dracowildlife's Journal

We survived the switch to Day.light Savings Time, but we needed a flashlight to read the CoCoRAHs gauge at 7 a.m. this morning. We had about six acres of the pasture/prairie mowed with a bush hog on 3/10 in preparation for sowing Little Bluestem seed over one acre (Acre 17) as part of our Wildlife Management Area plan for this year. Spotted a Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris) on 3/10. The battle between the humans, on behalf of the Eastern Bluebirds, and the house sparrows for control of the nesting boxes continues. We have decided to let whatever bird gains possession to prepare its nest and, if it turns out to be the sparrow, we will deal with the eggs as suggested on the sialis.org website.

Ob served a large bird in the pasture/prairie this morning that we had not seen before. Based on wing markings as it flew off, we think it was either a Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minot) or Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus). On 3/15, we observed a fully formed nest in the Nest Box Delta, which is located at the northeast corner of the pasture/prairie. We have not observed any birds near the nest box, so we have no idea of what species may have created the nest.

Ah, Spring! Yesterday, observed a fifth Eastern Bluebird egg in the Delta nestbox. Also, saw a Red Striped Ribbon Snake. Continued our work on detaching Acre 17. We have decided to sow Little Bluestem and mixed Texas wildflower seeds in one-half of Acre 17 and sow seed in the rest of the acre in November.

We have failed to mention a wren (a Bewick's wren, we think) has established a nest in an ornamental nestbox made from Texas license plates! It's hard to see inside the nestbox, but we believe there is at least one hatchling.

This morning a flock of about 20 black vultures and a Great Blue Heron were seen at the septic pond/aeration fountain on our neighbor's property. We could not see what it was that attracted the birds to the pond, but there was considerable activity on their part. When Patrick went out to photograph them, he observed that most of them were on the bank of the pond facing toward the pond, but he could not see what it was they appeared to looking at. After several minutes, the birds, including the heron, flew off.

There is definitely a nest now in Nestbox Alpha, and it is definitely not an Eastern Bluebird nest. It has characteristics of the wren species, but no birds have yet been observed going in or out. The nest is constructed such that it will be difficult to see any eggs that might be laid in it.

We have completed the sowing of a mixture of Little Bluestem and a mix of Texas native wildflower seeds in the south half of Acre 17.

Patrick attended a Wildlife Tax Valuation Workshop sponsored by the Texas Parks and WIldlife Department on March 17. Based on a comment made by one of the presenters, we will use the disk harrow to create two of more paths through Acre 18 in an attempt to encourage the production of forbs.

After observing the comings and goings of House Sparrows in and out of Nestbox Alpha, we observed a clutch of four eggs today. We decided it was time to remove nest and eggs and did so this evening.

We continue clearing the northern portion of Acre 17 with the string trimmer.

Discovered another House Sparrow egg in Nestbox Alpha in spite of the fact that we had removed the nest a few days earlier. Removed the egg. Also noticed nesting material in Nestbox Bravo. Since we have observed House Sparrows in and out of that box, we removed that material as well.

Later this morning, we observed sparrows at both boxes, so we will seal up entrance holes to discourage further activity, at least for the time being.

Observed two scissor-tailed flycatchers on the fence line yesterday evening. Are the ones who nested on the transformer on the power line pole last year?

Finished using the string trimmer on the north part of Acre 2018 as we prepare the ground for fall seeding of Little Bluestem and Texas wildflower mixture.