Field Notes 2010

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Thanks to all who participated in the Lake Ray Hubbard Christmas Bird Count. We had about 11 pairs of eyes birding around the count circle from dawn to dusk for 6 areas. Numbers were down this year as well as number of species. Below are a couple of photos taken by Dr. Peter Assman at

Spring Creek Preserve...(Left, a Northern Flicker seeks shelter in one of the new Barn Owl Boxes at the Preserve; Right: heavy morning frost made for a beautiful scene early Sunday morning as the Area 5 count began.)

Dec. 10 Dr. Peter Assman has posted great birding data for the Plano Outdoor Learning Center located along Rowlett Creek

Fall season 2009 (Aug 1 - Nov 31) bird report
Plano Outdoor Learning Center (POLC), Bob Woodruff Park (BWP), Oak
Point Nature Preserve (OPNP) (Collin County)

More species (~138) recorded this fall compared to previous years
partly because the extensive rainfall and warm temperatures attracted
more birds to the park, and partly because the trails linking Bob
Woodruff
Park to Oak Point Nature Preserve were opened for the first time this
summer
providing some new habitats.

Neotropic Cormorant (BWP, 29-Aug-09)
-my first record of this species for the park (photos
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_082909.html)

Plegadis sp. / Glossy Ibis (BWP, 13-Sep-09)
-field marks consistent with Glossy Ibis but pinkish facial skin make
it difficult to rule out possibility
of a hybrid Glossy x White-faced Ibis (photos
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_091309.html)

Northern Harrier (OPNP, 28-Nov-09)
-locally uncommon bird in the park. two individuals found 5-Dec-09 in
the same vicinity
-photo http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_112809.html

Merlin (BWP, 15-Nov-09)
-photo http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_111509.html

Sora (BWP, 24-Oct-09)
-uncommon fall migrant

Chuck-Will's Widow (POLC, 13-Sep-09)
-uncommon fall migrant

Rufous Hummingbird (POLC, 21-Nov-09)
-Selasphorus female photographed - brief appearance at the seed feeder
(!) Not re-found.
-photo http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_112109.html

Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker (OPNP, 21-Nov-09)
-http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_112109.html
-another one on 4-Dec-09

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers lingered until 14-Nov-09 (OPNP)
-fairly late for this location but not unexpected given the warm
weather

Yellow-throated Vireo remained/singing until 26-Sep-09 (POLC)

Barn Swallow (14-Nov-09, OPNP)
-one late/lingering bird
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_111509.html

Sedge and Marsh Wrens
-excellent habitat for them in OPNP this fall
-Sedge Wren photo
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_112809.html

Cedar Waxwing showed up in fairly large numbers in early November
-(perhaps a couple of weeks earlier than usual)

Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler (7-Nov-09, OPNP)
-http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_110709.html

Dark-eyed Junco (28-Nov-09, OPNP)
-Oregon race or intergrade?
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_112809.html

Both Eastern and Western Meadowlarks heard singing on several visits to
OPNP
-higher than usual numbers of meadowlarks this year
-my impression is that many -perhaps most- of the birds in these
flocks are Westerns but Easterns can be heard too.
-http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_112809.html

Conspicuous by their absence: Common Grackles (normally in large flocks
by mid-November). No Rusty Blackbirds so far.

Excel spreadsheet attached.

http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc.html

Good birding,
Peter

=============================================
Peter Assmann
Professor, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
GR41 The University of Texas at Dallas

Dec 4 Checked out three CBC birding stops with Derek ....Spring Creek Preserve, One Eleven Ranch Park,

A short walk to see still-beautiful fall foliage on the shummard oaks and a few Chinkapins. An almost cloudless day with dainty sulphurs, a few blooming greenthreads,

dragonflies, 4 red-tailed hawks, a kestrel, white-throated sparrows, and American goldfinch.

