PRESIDENT’S PEN
FWAS Southwestern Flyer text for web

Are you a “backyard birder,” at least some of the time? I am, although you might not be able to tell from my reports on my “big year” across the huge state of Texas. But there is something I’ve learned from my across-the-state travels that comes in handy in my days when I’m actually at home.

That is—habitat makes a lot of difference. Add a few bushes or trees, some flowers and water, and you dramatically increase the chances of birds being there. The same thing is true for butterflies, in case you are a backyard “butterflier.”

So, the point of this article is to encourage you to add a bit of favorable habitat to your yard, your porch, your daily environment. Maybe it will bring in a warbler or a butterfly. You don’t need to have a large space or a lot of money to do this (but I expect it helps). All you need is the willingness to experiment and to do research on this to get ideas on possibilities. The Internet can be tremendously helpful (as can books, of course). There are hummingbird sites that list plants, often by geographic area, that are attractive to hummingbirds. There are plant sites that give information on which ones to plant and how to tend them. There are other Audubon members who have extra plants and lots of experience and knowledge to share.

So, if your yard is not already a perfect spot, consider adding a pot or a plot of hummingbird-attractive plants, for example, Salvia or coral honeysuckle or Aniscanthus, a small berry patch, a fruit tree, a butterfly bush or other butterfly plant, and of course, hummingbird feeders, especially in late summer and fall. And I understand that if you mix beer, sugar and bananas, you might just bring in a whole bunch of butterflies.

And it’s not just plants that will help. Water, especially if it’s dripping or splashing or spraying, is a magnet for many birds, especially on a hot summer day. And if you have a spot where it won’t be an eyesore to you or your neighbors, a brush pile and/or a plot of unmowed grass can bring in sparrows (the “good” kind, such as Lincoln’s, White-throated or White-crowned).

Whatever you do, it will always be a work in progress. Plants grow old or die or take over the yard. I think of my yard as sort of a palette, and each year I think of painting a new picture back there, which hopefully will include birds and butterflies. I hope that you try it, if you haven’t already done so. It can improve the life of a butterfly or bird, and it certainly can improve your own life.

Good birding!
Lynn

Conservation Report
by Jim Sipiora

The Po’ouli, a rare Hawaiian bird found only on the island of Maui, was unknown to science until 1973. In the mid 1980s the population was estimated at about 100 birds. On November 28, 2004, the last known Po’ouli died in captivity, probably from a combination of stress, malaria and old age. The species’ decline is blamed on loss of forest habitat, introduced feral pigs which disturb the native vegetation, and avian malaria. Hawaiian birds have no resistance to malaria as mosquitoes were not native to the islands. A visiting ship with a water barrel full of mosquito larvae took care of that.

It has been estimated that early Polynesians caused the extinction of some 2,000 Pacific island bird species prior to the first European exploration.

After a two-year black rat eradication program, Anacapa Island in California’s Channel Islands National Park has been declared rat free. The rodenticide brodifacoum was used. Immediate benefits were seen in the Xantus’ Murrelet population with successful nesting on parts of the island where the birds hadn’t been seen since the 1920s. Currently 200-400 pairs breed on the island, and biologists believe the island can support 10 times that many. The total worldwide population is estimated at 6,000 birds. To date, introduced non-native rats have been eradicated on a total of 70 islands using rodenticide baits. Trapping alone has never worked.
San Clemente Island off the coast of California is home to a unique race of the Loggerhead Shrike and a U.S. Navy bombing range. The shrike population reached an all-time low of 16 individuals in 2000. However, an intense management and captive breeding program funded by between 1.7 and 2.5 million U.S. Navy dollars per year has built up the wild population to 169 birds at the end of 2004. Captive breeding by the Zoological Society of San Diego produced 20 fledglings last year with six adults and 12 juveniles being released into the wild. There are 60 captive shrikes in the breeding program. Introduced cats and rats on the island are a continuing threat to both adults and nests.

