Howard Lane to Utley (969) Bridge, Bastrop, US-TX (6 miles)
Observation date: July 5, 2014 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Number of species: 41 species (+2 other taxa)
EPISODE 98: A Star Spangled Day
When I walked outside this morning there was coolness in the air. It is hard to believe we are getting this deep in to the summer and it still feels kind of nice.
One thing that reminded me how far in to the summer we really are: the birds have quieted down a lot. We were having a hard time finding any because they have gone so silent.
Cicadas were buzzing and drowning out the subtle sounds
You could almost hear the drums and fife as, on cue on this Independence Day weekend, we had two adult Bald Eagles fly across the river in front of us.
We heard a Red-eyed Vireo and most people got a fair look at a Vermillion flycatcher.
Several others we were not really expected but always a treat were Pileated Woodpecker and Belted Kingfisher. I mention the Belted Kingfisher because they have gone north for the summer. I guess this one did not get the message.
Our 43 species list was kind of light but there were some good ones. I almost think we saw more butterfly species than bird species.
We found tons of flowers blooming. The dragonflies and damselflies were everywhere. We were finding the smaller turtles but no larger ones.
Today we thank Alicia Nelson, Becky Patterson, Joan Bishop, Linda Williams, Betsy Hamblen, John Barr, Denis Brenning, Bob West, Jake Warner, Bobby Hughes and Glen Coleman.
Photo of the Swallowtail butterfly is Bob West.
41 species (+2 other taxa)
Wood Duck 2
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 5
Little Blue Heron 2
Cattle Egret 30
Green Heron 14
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 3
Black Vulture 22
Turkey Vulture 17
Bald Eagle 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 3
Killdeer 2
White-winged Dove 4
Mourning Dove 3
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Green Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Crested Caracara 2
Eastern Phoebe 2
Vermilion Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 4
White-eyed Vireo 8
Red-eyed Vireo 1
American Crow 18
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 8
Barn Swallow 3
Cliff/Cave Swallow 100
Carolina Chickadee 7
Tufted x Black-crested Titmouse (hybrid) 4
Carolina Wren 6
Prothonotary Warbler 4
Summer Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 43
Painted Bunting 3
Red-winged Blackbird 4
Common Grackle 4
Brown-headed Cowbird 14
House Sparrow 4
