Observations from Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, site 66:
I spend most of the day out here today. Didn't see anything new, but I watched my buddy the male Belted Kingfisher awhile today, as well as an earlier day this week. I think it's the same bird, as I've never seen more than 1 at a time, and always a male, in this park. This little stretch seems to be his main fall territory, as he spends most of the day in a 200-foot stretch along the shore here. There are a lot of trees along the waters edge here right now, as the lake is up some from earlier in the month (the trees were 10-15 feet from the shore before that), so maybe that's why he likes this area right now. Anyway- I have watched him dive for fish many times now in this area. Unlike the first time I saw him fish, when he fluttered weakly over the surface and lightly grabbed fish, he plunge-dove many times, reminiscent of a diving gannet. Sometimes he did a kind of belly-flop but continued on to submerge. He was very efficient in his fishing here; nearly every time when I was able to see him after he flew back to a perch, he had a minnow in his beak. He would fly to perches on one of the trees near the waters' edge and eat. He calls frequently with his now-familiar rattling, pugnacious, challenging call, although I've never seen another kingfisher, or seen him challenge any other bird. He flies from perch to perch, often calling right after he lands.
I also watched a cormorant swim up and down the shore, diving for long periods of time, apparently fishing. I've been studying the cormorants and the cormorant colony that perches on a line of dead trees that runs through the lake 100-200 yards from site 66. I've been able to definitely id them as cormorants, not anhingas, and studying the range maps in my Peterson and national geographic guides shows they are almost certainly Double-Crested Cormorants, references show that Neotropic Cormorants occur at Benbrook Lake, at least during the summer. I want a close look at one before I call it a Double-crested and count it as a lifer.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Life List
On this post I'll keep my birding Life List. I'll update it as I see new birds, or as I add birds I've definitely seen in the past. Last updated: 10-10-2009; not complete yet, I need to go through my Peterson guide and some old notes, as I know there are quite a few I've left off. I intend to add dates as well.
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- Greater Roadrunner
- Wild Turkey
- Black Vulture
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Snowy Egret
- Western Kingbird
- Eastern Bluebird
- American Crow
- Great Horned Owl
- Belted Kingfisher
- Kildeer
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Little Blue Heron
- Tricolored Heron
- European Starling
- Common Grackle
- Great-tailed Grackle
- Mourning Dove
- Rock Pigeon
- White-winged Dove
- House Sparrow
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
10-06-09
Observations from: Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, Texas:
I was at Site 64. I saw a group of three Red-bellied Woodpeckers together in a large tree that stands right over that campsite, on dead limbs. Got good looks; one stayed awhile. I've seen one before, but not out here. At Site 51 I've continually heard woodpecker "knocks" on trees, but can't ever see them. I wonder if the Red-bellied Woodpeckers are the culprits? Also saw the probably-Osprey again, same MO as before
I was at Site 64. I saw a group of three Red-bellied Woodpeckers together in a large tree that stands right over that campsite, on dead limbs. Got good looks; one stayed awhile. I've seen one before, but not out here. At Site 51 I've continually heard woodpecker "knocks" on trees, but can't ever see them. I wonder if the Red-bellied Woodpeckers are the culprits? Also saw the probably-Osprey again, same MO as before
10-03-09
Observations from: Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, Texas:
Stayed at site 71 tonight; a cool, overcast, misting evening. I saw a Great Horned Owl in a tree across the road! That was cool, haven't seen one since my early days in Oklahoma, when a pair lived on our 80 acres. I also saw- again- my probable Osprey. Every time I see him (OK- or her- the sexes look alike) he is flying fast and fairly high coming off the lake, away to the approximate NW. I can never get a good enough look to tell for sure if it IS an Osprey, but the profile (and habitat) sure is right. Also, as I drove to my campsite, a Greater Roadrunner ran across the road. I love roadrunners; they are cool. Once about a year ago when I was fishing near the marina at Benbrook Lake, I was able to watch one forage for awhile near me through the binoculars. Of course, I've seen them many times, especially near Tucson as a kid.
