Greetings All:
I got the last one done for the year - yay!
The Floydada BBS routes starts at a point north of Floydada, runs east
towards the Floyd/Motley County line, hooks south to end at a point north
of Dougherty, and then curves westward to end at a point east of Floydada.
I will post a full report - at some point when I have the energy (it's 111
degrees outside!) but wanted to get the highlights out in a timely
fashion. Sightings are listed in the order encountered along the route.
There were no highlights on the way over.
The route, itself, kicked out 1 Ring-necked Pheasant north of Floydada, 2
Ring-necked Pheasants north of Floydada, 2 Cave Swallows northeast of
Floydada, 1 Ring-necked Pheasant northeast of Floydada, 2 Common Ravens
northeast of Floydada, a pair of nesting Common Yellowthroats at the
Windfarm Pond, 2 American Avocets northwest of Dougherty, 2 Say's Phoebes
northwest of Floydada*, 1 Vesper Sparrow (a very rare breeder this far
south) north of Dougherty was seen well and heard well, 2 American Avocets,
2 Cattle Egrets, and 2 Cave Swallows north of Dougherty, 2 White-faced
Ibises north of Dougherty, 2 Gadwalls and 1 Cave Swallow northwest of
Dougherty, and 2 Northern Pintails, 2 Black-necked Stilts and 4 American
Avocets east of Floydada.
*The abandoned homestead that the Say's Phoebes have been using as a
nesting site for the last three years has been razed - they are making do
with a brand new shed that has been erected in its place. A bit of a
downgrade, if you ask me.
On the way home there was a playa near Lakeview with 2 Blue-winged Teals
and 2 American Avocets as well as a going homestead with 16+ Purple Martins
- all in Floyd County.
Passing through Crosby County I spotted a Rock Wren at the FM 193 x FM 651
crossing; 4 Black-necked Stilts and 8 American Avocets north of Crosbyton;
1 Snowy Egret and 3 Cattle Egrets east of Ralls.
All in all a good day to count birds early and hide in an air-conditioned
structure the rest of the day:)
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
