No best bird of the day; all recorded are the usual breeders. However, the bobcat that walked out of the high grass ten feet in front of me was a pretty good find. He sauntered out from the six-foot forbes where I had just been checking a nestbox. I think I roused him from his […]

Best bird(s) of the evening: White-faced Ibis, 6, flying overhead Cattle Egret, 203, most still in breeding plumage Common Moorhen, 3. Don’t think we’ve ever recorded this species at Lake Ft. Phantom Complete List: Northern Bobwhite, 5 Great Blue Heron, 24 Snowy Egret, 8 Cattle Egret, 203 White-faced Ibis, 6 Turkey Vulture, 2 Mississippi Kite, […]

Best bird(s) of the morning: Well, it’s getting harder and harder to find a best; but the 16 juvenile American Robins flocking together like teenagers was amusing. Their spotted breasts and boldly patterned facial markings were reminiscent of varied thrushes. Others: Northern Bobwhite, 4 Mississippi Kite, 5 Swainson’s Hawk, 2 (only seeing 1 juvenile on […]

Best bird(s) of the day: Cattle Egret, 136 and probably more, most of them in breeding plumage Complete List: Northern Bobwhite, 4 Great Blue Heron, 2 Snowy Egret, 2 Cattle Egret, 136 Green Heron, 4 Turkey Vulture, 3 Mississippi Kite, 2 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Killdeer, 6 Mourning Dove, 24 Inca Dove, 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 2 […]

Best bird(s) of the day: High number of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, and Western Kingbirds. The fledglings are sitting around in trees and utility wires waiting to be fed by parents. Grasshopper Sparrow, juvenile Complete List: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, 2 Mallard, 4 Wild Turkey, 2 Northern Bobwhite, 6 Great Blue Heron, 1 Green Heron, 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, […]

Best bird(s) of the day: Black-capped Vireo, 1 Indigo Bunting, 1 Painted Bunting, 9 and most of them males! Complete List: Black Vulture, 3 Turkey Vulture, 16 Mississippi Kite, 2 Mourning Dove, 11 Black-chinned Hummingbird, 5. It’s hard to estimate how many are actually present. The most hummingbirds seen at the same time was five. […]

Best bird(s) of the day: Orchard Oriole, not because it’s all that great but because first time to document it on base was Sunday, June 10, 2007. Complete List: Northern Bobwhite, 5 Green Heron, 1 Mississippi Kite, 3 Swainson’s Hawk, 2 (plus two little white fuzzy heads were seen above the rim of the nest) […]

Best bird(s) of the day: Black-capped Vireo, 1 (heard only) List of birds seen: Wild Turkey, 4 (3 toms; 1 hen) Northern Bobwhite, 1 (heard) Turkey Vulture, 11 Mississippi Kite, 2 Mourning Dove, 12 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 1 Black-chinned Hummingbird, 6 Ladder-backed Woodpecker, 1 Ash-throated Flycatcher, 6 Western Kingbird, 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, 2 Black-capped Vireo, 1 […]

Best Bird(s) of the day: Downy Woodpecker 1, because I don’t know if it’s a late wintering/migrant bird or if it’ll breed on base. Carolina Chickadee 1, ditto. These two birds have only been recorded once before on base. Complete List: Northern Bobwhite, 1 Swainson’s Hawk, 2 Killdeer, 1 Mourning Dove, 19 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 4 […]

MacGillivray’s Warbler, 1 DAFB, LP, 5-28 Cooper’s Hawk, 1 Cedar Gap Farm, HT & LP, 5-31 Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, 1 Cedar Gap Farm, HT, 5-31