
2002 Archives
Sunday, December 15, 2002
Spring Creek Preserve
Notable birds were Loggerhead Shrike, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Kestrel, Spotted Towhee, and
American Woodcock. Mistletoe scanned image below (click to enlarge).

Monday, December 2, 2002
Spring Creek Preserve
Got out of our car and was amazed to find that most of the prairie portion (100 + acres) of the
Preserve had been mowed to stubble. The Society had discussed a February mow with the
City of Garland after the Great Plains Ladies' Tresses had gone to seed and after fall migrants
such as Leconte's, Grasshopper, and other birds had passed through. This was the only alternative
since prescribed burning is difficult if not impossible in urban settings. The mowers didn't avoid
the sensitive cryptogamic soils on the higher portions of the prairies, nor did they spare the Redroot
or New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)a small shrub found on the shallowest of soils on
the Preserve (see 2nd photo). We did note that people are less likely to stay on the trail now
that the Preserve looks more like a park. Hopefully this trend will change as forbs & grasses
recover.
On the positive side, the mowing reduced hardwood encroachment into the prairie as well as
some of the invasive grasses. It will most likely increase the overall biodiversity, particularly forbs, grasses,
and insects, but some research would be needed for support. Mowing was severe since
most prairie restoration experts recommend a mowing height of 3-4 or even 10 inches.
The Society encourages vegetation and other monitoring to see how the prairie recovers
from late fall mowing.
We saw American Crows, a Loggerhead Shrike, and a Kestrel looking for food
in a prairie now devoid of cover for small mammals such as cotton rats.
Friday, November 15, 2002
Rock Wren reported at Spring Creek Park off Plano Road. Also reported on Saturday
morning, November 16. refer to the Texbirds Reference Page at
http://www.moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds
Fall, 2002 photos of Spring Creek Preserve
November 10, 2002
Could be that our wet October and a few chilly nights have made this fall strikingly
beautiful. . . so hurry out to Spring Creek Preserve over next the few days!
More Fall Migrants
Old Fish Hatchery at White Rock Lake
Oct. 29, 2002
Subject: Very late Canada Warbler in Dallas
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 18:07:12 -0500
---> Texbird help file
TEXBIRDERS --
The surprises continue at the Old Fish Hatchery at White Rock Lake in
Dallas.
This morning, Chris Runk reported a striking male CANADA WARBLER out
there.
Being a weak soul, I couldn't resist the temptation to make a quick trip
in
search of the bird. When I arrived at the OFH I ran into Brian Gibbons
and
Derek Hill, who had just found the bird. All three of us got many good,
long
looks at the cooperative warbler. It was foraging in a mixed flock of
primarily chickadees and titmice, staying between 20 and 30 feet above
the
forest floor -- quite high for a Canada. It was very near the area
where I
saw the Black-throated Blue Warbler on Sunday -- but slightly more to
the
interior of the OFH.
The local checklist shows the expected migration window for Canada
Warbler
coming to a close at the end of September. Warren Pulich's book, The
Birds
of North Central Texas, lists the extreme migratory date as October
23. So,
by any measure, this is an extraordinarily good find.
-- Kelly Cotten (Dallas)
Fall Observations
Spring Creek Preserve
October 22, 2002
Several Great Plains Ladies Tresses were found in the same area as last fall. Many honey bees
on White Asters as well as Goldenrod. Grasshopper, Savannah, White-throated, White-crowned
Sparrows. Questionmark, Eastern Tailed Blue, Red Admiral, Monarch, Clouded Sulphur. Also a
Zebra Longwing at Rowlett Trail off Miller Road (refer to birding hot spot map).
Wildflower seeds planted
Friday, Oct. 11, 2002
Several hundred seeds of Eustoma russellianum planted at several spots on the Preserve in hopes of
establishing this species. Refer to Sept. 7 report.
Fall Migrants
Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2002
Texbirders
An amazing fall day for inland
Texas migration 8 Oct 2002.
Derek Hill
and I birded throughout the day
when it wasn't raining and tallied 11
species of warblers including one
goody a Black-throated Blue at
Arapaho
Park in Dallas.
