I started out at Cedar Hill Park in Chambers County. This not heavily birded park is usually good to me. Since it would be new year bird I was hoping for a Prothonotary warbler. As soon as I get out of the car I hear a Northen Parula singing up a storm on territory. At least four Red-bellied Woodpeckers are also calling around me.
I quickly located a three note call, "Rheet Rheet Rheet" That sounded completely unfamiliar to me. It was loud and close and I was quickly able to locate it. I was surprised that it was a Tufted Titmouse! This was clearly a territorial declaring call and nothing like the classic "Peter Peter Peter" call. A while back I got a small inexpensive microphone for just such an occasion for my iPhone, a Shenggu SG-108. It's not a fancy microphone but it adds a bit of reach to an iPhone's recording capability. I dug it out of my pack and was able to get decent recording. Later checking the archive site Xeno-Canto.org I did found a recording from Wisconsin that sounded similar. Check out the recording of this bird:
While checking the lake shore for the Prothonotary Warbler I came there for I did hear the "chek chek" call of a bird I hadn't expected to get this late, Winter Wren for Year Bird 312. I also heard and saw another Tufted Titmouse doing the weird "Rheet Rheet Rheet" call.
No luck on the Prothonotary so I decided to continue my search. for migrants and headed for Anahuac NWR. As soon as I got the cart started I had a low tire pressure warning. Dang it, 10 day old brand new tires too! I assumed at that point that it might have been a mounting problem and I found a gas station with the rarest thing in Texas - Free Air! Aired up I continued on my way.
Right outside of Anhuac NWR I has my first of season Scissor-tailed Flycatcher fly across the road for Year Bird 313. Almost immediately a pair of Upland Sandpipers followed for Year Bird 314.
My plan was to see what I could dig out Anahuac NWR, then head for High Island and at least get my season patch. I birded about 2 hours there and when I got back in the car, oh no! the tire pressure warning was on again. This time I looked and sure enough, I found a big nail in the tire.
I figured I better play it safe and limped back home and right to the tire place to get it repaired. My day ended up getting cut short by a couple of hours, but there is next week always!
I quickly located a three note call, "Rheet Rheet Rheet" That sounded completely unfamiliar to me. It was loud and close and I was quickly able to locate it. I was surprised that it was a Tufted Titmouse! This was clearly a territorial declaring call and nothing like the classic "Peter Peter Peter" call. A while back I got a small inexpensive microphone for just such an occasion for my iPhone, a Shenggu SG-108. It's not a fancy microphone but it adds a bit of reach to an iPhone's recording capability. I dug it out of my pack and was able to get decent recording. Later checking the archive site Xeno-Canto.org I did found a recording from Wisconsin that sounded similar. Check out the recording of this bird:While checking the lake shore for the Prothonotary Warbler I came there for I did hear the "chek chek" call of a bird I hadn't expected to get this late, Winter Wren for Year Bird 312. I also heard and saw another Tufted Titmouse doing the weird "Rheet Rheet Rheet" call.
No luck on the Prothonotary so I decided to continue my search. for migrants and headed for Anahuac NWR. As soon as I got the cart started I had a low tire pressure warning. Dang it, 10 day old brand new tires too! I assumed at that point that it might have been a mounting problem and I found a gas station with the rarest thing in Texas - Free Air! Aired up I continued on my way.
Right outside of Anhuac NWR I has my first of season Scissor-tailed Flycatcher fly across the road for Year Bird 313. Almost immediately a pair of Upland Sandpipers followed for Year Bird 314.
My plan was to see what I could dig out Anahuac NWR, then head for High Island and at least get my season patch. I birded about 2 hours there and when I got back in the car, oh no! the tire pressure warning was on again. This time I looked and sure enough, I found a big nail in the tire.
I figured I better play it safe and limped back home and right to the tire place to get it repaired. My day ended up getting cut short by a couple of hours, but there is next week always!
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