Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Nesting Bald Eagles at Lake Waco

Photograph by Bryan Stone


For the last several years Lake Waco has been visited by at least one pair of Bald Eagles. These Eagles were discovered at Lacey Point on the western side of Lake Waco and photographed Oct 19, 2008. There has never been a recording of nesting by Bald Eagles in this county. This pair seems to be building a structure that may well turn out to be a nest. If they do, then this would be a record for McLennan County.

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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Fall Report


Photograph by Bill Ravenscroft


As the day presses on during the past week, the few sightings of hummers at the feeders have come to a halt. However, noticeable are different birds visiting the water bath and surrounding cover of the bushes in my back yard as well as the high branches of the oaks above. For the past two days, three or four Ruby Crowned Kinglets have visited, flitting back and forth between the Rose-A-Sharon and the Oaks. They have been accompanied by six to eight Nashville Warblers. The Nashvilles were particularly interested in the water bath gathering at least three at a time and affording me a good look at their white eye ring, gray head, and yellow throat. Yesterday evening, there were other warblers high in the oaks. However, before I could acquire my binoculars and focus on these birds, they were off. Scratching about the under growth has been a Brown Thrasher.

Steady are the constant companions, the Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Carolina Wrens. A female Downy also frequents the peanut feeder. Not seen in a while are the Red Bellied Woodpeckers. They are heard about the neighborhood, however. Tough Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers have not yet been seen in the yard, I have seen one in the park.

My good friend has a different visitor. Since Tuesday, this Red Shouldered Hawk visits early in the morning in his yard. The smaller birds do not show for four or five hours afterwards. Oh well, one must be appreciative of whatever gift comes along.

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Fall Migrants



Migration has begun. These warblers were photographed in the area around Lake Waco by photographer Bill Ravenscroft. The above is a Nashville Warbler. Below is a Yellow Warbler.


A Brown Thrasher was spotted tooling around under my Rose-A-Sharon near the waterbath. I fumbled trying to get a picture and did not succeed. Most of the hummers have departed, although I have one to three still visiting my feeder and the few remaining flowers.

We are experiencing cool mornings and mild, pleasant afternoons,--perfect conditions for some great fall birding.

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