The Week at Work

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New birds kept turning up on the CyFair campus throughout the week.

On Monday I was surprised to see a Great Horned Owl on the nature trail. Too surprised to get a photo, in fact! Underneath where it had been perched I found the feathers of the White-winged Dove that it had been snacking on. Further down the trail I spotted a Red-tailed Hawk. I'm hoping it was one of the pair that lived on the campus for years until a few months ago but then disappeared. If so, perhaps the pair will move back to the college.


Friday morning was very birdy. I was too slow to ID a couple of sparrows on the trail but I did better with a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and then a bunch of Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding on the Chinese Tallows.

I wasn't surprised to find a few American Goldfinch among the Warblers, as I'd seen some earlier in the week.

I was surprised, though, to find an Eastern Phoebe perched among all the Warblers and Goldfinches, calmly snacking on a dragonfly.

Away from the trail and behind the modular buildings, I again got looks at the Swamp Sparrows which have been hanging out there for weeks.

I also finally got a photo - though not a good one - of the Sedge Wren that I see or hear every time I pass the area.

The artificial river had attracted a Great Egret. These birds usually avoid people but this one was standing within yards of a path that was very busy with students and staff.

Great-tailed Grackles are never shy and this one hardy blinked when I leaned over the railings to take its picture from a few feet away.

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