birds – Page 4 – Nature Along the El Camino Real

Forest Walk and Monthly Bird Count

September 14, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall3 Comments

by Sue Ann Kendall

This month’s bird count at the Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary took place on September 14. Ann Collins, Sue Ann Kendall, and Phyllis Shuffield not only looked for birds with their eyes, binoculars, and ears, but they practiced their Merlin Bird ID skills. We identified 25 different birds in the two hours we spent at the sanctuary. Highlights were a juvenile and adult male Eastern Bluebird and a chatty Downy Woodpecker. Merlin identified other new birds, Alder Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, Lark Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, and White-breasted Nuthatch. These are all plausible birds to have around this time of year in Milam County.

*Eastern Bluebird. Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.com*

The group decided to take an informal forest walk in the wooded part of the sanctuary (not an official Shinrin-yoku walk, since we were identifying plants and birds. It’s quite pretty back there, where a creek often flows when it’s wet outside. We found some late wildflowers, such as Marsh Fleabane (Pluchea odorata) and Late Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum). We observed lots of berries for the birds, including many coralberry plants (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus). There was evidence of animals who hang out in the sanctuary, especially deer who had been there very recently judging from the fresh scat and urine.

Ann and Phyllis refilled some of the hummingbird feeders, which were primarily being used by the local honeybees of Bird and Bee Farm and a few butterflies. There are now many feeders, and it appears that the birds (primarily Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice) are eating out of them all. There were dozens of Northern Cardinals flying around, but they were not coming to the feeders.

Since our last visit to the bird sanctuary, the intrepid Gene Rek has put in more raised beds and planted some new shade-loving plants in them, including beautyberry and Turk’s cap. They have drip irrigation to help get them established. The new bird bath is still working great, too. There’s lots of progress being made.

And as a bonus, Sue Ann left with two new Cochin hens! It was a good morning at the Wild Wings sanctuary!

*Cathy the hen is much happier now that she’s in a hen house.*

We made a page that lists all the birds we’ve seen since we started observing here. Please let one of us know if you come out and see a new bird!

Work at the Wildscape and Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary

September 12, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Catherine Johnson

We took another bench to Wild Wings Sanctuary that we secured for $5 from Facebook Marketplace. Note for the future: be prepared to pick up the free or nearly free items the day they are listed.

While at the sanctuary, we saw bees, hummingbirds, and chickadees. Cindy found a new water fountain, as well, and more drip lines have been installed.

Then we worked in the Wildscape to keep improving pathways and seating areas. We are also planning where more native trees will go. The weather is great now.

Small native trees pictured are Texas Kidneywood, Southern Wax Myrtle, and Button bush. The cat is sleeping in Buffalo Grass. Soon to be added are Texas Redbuds and Possumhaws.

Close of Summer

August 31, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

Here are some last photos of August…

A male Painted Bunting, a Rat Snake in the trees, an Inca Dove, Cardinals on feeders, Pipevine Butterfly, Ruby-throat Hummer on feeder, Swallowtail Butterfly, and Mr. and Mrs. Bunny eating the bird seed.

I hope I have made them happy.

Wildscape and Bird Sanctuary Celebration

August 22, 2024August 22, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall2 Comments

by Sue Ann Kendall, with help from many

Last Monday our chapter hosted a welcome celebration! Can you believe our Milam Wildscape is five years old now? Just think of how many hours of volunteer work have gone into making the Wildscape the sanctuary it’s become, and think how many people have been inspired to go home and start their own little wildscape!

*El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist Chapter members at the celebration.*

Twenty-two people attended, as reported by Wildscape founder Catherine Johnson. After food, drinks, and welcome ice cream (it was hot), the attendees met around the fountain at the Wildscape, where they learned inforrmation about the Sturgeon Super Blue Moon that was rising later in the evening.

Those who have worked so hard on the Wildscape received recognition for their amazing contributions to the project, and everyone got goody bags and light-up star necklaces, perfect for the occasion.

Catherine Johnson receiving a certificate of appreciation from Carolyn Henderson, Chapter President.

