2023 in review

This January was not as bleak as most Januarys. The bright spots were that the Covid I got was mild, and birding was the best January ever. I visited the over-wintering Lewis's Woodpecker at Kokernot Park frequently, and sometimes helped other birders locate it.

Having my new water feature in Alpine was a huge help too. It was very popular with birds. And it was great having my son build a new bear-proof feeder for the oasis. Gave me so much to look forward to.

February went by pretty fast. Spent time caring for my husband, who had hernia surgery. Birding was still good around the area. Highlights for me were Red Crossbills and Cassin's Finches at my new Alpine bird bath.

Everything was blooming and leafing out earlier than usual in March. But, per usual, was zapped by freezes. It seemed the wintering birds hung around longer, including the crossbills and finches, which were still visiting the birdbath into April.

In early April a bear visited the oasis, but thankfully not too much damage. Chewing up about $100 worth of new hoses that I had to replace, and apparently accessing seed in the new bear-proof feeder, was about it. I now keep my hoses put up in a bear-proof building when not using them. We've no choice but to learn to live with bears.

Late April was insane with birds and birders. The best bird was a Cape May Warbler. At the time I photographed it, I assumed it was a Yellow-rumped. Didn't figure it out until I downloaded the pictures onto my computer.

The most hectic day was April 27th, when I had three large groups visit. I had scheduled the morning group, and way previously, I had told a local guide that brings groups to the oasis that afternoons were always open. So that morning, when a new group wanted to come by in the afternoon at the last minute, which almost never happens, I didn't see anything on my calendar and told them to come. At the same time they came, the local tour guide showed up with a group. No one's fault, other than mine. And no harm done, but I like visitors to have a good remote area experience when they visit. As it was, the groups rotated between the viewing areas, taking turns watching for the Cape May Warbler at the back water drip. That was better than not having a chance to visit the oasis at all, of course. It helps that birders are always so fun and upbeat! And they all got to see the warbler eventually. But while they all took it in good stride, it stood out as the most stressful day of migration for me. 

By the time of the Big Sit on April 28th, the prized warbler was gone. We still got more species for a Big Sit than we had ever before. We won with 58 species, which was twice what the competing teams had!

Spring migration is always a two week affair, the last week of April and the first week of May. As May got underway, things leveled off, and birding wasn't as good. The best bird that first week was a Blue-winged Warbler. I never did get decent photos of it, as it was just present for a few minute, but here's one a lucky birder snapped.

Photo by Matt Radford

We got an early monsoon in late May that filled the tanks. I probably weakened my immune system by rushing around pumping, pruning, and getting the oasis back under control. At any rate, I came down with some kind of viral infection. My main symptoms were a bad sore throat and cough. 

A week into June, I managed to get a life bird in the Davis Mountains, the aptly named Thick-billed Kingbird. That was fun! Even though I had taken every precaution, the virus resurfaced, but wasn't as bad as the first bout. Soon I was back to normal.

That same day, a bear tried to get to the hanging feeder at the oasis. It appears he spent a couple of hours attempting to figure it out.

While May was cool and rainy (over 3 inches for the month), most of June was exceptionally hot and rainless, setting new heat records worldwide.

Also in June, I developed serious dental issues. Had to have three implants removed, depriving me of the ability to chew for the rest of the year and into the next. The bone needed to heal before new implants could be put in, and then the new implants need to heal before being made functional. I'm told the original implants weren't done properly and it was nothing I did wrong. Small consolation, however, not to mention very expensive and painful!

The record heat continued into July. With water still in the ponds, some nice dragonflies showed up, including this new oasis species, Flag-tailed Spinyleg.

And the daily triple-digit heat brought Crissal Thrashers to the water drip for the first time ever. That was lovely!

By the time August arrived, we had endured two months of record heat and barely a trace of rainfall. Yet, thanks to those May rains, I was able to keep the oasis watered and healthy looking. Three weeks into August we got a welcome soaking rain, but no runoff into the tanks.

