Rufous-crowned Sparrow
“I’m ready for my close up Mr. Demille”

“I’m ready for my close up Mr. Demille”

A few trans-Pecos birds.
Welcome to B3 — Be a Better Beetle!! I’ve been trying to catch one of these guys for 2 years out in Davis Mountains!! Finally nabbed one with a butterfly net. Photographed and released. They are super swift and maneuverable!! I believe it’s called an Emerald Euphoria, which is such a great name for these…
We have at least 3 rufous hummers at our Fort Davis place. The notch in R2 (2nd tail feather (retrices) from the middle) in one of the pix is diagnostic. Full adult male just showed up!! (more pix to come)
Here’s a courtship or territorial display of the Cooper’s Hawk. He climbed higher and higher and spread white feathers at the base of the tail, then very deliberately flapped wings up all the way , then all the way down. Cool sight to see!! LE Woods picnic grounds, Davis Mountains, 3/17/25.
Completed my 15th Sparrowfest yesterday, which was the 20th overall for the event. Sparrow numbers remain low in CenTex, but we still managed about 16 species for the group including Lark Bunting and Brewer’s Sparrow. In the afternoon we made the 30 minute drive to Inks Lake to try for the Golden-crowned Sparrow that’s been…
Here’s a couple of pix I thought a little unusual. 2 male Vermillions on territory but amicably sitting close together — Maybe family? And 11 Blue Grosbeaks in a flock (not all pictured) – maybe migrating? I’ve never seen more than 2 together that I recall.