Last year’s hurricanes in Florida resulted in the loss of several Red-cockaded Woodpecker nest trees and destroyed about 5,000 acres of their habitat in the Ocala National Forest. However, the changes to the former woodpecker habitat should benefit the similarly endangered Florida Scrub Jay.
Scientists estimate that the Mexican island of Cozumel once was home to as many as 10,000 Cozumel Thrashers. In 1988 Hurricane Gilbert struck the island and thrasher numbers plummeted. They were known to exist in small numbers until 1995 when Hurricane Roxanne hit. The bird wasn’t seen again until July 2004 by an expedition funded by the American Bird Conservancy and Conservation International when a single individual was found. The Mexican branch of Island Endemics is working with Villanova University to locate and protect any additional birds.

Despite various challenges and frustrations, the High Island trip (Friday, April 22, 2005 and Sunday, April 24, 2005) was a great success. Storm activity on Friday and favorable wind conditions throughout the weekend increased migrant activity Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Several members of the Fort Worth Audubon Society went to High Island early to start birding on Friday even though the organized portion of the trip did not start until Saturday. Sophie Floyd, John Eastman, and I traveled to Conroe on Thursday night and began birding on Friday morning.

On Friday, Sophie, John, and I visited W.G. Jones State Forest, Liberty, Baytown Nature Center, and East Beach (for the King Eider). Highlights included Pine Warbler, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Yellow-breasted Chat, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Mississippi Kite, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck. We were disappointed not to find Swallow-tailed Kites or the King Eider. Steve and Regina Biel were able to find the King Eider shortly before we arrived.

On Saturday, the organized event began at the Waffle House in Winnie at 6:00am. Several members went birding separately, but nine of us caravanned together. The itinerary included a stop before the bridge to High Island, Boy Scout Woods, Smith Oaks, Rollover Pass, Yacht Basin Road, Bob Road, Horseshoe Marsh, Frenchtown Road, East Beach (for another attempt at the King Eider), and dinner at Joe’s Crab Shack in Galveston. Despite long waits at the ferry, another “Eider failure”, dinner in the cold, and a very late night; the migrant activity was good and the shorebirds were abundant. Many of us saw several Life Birds and increased our ability to identify warblers and shorebirds. Highlights included Blackburnian Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Dickcissel, Black-billed Cuckoo, Summer and Scarlet Tanagers, Clapper Rail, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, and Gull-billed Tern.

On Sunday, the adventure continued. The itinerary included Anahuac NWR for the Rail Walk, Willows, and Shoveler Pond Loop and T.O.S. Sabine Woods. The Rail Walk led by David Sarkozi produced excellent looks at Seaside Sparrows, Sedge Wrens, Yellow Rails, and a Black Rail. Highlights from the Willows included Palm Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Wilson’s Phalarope, American Bittern, and Purple Gallinule. Getting our front left tire stuck in a drainage pit at T.O.S. Sabine Woods put a damper on a great day. Fortunately, with the help of several people we were able to get the car out. As a result, we missed seeing the Black-Whiskered Vireo. Despite these frustrations, T.O.S. Sabine Woods was bustling with activity including Wood Thrush, Worm-eating Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.

All in all, the combined trip list for Sophie, John, and me included 166 species (the total list is on the website in the High Island thread). This included 25 species of warblers. The lack of sleep and the few frustrating situations only made the trip more interesting and increased our desire to come to High Island once again. Thanks for all those who experienced my first attempt at leading a field trip.

Ornithology Report
Noteworthy Records Mid-March to Mid-April
by Greg Keiran

Rufus Hummingbird: She’s still here—she just fed on the fresh sugar water on the porch. This makes about 7-1/2 months since she arrived in August!! I’ve grown accustomed to her ways, and will really miss her when she leaves (deep inside, I’m sort of hoping that she’ll just stay). Lynn Barber

Hagerman Reports:
(by Lee Lemmons, unless otherwise noted)
03/11/05: [10 observers] Pied-billed Grebe, White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Greater White-fronted Goose, Wood Duck, Gadwall, American Widgeon, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Redhead, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Wild Turkey, American Coot, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Snipe, Bonaparte’s Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Forster’s Tern, Redheaded Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Jay, American Crow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Brown-headed Cowbird, #56 House Sparrow. Sue, Highland Village

