Waco (Central Texas Audubon) RBA
October 11, 2000
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 03:25:33 -0500
Reply-To: "E.G. White-Swift" <birder@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: "National Birding Hotline Cooperative (Central)"
<BIRDCNTR@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
From: "E.G. White-Swift" <birder@EARTHLINK.NET>
Organization: Outback Communications
Subject: RBA - Waco, TX - October 11, 2000
To: BIRDCNTR@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
RBA 10/11/00
- RBA
* Texas
* Waco
* October 11, 2000
* TXWA00010.11
- Birds mentioned
Osprey
Swainson’s Hawk
Sabine’s Gull
Rufous Hummingbird
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cave Swallow
Philadelphia Vireo
- Transcript
Number: (254) 299-8175
Compiler: E.G. White-Swift birder@earthlink.net
Coverage: Waco Area
Transcriber: E.G. White-Swift mailto:birder@earthlink.net
website: http://www.dallas.net/~birding/ctas.htm
This is the Tuesday, October 11th , update of Waco area birding reports
sponsored by the Central Texas Audubon Society.
The last few days have been one of the best birding periods in the Waco
area in recent memory. A broad cold front that dropped local
temperatures by 30 degrees last Wednesday was accompanied by strong
northerly winds. Just to the south of Waco bands of cold rain formed a
barrier for migrants resulting in an incredible fallout of birds in
Central Texas. I’ve received a barrage of daily reports of unusual
birds from observers willing to brave a few hours of cold winds.
Late Tuesday afternoon, October 11, Frank Bumgardner and John Muldrow
found the second VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW this fall at the Waco Metropolitan
Area Regional Sewerage System ponds located along the Brazos River off
FM434 1/2 mile east of Loop 340. This bird had not previously been
recorded in the county until one was photographed by John Muldrow on
September 6 of this year. Those photos have been submitted to the
Central Texas Audubon Society’s records committee for consideration for
adding this species to the county’s checklist. Today’s bird, located
flying over the third pond, was not only brightly plumaged but was
notably different from the previous swallow in that it has some out of
place feathers on its left wing. It is possible that this bird, with
its wing problem, may be present for several days at the pond. It is
worth noting that other Violet-green Swallows were observed at Hornsby
Bend in Austin this week, as well as previously this fall.
Last Thursday, October 5, John Muldrow found a juvenile SABINE’S GULL
off the Airport Beach area at Lake Waco. John also found the two
previous records for this gull in McLennan County in October 1990 and
October 1991. This gull has not been refound around the lake and most
likely moved out of the area on the strong winds last Friday. It is
worth noting that other observers have found Sabine’s Gulls on other
north Texas lakes this fall.
Also late this afternoon, 10/11/00, Frank and John had excellent looks
at a PHILADELPHIA VIREO along the road to the Waco sewer ponds. The
bird was found in the wooded area on the southeast side of the road to
the ponds between the first sharp curves. There are spring records for
this vireo in Waco, but no previous fall records. There were a lot of
migrant warblers in the same area.
Saturday, October 7, was swallow day in the Waco area. John and Frank
estimated that there were as many as 100,000 BARN SWALLOWS on the north
side of Lake Waco from Flat Rock Park to Airport Beach Park. There are
no extra zeros in this number, and it may even be a low estimate. The
swallows were observed on the ground, on the grass, on bushes, sitting
on every available limb and flying over the lake. As many as a thousand
Barn Swallows were found at the sewer ponds this weekend as well, many
just resting on the drying beds, as well as swallows by the hundreds and
thousands everywhere one looked in the McClennan County. As dramatic
as this fallout of swallows was for observers, this was a catastrophic
weekend for Barn Swallows in the Central Flyway. Our local Texas Parks
& Wildlife specialist reports that she has received reports of
widespread problems for Barn Swallows with this massive cold front.
They were in migration and she has heard that they have been dying from
Nebraska on down the Central Flyway. Earlier last week the fall out was
been from San Marcos and south. The birds were seeking shelter on
building frames and under porch roofs. There is not much food for them
during migration after the sustained drought in Texas and cold, wet
weather is taking its toll as well.
