Monday, May 4, 2015

Warblers in Bob Woodruff Park

Since this is a migration season for Warblers, it's a good time to make early morning visit to the parks. The chances of seeing these passing through warblers is high from end of april till early may in texas here. And most of these warblers seen here are very colorful but as with warblers they are always high up in the trees and busy hopping from branch to branch.

I made 2 visits to the park over the weekend. Saturday morning and Sunday morning. On Saturday I did bird walk with a new friend here Siva. It was good to have some company for bird walk after a long time. Hope to have many more with you Siva.

We decided to start at 7. Before Siva had reached I started early and went for a walk. The first bird that I saw was this sparrow which looked like Savannah sparrow but need to confirm the same. In the lake I saw few Mallards and couple of Blue Winged teals too. There were couple of Eastern Kingbirds chasing each other. Saw couple of western kingbird too. And there were Barn Swallows swooping on the water catching their morning breakfast.

Savannah Sparrow

Blue Winged Teal

Eastern Kingbird

Barn Swallow


As I went ahead saw the titmouses and woodpeckers being busy. Then saw my first sighting of Blue-gray Gnatchers. There were lot of them high up in the trees. Also saw Yellow Warbler there on the trees. Couple of Baltimore Oriole were seen trying to catch caterpillars. We saw these orioles flying around the park through out the morning.

Titmouse

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Blue-gray Gnatcher


Yellow Warbler

Baltimore Oriole




Then met siva and we started birding together. We saw Nashville Warblers high up in the trees and then saw this yellow Warbler again but this time he was patient and gave me sometime to take photos :-) waxwings were seen throughout the day. We also saw this Black and White warbler there. A long hummingbird was trying to back in the sun. I just cannot take a humming bird in flight photo :-) Near the parula bridge we kept hearing the call of Northern Parula but it evaded the sighting. So we decided to head towards the learning center.

Nashville Warbler


Yellow Warbler



Flycatcher ID?

Cedar Waxwing


Black and White Warbler

Hummingbird ID?


On the trails near learning center we saw Lincolns sparrow, Eastern Pheobe and Carolina Wrens. On our way back checked out the spot where siva had earlier seen the great horned owl. This time we had no luck with the owl. So we headed back towards the bridge.

Lincoln's Sparrow


Eastern Pheobe

This time near the Parula bridge, the Northern Parula showed us some mercy and gave us a good look at it :-) we were so elighted to see this bird. Best way to end our bird walk for the morning. It was time to head back.

Northern Parula


Eastern Pheobe


ebird : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23212613

On sunday morning I visited the park alone. Siva decided to go to Hagerman wildlife sanctuary. I hope to make it to that sanctuary next week. They run a bird walk every second saturday of the month. Again I started the morning with Mallards, teals and Kingbirds. In the tress I saw Gnatchers and a new bird which I was seeing for the first time, Blue-headed Vireo. Pretty little bird.

Eastern Kingbird

Blue-gray Gnatcher


Blue-headed Vireo

As such the activity in the morning was very less. Not many warblers around. So decided to head towards parula bridge a little early than planned.Near the Parula bridge I saw the female Painted bunting hiding in the under growth. After waiting for Parulas's to show up I headed towards learning center. And in the trails near learning center I saw White eyed vireos, carolina wrens and eastern Pheobes.

White-eyed Vireo

Eastern Pheobe


On the way back to Parula bridge came across Nashville Warbler, Great Crested Flycatcher and another unknown bird.

Nashville Warbler


ID?

Great-crested Flycatcher

But the interest sighting of the day was the Painted bunting Male first. Very colorful bird. And then saw the Wilson's warbler. After these sightings headed back to home after completing very eventful day.


Painted Bunting

Great-crested Flycatcher

Downy Woodpecker

Wilson's Warbler

ebird : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23212760

Birds seen over the weekend.


  1. Canada Goose
  2. Mallard
  3. Blue-winged Teal
  4. Sharp-shinned/Cooper's Hawk
  5. American Coot
  6. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
  7. White-winged Dove
  8. Mourning Dove
  9. Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird
  10. Red-bellied Woodpecker
  11. Downy Woodpecker
  12. Eastern Phoebe
  13. Great Crested Flycatcher
  14. Western Kingbird
  15. Eastern Kingbird
  16. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
  17. White-eyed Vireo
  18. Blue-headed Vireo
  19. Blue Jay
  20. American Crow
  21. Barn Swallow
  22. Carolina Chickadee
  23. Tufted Titmouse
  24. Carolina Wren
  25. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
  26. Eastern Bluebird
  27. American Robin
  28. Cedar Wawing
  29. Nashville Warbler
  30. Northern Parula
  31. Yellow Warbler
  32. Wilson's Warbler
  33. Northern Cardinal
  34. Painted Bunting
  35. Great-tailed Grackle
  36. Baltimore Oriole
  37. Brown Thrasher
  38. Northern Mockingbird
  39. Black-and-white Warbler
  40. Northern Parula
  41. Yellow Warbler
  42. Lincoln's Sparrow