03/22/05: The day was wonderful at 6:30 but by 8:00 the wind was blowing 20-30 m.p.h. However, we worked real hard and got 89 species. Yeah, the shore bird migration is on. Some of the highlights: Least, Semipalmated, Western, Baird, Pectoral Sandpipers. Ducks: Mallards, Pintails, Shovelers, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal (still at O pad). Five woodpecker species: Downy, Redheaded, Red-bellied, Hairy and Pileated. Others were six American Golden Plover, FOS Great Egret and Cattle Egret, a Brown Creeper, Turkeys, Dowitchers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. The best bird of the day was a Snowy Plover on the right side of Q pad, just where it meets the water. A great bird for us anytime. It has been two years since we had one. We also found some lingering Waxwings.
03/29/05: A very windy day in Texomaland with gusts up to 35 m.p.h. In spite of that, we managed to get 79 species in five hours. FOS Upland Sandpipers and three Lark Sparrows. There were lots of shorebirds. Bring your scope because some are far out. Plenty of mud flats

04/05/05: On a very windy day, Jack Prichard and I got 69 species in five hours. FOS Laughing Gull, Least Tern, Semipalmated Plover, Swainson’s Hawks all on the pads. We have lots of mud flats, so lots of shore birds. Today we saw 150+ Lesser Golden Plovers, Dowitchers, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Baird’s, Western, Pectoral, and Least Sandpipers. You need a scope or boots. The birds are way out since the water is down. Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers are around. Lots of Blue-winged Teal and other ducks too. Turkeys in two different places. On Terry Lane, FOS Indigo Bunting; also Pipits near the church. Yesterday morning at the Red River I saw an immature Bald Eagle. This is the latest in the spring I’ve ever seen one, only the second I’ve ever seen in Texas. Just saw a Monarch butterfly while I was posting this.

Tawakoni Reports

03/12/05: Dell and I birded around Kaufman and Van Zandt Counties today. We totaled 82 species. Highlights included 30 Snow Geese (Kaufman County); 12 Canvas Back ducks (Kaufman County); 3 American Golden Plovers (Kaufman County just east of Terrell, on the north side of Highway 80 at a partially dried pond identified as “Elmo Water Supply Corp.” There is a “Terrell City Limits” sign adjacent to the pond.); 1 Harlan’s-form Red-tailed Hawk (Van Zandt County); Crested Caracara (one in each county); two+ Barn Swallows (Kaufman County); numerous Cliff Swallows (Kaufman County); 1 Tree Swallow (Kaufman County); Purple Martins (Kaufman County); 1 Bewick’s Wren and 1 Winter Wren (Kaufman County); 1 Western Meadowlark (Van Zandt County); Purple Finches (two Van Zandt County and six in Kaufman County). Also notable was the number of Savannah Sparrows and Swamp Sparrows seen. We saw at least 300 Savannah Sparrows, with over 100 seen in one location. We also saw over 6 Swamp Sparrows in one small brush pile in a field (no water in sight) in Van Zandt County. D. D. Currie, Arlington
03/15/05: Despite the cool, damp weather this morning, I found my first-of-the-spring Black-and-White Warbler singing from an area near Edgewood, Van Zandt County. A pair of birds spends the summer in this area, and there is little doubt that they nest there. Also present were singing Brown Thrashers, two Hermit Thrushes, including the one that spent the winter in my yard. It was being harassed by a Robin. I did see a large flock of Chipping Sparrows and several Savannah Sparrows as well. My feeders have been covered with Brown-headed Cowbirds and Common Grackles with a few Red-wings. For the first time since the fall, I had a Lincoln’s Sparrow visit a feeder as well. Most of the Goldfinches are in woods eating elm seeds and the blooms of White Ash. Ron Baltzegar told me that he found two American Golden Plovers around Lake Tawakoni on Sunday. He also mentioned that the number of Rusty Blackbirds at Lake Tawakoni State Park has dropped off just a few. Richard Kinney, Edgewood

