Southwestern Flyer - January 2006
The newsletter of the Fort Worth Audubon Society

PRESIDENT’S PEN
By Lynn Barber

CHANGES TO NEWSLETTER

First, as you have probably figured out, in recent months we have had a number of problems getting the FWAS newsletter out. The board had originally decided to cut back on paper newsletters due to the cost of putting them out. Then it looked like we were going to go back to monthly paper newsletters due to receipt of unexpected funds from our good friends at Lockheed, when our newsletter editor had some very bad health news. He has just requested to be relieved from his Audubon board responsibilities for a few months, due to the disruption in his life caused by these physical problems. Most of the usual newsletter information is available here on the web site. The FWAS board will be considering our options with regard to the newsletter at our January 5 board meeting, and we ask for your patience until we have worked things out. I will be trying to get out a postcard to those people who normally receive paper copies of the newsletter, giving them the highlights of what is in the online copy of the newsletter.

YOUR INPUT STILL NEEDED

Second, I have not gotten too much response to my previous article on helping figure out what our chapter can do for our 65th anniversary that happens in 2006. So, if you are interested, please contact me right away dalybar@aol.com.

FORT WORTH – DALLAS BIG DAY CHALLENGE

Third, as should be evident from other information in this newsletter, our chapter is going to be competing against Dallas Audubon in a Big Day, January 13-14. If you are not already signed up, but are interested in helping, you need to contact D.D. Currie as soon as possible to see if she still has a slot for you help out.

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ORNITHOLOGY REPORT
Mid-November to Mid-December 2005

By Greg Keiran

NOTEWORTHY RECORDS for Tarrant County:

Rufous Hummingbird (2) – 4 & 8 Dec: Yes, I apparently do have TWO Rufous Hummingbirds (I've been out of town in the Panhandle and east Texas looking for, but not finding, year birds since I
last posted). A couple of minutes ago, both hummingbirds were sitting at separate feeders. Lynn Barber, Fort Worth

Rusty Blackbird (15+) - 30 Nov: I saw at least 15 Rusty Blackbirds yesterday at the Village Creek Drying Beds in Tarrant County. There was not much else of note out there, except a Bobcat stalking ducks along the water's edge. Oscar Carmona, Arlington, TX

Most interesting from North Central Texas Area:
Pacific Loon: - 28 Nov: at Lake Tawakoni in shallow water off Holiday Marina with 18 Common Loons. We also had late Black-and-white Warbler there and 6 Neotropic Cormorants. Other highlights included a late Lesser Yellowlegs and a Rock Wren in Rains County. Matt White

Oldsquaw: - 10 Dec: Brian Gibbons, Ross Rassmussen, Bob Stone, and Greg Cook found an Oldsquaw at Hagerman NWR today among 25 (!!!) species of Ducks and Geese. Also of note were all three Mergansers and numerous Greater Scaup. There was also a Mottled/Black Duck which flew before they were able to identify it conclusively. Thomas

This morning (11 Nov)I found a few gulls on Lake Ray Hubbard (Dallas, Rockwall and Kaufman counties) There were at least a couple thousand Franklin's around the lake. There were also a few Ring-billed Gulls and a couple Herrings around. From John Paul Jones Park in Garland I saw an adult winter Little Gull and a third winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. The LBBG is likely a returning bird from last winter. As a second year bird it was rarely missed from this park, making it the most consistent LBBG ever for NCTX. Both of these birds were in Dallas County. Directions to John Paul Jones park. From I-30 exit Chaha Rd. Go North on Chaha a couple hundred meters to where it "T's" into another road. Take a right. This road leads into the parking area. The LBBG seems to like the buoys and tree stumps. The LIGU was feeding with 50 Franklin's near the wooden pier. These small gulls were catching insects low over the water, behavior that shows LIGU's distinctive wing pattern nicely. The LIGU also sat for several minutes at a time with FRGUs. Good birding, Brian Gibbons, Dallas

California Gull: 30 Nov: Whoops, David Arbour reminded me that I forgot to post the California Gull at Lake Tawakoni, in Rains County last Sunday. It was the same bird Peter Barnes and I had seen there earlier in the month. And then Brian Gibbons' post reminded me that I failed to post that a Pectoral Sandpiper has been hanging out there since at least a week before Thanksgiving (at least since Nov 17). Matt White

Mew Gull -- - 25 Nov: Ross Rasmussen found an adult basic-plumaged Mew Gull at White Rock Lake. He observed the bird on the spillway from 07:45-08:15. It was in a flock of more than 100 Ring-billed Gulls. I arrived a few minutes later and we were unable to relocate the bird as the flock had flushed and some birds left the lake just before my arrival. We spent more than an hour searching other locations on the lake and were unable to re-find the bird. Gulls tend to roost on the dam early in the morning so this might be the best bet to try to find and photograph this bird. Brian Gibbons, Dallas. Relocated 26 Nov. by Simone Jenion, Benbrook, TX

Harris Hawk: - 14 Nov: took my son up to Hagerman to see eagles and geese and ran across something weird - A Harris' Hawk feeding on an unlucky White fronted Goose. I have lots of pictures - I just switched to RAW format on my Canon and can’t figure out how to get at the pics with my current software, but will get it figured out later tonight. Anyway, I haven’t kept up to date, but a while back there weren’t any Grayson County records. The bird was unbanded and appeared to be a full adult. It was extremely wary and didn’t have any strange feather wear etc.....No sign of it being anything but a wild bird. It was seen today at about 3:30 on the main loop just past the point where the goose flock rests where the road coming from the headquarters direction turns from west towards the south. It was still there when I left at about 4 pm. Oh, also had a nice Prairie Falcon just outside of Denton on 380.
Cheers, Steve Carlson . Reported again on 22 November by Lee Lemmons.

