DALLAS, TEXAS — The big news in Texas this week is the discovery of a Fan-tailed Warbler (Euthlypis lachrymosa) in Big Bend National Park. The species, native to Mexico and Central America, has been reported from Texas before but never documented with a photograph or other evidence. The newly reported bird has not been photographed either.

From Eric Carpenter’s report:

Maggie Burnett and I were in Pine Canyon and returning down-canyon from the pouroff last evening (13 Aug) around 6.30pm when we came across 2 Virginia’s Warblers. While attempting to bring these birds in, I did some pygmy-owl imitations, which resulting in attracting the attention of a nice small swarm of birds, including a Blue-throated Hummingbird, many titmice, Western Tanager, W. Wood Pewee and others. Amongst these was the Fan-tailed Warbler which appeared at about eye-level for less than 10 seconds at about 15-20 yards in unobstructed view. I knew almost immediately what this bird was as I could clearly see its eye crescents, white dot between the eye & bill, yellow breast, and long graduated tail with white tips. I turned to get my camera out of my backpack and we could never relocate the bird despite 40 minutes of searching.

Continue reading more info on Pine Canyon Fan-tailed Warbler.

Given that the bird is difficult to find, in a part of the park that’s difficult to access, that Big Bend is 12 hours from Dallas, that I have to work, and that we’re in a stretch of 100-degree days (sooo hot!), I don’t think I’ll be jumping in the car to chase the bird. Sad day.

DUNCANVILLE, TEXAS — Waders continue at the Joe Pool Dam. This morning, I found two Yellow-crowned Night Herons (one adult and one immature) in the northeast cove — the first time I’d had this species at the lake. I observed the immature bird holding its bill ajar and fluttering its throat skin rapidly in an exercise that resembled panting. The adult bird faced the sun, wings drooped and slightly spread.

Green Herons are the most numerous species. One bird had speared a mid-sized fish, and I watched it manipulate the fish around and swallow it headfirst. A couple of Great Egrets and one Snowy completed the list of feeding herons.

The two Willets that I observed two days ago were still present, to my surprise. I had assumed they would keep moving south. Today, they were feeding closer to shore on the hydrilla mat, so I had slightly better views.

A photograph from the shore cannot begin to portray the extent of the hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) mat growing in the cove. Again, this mat is so thick that willets and herons can walk on top of it. Hydrilla, a non-native noxious weed, was known to cover 116 acres of Joe Pool Reservoir in 2003. I’m wondering if this plant provided for the ducks and coots that wintered in this cove last year. Hydrilla dies back in the winter, so it would have been below the surface by the time I got back from PNG. Maybe that’s why there were always dozens of waterfowl in this location.

This is the reason all the herons are congregated in the cove — lots of fish! Anyone know which species this one is?

Gratuitous sunflower picture! Let’s say it together: Helianthus annuus.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Bewick’s Wrens, and Indigo Buntings are singing a little bit. Again, I did not hear Painted Buntings singing. I did, however, hear a racket in the bushes, and I looked up to see two fledgling Painted Buntings following their mother, begging insistently. She seemed to be ignoring them mostly. They looked about old enough to start fending for themselves.

What, grasses? This is the Blackland Prairies ecoregion, after all, and this is the time of year that many native grasses bloom. This attractive species is sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), the state grass of Texas.

It’s been awhile since I saw a wheel bug (Arilus cristatus). That powerful beak (which is used to kill and consume insect prey) can do serious damage to a human, so wheel bugs are best enjoyed with the eyes, not the fingers. There are plenty more photos in today’s gallery.

DUNCANVILLE, TEXAS — Don’t miss I and the Bird 55, out this week.

DUNCANVILLE, TEXAS — Brian and I took a farewell tour (for him, not for me) of our haunts around Joe Pool Lake this morning. Between the huge marijuana bust and news helicopter accident, there has been some recent excitement in this out-of-the-way corner of Dallas. All was quiet this morning, however — even the birds.

Water levels have not dropped far enough (as I hoped they would) to create good shorebird habitat. However, an extensive mat of vegetation in the northeast cove seems to be providing habitat for several species. We saw three or four Green Herons, two Great Egrets, one Little Blue Heron, a coot, and two large, distant sandpipers which I assumed were Willets. The matted vegetation was so thick that the birds were able to walk on top of it, even though it undulated lightly with the waves.

Here’s the plant that’s taken over much of the northeastern cove. As far as I can tell, it’s not a native Elodea but rather the invasive Egeria densa or Hydrilla verticillata. Any thoughts?

These attractive green filaments grew thick in the shallow water. Is it possible to tell from this image (click for a larger size) whether this is a green algae (chlorophyta), a cyanobacteria, or …?

Painted Buntings were around, but I did not hear even a brief snatch of song. I wouldn’t be surprised if males have stopped singing now. I did hear a few phrases from Indigo Buntings, however, so I’m not jumping to any conclusions just yet. Bewick’s and Carolina wrens are singing, as cardinals are of course. But overall, things are very quiet. It’s the arthropods, not the birds, that will catch your attention this month.

Common sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are in full bloom, and nearly every other flower seems to hold a green lynx spider (Peucetia viridans) lying in wait for prey. This individual had caught some sort of small dipteran.

These brilliant little damselflies were numerous around the dam. There are more shots of insects and spiders in today’s gallery.

Snow-on-the-prairie (Euphorbia bicolor) is a tall, rather striking euphorbia that’s in full bloom at the moment.

DUNCANVILLE, TEXAS — Now that I’m getting comfortable hosting my photos with Gallery, I’ve put up an index that lets you browse photos by type of organism and by topic: photo index. The index will grow and fill out as I continue adding photos (and as I continue moving photos over from my Flickr account).

Fruticose lichen mingles with moss and a tiny forb at Arrowhead State Park in Oklahoma.