Nov. 10 Fay had a collection of mystery seeds and pods recently and stumped us with this particular one....I'll let you know what it is on Monday,

Our Buckley Oak (Texas Red) is in fall foilage and old Liatris stalks glow in the late afternoon sun.....

October 30...Peter Assman's birding observations in same forest type as Spring Creek Forest... Plano Outdoor Learning Center, Bob Woodruff Park, Oak Point Nature Preserve - Oct 24/09

The torrential rains in early Oct transformed the park into wetlands
this fall. I'm hoping for overwintering Rusty Blackbirds. Migration slipped by
quickly,nothing really rare so far but here are some arrival dates:

Oct 3 Double-crested Cormorant, White Pelican

Aug 29 Neotropic Cormorant - my first park record
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_082909.html

Sep 13 Plegadis ibis- more pictures posted here:
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_091309.html
Still not sure which species this is. The face pattern detail in the
last 2 pictures seem to show a hint of
purplish color on the facial skin but I'm not sure if this helps.
Either Plegadis would be a new species
for my park checklist, but for now I've listed this as Plegadis sp.
(please convince me otherwise).

Oct 10 American Wigeon

Oct 24 Sora - poor view, rail glimpsed in dense cattails in Bob
Woodruff Park

Oct 10 Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper
(flooded fields after heavy rains)

Oct 17 Inca Doves FOS

Oct 10 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker FOS. Heard a pair drumming in the woods
SE of Park & Shiloh, one flying after the other, vocalizing- I guess
this is winter territorial behavior.

Oct 24 Blue-headed Vireo FOS

Oct 3 1 Marsh Wren

Oct 10 - 1 Sedge Wren and 12 House Wrens

Oct 24 Winter Wren FOS

Oct 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet FOS

Oct 24 Hermit Thrush FOS (heard calling)

Oct 10 Gray Catbird (FOS, only one so far this fall)

Oct 10 Yellow-rumped Warbler FOS

Oct 17 Orange-crowned Warber FOS
(http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_101709.html)

Warblers- trickled through: Yellow, Wilson’s, Nashville, Mourning,
Black-and-white, Black-throated Green, Common Yellowthroat, Northern
Parula, Yellow-breasted Chat, American Redstart

A few Indigo Buntings returned in Oct after disappearing at the end of
August

The Yellow-throated Vireo lingered until at least Sept 26 (still
singing vociferously), a week after I recorded the last White-eyed
Vireo singing.

Sparrows- started showing up last week (White-crowned, Chipping,
Savannah, Song, Field, Lincoln's, White-throated)

Oak Point Nature Preserve produced a singing Eastern Meadowlark AND a
singing Western Meadowlark early yesterday morning near the lake at the
north end of the preserve.
This is a nice spot :-)

http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc.html
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_102409.html

Good birding-
Peter

October 16 On the 1787 Holford Road side of the Preserve, 33 Great Plains Ladies'-Tresses were counted scattered around in one undisclosed location to deter trampling by trail users. Two meadowlark sp.'s were also flushed from the prairie as I was looking for Ladies'-Tresses. Thanks for the heads up Jim!

October 14 Jim Varnum found Great Plains Ladies'-Tresses (Spiranthes magnicamporum) yesterday at Spring Creek Preserve.

download the free RavenViewer to visualize sounds on this site Included are all the calls of bird species

found at Spring Creek as well as amphibians and mammals. Billed as "the world's largest collection of animal sounds and videos"

Thursday, September 24, 2009: Fall Wildflower Walk with Jim Varnum. 6:00 PM, Spring Creek Park Preserve, 1787 Holford. Plant and wildflower guru Jim Varnum takes you on a walk through the prairie to point out fall wildflowers and help you identify them on your own. We'll also talk about anything we see -- plants, birds, butterflies, etc. For adults, youth and kids. Bring binoculars, cameras, etc.

Sept. 19 Bird Walk.....turned into a Nature Walk (photos posted soon)....please review and update via email.

Trails were muddy and trails overgrown with recent rains and less foot traffic, but fun was had by all!