03/20/05: Greg Cook, Peter Billingham and I birded Tawakoni yesterday. Had a Neotropic Cormorant and Cattle Egret at Holiday Marina. Also 32 Herring Gulls of all ages perched on the metal beams over the water. We also had three Yellow-throated Warblers singing along the river below the dam, one of which was seen. Also one White-eyed Vireo heard only. No other breeding warblers, except a Black-and-White at the state park, which was probably a migrant. That was our first trip to see the state park—it was really crowded for a bass tournament, but the habitat seemed really good. Flushed a Le Conte’s from the field there. Good birding, Derek
3/20/05: A few migrants were found at Lake Tawakoni, including Pectoral Sandpipers and American Golden Plovers. A lingering Greater White-fronted Goose was seen as well in the same area in Rains County. A Bald Eagle was seen in Rains County as well. Several Common Loons going into breeding plumages were seen. At least two of these were calling to each other. Well over 40 Horned Grebes were seen in Van Zandt County. At the Rains/Van Zandt County line, a Black-and-White Warbler was feeding in a large oak tree with a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher calling nearby. White-eyed Vireos were singing from three places. A FOS Northern Parula was singing as well, but only a brief glimpse of the bird was had as it was foraging high in the trees. Cliff and Rough-winged Swallows were checking out possible nest sites at the spillway. 85 species were seen in about 5 hours of birding. Richard Kinney, Edgewood

03/22/05: I walked through a wooded creek bottom near Edgewood, Van Zandt County. I found many of the usual early arriving summer birds, including Northern Parula, White-eyed Vireo, Black-and-White Warbler and a FOS Louisiana Waterthrush as well. Also a bit of a surprise was a fairly late Golden-crowned Kinglet. Richard Kinney, Edgewood

04/04/05: It was hectic morning at Lake Tawakoni today. Many migrants and summer arrivals were noted. I tallied 100 species for the day. Among the many highlights were a group of 30-40 Common Loons calling to each other from a cove of Lake Tawakoni State Park. No Horned Grebes were seen on this trip, however. Cattle Egrets arrived in fields in Van Zandt County just outside the State Park. Little Blue Herons were seen in Hunt and Rains County. The first Green Heron of the season was seen perched on a log along the river below the dam at Lake Tawakoni. Three new birds were added to the Lake Tawakoni State Park list: a Solitary Sandpiper and a Swainson’s Hawk, both which were overdue. And six Black-bellied Whistling Ducks flew northwest over the park and then stopped around the boat launch. These birds are slowly spreading into this area. There are still large numbers of Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler and Gadwalls on the lake. Shovelers seem to be in very high numbers now. Three Red-breasted Mergansers were seen from very close to shore in the state park feeding in a flock of Coots and Blue-wings. Several Ospreys were seen this morning over the lake, and a Bald Eagle flew slowly over the large number of puddle ducks in Rains County, scattering ducks everywhere. A Cooper’s Hawk acted very much like it was nesting in the state park. The hawk was vocal and flew only a short distance from where I first observed it and was still vocalizing when I left the area. I didn’t see a nest but the habitat is right for this hawk. Shorebirds numbers were low with only Golden Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Solitary, Spotted, Upland, Least, Baird’s and Pectoral Sandpipers present. Forster’s Terns and Bonaparte’s Gull numbers continue to increase on the lake. Due to the high wind, very few warblers were seen. The first Prothonotary Warbler of the year on the Rains/Van Zandt County line and the first Nashville of the spring in the same area. Sparrows consisted of a few Songs and Swamps. Lincoln’s numbers continue to increase. Savannah, Chipping, Field and White-throated are very noticeable. A single LeConte’s was flushed in the state park as well. A very hectic day. Anyone visiting the state park and birding, please try and leave a copy of what you are seeing in the park. Richard Kinney, Edgewood

TEXBIRDS:
03/09/05: Texbirders, sorry for the delayed post, but my Internet service was down last night. Yesterday morning I spent a couple of hours at the Village Creek Drying Beds in Arlington. Still good numbers of the regular duck species. The highlights of the morning for me were a single Rusty Blackbird in the entrance area, two FOS Barn Swallows, and two female Common Goldeneyes. They were on the east side in the pond northeast of the pump station for anyone interested in trying to relocate them. Barbara Tompkins, Colleyville

