FIRST SPRING MIGRANTS I have seen, or in this case heard. Sandhill Cranes going north! GREAT to hear! An avian sign of spring! The Screech-Owl was calling after dark.

Feb. 14 ~ About 57F for a low and some rain overnight! We did not hear it but there was around 11 mm of precip. About seven-sixteenths of an inch, just under a half-inch. It puts us over 2" for the month! We will have a good Agarita bloom in a couple weeks. Calm in a.m. but a post-frontal blow is inbound so very windy today. Warmed up to a blazing 70F though and we got to air out. Birds were the same but lots of Carolina Wren singing was new, including duetting by the pair. Our alarm clock is back in service apparently. Some Cedar Waxwing went through yard. The Golden-fronted Woodpecker is taking some sunflower seeds, so wild food crops and stashes thereof must be fairly depleted. The bluebird gurgling is great to hear too. Did not see a TV (Turkey Vulture) today and scanned a bit a few times. Sharpy diving on stuff all day. Must not be very good at it. Heard a Red-shouldered Hawk calling lots early. Got an email from Llaura Levy and she said there were small groups of Townsend's Solitaire seen on the bird counts at Love Creek, Lost Maples, and other sites up thataway. More toward the top of the plateau where the species seems far more regular than down here in the flatlands of the valley floor. Good birds here anytime you find one. They are far far less than annual for me around Utopia.

Feb. 13 ~ About 38F for a low, KERV was 35F. Calm and overcast early. At least it was not in the lower twenties as last two morns. Another front inbound, tonight, so a warm-up of sorts and strong southerlies later today. Was 10-15 gusting 20mph and higher. Got up to about 65F, enough to air and thaw it all out. Couple dozen each Mourning and White-winged Dove making sure no speck of seed goes uneaten. Couple Red-winged Blackbird and a couple Black Vulture. If we would have a nice day I am sure we would see the vultures doing some pair bond flight display by now. Turkey Vulture should be back any day. Got an email from Syliva Hilbig, and they had a Vermilion Flycatcher winter at their place. A great record in winter, and a tough bird! She also has seen a Spotted Towhee, her first there in a few years. I had to confess I am not seeing them the last few years here as well. They have been far more scarce than they were. Thanks for the news!

Feb. 12 ~ A toasty 24F here before sunup this morn, KERV had 26F. Still winter. Stayed chilly all morn, peak heat was maybe 55F later afternoon. About 10 Cedar Waxwing around briefly. A couple Red-winged Blackbird around. A handful of Field, besides a hundred Chipping, and one Lincoln's Sparrow. I hear the Bluebirds gurgling out by their box. Saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, likely the one that has been around all winter, almost daily in or heard from yard. If you enjoy taking pleasure in the small things, Kinglets might be right for you!

Feb. 11 ~ We had a low of 22F here, and it looked below that line to my sleepy eyes before sunup. The cold air sinks in the valley, starting south of town. The south half of the valley up to town has much lower lows than the upper half north of town. And we get it good here. Warmed nicely though, to about 62F or so, sunny, felt great. In biz now Sat. is cutoff day for next weeks orders so I am at the desks.

Had a few Red-winged Blackbird and the Lincoln's Sparrow. Something green got away at the bath that looked most like an Orange-crowned Warbler, though I have not seen one all winter. We had one that wintered (through the yard daily) at least two years here, just like a male Pine Warbler did once. Barely any Myrtle Warbler this winter. At least a couple dozen each Mourning and White-winged Dove. At end of day the one Robin was over in the draw squawking.

apologies, may have used this pic a long time ago...

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Feb. 10 ~ About 42F for a low. The front and winds arrived last night, are still blowing, now 10-20 mph gusting to 30, and will blow all day. Chills are in lower 30's F. Chilly. And the seed disappeared like magic. Town run day fer stuff. One Belted Kingfisher seeming the same female on spillway at park was the only thing I saw, besides Frankenduck. Too windy, everything is hunkered down. Sharpy made a couple dives on stuff here. Heard a snippetlet of Field Sparrow song, just one measure. Winds supposed to lay down tonight, which means cold in the morning.

Feb. 9 ~ We were about 31F or so for a low. KERV had 29F briefly. Chilly but sunny, and the wind mostly stopped. After midnight last night at last listen besides the pair of Great Horned Owl there was Eastern Screech-Owl calling. Peaceful and quiet, no chainsaw today. A couple Red-winged Blackbird came in early. Lots of Titmouse song, as well as the Bluebirds at their usual box out front. Got up to a wonderful 70F in the blue-sky afternoon. Another front arrives tonight, but will be dry, just a big blower, through all day tomorrow. Was swamped at desk inside.

Feb. 8 ~ Low maybe 45F. The northerlies with the front got here in the evening last night finally. The rain which we were lucky enough to get was about 2-3 a.m. or so, with thunder. About 32mm, a whopping 1.25"! A quick line of thundercells was all it took. GREAT to see! Perfect timing for Agarita and Redbud just about to start blooming. Add the five-eighths from the 1st and 2nd and we are just an eighth under 2" for normally dry February! By late morn sun started showing, but the NW winds blowing and chilly. Was too busy with work inside, thankfully. Another day with lots of chainsaw over in the corral until the afternoon. Two Robin, some Red-winged Blackbird, and two Myrtle Warbler went through late nearing dusk. Besides the usual bunch of feathers.

