Tuesday, January 10, 2012- Board Meeting, 6:30 PM, Mezamiz
Saturday, January 14, 2012- Field Trip to Kirby Lake.  We will depart from Burger King on Antilley Rd at 7:30am.  Come earlier if you wish to have breakfast.  This will be a short trip.
Thursday, February 2, 2012- Regular meeting at Rose Park Senior Center  7:00 PM.  We will have a report on the Christmas Bird Count results plus other wonderfully interesting things.
Saturday, February 18, 2012- Field Trip to Lake Stamford.  We will depart from the What-a-burger on South 1st and Pioneer at 7:00am.  Come early if you wish to have breakfast.  Bring your snacks and something to drink.

Annual Membership Meeting – Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, 6:00pm. Cedar Gap Farm (Hutto’s).  If you want to eat, bring your own brown bag.  Drinks will be furnished.  Anyone with a big heart and warm oven is invited to bring a dessert to share with everyone!!!  We will have election of officers for 2011-2012.  If you have done any interesting birding since we last met, be ready to share where you went and what you saw.

Board Meeting – Tuesday, Sept 13, 2011 - Mezamiz Coffee Shop—7:00 PM.  Come earlier if you want to eat.

Field Trip – Saturday, Sept 17, 2011 -  Oakwood Trails, meet at 7:30AM on east side of Abilene State Living Center campus.

Regular Meeting – Thursday, Oct 6, 2011 – west side of Rose Park Senior Center 7:00 PM

Program:  TBA

Field Trip – Saturday, Oct 15, 2011 – Sibley Nature Center in Midland.  (Tentative).

Number of species:     40

• Northern Bobwhite – 15
• Turkey Vulture – 10
• Swainson’s Hawk – 1
• Red-tailed Hawk – 2     One of the birds was a Krider’s Red-tailed.
• Mourning Dove – 12
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 3
• Greater Roadrunner – 1     heard only;
• Common Nighthawk – 12
• Ladder-backed Woodpecker – 3
• Olive-sided Flycatcher – 1
• Least Flycatcher – 1
• Ash-throated Flycatcher – 8
• Western Kingbird – 2
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher – 12
• Bell’s Vireo – 2
• Chihuahuan Raven – 2     Very vocal birds. Kirsti is pretty sure they’re nesting.
• Barn Swallow – 2
• Cliff Swallow – 250
• Cave Swallow – 20
• Black-crested Titmouse – 2
• Verdin – 1
• Bewick’s Wren – 2
• Northern Mockingbird – 12
• American Redstart – 1     I believe this bird was an immature male. It had a single black spot on the breast. We all got great looks at it along the creek on that runs through Maddin Prairie.
• Cassin’s Sparrow – 30
• Lark Sparrow – 12
• Grasshopper Sparrow – 8
• Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1     Very late!
• Northern Cardinal – 10
• Pyrrhuloxia – 1
• Blue Grosbeak – 1     heard only;
• Painted Bunting – 15
• Red-winged Blackbird – 3
• Eastern Meadowlark – 10
• Western Meadowlark – 3
• Common Grackle – 3     Flew over
• Brown-headed Cowbird – 5
• Bullock’s Oriole – 6
• House Finch – 2     heard only;
• House Sparrow – 1     Flew by along CR 125.

Sighting by Jay Packer, Amy Packer, Kirsti Harms and Dan Symonds.

During our year end potluck get together at Cedar Gap Farms, we were treated to a trio of bunting species.

Number of species:     19

• Wild Turkey – 1
• Mourning Dove – 3
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 2     male;
• Black-chinned Hummingbird – 2     male;
• Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird – 3     female;
• Black-crested Titmouse – 5
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) – 1
• Chipping Sparrow – 5
• Clay-colored Sparrow – 1
• Lark Sparrow – 2
• Summer Tanager – 2     male; female; first of season;
• Northern Cardinal – 15
• Blue Grosbeak – 1
• Lazuli Bunting – 5     male; female; excellent looks, coming into feed repeatedly. Earlene Hutto says that she sees this bird nearly every year during migration.
• Lazuli x Indigo Bunting (hybrid) – 1
• Indigo Bunting – 2     male; female;
• Painted Bunting – 7     male; female;
• Red-winged Blackbird – 6
• Brown-headed Cowbird – 2
• House Finch – 2
• Pine Siskin – 30     Very large numbers of birds coming into the feeder

Sightings by all who attended.