ARAPAHO PARK
Cooper's Hawk 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Eastern Phoebe 8
Blue-headed Vireo 1
House Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15
Brown Thrasher 6
Nashville Warbler 35
Yellow Warbler 4
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Black-throated Green Warbler
1
American Redstart 2
Mourning Warbler 1 late
Common Yellowthroat 6
Wilson's Warbler 10
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4
PRAIRIE CREEK PARK
Yellow-billled Cuckoo 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Eastern Phoebe 10
Solitary Vireo 1 a strange
dull indiv. BVD poss CAVI
Bewick's Wren 1
House Wren 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 20
WOOD THRUSH 1
Gray Catbird 2
Brown Thrasher 12
Orange-crowned Warbler 8
Nashville Warbler 125 WOW!
Magnolia Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler
4
American Redstart 1
Common Yellowthroat 5
Wilson's Warbler 3
Yesterday at Prairie Creek I had my
first Spotted Towhee of the year.
Directions to the above parks can
be found at Derek Hill's Website
www.geocities.com/kinglet32
I will post a note if I refind the
BTBW in the morning.
Brian Gibbons
Dallas
For answers to questions about this
list, as well as current Texas
Birding Links, visit the Texbirds
Reference Page.
Monarch Migration
At Spring Creek Preserve, during the first week of October you sometimes observe hundreds of
Monarch butterflies flying overhead in their migration to Mexico. Past peaks have been October 5th and 6th.
Last weekend of summer
Spring Creek Preserve
Sept. 20, 2002
Maximilian Sunflower, Small Palafoxia, Dakota Vervain, Eryngo, Frost Weed, Prairie Agalinis
Nuttall’s Tick Clover, Broom Whitlow-Wort, Broomweed, Mealy Sage
Fall Gumweed, White Gaura ?, Thelesperma, Goldenrod (Solidago sp.)
Partridge Pea, Gay Feather, White Aster, Wild Buckwheat, Fall Boneset
Cardinal Flower (reported at 2 locations along Spring Creek)
Fall Migrants
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002
Derek Hill w/ Brian Gibbons
Bewick's Wren - 1
White-eyed Vireo - 1
Warbling Vireo - 1
Black-and-white Warbler - 8
American Redstart - 8
Nashville Warbler - 1
Wilson's Warbler - 8
Common Yellowthroat - 1
White
Rock Lake spillway
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper - 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1 juvenile
Western Sandpiper - 1 basic
Least Sandpiper ~ 200 mostly basic, some juvenile
Old Fish
Hatchery
YB Cuckoo - 2
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 5
Warbling Vireo - 1
Northern Parula - 1
Yellow Warbler - 3
Black-throated Green Warbler - 3
Black-and-white Warbler - 12
American Redstart - 2
Wilson's Warbler - 15
Canada Warbler - 1
Bluebell Gentians (Eustoma russellianum)
September 7, 2002
Jack & Derek Hill - The bluebell gentians are still blooming along I-30 just east of the Loop 12 exit, but not
like the peak bloom the last week in July. We collected some seed today in hopes of propagating some for
Spring Creek and maybe elsewhere. This species is listed by Shinners and Mahler's as one of the prettiest
wildflowers in North Central Texas. This is a map of the location of the gentians. Many of our showy annuals
show remarkable flux in population size from year to year and it appears that this growing season has favored
Eustoma russellianum, a species that is distributed throughout Texas and prairie areas of the Great Plains.
Many are going to seed, and will be ripe for collecting seed over the
next few weeks. We suggest this since
the lot is slated for sale (22 acres or so) and, of course, habitat destruction destruction and urban development.
We parked behind the new Best Western motel along the frontage road and walked due west to get the seed.
Climbing Milkweed (Funastrum cynanchoides)
Spring Creek Preserve
Aug. 29-30, 2002

Spring Creek Preserve
June 26, 2002
Derek & Jack Hill
Longear Sunfish males guarding their nests in Spring Creek. (Texas Parks & Wildlife web site: "Spawning
occurs throughout late spring and early summer. Males scoop nests out of gravel bars. Females are enticed to
lay their eggs on a particular nest by a male who swims out to meet her, swimming around her rapidly and
displaying his brilliant spawning colors. After the eggs have been laid, males chase the females away and guard
the nest vigorously despite their small size, chasing away all intruders. Males may continue to guard the nest for
a week or more after hatching, until larvae have dispersed." The males are striking with turquoise fins and
orange bodies, making it our most colorful sunfish in Texas. Notes: walk to the Eagle Scout bench on
the main trail loop (not the one near the parking lot) and then to the end of the small trail leading
to the edge of the creek...here you can observe the "brim beds" and see the males with your binoculars.
