The Working Week

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Although this week saw better weather on the CyFair campus, there was still a sprinkling of migrants around every day. Seven species of warblers turned up: Ovenbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, American Redstart, Black-and-white, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian and Black-throated Green (below).

Other migrants were Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Gray Catbird, Chuck-will's-widow, Baltimore Oriole  and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

With so many migrants passing through, it's easy to forget to admire local residents like Northern Cardinals.

On some of my walks around the nature trail, I found it hard to pick out the movement of migrants because one or other of our winter/spring flocks of hundreds of Cedar Waxwings kept wandering through the trees or swirling overhead. 

However, it's hard to resent the Waxwings' presence, given that they are such beautiful birds!

 Of course, looking so good takes a certain amount of effort.

Several Western Kingbirds have turned up again this April.

Another recent arrival is a Cooper's Hawk. 

I've noticed what seems to be a mating pair of Green Herons hanging around the nature trail. This morning one of them had moved across to the staff parking lot, which seems odd habitat for a heron.

Meanwhile the campus Purple Martin nesting gourds appear to be fully occupied. 

I never tire of watching the Martins as they soar overhead.

I wish they would fly a little lower and gobble up some of the many mosquitoes that I encounter whenever I walk the nature trail!

P.S.
We've also had a lot of butterflies this week, including Monarchs, Common Buckeyes and Clouded Sulphurs. My favorite, though, was this Pipevine Swallowtail.
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