Monthly bird walk April 2017

American coot by Colton Robbins

  Spring Lake natural area and the Lime Kiln trail head was the destination for this month's bird walk. 19 birders viewed 22 different species of birds in the mostly wooded section of the natural area. A small stock pond provided refuge for an American coot that swam across the surface of the water.
 
We journeyed up the hill to the highest point in the 251-acre preserve. An inch-and-a-half of rain earlier in the week left parts of the trail in mud and precluded walking out to the Blue stem trail.
Many of the bird sightings were overhead, in flight as birds in the trees were not as active.
  The monthly birding hikes are sponsored by the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance and ably led by Stephen Ramirez and Colton Robbins. Previous months bird lists are on eBird.  --LJ

At the highest point in the Spring Lake natural area.

San Marcos- Spring Lake Preserve, Hays, Texas, US
Apr 1, 2017 7:32 AM - 8:48 AM
Protocol: Traveling  19
0.75 mile(s)
22 species

Pied-billed Grebe  1
Great Blue Heron  1
Cattle Egret  7
Black Vulture  2
Turkey Vulture  3
American Coot  1
White-winged Dove  2
Mourning Dove  1
Chimney Swift  1
Black-chinned Hummingbird  2
Crested Caracara  1
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  1
White-eyed Vireo  2
Carolina Chickadee  1
House Wren  2
Carolina Wren  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Northern Cardinal  6
Great-tailed Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
Lesser Goldfinch  1

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35662996