Northeast Texas Bird Report - March 2016

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).

A Northern Bobwhite was reported from Jefferson in Marion county on 3/6 (ebird LBe).  A dozen Wild Turkeys were noted from Lamar county on 3/4 (ebird SG), and one Wild Turkey was found on 3/18 in Cherokee county (ebird CW).  The sole Anhinga reported came from Henderson county on 3/26 (ebird DL).  The first Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons reported outside of RC WMA for the year came from Wood county on 3/28 (ebird BS). Cattle Egrets were noted more commonly starting on 3/25 in Upshur county when 30 were noted (ebird LP).  The first Green Heron was noted at Pleasant Acres Lake on 3/18 (ebird MB).  The first Yellow-crowned Night-Heronwas also found at Pleasant Acres Lake on 3/30 (ebird MB).  The only White-faced Ibis were noted from RC WMA in Freestone with a max of 70 noted on 3/25 (ebird AT).  Surprisingly to me, the only two Ospreys were reported from Lake Tyler in Smith county on 3/28 (ebird BSa).  

When I first came to NE Texas - decades ago - we had a Bald Eagle that would show up at the plant where I worked in Lone Star on the first week of November and it would leave after the first week of March.  And if I ever saw aBald Eagle outside that November-to-early-March window it was a big, big, big deal.  This year, there were numerous records of Bald Eagles after the first week of March... Times, they do change.  The first three Broad-winged Hawks were noted in Camp county on 3/14 (ebird JH).

A Virginia Rail was noted at Bellwood Lake in Smith county on 3/20 (ebird EV).  Common Gallinules were reported from the Ferndale Club in Camp county on 3/14 (ebird JH), and in Mineola in Wood county on 3/28 (ebird BS).  For the 3rd month in a row Sandhill Cranes were tallied in the NETFO area with 16 noted at Pat Mayse Lake in Lamar county on 3/4 (ebird SG).  Black-necked Stilts were reported from RC WMA in Freestone county with a max of 12 noted on 3/22 (ebird CW).  The first two American Golden-Plovers were found near Pittsburg in Camp county on 3/26 (JC et al).  Two Spotted Sandpipers were reported from Lake Bob Sandlin in Titus county on 3/11 (DB,LB), while another Spotted Sandpiper was reported from Upshur county on 3/29 (ebird TH).  A Solitary Sandpiper was photographed in Upshur county on 3/26 (ebird LP).  Lesser Yellowlegs were noted in two counties with a max of five noted at RC WMA in Freestone county on 3/4 (ebird GK).  The only sighting of Long-billed Dowitchers came from RC WMA in Freestone county where 50 were noted on 3/4 (ebird GK).  Reported from ten counties, the max of 40 Wilson’s Snipe were tallied in Marion county on 3/3 (ebird MW).  Reported from five different counties, the eastern-most White-winged Dove came from Daingerfield City Park in Morris county on 3/16 (DB,LB).

Chimney Swifts were first reported from the Caldwell Zoo (ebird RQ) and at Lake Gladewater (ebird LP) in Upshur county, both on 3/18.  The first Ruby-throated Hummingbird was reported on 3/24 in Gregg county (ebird WB).  The first Common Nighthawk was reported from Van Zandt county on 3/6 (ebird LBe).  Reported from seven counties, the farthest-east record of Crested Caracara came from Mt. Pleasant airport in Titus county on 3/26 (PB et al).  The Vermilion Flycatcher found last fall in Morris county made it to 3/10 (BF).  The first Great Crested Flycatcher came on 3/21 from Van Zandt county (ebird DO).  The first Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was noted on 3/22 from RC WMA in Freestone (ebird CW).  The earliest Yellow-throated Vireo reported came on 3/26 in Smith county (ebird EV).  Two Horned Larks were noted at Mt. Pleasant airport on 3/26 (DB et al); while one Horned Lark was found in Franklin county on the same date 3/26 (DB et al).  The first two Northern Rough-winged Swallows were observed at Lake Gilmer on 3/5 (DB,LB).  The first two Barn Swallows of the season were observed in Henderson county on 3/6 (ebird EV).  The first 100 Cliff Swallows were tallied at Lake Palestine in Henderson county on 3/6 (ebird EV).  A Sedge Wren was found in Morris county on 3/12 (DB,LB).  Two Marsh Wrens were located at Bellwood Lake in Smith county on 3/20 (ebird EV).  A Bewick’s Wren was found in Cherokee county on 3/1 (ebird LW), and another Bewick’s Wren was located in Upshur county on 3/5 (DB,LB).  

The first three Blue-gray Gnatcatchers of the spring were found at Tyler State Park on 3/19 (ebird BS).  The only Sprague’s Pipit report came from RC WMA in Freestone county on 3/22 (ebird CW).  One of the few reported in Texas during the month, an Ovenbird was reported from Henderson county on 3/14 (ebird LBe).  The first of the season Black-and-White Warbler was noted in Morris county on 3/12 (DB,LB).  The first Hooded Warbler was “recorded” in Upshur county on 3/26 (ebird LP).  The first report of Northern Parula comes from Upshur county on 3/25 (ebird LP).  The first Yellow-throated Warbler noted came a little early, observed on 3/7 in Harrison county (ebird BT).  Noted in two counties, the first Black-throated Green Warbler was tallied on 3/25 at Tyler State Park (ebird BS).  

Two Grasshopper Sparrows were recorded on consecutive dates at Lake Bob Sandlin State Park on 3/16 and 3/17 (ebird MO).  The first of the season Lark Sparrow was reported in Bowie county on 3/25 (DB,LB).  The only twoSpotted Towhees in the area were reported from Cooper Lake State Park in Hopkins county on 3/25 (ebird LD).  A Purple Finch was reported from Cooper Lake State Park in Hopkins county on 3/4 (ebird SG).  Pine Siskinswere reported from five counties with a peak of 38 in Rusk county on 3/3 (ebird PH).

Locations and Counties:

Bowie Co.:

Camp Co.:  Ferndale Club, Pittsburg

Cherokee Co.: 

Franklin Co.:  

Freestone Co.:  RC WMA - Richland Creek WMA

Gregg Co.: 

Harrison Co.:

Henderson Co.: Lake Palestine

Hopkins Co.: Cooper Lake State Park

Hunt Co.:

Lamar Co.:  Pat Mayes Lake

Marion Co.:  Lake O Pines, Jefferson

Morris Co.: Daingerfield, Daingerfield City Park

Rusk Co.: 

Smith Co.:  Pleasant Acres Lake, Bellwood Lake, Tyler State Park, Lake Tyler, Caldwell Zoo

Titus Co.:  Lake Bob Sandlin, Lake Bob Sandlin State Park, Mt. Pleasant Airport

Upshur Co.: Lake Gladewater, Lake Gilmer

Van Zandt Co.:

Wood Co.: Mineola