Song Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin and White-breasted Nuthatch

It was a beautiful day with a cool start, temperature in the 40's, and relatively calm. The lake continues to rise and there is some water over the north low water crossing but today it is still passable. There are no mudflats on the lake side but a few mud areas at Taylor Pond and Deaver Pond. The area at the end of Sparrow lane, going down the hill, continues to be good for sparrows We did see diving ducks, including Redheads, Canvasbacks, Ruddy Ducks, a Bufflehead and Lesser Scaups. There are still a couple of Horned Grebes present in Silliman Marsh but they can be easy to overlook as they have been diving a lot. At Deaver Pond we saw Red-headed Woodpeckers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Wilson's Snipes, Greater Yellowlegs, a Belted Kingfisher and a couple of White-faced Ibis. We saw a total of 3 Pileated Woodpeckers, a Hairy Woodpecker, 9 Downy Woodpeckers, 5 Northern Flickers and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. There were still a few American White Pelicans flying around. We saw a total of 10 Harris's Sparrows. There is still an American Bittern in the marsh before the turnoff to Plover Pad. We finished the day with 80 species. Today's photos, Song Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin and White-breasted Nuthatch. Thanks for looking.

November 12, 2024 Complete Bird Census

93 Species Observed + 3 other taxa; 3,166 individuals

American Bittern, Lesser Scaup, and a Fox Sparrow

It was a beautiful day, with an easterly breeze blowing. The wheat is looking good and more white geese are arriving with a count of 200 today. Sparrow numbers are increasing and we had 12 sparrow species today. The area on sparrow lane as you go down the hill toward the lake is good for sparrows. We also saw a Brown Thrasher there today. At the Goode area we had large numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds, a couple of Brown Creepers, a Golden-crowned Kinglet, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker as well as other Sparrow species. The lake has risen even more with the recent rains and there are no mudflats so shorebird and tern numbers were way down today. At Deaver Pond we found Red-headed Woodpeckers, a Belted Kingfisher and a large number of Gadwalls. As we continued on down Meadow Pond trail we spotted a mature Bald Eagle in flight. At Meadow Pond we had a first of season Hermit Thrush. There were a lot of ducks on the lake in rafts, including a large number of Redheads as well as many Lesser Scaups, Ruddy Ducks, Canvasbacks, American Wigeons, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwalls and Mallards. One of the last birds of the day was an American Bittern near the entrance to Plover Pad. We finished the day with 93 species. Today's photos, American Bittern, Lesser Scaup, and a Fox Sparrow.

November 5, 2024 Complete Bird Census

89 Species Observed + 3 other taxa; 2,802 individuals

Today's photos: a Greater Yellowlegs accompanied by a Lesser Yellowlegs showing the differences between the species and a portion of the thousands of Franklin's Gulls that have been coming thru the refuge the last couple of weeks.

It was a cool morning, after an overnight rain, with a stiff north wind blowing for today's census. We started out by walking on Harris Creek Trail to the first pond. We saw a Spotted Towhee sitting up across the creek and heard Song Sparrows but other than that it was pretty quiet. We then went to the Goode Area and at the bottom of the hill on sparrow lane we found a good number of sparrows, including, Fox Sparrow, Lincoln Sparrows, White-Throated Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows and a Swamp Sparrow. We then continued on to Wildlife Drive and Plover Road. At the end of Plover we observed three mature Bald Eagles having a territorial dispute following each other with all three eagles in the field of view of our binoculars simultaneously. There are still lots of American White Pelicans and Franklin Gulls coming thru. Snow and Ross's Geese are beginning to arrive and the wheat fields are looking good after the recent rains which just came in a nick of time. On the road to Meadow Pond we found 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers, a late season White-faced Ibis and a Belted Kingfisher. Just past Deaver Pond we saw a large flock of Pine Siskins bathing in a puddle in the road. Duck numbers are good with more arriving each week. We finished the day with 89 species. 

October 29, 2024 Complete Bird Census

82 Species Observed + 2 other taxa; 1,667 individuals

Black-bellied Plover, Redheads, and a Gadwall

It was a cloudy day with a stiff wind for today's survey. Still no rain and the lake continues to recede exposing more and more mudflats. The star bird the last couple of weeks has been the Red Phalarope and we could not locate it today but it was here this past weekend. Some of the wheat is still ok but some has died out. We are hoping for rain soon. A couple of Ross's Geese arrived this weekend but we could not locate them today, but we did see a lone Snow Goose in Harris Creek Marsh. 8 Wild Turkeys were spotted at the residence near Refuge Rd entering the refuge. Long-billed Dowitchers are still present in large numbers with 306 counted today and we also saw one Short-billed Dowitcher. 13 species of shorebirds were present today. Egrets and herons numbers are way down with only 6 Great Blue Herons, 3 Snowy Egrets and 9 Great Egrets observed today. At Sandy Point we saw a Bald Eagle sitting in a tree on the point to the west. We also had a Pine Warbler there. We saw a Common Yellowthroat on the road to Meadow Pond near the long bridge and there were 153 Gadwalls at Deaver Pond. Winter Sparrows are starting to show up and we saw White-crowned Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Lincoln's Sparrows and a Spotted Towhee. We finished the day with 82 species. Today's photos, taken on previous outings, Black-bellied Plover, Redheads, and a Gadwall. Thanks for looking.

