Lately at CyFair: Part 1

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A heavy workload and bad weather have kept me from doing much birdwatching at LSC-CyFair so far this year. However, I've managed to fit in a few quick walks or drives around the campus and have seen quite a few birds.

While I've caught only brief glimpses of a Red-shouldered Hawk and an Osprey, I've seen our resident Red-tailed Hawks every day. The female - who is huge - has taken to perching on lightposts near the main entrance to the college.

Another bird that tends to hang out near the entrance is this Loggerhead Shrike, one of several that live on the campus.

We don't often see American Kestrels at the college but this one has been around for a week now.

The retention ponds on Barker Cypress Road have been largely empty of birds except for a handful of female Lesser Scaups. The only other ducks I have seen have been Black-bellied Whistling Ducks passing overhead.

The ditch along the north edge of the campus has been very productive. The other day it had a Wilson's Snipe, a new bird for the college list. (A flyover by seven White Pelicans was another addition to the list, which now stands at 157 species.) 

The ditch always has a couple of Great Blue Herons and several Great Egrets (below).

The ditch attracts White Ibis, too.

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