A major snowstorm dumped about 12 inches of snow on the park on Friday. In spite of the dense morning fog, deep snow and temperatures just above freezing, the weather provided excellent conditions to see interesting birds.
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| Early morning fog at Oak Point Nature Preserve |
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| Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) were foraging along the edges of the melting snow. |
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| If the yellow malar stripe is diagnostic, then this one is most likely a Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). Based on their calls most birds in the flock were Easterns, but I did hear at least one Western Meadowlark singing. |
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| An early morning treat was finding a LeConte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) in the wet meadow at Oak Point. Instead of the usual short flight and disappearing act, this one flew up into the tree branches. |
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| This Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) was in the tall weeds at the edge of a run-off stream in Oak Point Preserve, along with dozens of Savannah Sparrows and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers. |
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| Lots of standing water in the fields |
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| ..providing good foraging areas for American Pipits (Anthus rubescens). |
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| and a Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) |
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| Huge flocks of blackbirds, robins and waxwings flew over. This flock in Bob Woodruff Park was composed mostly of female Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) with a few Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolensis) mixed in. |
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Mid-afternoon I found a flock of at least 50 Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolensis) feeding at the edge of the melting snow with Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds. They were feeding on the ground near the horse farm at the northern edge of Bob Woodruff Park, an area with open woods with lots of pecan trees, puddles and runoff water. Some were singing. |
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| A hunting Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) kept the birds flying from the ground back into the tree branches. |
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| Male Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolensis) with female Red-winged Blackbirds. |
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| Male Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolensis) |
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Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) were at the feeder near the Outdoor Learning Center
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| Also at the feeder were several handsome male Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) |
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| Female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) |
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| American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) |
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| White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) |
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| Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) with a wet tail, muching on an acorn. |
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| Until the next snowfall... |
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