October 22, 2024 Complete Bird Census

84 Species Observed + 2 other taxa; 3,408 individuals

Dunlin, and Franklin's Gulls

Red Phalarope, Vesper Sparrow

It was a nice breezy morning for our census. We have not had rain since 09/25/24 and it is very dry and dusty. The lake level continues to fall exposing more and more mudflats. There are concerns for the wheat that came up and is just sitting there with some of it starting to die back. There is no rain forecast for the rest of this week and well into next week. There have been some interesting birds at the refuge the last few days and they are still hanging around. There is a Red Phalarope present in Silliman Marsh, only the third one I have ever seen here. I have talked with birders as far away as Houston that have come to see the bird. It is a life sighting for many that see it. Another interesting sighting is several Nelson's Sparrows that are present in the marsh to the right of Plover pad. They can be difficult to locate but if you have enough patience early or late in the day you might see them. In the same area there are also a lot of Soras and a few Virginia Rails. There are a couple of thousand or more Franklin's Gulls that have been hanging out off the end of Plover pad. Shorebird numbers are very good with lots of species present. We saw a total of 15 Dunlins today. Other shorebirds present include, American Avocets, Black-bellied Plovers, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, many Long-billed Dowitchers, Wilson's Snipes, Wilson's Phalaropes, Greater Yellowlegs, Stilt Sandpipers, many Least Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers and a Pectoral Sandpiper. We saw a pair of mature Bald Eagles flying near Sandy Point. We finished the day with 84 species. Today's photos, Red Phalarope, Vesper Sparrow, Dunlin, and Franklin's Gulls.

October 15, 2024 Complete Bird Census

85 Species Observed + 1 other taxa; 2,206 individuals

Wilson's Snipe

It was a nice cool morning for the start of today's census. We ventured out first to Raasch Trail and found Song Sparrows, a Dark-eyed Junco, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers and a Hairy Woodpecker. We then walked the first part of Harris Creek Trail and saw the first of 4 Pileated Woodpeckers for the day. We continued on to Wildlife Drive and on to Plover Pad where we found quite a few continuing shorebirds but not as many as this weekend. Some had pulled out when we had the wind change to the North Sunday. There was a large number of over 500 Forster's Terns on the sandbar at the end of Plover Pad as well as several hundred American Coots, 86 Franklin's Gulls, and American White Pelicans. We saw a small flock of diving ducks out on the lake containing a Lesser Scaup and 14 Redheads. The Cooper's Hawk that has been patrolling the marshes for several weeks was still present. Shorebirds seen included 19 American Avocets, 2 American Golden-Plovers, 71 Killdeer, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 97 Long-billed Dowitchers, 14 Wilson's Snipes, 1 Wilsons's Phalarope, 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, 41 Greater Yellowlegs, 6 Stilt Sandpipers, 66 Least Sandpipers, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers. 1 Western Sandpiper and 2 Semi-palmated Sandpipers. We saw a Common Yellowthroat and a Lincoln's Sparrow just past Meadow Pond. We finished the day with 85 species. Today's photo a Wilson's Snipe near the road on Wildlife Drive in the marsh where all the Soras have been hanging out

October 8, 2024 Complete Bird Census

73 Species Observed; 2,904 individuals

Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-crowned Night Heron, and honey bees exposed in a tree

It was a beautiful, calm day for our census. Shorebird numbers are good now that there are plenty of mudflats. We had a total of 16 shorebird species including American Avocets, Black-bellied Plover, American Golden-Plovers, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plovers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Wilson's Snipes, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Stilt Sandpipers, Baird's Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Western Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpipers. Forster's Terns are still present in large numbers with an estimated count of 475. We saw a late season Yellow-billed Cuckoo and an immature Black-crowned Night Heron at Dead Woman Pond. There were more than 1100 American White Pelicans present. We saw a Cooper's Hawk on the road to Egret pad. There was a Greater Roadrunner on Short Road. We finished the day with 73 species. Today's photos, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-crowned Night Heron, and honey bees exposed in a tree which is a bit unusual.

October 1, 2024 Complete Bird Census

66 Species Observed; 2,957 individuals

White-breasted Nuthatch, Sora

We started today's census on Raasch Trail and found a first of season White-crowned Sparrow. There we also saw 2 White-breasted Nuthatches and a Nashville Warbler. We then continued on to Wildlife Drive and found a lone Sora feeding next to the road in the marsh before Plover Pad. On Plover Pad road we saw our first of season Northern Harrier. On the sandbar west of Plover Pad we found a large flock of Franklin's Gulls and Forsters Terns. There we also saw a large number of Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, and some American Avocets. There were also White-faced Ibises, and lots of Great Egrets. Then we had a flyby mature Bald Eagle. American White Pelicans were on a sandbar at the end of Plover Pad. Duck numbers and species are increasing and we saw Blue-winged Teals, Green-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, Mallards and a couple of Gadwalls. We then went to Dead Woman Pond and saw a late season Green Heron and a couple of American Kestrels. On the far west side of the refuge, down in the draw we had a couple of Brown Thrashers fussing at our presence. We had a Sharp-shinned Hawk flyby near the low water crossing on Bennett. Other shorebirds seen today included, Stilt Sandpipers, a Western Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpipers, a Black-bellied Plover and an American Golden-Plover. We saw a total of 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers. We finished the day with 66 species. Today's photos, a White-breasted Nuthatch and I just couldn't resist one more shot of the Sora we saw in good early morning light. Thanks for looking.

