GUADALUPE RIVER DELTA – MCFADDIN FAMILY RANCHES

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

14 December 2011

Impact of the worst drought in Texas history was the major theme of this years’ count.  The day was warm with numerous mosquitoes and very windy.  All natural shallow freshwater sites were dry, the tidal marshes were very salty, and Green Lake was extremely shallow.  Fifty four birders worked in 22 teams to survey private and public properties and reported 225 species which ties our All-Time High Species Count.  Wilson’s Plover, Piping Plover, Sandwich Tern and Wood Thrush were new species for the count and we missed Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, N. Bobwhite, Burrowing Owl, Least Flycatcher, Horned Lark, and Clay-colored Sparrow.  Wood Thrush was voted as Best Bird of the Count by section leaders, and was photographed along River Road by Petra Hockey, Brush Freeman and Dennis Shepler.

RESULTS

The major local story was the nearly dry Green Lake.  Back during the droughts of the 50’s Green Lake was reported to have completed dried, and was used to grow cotton.  This is the driest it has been since.  There were very few waterbirds in the count area outside of managed freshwater impoundments on the Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area and tidal marshes.  Green Lake is normally deep and muddy and holds only small numbers of birds.  However, with the prolonged dry conditions associated with the drought, Green Lake dried out to only a few inches deep over thousands of acres.  The result was site was inundated by over 100,000 shorebirds and ducks taking advantage of the food exposed within the very shallow water.

            In association with the drought, most insectivorous birds were in below average numbers, but there were above average number of raptors and sparrows.  There was a major invasion of coastal areas by Green-tailed Towhees who typically occupy semi-arid scrub and Harris’s Sparrows which normally winter further to the north in the Blackland Prairie. 

RARE BIRDS

Charlie Brower found Black Rail and Nelson’s Sparrow wintering in brackish habitat in an atypical setting bordering the barge canal.  When his Black Rail tape did not work, a passing barge made enough noise to excite the local Black’s into calling.  This photo was taken by Diane Nunley in 2007 at a different site.

            Whooping Crane populations are increasing and with high salinities in the bays cranes are moving away from tidal waters more than normal.  A total of 14 Whooper’s were reported by 4 teams.  A pair was observed flying NE of Green Lake, 4 were observed flying over Hog Bayou on the wildlife management area, 4 were also observed flying near the salt water barrier on the river and 4 were observed briefly landing near river road.  All sightings were at least 2 miles apart.

Wilson’s Plover, Piping Plovers and Snowy Plovers were found foraging with 80,000 shorebirds on Green Lake.  Most of the plovers occurred on an exposed road bed in the lake.

Another new species for the count was a Sandwich Tern.  It was found by Jamie Ferguson and Bob Creglow along the shores of Hynes Bay. 

Yellow-throated Vireo was totally unexpected when found along Hog Bayou by Dennis Haessley.  Another unexpected find was a Tropical Parula located by David True and Bron Rorex in the same area.  [The photo below was taken elsewhere.]

Another good find was an Am. Redstart photographed by Petra Hockey and Brush Freeman at the boat ramp on Hwy. 35.  A few winter each year in riparian areas, but they are not easy to locate.  It was found the day before during scouting and they returned during the count to tally the bird.

Western Tanagers are regular, but very rare during winters along the Coast.  Most of their population winters in the tropics. The bird below is typical of most winter birds.  Two young males were found on the count by Scott Holt and Beau Hardegree at the Hynes Bay Unit.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak are rare anywhere in the United States because this species mostly winters in the tropics.  On a typical year, only 3 are found nationally.  Dale Friedrichs found an adult male as the 3^rd record for the CBC.

Rusty Blackbird photographed by Chet Burrier on the Womack Ranch.

We are at the edge of the range of the Rusty Blackbird and their occurrence is fairly rare.  This species’ population is declining nationally.  The birds found by Chet was the 2^nd record for the CBC.

TRENDS

            HIGHS (68 species): Cinnamon Teal, N. Shoveler, Am. Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Least Grebe, Eared Grebe, Am. White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, White-tailed Kite, N. Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Harris’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Crested Caracara, Black Rail, Whooping Crane, Snowy Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Black-necked Stilt, Am. Avocet, Willet, Lesser Yellowlegs, W. Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Long-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Herrin Gull, Royal Tern, Inca Dove, Com. Ground-Dove, Short-eared Owl, Com. Pauraque, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, N. Flicker, Great Kiskadee, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, Green Jay, Brown Creeper, N. Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, W. Tanager, Green-tailed Tohee, Spotted Towhee, Field Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow,  Harris’s Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, N. Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, E. Meadowlark, W. Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch and House Sparrow.

