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Name: Sent: Sat August 20 2005 08:29 PM Sally Breed and I birded the area this morning , checking out spots along the river as well as giving the ponds a look. I returned this evening by myself to see what migrants may have moved in during the day. Highlights include: - 1 adult Caspian Tern. A cooperative bird that showed up mid-morning and sat preening on Pond 1West for awhile, giving many folks great looks (as mentioned by Richard). When I returned to the ponds at 6.30pm, it wasn't present but it showed up again at about 7.30pm and circled the ponds for about 15 minutes before heading southeast. - 1 adult Sora. Presumably an early migrant, a distant bird in the NW corner of Pond 1W seen this evening. - 1 juvenile Peregrine Falcon. First found by Richard last Sunday, it seems to be keeping the shorebirds on their toes as they seem quite skittish, even when the falcon isn't around. - 2 (male & female) Anhingas - perched along the river downstream from Platt Pond, where they have been seen on-and-off at various times this summer. - 1 female Ringed Kingfisher - The female of a pair that have been at various parts of the river since April, though proof of breeding/young has not yet been found. Name: Sent: Sat August 20 2005 01:22 PM Eleven intrepid birders laughed at the the Central Texas heat during August's edition of Travis Audubon's monthly walk at Hornsby Bend this morning, Saturday the 20th. The highlight was certainly the single Caspian Tern that spent some time sitting in pond 1W and also flew by, giving us all some great looks -- thanks Eric Carpenter for alerting us to the bird's presence as we approached the hawkwatch site. A Tricolored Heron flying up-river off Platt Lane was a good bird, as was a Northern Parula seen briefly by the parking area at the Platt Lane trailhead. The single Plegadis (presumably White-faced) ibis in pond 1W did not look too healthy, with one wing sort of drooping down. The birds along Platt Lane in the morning are getting quieter -- this is the first morning since the Painted Buntings arrived in the spring that I failed to see any. The Indigo Buntings are also no longer singing, but we did see a pair by the old river crossing. The September walk will be on the third Saturday as usual - the 17th. The list follows -- 62 species if you count cormorant, hummingbird, and Empidonax sp. There were some other birds in the area -- Kenny Anderson saw Eastern Bluebird and Pied-billed Grebe early, and I added Common Nighthawk, Wood Duck, and Great Blue Heron. The post is too long, so I'm breaking it in two: Name: Sent: Sat August 20 2005 01:22 PM cormorant sp Great Egret Tricolored Heron Little Blue Heron Snowy Egret Cattle Egret Green Heron White Ibis White-faced Ibis Blue-winged Teal Northern Shoveler Turkey Vulture Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Killdeer Long-billed Dowitcher Upland Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper Wilson's Phalarope Caspian Tern Rock Dove Mourning Dove White-winged Dove Inca Dove Yellow-billed Cuckoo Chimney Swift hummingbird (Archilochus) sp Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Empidonax sp Western Kingbird Great Crested Flycatcher Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Purple Martin Bank Swallow Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow Carolina Wren Northern Mockingbird Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Carolina Chickadee Black-crested Titmouse (HO) American Crow Starling White-eyed Vireo Red-eyed Vireo (HO) Northern Parula Northern Cardinal Indigo Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Great-tailed Grackle House Sparrow Richard Kaskan Name: Sent: Fri August 19 2005 07:34 PM I stopped by the ponds from 6.30-7.20'ish tonight. When I got there, shorebirds and Black Terns were in nice flocks flying skittishly around the ponds so I knew something was up. There was a nice juvenile Peregrine Falcon (same one Richard had on Sunday?)perched in one of the dead trees between Pond 1W and Pond 2 that eventually took off and chased several birds around before disappearing towards the northwest. I also had an adult Black-bellied Plover still in mostly all alternate plumage calling and flying over the ponds, heading southeast. It never landed and I probably would not have got on it had it not been calling as it flew. Name: Sent: Sun August 14 2005 07:42 PM I managed to hit Hornsby twice today - mostly around pond 1W and the drying basins visible to the north. Lots of shorebirds still, including nine American Avocets, nine adult dowitchers (Long-billed,I think), increasing numbers of Semipalmated Sandpipers in with the Leasts, and the various other shorebirds that have been around. I counted 35 Blue-winged Teal