The Pine Warbler

The Newsletter of the Tyler Audubon Society

A Chapter of the National Audubon Society

 

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March 11th Meeting

The speaker for the March meeting of the Tyler Audubon Society will be Jim Day.

The title of Jim's talk will be "Walking in Circles When Lost: The Evidence Examined." His many years of experience as a backpacker and as a behavioral scientist have given Jim unique knowledge of the disorientation that almost always occurs when attempting locomotion under conditions of restricted visibility. Tyler Audubon meets Tuesday, March 11, 7 to 9 p.m. at Pollard Methodist Church, 3030 New Copeland Road.

Birding class starts are 6:30 p.m. Visitors are welcome.

April 8^th Meeting

Richard LeTourneau will speak at a April 8 joint meeting of Tyler Audubon and the Native Plant Society. at the Walter Fair Metodist Church on Old Omen Rd.

His talk will include a short update on the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge, which is in litigation, and a description of our initiative to get the Neches designated as a National Scenic River .  He'll tailor it to the audience by detailing some of the specific plants and animals that would be protected by the refuge and threatened by the reservoir that is proposed for the same site.

Richard LeTourneau is Vice Chairman of Texas Conservation Alliance, a statewide organization focused on protecting native ecosystems and wildlife. 

PRESIDENTS NOTES

  Tyler Audubon has been entrusted with the task of overseeing a large grant to make habitat improvements on Langley Island. If you have an interest in serving on the project committee, or if you have ideas about certain improvements, please call me. We will be meeting with City of Tyler officials soon to discuss their needs and wishes for improvements. This has the potential for being a great project for Tyler Audubon, as well as for Lake Tyler.

  Outdoor Fools Day is being planned for April 5, 2008. We participated in the activities at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens last year, and have committed to provide an exhibit this year. Please plan to participate during this day of fun activities. We will organize a schedule at the March meeting.

  Joe Marsey has done the legwork on a spring outing to Cameron, Louisiana, for April 12^th and  13th, 2008. This will be a great weekend trip to a new area for most Tyler birders. If you plan to attend, please advise Joe as soon as possible.

  Another April event that we will participate in is Earth Day, on April 20^th. This will be at Camp Tyler. Please plan an hour, or two, to serve our booth on that Saturday. We will need  8 to 10 people to rotate through the day.

  We are approaching the time of year to make new officer selections. If you have a certain area of preference to serve the Society, please let me know of that desire. I consider Tyler Audubon to be a successful group and we enjoy that status because of many members who are willing to give their time to make things happen. These things don’t occur automatically. I know that and I appreciate each of you very much.

Bird Report, December 2007 
by Peter Barnes

One hundred and six species were observed on the Caddo Lake Winter Bird Count on Dec 1, close to the average of 107 species. The Caddo count circle includes areas in Louisiana, and birds noted on this count were observed in Texas unless otherwise specified. One hundred and ten species were tallied by the Longview Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on Dec 15, and the Lake O’ the Pines CBC on Dec 29 netted 108 species. These totals were two and three less than their respective 10-year averages. The Lake Tawakoni CBC on Dec 29 yielded 138 species.

A Red-throated Loon was at Lake Tawakoni, Hunt Co., on Dec 23 (MW), and 2 Pacific Loons were observed on the Lake Tawakoni CBC, one at Holiday Marina and the other at Lake Tawakoni State Park. More reports of Neotropic Cormorants were received than usual. Eighteen were at Richland Creek WMA, Navarro Co., on Dec 23 (DC, DL), two were observed at Lake Cherokee on Dec 15 (PB, CB), 5 were at Big Creek Lake on Dec 27 (MW), and 17 were spotted on the Lake Tawakoni CBC. American White Pelicans were at Lake Tyler for the second half of December, with a high count of 12 birds on Dec 18 (JDa). A Black-crowned Night Heron was seen in Rains Co. on the Lake Tawakoni CBC. A Snowy Egret, rare in winter, was at Texas Eastman in Longview on Dec 15 (DB, SB), and a Cattle Egret and a remarkably high number of 32 White-faced Ibis were also unusual in Hunt Co. on Dec 23 (MW). Three Greater White-fronted Geese (BC, PH, HK) and 110 Snow Geese (70 in Texas) were spotted on the Caddo Lake count, and a Northern Pintail (DM, TW), 8 Cackling Geese (all in Louisiana) and an American Bittern (DR, JP) were all new species for the Caddo Lake count. A Cackling Goose was at Greenville City Lakes on Dec 21 (MW).

