Uvalde CBC - 12/21

Uvalde is a wrap but there are still many opportunities to join in the fun !

12/28 Garner State Park (new this year)

12/30 West Kerr

1/2 Boerne

1/4 Love Creek

TBD Kerrville (tentatively 1/3)

For details on each of the above and all counts across TX

https://houstonaudubon.org/programs/birding/christmas-bird-counts/central-texas.html

History of the Counts

https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/history-christmas-bird-count

Our fearless 4-some came up with 52 species at Cook's Slough - an impressive number considering we had so many misses including not a single dove, hawk or roadrunner. Many common sparrows such as Lark, White-crowned and Cook's specialties (Verdin, Green Jay and Audubon's oriole) refused to stand up and be counted. What we lacked in all of these, Great Kiskadees made up for it in spades. Really, we tallied almost 20 ! At one time, 6 were seen at once!

https://ebird.org/checklist/S206299538

Thank you Rose for leading this count and Jeff for keeping the e-Bird list

Great Kiskadee, Anhinga

and Ringed Kingfisher

All the juicy details -

Cook's Slough Sanctuary (HOTW 025), Uvalde, Texas, US

Dec 21, 2024 7:51 AM - 3:00 P - 4.92 miles

Clear sky

Temperature: 51 - 69°F

Wind: Light breeze - gentle breeze

Wind Direction: N - E

Cloud Cover: 0%

Humidity: 32 - 39%

51 species (+1 other taxa)

• Greater White-fronted Goose 5

• Gadwall 15

• Green-winged Teal

• American Coot 6

• Sandhill Crane 3

• Killdeer 7

• Least Grebe 1

• Anhinga 2

• Double-crested Cormorant 36

• Black-crowned Night Heron 3

• Great Egret 11

• Great Blue Heron 8

• American White Pelican 26

• Black Vulture 105

• Osprey 1

• Ringed Kingfisher 3

• Belted Kingfisher 2

• Green Kingfisher 3

• Golden-fronted Woodpecker 9

• Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3

• Crested Caracara 6

• American Kestrel 1

• Eastern Phoebe 6

• Say's Phoebe 1

• Vermilion Flycatcher 4

• Great Kiskadee 19 All day CBC count. We had 6 in one tree. Saw them throughout the walk

• Couch's Kingbird 1

• Common Raven 4

• Black-crested Titmouse 2

• swallow sp. 1 Most likely cave or cliff with mostly white underside

• Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8

• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3

• Carolina Wren 1

• Bewick's Wren 3

• Marsh Wren 1

• European Starling 4

• Gray Catbird 1

• Long-billed Thrasher 2

• Northern Mockingbird 4

• American Pipit 1

• Lesser Goldfinch 2

• Chipping Sparrow 1

• Black-throated Sparrow 1

• Vesper Sparrow 1

• Song Sparrow 4

• Lincoln's Sparrow 1

• Western Meadowlark 65

• Brown-headed Cowbird 48 Large flocks of females. One single male seen later in day.

• Great-tailed Grackle 41

• Orange-crowned Warbler 1

• Yellow-rumped Warbler 24

• Northern Cardinal 21

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S206299538

The clouds put on a show for us !

Birding in Uvalde is a treat YEAR-ROUND !

Take advantage of our seasonal discount and this year's unseasonably warm temperature to find a unique collection of birds not seen in the adjacent TX Hill Country. There is plenty to keep you busy all day on our Uvalde tour or choose a half-day if that better suits you. That's what 'custom' means after all.