Monday, March 22, 2010

March 22, 2010 Bastrop Co

After two lousy days of weather, one rainy and one very windy, this morning was just right. Went out to dump the coffee grounds in the flower bed and there was Mr. Parula singing and the Towhee man calling for chow. Threw out the seed and withing minutes there were 6-70 birds, as usual Chipping Sparrows.
Walked in to the woods behind the house very carefully to see if I could find down Mrs. Woodcock again and see the nest , but she was no where to be seen even though I walked around the area to a diameter of at least 30 yards. I hope she had chicks that could move vs. a predator following my trail and finding them. Two mornings ago we had a hard downpour that may have had a negative impact as well. An inch of rain in a very short span of time.

From there I had a bit more coffee then drove over to Betty's (turf farm) and as usual there was nothing of note. Earhardt Rd. had little to offer expect for yellowlegs and a few other shorebirds down where the flooded areas are. Wilbarger Bend Road produced my Bastrop Co. Eastern Kingbirds and a Long-billed Curlew as well a numerous Brewer's Blackbirds.
At the little Colorado River Chapel Cemetery there were the usual birds however looking up did see my first Broad-winged Hawks of the year. BTW, Petra Hockey had a BWHA in Port O'Connor yesterday....A very rare bird there at anytime.

Not much else going on. Mr. Parula is busy singing out there as I write and I planted a fig tree.. Saw one of the roadrunners with a stick so I guess they are nest building. The big female red wasps have finally all settled down and I don't see as many now that they over-wintering queens have all presumably found a place to construct a nest.

Oh and I finally had my first clear looks at a Cliff Swallow for 2010 though I know they have been around for weeks now. Usually what I see when I try is a Cave Swallow.

Webberville Park was actually nice this morning and there was NO mowing while I was there, but there were also no unusual birds.

Today is my last full day to piddle about here. Off to San Saba Co. tomorrow, Round Top & Burton the next day then to the coast and south Texas for what I hope is a lot of work. May be gone a good while this time around.... I am sure I will miss a lot of changes

B.