in the pond in the morning and had 52 Upland Sandpipers fly over late in the day, around 6:45pm. he two Egyptian Geese that Eric Isley reported a while back were hanging around pond 1W as well But the highlight of the day for me was a Peregrine Falcon -- perhaps the best look I've had at one in 41 years of birding. It was sitting on a dead tree a few yards west of where ponds 1E, 1W, and 2 meet at about 7:15pm, near one of those green bat houses. I got telescope-filling views for about 30 seconds before it took off -- I lost it flying east along the south side of pond 1E. I'll repeat here briefly what I posted to TEXBIRDS yesterday - Alvin Cearley and I did Platt Lane for the monthly census and we had one each Anhinga, Prothonotary Warbler, and best of all, Prairie Warbler. The last was along the River Trail near the mesquitey area near the river. Name: Sent: Sun August 07 2005 08:00 PM For the 2nd morning (with Richard Kaskan yesterday) in a row I birded the back area of Hornsby - the area along the river between Pond 3 and Platt Pond - as well as spending time monitoring my hummingbird feeders on Platt Lane (on the porch of the last house). While I was watching the hummers (and a family of raccoons) around 8.00am, I heard the distinctive resonating call of a Pileated Woodpecker coming from the north. I made my way over to the field north of the house and was able to pick up the bird as it flew and landed, and then flew again towards Platt Pond. I was never able to refind the bird in that area but I did hear the bird's distant call again about a hour later while I was downstream from the old river crossing - and the bird sounded like he was still in the area around Platt Pond. As with my sighting of this critter on 3 April in the same area, I was able to get some poor but ID'able pictures (including flight shots). I also ran into my old friend - the Prothonotary Warbler that had been hanging out all spring along the river downstream from Cypress Wetland. I had not seen/heard him since the end of May though I know Richard had a bird a couple weeks ago near Platt Pond. He was completely silent and most noticeable was that his dark bill was mostly pale as it apparently changes color with the seasons. Also had a male Ringed Kingfisher carrying a large fish as he flew upstream past the old river crossing and disappeared on the backside of the "island" there. I still haven't found any definite signs of nesting/young though this pair has obviously spent the summer. Richard and I returned this evening to check out the Ponds and were rewarded with 2 juv. Roseate Spoonbills and 1 juv. Tricolored Heron. We also had our FOS Yellow Warbler and a leucistic (partially albino) Orchard Oriole in amongst other Orchards. Name: Sent: Fri August 05 2005 04:31 PM Braved the rain and saw some goodies late 10ish till noon today. A Say's Phoebe on a telephone wire on Platt Lane before entering the first gate (not at River Trail). Also 4 Common Ground Doves on telephone wire same area. At north side of pond 1W 4 White Ibis up in "tree" very close to the barrier. Many Herons ponds 1Wm and Pond 2. Able to identify some Greens, Little Blue, but could not get the others...no scope. Looked like some Tri-colored but too far away to tell for sure. I thought I saw some pink (Roseates?)among the Egrets across the pond when we were on south side of Pond 2 near the bird blind. The Wood Ducks are still there and thought there were some Long Tailed Ducks but again, no scope and too far away to be certain. The white facial pattern seemed consistent with Long Tailed Ducks. Many, many Snowy Egrets. The peeps are coming in and were in pond 1W but were mostly on the middle to north side of pond. The only ones close enough to see were the Spotted Sandpipers. My understanding is that we are not supposed to go past the barriers even if only by foot. The Black-Necked Stilts are coming in closer and can easily be seen without a scope on pond 1W. Name: Sent: Thu July 28 2005 09:30 AM One male Yellow-headed Blackbird in the vegetation along the N side of pond 1W. Also in 1W my first Wilson's Phalaropes (3) of the "fall," and a fly-over Upland Sandpiper. These between 6:45 and 8:00 am today. Name: Sent: Tue July 26 2005 08:56 PM Pond 1 west had 14 American Avocets and two young Wood Ducks. I wish I had a scope or I could go to the Northwest corner of pond 1 West because there was an interesting duck. It probably was a juvenille (very young) BB Whistling-Duck. It layed in the muck like something was wrong with it. All the mud obscured its' patterns and colors. I, was surprised to see Blue-headed Vireo on the east side of 2. Orchard Orioles and Painted Buntings were also along the fenceline. Kenny Name: Sent: Sun July 24 2005 09:06 PM Stopped by the ponds before