Cleburne

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF CLEBURNE STATE PARK AND VICINITY A FIELD CHECKLIST 2009 Cover: Illustration of Downy Woodpecker by Rob Fleming. May 2009 INTRODUCTION C leburne State Park is located in southwestern Johnson County and encompasses 528 acres. Within the park there is a small reservoir, Cedar Lake, on the West Fork of Camp Creek. The reservoir is surrounded by wooded hillsides. The park is located within the Blackland Prairies physiographic region, although in many respects the landscape is more like the Lampasas Cut Plains. Ashe Juniper-oak woodlands occur on the slopes and ridgetops surrounding Cedar Lake. In some areas around the lake there are dense stands of pure Ashe Juniper. On the south and west facing slopes, the woodlands are more open and diverse. These woodlands provide habitat for a greater diversity of bird life. Bur Oaks, Pecan, and Cedar Elms dominate the woodlands along Camp Creek. Within this riparian zone are also scattered Texas Oaks and Hackberries. Along the creek bed, there are even a few Sycamores, Cottonwoods, and Black Willows. These woodlands are very diverse and offer excellent habitat to a wide variety of birds. There are several miles of trails through the park. The Spill­ way Hiking Trail includes a one-mile loop along Camp Creek and probably offers the best birding opportunities. The Coyote Run Nature Trail passes through the Ashe Juniper-oak woodlands and therefore different birds are likely to be found along the riparian woodlands. The park offers a self-guided tour booklet for this 2.4-mile trail. Although Cedar Lake is small, it attracts many waterbirds, particularly during the winter months when there are fewer boats on the water. This checklist was compiled by Charles W. Easley of Cleburne. It includes species that have been reported within Johnson County. Those species that have been found within Cleburne State Park are delineated within the checklist. This checklist is the result of 43 years of record-keeping and study of migration in Johnson County by Mr. Easley and others. The compiler would like to thank the following people who have furnished data and information for this checklist: Jimmy Aiken, David Arbour, Richard Dilts, Chris Easley, Chuck Easley, Kevin Easley, Velia Easley, Twyla Bothe, and David Smith. 1 You can contribute to this checklist by reporting new and unusual sightings or changes in status. You may leave your sightings at the park headquarters or mail them to the Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Nomenclature and organization for this checklist follow the 7th edition of the American Ornithologists Union Check-list of North American Birds. Please help us protect the natural avian communities in our park by the correct and prudent use of playback tapes of bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes during breeding season may disrupt nesting cycles, territorial behaviors, and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. LEGEND A – Abundant - should be seen on 75% or more of trips in proper season and habitat. C – Common - should be seen on 50% or more of trips in proper season and habitat. F – Fairly Common - should be seen on 25% or more of trips in proper season and habitat. U – Uncommon - should be seen on 10% or more of trips in proper season and habitat. R – Rare - generally of annual occurrence, but not always present on a given day. X – Accidental - only 1 or 2 records in the last 34 years I – Irregular - absent some years, present in others < – Recorded in Cleburne State Park * – Confirmed nesting in Johnson County SP – S – F – W– Spring Summer Fall Winter March-May June-August September-November December-February 2 CHECKLIST SP ___ Black-bellied Whistling Duck ............................ < ___ Greater White-fronted Goose ............................. < ___ Snow Goose ........................................................... < ___ Canada Goose ....................................................... ___ Tundra Swan ........................................................ < ___ Wood Duck*........................................................... < ___ Gadwall .................................................................. ___ Eurasian Wigeon................................................... < ___ American Wigeon ................................................. < ___ Mallard ................................................................... < ___ Blue-winged Teal .................................................. < ___ Cinnamon Teal...................................................... < ___ Northern Shoveler ................................................ < ___ Northern Pintail ................................................... < ___ Green-winged Teal ............................................... < ___ Canvasback ............................................................ < ___ Redhead ................................................................. < ___ Ring-necked Duck ................................................. ___ Greater Scaup........................................................ < ___ Lesser Scaup .......................................................... ___ Surf Scoter ............................................................. ___ White-winged Scoter ............................................ < ___ Bufflehead.............................................................. < ___ Hooded Merganser ............................................... ___ Common Merganser ............................................. < ___ Red-breasted Merganser ...................................... < ___ Ruddy Duck ........................................................... < ___ Wild Turkey* ......................................................... < ___ Northern Bobwhite* ............................................ < ___ Common Loon ...................................................... < ___ Pied-billed Grebe .................................................. 3 S F W X I I I U C C F C R C F F U C U U C X C U I U U U C F I I I I X U U U U R C X U U C F U C C U R C F R U F R U R C R C U U U C X U C U F I U U R U U U C C C R R U C SP ___ Horned Grebe ....................................................... < ___ Eared Grebe .......................................................... < ___ American White Pelican ...................................... ___ Neotropic Cormorant........................................... < ___ Double-crested Cormorant .................................. ___ American Bittern .................................................. ___ Least Bittern .......................................................... < ___ Great Blue Heron*................................................ < ___ Great Egret*........................................................... < ___ Snowy Egret* ........................................................ < ___ Little Blue Heron* ................................................ ___ Tricolored Heron .................................................. < ___ Cattle Egret* .......................................................... < ___ Green Heron* ........................................................ ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron* .............................. ___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron .............................. ___ White-faced Ibis .................................................... ___ Roseate Spoonbill................................................. < ___ Black Vulture* ....................................................... < ___ Turkey Vulture* .................................................... < ___ Osprey .................................................................... < ___ Mississippi Kite* ................................................... < ___ Bald Eagle .............................................................. < ___ Northern Harrier .................................................. < ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk ........................................... < ___ Cooper’s Hawk* .................................................... ___ Harris’s Hawk ....................................................... < ___ Red-shouldered Hawk* ....................................... < ___ Broad-winged Hawk* ........................................... < ___ Swainson’s Hawk* ................................................ < ___ Red-tailed Hawk* .................................................. ___ Ferruginous Hawk ................................................ ___ Rough-legged Hawk.............................................. 4 S X U F F W F R R R F C X F R R A C C C A C U U R X C A U F C U U X F U C C I I A C C C R A C U U R X C A A A C U C C R A U C R C C A A R R F U R U C X U C U U U X F F F U U F U C C C I I ___ Crested Caracara* ................................................ < ___ American Kestrel* ................................................ < ___ Merlin ..................................................................... < ___ Peregrine Falcon ................................................... ___ Prairie Falcon ........................................................ ___ King Rail ............................................................... ___ Virginia Rail .......................................................... < ___ Sora ....................................................................... ___ Common Moorhen ............................................... < ___ American Coot ...................................................... < ___ Sandhill Crane ...................................................... ___ Whooping Crane................................................... ___ Black-bellied Plover ............................................. ___ American Golden-Plover ..................................... ___ Semipalmated Plover ........................................... < ___ Killdeer* ................................................................. ___ Black-necked Stilt ................................................. ___ American Avocet ................................................... < ___ Spotted Sandpiper ................................................ ___ Solitary Sandpiper ............................................... < ___ Greater Yellowlegs ............................................... ___ Willet ...................................................................... < ___ Lesser Yellowlegs .................................................. ___ Upland Sandpiper................................................. ___ Long-billed Curlew ............................................... ___ Hudsonian Godwit ............................................... ___ Marbled Godwit .................................................... ___ Sanderling ............................................................. < ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper .................................... < ___ Western Sandpiper ............................................... < ___ Least Sandpiper .................................................... ___ White-rumped Sandpiper .................................... ___ Baird’s Sandpiper ................................................. 5 SP S I C R R R R R U I I I U U C R U R C F U U U C U U F U F R U F U R R R F F F U U F W U R U R U R R C U C F R R U C C C U U F U R U U R U U U R R U R U U U R U R U U R U U R R < ___ Pectoral Sandpiper ............................................... ___ Dunlin .................................................................... < ___ Stilt Sandpiper ...................................................... ___ Buff-breasted Sandpiper...................................... ___ Short-billed Dowitcher ........................................ < ___ Long-billed Dowitcher.......................................... < ___ Wilson’s Snipe....................................................... < ___ American Woodcock ............................................ < ___ Wilson’s Phalarope .............................................. ___ Red Phalarope....................................................... ___ Black-legged Kittiwake......................................... < ___ Bonaparte’s Gull................................................... < ___ Franklin’s Gull ...................................................... < ___ Ring-billed Gull ..................................................... ___ Herring Gull .......................................................... ___ Least Tern .............................................................. < ___ Caspian Tern ......................................................... < ___ Black Tern.............................................................. < ___ Forster’s Tern ........................................................ < ___ Rock Pigeon* ......................................................... < ___ Eurasian Collared-Dove* ..................................... ___ White-winged Dove* ............................................ < ___ Mourning Dove* ................................................... ___ Inca Dove* ............................................................. ___ Common Ground-Dove........................................ ___ Monk Parakeet ...................................................... ___ Black-billed Cuckoo.............................................. < ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo* .......................................... < ___ Greater Roadrunner* ........................................... < ___ Barn Owl* .............................................................. < ___ Eastern Screech-Owl* ........................................... < ___ Great Horned Owl* .............................................. ___ Burrowing Owl ..................................................... 6 SP S U U U U R U C R U R F C A U X R F U A A R A C X R R F C U F C F W R R R U U U R C R X X F R A U R R A A F A F A A R A F C A A R A C R R R C C U F C U C U F C R C U F C < ___ Barred Owl* .......................................................... ___ Long-eared Owl..................................................... ___ Short-eared Owl.................................................... < ___ Common Nighthawk* .......................................... < ___ Common Poorwill* .............................................. < ___ Chuck-will’s-widow* ............................................. < ___ Whip-poor-will ...................................................... < ___ Chimney Swift*..................................................... ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird ............................. < ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird*............................ ___ Rufous Hummingbird .......................................... < ___ Belted Kingfisher* ................................................ ___ Red-headed Woodpecker ..................................... ___ Golden-fronted Woodpecker .............................. < ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker* .................................... < ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker..................................... < ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker* .............................. < ___ Downy Woodpecker* ........................................... ___ Hairy Woodpecker .............................................. < ___ Northern Flicker ................................................... ___ Pileated Woodpecker ........................................... < ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher .......................................... < ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee ............................................ ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher .................................... < ___ Acadian Flycatcher................................................ ___ Alder Flycatcher .................................................... ___ Willow Flycatcher ................................................. < ___ Least Flycatcher .................................................... < ___ Eastern Phoebe* ................................................... ___ Say’s Phoebe.......................................................... ___ Vermilion Flycatcher ............................................ ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher ....................................... < ___ Great Crested Flycatcher* ................................... 7 SP S U U U U R R A U R C U I A U C R A C F F R C C C C R A X U F F F U U U C R X X F F W A A C C I F C I X F F F R X C C C R C C C C C C C C R R R U U A U U U R U U U F C C C R C U < ___ Western Kingbird*................................................ < ___ Eastern Kingbird* ................................................. < ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher* .................................... < ___ Loggerhead Shrike*.............................................. < ___ White-eyed Vireo* ............................................... ___ Bell’s Vireo*........................................................... ___ Black-capped Vireo* ............................................. < ___ Blue-headed Vireo ................................................ ___ Yellow-throated Vireo .......................................... ___ Warbling Vireo* .................................................... ___ Philadelphia Vireo .............................................. < ___ Red-eyed Vireo ...................................................... < ___ Blue Jay* ................................................................ ___ Green Jay ............................................................... < ___ American Crow* ................................................... ___ Horned Lark .......................................................... < ___ Purple Martin* ...................................................... ___ Tree Swallow ......................................................... < ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow...................... < ___ Bank Swallow ........................................................ < ___ Cliff Swallow* ....................................................... < ___ Barn Swallow* ...................................................... < ___ Carolina Chickadee* ............................................ < ___ Tufted Titmouse* .................................................. < ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch ........................................ ___ White-breasted Nuthatch .................................... < ___ Brown Creeper...................................................... ___ Rock Wren ............................................................. ___ Canyon Wren* ....................................................... < ___ Carolina Wren* ..................................................... < ___ Bewick’s Wren* ..................................................... < ___ House Wren ........................................................... ___ Winter Wren .......................................................... 8 SP S F W A A A C F U R U U U U F A X A C A F C C A A A A R A A A C F U R U U R C R C C U R U X C C C F U I A X A R A U U R A A A A U U U U U A X A R R A X A C U U A A A A R R A A U X U F C C C C C C C C C F R U ___ Sedge Wren............................................................ ___ Marsh Wren ........................................................... < ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet...................................... < ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet.......................................... < ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher*........................................ < ___ Eastern Bluebird* ................................................. ___ Western Bluebird.................................................. < ___ Mountain Bluebird ............................................... ___ Townsend’s Solitaire ............................................ ___ Veery....................................................................... < ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush ........................................... < ___ Swainson’s Thrush ............................................... < ___ Hermit Thrush ...................................................... ___ Wood Thrush ........................................................ < ___ American Robin* .................................................. ___ Gray Catbird .......................................................... < ___ Northern Mockingbird* ....................................... ___ Sage Thrasher ....................................................... < ___ Brown Thrasher* .................................................. < ___ European Starling* .............................................. < ___ American Pipit ..................................................... ___ Sprague’s Pipit ...................................................... < ___ Cedar Waxwing .................................................... < ___ Tennessee Warbler ............................................... < ___ Orange-crowned Warbler .................................... < ___ Nashville Warbler................................................. ___ Northern Parula ................................................... < ___ Yellow Warbler...................................................... < ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler ....................................... ___ Magnolia Warbler ................................................. < ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler....................................... < ___ Black-throated Green Warbler ........................... ___ Golden-cheeked Warbler* ................................... 