September 24, 2024 Complete Bird Census

72 Species Observed; 2,353 individuals

White-faced Ibis, American White Pelicans

Sora, Clay-colored Sparrow

The morning started off cool and calm for today's census. Starting temperature was 59 Degrees. We walked Harris Creek Trail as far as the big willow by the small pond and it was quiet but we did hear a Pileated Woodpecker there and saw a Red-headed Woodpecker. We then continued on to Wildlife Drive and found a Sora, some Pectoral Sandpipers and Wilson's Snipes in the marsh before the road to Plover Pad. There were over a thousand American White Pelicans sitting on the sandbar west of Plover Pad. There we also saw American Avocets, Forster's Terns, Ring-billed Gulls and Long-billed Dowitchers as well as many Least Sandpipers. As we were coming out of Plover Pad we found an early season Chipping Sparrow. We continued on to Meadow Pond where we saw a couple of Green Herons and an early season Northern Flicker. The marshes are now being flooded so they should be good for shorebirds, ibises and egrets. Later as we were returning from the west side of the refuge we went down G Pad and found Clay-colored Sparrows. Many American White Pelicans are coming through at the moment and this morning they abandoned the sandbar and started feeding in a tight group. It is quite a sight to watch them feed in that manner. A little later when the thermals started forming most of the pelicans took off and continued on their way south. This scenario will be repeated by more and more migrating pelicans the rest of this month and a good part of October. We finished the day with 72 species. Today's photos, White-faced Ibis, American White Pelicans, Sora, and Clay-colored Sparrow.

September 17, 2024 Complete Bird Census

65 Species Observed, +1 other taxa, 3,791 individuals

Peregrine Falcon and Merlin

It was a calm morning for today's bird census. Some of the areas are closed for dove hunting so we started out by driving down Wildfife Drive. We saw a couple of Soras in Moist Soil Unit #7 and at the corner of Wildlife Drive and Plover pad road we saw a Peregrine Falcon perched in the willow tree on the corner. Near the end of the census we saw a Merlin perched in the same tree. We also saw an American Kestrel today making it a three falcon species day. The Peregrine Falcon let us get fairly close before it flew farther down the road. Lots of American White Pelicans are coming thru and we estimated 2500 sitting on the sandbars and flying around. We saw a total of 8 Loggerhead Shrikes. We saw at least 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers and 2 Belted Kingfishers at Deaver Pond. Shorebirds seen today included 14 American Avocets, 22 Killdeer, 3 Spotted Sandpipers, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Stilt Sandpipers, 115 Least Sandpipers and 35 Pectoral Sandpipers. More mudflats are exposed each day. We saw a late season Western Kingbird at Sandy Point. We finished the day with 65 species. Today's photos, Peregrine Falcon and Merlin.

September 10, 2024 Complete Bird Census

80 Species Observed, 1,051 individuals

Soras

Greater White-fronted Goose, White Ibis accompanied by Great Egret and a Loggerhead Shrike

It was a cool calm morning for our census. We started out by walking near the trailhead of Harris Creek trail. A Red-headed Woodpecker was still present in that area. Other than that it was quiet there except for Tufted Titmice and Carolina Wrens. We then proceeded on to Wildlife Drive and there were egrets and herons there including a Tricolored Heron. There we also saw 6 Short-billed Dowitchers, several American Avocets, a Western Sandpiper and Least Sandpipers. We then continued on to the flooded area just before Plover Pad and saw an amazing number of 17 Sora rails. Egrets are continuing to congregate in the marshes along Wildlife Drive. We then went to the low water crossing on Bennett Ln and found a Northern Waterthrush, an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and an Eastern Wood-Pewee. We then went to L pad and found a very early season Greater White-fronted Goose. There we also saw a White Ibis, a lot of egrets, Pectoral and Least Sandpipers, and Canada Geese, On the far west side of the refuge near Basin Springs we saw a Pileated Woodpecker on a power pole. Sandy Point was quiet but as we proceeded on to G pad we saw a Willow Flycatcher. At Meadow Pond we saw a Yellow-crowned Night Heron and Green Herons. At the end of Egret pad Cliff Swallows were perched on the power lines. We finished the day with 80 species. Today's photos, Soras, Greater White-fronted Goose, White Ibis accompanied by Great Egret and a Loggerhead Shrike.

September 3, 2024 Complete Bird Census

81 species (+1 other taxa) Species Observed, 1,453 individuals

Yellow Warbler, Cooper's Hawk and Green Heron

There was very light rain all day for our census. The highlight of the day was 16 species of shorebirds. Moist soil unit #7, just before you get to Plover Pad, has been flooded and was a good location for lots of shorebirds. It contains some short vegetation so it is a little more difficult to pick out the birds as opposed to a mudflat. Another good location is the mudflats in the Harris Creek marsh. There we saw a Whimbrel and 7 Short-billed Dowitchers. There we also saw one of the Tricolored Herons that will probably be leaving soon. Shorebirds seen today included, American Avocets, Killdeer, Upland Sandpipers, Wilson's Phalarope, Spotted Sandpipers, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Stilt Sandpipers, Baird's Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers, Whimbrel and Short-billed Dowitchers. As we turned onto Plover Pad, the Willow tree on the left, was full of Red-winged Blackbirds as well as a Yellow-headed Blackbird. On the pads we saw more Yellow Warblers than I can remember in the last few years. We also saw a Chestnut-sided Warbler in the bottom near Basin Springs. We had an excellent count of 8 Loggerhead Shrikes. Northern Shovelers are starting to arrive. Egret numbers are starting to increase with several hundred counted today. There were 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers at Deaver pond as well as a Belted Kingfisher. We finished the day with 81 species, quite good for early September. Todays photos, Yellow Warbler, Cooper's Hawk and Green Heron.