            LOWS (56 species):  Wood Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Red-breasted Merganser, Anhinga, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, White-faced Ibis, Am. Kestrel, Clapper Rail, King Rail, Virginia Rail, Sora, Com. Gallinule, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Wison’s Snipe, Rock Pigeon, Eur. Collared-Dove, Barrd Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, E. Phoebe, Vermillion Flycather, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, Am. Crow, Tree Swallow, N. Rough-winged Swallow, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Bewick’s Wren, House Wren, Sedge Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Gray Catbird, Sprague’s Pipit, Cedar Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, N. Waterthrush, Olive Sparrow, Le Conte’s Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, and Com Grackle.

Waterfowl numbers were about normal with most marsh birds like herons, egrets, ibises and rails being much below average with much of the marsh either dry or salty.  Hawks occurred in above average densities

Shorebird numbers were extremely low everywhere because of high tides, except for the birds on Green Lake which were spectacular.  Densities like in the photo below were spread over thousands of acres.

Woodpeckers occurred at normal levels, but insect eaters like the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher photographed by Petra Hockey were in below average densities.  Swallows, wrens, and warblers were in below average numbers.

However, sparrows occurred in much higher numbers than normal.  This was a major invasion year for Green-tailed Towhees.  This species was found only once before on the count and we had 17 this year.  Spotted Towhees typically average about 3 on this survey and we had 61!  Field, Vesper, Lark and White-crowned occurred at twice their average.  The Harris’s Sparrow below photographed by Diane Nunley normally only average 1 per year, and we had 69!

All participants enjoyed the count this year.  Windy and warm conditions made it challenging finding birds amongst all of the mosquitoes.  Even though resident bird numbers were generally low, there was anticipation all day of finding some western birds displaced by the drought.  Just about every birding team found something unusual.

THANKS

This is a very special count because of the habitats it covers where 3 ecoregions merge.  It is successful because of the large amount of cooperation we get from the landowners who generally provide us access and as in the case with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Dow, Jess and Walter Womack, and Beverly Fletcher.  They also provide staff and equipment to help us with the count.  We would also like to thank John Hubbard, Larry Seydler, Frank Pagel, Gene Colville, Don Walden, Dan Kaspar, the Negley Ranch, and the Landgraf, Spandau and Joe Hawes families for providing us access to their lands.  Lastly, we thank the 54 birders who spent their day and huge amount of energy in searching the landscape for every species which we could locate. 

At the end of the day, our tired, wet and excited birders gathered under the oaks in the river bottom at the Weed Prairie Hunting Camp on the Jess Womack Ranch.  We were treated to an excellent meal cooked by A.D. Blackmon, David, and CB.  Lyondell-Basell Corporation provided funding for most of the food and activity fees.

THANKS TO ALL FOR A GREAT JOB!!

Data from the CBC is available upon request.

Hope to see you at our next Christmas Bird Count in 2012.

Sunset photo by Petra Hockey

16 December 2010

Photo by Jimmy Jackson

The day started off with below average bird activity. It was sort of balmy weather that preceded the cold front that was going to arrive in the afternoon with strong winds and temps in the 40’s. Owls were not talking much. Most marshes were somewhat dry from an on-going drought and as a result there was not much rail activity. Geese seemed to be present in normal numbers near the mouth of the river and songbird chorus was good. (more…)

 Guadalupe River Delta – McFaddin Family Ranches CBC

18 December 2008

We developed strategies all year on how to take this CBC one step higher to potentially Number One in the Nation.  We recruited people from across the state and got commitments from more birders than in the past.  We made arrangements with landowners and scouted heavily in the days prior to the count.  We get up to start the count and then what do we find:  High tides and heavy FOG!

We can’t control the weather.  So, we go to Plan B with heavy fog lasting until 10 a.m. and strong warm winds developing afterwards.