9 SP S F W U U U C F C U U U U U F U C F C C X X X R R R U U R C A R A A X R U A A C U U C R R U U U U U U A U A R A C U C U U U U U U U C U R F C C A R A R R R U C R SP ___ Blackburnian Warbler.......................................... ___ Yellow-throated Warbler ..................................... ___ Pine Warbler ......................................................... ___ Bay-breasted Warbler........................................... < ___ Black-and-white Warbler* ................................... < ___ American Redstart................................................ ___ Prothonotary Warbler ......................................... ___ Worm-eating Warbler .......................................... ___ Ovenbird ................................................................ < ___ Northern Waterthrush......................................... ___ Louisiana Waterthrush ........................................ ___ Kentucky Warbler................................................. ___ Connecticut Warbler ............................................ ___ Mourning Warbler ................................................ < ___ Common Yellowthroat......................................... < ___ Wilson’s Warbler .................................................. ___ Canada Warbler .................................................... < ___ Yellow-breasted Chat* ........................................ < ___ Summer Tanager* ................................................. ___ Scarlet Tanager ..................................................... < ___ Eastern Towhee .................................................... < ___ Spotted Towhee .................................................... ___ Canyon Towhee .................................................... ___ Cassin’s Sparrow* ................................................ < ___ Rufous-crowned Sparrow* .................................. ___ American Tree Sparrow ...................................... < ___ Chipping Sparrow................................................ < ___ Clay-colored Sparrow .......................................... < ___ Field Sparrow........................................................ < ___ Vesper Sparrow .................................................... < ___ Lark Sparrow* ....................................................... ___ Black-throated Sparrow ...................................... ___ Lark Bunting ......................................................... 10 U U I U U U X X U U U U X U U U U U U I U F X F F I C C C C C I S F W I U I I I I I X U F U U F X F F U U I U U U C F C C U U X I < ___ Savannah Sparrow ............................................... ___ Grasshopper Sparrow* ........................................ ___ Henslow’s Sparrow............................................... ___ Le Conte’s Sparrow.............................................. < ___ Fox Sparrow .......................................................... < ___ Song Sparrow........................................................ < ___ Lincoln’s Sparrow ............................................... ___ Swamp Sparrow.................................................... < ___ White-throated Sparrow ..................................... < ___ Harris’s Sparrow .................................................. < ___ White-crowned Sparrow...................................... < ___ Dark-eyed Junco.................................................... ___ McCown’s Longspur ............................................. ___ Lapland Longspur ................................................. ___ Smith’s Longspur .................................................. ___ Chestnut-collared Longspur ................................ < ___ Northern Cardinal* .............................................. ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak ...................................... ___ Black-headed Grosbeak ....................................... < ___ Blue Grosbeak* ..................................................... ___ Lazuli Bunting....................................................... < ___ Indigo Bunting* .................................................... < ___ Painted Bunting*.................................................. < ___ Dickcissel* .............................................................. ___ Bobolink ................................................................ < ___ Red-winged Blackbird* ........................................ < ___ Eastern Meadowlark*........................................... ___ Western Meadowlark ........................................... ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird ..................................... ___ Rusty Blackbird..................................................... < ___ Brewer’s Blackbird ............................................... < ___ Common Grackle* ................................................ < ___ Great-tailed Grackle* ........................................... 11 SP S C C X U F U A C A A A A I F C U U U I A U R F U U F C U A A C C U C A C F W U F U A C A A A A I I I I A A A U U U R U U X U U U C F C R R A C C A C C U C C C U U C A U A C C C < ___ Brown-headed Cowbird* ..................................... ___ Orchard Oriole* .................................................... < ___ Baltimore Oriole ................................................... < ___ Bullock’s Oriole* ................................................... ___ Scott’s Oriole ......................................................... < ___ Purple Finch .......................................................... < ___ House Finch* ......................................................... ___ Red Crossbill ......................................................... < ___ Pine Siskin ........................................................... ___ Lesser Goldfinch ................................................... < ___ American Goldfinch ............................................. ___ Evening Grosbeak ................................................ < ___ House Sparrow*.................................................... citation SP S A F C C C U U F R C X C A R A F W C A U U R U X X R R C C C X C C X C A R R A A A Easley, Charles W. May 2009. Birds of Cleburne State Park and vicin­ ity: a field checklist. Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 12 In 1983, the Texas Legislature created the Special Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Fund. This fund may be used for nongame wildlife and endangered species research and conservation, habitat acquisition and development and dis­ semination of information pertaining to nongame management. Money for this fund is obtained through private donations and sale of nongame wildlife art prints and stamps. This fund now gives Texans a unique opportunity to help support this state’s valuable and sensitive nongame resources. Your individual contributions and purchases of nongame art prints and stamps will help determine the level of nongame conservation activities in Texas. For more information call toll-free (1-800-792-1112) or contact: Nongame and Endangered Species Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Natural Resources Program Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2009 by TPWD PWD BK P4503-013H (5/09) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.