Any great trip requires an even better group. During the TOS Pineywoods field trip from 2/23-2/24/02, I was happy to have a group that was energetic and excited. They listened well to directions, asked insightful questions, and were darn good birders. This is always nice for the leaders (it's a lot easier on us)! TOS birders are some of the best people and birdwatchers you will ever meet.
As you may have gathered from above, the trip was complete success. In fact, it would be harder to imagine it being any better. From the beautiful weather (clear skies and sunny) to the amazing scope looks of Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman's Sparrow, and Henslow's Sparrow this was a trip not to be missed.
We started the trip on a cool, Saturday morning at Lewis's farm (just south of Nacogdoches, TX) a spot that has been reliable for Henslow's Sparrow in the past. It was not long before we had flushed our first sparrow that appeared to be of the Ammodramus genus. We quickly worked to get the bird perched in a small shrub and were treated for 15 minutes to a beautiful Henslow Sparrow. The bird literally filled the scope and every feather detail could be analyzed. After everyone had enjoyed the views, the group was able to flush yet another Henslow's sparrow (break out the scopes again!). Though this bird was in slightly drabber plumage it was still a great study and comparison to the first bird. A large stand of Loblolly pines was nearby and we were able to stir up a few Brown-headed Nuthatches. These little "rubber-duckies" are always fun to listen to and watch. After leaving Lewis's farm we proceeded to the Angelina River bottoms where we found Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, several Hairy Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Blue-headed Vireo, and Pine Warblers, to name a few. We had a break for lunch and then were on our way to the Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Our first stop at Ralph McAllister Park proved to be uneventful with distant looks at Canvasbacks and Lesser Scaup. However, our second stop at the TX 147 bridge allowed for intimate looks at Canvasbacks, Lesser Scaup, a female Ring-necked Duck, American Coots, Ring-billed Gull, and a Northern Harrier working the grassy islands. A distant Common Loon was spotted. About an hour before dusk we headed to Bannister Wildlife Management Area in the Angelina National Forest in hopes of seeing Red-cockaded Woodpeckers coming in to roost for the evening. This bird in the past has been difficult to see well; the lighting around dusk is not great and the birds enter their cavity very quickly. The birds were heard almost immediately in the distance, but had not worked close to the cavity trees yet. Within 30 minutes though the birds were foraging around the cavity trees and everyone had great looks. Scopes were trained on the cavity holes and we watched in amazement as, just like that, the birds disappeared for the evening. What a great way to end the day!
On Sunday, the group drove to Boykins Spring in the Angelina National Forest to search for Bachman's Sparrow. I must admit that I was not overly concerned about finding Bachman's Sparrow. Though it is still early to find them singing, on previous occasions Mimi and I have been able to locate one in a short amount of time. Maybe it was the cool morning, but it took a few hours before we saw two birds flush and heard a third bird singing in a small evergreen. As we searched frantically for the singing bird, Mimi says, "Oh, I see it. It's right there!" The bird was only 6 meters in front of us on an exposed limb. The sparrow was studied through several scopes for a few minutes before it dropped out of sight. Mission accomplished: all four East Texas specialties seen in just two days and EIGHT species of woodpeckers. Only in East Texas can you find this kind of birding and I look forward to seeing you on next year's trip.
** Number of species seen is noted ( ) where noteworthy. Taxonomic order follows that of the A.O.U. 7th edition checklist. H=heard.
Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Wood Duck, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Wild Turkey (a single bird at Boykins Spring on 2/24), American Coot, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, Forster's Tern, Rock Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove (1), Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner (one bird seen at the Angelina River bottoms), Eastern Screech-Owl (1, H), Belted Kingfisher, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-cockaded Woodpecker (3+), Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler, Bachman's Sparrow (3), Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow (3), LeConte's Sparrow (1), White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, meadowlark sp., Common Grackle, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow. (Total Species: 70)