The Guadalupe River Delta area like much of Texas has experienced extreme drought.  This allowed the bird count the opportunity to survey the response of birds to the drought across the state and limited amount of freshwater along the lower reaches of the Guadalupe River drainage.  This situation was in great contrast to the flooded conditions during our first CBC for the area 4 years earlier.

HOW DID WE DO?

The 5th running of this CBC produced reports of 217 species from 66 birders.  This places us 2^nd in the Nation again for total species, and we are in the running for the highest counts for Merlin, King Rail, Sora, Bell’s Vireo, House Wren, Marsh Wren, Com. Yellowthroat, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow.  As we increase participation for this fun CBC and access new lands we should be able to consistently post 230 species results each year and occasionally be the Top CBC in the Country.  We have reported 271 species in 5 years.

            The woodlands along the lower Guadalupe River on Kenyon and Kamey Islands and on the Wildlife Management Area continue to show their high quality for lingering neotrops, and birdlife.  Many of the unusual birds for the count are found in this area.

Best  Birds reported this year were  Red-headed Woodpecker and Harris’s Sparrow as voted upon by Section Leaders.  A general summary of the Better Birds follows:

 LONG-TAILED DUCK is a northern diving duck which seldom winters in the area.  Cecilia Riley’s team found one for the 2^nd year in a row, and again Mike Gray was able to photograph it.

SWAINSON’S HAWK is a raptor which very rarely lingers in the Coastal Bend.  Brent located one on the Hyne’s Bay Unit of the WMA for the first record of the CBC.

The WHOOPING CRANE’s primary wintering grounds are only a few air miles away and it is a puzzle why they do not regularly uses the marshes of San Antonio Bay.  This year one was spotted when landing in area marshes by Brush/Petra.

SNOWY PLOVERs typically occupy large expanses of sand flats which do not occur in this count circle.  This year Dan Kaspar had lowered his lake to attract waterbirds and it dried more than planned.  This resulted in large expanses of exposed lake beds which were used heavily by plovers.  They were observed by both the Kaspar and Brush/Petra teams.

Caprimulgids are extremely rare during winter along the Central Coast.  The 2 WHIP-POOR-WILLS were found by Robert Edwards on Hog Bayou Road before daybreak. 

NIGHTHAWK sp. linger within urban areas on a regular basis, but they are seldom found in rural settings.  Chris Bludau flushed one from the road before daybreak on the J. Womack Ranch.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER is a species that rarely occurs in area counties.  One adult was found by Connie Moberley while kayaking the San Antonio River. 

E. KINGBIRD is a common migrant through the area and very few linger into December.  Scott Mitchell’s team located one for our 2^nd CBC record.

BELL’S VIREO was another great bird found by the Rockport group while they were in the Headquarter pasture. Bell’s breed locally in upland brush habitats, and very rarely winter.

The GREEN JAY each winter makes a northward push following food sources which are mostly corn at deer feeders.  This year a major movement of Green Jays occurred outside of the Brush Country.  Three of our teams located 18 on the McFaddin Ranches this CBC.  A few hung around the Weed Prairie hunter camp all winter.

The YELLOW WARBLER is an abundant fall migrant and a few are expected to linger into December.  This year this species has regularly been found on area CBCs.  Brush/Petra were able to photograph one and two other groups located one during the count.

 This was a great year for HARRIS’S SPARROW. This species normally winters inland from the Coast.  Five birds were found by 3 teams; two in sections bordering Hwy. 35 and 1 on the McFaddin Ranches.

TRENDS

Our birding teams worked through dense fog for hours, and then had to deal with strong warm winds the rest of the day.  We set a record for number of birders for this CBC with 66 and increased our effort (party-hours) by 25%.  This should have resulted in increased bird numbers due to effort, but numbers of some species may have been suppressed due to very dry conditions.

The increased effort won out and 72 of the 217 species were reported in above average numbers.  31 species were reported in lower numbers than normal.  See below.

HIGHS (72 sp.):  N. Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Wild Turkey, N. Bobwhite, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Virginia Rail, Whooping Crane, Snowy Plover, Am. Avocet, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson’s Snipe, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer, Rock Pigeon, Eur. Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, E. Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Parauque, Whip-poor-will, nighthawk sp., Green Kingfisher, Red-headed Woodpecker, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woopecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Bell’s Vireo, Tufted Titmouse hybrids, Winter Wren, Gray Catbird, N. Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Am. Pipit, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, N. Waterthrush, E. Towhee, Clay-colored Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Harris’s Sparrow, N. Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, Brewer’s Blackbird, Com. Grackle, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, Am. Goldfinch, and House Sparrow.

