More observations on Juniper Titmouse in Texas

I included a brief article below that I wrote for the Houston Ornithological Group’s newsletter, the Spoonbill. First I will relate an additional Juniper Titmouse observation during Spring Break in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

After failing to find a Juniper Titmouse at Dog Canyon, even though I had potentially heard one, we tested our luck at Frijole Ranch on the eastern side of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Arriving in the early afternoon didn’t bode well as bird activity was low during the hot afternoon. We passed the old ranch house and continued along the paved trail, focusing our efforts on the dense junipers near the spring where I had found a single bird in August (see article below). Flocks of robins flushed and several Townsend’s Solitaires were in evidence, but no a feather or sound of a titmouse. We hiked the entire trail, mainly because we were already here, finding almost no birds. Returning to the ranch from where we had started we planned to check the larger juniper on the southern side of the parking lot when we heard a bird that sounded decidedly different from everything that day. Somewhat in disbelief we realized that this was our bird. We rushed forward and quickly located it in one of the tall pecans. I was surprised as the bird flew into the highest exposed parts of the pecan trees foraging and singing. We watched it for nearly twenty minutes as it sang and foraged. It spent a lot of time in the pecans, flying off twice into nearby dense junipers. Eventually it flew off to forage in a dense thicket right along the fence and landed out in the open on the ground twice.

It disappeared towards dense junipers on the eastern side of the ranch. During the entire observation the bird was very vocal and foraged actively. It was interesting to see it check the underside of the withered pecan leaves, apparently picking off small insects. There was no sign of another bird and this may have been the same single bird I had observed in August as my observation had been within 300 meters. Potentially Juniper Titmice in Texas require relatively dense junipers with scattered large trees, which may limit the distribution of the species even in good looking habitat. Distribution and range may be limited in the area by available nest sites? Either way we were happy to observe this low density species again in Texas.

 

A Tricky Bird: Finding Juniper Titmouse in Texas

By Stephan Lorenz

The Juniper Titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi) has a very restricted range within Texas and is essentially limited to the foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains, Culberson County, where it is an uncommon resident.  It is arguably one of the most difficult resident or regularly occurring bird’s to see in Texas, with Spotted Owl, Hook-billed Kite, Red Crossbill, and Cassin’s Finch also in the running for toughest non-review species. Juniper Titmouse is a common species throughout many areas of the southwestern United States, including New Mexico just across the state line. Yet, just to the south in Texas, birds are thin on the ground and are regularly reported from only two places within the lower elevations of the Guadalupe Mountains, Dog Canyon and Frijole Ranch. The species has been sighted in the El Paso area, but the national park remains by far the best location to add this little drab Parid to your Texas state list.

I had attempted to see Juniper Titmice in the Guadalupe Mountains on several previous occasions in the past seven years. On each visit to the Guadalupes, I set aside a little time to wander in the juniper woodlands and foothills, hoping to come across the birds. I even made a concerted effort during the summer of 2005, when I took the long route through New Mexico into Dog Canyon. Despite long hikes and chasing after everything that even remotely sounded like a titmouse, I always came up empty or with plenty of Rock Wrens. I know that several Texas birders can commiserate with similar experiences.

Overall, the single best place remains Dog Canyon, which lies at the end of State Road 137, a long winding gravel track that meanders south after turning off Highway 285 just north of Carlsbad, New Mexico. This is not a casual trip and it is best to take advantage of the beautiful and isolated campground at Dog Canyon, packing gear for a night or two. Keep in mind, Juniper Titmice are not guaranteed here, but plenty of scenery and other birds are. Once the road crosses back into Texas start looking for titmice in the juniper woodlands.

During my recent visit to the area, I didn’t have time to visit remote Dog Canyon and decided to give the alternative location a try, Frijole Ranch. The historic ranch is located just off Highway 62 and offers easy access to foothill habitat and several productive springs. When I pulled into the gravel parking lot, the weather looked ominous. Afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon during late August.  Black clouds were tumbling over gray and I could see dark streaks of rain falling in the high country. I grabbed my binoculars, camera, and rain jacket, hoping to catch a few minutes of birding. Just past the ranch house starts a trail leading to Frijole Springs and beyond, the sparse juniper woodland here is probably the best place to look for titmice. First, I was greeted by Scott’s Orioles and Western Tanagers, adding color to the Chihuahuan desert. A Gray Flycatcher flitting between ocotillo sported titmouse colors, but was the wrong family.