Six Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were on Lake Palestine, Smith Co. on Dec 27 (JM), and one was at Cooper Lake on Dec 6 (MW). Gadwalls were missed and only single Lesser Scaup and Ruddy Duck (both in Louisiana) were noted on the Caddo Lake count. In contrast, 500 Lesser Scaup and 25 Greater Scaup were at Big Creek Lake on Dec 27 (MW). Two male Common Mergansers were an outstanding rarity at Lake Tawakoni, Hunt Co., on Dec 27 (MW). The Longview CBC netted a Blue-winged Teal in Rusk Co. (PB, CB), a Greater Scaup at Texas Eastman in Longview (DB, SB), 16 Redheads and a 10-year-high count of 120 Buffleheads. The Lake O’ the Pines CBC produced a high count of 384 Ruddy Ducks and 338 Redheads. A Blue-winged Teal was in Smith Co. on Dec 25 (JC), and a Sora was at Big Creek Lake on Dec 17 (MW).

Two Ospreys (1 in Texas) were spotted on the Caddo Lake count, two were observed on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC (ME, HK, LE, WB), and single birds were at Texas Eastman in Longview on Dec 13 and 15 (DB), Lake Tyler on Dec 22 (PB) and Chapel Hill on Dec 24 (PB, DS). Two Bald Eagles were observed on the Longview CBC (DB, SB, BM), and a Northern Harrier was a good bird on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC (DB, LB). The Merlin first found in November was seen again at the Lake Tyler concession area on Dec 13 (JDa), and another Merlin (BC, PH, HK) was spotted on the Caddo Lake count. Eleven Crested Caracaras were a high total for the Lake Tawakoni CBC. The most remarkable raptor sighting this winter was a Prairie Falcon, a new species on the Caddo Lake count (BC, PH, HK) and perhaps the first record for the pineywoods.

Wilson’s Snipe and American Woodcock were notably absent on the Lake O’ the Pines and Caddo Lake counts, respectively, but one American Woodcock was spotted in Smith Co. on Dec 24 (PB). A Semipalmated Plover, very rare in winter, was observed at Lake Tyler on Dec 25 (JC). Spotted Sandpipers are regular winter visitors in our southern counties, but one at Cooper Lake on Dec 20 (MW) and 2 on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC (CB, DLu) were notable. A second year California Gull, unexpectedly of the darker-backed californicus subspecies, rather than the expected albertaensis, was photographed at Lake Bob Sandlin on Dec 11 (MW). The Caddo Lake count had an all-time high 443 Ring-billed Gulls (231 in Louisiana). A Black-headed Gull was at Big Creek Lake on Dec 17 and the same bird was at Cooper Lake on Dec 27 (both MW). A Little Gull was at Lake Tawakoni, Hunt Co., on Dec 13 and 29 (MW), and two late Franklin’s Gulls were at Greenville City Lakes on Dec 21 (MW).