August 27, 2024 Complete Bird Census

72 Species Observed, 941 individuals

August 20, 2024 Complete Bird Census

72 Species Observed, 863 individuals 

We started today's census by making a quick trip to the low water crossing on Bennett Lane to look at a Roseate Spoonbill that Terry Goode, part of our census team, had just spotted there a few minutes earlier. The bird was still there as well as many more egrets and herons including, Black-crowned Night Herons, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Green Herons, Little Blue Herons, Neotropic Cormorants, Wood Ducks and many Snowy and Great Egrets. From there we continued on to Deaver Pond where we saw 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 2 Belted Kingfishers and a Red-shouldered Hawk. Then we went to Meadow Pond and saw a Green Heron and a Northern River Otter. Past Meadow Pond near the railroad tracks we happened upon an Acadian Flycatcher and a Summer Tanager. On the west side of the refuge we saw a couple of Loggerhead Shrikes, Lark Sparrows and a Western Kingbird. When we arrived back at Egret Pad we found the Roseate Spoonbill in Mineral Marsh. Shorebirds seen or heard today included Upland Sandpipers, Wilson's Phalaropes, Spotted Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, a Greater Yellowlegs and a Black-bellied Plover. We saw a couple of Least Terns on the shore near the Harris Creek bridge. We finished the day with 72 species. Today's photos Roseate Spoonbill, Green Heron and Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

August 13, 2024 Complete Bird Census

65 Species Observed, 875 individuals 

Indigo Bunting and Blue Grosbeak

It was hot and humid for today's count. Starting out, we checked the owl box and the Barn Owls have fledged. We then continued on to Raasch Trail and found Painted Buntings and Dickcissels feeding on seeds and Poke Berries, the first of many encounters today with buntings feeding on grass and weed seeds. Farther on down the trail in the woods we had a Pileated Woodpecker fly across the road a couple of times in front of us. Later we saw a Least Flycatcher at the Goode picnic area. As we proceeded on to Wildlife Drive we saw a Solitary Sandpiper on the left just before we got to the low water crossing. After we turned on to Wildlife Drive we saw a few shorebirds on the right on some exposed mud, including a Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpipers, Killdeer and a Semi-palmated Plover. The American White Pelicans are still hanging out in that area as well as many Canada Geese. When we arrived at the pads we saw Yellow Warblers feeding on insects in the Button Bushes. Large numbers of Purple Martins are still staging for their trip south. We saw a Tricolored Heron near the end of Egret pad. At the low water crossing on Bennett Lane there was a Black-crowned Night Heron, a Mississippi Kite and a Belted Kingfisher. On the far west side of the refuge we saw a Hairy Woodpecker. There was a Loggerhead Shrike near the west entrance to Short Road and another one near one of the residences. We finished the day with a total of 65 species. Some mudflats are starting to appear and hopefully shorebird counts will start to increase soon. Today's photos, Indigo Bunting and Blue Grosbeak.

August 6, 2024 Complete Bird Census

63 Species Observed, 1,022 individuals 

July 23, 2024 Complete Bird Census

51 Species Observed, 825 individuals 

The morning started out with a bit of fog and the temperatures were quite mild for late July. Lake levels are still high and there are still no mudflats. There was a large number of Canada Geese in the field north of the visitor center. Probably the best bird of the day was a Grasshopper Sparrow on Short Road which was a lifer for a visiting birder. Purple Martins are continuing to stage and there have been large numbers on the wires near the pole where Lucy used to sit. We saw 4 Red-headed Woodpeckers at Deaver Pond. There was a Mississippi Kite near the low water crossing on Bennett Ln. where it has been catching frogs. Later on we saw 3 Mississippi Kites at the same location. We saw Painted Buntings at quite a few locations and had a total of 20 for the day. Summer Tanagers are mostly silent now but we did hear one and saw another one. There were 9 Forster's Terns off the end of Plover. The species count was low today with only 51 species seen but that is not unexpected for this time of year. Hopefully there will be some mudflats soon so that we will see more shorebirds. Today's photos: Mississippi Kite and Blue Grosbeak.

July 16, 2024 Complete Bird Census

68 Species Observed, 730 individuals 

Piping Plover, Western Sandpiper and Tricolored Heron

It was another hot summer day with a light breeze blowing as we started our census. We started by walking Harris Creek Trail to the pond by the photo blind. There was very little activity there but Indigo Buntings were singing. There we did have a flyby Tricolored Heron. From there we went down Raasch Trail and saw the usual bunch of vultures hanging out as well as a Green Heron. Next we went to the Goode Area and Dead Woman Pond. At Dead Woman Pond there was another Tricolored Heron as well as Mallards and some egrets. In the picnic area at Goode we found a tree near the picnic tables that had several Painted Buntings, a Summer Tanager and a Black-and-white Warbler. Then we proceeded to Wildlife Drive and saw the 6 American White Pelicans that have been here for a few weeks and lots of Mallards and Canada Geese. We continued on to the Goose Point area and along the shoreline there we found the best bird of the day, a Piping Plover accompanied by a Western Sandpiper. In the pond on the left before Plover Pad we saw a flock of American Avocets feeding as well as a couple of Stilt Sandpipers and more egrets and Canada Geese. On the road to Meadow Pond we saw quite a few Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and lots of Painted Buntings. On the west side of the refuge there were a couple of Greater Roadrunners near the entrance to Sandy Point Road. On the far west side of the refuge we saw a Northern Parula in the same area where they nested this year. We finished the day with 68 species which is pretty good for summertime. Today's photos, Piping Plover, Western Sandpiper and Tricolored Heron. Thanks for looking.