When I heard a bird just a minute later, I almost didn’t trust my ears. I walked off the trail towards a dense stand of junipers. Several sparrows flew off the ground and then it called again. It fluttered between trees and the complete lack of color gave it away, finally there was a Juniper Titmouse on Texas soil. I followed the bird several minutes as it foraged relatively quickly, moving from tree to tree. When it was quiet it was difficult to keep track off. During the entire observation there was no sound or sight of a second bird, just a single Juniper Titmouse. After it disappeared, I took a long look at the surroundings and could see similar stands of juniper stretch from the foothills to the north, east, and south. It looked like there was an abundance of suitable habitat and why the species occurs in such low densities in Texas is a mystery to me, but all it takes is one.

Birds on a Shoestring: Birding Adventures along the Fringes of the Continent: Long Island December 2007

I woke well before dawn, partly because the cold had finally seeped into my sleeping bag, partly from excitement, hoping to catch up with a rare goose. By six am, I was ready to begin the proverbial chase.

Starting in New Brunswick the day before, I had crossed one international border and passed through four states, fortunately covering New York City at night. Thus, late at night, I pulled into a county park, too exhausted to care about the sign clearly stating that the campground was closed for the winter. I took the open gate as an invitation and pitched my tent anyway.

In the dark morning hours, I could barely hear the rumbling waters of the Atlantic beyond the frost covered lawn and beach. After packing up quickly, I continued along the route east, passing the mansions of the Hamptons, with just a few lights flickering in otherwise black windows. Approaching Montauk, the eastern tip of Long Island; the surroundings turned surprisingly rural, with fallow fields and large pastures on both sides of the road.

A cold sunrise turned the landscape from black to winter gray and I could discern street names and details of the landscape. I had no trouble finding the open meadow where the Pink-footed Goose had apparently been consorting with a small flock of Canada Geese since November. Interestingly the land here belonged to the Deep Hollow Ranch, apparently America’s oldest cattle ranch. The utter cold of a Long Island winter morning slapped my face and rattled my bones when I stepped from the car. I carefully scanned the field of close-cropped grass, but only found a few scattered piles of frozen equine manure and a horse or two. I drove up and down the main road, checking the horizons for flocks of geese. Before long, other birders showed up. A slew of New York rarities, including the Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese, along with a Western Kingbird and an Ash-throated Flycatcher lured good numbers of locals to the state parks and parklands around Montauk.

The largest island of the contiguous United State, Long Island harbors a large variety of habitats and significant diversity of birds given its proximity to the millions of people in New York City. Along its 118 miles stretching northeast into the Atlantic, it is possible to find wetlands, woodlands, agricultural areas, extensive beaches, and rocky shorelines. Especially the far eastern reaches of the island still harbor sizeable natural areas. In addition to the resident species, regular migrants, and plethora of wintering birds, which are worth a trip to island alone, the area also ranks as one of the top vagrant traps on the east coast.

This December morning Long Island was living up to its reputation, with about half a dozen rare species hiding in the woods and wetlands. Yet, both geese were successfully evading detection for the first two hours of the morning. I trailed back and forth between fields and ponds, most of which were still frozen solid. Following a tip from two local birders, I focused my efforts on a small roadside park, where I eventually spotted the Barnacle Goose, its small size and extensive white face obvious among a few Canada Geese. The bird was very approachable and nipped at the grass as it slowly waddled away. Barnacle Goose has been somewhat of a problematic species in North America for years. The species is fairly common in captivity and numerous records have been of questionable provenance, but the majority of records in the northeast can be attributed to genuine vagrants. Supporting the latter hypothesis, are vagrant birds that had been banded in Europe and have made appearances in the United States. For example, a Barnacle Goose that appeared in New York in 2010 sported rings that could be traced to the British Museum banding scheme. In fact the bird had been ringed, to use the European term here, in Scotland in 2002, confirming natural vagrancy of the species. Over the past decades, breeding populations of both Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese have increased in Greenland, increasing the likelihood of wild birds migrating west into eastern Canada and United States.  Over the past few years these geese have proven to be fairly regular during the winter months along the Atlantic seaboard and even further inland to Pennsylvania. Birds recorded further west probably are escapees?