We have one last scheduled field trip for the year.

Saturday, May 21, 2011 – the Maddin Prairie Preserve.  We will leave from the What-a-burger on North 1st and Pioneer at 7:00am.  Come early if you wish to eat breakfast.  Be sure to bring snacks and water.  We will probably stop for lunch on the way home.

FYI

BCAS birders might keep eyes skyward over the next few days around sunset.  From my south Abilene backyard yesterday I observed an overhead flock of 20-25 Yellow-headed Blackbirds, flying west northwest from the general direction of Kirby Lake.  This evening I saw a larger flock (40-50 birds), on a similar flight path.

Also had two MacGillivray’s Warblers foraging in my backyard yesterday evening.

Gary Hunter

Location:     Hords Creek Lake

Number of species:     54

• Blue-winged Teal – 3
• Northern Shoveler – 2
• Green-winged Teal – 1
• Double-crested Cormorant – 1
• American White Pelican – 17
• Great Blue Heron – 3
• Turkey Vulture – 20
• Northern Harrier – 2
• Red-shouldered Hawk  – 1     heard only;
• Swainson’s Hawk – 2
• Red-tailed Hawk – 1
• American Coot – 100
• Killdeer – 3
• Greater Yellowlegs – 1
• Least Sandpiper – 20
• Baird’s Sandpiper – 15
• Wilson’s Snipe – 2
• Ring-billed Gull – 2
• Eurasian Collared-Dove – 6
• Mourning Dove – 12
• Black-chinned Hummingbird – 10
• Ladder-backed Woodpecker – 2
• Eastern Phoebe – 3
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher – 5
• White-eyed Vireo – 3
• raven sp. – 1
• Barn Swallow – 12
• Cave Swallow – 50
• Carolina Chickadee – 8
• Black-crested Titmouse – 12
• Rock Wren – 1
• Bewick’s Wren – 12
• House Wren – 1
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 2
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 3
• Northern Mockingbird – 20
• Orange-crowned Warbler – 1
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) – 1
• Spotted Towhee – 5
• Cassin’s Sparrow – 1     first of season;
• Clay-colored Sparrow – 4
• Field Sparrow – 10
• Vesper Sparrow – 10
• Grasshopper Sparrow – 1
• Song Sparrow – 1
• Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1
• Swamp Sparrow – 6
• White-crowned Sparrow – 20
• Northern Cardinal – 15
• Red-winged Blackbird – 15
• meadowlark sp. – 2
• Common Grackle – 10
• Brown-headed Cowbird – 4
• House Finch – 4
• Pine Siskin – 2
• House Sparrow – 6

Sightings by Jay and Amy Packer, Dan and Maria Symonds, Bera Johnson, and Cherrie-Lee Phillip.

Field Trip – Saturday, April 2, 2011 – Hord’s Creek Lake near Coleman.   We will leave at 7:00am from the Burger King at Hwy 83/84 and Antilley Rd..  Come earlier if you wish to eat.  The goal of this trip to see what can be found around the lake for the presentation and walk Larry and Dan will be doing for a group of Cisco Jr. College students.

Regular Meeting – Thursday, April 7, 2011 – 7:00pm at Rose Park Senior Center.  Program will be presented by Laura Holbrook on the World Birding Center or the video “Ghost Bird” about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

Membership Potluck – Thursday, May 5, 2011 – 6:00pm at Cedar Gap Farms.  We will provide brisket, tea and water, you bring your favorite covered dish.

