East Texas Naturalist Blog

Northeast Texas Bird Report  - April 2016

This is the NETFO bird report for April.    Highlights include two Swallow-tailed Kites, a White-tailed Kite, a Pacific Loon, a Cinnamon Teal,  Hudsonian Godwits, Wild Turkeys, and Bobolinks.  Thanks to all who birded and sent in their results and thanks again to Luanne for everything.

Found in six counties, the peak of 20 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were found at Cedar Creek Reservoir in Henderson county on 4/17 (ebird MS).  A single Ross’s Goose was reported from a new location in Quitman in Wood county on 4/2 (ebird TK), while the “normal” one in Rains county was tallied on 4/23 (ebird BC,GC,SG).  A Cinnamon Teal was recorded at RC WMA in Freestone county on 4/17 (ebird DC,DL).  Five Red-breasted Mergansers were tallied at LTW in Van Zandt county on 4/12 (ebird RK).

This is the NETFO bird report for March.  Highlights include a Vermilion Flycatcher, Wild Turkeys, an Ovenbird and Sandhill Cranes again.  Thanks to all who birded and sent in their results and thanks again to Luanne for everything.

The first Black-bellied Whistling Ducks of the spring were found on 3/12 when 15 showed up in Daingerfield (DB,LB,BF).  A large group of 75 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were photographed at dusk in Hunt county on 3/25 (ebird LD).  The pair of Ross’s Geese were tallied once again at Lake Bob Sandlin in Titus county on several dates (m.ob).  Canada Geese reported from nine counties, with a max of 12 noted in Henderson county on 3/13 (ebird DC,DL).  Two Cinnamon Teal reported from RC WMA in Freestone on 3/3 (ebird TS).  The only Northern Pintail reported from the area came from Lake Bob Sandlin State Park in Titus county on 3/16 (ebird MO).  The sole seven Hooded Mergansers reported for the area came from a pond near Pittsburgh in Camp county on 3/25 (DB et al).  The only Red-breasted Merganser reported was a beautiful male photographed on 3/13 at Lake O Pines in Marion county (ebird MW).

This is the NETFO bird report for February.  A Vermilion Flycatcher, a Painted Bunting, Sandhill Cranes and an American Bittern top this month’s highlights.  Thanks to all who birded and sent in their results and thanks again to Luanne for everything.

Greater White-fronted Geese were restricted to RC WMA in Freestone county with a max of 25 photographed on 2/14 (ebird MS).  Noted in six counties the max of 200 Snow Geese were tallied in Bonham in Fannin county on 2/13 (ebird ML).  The single Ross’s Goose at Lake Bob Sandlin that has been there for a long, long, long time, has a friend!  I believe it was three winters ago when this happened before, so for now they are a pair (DB,LB).   The only other report of Ross’s Geese came from Bonham where 50 were tallied on 2/13 (ebird ML).  Found in 13 counties, the peak of 120 Canada Geese were tallied in Fannin county flying north on 2/12 (ebird HL).