July 9, 2024 Complete Bird Census

71 Species Observed, 952 individuals

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Purple Martins and White-tailed deer fawns

After rain yesterday afternoon from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl we were treated to a beautiful cool July morning for today's census. The north low water crossing as well as all of the pad roads are now open. We started off by walking Harris Creek Trail to the first pond and the Red-headed Woodpeckers were very active in that area and we saw several flying back and forth. We saw a total of 9 for the day. We also saw a Chimney Swift flying there. Purple Martins continue staging for their trip south and we counted 117 sitting in trees and on power lines. The American Lotus are impressive at Meadow Pond and we saw a couple of Green Herons there. On Bennett Lane just past the Big Mineral bridge we had close up looks at a mature Yellow-crowned Night Heron feeding on Crayfish in a small pool of water. On the far west side of the refuge we heard a Barred Owl and a Northern Parula sing. We had a couple of early shorebirds, a Black-bellied Plover and a Short-billed Dowitcher along with a Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpipers and Killdeers. We finished the day with 72 species. Today's photos, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Purple Martins and White-tailed deer fawns. Thanks for looking.

July 2, 2024 Complete Bird Census

61 Species Observed, 970 individuals

Tricolored Heron and immature Little Blue Heron

Summertime has definitely arrived and it heated up fast today. We started off on Raasch Trail and encountered a large number of Black and Turkey Vultures resting in the dead trees and on the bridge across Myers' Branch. There was not much activity in that area and then we continued on to the Goode Area via Terry Lane because the north low water crossing is still closed. The lake level is dropping very slowly. and Plover, Tern and Egret pads are still closed but should be open soon. Last week a late afternoon thunderstorm passed over the refuge with strong winds and there was a lot of tree damage evident today but blown over trees have been removed from the roads. At Dead Woman Pond we saw 4 Wood Ducks, a Mississippi Kite, Blue Grosbeaks and Painted Buntings. Also there is a large number of Hibiscus flowering in that area. At the low water crossing on Bennett Ln., we saw a Pileated Woodpecker and a Belted Kingfisher. Early on there was a Least Bittern calling near the entrance to Egret Pad. The only shorebirds seen today were37 Killdeer and 1 American Avocet. Some returning shorebirds should start showing up soon but there are still no mudflats. Purple Martins are congregating and we saw 69 today. We counted 250 Canada Geese today and they are spread out all over the refuge. We finished the day with 61 species and called it a day early due to the heat. Today's photos, Tricolored Heron and immature Little Blue Heron transitioning from white to blue gray coloration. Of interest to me was the subdued barring on some of the feathers which can be observed better in full screen mode. Thanks for looking.

June, 2024

June 25, 2024 Complete Bird Census

61 Species Observed, 913 individuals

American Kestrel

It was a partly cloudy day that heated up quickly. Bird activity dropped off quickly after about 09:30. The Barn Owls were still present and we counted 3 in the box. There are now large numbers of Canada Geese present with a count of 206 including many young of varying ages. They like to hang out along the edges of Wildlife Drive. Bennett Lane is now open and the low water crossing on Bennett is now passable. We saw 4 Red-headed Woodpeckers on the road to Meadow Pond. They are present at Deaver and along the road just past Deaver Pond. We found Wood Ducks at Dead Woman Pond. Since the north low water crossing is still closed we had to take the long way around via Terry Lane to get to the Goode Area. We counted 40 Killdeer and the only other shorebird we saw was a single Long-billed Dowitcher. Purple Martins are beginning to bunch up and we saw them at several locations. Plover, Tern and Egret pads are still closed and probably will be for the rest of the week. We finished the day with 61 species. Today's photo, an American Kestrel.

June 18, 2024 Complete Bird Census

64 Species Observed +1 other taxa, 726 individuals

June 4, 2024 Complete Bird Census

74 Species Oberved, 810 individuals

Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, American Golden-plover with Whimbrel, Whimbrel, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Swainson's Hawk and Red-headed Woodpeckers

The early morning rain had just passed by as we began today's census. We had some very good late spring sightings today. In the pond on the left just before you get to Plover pad we saw 2 Whimbrels resting along with an American Golden-Plover, 4 Franklin Gulls, some White-rumped Sandpipers and a Semi-palmated Sandpiper. On the crossover from Egret pad to Tern pad we found a nice breeding plumage Black-crowned Night Heron along with some of the many Snowy Egrets we saw today. We saw 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 4 of which were at Deaver Pond. We got nice closeup looks at a Green Heron at Meadow Pond and we also saw a Belted Kingfisher there. Coming back from Meadow Pond we had great looks at an Olive-sided Flycatcher. There was a Swainson's Hawk at the southwest end of Short Road. We saw 3 mature Bald Eagles at Sandy Point flying out over the lake as well as 4 Black Terns. We saw a total of 10 Painted Buntings. We finished the day with 74 species. Today's photos, Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, American Golden-plover with Whimbrel, Whimbrel, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Swainson's Hawk and Red-headed Woodpeckers. Thanks for looking.

