Greetings All:
I crittered Hockley County for about nine hours today. Despite recent
rains and some refill of regional playas, shorebirds have tapered off
dramatically and continued favorable conditions for migrant songbirds
appear to have kept most of our regular migrants in short supply as drop
ins. I had but a single migrant warbler today, only one empid, but a few
contopids, only one thrush, no vireos, and no migrant
buntings/grosbeaks/tanagers.
Highlights included 3 American Wigeons at the Smyer Playa, 14 Blue-winged
Teals along Alamo Road, 12 Blue-winged Teals at the Smyer Playa, 10
Blue-winged Teals at the Sundown WTP, 2 Blue-winged Teals at the West x
13th Playa in Levelland, 2 Cinnamon Teals at the Sundown WTP, 4 Northern
Shovelers at the Smyer Playa, 2 Northern Shovelers at the Sundown WTP, 2
Northern Pintails at the Smyer Playa, 6 Green-winged Teals at the Smyer
Playa, 2 Green-winged Teals at the Sundown WTP, 1 Ring-necked Duck at the
Smyer Playa, 3 Ruddy Ducks at the Smyer Playa, 8 Ruddy Ducks at the Sundown
WTP, 2 Ring-necked Pheasants just south of Smyer, 1 Eared Grebe at the
Smyer Playa, 2 White-faced Ibises just east of Levelland, 5 White-faced
Ibises at the Sundown WTP, 4 Black-necked Stilts at the Bison Road Playa,
16 Black-necked Stilts at the Smyer Playa, 6 Black-necked Stilts at the
Sundown WTP, 4 American Avocets at the Bison Road Playa, 18 American
Avocets at the Smyer Playa, 4 American Avocets at the Sundown WTP, 1 Snowy
Plover at the Bison Road Playa, 1 Greater Yellowlegs just north of
Levelland, 9 Wilson's Phalaropes at the Smyer Playa, 4 Wilson's Phalaropes
at the Suindown WTP, 1 Common Nighthawk along Alamo Road, 1 Common
Nighthawk in Pep, 1 Common Nighthawk near Petit, 1 Western Wood Pewee along
FM 2646, 1 Western Wood Pewee in Pep, 1 Willow Flycatcher in Pep, 4 Say's
Phoebes in Pep, 1 Swainson's Thrush in Pep, 1 MacGillivray's Warbler (THE
SOLE MIGRANT WARBLER OF THE DAY) at the Foster x Hawk Playa, 5 Chipping
Sparrows at the Sundown Golf Course, 1 Clay-colored Sparrow at the Sundown
Golf Course, 2 Dickcissels in Pep, 2 Dickcissels just north of Levelland,
11 female and 1 male Yellow-headed Blackbirds at the Smyer Playa, 24 female
and 4 male Yellow-headed Blackbirds at the Sundown WTP, and 1 male Bronzed
Cowbird just south of Sundown.
A quick stop at Reese Center Playa (Lubbock County) kicked out a few
highlights as well: 2 Cackling Geese 3 Canada Geese, 2 Blue-winged Teals, 1
Cattle Egret, and 2 American Avocets.
An American White Pelican was seen flying over my neighborhood from
southwest to northeast - possibly the bird seen earlier in the day by
Clarice and Floyd Robertson. If so, it might have been in transit to Maxey
Park.
Anthony 'Fat Tony' Hewetson; Lubbock