September led into fall, without the oasis getting a single summer monsoon. Triple digit heat nearly every day. Birding was good since there was water at the oasis, and berries, still thanks to that rain in late May.

Warbling Vireo at Chinese Pistachio berries

Photo courtesy Judy Sims

October eased in with very little abating of the oppressive heat. On the first, my son discovered fresh bear tracks, but no damage. I'm sure the bear gorged on persimmon fruit. The acorns were still green. 

A couple of days later, I loved having a White-eyed Vireo and Hermit Warbler drop by for a drink.

Late in the month we got another soaking rain, still no runoff. By then, temperatures had cooled down. Then, two days later, another mini-monsoon provided some needed runoff. I was able to pump enough into the tanks to ensure the oasis will be fine until next year's rainy season. A big relief!

Around then, I had the new dental implants installed, with slightly less pain, but still excruciating. If all goes as planned, I'll have teeth sometime in February. Meanwhile, still a diet of pureed food.

After a third early November attempt  (the last two with Mike and Cecilia) I finally got the pair of Nutting's Flycatchers that were hanging around Big Bend National Park's Santa Elena Canyon area. Of course my photos are never as good as I'd like them to be, but I was satisfied.

Also in early November, I had a close encounter with a bear at the oasis. He turned a ten-foot oak tree into a three-foot tree, but probably a tree I shouldn't have anyway.

November weather was lovely, with a few nice soaking rains. I took advantage by birding as much as possible. While no lifers, I got some new species for my Presidio and Jeff Davis county lists. The more lifers one has, the harder it is to get new ones. But I enjoyed getting some of the less common species for our area. Most unexpected was a Williamson's Sapsucker in Presidio County. A male Lucifer was still residing at the oasis on November 26th, which was a first.

December weather was nice for the most part, but birding was rather slow at my normal birding places, so I ventured farther afield. For the first time in two years, I birded Lake Balmorhea, and got my first photos of Red-throated and Pacific Loons, plus discovered a Black-legged Kittiwake and Surf Scoter.

The oasis still looked fairly green, especially the dragonfly pond. Some kind of weed sprouted in it.

A surprise American Woodcock showed up in a yard near downtown Alpine.

My talented son had to make cages for the wifi extenders to keep the woodpeckers from destroying them. I learned that the expensive way.

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Health-wise, I'm grateful for the progress I made in 2023. Even though I went through dental torture, I have most of that behind me and should soon be in better dental shape. I got cured of Hep C and got over a broken navicular bone in my foot. For many months I had feared I'd be limping painfully for the rest of my life, after doctors told me it was osteoarthritis, and nothing broken showed up on x-rays. Some other minor issues are not getting worse (such as tinnitus, essential tremors, etc.) And, of course, the Covid I had in January was mild. So can't complain for an 83-year-old.

I'm thankful for all the great times I had in 2023 and anticipate many awesome adventures in 2024 (besides enjoying having wifi at the oasis)... teeth, great birds that are sure to visit, family, birders/friends, and much more! So Happy New Year to us all!

Christmas day stuff

I spent my Christmas day birding at Candelaria Wetlands. Not as birdy this time of year, but still lots of fun. Saw this raccoon. I enjoy seeing them in natural settings, just not at our man-made Alpine ponds.

I guess the best birds I saw there today were about five Common Mergansers. I had seen them there years ago before I began documenting my sightings, so it was nice to get documentation. Too far away for good photos though.

Probably one of my better Marsh Wren photos.

Our local grocery store sold out to Lowe's grocery chain. Not much has really changed, so far anyway, but I really love the new carts. Pushing large carts makes my back hurt when you try to change direction with the cart. It twists it somehow. But Lowe's has these awesome little carts that are so easy to push that my back doesn't even notice.

Before these carts, I used to pull those long handled baskets around. Didn't hurt my back pulling them, but stooping over to put stuff in and take stuff out was a killer.

My son, Leonardo, made his wife a beautiful kneeling bench and painting for Christmas. I was very impressed, as usual, with his talent.