After enjoying this small neatly marked goose for twenty minutes, my focus switched to the rarer of the pair. Where was the Pink-footed Goose? I repeated my searches from earlier in the morning. The horse pasture remained empty, several fields quiet, and the ponds frozen. I planned to mount exploration on foot, trying to access some unchecked areas on Lake Montauk. Before tightening my shoelaces and heading out, I made one last stop at a small pond I had been eyeing all morning. The surface was still solid ice, but on this pass two dozen geese had landed of the frozen water, slipping and sliding as they walked on the ice. I carefully scanned through the flock of Canada Geese and quickly discovered a Brant, tiny compared to the gray honkers. I realized that this was a new flock that I had not encountered that morning. Carefully I kept watching and suddenly the Pink-footed Goose appeared.

Pink-footed Geese are medium in size, have their namesake colored feet, and noticeably small bills with black at the base and tip, flanking a pink middle. The ice gave way under the weight of the flock and one by one the geese entered the water, swimming in a small circle of open water.  Two other birders showed up within minutes and I was happy to be able to point out the bird.

The temperature hadn’t increased and in order to warm up I decided to go on a hike after all. I followed a track through scattered woodland and open fields, while I did not turn up any unusual flycatchers, I did find hordes of birds actively foraging in the cold weather. Among groups of sparrows, I found several Song and Tree scratching in the leaf litter.

I debated whether to visit the eastern tip of the island to look for seabirds passing the point offshore, but the cold and fatigue from the long day had me packing up and driving back west, towards the city. Unfortunately I missed Montauk Point Lighthouse. Built in 1796, it is the oldest lighthouse in New York and the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the nation. I comforted myself by turning up the heater in the car, settling into the rhythm of tires on asphalt. Before leaving the island for good, I stopped at one of the many beachside parks, where owls apparently frequent the thin rows of wind beaten conifers backing the strip of sand. My hope was to spot a Northern Saw-whet or Long-eared Owl. I searched for an hour, peering into the dense evergreens without success. By early evening my conviction faded and I headed south for good, stopping somewhere in Maryland for the night several hours later.

San Antonio Ruddy Ground Dove + Houston Greater Pewee = One long day

The day started too early with a 3:30 am wake-up call and a rush to Adam’s house from which we left quickly for San Antonio. Due to efficient use of the gas pedal by our skilled driver we arrived early with the sun still well below the horizon. Janet, Adam and I searched diligently for the dove as soon as there was enough light to see, we wandered along the paved roads between spots were the bird had been seen the previous day. Eventually the lack of breakfast and several other birders coming up empty-handed got the better of us and we planned to get breakfast. One last check of the main location revealed a tight cluster of birders, usually a good sign and after a quick enquiry we learned that the bird had indeed been spotted in the road just a few minutes earlier. The same spot we had double checked earlier that morning. The bird had flown from sight, but was flushed by two folks walking down the gravel trail and after some patient waiting strolled across some open patches and fed beneath dense ragweed at times fully visible for several minutes. Elated we grabbed our postponed breakfast and started the drive back to Houston.
We arrived at Bear Creek Park in the early afternoon and joined a small troop of birders that had been searching unsuccessfully since mid-morning. Around three we headed for a late lunch and Janet and I returned to the park before five. We combed the picnic area and its edges, but returned to the promising looking clearing. After being joined by a third birder we were conversing quietly when I happened to look up and saw the bird perched prominently on a tall snag almost right overhead. We had great scope views, heard it vocalize and I took many poor pictures. Fortunately Adam and others were able to catch up with it just before sunrise when we finally called it quit after a long day. Almost forgot also added a single Red-breasted Nuthatch to the county list.

Record shot of Greater Pewee Harris Co. Photo Stephan Lorenz

Tropical Mockingbird in Texas

After being locked into a school field trip yesterday I made the trip to Sabine Woods for the Tropical Mockingbird today. I ran a little late, but left the house at 5:30 am and after stretching the limits of the speed restrictions a bit arrived at the sanctuary by 7:00 am. I was surprised to see the parking lot empty and headed to the clearing where the bird had been reported. One or two folks were already looking. I wandered towards the edge of the woods and then back to the clearing. I caught a Northern Mockingbird that seemed to be interacting with another bird deeper in the foliage and there it was, the Tropical Mockingbird hopped into view.