You may also notice some large carp downstream of the brim beds.
A good fish web site is: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/species/lge/lge.htm
Saw an Eastern Kingbird in the field along the trail....possibly nesting in the area.We accidently found a newly installed geocache in the Preserve. For hints and how to participate in this new sport go to http://www.geocaching.com/ and type in 75044 for the zip code....Spring Creek Preserve is on this list.
Spring Creek Preserve
June 23, 2002
Fay Danahy reports bullfrogs...there
were 15 very large frogs in and around the deep pool that is across
the sandbar where we have access to the creek from the drain from
the horse barn. And one crayfish.
June 20, 2002 follow up visit by Lawrence Duhon posted on TX Birds:
I birded the Ray Roberts
Greenbelt off of U.S. Highway 380 east of Denton
this morning. This area was
described in detail by Derek Hill in a post
on June 19.
The best birds of the days were
a Pileated Woodpecker (7:45 A.M.) about
100 yards north of the parking
lot and at least two fledgling Barred Owls
about half a mile north along
the bike trail (6:40 A.M.).
I did not hear or see the
Yellow-throated Warbler reported by Derek from
this area 2 days ago.
Other songbirds encountered
included several Northern Parulas and
Prothonatory Warblers,
Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, White-breasted
Nuthatch, Eastern Wood-Pewee,
Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher,
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Painted
Bunting, and many
singing Indigo Buntings.
(Most of the common local
woodland residents were also seen.)
Lawrence Duhon
Lewisville,
Texas
Neotropical Migrants
Neotropical migratory songbirds passed through the riparian
forests along Spring Creek, Prairie Creek and other streams in
North Central Texas this spring. Some warblers such as
Blackburnian, Nashville, and Yellow seem to prefer native
pecans and black willow, while species such as Canada,
Hooded, and Mourning prefer dense understory. There
are probably dozens of undiscovered birding hot spots in
the 120 square mile area of the East Fork of the Trinity River.
Visit the Texbirds Reference Page at
http://www.moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Birded Prairie Creek Park in Richardson this morning 10:30 - 11:45.
Magnolia Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Chestnut-sided
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Nashville
Wilson's
Yellow
Good birding,
Derek Hill
Richardson, TX
Saturday, May 18, 2002
HOODED WARBLER
Birded Prairie Creek Park in Richardson this afternoon
1:25pm-2:40pm.
Highlight was a
female HOODED WARBLER, just north of the footbridge on the
east side of the
creek. Seems very late in the year to have a migrant
Hooded.
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Chestnut-sided - 2
Blackburnian - 1
Black-and-white - 1
American Redstart -
6+
Ovenbird - 2
HOODED - 1
Wilson's - 3-4
Good birding,
Derek Hill
Richardson, TX
Spring Creek Preserve
Earlier in the day: Orchard Orioles, Dickcissels, Bluebird, Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Red-eyed & White-eyed Vireos.
Saturday, May 11, 2002
Texbirders,
I birded off and on
this morning with
Prairie & Timbers Audubon
at
Prairie Creek Park in Richardson. From 7:45am-12:45pm we ended up
with 16
warbler species.
Highlights were
Philadelphia Vireo, Wood and Gray-cheeked Thrush,
and, of course, the
warbler diversity.
Yellow-bellied
Flycatcher - 1
Least Flycatcher -
several
Willow/Alder
Flycatcher - 2-3
Great Crested
Flycatcher - several
Eastern Wood-Pewee -
2-3
Philadelphia Vireo -
1
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Warbling Vireo - 1
Blue-headed Vireo ~
6
Wood Thrush - 2
Gray-cheeked Thrush
- 2
Swainson's Thrush -
a few
Yellow Warbler ~ 4
Magnolia - several
Chestnut-sided -
several
Black-throated Green
- 1
Bay-breasted - 1
Black-and-white ~
5-6
American Redstart ~
8
Tennessee - 1
Nashville - 2
Orange-crowned - 1
Northern Parula - 2
Ovenbird - 2
Mourning - 1
Wilson's - several
Canada - 1
Common Yellowthroat
- several
Painted Bunting - 1
imm.
