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Selected Bird Reports, May 2001

The most exciting happening this month is the appearance of a GREEN VIOLET-EARED HUMMINGBIRD at the home of Ernest Jasek on Old Wiederstein Rd, Cibolo, Guadalupe County. The bird was first reported to SAAS tape at 11:45 AM on May 9. Richard Sims was asked to confirm the bird since he was free to go and lived the closest. He and Mike Sims went out that afternoon. When it had been confirmed, the word went out on SATXbirds and TEXBIRDS and our phone chain. Many of our birders made it over to see the bird before it left the next day. Mr. Jasek was a delightful host.

The habitat hardly meets that usually described for this bird. Don Schaezler describes it: "The one Green Violetear near us (NW Guadalupe Co.) is not here for limestone canyons and hills. We are about 3 miles down dip of the Balcones Escarpment and farther than that from any canyons. We have slightly rolling hills with dark clay/caliche soil and live oak/cedar elm/persimmon/brush vegetation. We and our neighbors have an island of woods of 100 acres or so surrounded by fields cleared for agriculture (many fields now reverting to brush and on the edge of developments). I do keep a record of which flowers (and trees) are blooming, if that is a factor."

Mini-fallouts of WA around the showers and sprinklers kept watchers busily posting their sightings all month.

ABBREVIATIONS -- WA for warbler, FC for flycatcher, and WP for woodpecker.

1--Norland Ave (TC): first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the season

1--358 Sandalwood (JM): 1 Yellow-breasted Chat

1--Pike Rd (KB): pair Brown-crested FCs

1--Old Wiederstein Rd, Cibolo (SS): Blue-headed Vireo, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, 4 Black-throated Green, 10 Nashville WA, Painted Bunting

1--Avenue A (MC): 5 Wood Ducks, Black-chinned Hummingbird on nest, 1 Downy WP, 1 Least FC, 1 Western Kingbird, 8 Purple Martin, 2 Blue Jay, 2 Swainson's Thrush, 1 American Robin, 14 Cedar Waxwings, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Bay-breasted, Black-and-White WA, 3 Painted Buntings, 1 Orchard Oriole

2--358 Sandalwood (JM): 1 Gray Catbird

2--Fischer Rd at I-35 south (JF): Painted Bunting

2--Avenue A (KB): Wood Thrush, 2 Swainson's Thrush, 2 Painted Bunting, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Dickcissel

2--Old Wiederstein Rd (SS): Black-headed Grosbeak (rare on checklist), Indigo and Painted Bunting

2--410 at Babcock Rd (LL): Swainson's Hawk

3--Oakwell Farms (SH): Nashville WA, Yellow-billed Cuckoo

3--358 Sandalwood (JM): 1 Common Yellowthroat

3--Mitchell Lake (MC): 4 Yellow-headed Blackbirds, 10 DC and 3 Neotropic Cormorant, 3 LB Heron, 2 Mottled Duck, 20 N. Shoveler, 60 BW Teal, 14 Lesser Scaup, 32 Ruddy Duck, 2 N. Harrier, 6 BN Stilt, 40+ Scissor-tails, 1 Verdin, 1 Yellow WA, 1 Pyrrhuloxia, 1 Indigo and 2 Painted Bunting, 30+ Dickcissel, 30+ Clay-colored, 1 Lincoln's, and 1 White-crowned Sparrow, 2 Bronzed Cowbird, 4 Orchard and 2 Bullock's Orioles, 2 House Finch

3--Hillside Peak (LL): +/- 50 Mississippi Kites

4--Oakwell Farms (SH): 1 Gray Catbird, 1 Yellow WA

4--Avenue A (GL): 3 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 2 Baltimore Orioles, Summer Tanager, Great-crested FC, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Painted Bunting

4--Avenue A (GS): 1 Hummingbird sp., Least FC, Orchard Oriole, Gray Catbird, 1 Golden-winged, 4 Yellow, 1 Magnolia, 2 Myrtle, 2 Black-throated Green WA, 1 C. Yellowthroat, 1 Am. Redstart, 1 Robin, 1 Baltimore Oriole, 1 Summer Tanager, 1 American Goldfinch, 30 Mississippi Kite, 20 Franklin's Gulls

4--Avenue A (KB):1 Prothonotary, 4 Black-throated Green, 1 Black-and-White, 5 Tennessee, Blackburnian, 2 Magnolia, 3 Myrtle, 10 Nashville, 4 Yellow, and 1 Wilson's WA, YB Chat, 1 Northern Waterthrush, 3 C. Yellowthroat, 1 Blue Grosbeak, 3 Dickcissel, 2 Am. Redstart, 2 Indigo and 6 Painted Bunting, 6 Orchard and 3 Baltimore Orioles, 4 Summer Tanager, 20 Least FC, 3 Empid FC, 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee, 30 Franklin's Gull