Board Meeting – Tuesday, May 10, 2010 – 7:00pm at Mezamiz Coffee Shop.  Come earlier if you wish to enjoy one of there delicious sandwiches.

Field Trip – Saturday, May 14 or 21, 2011 – We have be invited: Native Prairies Association of Texas is looking for help with a breeding bird survey on our Maddin Prairie Preserve to be held on either May 14 or 21–still working on dates.  Watch the website for more info.

Number of species:     47

• Greater White-fronted Goose     21
• Gadwall     30
• Mallard     8
• Blue-winged Teal     8
• Northern Shoveler     40
• Northern Pintail     50
• Green-winged Teal     20
• Canvasback     4
• Redhead     4
• Ring-necked Duck     10
• Lesser Scaup     2
• Bufflehead     40
• Ruddy Duck     20
• Double-crested Cormorant     20
• American White Pelican     4
• Northern Harrier     2
• Sharp-shinned Hawk     1
• Red-tailed Hawk     1
• American Kestrel     1
• Merlin     1
• American Coot     500
• Sandhill Crane     22
• Killdeer     2
• Long-billed Dowitcher     12
• Bonaparte’s Gull     10
• Ring-billed Gull     25
• Rock Pigeon     15
• White-winged Dove     10
• Mourning Dove     20
• Eastern Phoebe     2
• Say’s Phoebe     1
• Loggerhead Shrike     1
• Chihuahuan Raven     1
• Eastern Bluebird     2
• Northern Mockingbird     2
• European Starling     23
• Vesper Sparrow     20
• Savannah Sparrow     50
• Lincoln’s Sparrow     5
• White-crowned Sparrow     20
• Northern Cardinal     2
• Red-winged Blackbird     500
• Eastern Meadowlark     60
• Common Grackle     20
• Great-tailed Grackle     40
• American Goldfinch     12
• House Sparrow     30

Sighting by:  Kim Berry, Kathy Hampton, Kathy Millar, Larry Millar, Wayne McCormick, Dan Symonds, Joe Thompson

Field Trip: Sat., Feb. 26, 2011, Lake Colorado City State Park. Depart at 7:00AM. from Whataburger, 4241 South 1st St. Come early if you would like to buy breakfast. Target birds: Bushtits, Verdin, and Pyrrhuloxia. Bring water and snacks. We will plan to eat lunch in Colorado City.

REGULAR MEETING:  Thurs., Mar. 3, 2011, Rose Park Senior Center, 7:00 PM. Program:  Jay Packer, Biology Teacher ATEMS, and master birder.

Board Meeting:  Tues., Mar. 8, 7:00 PM, Mezamiz Deux Coffee House

Christmas Party: Tue., Dec. 7, 2010 6:00pm at the …501 Ben Richey Drive (in the old Lueders Train Depot).  Bring your favorite finger food and join us for an evening of fellowship. If you wish to participate in a gift exchange, bring a nature-related gift with a value of $10 or less.

Board Meeting:  Tue., Dec. 14, 2010 7:00pm at Mesamiz Coffee Shop.  This is a special meeting to organize for CBC.

Christmas Bird Count: Sat., Jan. 1, 2011 - Please call the hotline or email us if you plan to participate.  This is usually an all day event that begins as early as 7am till 7pm after the countdown and dinner at a local eatery. Watch your email and the website for further information.

Field Trip: Sat., Jan. 22, 2011, Waste Water Treatment Plant. Depart at 8:00 AM. from McDonald’s, 1201 N. Judge Ely. Come early if you would like to buy breakfast. Target birds: Black-neck Stilt, Wilson’s Phalarope, and sandpipers. Bring water and snacks.

Field Trip: Sat., Feb. 26, 2011, Colorado City State Park. Depart at 7:00AM. from Whataburger, 4241 South 1st St. Come early if you would like to buy breakfast. Target birds: Bushtits, Verdin, and Pyrrhuloxia.  Bring water and snacks. We will plan to eat lunch in Colorado City.