Hope you all had a jolly Christmas day!

Costa's or Anna's?

Since at least November 16th there's been a hummingbird at the oasis that at least one birder submitted as a Costa's. I personally haven't seen anything I'd consider a Costa's, but have been vigilant about photographing any candidates that I see. Today I again did my best. I'm thinking it's a hybrid between the two species, so did a little research to see if they're even known to hybridize. Here's what I found. 

During the past few years studies of suburban populations of hummingbirds in southern California have revealed a new hybrid combination. Eleven individuals have been located that seem to represent hybrids between Calypte anna (Anna's Hummingbird) and Calypte costae (Costa's Hummingbird).

So what do you think? These photos are from today.

I've been photographing what I think is this bird since Nov 16. It was submitted to ebird as a Costa's on Nov 29 by a visiting birder. Kelly Bryan confirmed it as a Costa's based on this photo.

In person, the bird seems too large, and the tail too long to be a Costa's. I'm almost positive I saw a tinge of red on the gorget. However, the tail is definitely shorter than the wings, although in my opinion, the tail isn't as short as a Costa's. The experts will sort it out, but I'm convinced it's an Anna's, as much as I'd love it to be a Costa's. A hybrid would be awesome though! 

Or is the bird of Nov 29 a totally different bird?

It's two days before Christmas and my sister and niece are still finding awesome flowers blooming. Here's one they found today and ID'd as a Silver Dwarf Morning-Glory (Evolvulus sericeus). Not confirmed yet, but a new one for our properties if it is.

Just another day in paradise!

What can I say?

Today I stuck my head out the patio door to tell my husband something while he was sitting out there. I heard a tanager call. Then a kinglet. Then other birds. Excitedly grabbed my shoes, jacket, headwrap, UV glasses, hat, binoculars, camera, and cell phone as I raced outside to find the rarity. Heading back toward the ponds I saw an obvious birder in a car parked along the street. By the time I approached, I already knew the answer to the question I was about to ask the person. Yup, she was playing a "medley" of bird calls. Hmm...

There's a very out-of-place American Woodcock at a residence in Alpine. The homeowners are happy to have birders come see it, and themselves posted the address on Facebook, which is how I found out about it. Some ace birders knowingly submitted the wrong address in their ebird reports. I know how upset I would be if I drove many miles to see a rarity, or lifer, and ended up searching in the wrong yard, maybe a yard that was not birder-friendly. Hmm...

Alpine is crawling with feral, and pet, cats. I worry one will get the woodcock. I hate having them in our yard. We trap some, but it's a losing battle. Hmm...

I'm going to Balmorhea birding tomorrow to de-stress.  Um-hmm..

Persistence pays again

After four hours of my third, and final, attempt to photograph the Red-throated Loon at Lake Balmorhea, I decided to give up and head home. I made one final drive across the dam, and incredibly, got my photo!* I can't remember when I've worked that hard to get a photo, but I probably have. LOL

Not a great, close photo, but I'll take it! While looking for the loon, I discovered a Surf Scoter, also at the dam. I texted a couple people about the scoter, then decided I should post it to ebird in case someone wanted to come see it asap. (You know how birders are.) Posting on my phone was the only option. Without glasses, and with that small print, I have a very hard time posting on my phone. Plus I still hadn't seen the loon and didn't want to waste precious time on my phone. Eventually, I talked myself into it. I posted it as fast as I could. Too fast. When you post a rarity, you have to type it out in a window. Once you type part of the name, a drop down list of options pop up. I typed SURF and the options came up. I tapped "Surf Scoter," with my big fingers, and hurried back to looking for the loon. When I got home, I was horrified to have messages from people about the Surfbird I had discovered. OMG!

I had seen a scoter before at Balmorhea, and the Red-throated Loon I had seen on my previous visit, so they were no longer lifers. I just didn't have photos of them. Also got my first photo of a Greater-fronted Goose. Saw one years ago before I had a camera. So that was fun! (You know my motto: no photo, didn't happen!)

