Migration getting closer

It's hard to believe that in just a week or ten days hordes of birds will be surging north, briefly visiting the oasis, on their way to their breeding grounds. Right now there are very few birds at the oasis. Plenty of Mourning Cloak larva though.

Wisteria always adds a nice touch of color to the gray walls in the courtyard.

It almost rained

Unfortunately, almost raining is like being almost pregnant. There was a funnel cloud photographed close to  Alpine, but I was down at the oasis and this is how it looked here looking north beyond the oasis..

After taking this photo, I heard the Elf Owls carrying on, then heard a W Screech-Owl a ways south of the house. I got in the car and drove immediately to the oasis a block to the north of the house and heard one calling there. So, there are two, or I was mistaken which direction the calling was coming from, or it beat me down there. I'm pretty good about locating birds by sound, so I think there are two.

Another whole limb of greenery disappeared off the cottonwood today. I think they eat for two weeks, so after 12 more days there shouldn't be much left on the tree. I try not to think about it.

These weird little flies showed up all over the place. They look almost like damselflies as they dash around, but I don't know what they are.

Staying optimistic here

Things never look as bleak in the morning. I assessed the situation more closely. It was nearly dark last night when I discovered the caterpillars. I'd say there are no more than 100 of them. As fast as cottonwoods grow, the tree might be able to grow enough new leaves soon enough to keep it reasonably healthy. Gotta hope. I'll give the tree a little extra water and hope we get rain before July. Mourning Cloaks only breed once a year, so I'll soon know.  Meanwhile, I chimp, they chomp....

All is on track

I keep forgetting to mention that the W Screech-Owl is still here. And I found where the Elf Owls are nesting.  Had a couple of early warblers come by (Yellow-rumped and Wilson's). They didn't stay long though. The mulberries are growing as fast as they can so they'll be ready for migration in 2 weeks. Night before last it got down to 32° here for the third time this month, so the mulberries are just squeaking by. I watered them down all 3 times, but it probably hadn't been necessary. Wasn't taking any chances if it was within my power to prevent their freezing.

And the acacias are budding out in readiness.

UPDATE:  After posting, I went down to the oasis to discover Spiny Elm caterpillars devouring the leaves from the last remaining cottonwood tree (the others died in the drought). That tree is vitally important to the birds. I've seen caterpillars strip trees bare of every leaf. It'll be hard for this tree to recover because it'll soon be bombarded with heat, probably record heat, with no way to shade its trunk and root system. 

Above photo from web. They are larva of the Mourning Cloak Butterfly

Just gotta hope they don't impact the tree too much.

Chimping chump, or champ?

At first I was dismayed to read that I have the symptoms of a chimp-aholic,* but the more I researched, I realized I was more a chimping champ than a chimping chump. Even professional photographers shoot, chimp, and process. So there! Besides, if the word "chimping" derived from the noises one makes while previewing their photos on the camera monitor, then I don't qualify because I don't ooh and aah. Well, not much anyway. But I do qualify as a digi-holic. Can't win 'em all.

 Here are a couple of my latest... shot, chimped, and processed. Don't know if I've posted a Painted Lady before, so here is one of those.

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*Chimping: What one does after taking a picture with a digital camera and looking at the result. 

Catch up

Here are a few photos from the oasis that I didn't get posted yesterday. This is a Solitary Sandpiper.

Here is a West Texas variation of Northern Cloudywing. I love the eye on this photo.

And here are some Reakirt's Blues.

Interesting bird behavior

Friends Ray and Roz Hodson visited this morning. Good thing they did too. If they hadn't, I would have gone to Alpine earlier and missed some good stuff.

I try not to think of all the exciting things going on when I'm not there.

After seeing my first spring warbler (a Yellow-rumped), a Phainopepla and Western Scrub-Jay showed up. I'm sure they're taking inventory to see if, and when, they should expect acorns and mulberries. As the Phainopepla sat in the mulberry tree that's full of green mulberries, I'll bet he was making a mental note to be sure and check that tree out again in a couple of weeks. I didn't photograph him because I already have so many Phainopepla photos, but did photograph the jay. By the time I located him he was a quarter mile down the arroyo, so another bad photo. If I hadn't heard him I would never even have known he dropped by.

Butterflies and blooms

The oasis is greening up more every day, but will probably never look as good as it did before the big drought of 2011. The hills around me are literally carpeted with flowers.

I wore myself out today seeking butterflies. I guess I thought since I was a birding addict I was immune to becoming a butterflying addict. (Would that be like a heroin addict thinking he was immune to other drugs?)
I did manage to add another species to the oasis list though.... a Common Sootywing.

Here are some blooms I came across along the arroyo. Brian tells me this bush is ratany (Krameria), a good host plant for Mormon Metalmarks. Will see if I can find some there first chance possible.

This condalia is loaded with berries. The birds will soon come and gobble them up.

And a couple more butterfly photos from today. This adorable White Checkered-Skipper...

And two variations of the Fatal Metalmark..

And I can't leave out this lovely Checkered White. Per Brian, it's a male.

You see why I'm worn out. Playing is hard work. The camera is really heavy and it was hot today. Not complaining. Just saying.....

Butterfly season

When birding is bad I'm stuck with butterflies. Usually that happens on hot summer days, but it sure is happening lately too. I'm keeping my lepidopterist friend busy helping me ID some of them. Here are a few from today. This first one is a Dotted Roadside-Skipper (new for the oasis).

Next is the best photo I've taken so far of a Gray Hairstreak.

And I'll conclude with a Queen...

UPDATE: After thinking the screech-owl was gone for two days I heard it a while ago (around 9 PM). That made my day!

Migration coming soon

Reports indicate that migration is going good in east Texas. They're always a couple of weeks ahead of us. Most of my nesting species are here. Still awaiting the buntings and vireos. Hopefully, the chats will nest here this year. Only see one or two migrants coming through, but migration doesn't get into full swing here until the acacias bloom and the mulberries are ripe. Luckily, the mulberries survived the recent cold spells. Barely, though.

Everything else is blooming like crazy, permeating the air with an exhilarating blend of fragrances. Here is the pale Mexican Buckeye (far right) beside the normal one.

Woolly Paintbrush (Castilleja lanata) is my most common paintbrush along the arroyo at the oasis.

And where there are blooms, there are butterflies. Here's a lovely male Orange Skipperling.

Just not many birds yet, but the table will soon be set.......