Austin Colony Nature Sightings

April in the Park has lots of Flowers

2008-05-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

Location: Colorado River Park
Observation date: 5/11/08

Today was an interesting day in the park. There was a strong north wind and it was very cool compared to the last several days.

I was expecting all kinds of warbler migrants and only found one. I did find a group of Cedar Waxwing still hanging around, Summer Tanagers, and Great Crested Flycatchers.

The resident Eastern Bluebirds have a brood of hatchlings fledged. I found the resident Belted Kingfishers.

For flowers it seems that Bull Nettle is still abundant as well as Beggars Lice and Mexican Hat.

Number of species: 35

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2
Wood Duck 2
Little Blue Heron 1
Cattle Egret 1
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 3
White-tailed Hawk 1
Crested Caracara 1
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 3
White-winged Dove 8
Mourning Dove 4
Common Nighthawk 1
Black-chinned Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 6
White-eyed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 1
American Crow 2
Purple Martin 2
Cliff Swallow 4
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 4
Carolina Wren 5
Eastern Bluebird 4
Cedar Waxwing 38
Yellow Warbler 4
Summer Tanager 2
Northern Cardinal 12
Indigo Bunting 1
Painted Bunting 2
Red-winged Blackbird 4
Great-tailed Grackle 8

Migrants starting to Show

2008-04-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

This morning was a bit crisp with cloudless skies and no wind.

My walk around the park showed that spring is truly underway. I found 27 species of birds. The first of season birds include Summer Tanager, Great-crested Flycatcher, Black-chinned Hummingbird and Nashville Warbler.

Sparrow species seem to have completely disappeared. I found only 2 Lincoln Sparrows.

I have not found those Wood Ducks since my first sighting but the Northern Cardinal nest remain active. This morning the female was sitting on the nest.

The resident Red-tailed Hawk and Belted Kingfishers were present and counted.

Bull Nettle is the prominent flower blooming.

Number of species: 27

Blue-winged Teal 4
Snowy Egret 2
Little Blue Heron 1
Cattle Egret 1
Black Vulture 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 15
Spotted Sandpiper 1
White-winged Dove 4
Mourning Dove 1
Black-chinned Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
White-eyed Vireo 3
American Crow 3
Cliff Swallow 18
Tufted Titmouse 3
Carolina Wren 4
European Starling 18
Cedar Waxwing 50
Nashville Warbler 2
Summer Tanager 2
Lincoln's Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 24
Red-winged Blackbird 14
Great-tailed Grackle 12

Looking for Migrants

2008-03-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

Location: Colorado River Park
Observation date: 3/30/08

I went into the Colorado River Park again this morning. The weather was very warm but overcast and sprinkling rain. I was hoping to find some migrating warblers. I found none. My list is also without and Vultures, Killdeer or Shorebirds of any kind.

Really there was nothing new in the park I did not find the pair of Wood Ducks I thought might be wanting to nest. I did not find the Field Sparrows, but after hearing them sing last week I was not expecting to. I did find a Northern Cardinal nest.

I also found Tansy-Mustard and Baby Blue-Eyes in abundance.

Number of species: 32

Double-crested Cormorant 4
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 2
Osprey 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
White-winged Dove 3
Mourning Dove 4
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 1
White-eyed Vireo 6
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 8
Tufted Titmouse 12
Carolina Wren 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Eastern Bluebird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 2
Savannah Sparrow 5
Lincoln's Sparrow 8
White-throated Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 18
Red-winged Blackbird 23
Common Grackle 2
Great-tailed Grackle 6

Eastern Morning Birding

2008-03-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

I birded the Colorado River Park early on Easter morning. I had heard reports of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in the area but was surprised to find the abundance in the park. I found at least 8 and there could have been more.

Two other first sightings for the park were Blue-headed Vireo and Eastern Bluebird.

White-eyed Vireos are also abundant

Another observation of surprised was Field Sparrows starting to sing.

I found no sigh of the Wood Ducks. The morning was chilly and blustery which could have had them staying in their nest.

Location: Colorado River Park
Observation date: 3/23/08
Number of species: 33

Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 7
American Coot 40
Spotted Sandpiper 1
White-winged Dove 3
Mourning Dove 11
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
White-eyed Vireo 6
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 3
Cliff Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 24
Tufted Titmouse 6
Carolina Wren 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8
Eastern Bluebird 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 3
Field Sparrow 7
Lincoln's Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 27
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Common Grackle 8
Great-tailed Grackle 33
Brown-headed Cowbird 4

March Observations

2008-03-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

With some new reports of bird migrations getting started, I decided to check the Colorado River Park for any signs of migrants. I birded for about 2 hours this morning and found no migrants.

What I did find was a pair of Wood Ducks that appeared to show nesting activities. I will keep my eye on this and give updates on future entries.

Other nesting behaviors I saw were Cardinals, Mockingbirds, and Tufted Titmouse all singing.

A couple of other unusual birds I found were Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Hermit Thrush. Both of these I consider to be good sightings.

The grass is starting to get deep and I found some Baby Blue Eyes blooming.

Following is an abbreviated list of my morning bird list.

Location: Colorado River Park
Observation date: 3/16/08
Number of species: 34

Wood Duck 4
Gadwall 6
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
White-eyed Vireo 3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Hermit Thrush 1
Chipping Sparrow 8
Field Sparrow 3
Lincoln's Sparrow 12
White-crowned Sparrow 1

2008-02-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

On Sunday February 10 I spent another nice morning birding the Colorado River Park. On this occasion I found 36 species. The highlight being a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I was also treated to two Osprey that flew past my Observation post.

Following is a partial list of the birds I saw:

Location: Colorado River Park
Observation date: 2/10/08

Double-crested Cormorant 5
Great Blue Heron 1
Snowy Egret 1
Black Vulture 7
Turkey Vulture 11
Osprey 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Crested Caracara 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Eastern Phoebe 3
White-eyed Vireo 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 6
Field Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Lincoln's Sparrow 18
White-throated Sparrow 1
Eastern Meadowlark 24

Welcome to the Austin Colony Nature Sightings Blog Spot

2008-02-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

This blog is to allow me a forum to report my bird and nature sightings from my neighborhood in eastern Travis County of Texas.

It was inspired by a similar effort by another birder Mikael Behrens. Mikael does a bird walk in a northwest Austin neighborhood that is in Williamson County.

http://birdingonbroadmeade.blogspot.com/

My neighborhood has a park that borders the Colorado River. My thinking is to bird this park on a regular basis to monitor the nature activities along this section of river.

On January 26 I spent some time in that park and collected 34 species of birds. The highlight birds from that morning were a Vermillion Flycatcher and Barred Owl.

A partial list of birds follows:

Location: Colorado River Park
Observation date: 1/26/08

American White Pelican 12
Double-crested Cormorant 7
Great Blue Heron 2
American Coot 24
Barred Owl 2
Belted Kingfisher 2
Eastern Phoebe 3
Vermilion Flycatcher 1
American Pipit 15
Cedar Waxwing 32
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Savannah Sparrow 2
Lincoln's Sparrow 6