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| Annie Wagner's drawing of the Least Grebe |
Mosquitoes were not the anticipated problem and the only rain was a brief shower at the start of the 9 a.m. event.
Minnette Marr led the plant walk as the youngsters recorded their observations on iNaturalist and took photos. Mostly of wildflowers but many other discoveries including a goodly number of insects and even a frog or two.
There was no reason to get hungry as Adam Salcedo led the edible plant walk and talked about the many tasty plants growing along the path. Some hikers indulged in taking a taste.
The birding list is below and recorded on eBird, checklist S29831595.
The iNaturalist observations were recorded under the Texas Geo Project.
The morning event left time for everyone to continue their journey or head out for weekend chores.
-- LJ (Photos on our Facebook page)
Bird Observations
Ringtail Ridge, Hays, Texas, US May 21, 2016 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM Protocol: Traveling 2.5 mile(s) Comments: Bio blitz for San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance 44 species (+1 other taxa) Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Least Grebe 2 2 adult birds located within a little pond known on the map as "Blood Pit" Seen well through a scope by all individuals. Initially spotted by a 10 year old girl on my walk named Annie, as," there are two small birds on the water"! Put digital camera on scope and took some pictures that are identifiable but not beautiful! Waiting for them to be e-mailed to me.The kids loved seeing the small size and yellow eyes!! Great Egret 2 Flew over Green Heron 3 Black Vulture X Turkey Vulture X Red-tailed Hawk 1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 1 Flew over White-winged Dove X Mourning Dove X Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Chimney Swift 4 Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 Crested Caracara 1 Empidonax sp. 1 Seen very briefly. Had white eye ring and wing bars and that is all the detail that could be seen Eastern Phoebe X Ash-throated Flycatcher 2 Western Kingbird 3 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 4 White-eyed Vireo 3 American Crow 2 Common Raven 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow X Purple Martin X Barn Swallow X Cliff Swallow X Cave Swallow X Carolina Chickadee X Black-crested Titmouse X Verdin 2 Calling Carolina Wren X Bewick's Wren X Northern Mockingbird X European Starling X Cedar Waxwing 14 Mourning Warbler 1 heard only one but could not see him Yellow Warbler 1 beautiful singing male seen by all the kids Summer Tanager X Northern Cardinal X Painted Bunting X several singing males, one of them a "first year" male Great-tailed Grackle X Brown-headed Cowbird X House Finch X Lesser Goldfinch X House Sparrow X from nearby apartment complex