03/15/05: Last week I began to see my FOS swallows in Arlington—1) Several Barn Swallows (First seen 3/2/05), 2) One Tree Swallow (Seen 3/8/05), 3) Several Purple Martins (First seen 3/8/05). Oscar Carmona, Arlington

03/21/05: Yesterday afternoon at 4:45, I was loading my plant purchases into the van at Rhode’s Nursery on Wall Street in Garland when an adult Northern Goshawk cruised low over the nursery, circled 6-8 times climbing as it did so and slowly drifted to the north. I had this bird in full view with binoculars for over three minutes at no more than 100-120 feet. I first noticed it cruising low toward me and thought it was a pale Red-tailed Hawk, based on its size. As it came closer and I reached in the van and grabbed my binoculars, I realized it was a white-and-gray breasted accipiter with a dark cap. I have prepared much better details for the TBRC. This was a huge bird and a well-marked adult. Curiously, this area is only about a mile or so from the area where Greg Cook and others reported an adult Goshawk last winter. Although this is an urban area, there are a number of open fields and undeveloped areas in the vicinity. Rhode’s Nursery itself is a green oasis of trees in pots, and it is curious that the bird circled the site repeatedly before slowly moving on. I couldn’t guarantee it, but I think it might be worth keeping an eye on this area for the next few days. Matt White, Campbell

03/24/05: Birded a bit around home this morning, primarily at Mustang Park, on Benbrook Lake in southwest Fort Worth. Spring is here! I don’t recall seeing a Snowy Plover before in Tarrant County, but there was one at the very tip of the point in Mustang Park, hanging out with an American Pipit. There’s a picture of the plover on my web site (bottom of 2005 pictures page of lynnbarber.com). Also had a lovely Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Mustang Park, quite a few coots, Bonaparte’s and Ring-billed Gulls. At home, I still have a few American Goldfinches, some of which are bright, bright yellow, and Cedar Waxwings (no Bohemians to date). Chipping Sparrows are singing in my yard as are the goldfinches. The Rufous Hummingbird was around yesterday, but I haven’t seen her yet today. Maybe she’s gone. A male Purple Martin has stopped by our martin house a couple of times, including once this morning, but there doesn’t appear to be any martins staying around the area or in our yard yet. Also, I have posted a picture on my web site of the Glaucous Gull seen yesterday at Corpus Christi (just above the picture of the plover mentioned above). Lynn Barber, Fort Worth, www.lynnbarber.com

03/29/05: My husband and I birded Cement Creek Lake on Easter Sunday (3/27). We saw hundreds of Cliff Swallows, a few Barn Swallows, and a few Purple Martins. The highlights were five Upland Sandpipers in a field behind Meacham Airport. Sophie Floyd, Fort Worth

04/08/05: Dear Texbirders, Good birding at Village Creek Drying Beds on Wednesday morning. Highlights were two gorgeous Swainson’s Hawks who cooperated by letting me get some great close-up photos. Seen: Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron (several nesting), Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk (two), Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, American Coot, Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Baird’s Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe (nesting), Ring-billed Gull, Mourning Dove, Rock Pigeon, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, White-eyed Vireo, American Crow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow (heard only), Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle. Tal Roberts, Dallas