Feb. 7 ~ Stayed about 62F all night. Balmy southerly Gulf flow. Overcast, nearing fog, and chances of precip. Some mist, maybe a couple hundredths of an inch. Chainsaw guy is back mid-morn, they took out single big old climax Mesquite and a Juniper. Biggun's. Hate to see them go. Making space for an xl water tank. Same gang for birds here. It is the proverbial winter drought doldrums. When good food crops (fruit, nut and seed primarily) winter can be pretty good, fun, and interesting for birds. In an extreme drought regimen for years consecutive, they get pretty dull and bad.

Feb. 6 ~ Was about 47F at midnight, 57F at dawn. With fog-mist, the air is dripping. Might have hit 70 at peak afternoon heat when some brief bitlets of sun. It is the balmy southerly Gulf flow regime now until the next front. Nice was 15 Robin mid-morn since so few this winter. Lincoln's Sparrow still out front in stick piles the sparrows love. Was a chainsaw going over in corral so a bit noisy today, worked at the desk inside. Might be some rain tomorrow in front of the next inbound system. We hope.

Feb. 5 ~ Low of 31F, it froze. All day yesterday NOAA had KERV for a low of 41, and they too saw 31F. Off by a category again. Remarkable. They are nothing if not consistent. Worked on things here all day. Saw the Sharp-shinned Hawk dive on everything and miss twice by noon. It was the same gang of birds. Lots more birdsong though, Cardinal and Titmouse in particular are getting going. It got up to a glorious 70F, so we opened up and aired it out after being shut in all week due to cold. Tomorrow is 90 seconds longer photoperiod than today, so we are adding daylength at a great clip now, ten minutes in the next week. And just a month from Golden-cheeked Warblers he dreamed.

Feb. 4 ~ About 36F and dense fog in the morn. Heard a Turkey gobbling at dawn. Cold and wet all day, fog cleared noonish, made it up to about 52F late in day, still damp and chilly. Nothing different for birds, did have the Lincoln's Sparrow again. I had office biz work so not out in the chill much. It is supposed to warm up Sunday and Monday, finally. Maybe have a little lookabout tomorrow.


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Feb. 3 ~ A chilly 30F for a low, but today we finally warm up out of the freeze. Sun and everything. In the afternoon it had to have been a blazin' 60F. Sooo good to open up and warm up. There were 8-10 Robin at the birdbath mid-morn, after 10 a.m. I heard some Red-winged Blackbird chucks in the trees. Amazing how dead the roadsides are. Went for a town run. About 25 Ring-necked Duck on the pond are neat to watch. Again it looked like it was the Ceratophyllum they were eating. Which is spindly as can be this time of year. Ours is the spindliest type of them all to begin with, even in summer, and in winter, they are just spindle. Still nothing in the woods is not so neat. Soon leaves and life will return. A hundred and change on the Chipping Sparrow count here.

Feb. 2 ~ Some showerlets and even thunder overnight, just over freezing so no ice here. Fourth day hovering around freezing, though supposed to break 40F in the afternoon, finally. This has been a brutal cold spell with lots of central Texas getting ice and power outages. We're lucky to just be freezin'. Appears another quarter of an inch fell so five-eighths total after the three-eighths yesterday. About 16mm or so. Anything is great at our D3 stage of drought. The ten or so Red-winged Blackbird are back for seed. A couple dozen White-winged Dove, and as many Mourning. A hundred Chipping Sparrow. Poof the seed magically disappears. Was basking in the smokin' 46F or so in the afternoon. At 3 p.m. KERV was showing 40F with 15 mph+ winds and a 33F chill. Did have two Robin late in afternoon.

February 1 ~ OMG the second month already? I didn't catch up with the first one yet! Day three hugging the freeze line, has rained a little lightly, so over 32F, but cold and wet. Looks like a little bit of precip to measure, will check at end of day. Just holding steady at not very nice out there. Hopefully tomorrow we will see something more than a dF or two above or below freezing. Poured extra seed but you can hardly tell. It does not last long. Nothing different in the roster of partcipants except late in day it was about 10 Red-winged Blackbird, one female, the rest males. Looks like about 1 cm or three-eighths of an inch of precip as of dark.

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This will be quick. We finished the month freezing, but most of it was on the mildish side. About .65 for rain is on the dry side below normal. As for the beasties, there were no odes (dragonflies) seen as expected. Butterflies were 15 species, plus a couple more glimpsed that got away. All but a handful were worn leftovers from last year. Birds continue to be very depressed in numbers presumedly due to lack of food crops due to drought. A Marsh Wren along the river (20th +) was vying for the best bird, I have only seen a couple in winter here. At the park, the woods remain vacuously empty of landbirds. The pond has up to 45 Ring-necked Duck on it off and on. Outstanding was the return this winter of a Long-eared Owl along the river heard at least weekly all month near our place. I count about 50 species of birds I saw over the month. Little Creek Larry saw a handful of sps. I did not. What appeared a Long-tailed Weasel might have been the best beast of the month.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!   January ~ I am again hearing a Long-eared Owl around our place semi-regularly the last month. It appears the bird has returned for another winter. There is no public access here, so please don't even think about it. Sorry. Keep yer ears, eyes, and minds, open though. A Marsh Wren along the river at the 360 x-ing is a rare winter record. Up to 45 Ring-necked Duck have been on the park pond lately. A 4 day winter freeze event began on Jan. 30 and lasted to the morn of Feb. 3!