Tropical Mockingbird Sabine Woods, Texas Photo Stephan Lorenz

I and many other observed the bird for nearly an hour as it flew back and forth, often perching high up in the open. It closely associated with a Northern Mockingbird the entire time, often following the Northern. From what I could observe only the Northern sang on what seemed like a territory. At one point I observed both bird foraging within a foot of each other. It will be interesting to see whether these birds will pair up and attempt a hybrid nesting, which likely would be a first as these two species do not overlap in range. As to origin, natural vagrancy appears likely. Even though the species is non-migratory, Tropical Mockingbirds have expanded their range in places like the Lesser Antilles, as such at least “wandering individuals” occur. In addition the species is common in the Yucatan Peninsula and after crossing the gulf northward, the first and only landfall would be the US coast. It will be interesting to see further discussions. Raffaele’s Birds of the West Indies provides good plates that show both species. The Tropical Mockingbird showed its distinct tail pattern clearly several times while flying across the clearing. Overall a great bird to add to the ABA list.

Tropical and Northern Mockingbird pair? Photo Stephan Lorenz

I walked towards the area where the Black-whiskered Vireo had been observed and the first bird that flew across the trail turned out to be just that. Great looks where had by all as the bird foraged right out in the open, maybe another visitor from further south instead of east.

Black-whiskered Vireo Sabine Woods Texas, Photo Stephan Lorenz

On the way home I checked the turf farms in east Harris Co. and came up with a few Upland Sandpipers and Whimbrels.

Parking lot birding take two

I couldn’t help but take another look around this am. Orioles of both species continued with Scarlet Tanagers and Summer Tanagers showing really well. There were more Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and the first big surprise was a Yellow-breasted Chat, actually two, which came right out into the open near the mulberries. A single male Common Yellowthroat in the hedges along a balcony was the only warbler and an eastern Wood-Pewee called from an open perch. Cedar Waxwings continued in large numbers and the Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers hung about. Quite interesting to see what else may show up. The few trees in the apartment complex do not look very impressive and the main action occurs around the mulberries, but one oak attracts most birds.

Parking lot birding

This morning the familiar American Robin was singing right above my parked car and I almost got in a drove off when the chatter of a Baltimore Oriole caused me to look up. I saw the bird, a male and enjoyed it for a minute, when a female Orchard Oriole appeared. I grabbed the binoculars and waited a few more minutes. Before long I had about 20 male Baltimore Orioles, several Orchard Orioles moving rapidly through the trees. A Summer Tanager popped in and a sluggish male Rode-breasted Grosbeak followed. I walked across the lot to some fruiting mulberry where Cedar Waxwings had been busy all winter. The waxwings were still there, but so were more orioles and Scarlet Tanagers (2), a single Tennessee Warbler was on the only warbler. Two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers chased each other about. Back at the main oak an Indigo Bunting literally dropped out of the sky and both species of tanagers sat in the same binocular field. Unfortunately I had to tear myself away, but will pay more attention to the trees in the apartments, pretty incredible given the location. Two Northern Parulas had shown up earlier in the Spring, maybe time to start a list (100 would be the goal).

Spring is here

Prothonotary Warbler Brazos Bend SP Texas, Photo Stephan Lorenz

Surfbird at Packery Channel, Texas

After camping on Mustang Island for the night we managed to arrive at the Packery Channel Jetty around 7:20 and were able to study to Surfbird that had been present for a week. We saw it for about 1.5 hours and at one point it walked within six feet of me as I sat quietly on the rocks. A Franklin’s Gull was nearby as we left. Overall a great trip as we spent the rest of the day exploring Padre Island National Seashore.

Surfbird Packery Channel, Texas Photo Stephan Lorenz

Smith’s Longspur Acrobatics

I wrote this several years back and just discovered it again, relating my finds of Smith’s Longspurs in northeast Texas along with friends.

During a past winter of I was conducting field work in northeast Texas, slogging through inundated prairie of Indian grass and bluestem counting sparrows daily.  On days off I explored the environs, consisting mainly of fallow fields, pastures, and patches of post oak savanna.  I drove around a mid-sized lake, looking for birds along its shoreline and woodland, observing the usual wintering species.  The road eventually straightened and after a few miles I came to an intersection, the kind where you could stop for an hour or more before another car would pass.  Both sides of the road were bordered by an open expanse of close-cropped pasture.  Figuring the area looked ideal for longspurs I stepped out of the car to take a closer look.  In particular, I was looking for Smith’s Longspurs, which are regular winter visitors to northern Texas, but are often hard to find due to their secretive behavior.  During the winter Smith Longspurs are mainly streaked brown and buff and spent the majority of their time creeping through the grass.  When alarmed they often crouch, only flushing nearly underfoot with obvious white outer tail feathers and soft rattle.  I scanned the short grass and listened, everything was quit, except for a flushed Savanna Sparrow that bounced out of the roadside grass and flew up onto the barbed wire fence.  After a few minutes I spotted a Northern Harrier patrolling the field, wavering low over the ground, and then suddenly a flock of hundreds of Smith Longspurs burst into flight.