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

Traveling Birder
by Lynn Barber
Migration, etc. Travels

As I’ve gradually discovered in my five years in Texas, spring migration in Texas is a long drawn-out process that seems to proceed in spurts and bursts interspersed with spells of nothing happening. Right now, I’m in the midst of warbler migration, sitting in a motel in Winnie, Texas, between days of birding. And while there has been nothing, so far, like the fallouts that people talk about wistfully, the birds are coming through. And they are beautiful and often so easy to see.
I began this trip just a couple of days ago, when a friend from North Carolina and I left to go birding before our originally scheduled time and sped down toward Houston on Saturday, April 16. We arose early the next morning and headed to Bolivar in Galveston County to try to find the King Eider that astoundingly had been reported from there. For awhile it looked like it had been a waste of energy, but after a couple of hours of scanning the water and rocks and beach for an eider-like bird (interrupted by looking for, and finding, Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows in the grasses back from the beach), my friend finally spotted the eider on a low rock wall across from a lighthouse, exactly where it had been reported and where we’d looked for it when we began the search! There it sat calmly preening and ignoring the lineup of telescopes and telephoto lenses aimed in its direction, which had arrived after we spread the word of relocating the eider.
That accomplished, we headed back to the warbler quest, beginning at Houston Audubon’s Boy Scout Woods sanctuary in High Island. Things were a bit slow on the warbler front, but the gorgeous Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Swainson’s Thrushes were ample compensation for that.
After we participated in a Yellow Rail walk at Anahuac NWR (9 Yellow Rails seen! as well as a Sora and a Virginia Rail), we drove the loop there and saw many Purple Gallinules, which had just arrived there for the breeding season, interspersed with lots of Common Moorhens and American Coots.
The next day we headed to the “Willows” and Sabine Woods, my favorite migration spot. Blue Grosbeaks were everywhere, lurking under low bushes and in the grass. There were Blue-winged, Tennessee, Hooded, Chestnut-sided, Black-and-white, Worm-eating, and Kentucky Warblers; Yellow-breasted Chats; both Water Thrushes; American Redstarts; and Orchard Orioles, as well as the birds seen the day before at High Island.
Having heard about Buff-breasted Sandpipers south of Winnie, we went over there before it got dark and found them. But we decided to go back there the next day anyway to see them in better light, and they were still there. Then over to High Island to Boy Scout Woods and Smith Oaks, and to the new TOS Hooks Sanctuary. Things were fairly slow in High Island with only some of the birds seen the previous day and no new arrivals. So back to Sabine Woods and the other birding spots along 87, where we added Acadian Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Pewee, Painted Bunting, Warbling Vireo, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Bobolink and Cape May Warbler.
And that was only three days of birding! While we have been able to see birds of quite a few species, there mostly have not been many birds of each species, at least of warblers. It’s entirely different with the orioles, with probably 50 or more of each being seen just today along 87 south of Sabine Pass.
Birding during migration is so dependent on the weather and the time of day and location. A slow day with only a warbler here and there can suddenly become a fast-paced warblers-everywhere day. And it’s so much fun to be there when it happens! Especially when everyone around you is excitedly pointing out their finds and it’s all happening at once.
All of this article has just reported on a little bit of one spring migration in one small part of east Texas experienced by one birder. I have yet to experience a counterpart spring migration in west Texas. But I hope to soon. It’s a phenomenon that I wish everyone could experience at least once!

Audubon Spring Bird Count Saturday May 7
The 2005 Spring Bird Count will be held on Saturday, May 7th. The compilation meeting will be held at Luby’s on University Drive at 6:00pm. Since the count results will not be published by the National Audubon Society, there will not be a $5.00 participation fee.
The Fort Worth Audubon Society’s website includes a list of count areas within our count circle and the leaders of those areas. Most count areas would love to have additional volunteers (of any experience level) to participate in their count area. If you have a particular area you are interested in counting, the area leaders can be contacted using the contact information provided on the website.

If you do not have access to the internet or would like to be assigned to a count area or have any other questions, you are welcome to email Daniel Floyd, Count Leader, at df_birder@yahoo.com or call him at 817-263-1191.

Hulen Wild Bird Center offers guided bird walks
May 7 Botanic Gardens
Migrating Songbirds and a walk through the beautiful gardens.
May 21 Village Creek Drying Beds
Painted Buntings! You won’t want to miss these spectacular neo-tropical migrants.
Bird Walks begin at 8:30am. Meet at the Wild Bird Center and caravan to the hot spot. Remember to dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Please phone in your reservation to 817.737.4944 at least a day in advance. All of our walks are complimentary excursions for our customers.

Wild Bird Center - Hulen
http://www.wildbird.com/ftw