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Jan. 31 ~ Still flat-lining around freezing, about 30F or so, still with light breeze and frozen fog or mist on it. It is cold and wet. Extra seed rations, hardly seeming to make a dent. Surely a hundred Chipping Sparrow here now. At 3 p.m. KERV was showing 29F with 13 mph north winds and a chill factor of 19F. We had more wind than that, 15mph with gusts to near 20. The chills are in teens out there. Will be inside. Saw about 10 Brewer's Blackbird up in the big Pecan one visit outside. Late in day Kathy saw the one female Red-winged Blackbird that has visited on coldest days. The rest all looked the same through my watering eyes.

Jan. 30 ~ The northerlies and cold air began arriving later last night. Maybe 37F or so for a low, but misting and with light northerlies on it. Forecast is a deterioration of conditions (a two day Winter Weather Warning is in effect), and no warm up for three days. Another one of those 3 days of winter events. If we are lucky we will get some precip. At noon KERV was showing 32F and fog-mist. Was about the same here. Did I say lovely yet? This wasn't what it showed in the Chamber of Commerce brochures. May well have been a hundred Chipping Sparrow. Was the most we have seen so far this winter. A handful of Field too. In afternoon it was a dF or two over freezing with mist and breeze on it, so did not feel that warm (freezing). I see the record hi-lo temp spread for SAT for today is Zero and 85F, which amazes me.

Jan. 29 ~ Flatlined about 56F overnight. Humid and near-fog in the morn. A bit of mist-drizzle, a couple hundredths. A strong cold front is inbound this evening, so the last warm day, and a big warmup. Great to be able to open it all up though as the next three days there won't be any of that. A winter storm-watch starts tomorrow. One of the local WU stations was showing 80F! We were about 76F here, felt outstanding. The birds were the same gang of dependents. Nothing different. Saw a couple each Sleepy Orange and Southern Dogface butterflies, and one each Gulf Fritillary and Red Admiral. That will be the last of them for the month. The SAT record hi-lo temps for today are 5F and 89F! Whadda spread!

Jan. 28 ~ Continued coolish but not cold. Ran about 47F to 60F for a temp spread. Front supposed to arrive tomorrow. The birds were the same. Except, lots of song from Mourning Dove for the first time this year. Several were going at it, and at least 20 were here. As many White-winged Dove as well. Lots of dove, and repeated Accipiter visits. Whence everything flushes and it is quiet for an hour or two. Fair number of House Finch about, over a dozen. Saw a few Cedar Waxwing go through, and heard one Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Pair of Great Horned Owl duetting after dark is nice. Some Yellow Wood-sorrel is blooming out front.


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Jan. 27 ~ Low around freezing but surely hit upper 20's in the wee hours overnight as KERV did. Overcast and chilly. Must be an accipiter about, it was very bird-quiet outside in the morning. Town run to see if I can afford eggs this week. Thinking about getting Kathy chickens for Valentine's Day. ;)  Still nothing in the woods at the park, pitiful. Eerie to see it so birdless for so long. One Great Blue Heron on the spillway, and at least 45 Ring-necked Duck on the pond. Not having much to watch for birds lately, I did for 15 minutes and finally I got a couple looks and it appeared vegetation that they had in their beaks. I have seen them in years past getting those introduced non-native small Asian Clams. Maybe they cleared them all out? Anyway one bit I saw well enough looked like a strand of Ceratophyllum, aka Hornwort, hanging down. At Rosie's for tacos there was a rain puddle behind her place with Waxwings coming down to drink. There were at least 50, plus at least two Robin were with them.

Jan. 26 ~ Well it froze, maybe about 30F. KERV had the same. Got up to 55F. Wintry. Nothing new and different that I saw. But was working inside all day. Chipping Sparrow, Cardinal, House Finch, Carolina Chickadee and Black-crested Titmouse are probably the most oftseen birds. Ladder-backed Woodpecker is around alot but likely only 2 birds. Heard Eastern Bluebird way out front by box again. About 10 p.m. the Long-eared Owl was calling over by the river, and again after midnight.

Jan. 25 ~ Low about 31F, a barely freeze. Might have gotten up to about 56F, which is a little below normal. Was swamped at the desk so not much looking around outside. Plus when it is cold I tend to work better nearer heat. Did have 10 American Goldfinch. But the rest was the same cast of charcters. Starting next month we get the first migrants returning. Can't wait. One of the early returners is Turkey Vulture. Their average return date used to be Valentine's Day, but last few years some have shown up a bit earlier. The bulk of our local population still arrives the 3rd and 4th weeks of February.