Highlight birds were Wilson's Warbler (male), female Baltimore Oriole, Belted Kingfisher, White-eyed Vireo

Butterflies included Giant, Spicebush, and Tiger Swallowtails generally feeding on Prairie Agalinis, Gulf Fritillary, Clouded & Dainty Sulphurs

Other Insects: Cuckoo Wasp, camouflaged crab spider on Frost Weed, juvenile praying mantis (sp?)

Late summer/early winter blooms : Liatris mucronata (Gayfeathers), Frost Weed, Rough Sunflower, Maxmilian Sunflower,

Fall Gumweed, Leavenworth's Eryngo, Elephant's Foot, Palafoxia, Broom Whitlow-wort

Posted Martin Selznick's nature photos on the Photos page Thank you again Martin for the great photos!!

Recent posting by Peter Assman on POLC birds....Bob Woodruff is adjacent to Rowlett Creek, to which Spring Creek is tributary.

Yesterday I stopped at Bob Woodruff Park briefly around 11 AM hoping for the rain to stop, but it didn't. The flooded fields attracted a large group of the local ducks along
with some Green-winged Teal, >30 Canada Geese (presumably feral but who knows where they came from), Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, etc - and this Plegadis ibis:

http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_091309.html

Returned later in the day and the bird was still there. It might still be there today. Please look at the photos and let me know if you think the pictures are good enough
to tell which species this is (or if it's a hybrid). The bird looked dark overall with dark legs, brown eyes, no pink color around the eyes, and a hint of blue on the face. I took more pictures but haven't had time to sort through them yet- I posted the clearest ones here.

I managed a quick round through the park during the brief gap in the drizzle around 4 PM and found lots of good birds: a Chuck-Will's-Widow flushed from the path in the woods behind the Learning Center; a Mississippi Kite perched in a tree by the edge of the woods (until a Red-shouldered Hawk chased it off), Painted Bunting in the brush, 2 Turkey Vultures dining on a dead Opposum, lots of Baltimore Orioles; Yellow, Nashville, Black-and-white and Mourning Warblers; a male American Redstart; several Empids including a couple of Leasts; Eastern Wood Pewee singing; Blue-gray Gnatcatchers everywhere.

Peter

Sept. 4 Friday...for you birders, 8 Black-necked Stilts were seen before noon at the small lake near Entrance B at Brekinridge Park in Richardson. There is also a colony of Canada Geese that have been there since late July/early August and this morning they were feeding in wet, grassy areas on the main soccer field of Brekinridge Park. Fall is in the air, with eryngo, snow-on-the-prairie, and fall composites.

Aug. 29....western portion of the Rowlett Relief Sewer in the Fred E. Harris Section of Spring Creek Greenbelt. Within short walking distance from

the Greenbelt ("Shiloh Springs") parking lot on N. Shiloh Rd. south of the intersection of Campbell Rd. & Shiloh. "Greenbelt"? A 2000 report entitled "Local Ecosystem Analysis, Garland Texas", done by American Forests, estimated a city-wide annual dollar benefit from trees of $2.8 million in stormwater runoff

reduction, $1.2 million in air quality benefits, and $1.3 million in energy savings or a total annual value of $5.3 million.

Aug. 26....copy of letter sent to Garland Parks and Recreation Department (click)

Plano Outdoor Learning Center / Bob Woodruff Park
Summer 2009 nesting season

Dry weather in the early part of the season, but well-spaced
rain later in the season improved conditions considerably.

I found nests of Black-chinned Hummingbird, Western Kingbird,
and White-eyed Vireo. Adults feeding young: Eastern Kingbird,
Red-winged Blackbird, possibly Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
Painted and Indigo Buntings singing from several locations.

Probable late spring migrant: an Eastern Wood Pewee on June 6
(photo on POLC web page) (not seen again).