One hundred Eastern Screech Owls were a remarkable tally on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC (DB, LB, SB, DW). Two Greater Roadrunners were the first seen on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC in the past 10 years (LE, HK, WB), and one was in Hunt Co. on Dec 27 (TBr). A female Selasphorus Hummingbird visited a feeder at Lake Cherokee in mid-December at least till Dec 15 (DO). Hummingbirds of the Selasphorus genus include Rufous and Allen’s Hummingbirds, and females are extremely difficult to separate in the field. Rufous Hummingbird would be the expected species in north-east Texas. Five Red-headed Woodpeckers were an unusual concentration at Lake Tyler on Dec 18 (JDa), and the Lake O’ the Pines count tallied a 10-year high of 17 birds. Three Cave Swallows were an interesting find at Lake Bonham in Fannin Co. on Dec 14 (MW). This species has been expanding into north-east Texas in the spring for several years, but this represents the first winter record. The Red-breasted Nuthatch invasion continued, with 4 birds tallied on the Longview CBC, 7 on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC (DW, DB, LB), 6 on the Lake Tawakoni CBC, one in Tyler on Dec 19 (TP), one in Henderson Co. on Dec 23 (DC, DL) and two at Jane Purtle’s feeders in Cherokee Co. throughout the month. A Fish Crow was at Lake Bob Sandlin on Dec 11 (MW). Two Marsh Wrens were notable on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC (PH, CT) and A Bewick’s Wren was observed on the Longview CBC (DW). Two Rock Wrens were observed at Lake Tawakoni, Van Zandt Co., on Dec 28 and 31 (MW). Matt observed a remarkable seven wren species on Dec 28, perhaps a first for north-east Texas. A late Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was at Texas Eastman in Longview on Dec 3 (DB), a Vermilion Flycatcher was a nice find on the Caddo Lake count (BC, PH, HK). Perhaps the most remarkable sighting this month was of an Ash-throated Flycatcher, first found on the Lake Tawakoni CBC in Van Zandt Co. on Dec 29, then photographed on Dec 30 and 31 (MW). This bird is rare anywhere in Texas in winter, and the only prior record of this species in the NETFO database is from the spring of 1996 at Caddo Lake.

A Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher was spotted on the Caddo Lake count (BC, PH, HK), and two were at Lake Tawakoni, Rains Co., on Dec 13 (MW). Five Blue-headed Vireos were tallied on the Lake Tawakoni CBC. The Caddo Lake count recorded an all-time high 61 American Pipits (60 in Louisiana). Only one Loggerhead Shrike was found on the Caddo Lake count. The Longview CBC had 10-year-high counts of 405 Eastern Bluebirds and 1,791 Cedar Waxwings. A Gray Catbird was notable for Lake Tawakoni, Hunt Co., on Dec 23 (MW) and one was tallied on the Lake O’ the Pines CBC (DW).

January 2008 NETFO Bird Report

By Peter Barnes

The Tyler CBC on Jan 5 tallied 106 species, 6 more than the 10-year median, and only two shy of the record of 108. The Tenaha CBC on Jan 1 netted 100 species, close to the 10 year average of 100.5.

The bird of the winter was an immature basic-plumaged Arctic Loon at Lake Tawakoni, Van Zandt Co., on Jan 13 through 21 (MW, DOh, MD). If accepted by the Texas Bird Records Committee, this would represent a first record for the state. Three Eared Grebes were in Trinidad on Jan 26 (Tyler Audubon field trip). Two Neotropic Cormorants (DC, DL, AB, DR) and 6 Greater Scaup were spotted on the Tyler CBC (PB, DB, DS). Three hundred Snow Geese and 1 Ross’ Goose were in Trinidad on Jan 26 (Tyler Audubon field trip). Diving duck numbers were low on the Tyler CBC, with an abysmal tally of only 3 Ruddy Ducks (DC, DL; 10 year median 48), and only 26 Lesser Scaup and 20 Ring-necked Ducks (10 year medians of 59 for both species). In contrast, high counts of 337 Lesser Scaup and 132 Bufflehead were tallied on the Tenaha CBC. Four Redheads were in Titus Co. on Jan 12 (DB, LB), and 3 Red-breasted Mergansers were spotted on the Tenaha CBC (CT, LE, HK, BC). An Osprey was observed on the Tyler CBC (PB, JCa, JHa) and one was at Texas Eastman in Longview on Jan 24 (DB). One hundred and forty-five Red-breasted Mergansers were a good number at Lake Tawakoni, Rains Co., on Jan 12 (DB, LB). A Green Heron was an unusual winter bird in Tyler on Jan 7 (JKa). Three Plegadis ibis were at Lake Tawakoni, Hunt Co., on Jan 12 (MW). An American Woodcock near Camp Tyler was notable for the Tyler CBC (AB, JDa, DR). A Greater Yellowlegs was at Texas Eastman in Longview on Jan 2 (DB), 2 were observed on the Tenaha CBC (DB, WBr) and a Spotted Sandpiper was at Lake Tawakoni, Rains Co., on Jan 15 (MW). A Sora in Tyler was an unexpected addition for the Tyler CBC (DC, DL). A Herring Gull was unusual on the Tenaha CBC (PH, BG), and an adult Little Gull was at Lake Tawakoni, Rains Co., on Jan 15 (MW).