Jan. 24 ~ Rain! It was about 45F for a low and maybe got up to 57F or so. The rain got here before dawn and lasted an hour or two. Total was about 15-16mm, about five-eighths of an inch. Outstanding, we need it badly. Especially those two earliest bloomers Agarita and Redbud need water now, they are just a couple or few weeks from starting blooming. There was a Golden-crowned Kinglet in the big Pecan early in morn. Love hearing them, it means I can still hear. Otherwise it was the same gang. Too much to do at the desk.

Jan. 23 ~ It was around 35F about midnight, and clear, but clouds moved in at dawn when it was more like 40F. Nothing new for birds, same old stuff. I am seeing the new green leafage of Anemone flowers sprouting. Last year we had only a few bloom it was so dry. We have to wait to see if they will bloom this year. Water and warmth are the two triggers. Might have neared 60F for a high, but a cold front is inbound by tomorrow a.m., supposed to get some rain.

Jan. 22 ~ Clear with a low about 31F. KERV showed a 29F. Chilly. The imm. Sharpy dove on everything early and missed thrice. We checked the crossing and saw what likely is our one Robin, a Lincoln's Sparrow, which is amazingly scarce along river in winter, and one Myrtle Warbler. Kathy spotted a male Black Swallowtail puddling at riveredge, and a couple Red Admiral. She also saw a Duskywing which I only glimpsed but Funereal is the only type I have ever seen in winter months. It had a nice white fringe and was mostly all dark and mint fresh. We also checked the golf course pond by Waresville. It had a couple dozen Red-winged Blackbird and that was it. One Kestrel on the golf course. At the corral on other side of river there were some Brewer's and Red-winged Blackbird, 2 Starling, and I had a glimpse of what looked a female Rusty Blackbird. They sure were ginchy though. About 10 p.m. I heard the Long-eared Owl over at the river, and again just after midnight it called more.

Jan. 21 ~ Low about 50F and overcast. Cleared out in afternoon as a system to the north moved east. Got up to about 70F and pretty nice out. Was too busy with work at the desk to even look around much. Did not see anything new or different. Several Field Sparrow out back, and saw the Lincoln's Sparrow still here. It is the first one we have had stay and stick in yard for the winter here. Prior, they had been strictly passage birds in spring and fall, like Clay-colored Sparrow. I think indicitive of how poor the seed crops are this year. Three white millet seed tosses a day is a pretty sure thing. Wonder if it will ever get less ginchy? They are suprisingly hard to find along the river in the grasses in winter here, most areas won't have any.


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Jan. 20 ~ Low about 50F, and maybe got up to about 60F. On the chilly side. At the 360 x-ing I saw a Marsh Wren, just missed a pic of it. Only have a couple winter records for them here. Pretty sure I heard a Swamp Sparrow there as well, likely what I glimpsed a week ago. That or a Black Phoebe was down in the cattails on the ground. Also thought I heard a Pine Warbler high up in the Cypresses with some Chickadee and Titmouse. Nothing at the park or in town. Here at the house had the Robin and 20 plus waxwing. Saw what looked a Merlin take a waxwing out of the air. Don't know what else could have done that. Also saw Vesta Crescent and So. Dogface in butterflies.

Jan. 19 ~ Clear and about 40F before sunup. I see KERV though after 2 a.m. had a 33F (!) then some 35s rising to about 40 by sunup. The 10 or so American Goldfinch are here for sunflower seed first thing. The rest all looked the same. Maybe holding steady at about 75 Chipping Sparrow. Not a heavy load this winter, which is fine. Second winter straight with no Pine Siskin. Good for them, it means there were probably good food crops for them up north somewhere. Saw a few of the same butterlies again.

Jan. 18 ~ Flatlined in low 60's F overnight. The front got here between 7-8 a.m. might have briefly dipped to 59F, and blew much of the day. Got up to about 75F though. Amazing was a fresh female Black Swallowtail. Have seen a few emerge over the years in early in Jan. after a few warm days. Nothing to eat or mate with. Genetic dead-ends. A Gulf Fritillary also looked fresh and mint. Just like when flowers bloom too soon, it freezes, then no fruit. These abnormal temp changes totally foul up the circadian clocks and rhythms of nature. Also saw my first Bumblebee of the year out, also very unusual in January and another example of the same thing. Birds were the same gang. The single Robin continues to stop by. The female Red-winged Blackbird came by as well. Huge flocks of one each.

Jan. 17 ~ Low about 43F or so, mostly sunny early. Another warm day ahead of a front arriving tomorrow afternoon. Likely dry just with wind. Got up to 80F or so in the afternoon. A few butterflies came by to the water. A Vesta Crescent looked new and fresh. Not the others: a Snout, a Cloudless and a Dainty Sulphur, a Little Yellow and a Sleepy Orange, and a So. Dogface. Heavy on last year's leftover Pierids this time of year. Birds were the same. Heard some Brewer's Blackbird over at other end of corral. It is dismal out there folks. I think today was the day we got to adding an entire full minute of photoperiod to the daylight daily now. We are about 15 min. longer daylength than a month ago at solstice.

