For those following the sightings section, sorry for the lack of posts. Holidays, busier schedule and other obligations took priority. However, birds don’t take a holiday and here are the highlights of what’s being seen in the area:

Lake Fort Phantom Area, November 18:

• McCowan’s Longspurs, 100+
• Bonaparte’s Gull, 3
• Forster’s Tern, 26
• House Wren (at SeaBee), 1

All sightings by Lorie Black

Kirby Lake, November 16:

• Common Loon, 1
• Horned Grebe, 5
• Eared Grebe, 15
• Snowy Egret, 2
• Gr Yellowlegs, 2
• Hooded Merganser, 7
• Bufflehead, 20

All sightings by Lorie Black

Cedar Gap Farm, November 20:

• Western Bluebird, 8

Sighting by Earlene Hutto, Tom Lee, Laura Packer and Dr. Lee’s Ecology Lab class

West Abilene, November 26:

• Prairie Falcon, 1

Sighting by Brandon Best, Lubbock

Dyess AFB, November 29:

• Greater Yellowlegs, 4
• Spotted Sandpiper, 1
• Wilson’s Snipe, 1
• Marsh Wren, 1
• Sage Thrasher, 1
• Orange-crowned Warbler, 3
• Yellow-rumped Warbler, 4
• Pine Warbler, 1
• Chipping Sparrow, 2
• Field Sparrow, 3
• Vesper Sparrow, 8
• Savannah Sparrow, 10
• Song Sparrow, 30
• Lincoln’s Sparrow, 12
• White-throated Sparrow, 1
• White-crowned Sparrow, 33
• Dark-eyed Junco, 77+
• American Goldfinch, 50+

All sightings by Laura Packer

Lake Kirby, November 30:

• Canvasback, 4
• Redhead, 3
• Bufflehead, 8
• Hooded Merganser, 33+
• Ruddy Duck, 4
• Pied-billed Grebe, 10
• Horned Grebe, 1
• Eared Grebe, 9
• Least Sandpiper, 12
• Greater Yellowlegs, 1
• Dowitcher sp., 15

Sightings in the howling horizontal falling snow by Kathy Hampton and Laura Packer

Lake Fort Phantom Area, November 30:

• Snowy Egret, 2
• Great Egret, 1
• Sandhill Cranes, 28
• Bonapart’s Gull, 1
• Orange-crowned Warbler, 1

Sightings by Kathy Hampton and Laura Packer

Wildlife Trails, NE Abilene, November 30:

• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• Mallard
• Northern Shoveler
• Ring-necked Duck
• Bufflehead
• Ruddy Duck

Sightings by Kathy Hampton and Laura Packer