Big Bend / Davis Mountains 2007
With Naturalist Journeys
April 2007 - Bird/Species Trip List

Species List
Pied-billed Grebe - El Paso
Eared Grebe - Balmorhea and the pond between Ft. Davis and Alpine, nice breeding plumage
Western Grebe - El Paso, lake off of the Rio Grande
Clark's Grebe - El Paso, lake off the Rio Grande, more numerous than Western, very close looks
American White Pelican - One individual, lake off the Rio Grande
Double-crested Cormorant - Lake off the Rio Grande, several individuals
Snowy Egret - Lake Balmorhea
Cattle Egret - El Paso, agricultural fields along river
Green Heron - Balmorhea State Park, a very tame individual feasting on threatened fish!
White-faced Ibis - El Paso, small flock north the air force base, Balmorhea, great flight show
Turkey Vulture - Common, seen daily
Gadwall - El Paso
Mallard - El Paso and Big Bend
“Mexican Duck” Mallard - El Paso, the Post
Blue-winged Teal - El Paso, Lake Balmorhea
Northern Shoveler - El Paso, Lake Balmorhea
Lesser Scaup - El Paso, Balmorhea State Park, in the pool!
Ruddy Duck - The most common duck, all sizable ponds and lakes
Osprey - One individual flying over Balmorhea State Park
Northern Harrier - El Paso, near Alpine and Marfa in grasslands, male and female.
Cooper's Hawk - Fort Davis, DMP
Gray Hawk - Cottonwood Campground, Big Bend, calling, quick flight view
Common Black-Hawk - Great looks near Fort Davis, and in pond between Fort Davis and Alpine
Harris's Hawk - Good views of a bird perched on a phone pole, driving out of El Paso along the Rio Grande
Swainson's Hawk - One of our more common sightings, in grassland habitat, also nesting at El Paso
Zone-tailed Hawk - Great view of one in with circling Turkey Vultures at dusk, Fort Davis
Red-tailed Hawk - Common, seen daily
American Kestrel - Fort Davis, seen on our evening outing
Wild Turkey - Fort Davis, DMP, and a tame individual in BB at Cottonwood Campground
Scaled Quail - Numerous this year, seen in grassland areas and in Big Bend
Gambel's Quail - Good views at the pond north of El Paso
Virginia Rail - Big Bend, seen in the scope as we were studying a turtle, Rio Grande Village
Sora - Quick view by Peg in pond north of El Paso
Common Moorhen - Scope views in El Paso, first day
American Coot - All wetland areas
Killdeer - Marfa, El Paso, Lake Balmorhea
Black-necked Stilt - Elegant birds, we saw a flock of a dozen or more first afternoon in El Paso.
Solitary Sandpiper - Great scope views first afternoon in El Paso
Spotted Sandpiper - All wetland locations
Baird's Sandpiper - One individual, with a lone Pectoral, first afternoon in El Paso
Pectoral Sandpiper - One individual, with a lone Baird’s, first afternoon in El Paso
Wilson's Phalarope - Flock at pond north of El Paso
Franklin's Gull - Lake Balmorhea, great close views, just offshore in the windswept lake
Ring-billed Gull - Lake Balmorhea, several individuals
California Gull - Lake Balmorhea, one individual, second year bird
Rock Pigeon - Urban areas
Band-tailed Pigeon - Lovely to encounter this bird in the high Chisos, winging over the dense canopy of Boot Springs, seen from above
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Quite common now at most locations
White-winged Dove - Abundant, and tame at picnic areas
Mourning Dove - Abundant
Greater Roadrunner - Our first bird of the trip in El Paso, then seen at most locations, some with lizards freshly caught, one sunning in Chisos Basin, most personable!
Great Horned Owl - One juvenile, barely poking its head out of a nest at Balmorhea State Park
in the rain…
Elf Owl - Big Bend, a great night outing, with some super scope views
Lesser Nighthawk - Seen on the same night outing as out Elf Owl
Common Poorwill - Heard each night in the Basin
White-throated Swift - Big Bend – the Pinnacles
Blue-throated Hummingbird - Big Bend, several riparian locations, one very persistent at Boot Springs
Black-chinned Hummingbird - El Paso, Marfa and Big Bend
Broad-tailed Hummingbird - Several nests found in Davis Mountains Preserve by our eagle-eyed local guide, Carol Edward, also seen Big Bend
Acorn Woodpecker - Both mountain areas, common
Golden-fronted Woodpecker - Common in cottonwood habitat, the Post and Big Bend
Ladder-backed Woodpecker - Our most common woodpecker, seen several days
Northern Flicker - Nest observed at Davis Mtns. Preserve
Olive-sided Flycatcher - Big Bend, good views and calling
Western Wood-Pewee - El Paso, Davis Mountains
Hammond's Flycatcher - Big Bend, on the Chisos Mtn. hike
Gray Flycatcher - Davis Mountains, Big Bend
Cordilleran Flycatcher - Big Bend, Chisos hike near Boot Springs
Buff-breasted Flycatcher - Davis Mountains, Carol showed us at least three individuals, a thrill!
Black Phoebe - Most wetland locations, first sighting under a bridge near El Paso
Say's Phoebe - A friendly bird near our lodgings BB and Davis Mountains, Marfa
Vermilion Flycatcher - A show-stopper each time, even here where it’s common!