LOWS (31 sp.):  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Cackling Goose, Canada Goose, Mottled Duck, Ruddy Duck, Eared Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, White-tailed Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Sandhill Crane, Black-bellied Plover, Laughing Gull, Gull-billed Tern, E. Phoebe, Blue Jay, Am. Crow, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Wilson’s Warbler, and Savannah Sparrow.

WATERFOWL:  Eight of 27 species occurred in lower numbers than expected and 5 in higher. This group of species and the Waterbirds were likely the most impacted by the drought. Many “wetlands” were dry and others much reduced in size.  In addition, the bay had higher salinities than normal.

WATERBIRDS:  Only 3 of 22 species occurred in above average numbers and 7 were much lower. 

RAPTORS:  Eight of 18 species were reported in above average numbers and 2 were low.  The lower reports were likely due to the fog and windy conditions, and the higher numbers likely due to greater effort.

SHOREBIRDS THRU GULLS:  30 species with 7 highs & 3 lows.  Snowy Plover was new for the CBC.  Tides were high and it made it difficult to locate many birds.  Dan Kaspar’s drying lake was a great assest this year and it was The site for the Snowy’s.  The Solitary Sandpiper pictured above was photographed my Michael Gray and is a rare wintering shorebird for the area.

DOVES THRU WOODPECKERS:  This group of 25 species had 16 high counts which included Whip-poor-will and Red-headed Woodpecker.  Both were new species for the CBC.  Doves and woodpeckers were in exceptionally high numbers.

FLYCATCHERS:  8 species reported was good but lower than expected.  The Team did locate an E. Kingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher which were nice finds, but only had one Myiarchus and no Empids.  Phoebes were considerably lower than previous years.

VIREOS THRU PIPITS:  6 high and 6 low counts.  This group of species which occupy mostly woodlands appeared to be impacted by the drought with much lower numbers of wrens and kinglets than previous years.

WARBLERS:  Warblers is the Signature Group of Species for which this CBC is known.  We have reported as many as 17 species during one count and this year’s 12 species are much below expectations. 5 species were above average in number and 1 was low.  There was good diversity of warblers near water like on Kenyon and Kamey Islands, but not in the drier uplands.  There was an amazing high density of N. Waterthrushes this year.  This was especially surprising considering that the Mad Island CBC just up the Coast did not get one.  We did not locate any unusual lingering warblers as in the past, and we found N. Parula shortly after the count.

SPARROWS:  This was a good year for sparrows.  We reported 21 species with 10 being high in numbers and 1 low.  Harris’s Sparrow was new for the CBC.  Brush and Petra had a grosbeak during the week that we were not able to relocate during the CBC.

THANKS

This very successful count is a major team effort.  We would first want to thank Dale Friedrichs with Lyondell-Basel Corporation for paying for the meal at the Count Down and the activity fees of the birders.  The CBC would not be possible without the great assistance from the McFaddin Family Ranches.  All 3 ranches gave us complete access to their property.  Lou Womack also provided boat and staff to run a team of birders on the river.  Jan Wheelis gave us use of their wonderful lodge.  Walter Womack used his “expert” nature skills to assist us with the bird counting.

            We would also like to thank the Dow and Ineos chemical plants for providing staff and access to their productive wildlife lands.  We are grateful for Mrs. Pat Welder, Larry Seydler, Frank Pagel, Gene Colville, Don Walden, Dan Kaspar, Beverly Fletcher, and the Negley Ranch for providing us access to their lands.  Lastly, we thank the 66 birders who spent their day and huge amount of energy in searching the landscape for every species which we could locate.

At the end of the day, our tired and excited birders gathered under the oaks in the river bottom at the Weed Prairie Hunting Camp on the Jess Womack Ranch.  We were treated to an excellent meal cooked by A. D. Blackman, Buck Packabush and David Drehr.

THANKS TO ALL FOR A GREAT JOB!

Hope to see you at our Christmas Bird Count next year on Thursday, 17 December 2009.

Brent Ortego

202 Camino Drive

Victoria, TX 77905