Also found at Lake Waco on Saturday were 9 CAVE SWALLOWS, a species just
added to the McLennan County checklist this year based on observations
of several individuals at both Lake Waco and the Waco sewer ponds in
recent years. In addition, several TREE SWALLOWS, an uncommon fall
migrant here, were found at both Flat Rock Park on Lake Waco by Frank
and John and at the Waco sewer ponds by Al Bjelland this weekend. A few
late Northern Rough-winged Swallows were also found at both locations,
as well.
As if the swallows were not enough, this was also the weekend for
SWAINSON’S HAWKS in Central Texas. It began on Thursday, October 5 with
a report from Don and Pam Moes of a kettle of 50-70 Swainson’s Hawks
feeding in freshly plowed fields along along US Hwy 84 four miles west
McGregor in southwestern McLennan County. On Friday morning, John
Muldrow observed between 2,000 and 2,500 Swainson’s kettling over Lake
Waco which is bordered on its east side by an major outcrop of Austin
chalk that provide excellent thermals for migrants that converge on the
confluence of the Bosque and Brazos rivers in west Waco. On Sunday,
E.G. White-Swift had more than 350 Swainson’s feeding in freshly plowed
fields over the Brazos River bottomlands on Steiner Road (locally known
as the Burrowing Owl road). 0.9 miles south of the junction of Renner
and Francis Roads in southeastern McLennan County. Late Sunday
afternoon, Bobby Valentine reported at least 5 kettles of Swainson’s
Hawks kettles, 200 to 300 hawks in a kettle, streaming over his home
about ten miles west of McGregor near Olgesby in eastern Coryell County.
Other notable raptors this weekend were as many as 8 OSPREY on Lake Waco
and several more on Tradinghouse Reservoir is eastern McLennan County.
This is a very high count for Ospreys in the county. American Kestrals
were everywhere this weekend in much higher numbers than normal winter
populations and large numbers of Northern Harriers were found hunting
area pastures. A Peregrine Falcon was observed on Saturday, 10/7/00,
chasing crows, harriers and unsuccessfully hitting on and knocking down
an American Widgeon off Flat Rock Park at Lake Waco.
Two RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS continue to come to the Barnard’s feeding
station in Gatesville in Coryell County. They have been present at this
station every day since their arrival on July 20. Another Rufous has
been coming to a feeder in west Waco since September 23. Once a rare
migrant visitor, this species is now becoming a rare but regular winter
visitor in the county.
The second injured immature fall plumage MOURNING WARBLER of the season
was taken to a local rehabilitor today after crashing into a window in
the 2800 block of Live Oak Street in west Waco. A very uncommon fall
migrant, it is unlikely that it will survive its severe head trauma and
join another specimen found below a storefront window at the Waco Office
Depot on September 20 that has been donated to the Strecker Museum
collection at the Baylor University.
Other birds found during the migrant fallout this past weekend in much
greater numbers than wintering or migrating populations normally
observed in the area were: Belted Kingfishers, Loggerhead Shrikes,
Eastern Phoebes, Orange-crowned Warblers, Nashville Warblers, Wilson’s
Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Buntings, Dickcissels,
Clay-colored Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows and thousands and thousands of
Monarch Butterflies.
First reports of wintering migrants arriving in the last week include
Herring Gull, Bonaparte’s Gull, Northern Flicker, House Wren, Brown
Thrashers, Hermit Thrush and Lincoln’s Sparrows. Lingering nesters
still in the area include Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Scissor-tailed
Flycatchers.
If you have information to add to this report, please leave a message
after the tone. Thanks for calling.
- End Transcript
E.G. White-Swift.........birder@earthlink.net……(254) 420-1543
Central Texas Audubon Society
Waco, Texas
Copies of the “Checklist of the Birds of McLennan County, Texas (5th
Revision)” published in March 1997 are available from the Central Texas
Audubon Society, 1308 Circlewood, Waco, Texas 76712, for $2 (which
includes postage!). This 14-page booklet includes information on
birding locations in the county as well as information on the abundance
and distribution of the more than 350 bird species recorded in the
county since 1960.