TOWN Birding Hike Included Drama

  The Texas Outdoor Woman Network - San Marcos group hiked Spring Lake Natural Area on Saturday, November 14th. They were led by Wimberley resident, Jesse Huth, recently graduated from Texas A&M with his master's degree. Jesse has been birding for more than 10 years and was featured on the Texas Parks & Wildlife television program.
  Without including Spring Lake itself with its collection of aquatic birds the group managed to see 31 different species including a pyrrhuloxia, similar to a cardinal but usually found further west. The drama came as the chatter increased among the birds and a Great Horned Owl flew overhead toward the city. Two Red-shouldered Hawks increased the drama with their calls and eventual flight out of a large live oak tree. The small birds resumed their forage as we watched two different groups fly from tree to tree in the understory.
   While some trails were still muddy the group managed to hike Buckeye, Blue Stem, Porcupine, Roadrunner and Skink Link trails.-LJ

TOWN members scan the tops of the trees for the elusive birds.

1	Great Blue Heron
10	Black Vulture
20	Turkey Vulture
2	Red-shouldered Hawk
2	Killdeer
10	Mourning Dove
1	Great Horned Owl
1	Ladder-backed Woodpecker
1	Northern Flicker
3	Crested Caracara
5	Eastern Phoebe
1	Blue-headed Vireo
3	Blue Jay
4	American Crow
4	Carolina Chickadee
8	Black-crested Titmouse
4	Carolina Wren
3	Bewick's Wren
5	Golden-crowned Kinglet
50	Ruby-crowned Kinglet
10	Hermit Thrush
25	American Robin
4	Northern Mockingbird
1	European Starling
20	Cedar Waxwing
5	Orange-crowned Warbler
5	Field Sparrow
25	Northern Cardinal
1	Pyrrhuloxia 29.9035, -97.9396
4	Great-tailed Grackle
15	House Finch