5--Live Oak City Park (RC): 1 Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Wilson's, Yellow, Black-throated Green, Orange-crowned, Chestnut-sided, Nashville WA, 1 Am. Redstart, C. Yellowthroat, Swainson's Thrush, Gray Catbird, YB Chat. White-eyed Vireo, Dickcissel, Clay-colored and Lincoln's Sparrows, Orchard Oriole, Red-shouldered Hawk, 1 Great-crested FC, many Empidonax species, House Wren, 1 Macgillivray's WA, Indigo and Painted Buntings, Wood Thrush

5--Hillside Peak (LL): Black-billed Cuckoo

5--Avenue A (GL): 1 Ovenbird, 1 Warbling Vireo, Magnolia, Black-throated Green, Tennessee, Yellow, and Nashville WA

5--Mitchell Lake (BW): 260 Wilson's Phalarope, YB Cuckoo, 1 N. Harrier, 3 White-faced Ibis, 67 Ruddy Duck, 1 Black-necked Stilt, 11 Western Kingbird, 6 Eastern Kingbird, 20 Scissor-tailed FC, 1 Painted Bunting, 47 Dickcissel, 1 Yellow and 1 Yellow-rumped WA, 1 Clay-colored, 3 Vesper, 1 Grasshopper Sparrow, 1 Bullock's Oriole

5--Spacious Sky St (RN): Common Nighthawk, nesting Barn Swallows

6--Belle Grove St (JH): 6 Mississippi Kites

6--Trinity University (JH) : Common Nighthawk

6--Sea World (GL): 5 Mississippi Kites

6--Avenue A (MC): WA: 2 Tennessee, 4 Orange-crowned, 10 Nashville, 8 Yellow, 3 Chestnut-sided, 6 Magnolia, 12 Black-throated Green, 2 Blackburnian, 2 Bay-breasted, Vireos: Red-eyed, and Blue-headed, 1 American Robin, 2 Blue Jays, 2 Barred Owl, 1 Chipping Sparrow, 1 Baltimore and 1 Bullock's Oriole, 1 Summer Tanager

6--Camp Bullis (MS): singing Swainson's Thrush, plus Nashville, Magnolia, Black-and-White, Yellow, Black-throated Green, and Golden-cheeked WA, 2 Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, Painted Buntings and Blue Grosbeaks

6--Acequia Trail, Espada Dam (MS): Wood Thrush

7--Encino Park (GL): 1 Great Horned Owl, 6 C. NightHawk

7--Botanical Garden (GL) Yellow, Magnolia, Wilson's, Chestnut-sided, Black-and-White WA, White-eyed Vireo, 3 YB Cuckoo, Gray Catbird, Lesser Goldfinch, Green Heron, Black-chinned Hummingbird

7--Trinity Univ. (JH): White-eyed Vireo and Magnolia WA

8--Encino Loop (GL): 1 Bobwhite heard

8--Avenue A (KB): 3 Black-throated Green, 1 Yellow, 1 Chestnut-sided, 1 Magnolia, 1 Nashville WA, 1 Red-eyed and 1 Warbling Vireo, 3 Orchard and 1 Baltimore Oriole, 1 Summer Tanager, 1 Least FC, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Cedar Waxwings

8--358 Sandalwood (JM): Gray Catbird, 1 female Bay-breasted WA, Male American Redstart

9--Woodlawn Lake (CBA): 3 Green Heron, 1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, 1 Great Egret, 1 Common Moorhen.

9-10--Old Wiederstein Rd, Cibolo, Guadalupe Co: GREEN VIOLET-EARED HUMMINGBIRD, Ernest Jasek. Confirmed by Richard and Mike Sims. Seen also by Susan and Don Schaezler (includes photo), RG, Noreen Jasek Baker, KB, JH, WS, SD, GL, Daniel Peak, RC, Eric Brierley, BD, MC.

10--358 Sandalwood (JM): Catbird, Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Ovenbird

10--Avenue A (BD): Bay-breasted, Chestnut-sided, Yellow, Black-throated Green, Tennessee, Nashville, Black-and- White, and Blue-winged WA, Willow and Least FCs

10--Rio Medina, NE Medina Co. (JMc): Lazuli Bunting, Black-capped and White-eyed Vireos, Bay-breasted, Wilson's, Nashville, Orange-crowned, Black-throated Green WA

11--Encino Loop (GL): Canada WA

11--358 Sandalwood (JM): 2 Gray Catbird, 1 female American Redstart

11--Avenue A (KB): 1 male Blackpoll, Black-throated Green WA, and Am. Redstart

11--Spacious Sky (RN): 2 Curved-billed Thrashers

11--Old Wiederstein Rd (SS): Chestnut-sided, Wilson's, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Mourning, Nashville, and Yellow WA, Philadelphia and White-eyed Vireo, Hermit Thrush, Painted Bunting, American Redstart