Jan. 16 ~ Was about 55F or so about 2 a.m. but by dawn about 58F and rising. Overcast, was clear around midnight. I am strongly leaning towards trying to honor National Nothing Day with all the nothing I cannot muster. We are stuck in a winter drought doldrums rut out there for birds. Heard a Belted Kingfisher over at the river. The rest all looked and sounded the same. Saw a few of the same butterflies in the 80F peak heat. Did the cutting back of all the Lantanas.

Jan. 15 ~ Low about 45F, we were a few dF lower than KERV. Sunny early, some clouds mid-morn became solid overcast by afternoon, despite the mostly sunny claims by NOAA for the area. Got up to maybe 68F, a bit breezy. Not hot or cold anyway, but we are parched here. Saw a Variegated Fritillary which was likely the one glimpsed last week. Birds were the same, the Robin still stopping up top of the big Pecan. Otherwise the same gang. Winter is much like summer for having the same set of birds around daily. Except without all the diversity, insectivores, pretty ones, and wonderful singing. The relentless drought regimen much reduces the normal populations. So it is not like what I would call normal or usual.

Jan. 14 ~ Low I saw was 26F, before peak drop. KERV had a 24F! NOAA had them for 34F until late late last night, off by a category all day to early evening yesterday. Everyone was asleep by time they dropped it to 30 for a low at late-thirty when it was already that. People may not have planned for a hard freeze because NOAA, and it did, again for the upmteenth time. You simply cannot trust them on lows in the winter after fronts pass. The lone Robin was squawkin' up top of the big Pecan mid morn. Dozen Am. Goldfinch almost as many House Finch. Some Cardinal song is nice to hear, and my they are bright red again.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Jan. 13 ~ Happy Friday the 13th! Low was about 28F. That was what KERV had, and a local WU station with 29F is always warmer than we are. Once the sun came up the frozen condensation started melting off the roof. You don't want to take one of those drops down the back of the neck first thing early. Ran to town fer shtuff. About 15 Ring-necked Duck at the park, nothing else but one Belted Kingfisher. Little Creek Larry said he had a Downy Woodpecker at his place this week, and saw a Rat Snake cross the road right in front of him. Early to see one of those out. He also said he too heard Leopard Frog two nights ago, and said it was the first time he ever heard one in winter. Me too. One waxwing and two Robin in town. Nothing different here at the hovelita.

Jan. 12 ~ Was about 60F at midnight, 52 at dawn with 10-20 mph northerlies, another dry frontal passage. Sure be nice if we got a wet one. Was coolish and windy all day, supposed to be about freezing tomorrow morn. For birds it was the same gang out there today, nothing different. Was too busy working inside too. The American Goldfinch and House Finch are making short work of the sunflower seed I toss. Which at the dollar per pound of the last year is not nearly as much as it was when it was .50 cents per pound. Hey but the sunflower seed people are doing well!

Jan. 11 ~ Low about 47F or so, clear but some low stratus arriving after sunup for a bit. Last night after midnight, I heard the Long-eared Owl over by the river. The one Robin and some waxwing were here in morn. Had to run to town early. Around Hackberries on Cypress St. in front of park some Robin, waxwing, and Bluebird, a small group anyway. On park pond were 30 Ring-necked Duck. One Great Blue Heron was roosted on a Cypress snag. At the 360 x-ing a small sparrow jumped and flew a short bit before dropping back down in the cattails and proceeded to never came back out. My impression was that it was a Swamp Sparrow. New butterfly for year was a N. Mestra, would guess the one we had around late December.

Jan. 10 ~ Low about 45F, sunny by mid-morn. The Eastern Bluebird are making some noise way out front by the box the pair always uses. I presume it is them again. Time to do any nestbox service you need to, our residents get back at it early, some scouting already. After 1 p.m. I sprayed some water around. There were no butterflies when I did. In the next 10 minutes I saw singles of: male Dogface, Red Admiral, Dainty Sulphur, Sleepy Orange, Snout, and a Vesta Crescent, all come in to it. Got up to a blazin' 80F in the afternoon heat, and dry, so very nice really. Except the general lack of birds. After 10 p.m. I was outside and a Leopard Frog was calling! I do not recall ever hearing one in January. Two days with 80F highs and it came out. Amazing.

Jan. 9 ~ I think we were about 40F, though see KERV had some upper 30's. Just two months to Golden-cheeked Warblers! No freeze or rain on the ten-day still, we need water badly here. Another dry day up to about 72F, amazingly nice. Love not burnin' BTU's in winter. It was pretty quiet out there today for birds. The usual sparrows (most Chipping), Chickadee, Titmouse, Cardinal, some White-winged and Mourning Dove, but slow. Must be some accipiters hiding out there. We both saw the Snout around again.

Jan. 8 ~ Low about 45F, clearing around sunup. Dry, got up to about 72F, chamber of commerce weather. In butterflies I thought sure I saw a Queen blast past, and a probable Variegated Fritillary shot by too. Quick looks. Good looks at Red Admiral, Gulf Fritillary, Snout, probably all the same individuals that have been here. Birds were the same, I didn't see anything different. A few American Goldfinch. Can't believe we do not have a yard Hermit Thrush this winter. I would guess due to the poor juniper berry crop. Did hear a Turkey gobble at dawn.