May, 2024

May 28, 2024 Complete Bird Census

79 Species Oberved, 784 individuals

Red-shouldered Hawks and Northern Rough-winged Swallow

The day started out stormy for the census but cleared up some by 10:30. The pad roads are now open but I don't know for how long with more rain and storms in the forecast. Early on we found a Red-breasted Merganser in the pool on the left before you get to Plover Pad. Birding was pretty slow until the rain let up. We got a couple of first of year swallow species, Tree Swallow and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. We found a lone Buff-breasted Sandpiper in an area on the north side of Silliman Rd. We found a couple of warbler species, Prothonotary Warbler and Black-and-white Warbler, We saw over 200 Western Cattle Egrets today. We had a total of 3 Eastern Kingbirds. There was a Bewick's Wren singing near the residences on the road to the Goode Area. We finished the day with 78 species which was not bad considering the slow start.

Today's photos, the young Red-shouldered Hawks near the Big Mineral Picnic Area, that seem to be doing well and the Northern Rough-winged Swallow we saw at Meadow Pond.

May 14th, 2024 Complete Bird Census

94 Species Oberved, 719 individuals 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Indigo Bunting

Today was cool with a northerly breeze blowing. Wildlife Drive as well as Bennett from the Big Mineral bridge west is still closed but the lake is receding and hopefully the roads will be opened again soon after the lake recedes another foot or so and necessary repairs are made. Early on we walked from headquarters to the Harris Creek bridge to observe some shorebirds and were treated to very close up views of Sanderlings, Stilt Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, White-rumped Sandpipers, a Baird's Sandpiper and Least Sandpipers as well a a couple of Tricolored Herons.. Black Terns and a Least Tern were also flying nearby. We saw a few warbler species but I suspect that will change later in the week. Indigo Buntings, Painted Buntings and Dickcissels were numerous. Summer Tanagers were singing in quite a few places. We found 3 Mississippi Kites on the far west side of the refuge. We saw 4 Greater Roadrunners. We saw an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Meadow Pond hawking insects from his perch high up on a dead tree. We finished the day with 94 species. Today's photos, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, a skulker that you find in wooded areas but it is a species that is very easy to overlook. You are more likely to hear there strange calls. They are sometimes referred to as Rain Crows by locals. The other photo is an Indigo Bunting.

May 7th, 2024 Complete Bird Census

85 Species Oberved, +2 other taxa, 1,044 individuals 

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and a Bobolink

It was a clear sunshiny day for our census, with a break in the rain. But recent rains have caused the lake level in Lake Texoma to rise and Wildlife Drive is covered in water for much of its length and has been closed. Bennett Lane from the Big Mineral bridge to the west side of the refuge is also closed. We had to go on Hwy 82 to Sadler to get to the west side of the refuge. The pad roads are now under water. We found Bobolinks in quite a few places, including north of headquarters in the fields, and west of the refuge east of Short Road. Our final count on Bobolinks was 41. Dickcissels were singing most everywhere we went. One good find was a pair of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks on the far west side of the refuge. They are becoming more common in this area but we don't often see them on the refuge. On the edge of the water covering the road north of headquarters there were some shorebirds accumulated including a couple of Hudsonian Godwits, Stilt Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers and Lesser Yellowlegs. On the other end of Wildlife Drive we found a Black-necked Stilt, 4 Long-billed Dowitchers, 20 Wilson's Phalaropes. Painted Buntings were singing in many places. There were 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers at Deaver Pond. Flycatchers were abundant with 39 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, 17 Eastern Kingbirds, 5 Great Crested Flycatchers and 4 Western Kingbirds. We heard 9 Summer Tanagers. Warblers were conspicuously absent today and we only saw 1 Prothonotary Warbler and 2 Northern Parulas. We finished the day with 85 species.

April, 2024

April 30, 2024 Complete Bird Census

90 Species Oberved, +2 other taxa, 1641 individuals

Grasshopper Sparrow by Mike Sanders, Spotted Sandpiper, and White-faced Ibis

Bird migration is reaching peak activity with many migrants making their long journey north. We set out with high hopes for some exciting finds. Our first stop was Harris Creek Trail where we found our first new migrant – a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We also saw Painted and Indigo Buntings, a male and female Blue Grosbeak, and many of our usual birds. Four male Wood Ducks flew by and gave us all a good view. From there, we headed to the Goode picnic area. Along the way we saw a male Baltimore Oriole at the top of a tree. We also saw a large flock of Cedar Waxwings feasting on the nearly ripe Mulberries in a yard in the area. Our next destination was Enterprise Road where we made our first futile search for Bobolinks, but we had to settle for a Bell’s Vireo and more Blue Grosbeaks. We returned to the refuge and found a single Upland Sandpiper and a few Cormorants on Plover Rd. Ducks, shorebirds, and gulls were scarce due to high water after the recent rains. At Meadow Pond we found a Green Heron on the emerging Lotus pads and a Tree Swallow perched in a dead tree. Turtles were very active and we had to dodge several crossing roads and trails. Out west, we found some lingering Meadowlarks and some arriving Grasshopper Sparrows. Our final count for the day was 90 species of birds, three snakes, four turtles, and a very large spider crossing the road. Photos today are Grasshopper Sparrow by Mike Sanders, Spotted Sandpiper, and White-faced Ibis.