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* I can't positively identify difficult species until I download my photos, so I just take lots of photos. I took well over 300 photos today. At the time, all I saw was a loon, so took photos. There were at least five loons on the lake, so while I was photographing the Red-throated, I didn't know that's what it was. When I looked at the enlarged pics of it on my camera I was fairly certain I had finally gotten it. 

Elusive Costa's Hummingbird

On November 29th Pat Dwyer photographed a Costa's Hummingbird at the oasis. As soon as I learned of it, I rushed down to try and relocate it. No luck, so tried again a week later. No luck. Figured it was just a one stop wonder. 

Then yesterday Jane Tillman and her husband photographed it. So today I rushed down early this morning and spent 8 hours glued to the bush they both saw it in. Eventually, it dawned on me that if it was trying to come in, the aggressive juvenile male Rufous wasn't going to let it. Since it was policing all the feeders, the solution was to put a new feeder out of sight of the feeder area. I wasted no time in hanging one by the back water drip. I've had to do that before, but it's been quite a while. By then it was time for me to leave, so I don't know the results. Either someone else will benefit, or it won't make a difference, or maybe next time I'm there I can park myself at the outlying feeder and see the Costa's. We'll see. Meanwhile, I took way too many photos of the Rufous.

Also saw a couple of Anna's, but not much else, as all my focus was on the one goal. Pitiful little to show for eight hours, in temperatures way too cold for my comfort. It's some consolation to know that I didn't see it because it didn't come in. Better than hearing later that it came in and I missed it again. I believe it's the 51st Texas record.

Anna's female

Anna's juvenile

Tomorrow I'm going back to Balmorhea to try for a photo of the Red-throated Loon. There are a few other species that have been seen there recently that I'd like to add to my Reeves County list also.

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UPDATE: I think I know why the Costa's has been so elusive. When Jane got back home she processed her photos and concluded her "Costa's" photo was actually an Anna's. I looked at them and agreed. So I guess it was just a one day, or maybe one hour wonder!

Balmorhea birding

Not much to hold my interest around town, or at the oasis, recently, so this week I birded Lake Balmorhea... twice. The first time the wind raged and I didn't like that, but got a few nice birds anyway. Yesterday, I made sure to go on a windless day and it was a lot more fun. Highlights were my first photos of a Pacific Loon.

Also saw a lifer Red-throated Loon. Only because another birder there let me see it through his scope. Too far away for me to get a diagnostic look at otherwise. And no photo, alas!

Yesterday I took photos of as many of the gulls there as I could. I knew Ring-billed and Bonaparte's were the only gull species being reported there recently, so when I saw a different looking gull amid the hundreds of photos I had taken there yesterday while trying to sort out the loon pics, etc., I looked through my Sibley guide at every gull, as in g-u-l-l. Not finding it and eager to go through all my photos to make an ebird report, I decided it must be an aberrant Bonaparte's (without giving it any focused thought) and submitted it to ebird as such. Not long afterwards, I got an email from the reviewer that it was a Black-legged Kittiwake. I guess, technically that's a gull too, but it didn't occur to me to look in "Kittiwakes." I'm not too bright sometimes. Like the Pacific Loon, I had seen the Black-legged Kittiwake once before a couple of years ago. (To see my better photo from then you can do a blog search for that species). The one I got yesterday is terrible as I had to take it from way across the lake almost. At least it was IDable.

Also from yesterday is this pair of Common Loons.

Had a hybrid Northern Flicker (Red-shafted x Yellow-shafted) too. The sharp reviewer noticed the red patch on the back of the head, typical of a Yellow-shafted. While I didn't figure that out either, in my defense, I took a lot of photos of it because it didn't look quite right for a Red-shafted.

Now I see that it has the red malar of a Red-shafted, and the red nape patch of a Yellow-shafted. Balmorhea is always overwhelming to me. It had been two years since I'd been there. If I went more often it would get easier.  It seems so far to drive, yet it's about the same time and distance as from Alpine to the oasis.  Hoping to go again soon, like next Tuesday.