May 13, 2006
Tom Kihn led me and four other participants for the Houston Ornithology Groups field trip to the Big Thicket around the Turkey Creek and Lance Roiser Units as well as driving down Gore Store Road yesterday. It was a nice and sunny day although it got a little warm as the afternoon wore on. We did not do too well on the breading warblers. We only saw one Hooded Warbler, a Black and White Warbler, Prothonatary Warbler and Northern Parula. The Northern Parula was the most numerous breading warbler with three males being seen and at least six others were heard singing throughout the day. The highlight of the trip was one male Prairie Warbler seen very close along Gore Store Road and another heard singing further away. This was a life bird for most of the participants and we got great looks at it including a look from about 2 feet away. Other notable mentions were a Greater Roadrunner, Gray Catbird, two Summer Tanagers, Blue Grosbeak, White-eyed and Red-eyed Vireos. We saw 36 species for the day. All in all it was a nice day of birding in the lovely Big Thicket. A big thanks goes out to Tom Kihn for leading this trip. The list of species seen on the trip is below.
Wood Duck 4
Turkey Vulture 10
Black Vulture 5
Red-shouldered Hawk 3
Greater Roadrunner 1
Chimney Swift 5 (Heard)
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 4
Eastern Kingbird GS (2)
Acadian Flycatcher 7
Eastern Wood Pewee 3
Great-crested Flycatcher 4
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 5
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 2 (Heard)
Barn Swallow 7
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 7 (Heard)
Carolina Wren 4 (Heard)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 7
Northern Mockingbird 3
Gray Catbird GS (1 Heard)
Prairie Warbler GS (2)
Magnolia Warbler 3
Hooded Warbler 4
Northern Parula 8
Prothanotary Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 5 (Heard)
Common Yellowthroat 5 (Heard)
Northern Cardinal 5
Summer Tanager 3
Blue Grosbeak 2
Locations: Gore Store Road (GS)
~Adam Wood, Field Trip Coordinator, birdman_570@yahoo.com, 713-515-1692
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