April 23, 2024 Complete Bird Census 

87 Species Observed +2 other taxa, 1,171 individuals

Observers: Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick, Nancy Riggs, Terry Goode, Laurie Sheppard.

Savannah Sparrow, Upland Sandpipers, and a pair of Mallards.

The day started out cool but the sun soon brought the temperatures up and with it, the birds. The annual Turkey Hunt prevented us from taking our usual route for the bird census, so we improvised. We started the day with a short walk on the Harris Creek Trail, where we got good looks at a Spotted Sandpiper on the bank of the creek. From there we drove east of the refuge and picked up our first Western Cattle Egrets. By the end of the day, we had collected over 200 of those. Continuing east, we saw our first Wild Turkey crossing Old Quail Run. At Enterprise Road, we heard a Bell’s Vireo along with Blue Grosbeaks and a few of our 21 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. We returned to the refuge and along the Auto Tour Route we saw 26 White-faced Ibis fly by. The water levels are high so there are few places for shorebirds, but we found a few Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and some others. Blue-winged Teals were the most common ducks today. Out to the west of the refuge, a few Upland Sandpipers are still in the fields and a Broad-winged Hawk was resting on a wire. We logged 87 species today despite our unusual route. Today’s photos are a Savannah Sparrow, Upland Sandpipers, and a pair of Mallards.

April 16, 2024 Complete Bird Census 

97 Species observed, 1,270 individuals

Observers: Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick. Laurie Sheppard, Nancy Riggs and Terry Goode.

Bald Eagles and a Solitary Sandpiper

Today was a mostly clear day with a moderate breeze blowing. Early on we went to the Goode area and saw a flyby Crested Caracara. Then when we got to Dead Woman Pond we were greeted by a beautiful male Prothonotary Warbler sitting up in a dead tree. We had an immature Bald Eagle fly into a tree on Dead Woman Pond.. As we drove toward it, it took flight and disappeared but we soon saw 2 more Bald Eagles there near the lake having a dispute over a fish that a mature Bald Eagle had picked up. A near mature Bald Eagle decided he would try to take it away from the other eagle which then proceeded to land on the shore with the fish. It soon flew off to the west and disappeared with the other eagle in hot pursuit. At the end of Plover Pad we found a Sanderling, a Western Sandpiper, 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 10 Hudsonian Godwits. In the last several days we have seen over a hundred Hudsonian Godwits come thru as well as a Marbled Godwit. The Yellow-headed Blackbirds have begun to come thru and we saw one on Plover Pad and more out on the west side of the refuge near Short Road. Summer Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Red-eyed Vireos as well as Bell's Vireos. have also arrived. We saw 2 Greater Roadrunners, We finished the day with 97 species. Today's photos Bald Eagles and a Solitary Sandpiper.

April 2, 2024 Complete Bird Census 

100 Species observed, +1 other taxa, 1,757 individuals

Observers: Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick, Nancy Riggs, Terry Goode, Laurie Sheppard, Mike Sanders and Gary Meyer.

Bald Eagle, Wild Turkey, Lark Sparrow and Upland Sandpiper.

It was windy and chilly for today's census but it was a good day species wise for our count. As we started out we found a beautiful male Hooded Merganser in the marsh by the north low water crossing. Later we saw an adult Bald Eagle at Dead Woman Pond as well as a flyby Wood Duck. Shorebird numbers are increasing along with the number of species. We saw 139 Long-billed Dowitchers, 19 Wilson's Snipes, 7 Lesser Yellowlegs, 10 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Dunlin, 4 Baird's Sandpipers, 23 Least Sandpipers, 45 Pectoral Sandpipers, 3 Western Sandpipers, 2 Wilson's Phalaropes, 4 Killdeer, 2 American Golden-Plovers and 45 Upland Sandpipers. There were 12 Little Blue Herons all in a group in Mineral Marsh along with a Tricolored Heron. While we were at Mineral Marsh an Immature Bald Eagle flew over. There was an American Bittern in Taylor Marsh. We saw 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 3 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a Pileated Woodpecker and a Hairy Woodpecker. We found a singing Black-and-white Warbler on the road to Sandy Point. We finished a great day with 100 species for the second week in a row. 

March, 2024

March 19, 2024 Complete Bird Census 

90 Species observed +1 other taxa, 1,468 individuals

Observers: Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick, Nancy Riggs, Terry Goode, Laurie Sheppard, Mike Sanders, Gary Meyer.

March 5, 2024 Complete Bird Census List

91 Species observed +2 other taxa, 3,261 individuals

Observers:Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick, Nancy Riggs, Terry Goode, Laurie Sheppard, Mike Sanders

Fox Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow

It was a cool and cloudy day for our census with a lot of bird activity. Surprisingly about 350 Ross's and Snow Geese are still present. There are also good numbers of ducks and some of the duck species with larger counts were, 174 Northern Shovelers, 413 Green-winged Teals and 151 Gadwalls. We saw 13 species of sparrows with a really good count of 25 Vesper Sparrows, 42 White-crowned Sparrows, 47 White-throated Sparrows, 40 Savannah Sparrows, 28 Dark-eyed Juncos as well as other sparrow species. We had a great count of 75 Northern Cardinals. We found a couple of Winter Wrens on our trip to Meadow Pond and Big Mineral Creek. We had the first Barn Swallows of the season. We had a high count of 18 Eastern Phoebes. There was one Great Egret present in Silliman Marsh. We finished the day with 91 species. Today's photos, Fox Sparrow and Vesper Sparrow.