Leaf-cutter-Harvester type big red ants have been out lots in the warmth, have been dosing a few holes a few days now. They love white millet, there must be a ton underground here by now. If you apply the poison properly down their holes, it feels just like pouring money into a hole in the ground.

Jan. 7 ~ Low about 62F or so, some showerlets early, a few hundredths of an inch was all we saw. Enough to dampen the ground, no dust for a day. Got up to about 72F at peak afternoon heat. Dry, wonderful. Birds were the same gang as far as I could tell. It's winter. Did see a Gulf Fritillary which was likely the one Kathy saw yesterday. Harvested a chigger whilst tossing seed out back. At no season are you totally safe. The price we pay for the mild last two weeks is January chiggers.


~ ~ ~ last prior update below ~ ~ ~

Jan. 6 ~ Looking at KERV data, at 3 a.m. it was clear and 38F, at 8 a.m. it was 58F and foggy. The southerly gulf flow got here. About 6:50 a.m. I heard the Long-eared Owl call twice from over by the river. The White-winged Dove numbered about 25 birds this morn, the most so far this winter. Maybe 20 Mourning Dove at one flushing of them. Heard the Lincoln's and saw at least one probably two White-crowned Sparrow. Besides the lots of Chipping and few Field. Got up to the mid-70's F. Benign is fine.

The beast of the day will remain a mystery. At last crack of light I was out at the back west end of 360 a mile and change away, and a small mammal ran across the dirt road right in front of me. So close I lost sight of it behind hood before it was all the way across the road. I just got a glimpse in the car headlights at 5-10 mph. It was long and low. The size roughly of a Black Rock Squirrel, not quite as thickly built, faster, no bouncy gait, real smooth moves, like liquid, and dark above. I saw no details in the two seconds I saw it. Of course squirrels are strictly diurnal and we can rule them out at the last sliver of light. What is left? I think about the only candidate here is that it was a Long-tailed Weasel. Which I have not seen one of in 19+ years here. Living around them and not seeing them is easy though. Have done that all my life and maybe have seen ten. Though I do have some experience with the species. Had one once as a pet as a kid. A pet you could not pet. It was a parental idea not mine! I wanted the unicorn. They said the yard wasn't big enough. Though, I really did like him, and now can ID them by smell. It was like keeping Piranah, a rattlesnake, a Stonefish, and a Blue-ringed Octopus. All of which I went on to keep later in life. I think the weasel was the gateway critter that led to more dangerous ones. Careful what you let yer kids play with. Anyway, my impression of the beastie was that it was a Long-tailed Weasel. And yes I have seen them before.

Jan. 5 ~ Way colder than progged, we and KERV both had 34F. Off by near a category. The dry and mild sure is nice. Saw 75F in the afternoon. Went to town early again this week. On Thursdays there are lots less primates on the streets and in the businesses. Saw one Ring-necked Duck at the park pond, Little Creek Larry said 18 was the count early morn. He also said still some Gadwall and Wigeon over on his creek where the pond. Not a bird in the park woods. In main park live-oaks a small group of Chickadee and Titmouse had nothing else with them. Some Field Sparrow were at the 360 crossing. Slow goin'. The one loyal Robin continues daily at our place as all the others have left. Last winter same thing happened, they came in, all but one left when most easy berries gone. The one that stayed did so until spring, and was in yard in a.m. and near dusk daily, exactly as this one currently is. Cannot help but wonder if it is the same Robin. Saw a S. Dogface and a Dainty Sulphur, the Snout and a Sleepy Orange. Kathy had a quick look at what appeared a Gulf Fritillary. It was orange and shaped right.

Jan. 4 ~ It was about 44F at midnight and 55F by dawn. Heard one hoot from one-hoot last night about midnight. A dry 72F on the front porch was nice in the afternoon. Saw maybe 15 White-winged Dove in one departure event. About 10 American Goldfinch were about a bit. About 20 Cedar Waxwing still showing up. Saw the Snout (butterfly) and a Sleepy Orange again. The rest all seemed the same gang. Heard a White-winged Dove give an anemic bit of songish sounds. It was either its first time or it forgot how to do it. Heard a Cardinal sing a bit too. Great Horned Owl pair still calling after dark.

Jan. 3 ~ About 50F for a low, overcastish. Heard Turkey gobble a couple times just before 7 a.m., first of that in a couple months. For some reason they seem to go quiet about mid-November. Partly sunny, got up to about 74F or so in the afternoon. The birds were the same. A couple new butterflies were a Red Admiral and a Cloudless Sulphur. A big dark one got away that was surely a Pipevine Swallowtail. You try to scrape up everything you can early in the month as by later last years' leftovers will mostly have expired and become dearly departed.

Jan. 2 ~ Flatlined at 65F all night, and you guessed it, foggy. About 6:45 a.m. I heard one-hoot, the Long-eared Owl, call once. Wasn't far away. Got to upper 70's F in the afternoon. Saw a Snout and Sleepy Orange for butterflies. The birds looked all the same, did not see anything different. Heard the Lincoln's Sparrow out there still in the stick piles. It seems to be wintering in the yard. Seed is tossed around edges of several big stick piles, this is a particularly skulky individual. Usually they tame-up when attending a seed toss for over a month. Had a small flock of White-winged Dove, of about a dozen.