Numbers weren't
particularly high but diversity turned out pretty well. No
orioles, tanagers,
or grosbeaks today though.
Good birding,
Derek Hill
Friday, May 10, 2002
Golden-Winged Warbler
On the opposite side
of Prairie Creek, to the right of the bridge I found one
golden-winged warbler and one gray-cheeked thrush, along with 100+ of other warblers,
vireos, and flycatchers this morning.. excellent
conditions!
black-and-white
warbler
Nashville Warbler
yellow warbler
chestnut-sided
warbler
magnolia warbler
Wilson's warbler
golden-winged
warbler
Tennessee warbler
black-throated green
warbler
ovenbird
American redstart
Baltimore oriole
eastern wood-pewee
(singing)
alder flycatcher
(singing)
least flycatcher
(singing)
Swainson's thrush
gray-cheeked thrush
blue-headed Vireo
warbling Vireo
red-eyed Vireo
-Peter Assmann
Saturday, May 04, 2002
Prairie Creek Park with Audubon Dallas , 08:00-12:00. Highlights included 10 warbler species...compiled by Susan Yost, Audubon Dallas
Summer Tanager {both}
F. Indigo Bunting
Rose breasted Grosbeak {both}
Blue- headed Vireo
Yellow- billed Cuckoo
Great Crested Flycatcher
Cedar Waxwing
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Robin
Blue Jay
Cardinal
Carolina Chickadee {new families}
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Mockingbird
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker {excavating nest hole}
Downey Woodpecker
Chimney Swift
Purple Martin
Green Heron {fly by}
Great Egret {fly over}
Cattle Egret
Great Blue Heron {with a BIG fish}
|
Mallard
Carolina Wren {heard}
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
American Redstart {both}
Black & White Warbler {both}
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow Warbler {both}
Orange Crowned Warbler
Northern Water Thrush {heard/flash by}
Northern Parula
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Ovenbird
American Crow
Cowbird
Common Grackle
European Starling
House Sparrow
{44 species}
|
Friday, May 03, 2002
Prairie Creek Park early afternoon. Lots of Nashville Warblers, Yellow Warblers, a Tennessee Warbler, Redstart, and a Yellow-throated Vireo which had the distinctive yellow spectacles and bright yellow throat/whitish belly.
Thursday, May 02, 2002
Thanks to the Eagle Scouts clearing out encroaching eastern red cedar on the Maple Ridge portion of Spring Creek Preserve, you can now see a return of prairie plants, including Asclepias asperula (Antelope-Horns),
Asclepias viridis (Green Milkweed), and Matelea biflora (Purple Milkweed Vine). Penstemon cobaea (Fox-Glove) are also blooming at their peak here.
Saturday, April 20, 2002.
Nashville Warbler, Orange-Crowned Warbler, Red- and White-Eyed Vireos at Spring Cr. Preserve. Black-Throated Green, Nashville Warblers at Prairie Creek, upstream of Spring Creek Preserve.
Spring Creek Preserve
June 26, 2002
Derek & Jack Hill
Longear Sunfish males guarding their nests in Spring Creek. (Texas Parks & Wildlife web site: "Spawning occurs throughout late spring and early summer. Males scoop nests out of gravel bars. Females are enticed to lay their eggs on a particular nest by a male who swims out to meet her, swimming around her rapidly and displaying his brilliant spawning colors. After the eggs have been laid, males chase the females away and guard the nest vigorously despite their small size, chasing away all intruders. Males may continue to guard the nest for a week or more after hatching, until larvae have dispersed." The males are striking with turquoise fins and orange bodies, making it our most colorful sunfish in Texas. Notes: walk to the Eagle Scout bench on the main trail loop (not the one near the parking lot) and then to the end of the small trail leading to the edge of the creek...here you can observe the "brim beds" and see the males with your binoculars. You may also notice some large carp downstream of the brim beds. A good fish web site is: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/species/lge/lge.htm
Saw an Eastern Kingbird in the field along the trail....possibly nesting in the area.
