Shiloh Ranch 2016-11
A couple weeks ago I had a great opportunity to spend a long weekend on about 80 acres of private property in Mason County, TX on the Llano river. It was a chance to get away from the crowds and noise of Austin, and to disconnect from the internet for a couple days. I couldn't believe how quite it was. Minutes would go by without hearing an unnatural sound. There was only spotty cell phone coverage on top of a hill on the north end of the property. Ironically, I still hiked around the place with my iPhone in-hand, since I was using the eBird, iNaturalist, and Gaia GPS apps to record observations and track my location and distance traveled. (All three of these apps work well even where there's no cell phone coverage, with the phone in "airplane" mode.)
Mason County is far enough west to have some resident western songbird species that were a real treat for me to see. Rufous-crowned Sparrows were common on the southern part of the property that had lots of rocky hillsides sloping down towards the river. I got to re-learn their distinctive call note. I only got a couple quick looks at Pyrrhuloxia. And finding a couple Verdins was great fun. One Verdin was collecting Old Man's Beard, presumably for a nest, but it seems like not the right time of year for that? I was especially fond of the Black-throated Sparrows, which were common on the property. I couldn't resist keeping many photos of them.
A few rarities and fall migrants were all flyovers. Friday morning a late juvenile Swainson's Hawk and a Bald Eagle flew over me, both on their way south. And early in the afternoon I heard and then saw a group of about 50 Sandhill Cranes flying south. On Sunday morning by the river a Ringed Kingfisher flew over once upriver than again downriver.
Grassland birds included meadowlarks (I couldn't tell if they were eastern or western), Lark Sparrows, Field Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Vesper Sparrows, and a single Grasshopper Sparrow I was able to coax out into view by playing a recording of its song.
A couple surprises were a Marsh Wren by the river and a Great Horned Owl on the north end of the property, both on Sunday morning.
I found three hanging vireo-type nests and I'm sure there were more. My guess is they were Bell's Vireo but maybe Black-capped is an option?
The most fun I had was late Sunday morning when at the edge of the woods on the northern half of the property I started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It took a few minutes, but the birds finally made a great showing! These are the best photos at the end of the attached observations, starting with a Spotted Towhee and ending with a Field Sparrow.
I found 60 species of birds. Here are my eBird checklists:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548074
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548089
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548105
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548116
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548166
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548177
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548211
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32548226
The only mammals I directly observed were White-tailed Deer. But I found lots of Coyote tracks, and tracks from a single armadillo and Gray Fox.
And here are my photos on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikael_behrens/albums/72157675140236762
Attached are my iNaturalist observations.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
In a mesquite, 3-4 feet off ground. Not much surrounding brush. Bell's Vireo?
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Μίμος Του Βορρά (Mimus polyglottos)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Αμερικάνικος Σταχτογερανός (Antigone canadensis)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
As I ate lunch I heard Sandhill Cranes. I got these shots directly over the main cabin. The cranes circled overhead, gaining altitude, before peeling off in V formations to the south.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
These sparrows were numerous on the ranch. They like the rocky inclines which make up much of the terrain here.
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Λευκοκέφαλος Θαλασσαετός (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
A fun surprise was this mature Bald Eagle that soared over me, driving south.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Anaea andriaΠαρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
I wasn't sure until I looked at my photos at home, but this is a juvenile Swainson's Hawk which soared over me, drifting south.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
These were numerous along the river, both at the edge of the water and over the water. You could see them feeding on small mayflies over the water, or chasing eachother over the land. They were flutting flashes of red when they flew.
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Argia sedulaΠαρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Λευκόουρο Ελάφι (Odocoileus virginianus)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
I think the bumble bee is American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus sonorus) based on the ID diagrams here: http://www.bumblebee.org/NorthAmerica.htm
Southern Dogface and skipper on the left, a fly bottom right.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
In one spot I saw three or four Black-throated Sparrows. Playing a little bit of their song on my iPhone brought them out into the open and I couldn't resist taking and keeping several photographs of this dapper species.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
Native bee, skippers, and Southern Dogface.
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Εσπερίδες (Οικογένεια Hesperiidae)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
Skippers and Southern Dogface.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
Two Southern Dogface and Skipper
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
Distinguished from Southern Leopard Frog by dorsolateral fold. See: http://frogcalls.blogspot.com/2015/05/central-texas-leopard-frogs-lithobates.html
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
This is one of a group of 70 or 80 meadowlarks in the middle of the property. A few times I heard them "churt" which made me think they were Western Meadowlarks, but I could not be sure.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Τι
Μίμος Του Βορρά (Mimus polyglottos)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Λευκόουρο Ελάφι (Odocoileus virginianus)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
Verdin was one of the western species I was excited to see on this trip. This one noisily but briefly perched nearby, allowing me just a couple shots. I wish its yellow face hadn't been in the shadow!
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Κοινός Κόρακας (Corvus corax)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Κίτρινος Χυμοπότης (Sphyrapicus varius)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
I watched a Verdin gather Old Man's Beard (Clematis drummondii) three times, and carry it into a nearby gorge. I followed it and tried to find out if it was building a nest. (It seems an odd time of year to be building a nest.) But following it would have meant crossing a property line without permission.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
In addition to a few Vesper Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows, I was excited to find this Grasshopper Sparrow in the grassland in the middle of the property. It's a less common grassland species and responded to a recorded song I played on my iPhone.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
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Τι
Αμερικανικός Μπούφος (Bubo virginianus)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
Not too far from where I imitated a Screech-Owl, I flushed a real owl out of a live oak. It flew to another one nearby and I was able to get this photo before it flew further away. I was happy that no ravens or crows or jays saw it, so it didn't get harassed because of me.
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mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Τι
Μελωδικό Σπουργιτοτσίχλονο (Melospiza melodia)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Τι
Ερμητική Τσίχλα (Catharus guttatus)Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Φωτογραφίες / ήχοι
Παρατηρητής
mikaelbΠεριγραφή
Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.
At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.
Σχόλια
Fantastic account and great observations.
Προσθήκη σχόλιου