Escaped Goshawk: 22 Nov: We have a missing immature male Goshawk in the McKinney area. A falconer (a museum board member) reported it missing from its mews this morning. The bird may have anklets on. If you sight the bird, please report it to: Robert Rankins-972-489-6083 or Michele (Heard Museum)-972-562-5566 x240; cell-214-850-1916 or the DFW Wildlife Coalition-972-234-9453.
Rock Wren: – 9 Nov: at Tawakoni Dam. Brian Gibbons, Dallas. Also reported 29 Nov. from Lake Waco. Eric Haskell, Natural Resources, Waco Lake

Black & White Warbler: - 8 Dec: I'm submitting this info incase anyone maybe interested, especially with Christmas Bird Counts coming up. A friend of mine who lives in Farmers Branch had a Black and White warbler working his sweet gum tree like a nuthatch yesterday afternoon. I do not have the closest street intersection at this time but am waiting for that information if anyone needs it.
Rachel Dugas , Bedford, TX, wingsinflight.com

Black-throated Gray Warbler: 26 Nov: Several NCTX birders and I re-found Michael Francis's BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER in Dallas today. An amazing find! The bird was in the area NW of Lovers and Inwood on a street called Menier, behind a public building that was the Highland Park Junior League. Along with this bird were numerous other winter flock birds including a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER; two amazing birds that could linger for the Dallas CBC. I secured identifiable (terrible) photos of both birds. Great find Michael! Brian Gibbons, Dallas

Monk Parakeets: 22 Nov: Watched a flock of six Monk Parakeets near the intersection of Marsh and Forest Lanes in NW Dallas this afternoon about 4:00. They flew noisily over the shopping center and then perched on a phone/power line for a few minutes before being spooked by a traffic helicopter. This is the first time I've seen Monks in Dallas outside of the White Rock Lake area. Does anyone know if they nest/roost anywhere else in the city/county? Or were these guys just out for a little late afternoon adventure? Tal Roberts, Dallas

2 Dec: With the addition of GREATER SCAUP, MCCOWN'S LONGSPURS, AND CHESTNUT COLLARED LONGSPUR we reached 270 species for the Lake Tawakoni area this year. This is the best year we have ever had since I have been keeping records. Heck, I may have missed something during year, but I don’t know what it could be. THANKS EVERYONE FOR A GREAT YEAR SO FAR! WHO KNOWS WHAT IS AHEAD?...Richard Kinney

Send accounts of your sighting to:
Greg Keiran - 9 S. Kingston Ct. - Bedford, TX 76022
(H) 817/282-3312 - (W) 817/280-7598, gkeiran@AOL.com

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ATTRACTING BIRDS TO YOUR YARD
by: Phil Craighead

I live in Parker County, approximately six miles east of Weatherford. Since moving here in 1977, I have kept a yard life list of species seen, and have found this to greatly enhance the fun of yard birding. Some of the better birds I have seen are Lazuli Bunting, Mourning Warbler, and Red-headed Woodpecker. This fall I was able to add three new species to my list: Gray Cat Bird, White-winged Dove and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The list now is at 117.

I am always looking for ways to make my yard more attractive to birds by providing habitat that meets their needs. These include: 1) Food, 2) Water (especially during a severe drought, such as we are having now), and 3) Cover.

For food I maintain a variety of feeders, as well as, native plantings. I feed thistle seed (Goldfinches, Pine Siskin, House Finches, and Chickadees), suet (Woodpeckers), and a seed mix (Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Titmice, house sparrows [yuk!], et al). (If anyone has a good solution to the House Sparrow problem, please let us all know.)

I am still working to enhance my native plantings, but I have had good success with:

Yaupon Holly (be sure to buy female plants): Cedar Waxwings, Mockingbirds

Possumhaw: ditto

Cedar Elm: Chickadees and Migrating Warblers love to forage on the leaves; must have lots of insects.

Gregg’s Salvia: Humming birds and butterflies

Turk’s Cap: Humming birds

Chinese Pistachio (female): This is not a native, but in the fall the berries attract a variety of birds.

Pecan: The frequent invasions of tent caterpillars and other caterpillars provide a veritable feast for Yellow-billed Cuckoos.

For water, I have a bird bath, and recently have installed a fish pond with a waterfall and stream. I have not finished the plantings for this, but already during fall migration this
attracted several species new or rarely seen before in my yard: Hermit Thrush, Gray Cat Bird, Wilson’s Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Brown Thrasher). I am excited about what I may see during migration next spring.

For cover, one of the best features one can provide is a brush pile. If you are one who values a neat, well-groomed yard, this may look like an eyesore. But, the birds love it! Locate it close to your feeders so that the birds have a safe haven to go to before and after visiting the feeders. Once I observed a Cooper’s Hawk digging down into my brush pile trying (unsuccessfully) to get a bird that had fled there for safety.

I also have installed nesting boxes, which have attracted Bluebirds, Bewick’s Wrens, and Titmice.

The invasion of Oak Wilt and Live Oak Decline in Parker County has left several dead trees standing in my yard. If these do not threaten any structures, I leave them standing. They provide wonderful places for Woodpeckers to forage, as well as perching sites for many birds.

Projects currently underway include creating a pocket prairie and a humming bird/butterfly garden with native plantings. The current drought has set these back, but I will keep trying.

So, if you enjoy birds, I encourage you to do what you can to make your little piece of the world friendlier to birds. It can make a big difference for our feathered friends.

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The Traveling Birder
By Lynn Barber