The Phalarope

The Newsletter of the Midland Naturalists

Volume 61, Number 9
Officers
President: Pat Hunter
Vice President-Field Trips:
Bill Lupardus
Treasurer: Valarie Hunnicutt
Secretary: Shirley Stafford

September, 2016

Midland Naturalists Field Trips

September 17, 2016 Midkiff Stricklings, meet 8:00 am at
Stripes at I-20 and TX Hwy 158
September 24, 2016 I-20 Wildlife Preserve meet at 8:00 am
October 1, 2016, Hill Park meet at 8:00 am at G & Kansas
St.
October 8, 2016 Hogan Park meet at 8:00 am Sibley Center
October 15, 2016 Coldeneye Pond, meet at 8:00 am at pond

Editor-The Phalarope: Emily Stoudt

Board of Directors:
Rose Marie Stortz
Kathy Lupardus
Carol Bailey

Pat Hunter, pcthunter@hotmail.com, 432-853-5318

Bill Lupardus, billlupardus@gmail.com, 432-638-1585
Rose Marie Stortz, rm.stortz@sbcglobal.com 432-770-6324
Kathy Lupardus, krlupardus@aol.com, 432-770-4135

Upcoming Events
Midland Naturalists Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday afternoon, October 2, 2016, at 2:30
pm, at Sibley Nature Center. Kyle O'Haver, Park Superintendent of the Lake
Colorado City State Park, will be our speaker. He'll make a presentation about
managing wetlands. After the program, we'll have our business meeting, where
we'll elect a new board member (let the board know if you're interested in
serving), the board will announce officers, reports from the year will be made,
and dates for various bird and butterfly counts will be set. Mark your calendars,
and join us the first Sunday in October. See you there.
Pat Hunter
432-853-5318
pcthunter@hotmail.com

Midland County Bird Records August, 2016

st
Duck reports havent changed since 1 of June---Mallards, the Canvasback and
Ruddy Ducks in varying numbers, with sightings at I-20 Preserve (CB, PH, SS,,
MFT) , Johnson Draw (RMS) and Mulberry Lakes on a Midnat Field Trip. Larger
numbers of Scaled Quail were spotted, 15 huddled in the shade of a low hanging
branch on the entrance road to CEED (RMS) Aug. 7, an equally large group, at I-20
Preserve on Aug. 8 (CB, SS), and 32 sighted at Buchanan Ranch on a Midnat Field
Trip. Aug. 13 . On the same field trip to Buchanan Ranch, Midnats counted 13
Northern Bobwhite---the only report. A few Pied-billed Grebe present at I-20
Preserve as well as the Great Blue Heron. A Great Egret was reported (SS,CB) )
Aug. 8 and again Aug. 11 and Aug. 17 (SS). The whte morph Little Blue Heron was
at I-20 Preserve Aug.11 (SS) and seen on a Midnat Field Trip to Mulberry Lakes
Aug. 27. This may be the Year of the Green Heron, with single sightings at I-20
Preserve almost every other day and four (4) seen on the field trip to Mulberry
Lakes Aug. 27. The young Yellow-crowned Night-Heron stayed close to Benchmark
Pond at I-20 Preserve (SS, CB) through the month and one was reported at a
Buchanan Ranch stock tank Aug. 13 by Midnats on a field trip.
Four Swainsons Hawks at Buchanan Ranch on a field trip Aug. 13, one at Blue
Barns Road (RMS) Aug 14 and one at I-20 Preserve (SS) Aug. 17. A rare Broadwinged Hawk was reported (SS) from I-20 Preserve Aug. 17, the second one in
2016, with one seen there (BL) on April 20. These were the first reports since a
Midnat Field Trip to the Hill Park area April 29, 2015. the only sighting that year.
From records since 2000, we see about 2 of these birds a year.
Two Snowy Plovers were reported at Johnson Draw (RMS) Aug. 14, Blacknecked Stilts were there, at I-20 Preserve (SS,CB,PH) and at Mulberry Lakes on a
Midnat Field Trip Aug.27. Spotted Sandpipers and Greater Yellowlegs were at
Johnson Draw and I-20 Preserve, Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitchers,
Western Sandpipers were in Johnson Draw and Wilsons Phalaropes at Johnson
Draw (RMS) Aug. 14. and in 1900 block Cessna Drive (SS,DK) Aug 20.
An Olive-sided Flycatcher was at I-20 Aug. 8 (SS,CB), a Western /Wood-Peewee
on Cessna Drive (DK,SS), and an Ash-throated Flycatcher at I-20 Aug 1 and 3
(CB,SS). Western Kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were plentiful.
Warblers were scarce---the Common Yellow-Throat continues at I-20 Preserve, a
Yellow Warbler was at Buchanan Ranch Aug. 13 (MFT), and a Yellow-breasted
Chat, the first since May 13 at Mulberry Lakes (D&JM), was reported from Mulberry
Lakes Aug 27 (MFT).