I informed two of my good birding friends of my find, who joined me a few weeks later to look for the Smith’s Longspur.  We arrived at the field in the early afternoon and soon heard and then saw Smith Longspurs flying overhead.  We jockeyed for better views around the fenced field and eventually found a small stock pond where the birds came to drink.  Standing low between the barbed wire fence and the road the berm of the pond blocked our view of the birds landing and drinking.  We stood on our toes, stretched our necks, lifted our scopes higher, without success.  As a last resort we climbed onto my car and handed up the scopes, trust me, a two door Hyundai Accent is not necessarily built to support three eager birders and their optical equipment.  One of us was standing on the roof with a tripod splayed in front.  Another was sitting right above the windshield looking through a raised scope and I balanced on the edge of the trunk, trying to steady my binoculars.  We ended up with great views of dozens of Smith Longspurs as they cautiously circled above several times and then came down to the pond’s edge to bathe and drink quickly before rising again in small flocks.

Our setup looked quite crowded and I have a feeling we were definitely part of the dinner conversation of an elderly couple that drove by, passing slowly with looks of disbelief, maybe they will even relate the strange tale to their grandchildren.  I certainly remember that late afternoon every time I notice the dents in the roof of my car that look suspiciously like feet of a tripod.

Smith's Longspur acrobatics in northeast Texas

Snowy Owl and Common Redpoll: Are we still in Texas?

Snowy Owl, Lake Ray Hubbard Texas Photo Stephan Lorenz

Friday (02/17) we rolled out of Houston towards Dallas during the later afternoon fortunately avoiding most of the traffic. It stopped raining half-way there and the weather looked more promising than predicted. We decided to camp at Cedar Hill State Park to safe money (at $30 a night not a real deal). The late evening was cool, but clear. That changed dramatically a few hours into the night. It didn’t rain it poured, heavily and steadily. By 5:30 am Claudia was occupying the last patch of dry blankets in our tent and I decided it was time to give up and get up as I was getting soaked trying to snooze. Not surprisingly we arrived at Robertson Park at Lake Ray Hubbard with plenty of time to spare.

We drove several circles in the rain, checked the marina, the shore and the marina again. Once the rain quieted a bit I walked along the shoreline, scanning all poles and trees, nothing. Several other birders started to trickle in, we exchanged phone numbers hoping someone would spot it. We crossed back over I30 searched the other side and then checked another park nearby before another loop past the marina. We exchanged phone numbers again and decided to try another location. Three minutes out of the park, the call came (10:30), the owl had reappeared. I took the first turn about and sped back to the park. There it was, sitting on a light pole, with already half a dozen people gathering. We watched it for about an hour, it even flew right over our heads on broad white wings before settling on the telephone pole where it remained all afternoon.

Snowy Owl, Texas Photo Stephan Lorenz

A quick lunch at a nearby BBQ and back for more owl watching. Janet, John, and Steve arrived from an apparent succesful Redpoll chase in Nagadoches. We exchanged information and a quick plan was hatched that had us driving to Nagadoches for the  night. Near Tyler Claudia remembered Jesse and Candice, yes of course, it was still early in the day and we could visit. Well after some talking, a great dinner, and some movies Jesse and Candice were kind enough to let us stay the night.

We snuck out (02/19), so I hope, since Jesse and Candice Surely wanted their sleep, at 5:30 am. I took a bit of a long route to Nagadoches and we arrived just after seven and headed north a few more miles to the Redpoll, hopefully. I pulled into the wrong drive way and we dawdled indecisive before calling our contact again. Sure enough we had turned a bit too early. When we arrived at the right place the bird hadn’t been seen. We settled in to wait. les Stewart was most welcoming and helpful and we appreciated his invitation. I walked back to the car and grabbed my jacket since it was still in the 40s. Coming back I spotted a small bird high up in a tree near the feeders. There it was, a single Redpoll, among some American Goldfinches. All of us saw it really well, especially when it came down to the feeder area for a few minutes, hopping among Field, Song, White-crowned, and Harris’s Sparrows. We got home before noon, exhausted, tired, with lots of gear to dry, but it had been a long time since the last ABA bird and two new birds for my Texas list in one trip.

there is a Common Redpoll out there Nagadoches, Texas Photo Stephan Lorenz