Yellow-throated Vireo was present on territory in same area
as last year; heard singing on nearly every visit. Tried to
locate a nest without success, but on June 11 I heard scolding
calls, similar in quality to Blue-headed Vireo, while a second
bird was singing nearby at same time. (I've read that male YTVIs
sometimes sing while sitting on the nest- which may explain
why it's sometimes hard to locate them visually).

Black-and-white Warblers: early fall migrants? 2 on July 18 and
1 on July 26 (photo on web page).

Prothonotary Warbler: one heard singing 7/26, but not seen.

Northern Parula: juvenile bird on June 27 (photo on web page)

Male Orchard Oriole on July 26; likely early fall migrant
(do these nest locally?)

American Kestrel: 1 on July 25 at Oak Point Preserve

http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc.html

Elsewhere in Collin County:

American Kestrel: 1 on July 22 north of UTD campus (Collin County).

Swainson's Hawk: June 16-17 one perched on the corner of
Plano Parkway and Custer Rd (Collin County), again July 7 and July 22.

Your webmaster was out looking for cardinal flowers today along Spring Creek and, unfortunately, stumbled upon this scene. It is part of the Rowlett Relief Sewer Project (and bore pit area) immediately adjacent to the Preserve boundary to the left and is located near the Stoneleigh Apartments on North Garland Avenue. This section adjacent to the Forest Preserve was once a nice trail under a closed canopy forest.

On June 16 the White House released a detailed report on climate change in the United States...

Spring Creek will change by the end of this century with more droughts, higher summer temperatures,

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) has made it's latest floral trestise

May 19 Inspired by the video of Spring Creek Preserve, your webmaster has uploaded

a video of Parkhill Prairie. There weren't nearly as many prairie forbs blooming as it was

mainly regrowth of Big Bluestem, Prairie Plantain, Prairie Parsley, and a few Paintbrush

and Basketflowers. The Preserve and Parkhill Prairie are related in that they are both in

the Blackland Prairie ecosystem of Texas and share many plants and birds in common.

The flowers at the Preserve are in peak bloom. A quick look at the birds showed...Olive-sided Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe,

Eastern Kingbird (pair), Eastern Blue Bird (male), Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, White-eyed Vireo

May 17 A nice video of Spring Creek Preserve uploaded to Flicker by Texas Mustang!!!

May 13 A nice Yellow-throated Vireo spotted singing this afternoon at Spring Creek Preserve

April 20 An hour and a half birding yielded a few neotropical migrants at Prairie Creek: Gray-cheeked Thrush, Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (most vibrant I've seen), and Nashville warbler. Bobcat reported at Rose Hill Park.

This morning's bird walk was wet but we had about 8 participants and saw the following:

As we looked up at some mammatus clouds yesterday around 3 pm, we saw tiny silhouettes
...a kettle of 21 broad-winged hawks migrating in the northeasterly direction. They were soaring at
about 1,000-1,500 feet. Soon after we saw a lower group of Franklin's Gulls migrating overhead. Fifty minutes later another kettle of broad-winged hawks (20) flew overhead and another group of Franklin's Gulls. Cloud formations yesterday were interesting also, as we saw some wave clouds, indicating high wind speeds and favorable migration weather for these birds. Although this is nothing like the hawk migrations along the Texas coast where thousands can be seen at once, it is a spectacle to behold here in north central Texas! Texas Hawk Watch

Canada wild oni on
Common vetc
Crow poison, False garlic

Cut-leaf evening-primrose

Oxalis, yellow wood-sorrel

Prairie bishop’s weed

Redroot, New Jersey tea

Showy evening-primrose, Buttercup

Small-flower milk-vetch

Spring forget-me-not

Western white honeysuckle

Wooly-white, Old plainsman

I walked the dirt trail - the one that goes by the 1960 Chevy. I found a small American holly - Ilex opaca near there. I have also seen this holly at Rowlett Nature Trail Park on Miller Rd. They are common in East Texas. I also found some persistent trout lily leaves on the cleared trail from the survey for the new water pipeline.