We accidently found a newly installed geocache in the Preserve. For hints and how to participate in this new sport go to http://www.geocaching.com and type in 75044 for the zip code....Spring Creek Preserve is on this list.
Spring Creek Preserve
June 23, 2002
Fay Danahy reports bullfrogs...there
were 15 very large frogs in and around the deep pool that is across
the sandbar where we have access to the creek from the drain from
the horse barn. And one crayfish.
June 20, 2002 follow up visit by Lawrence Duhon posted on TX Birds:
I birded the Ray Roberts
Greenbelt off of U.S. Highway 380 east of Denton
this morning. This area was
described in detail by Derek Hill in a post
on June 19.
The best birds of the days were
a Pileated Woodpecker (7:45 A.M.) about
100 yards north of the parking
lot and at least two fledgling Barred Owls
about half a mile north along
the bike trail (6:40 A.M.).
I did not hear or see the
Yellow-throated Warbler reported by Derek from
this area 2 days ago.
Other songbirds encountered
included several Northern Parulas and
Prothonatory Warblers,
Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, White-breasted
Nuthatch, Eastern Wood-Pewee,
Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher,
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Painted
Bunting, and many
singing Indigo Buntings.
(Most of the common local
woodland residents were also seen.)
Lawrence Duhon
Lewisville, Texas
June 19, 2002 11:00-12:30
Derek, Ryan, & Jack Hill
Ray Robert Lake State Park - Greenbelt (Access Point off US 380 just east of Denton) Mature bottomland hardwood forest along Elm Fork of the Trinity River:
Eastern cottonwood, sycamore, hackberry, American elm, and other species.
link to Trail Map (requires Acrobat Reader)
June 19, 2002 11:00-12:30
Derek, Ryan, & Jack Hill
Ray Robert Lake State Park - Greenbelt (Access Point off US 380 just east of Denton) Mature bottomland hardwood forest along Elm Fork of the Trinity River:
Riparian Forest : Eastern cottonwood, sycamore, hackberry, American elm, and other species.
Yellow-throated Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Summer Tanager - pair with fledglings
Eastern Wood Pewee
Indigo Bunting
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Great Crested Flycatcher
Cattle Egret - numerous overhead with nesting material
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Big Brown Bat - roosting on tree trunk:
Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Red-Spotted Purple, Hackberry Emperor
Neotropical Migrants
Neotropical migratory songbirds passed through the riparian forests
along Spring Creek, Prairie Creek and other streams in North Central
Texas this spring. Some warblers such as Blackburnian, Nashville,
and Yellow seem to prefer native pecans and black willow, while
species such as Canada, Hooded, and Mourning prefer dense
understory. There are probably dozens of undiscovered birding hot
spots in the 120 square mile area of the East Fork of the Trinity
River.
Visit the Texbirds Reference Page at
http://www.moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Birded Prairie Creek Park in Richardson this morning 10:30 - 11:45.
Magnolia
Warbler
Mourning
Warbler
Chestnut-sided
American
Redstart
Ovenbird
Nashville
Wilson's
Yellow
Good
birding,
Derek Hill
Richardson,
TX
Saturday, May 18, 2002
HOODED WARBLER
Birded Prairie Creek Park in Richardson this afternoon
1:25pm-2:40pm.
Highlight
was a female HOODED WARBLER, just north of the footbridge on the
east side
of the creek. Seems very late in the year to have a migrant
Hooded.
Magnolia
Warbler - 1
Chestnut-sided - 2
Blackburnian - 1
Black-and-white - 1
American
Redstart - 6+
Ovenbird -
2
HOODED - 1
Wilson's -
3-4
Good
birding,
Derek Hill
Richardson,
TX
Spring Creek Preserve
Earlier in the day: Orchard Orioles, Dickcissels, Bluebird, Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Red-eyed & White-eyed Vireos.
