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Surf’s Up At Kirby Lake
Another rare bird for the Big Country, a Surf Scoter. Same song, second verse. I wasn’t birding today, too many chores and the weather wasn’t exactly pleasant. But when Kathy called, I said yes. The last time Surf Scoter was recorded in this area was May of 1999. These birds are hardy seaducks. They breed […]
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Ospreys Over Abilene, Mid-October
More than one Osprey visited the Big Country; two were seen regularly at Lake Fort Phantom and two at Lake Kirby. The Osprey at Dyess AFB (above photo) was photographed again doing what it likes to do: eat fish. Because water plays such an important role in wildlife’s existence, our photos this time reflect birds […]
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October 22-23, 2006 – Lake Kirby
October 22, 2006 Best bird(s) of the day: Western and Horned Grebes Horned Grebe, 3 Eared Grebe, 7 Western Grebe, 3 American White Pelican, 40 Gadwall N Shoveler Osprey, 1 American Avocet, 10 Least Sandpiper, 15 All sightings on the 22nd by Lorie Black October 23, 2006 Best bird(s) of the day: Winter Wren Eared […]
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October 21, 2006 – Fort Phantom Lake
Eared Grebe Pied-billed Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Snowy Egret Great Egret Green Heron Great Blue Heron Mallard Green-winged Teal Northern Pintail Northern Shoveler Redhead American Kestrel Northern Harrier Red-tailed Hawk American Coot Killdeer American Avocet Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Dowitcher sp. Ring-billed Gull Mourning Dove White-winged Dove Ladder-backed Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Golden-fronted Woodpecker Northern […]
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October Hummingbird
This little hummingbird is still hanging around the yard when all others have left. Is it a straggling young Black-chinned or something else? I’ve posted pictures of this hummingbird so you can take a look. Under each picture I’ve commented about its field marks such as wing to tail ratio, bill shape, lack of buffiness, […]
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October 18-19, 2006 – Lake Kirby and Other Areas
October 18, 2006 at Lake Kirby: Best bird(s) of the day: Eared Grebe (6) Cattle Egret (6) Black-bellied Plover (1) American Avocet (24) Franklin’s Gull (1) Other: Great Egret Snowy Egret Greater Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Ring-billed Gull All sightings above by Lorie Black October 19, 2006, State Park and Buffalo Gap Area Sandhill Cranes, (fos) […]
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Field Trip to Lake Fort Phantom
Join us this Saturday, October 21, for our field trip to Lake Fort Phantom. We will meet at 7:45 a.m. at Alfredo’s at 1009 North Judge Ely Blvd. Come early for breakfast and carpooling. We’ve been scouting this week at the lake and there have been as many as two Ospreys still hanging around. Over […]
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October 16, 2006 – Lake Kirby and Oakwood
Lake Kirby Migrants: Greater Egret, 2 Snowy Egret, 3 Osprey, 1 American Avocet, 13 Spotted Sandpiper, 1 Least Sandpiper, 5 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Returning Wintering Species: Eared Grebe, 7 Pied-billed Grebe, 5 Double-crested Cormorants, 10 Gadwall, 15 Northern Shoveler, 4 Blue-winged Teal, 1 Green-winged Teal, 1 American Coot, 300+ Common Moorhen, 1 juvenile Others: Great […]
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October 14, 2006 – Lake Ft. Phantom
Highlights at Lake Fort Phantom: Osprey, 2 Franklin’s Gull, 3 Spotted Sandpiper, 3 Others: American Wigeon Northern Pintail Mallard Northern Shoveler Gadwall American Coot Red-tailed Hawk Northern Harrier Least Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Savannah Sparrow All sightings by Lorie Black
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October 12, 2006 – NE Abilene – Kirby Lake
Birded along Cedar Creek where the water was deep and best birds by far were the 9 Wood Ducks (7 males, 2 females) clustered together in an early morning swim. Migrants: Eastern Phoebe, 1 Nashville Warbler, 1 Common Yellowthroat, 1 Orange-crowned Warbler, 2 Others: Great Blue Heron, 1 Northern Harrier, 1 (female) Cooper’s Hawk, 1 […]