Stayed at site 71 tonight; a cool, overcast, misting evening. I saw a Great Horned Owl in a tree across the road! That was cool, haven't seen one since my early days in Oklahoma, when a pair lived on our 80 acres. I also saw- again- my probable Osprey. Every time I see him (OK- or her- the sexes look alike) he is flying fast and fairly high coming off the lake, away to the approximate NW. I can never get a good enough look to tell for sure if it IS an Osprey, but the profile (and habitat) sure is right. Also, as I drove to my campsite, a Greater Roadrunner ran across the road. I love roadrunners; they are cool. Once about a year ago when I was fishing near the marina at Benbrook Lake, I was able to watch one forage for awhile near me through the binoculars. Of course, I've seen them many times, especially near Tucson as a kid.
10-02-09
Observations from: Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, Texas:
Site 64. I was at the lake all day. I saw a Belted Kingfisher male again; probably the same bird I've seen recently. Wild Turkeys flew across road on my way back from the convenience store around 2 p.m. I saw a hook-winged raptor fly over heading away from the lake- I think it was an Osprey, which I need for my life list. Couldn’t id positively- it was facing away and went by to quickly. Cool just the same. I also saw an awesome flock of what I’m almost sure was American White Pelicans. It was cool- I was fishing, and raised my binoculars to look at a large aircraft flying by in the distance. Then I saw the flock. Also saw a large flock of apparent cormorants come in to roost on a dead tree-line that ran across the lake at a distance. I saw a Western Kingbird, and had the usual great looks at GEgrets,GBHerons, and Snowy Egrets. Also saw my new buddy the male Belted Kingfisher again.
Site 64. I was at the lake all day. I saw a Belted Kingfisher male again; probably the same bird I've seen recently. Wild Turkeys flew across road on my way back from the convenience store around 2 p.m. I saw a hook-winged raptor fly over heading away from the lake- I think it was an Osprey, which I need for my life list. Couldn’t id positively- it was facing away and went by to quickly. Cool just the same. I also saw an awesome flock of what I’m almost sure was American White Pelicans. It was cool- I was fishing, and raised my binoculars to look at a large aircraft flying by in the distance. Then I saw the flock. Also saw a large flock of apparent cormorants come in to roost on a dead tree-line that ran across the lake at a distance. I saw a Western Kingbird, and had the usual great looks at GEgrets,GBHerons, and Snowy Egrets. Also saw my new buddy the male Belted Kingfisher again.
9-30-09
Observations from: Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, Texas:
Site 51. Today I got the Belted Kingfisher positive id- he was a male- blue-grey and white. Had good, long looks as he first perched for awhile on a dead tree out in the water near me (~75 feet away). Then he flew to another dead tree further out, and fished. I expected a dive like a gannet, but he fluttered weakly to the surface, and caught a small fish. He flew along the surface after that, slowly and weakly, and landed multiple times, apparently unsuccessfully looking for fish. On the way in I saw a Whitetail doe and fawn run across the road in front of my truck, and jump a fence. I've never seen a fawn before- this one was getting big, but still had his spots. Also saw many: Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Black & Turkey Vultures.
Site 51. Today I got the Belted Kingfisher positive id- he was a male- blue-grey and white. Had good, long looks as he first perched for awhile on a dead tree out in the water near me (~75 feet away). Then he flew to another dead tree further out, and fished. I expected a dive like a gannet, but he fluttered weakly to the surface, and caught a small fish. He flew along the surface after that, slowly and weakly, and landed multiple times, apparently unsuccessfully looking for fish. On the way in I saw a Whitetail doe and fawn run across the road in front of my truck, and jump a fence. I've never seen a fawn before- this one was getting big, but still had his spots. Also saw many: Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Black & Turkey Vultures.
10-05-09
Observations from: Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, Texas:
Site 64. Today as I fished, I repeatedly saw a cormorant (or maybe an Anhinga? I didn't think of that until afterwards, and didn't pay attention to whether the beak was hooked or not) fishing in the bay near the boat dock. It was interesting, as it swam VERY low in the water, and stayed under for what seemed like an enormously long time several times. Never came very close, though, and I wasn't able to get close looks.
Site 64. Today as I fished, I repeatedly saw a cormorant (or maybe an Anhinga? I didn't think of that until afterwards, and didn't pay attention to whether the beak was hooked or not) fishing in the bay near the boat dock. It was interesting, as it swam VERY low in the water, and stayed under for what seemed like an enormously long time several times. Never came very close, though, and I wasn't able to get close looks.
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