Saturday, May 11, 2002
Texbirders,
I birded
off and on this morning with
Prairie & Timbers Audubon
at
Prairie
Creek Park in Richardson. From 7:45am-12:45pm we ended up with 16
warbler
species. Highlights were Philadelphia Vireo, Wood and Gray-cheeked
Thrush,
and, of
course, the warbler diversity.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1
Least
Flycatcher - several
Willow/Alder Flycatcher - 2-3
Great
Crested Flycatcher - several
Eastern
Wood-Pewee - 2-3
Philadelphia Vireo - 1
Red-eyed
Vireo - 2
Warbling
Vireo - 1
Blue-headed
Vireo ~ 6
Wood Thrush
- 2
Gray-cheeked Thrush - 2
Swainson's
Thrush - a few
Yellow
Warbler ~ 4
Magnolia -
several
Chestnut-sided - several
Black-throated Green - 1
Bay-breasted - 1
Black-and-white ~ 5-6
American
Redstart ~ 8
Tennessee -
1
Nashville -
2
Orange-crowned - 1
Northern
Parula - 2
Ovenbird -
2
Mourning -
1
Wilson's -
several
Canada - 1
Common
Yellowthroat - several
Painted
Bunting - 1 imm.
Numbers
weren't particularly high but diversity turned out pretty well. No
orioles,
tanagers, or grosbeaks today though.
Good
birding,
Derek Hill
Friday, May 10, 2002
Golden-Winged Warbler
On the
opposite side of Prairie Creek, to the right of the bridge I found
one golden-winged warbler and one gray-cheeked thrush, along with
100+ of other warblers, vireos, and flycatchers this morning..
excellent conditions!
black-and-white warbler
Nashville
Warbler
yellow
warbler
chestnut-sided warbler
magnolia
warbler
Wilson's
warbler
golden-winged warbler
Tennessee
warbler
black-throated green warbler
ovenbird
American
redstart
Baltimore
oriole
eastern
wood-pewee (singing)
alder
flycatcher (singing)
least
flycatcher (singing)
Swainson's
thrush
gray-cheeked thrush
blue-headed
Vireo
warbling
Vireo
red-eyed
Vireo
-Peter
Assmann
Saturday, May 04, 2002
Prairie Creek Park with Audubon Dallas , 08:00-12:00. Highlights included 10 warbler species...compiled by Susan Yost, Audubon Dallas
Summer Tanager {both}
F. Indigo Bunting
Rose breasted Grosbeak {both}
Blue- headed Vireo
Yellow- billed Cuckoo
Great Crested Flycatcher
Cedar Waxwing
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Robin
Blue Jay
Cardinal
Carolina Chickadee {new families} Tufted Titmouse
Northern Mockingbird
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker {excavating nest hole}
Downey Woodpecker Chimney Swift
Purple Martin
Green Heron {fly by}
Great Egret {fly over}
Cattle Egret
Great Blue Heron {with a BIG fish}
|
Mallard
Carolina Wren {heard} Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
American Redstart {both}
Black & White Warbler {both}
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow Warbler {both}
Orange Crowned Warbler
Northern Water Thrush {heard/flash by}
Northern Parula
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Ovenbird
American Crow
Cowbird
Common Grackle
European Starling
House Sparrow
{44 species}
|
Friday, May 03, 2002
Prairie Creek Park early afternoon. Lots of Nashville Warblers, Yellow Warblers, a Tennessee Warbler, Redstart, and a Yellow-throated Vireo which had the distinctive yellow spectacles and bright yellow throat/whitish belly.
Thursday, May 02, 2002
Thanks to the Eagle Scouts clearing out encroaching eastern red cedar on the Maple Ridge portion of Spring Creek Preserve, you can now see a return of prairie plants, including Asclepias asperula (Antelope-Horns), Asclepias viridis (Green Milkweed), and Matelea biflora (Purple Milkweed Vine). Penstemon cobaea (Fox-Glove) are also blooming at their peak here.
Saturday, April 20, 2002.
Nashville Warbler, Orange-Crowned Warbler, Red- and White-Eyed Vireos at Spring Cr. Preserve. Black-Throated Green, Nashville Warblers at Prairie Creek, upstream of Spring Creek Preserve.
