Some Texas Birding from the Hill Country to the Gulf Coast Part II

April 19-28, 2018

With a list of eight (8) special birds that I wanted to see on this trip, I prepared myself for less than 100% success, although I surely wanted to see all of these birds very very much.  

8 Potential Life Birds

GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER

FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL

BLACK-CAPPED VIREO

AUDUBON'S ORIOLE

TROPICAL PARULA

SWAINSON'S WARBLER

BACHMAN'S SPARROW

LeCONTE'S SPARROW

When, on Day #1 of our birding adventure, we came upon a male GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area (WMA), we were all pleasantly shocked!
A federally listed endangered species that likes old-growth oak/juniper woodlands, we anticipated finding this rarity at a later location. We would see it again, but my photos are from this first sighting on April 20th. Considering that it likes dense or closed canopy, I felt lucky to score even distant photos.

GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER

Although Arizona has its own rare resident FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL, I never got to its southern location, so I added it to my list of hoped-for sightings in Texas. It's also uncommon in south Texas but I knew if it was there, we would find it. On my own, would I have found it anywhere? Doubtful. It's smaller than a Starling but larger than an Elf Owl. Its plump body is brownish (ferruginous means rusty) but not exactly rufous. The back of its head shows two black "eyes" highlighted by a white eyebrow to confuse predators coming at it from that direction. Stephan found the bird perched within a wooded area on King Ranch on April 23rd. I continued to search for open spots to get a clear picture and finally, as the FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL looked directly at me, I was able to squeeze off a photo.

When the FPOW turned around, its false eyes on the back of its head were apparent.

Stephan digiscoped this photo with my phone!

Prior to this trip, I had paid little attention to the BLACK-CAPPED VIREO (I was focused on learning local birds). But its eye liner (or spectacles) had always caught my attention. Excited to think that I might now be able to see the actual bird, I was constantly alert for it. It is uncommon to rare in its geographically restricted breeding area in central Texas. Spring migration from Mexico occurs in April so we should be able to find it in its preferred habitat of deciduous trees, usually oaks with junipers and thickets. On our very first day at Kerr WMA, we found two BLACK-CAPPED VIREO, one of which I was able to photograph. Photos taken a Kerr WMA on April 20th.

AUDUBON'S ORIOLE is also a geographically restricted resident in Texas. Often found in riparian woodlands and live-oak forest, we came upon the bird at King Ranch on April 23rd. We had two separate sightings. Had I seen its front view in Arizona, I may have mistakenly called it a Scott's Oriole. The big difference between the two orioles is that the Scott's has a black back (along with its black head) while the AUDUBON's back is yellowish green. It's a bright yellow-bodied bird with a total black head. Although I didn't  get a clear view of its back, these profile pictures show how the yellow/green continues around the nape (and then down its back).

In Arizona, we're quite familiar with occasional visits by the Northern Parula but now the TROPICAL PARULA was on my mental horizon. Also a highly restricted bird to southern Texas, it is a locally common breeder in Kenedy County. Liking live-oak woodlands it occurs only where there are epiphytes like Spanish moss to use for nesting. Stephan located it for us on the wide expanse of King Ranch where two of them showed. Its almost identical to the size and shape of the Northern Parula but the Tropical lacks the broken eyeing of Northern making its black eyes difficult to discern in its black mask. The breast of the male Tropical is rich orange. Like the Northern, it forages high in the trees. 

The photograph below was taken on our first day at Kerr WMA, but Stephan didn't like idea of its pale eye arc. TROPICAL PARULAs sometimes show these arcs but he wanted to get us a "pure" one - which we did, but I didn't get a photo.  Will post one from Glenda later; she's still on the road to Toronto.

Note in the photo below, the lower eye arc, black face and brilliant yellow with orange breast (with no rufous breastband of Northern Parula). It's not a hybrid; this happens every now and again.

The "pure" TROPICAL PARULA photographed by Glenda Jones is below:

SWAINSON'S WARBLER was on my wish list during my first birding visit to Texas two years ago but that species had already migrated through and was being reported in Central Park the day we searched for it. Some birds linger, so I was hopeful then to no avail.
We're here earlier this year, but day after day passed without a sighting.

Sabine Woods, I noted would have its favored habitat: damp hardwood forest with dense understory and an open forest floor. We found it in thick leaf litter. SWAINSON'S WARBLER is not one of the brilliant colorful birds; it's very drab, boasting the longest bill and shortest tail of any warbler. As you can see below, its camouflage is perfect for its favored feeding area. While I have many photos, most show its head under leaves!  I will also post a live video on FB.

BACHMAN'S SPARROW likes pine woods and is found often by its singing. Otherwise, its a furtive secretive runner-on-the-ground bird. Stephan led us into the forest after he had gone first to see if he could locate one for us to see. After he motioned us to leave the road and go quietly to his location, we arrived to see no bird. He kept indicating the bush it was in and I finally realized a brown blob near the bottom of the shrub was the rear of the BACHMAN'S SPARROW. Most, if not all of us, got to see it there.

Better yet, it was at the open area we visited later. Unbelievably, it was perched on a short stubby branch singing its heart out! From where we stood, it looked like it could be a knot on the limb. No longer a blob looking like it was wrapped in a cocoon of leaf matter and sticks, it was clearly visible and singing over and over again!!  Who would have guessed??  I was thrilled!

As I mentioned previously, the LeCONTE'S SPARROW, a grassland bird, gave us such a short view, none of us got photos. Because I actually saw the bird briefly in its habitat and identified by our guides, Stephan and Claudia, I'll take it as a Life Bird. Hopefully, I'll find it again when I can spend more time trying for better or more views.

Not on my list, and now surpassing the list of birds I had hoped to see, we saw a CERULEAN WARBLER twice; once quickly flying at Goose Island and again at High Island on April 25th where its flight views were much better. It's not an easy bird to see. Working the treetops, it is a small compact warbler with short bill and tail. The male we saw had blue upper parts, bright white underparts and streaked sides. Fortunately, this warbler is not shy about flying across fairly wide open spaces and that is how we viewed this warbler both times we saw it. There was no way I could get its photo but Glenda succeeded at least once!

So, not only did I see all eight (8) of my hoped-for rare or uncommon birds, but saw an additional one as well. Nine for Eight isn't too bad!

Obviously, I attribute my success to our guides who I will be joining again at the end of May for a big adventure. Stay tuned!

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