March 2, 2024 The Little Sit Event Complete Little Sit List

46 Species observed +1 other taxa 1,074 individuals

The Little Sit is held at sunrise the first Saturday of every month, the public is welcome!

February, 2024

Bird Walk February 10, 2024 Complete Bird List

42 Species observed in a 1.5 mile bird walk on Harris Creek Trail!

Join us for the next Early Bird Walk on March 9th at 8:00 AM meeting at the Visitor Center

February 6, 2024 Complete Bird Census List

93 Species observed +2 other taxa, 2,361 individuals

Observers: Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick, Terry Goode, Mike Sanders, Carlos Haller, Nancy and Janet Heath.

The Red-headed Woodpecker near the bridge at the Big Mineral picnic area, the Winter Wren and the House Wren

It was a beautiful, calm, early February day for our census. Birds were very active. Snow and Ross's geese numbers were low today but the large flocks have been coming and going. Usually the best time to see the most geese is in the afternoon. It is getting near the time that most of the white geese will depart the refuge. Duck numbers are very good with nearly 700 Northern Pintails, many of which are in the marsh near the Harris Creek bridge. Other species of ducks seen today included, 2 Cinnamon Teal, 68 Northern Shovelers, 92 Gadwalls, 6 American Wigeons, 21 Mallards, 108 Green-winged Teals, 35 Canvasbacks, 30 Redheads, 10 Ring-necked Ducks, 1 Greater Scaup, several Lesser Scaups, 24 Buffleheads, 2 Common Goldeneyes, and 44 Ruddy Ducks. An American Woodcock was seen by one member of our team early on in the field at the southeast corner of the refuge on Bennett Lane. The Woodcocks will probably be leaving soon and the best time to see them is around dawn or dusk. We saw 4 species of Wrens today, a Winter Wren, near the low water crossing on Bennett, a House Wren on B pad, a Bewick's wren on the road to Goode and Carolina Wrens in several locations. The large culvert area on the crossover from C pad to Sandy Point road was good today, with a couple of Barred Owls hooting at each other, an Orange-crowned Warbler, an Eastern Towhee and several other species. We saw 5 species of Woodpeckers including several Red-headed Woodpeckers and a couple of Pileated Woodpeckers. We finished a great day with 93 species. Today's photos, The Red-headed Woodpecker near the bridge at the Big Mineral picnic area, the Winter Wren and the House Wren.

January, 2024

85 Species observed

Observers: Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick, Terry Goode, Laurie Sheppard, Mike Sanders and

Keiko Inagaki

American Pipit, Ring-billed Gulls and American White Pelicans of the end of J pad and a Northern Pintail

The weather was fantastic today for our census. The Long-tailed Duck is still present. It was a good day for ducks. The Long-tailed Duck has been using Silliman and Muleshoe marshes. Also still present are Canvasbacks with a total of 98 today. We saw 726 Northern Pintails, , 506 Green-winged Teals, 7 Ruddy Ducks, 2 Common Goldeneyes, 115 Gadwalls, 11 American Wigeons, 14 Mallards, all seen in the marshes. We also saw 40 Redheads and 24 Ring-necked Ducks in the large pond by the railroad tracks east of the refuge. We saw over 1200 Ring-billed Gulls as well as a mature Lesser Black-backed Gull and a couple of Herring Gulls. A large number of 7200 Snow and Ross's Geese were present arriving from south of the refuge as the day progressed. We saw 7 woodpecker species today. We had a good count of 7 Loggerhead Shrikes. A good number of 85 Savannah Sparrows were seen. We had a good count of raptors today with 11 Red-tailed Hawks and 8 Red-shouldered Hawks. We finished the day with 83 species. Today's photos, American Pipit, Ring-billed Gulls and American White Pelicans of the end of J pad and a Northern Pintail.

The Bald Eagle at Meadow Pond, Wilson's Snipes and the Long-tailed Duck

It was a dismal day with rain most of the time for our bird census but bird activity was good. The ice on the lake and in the marshes at the refuge is starting to melt and there are more patches of open water each passing day. First of all, the rare Long-tailed Duck is still present in the west end of Silliman Marsh. The Long-tailed Duck we had last year stayed around for several weeks and hopefully this one will do the same. Duck numbers and species numbers of ducks are also good. We estimated a total of 894 Northern Pintails, and also counted 4 Wood Ducks, 41 Northern Shovelers, 145 Gadwalls, 18 American Wigeons, 70 Mallards, 93 Green-winged Teals, 18 Canvasbacks, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, 13 Lesser Scaups, 28 Buffleheads, 2 Common Goldeneyes, and 1 Hooded Merganser. An immature Bald Eagle that was harassing American Coots and Pied-billed Grebes last week at Meadow Pond was still present there today. We found a nice flock of 17 Wilson's Snipes near the entrance to Wildlife Drive. We counted 54 Dark-eyed Juncos most of which were in a large flock picking up grit on the road to Sandy Point. We found one flock of Brewer's Blackbirds on Judge Elliot Road. We counted almost 800 Red-winged Blackbirds. We finished the day with 65 species. Today's photos, Long-tailed Duck, the Bald Eagle at Meadow Pond and Wilson's Snipes.

January 21, 2024