1st Annual Pasadena Birding adventure

Today I took a group out to El Franco to see what we could find. I decided to get there earlier to see what I could flush up. I definitely got looks of very cool birds. Before everyone showed up I did see the mating pair of pileated woodpeckers  and a scissor tailed flycatcher so my hopes were high for the group.

Scissor tailed flycatcher, photo by Shaun Owen

When everyone showed up we took to the gazebo and noticed a red shouldered hawk and some other common birds. I was able to "phish" out a few tufted titmouse along the ditch. Then we walked down the path a ways. Grace noticed something but because of the size I immediately disregarded it. Thinking it was dove or a mockingbird. She corrected me and sure enough it was a Yellow billed cuckoo. Now that is a find out at El Franco. We are able to get a very good look at it. The cool thing about these is that they are very secretive. Most people hardly get a look at one and we were able to see two! That is another addition to the list.

Some other birds seen included yellow crowned night herons, carolina wrens, carolina chickadees, tufted titmouse, red bellied woodpecker, eastern wood pewee, red shouldered hawk, ring necked duck, wood ducks, little blue herons, great egret, white ibis, and northern cardinals.

It was a successful day with a great addition to the list. Until next time, happy birding!

Current Moderate Year Count - 171 Species
Recently added - Yellow billed cuckoo

Ol stomping grounds

I went out to El Franco yesterday to find my "Chi"... Well there was a little action there. I heard that this past weekend was where all the birds were... According to Stephan major fallout occurred this past weekend. That wasn't the case yesterday but I did catch a few stragglers and added one bird.

First I was able to catch a Tennessee and a Orchard Oriole hanging around the beginning of the trail...

I continued down and the usual Eastern Kingbirds hung around like usual and then I found another flock. In this flock of birds was the Carolina Chickadee, Red Eyed Vireo, Tennessee Warbler, and a Blackburnian warbler (new one for the year).


Blackburnian Warlber, Photo by Shaun Owen

 That ended my trip... It was nice to get out and the weather was wonderful. This weekend is the 1st annual Pasadena Birding Adventure so hopefully we will get some nice warblers and a bunch of species. Until next time, Happy Birding!

Current Moderate Year Count - 170 Species
Recently Added - Blackburnian Warbler

Golden Cheeked Warbler...

So the past few days have been crazy. In my last job someone was dumb and I had to go testify for the past two days. I took the time in central Texas to take advantage of the habitat. I wanted to get a look at a real endangered species. The Golden Cheeked Warbler (GCW). Now this species is rare and causes alot of hooplah in central Texas. This is because it is on the endangered species list. It was added to the list in 1990 where it has remained due to habitat encroachment. The GCW prefers rocky hillsides of juniper so that's where we went.

I decided to check out prospect park in San Marcos first. Well needless to say I didn't come up with much. Just lots of vireos, house finches, and a juvenile lesser goldfinch.

House Finch, Photo by Shaun Owen

The next day we went further west to Pergatory Park and let me tell you how many painteds we saw... I think there were at least 20 painteds just at the entrance. When we drove into the park there was one on the road foraging.

Painted Bunting, Photo by Shaun Owen

Well we got to walking and I was just hoping to get a sound of a golden cheeked... We walked and walked. Finally I almost gave up. Meghan said "NO! We have to see this darn bird". Good thing we continued because about fifteen more minutes down the trail and I heard it. We got real quiet and just waited to see where exactly that sound came from... And sure enough!!! This guy spotted us just as I pulled up my camera. I was able to get a few clicks in before he went on his way. Hopefully he's out there repopulating the species somewhere.

Golden Cheeked Warbler, Photo by Shaun Owen

 Happy to see that guy and hopefully he will makes tons more of them so that 20-30 years from now when I actually decide to do a big year I can add his great grandchildren to my list. Until next time happy birding!

Current Moderate Year Count - 169 Species
Recently Added Species - Western Kingbird, Golden Cheeked Warbler

Common nighthawk

I went to pick up a package near beltway 8 and 45... And... Long story short they messed it up but I think it was fate. I walked outside and looked up. What I saw was a common nighthawk. That's a new bird. No picture :( until next time happy birding. Current moderate year count - 167 species Recently added - common nighthawk

In search for a painted bunting...

So after waiting for the wind to die down and migration to pick back up I decided to take Meghan for a trip to Brazos Bend. They are known to have painted buntings and she desperately wanted to see one.