Ash-throated Flycatcher - Big Bend, the Post
Brown-crested Flycatcher - Big Bend, Cottonwood Campground
Tropical Kingbird - Very vocal pair this year at Cottonwood Campground, BB
Cassin's Kingbird - Seen many days in appropriate habitat
Western Kingbird - Quite common, seen most locations
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Great bird, first seen by John driving south from Fort Davis, then near Marathon and the Post
Loggerhead Shrike - The Post
Bell's Vireo - Davis Mountains and Big Bend, good looks near Rio Grande Vllg.
Gray Vireo - Single bird came in to small spring area under the Window
Plumbeous Vireo - Nest found and photographed in the Davis Mtns.
Hutton's Vireo - Big Bend and Davis Mtns., fairly common
Stellar's Jay - Davis Mountains Preserve
Western Scrub-Jay - Davis Mountains
Mexican Jay - Big Bend, Chisos Mtns.
American Crow - Marfa, city park
Chihuahuan Raven - Marfa, quite a few between there and Valentine
Common Raven - Seen most days in diverse habitat
Tree Swallow - El Paso, likely migrants, near the pond first afternoon
Violet-green Swallow - Davis and Chisos Mountains
N. Rough-winged Swallow - El Paso, Big Bend
Cliff Swallow - Big Bend, Davis Mountains
Cave Swallow - El Paso, Marathon, Marfa
Barn Swallow - Our most common swallow, several locations
Mountain Chickadee - Seen well at Davis Mountains Preserve
Black-crested Titmouse - Big Bend, Davis Mtns
Verdin - Spotted by John, Rio Grande Village, also lower Davis Mtns
Bushtit - Big Bend, Davis Mtns
White-breasted Nuthatch - Seen most days and locations
Cactus Wren - Seen most days, great raucous vocalizations
Rock Wren - Heard several locations, seen at Fort Davis
Canyon Wren - Best views near Boot Springs, heard several locations
Bewick's Wren - Quite common, most mountain locations
House Wren - Big Bend, Davis Mtns, and higher elevations
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - El Paso, Big Bend in the Basin
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - One of more regular sightings, middle elevation and higher
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher - Big Bend, Rio Grande Village and Castalon
Western Bluebird - Davis Mountains Preserve
Hermit Thrush - Big Bend, Chisos Mtns. hike
Northern Mockingbird - All locations
Brown Thrasher - Balmorhea State Park, at feeder
Curve-billed Thrasher - Most locations
European Starling - Urban locations
Cedar Waxwing - Davis Mountains, near the entrance to the State Park
Colima Warbler - Great views at several locations on our Chisos Mtns. hike
Lucy's Warbler - Big Bend, good looks at females, near Cottonwood Campground
Yellow Warbler - Big Bend, Rio Grande Village, a female
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Fairly common both mountain ranges
Townsend's Warbler - Big Bend, higher elevations
Grace's Warbler - Seen well in the Davis Mountains Preserve
MacGillivray's Warbler - Davis Mountains State Park, seen at close range from our vehicle
Common Yellowthroat - Big Bend, pond at Rio Grande Village
Wilson's Warbler - Fort Davis and Big Bend
Painted Redstart - Two males dueling high overhead at Boot Springs, Big Bend
Yellow-breasted Chat - Several locations at Big Bend, the best at Sam Nail Ranch
Hepatic Tanager - Davis Mountains Preserve and Chisos Mtns
Summer Tanager - Seen most days, esp. cottonwood habitat
Western Tanager - Seen in really good numbers, many of them migrants
Spotted Towhee - Big Bend and Davis Mtns.
Canyon Towhee - Very tame around our lodgings and on our trails
Cassin's Sparrow - Great views of males singing in flight near Marathon
Rufous-crowned Sparrow - Davis Mountains State Park, singing male and in Big Bend
Chipping Sparrow - Small numbers at several locations
Clay-colored Sparrow - One bright bird on a fence line going in to the Post, also Big Bend
Black-chinned Sparrow - Chisos Mountain hike, just up from the cabins
Vesper Sparrow - Marathon cemetery
Lark Sparrow - All locations, common
Black-throated Sparrow - Desert locations and spotted by John at Fort Davis
Lark Bunting - Marathon, road in to the Post
Lincoln's Sparrow - El Paso, wetlands area
White-throated Sparrow - Balmorhea, at feeder
White-crowned Sparrow - All locations, numerous
Northern Cardinal - Most locations, highly visible
Pyrrhuloxia - First seen well at Davis Mtns. State Park, then Big Bend
Black-headed Grosbeak - Davis Mtns. and Big Bend
Blue Grosbeak - Big Bend, great looks
Varied Bunting - Seen and photographed at two locations, Big Bend
Painted Bunting - Quite common, Big Bend lower elevations, one at Balmorhea State Pk
Red-winged Blackbird - All wetland locations
Eastern Meadowlark - Davis Mountains
Common Grackle - Big Bend, Marfa
Great-tailed Grackle - All locations
Brown-headed Cowbird - All locations
Orchard Oriole - The Post, and Big Bend
Hooded Oriole - Big Bend
Bullock's Oriole - Davis Mountains Preserve and State Park
Scott's Oriole - Beautiful looks at several locations, often sipping nectar from Ocotillo
House Finch - Very common, all locations
Red Crossbill - A great find by John, Davis Mountains Preserve
Lesser Goldfinch - Davis Mountains and Big Bend
House Sparrow - All too common!

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