The next part of the evening focused on our birding station, where its permanent name, Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary, was announced by Ann Collins. I was honored to have one of my suggestions chosen for the name. Ann shared her thoughts, which are reprinted below, and showed off the extensive additions to the site that the Wild Wings team have been creating.

After the dedication of the bird sanctuary, the attendees returned to the Wildscape, visited, and watched the beautiful moon come up.

Thank you to Pamela Neeley, Janice Johnson, and Rosie Johnson, and Linda Burgess for photos.

Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary Dedication Remarks by Ann Collins

Four years ago, Gene Rek, Cindy Rek, and I began exploring the possibiity of creating a bird station at Bird and Bee Farm. Unfortunately, I had a very unscheduled emergency brain surgery. Needless to say, lots of things got put on the back burner! We did choose an absolutely gorgeous spot for the station.

Well, four years passed and we revisited the idea and had another look at the site. then Gene, Mr. Energy, got to work while I fell and broke my wrist, which was another setback for me, but it didn’t stop Gene. Lnda Jo Conn things I arrange my setbacks so othre people will step in to do my work. Maybe so, but folks did get excited and got to work for me!

Gene made a road to the site, ran a water line for a water source, built a fence, mowed, set up raised beds for native plants, and all sorts of other things that I couldn’t have done anyway! Catherine Johnson searched tirelessly online for benches for lounging while birding, and she found the most adorable vintage bench, rocker, and table. She got them cleaned up and installed. Thank goodness they are somewhat hidden away or I fear they might be stolen, they are that cute! And we got a birdbath “pilfered” from Rose’s garden (named after Gene’s mom), which is a favorite target of the cows, who knock it over.

Suna Kendall contributed a couple of bird feeders and has spent quite a bit of time canvassing the birds. She’s a kind of a computer nerd and knows her way around them. I’m more of a luddite myself, but I greatly admire her skill. She is putting a bird list on our blog for each month. Check it out, and check out our new web page chronicalling our activities!

(You are welcome to share any cool birds you observe – Suna)

Birding at the Bird Station

August 10, 2024 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall4 Comments

By Sue Ann Kendall

I’d promised myself that I’d make another visit to the bird station our chapter is working on to see what birds are there this time of year. Even though I wasn’t feeling too well, I figured I could sit in the shade for an hour, so off I went to the special area behind Bird and Bee Farm near Milano, home of our Wildscape project (and chickens and turkeys!)

Rio Grande Turkeys and the Wildscape entrance.

There have been some improvements to the site, as Cathy Johnson posted earlier this week. I enjoyed checking out the new raised beds, charming seating, and a beautiful birdbath watered by a tinkling rain chain.

Last time I visited was three weeks ago, when I identified eleven birds. This week I found seventeen! When you sit quietly, the birds forget about you and go about their business catching bugs and picking delicious morsels off the cedar elms.

I got to see Northern Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Eastern Bluebirds, and precious Blue-gray gnatcatchers feeding themselves. Not seen, but very well heard were a Swainson’s and Red-tailed Hawk. Other hidden friends were Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Blue Jay.

Two juveniles surprised me. One was a young Cardinal who landed very. Eat me and proceeded to find multiple morsels to eat.

Watch it chow down.

You can tell it’s a juvenile by its black beak. It’s growing in adult feathers, so doesn’t look too great.

The other juvenile was a real puzzle. It was enjoying the water chain and easy to photograph, but I couldn’t ID it. It had pretty eyes but not many markings. I ran my photos through Merlin Bird ID and it got no results. But when I tried iNaturalist, the result came up Painted Bunting. It didn’t look like the female, who is rather green, but as I paged through the pictures, I saw the juvenile. Bingo! It has the wing and beak markings I saw, and the same eye ring. So, there we go. I didn’t see or hear any adults

Here are today’s birds:

American Crow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Painted Bunting
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-tailed Hawk
Rock Pigeon
Swainson’s Hawk
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Of course I checked out the plants, so that if I get the area declared an official spot on iNaturalist, the observations can go there. A few were really pretty, especially the berries.