Spring Creek Preserve
June 26, 2002
Derek & Jack Hill
Longear Sunfish males guarding their nests in Spring Creek. (Texas Parks & Wildlife web site: "Spawning occurs throughout late spring and early summer. Males scoop nests out of gravel bars. Females are enticed to lay their eggs on a particular nest by a male who swims out to meet her, swimming around her rapidly and displaying his brilliant spawning colors. After the eggs have been laid, males chase the females away and guard the nest vigorously despite their small size, chasing away all intruders. Males may continue to guard the nest for a week or more after hatching, until larvae have dispersed." The males are striking with turquoise fins and orange bodies, making it our most colorful sunfish in Texas. Notes: walk to the Eagle Scout bench on the main trail loop (not the one near the parking lot) and then to the end of the small trail leading to the edge of the creek...here you can observe the "brim beds" and see the males with your binoculars. You may also notice some large carp downstream of the brim beds. A good fish web site is: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/species/lge/lge.htm
Saw an Eastern Kingbird in the field along the trail....possibly nesting in the area.
We accidently found a newly installed geocache in the Preserve. For hints and how to participate in this new sport go to http://www.geocaching.com and type in 75044 for the zip code....Spring Creek Preserve is on this list.
Spring Creek Preserve
June 23, 2002
Fay Danahy reports bullfrogs...there
were 15 very large frogs in and around the deep pool that is across
the sandbar where we have access to the creek from the drain from
the horse barn. And one crayfish.
Ray Robert Lake State Park - Greenbelt (Access Point off US 380 just east of Denton) Mature bottomland hardwood forest along Elm Fork of the Trinity River:
Eastern cottonwood, sycamore, hackberry, American elm, and other species.
link to Trail Map (requires Acrobat Reader)
June 20, 2002 follow up visit by Lawrence Duhon posted on TX Birds:
I
birded the Ray Roberts Greenbelt off of U.S. Highway 380 east of
Denton
this morning. This area was described in detail by Derek Hill
in a post
on June 19.
The best birds of the days were a Pileated Woodpecker
(7:45 A.M.) about
100 yards north of the parking lot and at least two fledgling
Barred Owls
about half a mile north along the bike trail (6:40 A.M.).
I did not hear or see the Yellow-throated Warbler reported by
Derek from
this area 2 days ago.
Other songbirds encountered included several Northern Parulas
and
Prothonatory Warblers, Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos,
White-breasted
Nuthatch, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested
Flycatcher,
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Painted Bunting, and many
singing Indigo Buntings.
(Most of the common local woodland residents were also seen.)
Lawrence Duhon
Lewisville, Texas
June 19, 2002 11:00-12:30
Derek, Ryan, & Jack Hill
click thumbnails to enlarge
Yellow-throated Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Summer Tanager - pair with fledglings
Eastern Wood Pewee
Indigo Bunting
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Great Crested Flycatcher
Cattle Egret - numerous overhead with nesting material
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Big Brown Bat - roosting on tree trunk:
Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Red-Spotted Purple, Hackberry Emperor
Neotropical Migrants
Neotropical migratory songbirds passed through the riparian forests
along Spring Creek, Prairie Creek and other streams in North Central
Texas this spring. Some warblers such as Blackburnian, Nashville,
and Yellow seem to prefer native pecans and black willow, while
species such as Canada, Hooded, and Mourning prefer dense understory.
There are probably dozens of undiscovered birding hot spots in the
120 square mile area of the East Fork of the Trinity River.
Visit the Texbirds Reference Page at
http://www.moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Birded Prairie Creek Park in Richardson this morning 10:30 - 11:45.
Magnolia Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Chestnut-sided
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Nashville
Wilson's
Yellow
Good
birding,
Derek
Hill
Richardson, TX
Saturday, May 18, 2002
HOODED WARBLER
Birded Prairie Creek Park in Richardson this afternoon
1:25pm-2:40pm.
Highlight was a female HOODED WARBLER, just north of the footbridge
on the
east
side of the creek. Seems very late in the year to have a migrant
Hooded.
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Chestnut-sided - 2
Blackburnian - 1
Black-and-white - 1
American Redstart - 6+
Ovenbird - 2
HOODED
- 1
Wilson's - 3-4
Good
birding,
Derek
Hill
Richardson, TX
Spring Creek Preserve
Earlier in the day: Orchard Orioles, Dickcissels, Bluebird, Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Red-eyed & White-eyed Vireos.
