5111rd@nvuxr.UUCP (Rich Ditch) (03/21/91)
I have a meeting scheduled for San Antonio, TX, on April 10 and 11, so I plan to take a couple days preceding for Edwards Plateau birding. I've got Lane's Guide to the Rio Grande area, which contains details on the Plateau. Other birders have suggested that I visit the Lost Maples State Natural Area near Leakey, and have given me the bird list for this location. Based on the Lost Maples list and Lane's Guide, and a review of the holes in my life list, I'd like to focus on the these species: Mississippi kite, green kingfisher, golden-cheeked warbler, golden fronted woodpecker, cave swallow, and black-capped vireo. My questions are: 1: how is April 7-8 for seeing the kites, which Lane lists as migrating through in good numbers? 2: my friends missed the green kingfisher at Lost Maples on their visit on April 29, 1989, although the checklist indicates that this is a breeder there. Are there any special pointers that anyone can provide? 3: are there any major changes that I should know about since the most recent edition of Lane's Guide? 4: anybody live nearby who may be birding at Lost Maples on these dates who would like some company? Rich Ditch Bellcore Red Bank, NJ (908) 758-2284
mjm@oliven.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Michael Mammoser) (03/22/91)
In article <1944@nvuxr.UUCP>, 5111rd@nvuxr.UUCP (Rich Ditch) writes: > I have a meeting scheduled for San Antonio, TX, on April > 10 and 11, so I plan to take a couple days preceding for > Edwards Plateau birding. > Other birders have suggested that I visit the Lost Maples > State Natural Area near Leakey, and have given me the bird > list for this location. > > Based on the Lost Maples list and Lane's Guide, and a review > of the holes in my life list, I'd like to focus on the these > species: Mississippi kite, green kingfisher, golden-cheeked > warbler, golden fronted woodpecker, cave swallow, and > black-capped vireo. I was in the area at the end of April in 1989 and really enjoyed Lost Maples. I found that the rangers at headquarters were very helpful in directing me to locations where particular birds could be found. A walk up the creek about a half mile or so brought me to a spot where I saw Black Capped Vireo. It was in the dense growth along the bank above the trail. I saw one Green Kingfisher along the creek around the same area. I got Golden Cheeked Warbler at Friedrich Park in San Antonio (this is in the Lane guide) and there should be tons of Cave Swallows at Braunig Lake south of San Antonio. I only saw one Mississippi Kite on the drive up from the Rio Grande. Good luck. Mike