Group Walk Report June 21, 2014

Nine folks participated in this morning's group walk on the preserve. We changed to our earlier summer 8:00 AM start time this weekend and enjoyed a balmy 2.5 hours making a loose circuit around the preserve. Bird activity was high, but getting good looks at birds was difficult. We recorded 34 species of birds and here are some highlights.

In the spring we found 2 dead Giant Desert Centipedes. These are impressive beasts even when dead, and seem unreal because of both their size and bright colors. We fished one out of the water and I took this photo that shows its large fangs.

Giant Centipede

Downhill from the spring we flushed and briefly saw 2 juvenile Great Horned Owls. Soon crows found them and for the next half hour we could hear and partially see at least 4 crows chasing and harassing the owls over the eastern half of the preserve. This is the same area I've observed juvenile Great Horned Owls for the past two years. Shortly after we initially saw the owls we found a perched Mississippi Kite perched in a large dead cottonwood. This is late to see migrating Mississippi Kites and might mean this bird is breeding in the area.

As we left the sandy prairie area we found this very nice example of a Texas Spiny Lizard on the side of one of the sheds.

Texas Spiny Lizard

On our way into the western half of the preserve we finally got a good look at a bird -- a male Summer Tanager that was eating the yellow berries on an Anacua Tree. I got this photo:

Summer Tanager eating Anacua Berries

Here's our complete bird list:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18853201

Posted on 21 de junho de 2014, 08:38 PM by mikaelb mikaelb

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