Twenty-one Eastern Screech Owls were a new high on the Tyler CBC (AB, JDa, DR). A Greater Roadrunner was at Lake Tyler on Jan 3 (JoM). Eight Cave Swallows, presumably wintering birds but possibly early migrants, were at Lake Tawakoni, Rains Co., on Jan 17 (MW). Throughout the month, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches were in Peggy Harding’s yard in Rusk Co. and one was at Jane Purtle’s feeders in Cherokee Co. The Ash-throated Flycatcher, first located in December, was still in Van Zandt Co. on Jan 17 (MW, PB, MD). A Marsh Wren was observed at Lake Bob Sandlin on Jan 12 (DB, LB) and 2 were in Trinidad on Jan 26 (Tyler Audubon field trip). A Bewick’s Wren was notable for Smith Co. on Jan 22 and 25 (JDa), and one was in Henderson Co. on Jan 26 (Tyler Audubon field trip). A Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher was only the second sighting in the past 10 years on the Tyler CBC (TH, AC), and one was observed on the Tenaha CBC (PH, BG). A Gray Catbird was observed in Hunt Co. from late December through Jan 17 (MW), and 2 were tallied on the Tenaha CBC (DW).

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Hopkins Co. on Jan 9-10 (MW) was a first winter record of this species for north-east Texas A Common Yellowthroat was a good find on the Tyler CBC (DC, DL) and another was in Trinidad on Jan 26 (Tyler Audubon field trip). Two LeConte’s Sparrows were spotted on the Tyler CBC (DB, AB, DR, DS). A Lark Sparrow was in Smith Co. on Jan 4 (CB, JPu) and 20 Harris’ Sparrows were in Henderson Co. on Jan 26 (Tyler Audubon field trip). The Tyler CBC tallied 5 Purple Finches and 5 Pine Siskins, both of which were 10-year highs. Other Purple Finch reports were of 1-2 near Camp Tyler until Jan 3 (JDa), 1-2 in Rusk Co. on Jan 18-19 (PH), 11 in Henderson Co. on Jan 6 (DC, DL), 15 in Morris Co. on Jan 16 (DB, LB), and three pairs visiting Jane Purtle’s feeders in Cherokee Co. throughout the month. Two hundred American Goldfinches were an impressive concentration in Rusk Co. on Jan 18 and 10 (PH). A Western Meadowlark was a new bird for the Tenaha CBC (DW). Six Brewer’s Blackbirds near Camp Tyler on Jan 12 were the first reported in Smith Co. in several years (JDa). Only 75 Common Grackles (10 year median 1449) and 38 Brown-headed Cowbirds (10 year median 146) were observed on the Tyler CBC, and only 57 Common Grackles were spotted on the Tenaha CBC (10 year median 1617). The only reports of Rusty Blackbirds were of two at Lake Tyler on the Tyler CBC (PB, JHa, JCa) and 2 in Henderson Co. on Jan 26 (Tyler Audubon field trip).

Observers:   PB   Peter Barnes,   CB  Cheryle Beck,   DB  David Brotherton,  LB Luanne Brotherton,  WBr  Walt Brotherton, AB Alan Byboth,  JCa  Jamie Cantrell,  BC   Barbara Cavin,  AC Andree Clark,  DC D.D.Currie, JDa Jim Day,  MD  Mike Dillon,LE  Lisa Evers,  BG Becky Gullette, JHa  JB Hanlon,  PH  Peggy Harding,  TH Tim Hunkapiler,  JKa  Jerry KassawHK  Happy King, DL Dell Little,  JoM  Joe Marsey,  DOh  Dale Ohl,  JPuJane Purtle, DR David Ringer,  DS Dennis Scott,               CT  Candy Troop,  DW  David Weaver,  MW Matt White