The day started out rough... I forgot my SD card so I had to drive an extra 30 minutes to buy one. (now I have an extra) Well after that the day started rolling in... Oh and I guess it was fate that I had to buy one because I saw a Mississippi Kite on my way. (Plus one)

When we got to the 40 mile lake there were many White Eyed Vireos just chirping away. "Quick, get the beer check." One of my favorites.

White Eyed Vireo, Photo by Shaun Owen

You can definitely see why they are called "white eyed".

Once we started walking around there were tons of little blues and yellow crowns. The one addition that I was able to add to the list was a Purple Gallinule.

Purple Gallinule, Photo by Shaun Owen

Then after continuing around past the observation tower I decided to walk around towards the car. I was able pick out what I was looking for. I had heard that prothonotary warblers nest along the levee and sure enough. Found this guy singing, "sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet."

Prothonotary Warbler, Photo by Shaun Owen

He looks much like a blue winged warbler but without the eye line and slightly larger.

We walked around a bit and then... In some of the open wooded habitat (older growth) we found what Meghan was looking for.

Painted Bunting, Photo by Shaun Owen

He was awesome and Meghan was very excited. They are quite the bird. Many people think that this bird was let loose or they say "Oh that's someone's pet that got away." But no, this is native to Texas. They are very striking.

Painted Bunting, Photo by Shaun Owen

Overall they day was very successful. If anyone wants to go on a birding trip I am more than willing to take a trip. I have had a few people interested in going out birding with me so just let me know. Until next time happy birding!

Current Moderate Year Count - 166 Species
Recently Added Species - Painted Bunting, Purple Gallinule, Prothonotary Warbler

High Island

So for a professional development(PD) opportunity I was able to go birding and get inservice hours at the same time! The bad news was that the birds were not the best I have ever seen. But the good news is that I added new birds!!!

I showed up pretty early to get some personal birding before the actual PD. I did walk around a bit and there wasn't that much active. I did get to sneak up on a yellow breasted chat... Not a very good picture considering it was so dark... But a new bird to the list nonetheless.

Then as everyone showed up and they were telling us different information a scarlet tanager and a rose breasted grosbeak kept landing around her. To say the least I was slightly distracted. Not a great picture... He really didn't want to pose.

Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Photo by Shaun Owen

 Then we decided to take a walk down in search of some indigos... Nothing really exciting happened... It was a very very slow morning... When we got back to the main bleachers a Northern Waterthrush (new bird) decided to walk along the bank of the small water feature.

It was about 10 o'clock when we decided to check out the rookery. Besides the massive amounts of roseate spoonbills, cormorants, snowy egrets, and great egrets there wasn't much going on. The one bird that we did see had about 20 people trying to scope it out and it was just a Tennessee Warbler. They all thought they had seen a blackpoll so they were trying to work very hard for it. The one thing about that is that luck plays a huge factor.

That brings me to our lunch... We got back to Boy Scout Woods and started to eat lunch. Then all of a sudden a Blackpoll flew right in above us. Complete Luck!

Blackpoll Warbler, Photo by Shaun Owen

The pictures were not that great because of lighting.

Boy Scout Woods was a bust but I really had a good time and I want to thank everyone that was out there. So after everyone left I decided to blaze my regular spot... I traveled down to LaFitte's Cove... It wasn't much better but I did get some decent pictures.

Tennessee Warbler, Photo by Shaun Owen

Then there was this guy who did not want to stay still.

Blue Winged Warbler, Photo by Shaun Owen

Or this new bird to the list...

Red Eyed Vireo, Photo by Shaun Owen

But I really think the best picture of the day is the molting tanager.

Summer Tanager, Photo by Shaun Owen

After a few hours... I decided to get out of there. It was a long day but also exciting. Until next time happy birding!

Current Moderate Year Count - 162 Species
Recently Added Species - Blackpoll, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Yellow Breasted Chat, Northern Waterthrush, Red Eyed Vireo

One week later...

Got back from Iowa and weather was horrible... Not much to see but I was able to get a canada goose and common grackle. No pictures. It's hard to bring the camera.

Today though was the good day... I was able to get some really good pictures. I saw about 5 or 6 Indigo's and a couple orioles.

Baltimore Oriole

Orchard Oriole

The eastern bluebirds were also back but couldn't get any good pictures of them. I did get some Eastern Kingbirds. There were about 3 of them lingering around but the best picture I could get is...

Eastern Kingbird

This weekend... High Island...

Current Moderate Year Count - 153
Recently Added Species - Eastern Kingbird, Mottled Duck, Orchard Oriole