dusk hoping to lucky with the spoonbills -- I didn't see any, but I did get my first three Tricolored Herons of the summer in the SW corner of pond 1W, near where the young Yellow-crowned Night-herons have been hanging out. Many shorebirds at the west end of 1W, but difficult for me at that distance. Then at about 7:45pm on the Platt Lane end of the River Trail, a single Prothonary Warbler in the mesquite about 150 yards from the gate. Perhaps this is the same bird Eric Carpenter had been following earlier this spring and summer? Name: Sent: Sun July 17 2005 05:07 PM Two juvenile Roseate Spoonbills first thing this morning (6.30am) along the edge of Pond 2 that borders 1W. The birds moved over to the northern edge of Pond 1w and stayed there only briefly until they left at 7.00am. Name: Sent: Sat July 16 2005 09:23 PM A dozen doughty birders got wet during July's edition of Travis Audubon's monthly walk at Hornsby Bend this morning, Saturday the 17th. The walk was cut short by the rain, but we did get to see many of the summering regulars, plus a few early shorebird migrants on pond 1W and in the adjacent drying basins. At least five Black Terns entertained us over 1W as well. The August walk will be on the third Saturday as usual - the 20th. The list follows -- only 46 species this time, although I did see some others earlier (Western Kingbird, Double-crested Cormorant), and I know that Eric Carpenter saw some others (at least Neotropic Cormorant and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron). Thanks to Eric for helping us with those peeps in the rain. Great Blue Heron Great Egret Little Blue Heron Snowy Egret Cattle Egret Green Heron White Ibis Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Wood Duck Gadwall Ruddy Duck Osprey Black-necked Stilt Killdeer Lesser Yellowlegs Solitary Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Black Tern Rock Dove Mourning Dove Yellow-billed Cuckoo Chimney Swift Red-bellied Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Purple Martin Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow Carolina Wren Northern Mockingbird Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee American Crow Starling White-eyed Vireo Northern Cardinal Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle House Finch House Sparrow Name: Sent: Tue July 05 2005 05:18 PM A quick check of the ponds this morning, only really checking on Pond 1W. Migrant shorebirds: 2 Least Sandpipers, 1 Western Sandpiper, 3 Solitary Sandpipers and 6 American Avocets. On the water's edge of the western-most corner of Pond 2, there were 3 juv. Yellow-crowned Night-Herons. Name: Sent: Sun July 03 2005 03:28 PM A few southbound shorebirds this morning on Pond 1W: 1 Solitary Sandpiper, 2 Least Sandpipers, 2 Western Sandpipers. Name: Sent: Sat July 02 2005 03:20 PM I stopped by Hornsby this morning for a couple hours to check out post-breeding activity. A fair number of waders on Pond 1W - mostly Snowy Egrets & Little Blue Herons, plus 10 juv. White Ibis (also 3 on Pond 3) and 1 juv. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. Also of interest was a single Inca Dove on the road between Pond 2 & the greenhouses, plus 2 (exotic) Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus) on the west end of Pond 2. Name: Sent: Sat June 18 2005 06:06 PM Eleven birders enjoyed the breeze and the heat during June's edition of Travis Audubon's monthly walk at Hornsby Bend today, Saturday the 18th. As we expect in June the birding was slow, but there are always a few interesting things to look at. Highlights of the walk include at least 40 Wood Ducks on pond 1W early (all dispersed when we went back at about 10:20), a light-phase Swainson's Hawk, and a White-rumped Sandpiper still hanging out on pond 1W. I include a list below, including some approximate numbers -- "HO" means heard-only, and the two birds marked with asterisks (caracara and nighthawk) I saw before the main group convened. July's walk will be the third Saturday again - the 16th. By July we should find some later summer wanderers, as well as some adult shorebirds returning south -- come on out and join us. Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 1 Little Blue Heron ~8 Snowy Egret ~50 Cattle Egret 6 Green Heron 2 Wood Duck 41 Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Osprey 2 Red-shouldered Hawk (HO) Swainson's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Crested Caracara* 1 Black-necked Stilt ~12 Killdeer > 10 White-rumped Sandpiper 1 Rock Dove Mourning Dove White-winged Dove Monk Parakeet 6 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Common Nighthawk* 1 Chimney Swift 2 hummingbird (Archilochus sp) 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker ~4 Downy Woodpecker 1 Western Kingbird 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher >6 Purple Martin ~20 Cliff Swallow >20 Barn Swallow >20 Carolina Wren ~8 Northern Mockingbird 2 Eastern Bluebird 2 Carolina Chickadee >8 Black-crested Titmouse (HO) American Crow 2 Starling White-eyed Vireo ~8 Red-eyed Vireo (HO) Summer Tanager (HO) Northern Cardinal Indigo Bunting ~3 Painted Bunting ~8 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird House Sparrow Name: Sent: Sat June 18 2005 04:17 PM Eleven birders enjoyed the breeze and the heat during June's edition of Travis Audubon's monthly walk at Hornsby Bend today, Saturday the 18th. As we expect in June the birding was slow, but there are always a few interesting things to look at. Highlights of the walk include at least 40 Wood Ducks on pond 1W early (all dispersed when we went back at about 10:20), a light-phase Swainson's Hawk, and a White-rumped Sandpiper still hanging out on pond 1W. I include a list below, including some approximate numbers -- "HO" means heard-only, and the two birds marked with asterisks (caracara and nighthawk) I saw before the main group convened. July's walk will be the third Saturday again - the 16th. By July we should find some later summer wanderers, as well as some adult shorebirds returning south -- come on out and join us. Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 1 Little Blue Heron ~8 Snowy Egret ~50 Cattle Egret 6 Green Heron 2 Wood Duck 41 Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Osprey 2 Red-shouldered Hawk (HO) Swainson's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Crested Caracara* 1 Black-necked Stilt ~12 Killdeer > 10 White-rumped Sandpiper 1 Rock Dove Mourning Dove White-winged Dove Monk Parakeet 6 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Common Nighthawk* 1 Chimney Swift 2 hummingbird (Archilochus sp) 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker ~4 Downy Woodpecker 1 Western Kingbird 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher >6 Purple Martin ~20 Cliff Swallow >20 Barn Swallow >20 Carolina Wren ~8 Northern Mockingbird 2 Eastern Bluebird 2 Carolina Chickadee >8 Black-crested Titmouse (HO) American Crow 2 Starling White-eyed Vireo ~8 Red-eyed Vireo (HO) Summer Tanager (HO) Northern Cardinal Indigo Bunting ~3 Painted Bunting ~8 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird House Sparrow Name: Sent: Sun June 12 2005 08:50 PM Today Victor Emanuel and I birded the Hornsby Bend area from 6:45 to 7:45 this evening. While the majority of migrants have long since departed, now is the time to keep looking, as one never knows what will turn up or appear unexpectedly. There were still half a dozen White-rumped Sandpipers on pond 1W as well as a very late basic plumaged Black Tern and a single subadult Franklin's Gull. Perhaps most interesting was the huge number of Wood Ducks on 1W. I counted at least 48 individual birds on the water. There were some others flying around that I tried to count but lost track of. The actual number was probably closer to 55; quite a remarkable number. There was a smattering of other interesting waterfowl that included 2 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, a male Redhead, a female Green-winged Teal and single Northern Shovelor and Blue-winged Teal drakes, both apparently beginning a molt to eclipse plumage. Lots of typical herons and egrets around and hundreds of recently fledged Cliff Swallows. All in all, a good visit. BIRDERS BEWARE: As you climb the levee toward pond 1E, the sign indicates that the plant hours are sun up to sun down. While we were inside the facility somebody came by and locked the gate around 7:30, with us inside, at least 40 minutes before sundown. Fortunately we know somebody on the staff who we could call who let us out, but if you go late in the day, it's best to be visible near the front (north side) of the ponds. Name: Sent: Sat June 04 2005 04:56 PM I spent a few hours this morning checking out the river trail (Platt Lane), Pond 1W and Pond 3. Most migrants have already passed thru though there were still a couple dozen White-rumped Sandpipers left on Pond 1W. Other sightings of interest: 2 male Redheads (1 on Pond 2, 1 on Pond 1W), the continuing pair of Ringed Kingfishers downstream from Cypress Wetland, and a Common Moorhen & a 1st-summer Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - both on Pond 3. There was also a Eurasion Collared Dove that flew over Pond 1W, just the second one I've seen at Hornsby this year. Name: Sent: Tue May 31 2005 09:30 AM Is there currently car access to the birding blind and shelter? ... Can one drive around Pond 2? If not, is there a turnaround? How far is the road east of Ponds 1 & 2 open? Thank you! Mary Ann Number of entries: 381 [ <b>HBBO Homepage</b> ] |