Looking Back at 2006
I've been living on Broadmeade and birding in the neighborhood since 2004, but this last year, I've been birding much more often and keeping better records. For most of 2006, I've been out in the neighborhood at least once a week. Spending that much time outside to find, watch, and count local birds has really been rewarding. It has renewed my interest in common birds and taught me a lot about them. I watched the seasonal changes in resident species first hand, and I recorded 151 bird species in the NASWC area for the year. The list includes year-round common residents like the White-winged Dove to exciting one-time appearances during migration like Cinnamon Teal and Blackburnian Warbler.
Birding the neighborhood in 2006 has also been lots of fun. Finding and seeing neat birds is always fun, but doing it in my own neighborhood makes it even better. I've enjoyed meeting a few neighbors while I'm out, and the first few bird walks I've led have been a blast. You can't spend this much time doing anything without having some unique experiences along the way.
Here are some of my memorable birding moments of 2006.
One evening in late April I was walking home from work down Stillforest and noticed a large bird flying low and fast towards me with long wings and powerful wing beats. It was a Merlin, and it flew right over my head on its way north. I wouldn't see another one until late November, when I found one in the T&C (Town and Country) playing fields.
In March I vacationed in Ecuador for a week to see some of the amazing wildlife of tropical South America. One morning in the mountains I saw a male Blackburnian Warbler, a dramatically bright and beautiful bird that winters in South America and summers in the northeast United States and Canada. Back home, on a cool morning in early May I found a single male Blackburnian Warbler in the neighborhood. It was heading north in a thin patch of trees along our creek. Maybe it was the same bird! (OK, I know, very unlikely.)
A few days later I explored the flood plain property between Briar Hollow Drive and the creek for the first time. It was a rainy late afternoon but trudging through the muddy trails was worth it. I found 7 species of warblers: Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Tennessee, Wilson's, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, and American Redstart; plus Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, Orchard Oriole and Baltimore Oriole.
This is where our future hike and bike trail will be and I can't wait to see what I'll find here in future springs!
On a clear afternoon I was exploring some undeveloped land next to the Amber Glen T&C parking lot. A flock of about 80 Franklin's Gulls flew right over me on their way to Canada and the northern U.S. These black-headed gulls winter on the west coast of South America.
About this time people had been noticing me walking the streets with binoculars and a notepad. A few folks asked me what I was doing. One morning I had this brief exchange with a neighbor:
- Woman pulling out of her driveway: "What are you looking at? Are you counting the trees?"
- Me: "I'm walking to work and looking at birds."
- Woman: "You're looking for work?"
- Me as I walked closer: "No, I have a job. I'm walking to work and looking at birds."
- Woman: "Oh!"
She thought I was looking for work? With binoculars? Maybe I was unshaven that morning!
In Austin, the long hot summer is usually the least interesting and least comfortable time to bird. But getting out in the heat paid off. Around the T&C playing fields I found several Bronzed Cowbirds which barely range this far north. An Eastern Wood-Pewee spent part of the summer on the flood plain property. And one morning in late August I found a Mississippi Kite perched on a dead tree by Lake Creek.
In September it was still hot! But at least the birding got more interesting as south-bound migrants started showing up. One of these was an identification challenge. By the convergence of the 2 creeks at the end of Meadowheath there were 2 or 3 strangely plain looking brown birds with huge bills and slight crests. I finally figured out they were first-year Blue Grosbeaks. They hung around for a few weeks.
I spent a lot of time on the T&C playing fields while they were full of kids and parents. Here's the best thing I overheard:
- First woman: "I think he might be kinda young for soccer."
- Second woman: "Well, in California they start 'em at 3!"
One evening in early October I was standing by the smaller creek behind Meadowheath. A Great-horned Owl flew up from behind me, almost over my left shoulder, and across the creek. It was completely silent.
On October 8 I led the first NASWC bird walk. Five folks showed up and we saw or heard 26 species of birds. It was a blast!
A few days later right before a cold front there was a huge southward movement of hawks in the Austin area. After lunch I played hooky from work and saw 7 species of hawks plus cormorants, vultures, and Barn Swallows, all flying right over my house.
The One that Got Away
One afternoon in late October I was birding where the creeks meet at the end of Meadowheath and saw something run though the reeds. It was reddish-brown and very rail-like. I waited a bit but didn't see it so I continued birding in the flood plain property. When I came out I caught another glimpse of the rail-like bird, so I waited there until dark but never saw it again that night or ever. Sora? Virginia Rail?
On a beautiful Saturday morning in early November I decided to walk down Lake Creek where it's dammed up just past the T&C playing fields. I was in a thin strip of trees and brush beside the creek finding 3 or 4 species of sparrows when I had this realization: "I'm sneaking around in the bushes beside a girls soccer game with binoculars and a zoom camera. This might look bad!" Nobody saw me -- whew!
By late November there were wild ducks on Lake Creek in this same area. One afternoon in early December, I was counting the ducks with my spotting scope when all of a sudden they all took off. As the ducks circled and came back to a different area of the creek, I looked around. There was now an Osprey perched on a dead tree overlooking the water. So that's what had scared the ducks!
As I finish up this article, it's New Year's Day and I can't help thinking about some goals for 2007. I'd like to explore more of the neighborhood, like where Lake Creek runs west of Broadmeade. I'd like to learn more about daily and seasonal movements of common nonmigratory birds like White-winged Dove and Common Grackle. Of course, I want to keep expanding my neighborhood bird list beyond 151. I'd also like to keep spreading an awareness of and enthusiasm for our local birds. This column and the bird walks are a great way to do that, learn a lot, and meet neighbors. But most of all, they're fun!
Do you have any comments or questions? Interested in the monthly bird walk?
Send me an email!
Mikael Behrens
birdingonbroadmeade@gmail.com
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