January 1, 2023 ~ Aaaaand we're off! KERV had a couple 39F readngs, we were about 42F for a low. Chilly but not freezing, fine. Great was mid-morn hearing a Roadrunner SING! First of that since late last summer. Uphill of the corral behind the little old red barn at back of clearing, the same as always spot. Have not seen it around, have seen a few grasshoppers here and there which are a major winter prey item (besides Chipping Sparrow) for them here when few lizards out. In the afternoon it hit 80F! Weewow! Saw my first butterfly of the year, an Orange Sulphur, followed quickly by a Sleepy Orange or two. Must be some accipiters hiding in the trees as the bird activity was much supressed all afternoon.


~ ~ Above is 2023 ~ below is 2022 ~ ~


~ ~ ~ 2022 Summary (long) ~ ~ ~

Well 2022 was not very normal with the continuing pandemic, its economy and gas prices, the drought, and a lack of a running river. We did not mix much out there, kinda layin' on the low. We stayed within 5 miles of town all year, and again did not drive 1000 miles. Homo sapiens sedentarius here. Must be at least nine of 10 years of 1000 miles of driving or less now, barely breaking it one year. We did not even do Lost Maples this year, which is fairly astounding to me too. The only bird I am fairly sure to miss from that is Canyon Wren. There are a few others easiest there, but usually that is the one big fairly sure to miss species.

In some regards the extreme degree of the drought depressed biology here makes it not worth the time (and money) to cruise the roads. Every time we did, we could not find anything. Over and over and over. I have never seen it so dead out there. Empty pastures, hedgerows, and woodlots, the park, and dying trees are everywhere. We have been doing lots of other work, some of which you will even get to see here. Like the long overdue overhaul to the buttefly photos pages we just completed.

Most of the year here was spent in D4 (exceptional) drought, pulling up to D2 (severe with long-term effects) later in fall, back to D3 at end of year. Most of the year there was no river above town, and no water going over spillway at the park pond. We could not swim at our local deepwater hole with bedrock bottom! Had water but was not turning over enough and too warm. It was one of the couple worst flower blooms in two decades. Fruit, nut, and seed crops were poor at best, again. Many plants did not even sprout, or only barely came up. For instance there was essentially no understory in the park woods where usually lush and knee high or better. Also no riverside Frostweed patches. My two favorite groups of watchable beasties here, birds and insects were exceedingly reduced in numbers and often just plain hard to find.

I think the 35 species of Odes (dragon and damselflies) is the worst annual total ever for me here in 19 seasons of recording that. I have probably hit that in a good day here back when it was good ode times. In the good ode days. Many sps. were just a very few seen too. Several formerly common and regular things were missing completely. Like Rubyspot damselflies. None. Wow. Keep in mind odes had never recovered from the prior 7 year exceptional drought, not to mention, OK I will, the Rainbow Trout. Which are bad for odes. See the Ode News page for some specifics about 2022 hits and misses. There were no rarities seen this year. No Comet or Turquoise-tipped Darner.

Butterflies were just a little better than odes. They were a record tying low of 68 species for the year. We spent all fall constantly checking our planted patch of flowers here, which were better than the deco gardens and butterfly garden at the library in town (which is ridiculous!). After a weak spring bloom, there was virtually nothing blooming in natural areas until after the late Aug. rains. But which was too late to do very much for the fall bloom like sprout Frostweed. In fall there was pretty good (hourly) coverage, at our planted flower patch. Monthly species diversity totals in the teens (!!!) much of the spring and summer through August were excruciating. No rains, no flowers, no bugs. Water is life.

There were no major rarity butterflies seen, and nothing new added to the local list. The best we mustered was a handful of the LTA - less than annual, species. See the Butterfly News page for more specifics on the hits and misses of 2022. As for other bugs and buggish critters... Hardly any fireflies or other beetles as well. Only one Zopherus, two Eyed Elaterid, a couple Cerambycids, a couple Cicindellids, etc., ad. infinitum. Moths were scarce at porch lights, and so on. Never saw it this bad for bugs here. Several formerly common or regular species were unseen. As an aside since not insects, spiders were conspicuously absent as well. Right when I start to get interested in them I can hardly find any.

Birds were tough to come by this year. Both spring and fall migrations were lackluster at best. The usually very common migrants were barely, if, common. In drought times, the birds just keep on going. The nesting season seemed to have very low productivity. Most clutches seemed to be only one or two young fledged. Things like Scissor-tailed Flycatcher seemed to come in and leave, going somewhere else to nest this year, no doubt due to lack of bugs. Far fewer swifts, swallows and martins as well. No flying bugs. Fall migration is not exactly gangbusters here, and it was very slow, even when compared to normal slowness. What may have been the second best bird of the year was at the park in late November. A small gull was reported on the pond for a few days. Unfortunately I did not get the word until gone. It sounded like it was a Bonaparte's Gull, as reported.

