Texas Hill Country sightings

[Steve Gross]

Before the tremendous deluge we've had here, a friend and I were able to do some camping and birding in the Texas Hill Country for the last three days. I tied my friend Ken in TX this year with 346 species, the last being Cactus Wren seen just outside San Antonio.

I took seven rolls of slides at some hides in a state park near Junction, Texas (S. Llano River State Park). My apologies for not posting my photos, but I do not have a scanner of any stripe at present. Hopefully some of these will make their way into various publications.

In any case, here's our species list, including birds seen today by my group at the Kerrville, Texas, Christmas Bird Count :

Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Crested Caracara
American Kestrel
Wild Turkey
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
White-winged Dove
Inca Dove
Great Horned Owl
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Black Phoebe
Golden-crowned Kinglet (your Goldcrest, I believe)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (your Firecrest, I believe)
Cedar Waxwing
Cactus Wren
Carolina Wren
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Black-crested Titmouse
Carolina Chickadee
Loggerhead Shrike
Blue Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Canyon Towhee
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Pyrrhuloxia
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Common Grackle
Great-tailed Grackle
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

[peter hayes]

Steve

That is a fabulous list - I envy you! Maybe you could persuade a friend to scan in some of your pictures and post them on the site. We'd all love to see them.

Happy New Year!

[Gaye Horn]

Steve Fabulous list... I see many similar or same birds here from season to season and some all the time. How I envy you the opportunities that Texas offers..

[paula]

I agree, love to see pictures of some of these fabulous birds.
Wow, what a bird state in the US Texas seems to be. Wish I was there!

[Steve Gross]

I've read that Texas is the #1 destination of traveling birders. I'm not sure if that includes just US birders, organized tours, or what, but it is a great place to be a birder. With any applied effort, a list of 100+ species is possible during the fall, winter, and spring. I retreat to the Rocky Mountains during the summer, as I hate the humidity even more than the heat. There I get to see birds that don't usually make it to Texas.

Accordingly, my US list for the year 2002 will stand at 395, with 51 life birds. My Texas list will stand at 346, as I dipped on Purple Finch today after driving 90 miles for the privelege. Happy New Year, everyone, and Good Birding!

[bcurrie]

Texas is truly a fabulous birding place due to the large varied terrain, and the closeness with Mexico. Other great spots would be California and Alaska (Spring and Summer only for Alaska). Great report.

[Vogelman]

Steve,

As someone who lives just north of you on Lake Conroe, and who also prefers to escape our wonderful summer humidity to the Rocky Mountains (Colorado in my case), your wonderful lists makes me think I need to try and see what kind of list I can compile for 2003. As a relatively new birder I am not sure if I can be of even the slightest competition, but it will sure be fun to try! Maybe that extra side trip I have planned to Northern Minnesota and Northwest Ontario this June will give me an edge.

Thanks for posting and Good Birding!

Vogelman

[Steve Gross]

Vogelman: I noticed that we were neighbors when you first came to the Forum. Let me know if I can help your birding in any way. There's some very good birding in your area, and winter is the time when I usually go up there.

Your travel plans certainly will put you in contact with some wonderful birds. Good luck!

Steve in Houston