Lake Buchanan Birding and The Arrival of Winter Birds: October 16-22

Sunday October 16th yielded much excitement: My first inland pelagic, and hopes for a rare migrant such as a Sabine's Gull. Birds of this magnitude have been found on Lake Buchanan before. As I arrived at the boat docks, I was excited. We finally boarded the boat at 10:00, and departed soon afterwards. We ventured out of the cove, and into the little remaining waters of Lake Buchanan. For such a large lake, the largest in texas at that, Buchanan is a very shallow lake. Being the highest dammed portion of the Colorado River became apparent: old trees from the river valley stuck out of the water like spindly skeletons. These served as perches for Belted Kingfishers, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Double-crested and Neotropic Cormorants. Even Spotted Sandpipers bobbed up and down on some of the horizontal and diagonal trunks.

Lake Buchanan has suffered drastically from the drought that has ravaged Central Texas, with the water level being 18 feet below the normal level. But some creatures have enjoyed this. Ospreys have enjoyed the concentration, which became apparent by their shear numbers.

Osprey

As we traveled farther out into the lake, Ring-billed Gulls became very common.

Ring-billed Gull

Ring-biled Gull

Ring-billed Gull, a nice 1st cycle bird

The highlight of the trip was a Laughing Gull, which is quite a rare bird in central Texas. Not quite what i was hoping for, but it was appreciated.

Laughing Gull

As we pulled into shore, we had the treat of docking on an island and releasing three rehabilitated raptors: two Red-tailed Hawks and and a Great Horned Owl. The Great Horned Owl briefly fell asleep on top of the pet carrier, but then flew to the safety of a thicket of Hackberry trees. The Red-tailed Hawks both flew off right over my head and offered a nice photo op.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

I had a wonderful time on the inland not so pelagic with my grandmother. Despite a false alarm shout of "JAEGER" being called several times for Ospreys or Ring-billed Gulls, I would consider the trip a success. 

As I was browsing TEXBIRDS on Wednesday night when i should have been studying for my massive Art History Text, I saw a post by Chuck Sexton that caught my eye: Sprauge's Pipit at Lake Buchanan. Sweet! And I had a day off Friday!!! Perfect. Despite being a tricky bird, it seems that every Austin Area birder has Sprauge's Pipit. Except me. Nemesis in the making. I wasn't gonna let this one get away. Now all I needed was a ride. I contemplated my options while I studied The Delivery of the Keys by Perugino. So I called my grandmother, and we made a plan to go out to Lake Buchanan again on Friday the 21st.

Friday came, and we headed out to Lake Buchanan, this time we would be birding the Llano County Side. Our first stop was a Tow, where parked at the Post Office and walked out onto a sand spit where the Sprauge's Pipits had been seen. As we walked along the sandpit through the dense rattle bean forests that have grown up on the higher areas of exposed lake bed, the number of sparrows were mind blowing. The first sparrows that caught my attention were two Clay-colored Sparrows and several Field Sparrows perched up in the rattle bean that immediately bordered the path. Savannah Sparrows were the most numerous species, with over 30 total. Lincoln's Sparrows dashed in and out of the rattle bean, and several White-crowned and one Harris's Sparrow foraged on the path, but were spooked quickly and retreated into the rattle bean. Farther out onto the spit the ground opened up. More Savannah and Field Sparrow where out here, as well as several Grasshopper Sparrows. A Vesper Sparrow proved to be the only Sparrow that offered me good looks and photos.

Vesper Sparrow

Another treat was a juvenile Northern Harrier flying over the marsh and rattle bean, looking for an early morning snack.

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier

As we reached the end of the sand spit, the harrier spooked a mixed flock of ducks. I picked out Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, and Gadwall. 

At the end of the spit, we scoped out the far away ducks. I found the previously mentioned species, with the additions of Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, American Coot, Lesser Scaup, and a few wild Mallards. To our south, a large flock of Sandhill Cranes landed on the exposed lake bed. In the reeds and rattle bean surrounding the sand spit, some Lincoln's and Savannah Sparrows moved around. A few Common Yellowthroats showed themselves briefly, and three very cooperative Marsh Wrens foraged in the weeds.

Marsh Wren

Marsh Wren 

After walking around the low grassy patches of the sand spit yielded no Sprauge's Pipits, it was off to Cedar Point Park.

Cedar Point Park is located just south of Tow. Upon arrival a mixed winter flock briefly moved through. The flock consisted of Lincoln's and White-crowned Sparrows, Black-crested Titmice, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a single Orange-crowned Warbler, and two Yellow-rumped Warblers. From the point you can see the expansive grass flat of a lake bed that used to be 15 feet underwater.

Lake Buchanan lake bed

I then processed onto the old lake bed, where short grass had begun to grow. There I was greeted by hundreds of Eastern and Western Meadowlarks. Among them where a few American Pipits and a single juvenile Horned Lark, a bird I have not seen in quite some time. All of these bird where very skittish. The previously mentioned Sandhill Cranes where about 400-500 yards out in the taller grass of the lake bed. They suddenly lifted off. It was quite a spectacle. About 30 cranes remained, but they soon followed. This left three grounded birds, which followed the others, but flew right over head. They all kettles high in the sky where they all joined in "V" formation. 