Saturday, May 11, 2002
Texbirders,
I
birded off and on this morning with
Prairie & Timbers Audubon
at
Prairie
Creek Park in Richardson. From 7:45am-12:45pm we ended up with 16
warbler
species. Highlights were Philadelphia Vireo, Wood and Gray-cheeked
Thrush,
and, of
course, the warbler diversity.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1
Least
Flycatcher - several
Willow/Alder Flycatcher - 2-3
Great
Crested Flycatcher - several
Eastern
Wood-Pewee - 2-3
Philadelphia Vireo - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Warbling Vireo - 1
Blue-headed Vireo ~ 6
Wood
Thrush - 2
Gray-cheeked Thrush - 2
Swainson's Thrush - a few
Yellow
Warbler ~ 4
Magnolia - several
Chestnut-sided - several
Black-throated Green - 1
Bay-breasted - 1
Black-and-white ~ 5-6
American Redstart ~ 8
Tennessee - 1
Nashville - 2
Orange-crowned - 1
Northern Parula - 2
Ovenbird - 2
Mourning - 1
Wilson's - several
Canada
- 1
Common
Yellowthroat - several
Painted
Bunting - 1 imm.
Numbers
weren't particularly high but diversity turned out pretty well. No
orioles, tanagers, or grosbeaks today though.
Good
birding,
Derek
Hill
Friday, May 10, 2002
Golden-Winged Warbler
On the
opposite side of Prairie Creek, to the right of the bridge I found
one golden-winged warbler and one gray-cheeked thrush, along with
100+ of other warblers, vireos, and flycatchers this morning..
excellent conditions!
black-and-white warbler
Nashville Warbler
yellow
warbler
chestnut-sided warbler
magnolia warbler
Wilson's warbler
golden-winged warbler
Tennessee warbler
black-throated green warbler
ovenbird
American redstart
Baltimore oriole
eastern
wood-pewee (singing)
alder
flycatcher (singing)
least
flycatcher (singing)
Swainson's thrush
gray-cheeked thrush
blue-headed Vireo
warbling Vireo
red-eyed Vireo
-Peter
Assmann
Saturday, May 04, 2002
Prairie Creek Park with Audubon Dallas , 08:00-12:00. Highlights included 10 warbler species...compiled by Susan Yost, Audubon Dallas
Summer Tanager {both}
F. Indigo Bunting
Rose breasted Grosbeak {both}
Blue- headed Vireo
Yellow- billed Cuckoo
Great Crested Flycatcher
Cedar Waxwing
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Robin
Blue Jay
Cardinal
Carolina Chickadee {new families} Tufted Titmouse
Northern Mockingbird
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker {excavating nest hole}
Downey Woodpecker Chimney Swift
Purple Martin
Green Heron {fly by}
Great Egret {fly over}
Cattle Egret
Great Blue Heron {with a BIG fish}
|
Mallard
Carolina Wren {heard} Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
American Redstart {both}
Black & White Warbler {both}
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow Warbler {both}
Orange Crowned Warbler
Northern Water Thrush {heard/flash by}
Northern Parula
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Ovenbird
American Crow
Cowbird
Common Grackle
European Starling
House Sparrow
{44 species}
|
Friday, May 03, 2002
Prairie Creek Park early afternoon. Lots of Nashville Warblers, Yellow Warblers, a Tennessee Warbler, Redstart, and a Yellow-throated Vireo which had the distinctive yellow spectacles and bright yellow throat/whitish belly.
Thursday, May 02, 2002
Thanks to the Eagle Scouts clearing out encroaching eastern red cedar on the Maple Ridge portion of Spring Creek Preserve, you can now see a return of prairie plants, including Asclepias asperula (Antelope-Horns), Asclepias viridis (Green Milkweed), and Matelea biflora (Purple Milkweed Vine). Penstemon cobaea (Fox-Glove) are also blooming at their peak here.
Saturday, April 20, 2002.
Nashville Warbler, Orange-Crowned Warbler, Red- and White-Eyed Vireos at Spring Cr. Preserve. Black-Throated Green, Nashville Warblers at Prairie Creek, upstream of Spring Creek Preserve.