12--358 Sandalwood (JM): 1 Gray Catbird

6-12--4313 Valleyfield, 78222 (LA): 2 Monk Parakeets

12--Mitchell Lake (RA): Painted Bunting, 9 Eastern Kingbirds, 1 Gray Catbird, Empid sp. FC, Yellow and Wilson's WA, Least FC, Blue-headed Vireo, Bullock's Oriole, Dickcissels, Neotropic and DC Cormorants

13--Salado Creek at Holbrook (MS): 1 Eastern Kingbird, 1 House Wren, 2 Swainson's Thrush, 1 Magnolia, 2 Wilson's WA, 1 Northern Waterthrush, 3 Common Yellowthroat

14--UT Health Science Center campus (SG) Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed FC, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Blue Jay, Mockingbird, Northern Waterthrush, Cardinal, Dickcissel, Bronzed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch

15--Randolph AFB Rec Area on Canyon Lake, off Jacob's Creek Rd (C. Craig Farquhar, TPWD): 1 Great Kiskadee

16--Hillside Peak (LL): Broad-tailed Hummingbird, immature male, been here for 2 weeks. (Still there on May 24)

15-16--Kinney Rd near Quintana Rd (JF): Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Cooper's Hawk

17--Bamberger Park (GS): 2 Long-billed Thrasher.

19--Huebner and Babcock Rd (CC): 1 Zone-tailed Hawk

19--Pike Rd (KB): Yellow-crowned Night-heron eating snake, Ash-throated FC, 3 Yellow and 1 Black-throated Green WA

19--Government Canyon SNA (HR): Ash-throated FC, Yellow WA, Bobwhite, Lark Sparrow, Painted Bunting, Black-throated Sparrow

19--Hillside Peak (LL): 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (late)

19--Camp Bullis (LL): Eastern Wood-pewee, Yellow, Chestnut-sided , and Golden-cheeked WA, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers

20--Old Wiederstein Rd (SS): Olive-sided FC, Warbling Vireo, 5 Wilson's and 20 Yellow, and 1 Magnolia WA, White-eyed Vireos (many), YB Cuckoo, Great-crested FC

22--Haggard Ranch, south of Von Ormy off I-35 (MeL): 2 juvenile Anhingas

22--Old Wiederstein Rd (SS): Mourning WA

25--Mitchell Lake (MC, RW): 3 Groove-billed Anis, 2 Least Grebe, 2 White-faced Ibis, Black-bellied Plover, 1 Purple Gallinule

25--Friedrich Park (JG): 1 Golden-cheeked WA

27--Mitchell Lake (ML): 2 Groove-billed Ani, 3 Neotropic Cormorant, Blue Grosbeak, Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed FC, Least FC, Yellow WA, Common Ground-Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Chimney Swift, Green Heron, Bullock's Oriole, Little Blue Heron, Pyrrhuloxia, Dickcissels (> 30), Black-necked Stilt, Ruddy Duck, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Roadrunner, 1 White Ibis, 1 YB Chat, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 1 Yellowlegs, 6 Stilt Sandpipers

27--Pike Rd (KB): Black-throated Green WA

28--358 Sandalwood (JM): 1 female Mourning WA

28--Mitchell Lake (AWG): 1 Purple Gallinule, Yellow-bellied FC, Cliff Swallow, Neotropic Cormorant, Crested Caracara, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Spotted Sandpiper, Blue-winged Teal, Common Ground-Dove

29--Trinity Univ Library (JH): 2 American Crow

OBSERVERS FOR MAY
AWG=Andy and Wendy Garcia; BD=Bob Doe; BW=Betty Walters; CBA=Carole Beth Arnett; CC=Carolyn Cuthbertson; DP=David Pueppke; EJ=Ernest Jasek; GL=Greg Lisciandro; GS=Georgina Schwartz; HR=Helen Rejzek; JF=Jerry Fischer; JG=Jennifer Gardner; JK=James Middleton; JMc=Janice McClintock; KB=Keith Bartels; LA=Lucy Armstrong; LL=Leslie Linehan; LM=Linda Martin; LT=Lynn Thompson; MC=Mike Creese; MeL=Metha Leslie; ML=Marge Lumpe; MS=Mike Scully; RA=Robert Arredondo; RC=Ron Cabral; RG=Richard Grant; RN=Robin Nowak; RW=Ron Weeks; SD=Sumner Dana; SH=Sylvia Hilbig; SG=Scott Gruwell; SS=Susan and Don Schaezler; WB=Walter Bauer; WS=Willie Sekula

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