hookem2010
Well-known member
After a brief hiatus due to our 2nd child being born, I resumed leading Audubon walks here in central Texas. Today, we spent 2 hours along Brushy Creek before the unseasonal heat (87 degree high!) set in. About 12 others joined me for this walk.
Activity was great to begin, with a dozen or so American goldfinch flocking with the ubiquitous yellow-rumped warblers. Blue jays and American crows squawked and cawwed while flying overhead. A pair of great blue herons made their way west along the waterway. A lone titmouse turned out to be a pure-looking black-crested in a region largely dominated by hybrids. Waxwings gave their high-pitched whistles while flying among distant treetops and would be a common sight and sound throughout the morning.
Moving down the trail, the tiny ruby-crowned kinglets gave their distinctive two-note call, with a couple males flashing their namesake crests. While the eastern screech-owl did not poke their head out of the owl box, many more goldfinch fed on seeds, along with more yellow-rumped warblers, a lone orange-crowned warbler and a couple more distant, and somewhat less common dark-eyed juncos. White-throated sparrows could be heard in the brush, but never made an appearance. An eastern bluebird sang overhead but also remained stubbornly out of sight. An occasional northern mockbird would perch near eye level. American robins were conspicuous in their absence, save for a single bird perched alongside some waxwings and a couple brief calls.
Nearing the turnaround point, red-bellied woodpeckers could be heard frequently, and seen at a distance moving up tree trunks. Northern flickers called on several occasions but remained too distant to be seen. A threesome of downy woodpeckers chased each other around the canopy. Carolina chickadees and wrens sang continuously, with the latter only popping up for views on one or two occasions. A spotted towhee gave itself away with its nasally call, before perching obligingly on a low branch.
As soon as I decided to turn us around, a house finch song rang out nearby, but we were distracted by a red-shouldered hawk swooping up onto a nearby branch before continuing west. A single Lincoln's sparrow also flew up from the understory before quickly disappearing from view. Northern cardinals were a near constant presence, with the males particularly bold. A couple eastern phoebes loudly called, eventually flying into nearby trees for prolonged looks. I paused under some oaks where I had seen golden-crowned kinglets the week previous, and immediately heard a 'see-see-see' call, with the bird flitting wildly into sight. A 2nd individual farther down the trail came down near eye-level for a great photo opportunity.
As the walk was nearing its conclusion, some lesser goldfinch were able to be pished from their hiding place along the slope toward the river, with a male and a couple females taking brief refuge in some bare branches before flying over the trail. Finally, while approaching the parking lot and commenting on the lack of vultures, 3 black vultures could be seen perched on distant light posts, with one at last taking flight.
It was a nice little walk to end the year and I will make a point to post what I hope become monthly occurrences going into 2025.
Activity was great to begin, with a dozen or so American goldfinch flocking with the ubiquitous yellow-rumped warblers. Blue jays and American crows squawked and cawwed while flying overhead. A pair of great blue herons made their way west along the waterway. A lone titmouse turned out to be a pure-looking black-crested in a region largely dominated by hybrids. Waxwings gave their high-pitched whistles while flying among distant treetops and would be a common sight and sound throughout the morning.
Moving down the trail, the tiny ruby-crowned kinglets gave their distinctive two-note call, with a couple males flashing their namesake crests. While the eastern screech-owl did not poke their head out of the owl box, many more goldfinch fed on seeds, along with more yellow-rumped warblers, a lone orange-crowned warbler and a couple more distant, and somewhat less common dark-eyed juncos. White-throated sparrows could be heard in the brush, but never made an appearance. An eastern bluebird sang overhead but also remained stubbornly out of sight. An occasional northern mockbird would perch near eye level. American robins were conspicuous in their absence, save for a single bird perched alongside some waxwings and a couple brief calls.
Nearing the turnaround point, red-bellied woodpeckers could be heard frequently, and seen at a distance moving up tree trunks. Northern flickers called on several occasions but remained too distant to be seen. A threesome of downy woodpeckers chased each other around the canopy. Carolina chickadees and wrens sang continuously, with the latter only popping up for views on one or two occasions. A spotted towhee gave itself away with its nasally call, before perching obligingly on a low branch.
As soon as I decided to turn us around, a house finch song rang out nearby, but we were distracted by a red-shouldered hawk swooping up onto a nearby branch before continuing west. A single Lincoln's sparrow also flew up from the understory before quickly disappearing from view. Northern cardinals were a near constant presence, with the males particularly bold. A couple eastern phoebes loudly called, eventually flying into nearby trees for prolonged looks. I paused under some oaks where I had seen golden-crowned kinglets the week previous, and immediately heard a 'see-see-see' call, with the bird flitting wildly into sight. A 2nd individual farther down the trail came down near eye-level for a great photo opportunity.
As the walk was nearing its conclusion, some lesser goldfinch were able to be pished from their hiding place along the slope toward the river, with a male and a couple females taking brief refuge in some bare branches before flying over the trail. Finally, while approaching the parking lot and commenting on the lack of vultures, 3 black vultures could be seen perched on distant light posts, with one at last taking flight.
It was a nice little walk to end the year and I will make a point to post what I hope become monthly occurrences going into 2025.
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