Here is a run through the year of avian highlights... A bunch of times in winter I heard a Long-eared Owl nearby, but was never able to find it visually. Little Creek Larry had an Eastern Towhee much of Feb. at his place, a good bird here. An influx of the western Gambell's White-crowned Sparrow was good in our yard. Three in Feb. became at least six by the end of March, most I have ever seen at once here. A huge flight of American Golden-Plover passing overhead in the dark at 00:30 on March 30 was likely hundreds of birds. A few decent (LTA) passerines were seen in spring migration. Veery and Gray-cheeked Thrush were at UP Apr. 22nd. There was a flood of Painted Bunting this year all the locals noticed, we had 16 males at once in our yard, third week of April. A 3-day Brewer's Sparrow April 20-22 was very good here in the yard. An Ovenbird at UP the 23rd was the first in a few years. Nice was a male Chestnut-sided Warbler April 24. May highlights were a few birds in the yard. A Philadelphia Vireo May 3, and a N. Paraque on May 13 were great. Also good was a calling Alder Flycatcher on May 21, and a calling Yellow-bellied Flycatcher May 25. Fairly oddly the bird of the year was in June, when the morning of the 16th there was a LIMPKIN calling from over at the river for 10 minutes. There was a big invasion across the E. U.S. this year with ten or more states getting new first records of them. A pair of Couch's Kingbird were in the area here late April to early July, but seemed to be moving around too much to be nesting. Apparently a pair of Tropical Parula nested at Lost Maples SNA this June. The first we know of that locally. Nearishby down in Uvalde a family group of Clay-colored Thrush seems to confirm a new furthest north known nesting of them, by more than a hundred miles, nearing two hundred. In late August there was a big major rain event, finally, of six or so inches. A few Yellow-crowned Night-Heron were reported at UP, I only saw one imm., but two plus an adult were reported in August. Aug. 18 was my first ever August Black-headed Grosbeak here. An ad. male Calliope Hummingbird was here Aug. 19, a female or imm. Sept. 5-8. Only one Broad-tailed Hummingbird this fall, imm. or female. Maybe a half-dozen Rufous Hummingbird over the fall. A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on Sept. 7 was good in yard. In October I heard what I am sure was a Green-tailed Towhee but since my first here not counting a heard bird for that. I waited this long. Only one each Mourning Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler all fall, but two Am. Redstart and the usual single Catbird. Did I mention how weak passage was in fall? Slim pickin's. Park woods were dead. No understory, no bugs. Morris Killough got phone photos of an Am. Woodcock right off Main St. in Utopia on Nov. 13.

When you add it all up there was lots of neat stuff seen, and lots of very interesting records, despite it being a way off year. With way off normal coverage, though I have always been a 'think global, bird local' kinda guy. Lots of stuff was missing is probably the bigger story, but harder to figure it out to tell. I count about 170 species of birds seen within a few miles of town in 2022. Bearable considering the lack of big water, and since there were some good neat things amongst it.

We have to wait until next growing season to see which trees have lived, and which birds and bugs start to come back. Here's to hopin' the rain returns!

~ ~ ~ end 2022 Summary ~ ~ ~

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Index page with links to all 'Old Bird News' pages ...

Bird News Archives Index

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Links to last decade of old bird news pages below,
broken into six month increments. One day I'll quarter it
out by season as well, so all years of each season are
together, perhaps making say, searching springs easier.


Odd numbered archives are January through June.
Even numbered archives are July through December
(except a couple when the split missed, probably due
to excessive amount of drivel in spring).



Bird News Archive XXXVIII
July 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022

Bird News Archive XXXVII
January 1, 2022 - June 30, 2022

Bird News Archive XXXVI
July 1, 2021 - Dec. 31, 2021

Bird News Archive XXXV
January 1, 2021 - June 30, 2021

Bird News Archive XXXIV
July 1, 2020 - Dec. 31, 2020

Bird News Archive XXXIII
January 1, 2020 - June 30, 2020

Bird News Archive XXXII
July 1, 2019 - Dec. 31, 2019

Bird News Archive XXXI
January 1, 2019 - June 30, 2019

Bird News Archive XXX
July 1, 2018 - Dec. 31, 2018

Bird News Archive XXIX
January 1, 2018 - June 30, 2018

Bird News Archive XXVIII
July 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017

Bird News Archive XXVII
January 1, 2017 - June 30, 2017

Bird News Archive XXVI
July 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

Bird News Archive XXV
January 1, 2016 - June 30, 2016

Bird News Archive XXIV
July 1, 2015 - Dec. 31, 2015

Bird News Archive XXIII
January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015

Bird News Archive XXII
July 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014

Bird News Archive XXI
January 1, 2014 - June 30, 2014

Bird News Archive XX
July 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013

Bird News Archive XIX
January 1, 2013 - June 30, 2013

Index page with links to all 'Old Bird News' pages ...

Bird News Archives Index

Go, look, see, take notes and pictures, boldly nature nerd where no one has before. Few things rival the thrill of discovery. Besides having fun and learning, you will probably see some things people won't believe without photos.  ;)
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