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes in formation

Almost immediately after that five White-faced Ibis flew south along the lake's receded short line.

White-faced Ibis

We then decided to explore the other side of Cedar Point Park. I once again walked out onto the dry lake bed with the hopes of Sprauge's Pipit. However it was not Sprauge's, but American Pipits that dominated. With the American Pipits were three Horned Larks, once again skittish. Then a small, different looking bird hopped up onto a clod of mud: A Chestnut-collared Longspur!!! And posing!!! Right as dropped my binoculars and raised my camera, a Merlin came tearing through. This caused every single bird to take flight. Including the longspur. Shit. Even though I was easily able to find the flock again, I never did pick out the longspur.

As I walked back, I saw a small, streaked bird crouching in the grass. My heart raced. Was this a Sprauge's Pipit, the bird I came out here to see? Nope, Chuck Testa. For those of you who get that joke, good for you. But to answer my own question, the skulking bird in the grass was no pipit, but another Grasshopper Sparrow. 

The Grasshopper Sparrow that trolled the crap out of me

I then retreated to the highlands, where the shoreline normally is. There two surprise birds awaited me: a Verdin and a Black-throated Sparrow.

Verdin

Verdin feeding off ball moss

Black-throated Sparrow

Black-throated Sparrow

From here, we drove to Shaw Island Road, which yielded little bird activity. In a pond along the road, were several Blue-winged Teal, a Northern Shoveler, and a Greater Yellowlegs. A flock of Greater and a few Lesser Yellowlegs flew along the road, which runs along a narrow peninsula (when the lake is full) that juts out into the lake. Some peeps I could not identify (probably mostly Least Sandpipers by default) also flew down the shoreline. A late-flying Roseate Skimmer was a nice find in the Odonata category.

Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal feeding

Blue-winged Teal with Greater Yellowlegs

Roseate Skimmer

We made a final stop at Black Rock Park, which at the time we didn't know required an entrance fee. I had birded Black Rock before, when it hosted my lifer Glaucous Gull back in early April. We drove in the park and passed the seemingly empty entrance booth. Wrong. I got out of the car, and walked out onto the lake bed. An American Kestrel was perched on an exposed stump in perfect light. I wanted to get a picture (or twenty). Then out of no where, a golf cart come speeding down the shore. I kept walking. It was probably someone driving recreationally. Oh shit, its headed right for me. OH GOD. The cart made a skid mark that flung dried mud left and right as it came to an abrupt stop right in front of me, the front wheel 3 inches away from my left foot. "What da think yer doin' here" said the driver in a heavy Scottish accent.

"Ummm birding" I said.

"Well oh yah? Is that right?"

Yes. Yes it was.

"Yah know ya came speeding in the park way too fast?"

Well you're one to talk.

"Ya have ta pay the park entrance fee over at the booth, son. Four dollars per person."

"Well, can I go photograph that bird over there? I'll just take a second." I said.

"No you may not!!!!" The way he reacted, you would have though I had asked him if I could cut his arm off.
He then proceed to speed over to the Kestrel's perch, and scared the bird away as it flew across the lake.

Thanks. 

I walked back to the car, where a man in a heavy Texas accent explained to us kindly how there IS a park entrance fee, but for such a short stay we didn't need to worry about it. He light up a cigarette and walked back to the booth, where he proceeded to eat his burger. What an eventful two minutes.

We left Buchanan, and headed back to Austin. Disappointed in missing my quarry, but you win some, you lose some. Several good birds made up for it. A successful half day of birding.


I decided to go birding Saturday, and it appears Lake Buchanan followed me home. I was greatly surprised to find three new neighborhood birds in the field in front of the water treatment plant in my neighborhood: 7 Western Meadowlarks, 2 Eastern Meadowlarks, and 3 American Pipits. A Vesper Sparrow was also a nice bird.

Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Vesper Sparrow

Eastern Meadowlark. note the darker, more rufous back and the yellow lores

Eastern Meadowlark

I then continued down to Laguna Gloria, where a Spotted Towhee was the really only bird worth noting. The group of Belted Kingfisher is still in the lagoon.

After a relaxing afternoon, time for dinner. We ate at Central Market, on Lamar Blvd. Behind Central Market are a nice set of ponds with a granite gravel trail leading around them. Several Lincoln's Sparrows moved around in the reeds, as did a Common Yellowthroat. Two Orange-crowned Warblers settled down to roost on in a small ragweed patch. Wood Ducks and domesticated Mallards swam around.

As I sitting on a rock in between two of the ponds, a little adult Sora stepped out of the reeds. He didn't mind me at all, and allowed me to get very close and get some good shots. It was very dark, so I used flash, which didn't phase him in the least. Then, a kid threw a soccer ball at the bird, which landed in the water near the bird. The Sora ran back into the reeds where I assume it roosted. Whether the kid was trying to hit me or the bird, I haven't the slightest clue. But either way, it pissed me off.

Sora

Sora

Sora

My buddy the Sora. I will avenge you. 

A great birding week, hopefully my Sprauge's Pipit curse will wear off soon. And to the kid who threw the ball at Roger the Sora, (so I named him. Don't judge.) I'd learn to sleep with one eye open. Just in case.