Thanks to those who contributed sightings to this report: BL=Bill Lupardus,

CB=Carol Bailey, D&JM=Don and Joann Merritt, FT=Field Trip, DK=Donna Kelly,
PH=Pat Hunter, MFT=Midnat Field Trip, RMS=Rose Marie Stortz, SS=Shirley
Stafford.
--Rose Marie Stortz, Recorder Contact: 432-770-6324 or 432-218-7225
rm.stortz@sbcglobl.net

ANOTHER NAME CHANGE

HUMMINGBIRD HEAVEN
After dreaming of going to SE Arizona to see hummingbirds for years, my sisters
and I went in August. We flew into Phoenix separately and drove to Sierra Vista
where we stopped for groceries at a Safeway that has the best produce section of
any market weve ever seen, including Austins Central Markets. Fragrant white
nectarines and peaches, 4-color carrot bunches, 4-color beet bunches and rows of
heirloom tomatoes were astonishing. Sierra Vista is a pleasant new-looking little
town, and I understand why retirees are flocking (no pun intended) there.
On to Hereford and our destination Battistes Bird Bed Breakfast at the base of
Miller Canyon. We met our hosts, Tony and Julie, and unloaded the car. Tony
urged us to spend the next hour and a half before darkness at Mary Jo Ballators
Ash Canyon B & B, so we took off. I had my camera with me but never got a decent
shot. I was too busy just admiring new hummingbirds. We observed Annas,
Magnificent, Broad-billed and Lucifer plus the same ones Ive had in my yard
Black-chinned, Calliope and Rufous. Also observed Gila Woodpecker and Bridled
Titmouse. Acorn Woodpeckers, Bushtits, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers and Whitebreasted Nuthatches were constant visitors. When a couple of adult wild turkeys led
their young onto the patio, we shifted over there. They moved about quite
unconcerned with us and then trooped away in the direction from which theyd
appeared. As the harsh light faded into soft early evening light, the colors of most
especially the Magnificents turquoise and purple and the Lucifers purple were jaw
dropping. We were the last to leave after filling the two feeders Mary Jo leaves out
for the bats who apparently empty them before midnight when a twice-tagged black
bear comes in. Every location we visited reported black bears at night, and their
scat was in evidence at every location as well.
Tuesday we left early with our guide Tony Battiste and drove to Ft. Huachuca where
we went through a security check and were carded to enter the fort. At the far end
of the fort we entered Huachuca Canyon, drove as far as we could and then started
walking. We were covered up in Painted Redstarts, Elegant Trogans and Blue
Grosbeaks and soon got Cassins and Huttons Vireos and male and female Hepatic
Tanagers sitting side by side. On the drive out we toured the fort and saw familiar
Shrikes, Vermilion Flycatchers, Kestrels, Kingbirds and Red-tails.
After lunch we drove to Beattys Guest Ranch and hiked up to the observation deck
hoping for some different hummers at the increased elevation but only got Broadtailed to add to our list. The passel of five month old Redbone Coonhounds almost
made up for no new birds. We sat in the Gazebo before leaving where one
hummingbird feeder had 6-8 zipping around with the sound of their wings magnified
under the little circular roof and their presence mere blurs.
Wednesday we drove into Bisbee and explored this fun little town and its antique
shops. It used to be a copper mining town, but copper isnt mined there anymore.

Tombstone is hopelessly touristy, but we did walk up Fremont Street to the OK

Corral like the Earps and Doc Holliday did. The Oriental Saloon is where it was
when the Earps ran a faro game there. Just outside The Oriental is where Virgil
Earp was ambushed.
On the way back to Hereford we visited Whitewater Draw Refuge where
hundreds of Swainsons Hawks had been reported. We got two Turkey Vultures
for our trouble. We were the only ones there, so when a Sora appeared I
whinnied and got responses from all over the marshy area. The calls of Yellowthroats filled the air, but we never saw one. Blue Grosbeaks clung to the sides of
the marsh reeds.
Thursday we started our long drive back to Phoenix by way of Patagonia where
we were determined to get Violet-crowned Hummingbirds at Patons before we
headed home. After trying a couple of locations there we settled down by the
ponds and were rewarded with close, long observations of gorgeous males.
Saguaro National Park was interesting, and all park employees were wearing
birthday hats to celebrate the centennial birthday of the National Parks. Then it
was time to get serious about hitting the road toward Phoenix and flights home in
the morning. I wasnt even there before Id made a mental list of my next target
hummingbirds: Costas, White-eared, Plain-capped Starthroat, Blue-throated and
Berylline which I HOPE are not individual treks.
Shirley Stafford
August 2016

Annas Hummingbirds pictures

from internet

Lucifer Hummingbirds pictures from

internet

Broad-billed Hummingbirds
pictures from internet

Magnificent
Hummingbirds pictures
from internet

Violet-crowned Hummingbirds
pictures from internet

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Thank you! Please join us on a field trip soon. Schedule of field trips on page 1.