Cheers,
Jim Varnum

Jim also found a mint species (see below)....I found this plant at SCFP (1770) yesterday afternoon. It was along the dirt trail that passes by the 1960 Chevy. it appears to be a mint - maybe a Mentha. One plant, maybe 18" tall. I don't know why I didn't smell it. I plant to revisit next week and key it out.

March 21 Seventeen participants saw around 30 bird species today at Spring Creek Preserve, including Harris's/Lark/White-Crowned/White-Throated/Field Sparrows, Cooper's/Red-tailed/Sharp-Shinned Hawks, and Yellow-Rumped/Orange-Crowned Warblers and Eastern Bluebirds.

Peter Assmann's birding info is included since habitats are similar to those at Spring Creek with the exception of a lake and more extensive floodplains.

Lots of birds today. Overcast and cool, very wet after 3 days of rain. Fields flooded, trails muddy.
3 Coyotes(!) on the creek trail near the Learning Center FOS Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow

POLC web page
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc.html

This week's pictures (incl. Louisiana Waterthrush)
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_031409.html

Last week's pictures
http://www.utdallas.edu/~assmann/POLC/polc_030809.html

American Wigeon - Anas americana 1
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos X
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors 8
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 35
Great Egret - Ardea alba 1
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura 2
Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus 2
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 3
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius 1
Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago delicata 2
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis 47
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia 75
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto 1
White-winged Dove - Zenaida asiatica 4
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 11
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus 8
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus varius 3
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 9
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus 1
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus 2
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe 5
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 7
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 12
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis 1
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica 3
Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis 15
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 12
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 2
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 16
Winter Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula 7
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis 13
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 50
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos 6
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 70
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum 5
Orange-crowned Warbler - Vermivora celata 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 70
Louisiana Waterthrush - Seiurus motacilla 1
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina 4
Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis 12
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 4
Lincoln's Sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii 4
Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana 1
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 12
Harris's Sparrow - Zonotrichia querula 1
Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis 32
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 23
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 125
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula 15
Great-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus 225
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater 12
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus 12
American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis 15
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus 18

In response to negative comments about cedar removal during last weeks work day, the Society has this response:

Butterflies were abundant on this warm winter day at Harry Meyer's Park
in Rockwall, Texas. Thanks to Derek for his observations...for a complete list

Giant Swallowtail
Black Swallowtail
Dogface
Orange Sulphur
Elfin sp.- Henry's or possibly Frosted
Falcate Orangetip
Pearl Crescent
Goatweed Leafwing
Cloudless Sulphur

Special thanks to Beta Club, Circle Ten Boy Scouts, and other volunteers who helped

has fewer encroaching trees. About 25 volunteers participated!!! Please forward group

The Trout Lily Walk was a success.....many participants braved the cold winds on Saturday...thanks Tom Frey for a great nature walk!

an unidentified bee emerges from its burrow along the dirt trail...there were dozens of holes. Unlike the Honey Bee, this bee is a native.

Update: These photos were taken yesterday during the warm 81 degree weather...come see them on Saturday!

Don't forget the upcoming Trout Lily Walk on February 28th at 10:00am and 1:00pm at 1770 Holford Road in Garland, Texas!

Reminder: The Big Tree Walk is Saturday, January 24th at 10:00. Meet on Ranger Drive by the Namaan Forest High School Parking lot (se corner of school).

The hike will be moderate, with some climbing over logs and across small creeks. I will have a handout on some of our big trees. See you then...

Barbara Keeler took this photos of a "New Year's" Cooper's Hawk in her backyard...nice photos Barbara!

The Cooper's Hawk is seen in metropolitan areas occasionally as it feeds on smaller passerine birds such

as sparrows, pigeons, and other birds. It also preys on reptiles and amphibians. In the old days, many

were hunted as "Chicken Hawks" . This immature does not have the red eyes of an adult. Prefers dense

tree cover, but likes patchy woodlands and edges of such habitats in urban areas.