Sheldon Lake

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF SHELDON LAKE STATE PARK AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER A FIELD CHECKLIST 2017 Cover: Illustration of Great Blue Heron by Rob Fleming. S INTRODUCTION heldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center (SLSP) is about 20 miles northeast of downtown Houston, one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. During a workweek, trucks and trains sail past SLSP going to or from industry nearby the park. Daily commuter traffic flows past the 2,800 acres of habitat placed just off the road. Corporate jets and airplanes fly overhead arriving and departing from Bush Intercontinental Airport with travelers from all around the world. Needless to say, this piece of habitat is a natural island in a sea of city and industry. The history of SLSP dates back to the early 1940s. A Works Progress Administration project created Sheldon Reservoir in 1943 as a water supply for industries along the Houston Ship Channel in support of the war. At the conclusion of WWII, the reservoir was transferred to the City of Houston and used as a surface water supply. With the completion of Lake Houston in the early fifties, the city sold the reservoir and adjacent land to the Texas Fish, Game and Oyster Commission, which later became Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The area was managed by the TPWD Wildlife Division as Sheldon Wildlife Management Area (WMA). A few years later, the Sheldon State Fish Hatchery was added in the southeast corner. By the late 1960s, with the encroachment of the City of Houston, Sheldon WMA was designated surplus and daily management operations were shut down. In 1984, management of the property was transferred to the State Parks Division of TPWD and the area was designated as Sheldon Lake State Park. Today the park is 2,800 acres with approximately 1,200 acres as the reservoir. Over the last 30+ years, many phases of development have been completed, including several new structures and trails throughout the former hatchery site and the restoration of 400 acres of former farmland into historic native tallgrass prairie. In 2011, the John Jacob Observation Tower was opened to the public and in 2014 the entrance to the park was moved to the north side allowing visitors to enjoy a scenic tour of the park. The SLSP you visit today offers an incredibly diverse ecosystem comprised of a variety of habitat types. Sheldon Lake is a mix of open water with emerging Bald Cypress trees. The lake has also been used as a highly productive waterbird rookery, supporting hundreds of nesting pairs of ibis, herons, egrets, Anhingas, and Roseate Spoonbills since the 1980s. The main water source for the lake is Carpenters Bayou, which includes hundreds of acres of emergent wetlands, Bald 1 Cypress swamp, and mixed bottomland forest. The park’s entrance road meanders through 2 miles of restored tallgrass prairie and wetlands where unique species such as Le Conte’s Sparrow, Northern Harrier, American Bittern, and various species of secretive rails can be found. Many of the hiking trails transect what once was an active fish hatchery. The hatchery ponds are no longer used as a working fish hatchery and are managed for wildlife habitat. While walking the trails, Wood Duck, Gray Catbird, Common Gallinule, and a mixture of vibrant warblers are expected during the right time of year. Like most wildlife, birds select where they spend their time based on certain environmental factors. These factors are what attract or deter a bird to use and stay in an area and include things such as vegetation composition, food sources, human disturbance, and many others. The greater variety of quality habitat a site can offer, the greater diversity of bird species can be expected to frequent a site. With the abundance of habitat in close proximity to one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, it is natural to find a diversity of wildlife at SLSP. Each habitat type holds a variety of species that changes throughout the seasons with different plants, insects, and other prey populations blossoming through the year. In the winter it is easy to find Cedar Waxwings gently whistling in the treetops and in the summer you cannot miss seeing a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. While birding at the park, please observe basic safety tips and park rules and regulations which are in place for the safety of park visitors and the wildlife. Only park in designated parking areas and not along the roadway to bird. Secure your vehicle and belongings. Keep in mind that alligators and venomous snakes, such as eastern cottonmouths, can be found in the park. This checklist and information was collected through the efforts of thousands of citizen scientists and birders that submit their bird sightings to eBird. This valuable resource compiles data and allows everyone access to sighting information. This, and other citizen science-based resources, allow you to contribute and take part in helping us understand where birds are and what they are doing to better protect and conserve species and their habitats. Park Rangers, Cullen Ondracek and Hannah Buschert, used this resource while updating this checklist to have the most recent information and sightings. In addition to rangers, SLSP is fortunate to have many wonderful birders, including the Lake Houston Area Nature Club, which regularly lead bird walks and participate in other ‘birdy’ park events. For current information about birding SLSP, please 2 call the main office at (281) 456-2800 or check eBird.org. Report sightings of unlisted and rare species to park staff. Nomenclature and organization for this checklist follow the 7th edition of the American Ornithologists Union Check-list of North American Birds as currently supplemented. Please help us protect the natural avian communities in our parks by not using playback tapes of bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes disrupts essential territorial behavior and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. LEGEND Seasonal Occurrence Sp – Spring (March, April, May) S – Summer (June, July, August) F – Fall (September, October, November) W – Winter (December, January, February) Abundance The likeliness of encountering a species in proper habitat A – Abundant: Always present and usually multiple individuals C – Common: Encountered most outings U – Uncommon: Usually present but not encountered most outings, low individual numbers O – Occasional: Not always present but usually encountered at least once during specified season R – Rare: Observed once or twice per year, not expected every year X – Extremely Rare: 1-2 sightings or recurrent individual 3 CHECKLIST Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Black-bellied Whistling-Duck............... A A U O Fulvous Whistling-Duck........................ R R Greater White-fronted Goose................ O O Snow Goose.......................................... U U Ross’s Goose........................................ R O Cackling Goose..................................... R Canada Goose....................................... R R Wood Duck.......................................... O C U Gadwall................................................ O U C American Wigeon................................. O U American Black Duck........................... X Mallard................................................ O U C Mottled Duck....................................... U O O Blue-winged Teal.................................. A O U U Cinnamon Teal..................................... R Northern Shoveler................................ O O C Northern Pintail.................................... O U Green-winged Teal................................ O O U Canvasback.......................................... U Redhead............................................... R Ring-necked Duck................................ R U C Greater Scaup....................................... X Lesser Scaup........................................ R R O Common Goldeneye............................. X Hooded Merganser............................... R O Red-breasted Merganser...................... U Ruddy Duck......................................... U Least Grebe.......................................... X X Pied-billed Grebe................................. A C A A Horned Grebe...................................... R 4  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Eared Grebe......................................... R Rock Pigeon......................................... U O O O Eurasian Collared-Dove........................ U C U O Inca Dove............................................. O R Common Ground-Dove......................... R White-winged Dove............................... O O O R Mourning Dove.................................... A A A C Groove-billed Ani................................. X Yellow-billed Cuckoo............................ C U Common Nighthawk............................. R Chimney Swift....................................... U C Ruby-throated Hummingbird................ O C A Rufous Hummingbird........................... R Yellow Rail........................................... X King Rail............................................... R R Clapper Rail......................................... R Virginia Rail.......................................... R Sora..................................................... O R R Purple Gallinule................................... C A O Common Gallinule................................ A A A C American Coot...................................... C O C A Sandhill Crane...................................... R R Black-necked Stilt................................ U C American Avocet................................... O O American Golden-Plover....................... U Semipalmated Plover............................ X Killdeer................................................ A C A A Upland Sandpiper................................. U U Stilt Sandpiper...................................... O R Sanderling............................................ R Dunlin.................................................. X 5  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Baird’s Sandpiper................................. R Least Sandpiper.................................... R R R O White-rumped Sandpiper..................... R Buff-breasted Sandpiper....................... R R Pectoral Sandpiper............................... U R Semipalmated Sandpiper...................... R R Western Sandpiper............................... X Long-billed Dowitcher.......................... Wilson’s Snipe...................................... O R American Woodcock............................ O R Spotted Sandpiper................................ O U O R Solitary Sandpiper................................ O C O Greater Yellowlegs................................ C R C U Willet.................................................... R R Lesser Yellowlegs.................................. U R O U Wilson’s Phalarope............................... R Bonaparte’s Gull................................... R Laughing Gull....................................... O A O U Franklin’s Gull...................................... R Ring-billed Gull.................................... U O C Herring Gull......................................... O R U Lesser Black-backed Gull..................... R Least Tern............................................. X Caspian Tern........................................ R R Black Tern............................................ R Forster’s Tern....................................... R O R Royal Tern............................................ O Wood Stork.......................................... O U Neotropic Cormorant........................... U C A C Double-crested Cormorant................... C R A A Anhinga................................................ C A A A American White Pelican........................ R O U 6  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Brown Pelican...................................... R R R American Bittern.................................. U U O Least Bittern......................................... R R Great Blue Heron................................. A A A C Great Egret........................................... A A A A Snowy Egret.......................................... A C A A Little Blue Heron.................................. C A A C Tricolored Heron................................. C A C C Reddish Egret....................................... R R Cattle Egret........................................... A A C O Green Heron........................................ C A C O Black-crowned Night-Heron................. U C O R Yellow-crowned Night-Heron................ A A U R White Ibis............................................. A A A A Glossy Ibis............................................ R O White-faced Ibis................................... U C U U Roseate Spoonbill................................. C A U O Black Vulture........................................ C C C C Turkey Vulture...................................... C U A A Osprey.................................................. R R O U White-tailed Kite................................... R R Swallow-tailed Kite............................... R R Mississippi Kite..................................... O O Northern Harrier.................................. O U C Sharp-shinned Hawk............................ R O O Cooper’s Hawk..................................... O O C U Northern Goshawk............................... X Bald Eagle............................................ U C U Harris’s Hawk....................................... R White-tailed Hawk................................ R R Red-shouldered Hawk.......................... U O A A Broad-winged Hawk............................. U C 7  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Swainson’s Hawk.................................. O O R Red-tailed Hawk................................... C O C A Great Horned Owl................................ R R Barred Owl........................................... R R Belted Kingfisher.................................. U O A C Red-headed Woodpecker..................... O O Red-bellied Woodpecker...................... C A A A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker...................... O U C Downy Woodpecker............................. U C A A Hairy Woodpecker................................ R Northern Flicker................................... R U O Pileated Woodpecker............................ O U O O Crested Caracara.................................. U O O U American Kestrel.................................. O C C Merlin.................................................. R O O Peregrine Falcon.................................. R U O Monk Parakeet..................................... X Olive-sided Flycatcher.......................... X Eastern Wood-Pewee............................ U R U Yellow-bellied Flycatcher...................... R R Acadian Flycatcher............................... R R O Alder Flycatcher................................... U Willow Flycatcher................................. X Least Flycatcher.................................... R O R R Eastern Phoebe.................................... U A A Vermilion Flycatcher............................. O U Ash-throated Flycatcher........................ R Great Crested Flycatcher....................... U O U Great Kiskadee..................................... X X X X Couch’s Kingbird.................................. X X Western Kingbird.................................. X X X Eastern Kingbird................................... C C U 8  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Scissor-tailed Flycatcher....................... C C U Loggerhead Shrike............................... U U U U White-eyed Vireo.................................. C C U O Bell’s Vireo........................................... X Yellow-throated Vireo........................... O O R Blue-headed Vireo................................ O U Philadelphia Vireo................................ X Warbling Vireo..................................... R R Red-eyed Vireo..................................... O U O Blue Jay................................................ C C A C American Crow..................................... A C C A Fish Crow............................................. U U O O Horned Lark......................................... R Northern Rough-winged Swallow.......... U U O Purple Martin....................................... U U O O Tree Swallow........................................ U U U Bank Swallow....................................... O R O Barn Swallow....................................... C C U Cliff Swallow......................................... C U O Cave Swallow........................................ O U O Carolina Chickadee.............................. A A A A Tufted Titmouse.................................... C C C C Red-breasted Nuthatch......................... R R Brown-headed Nuthatch....................... R Brown Creeper..................................... O O House Wren.......................................... O U U Winter Wren......................................... O O Sedge Wren.......................................... U U U Marsh Wren.......................................... O U O Carolina Wren...................................... C C C C Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.......................... C C A Golden-crowned Kinglet....................... O O U 9  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Ruby-crowned Kinglet.......................... U U A Eastern Bluebird.................................. U O U C Gray-cheeked Thrush........................... O Swainson’s Thrush................................ U Hermit Thrush...................................... O O U Wood Thrush........................................ R American Robin................................... O R C A Gray Catbird......................................... U U U Brown Thrasher................................... U U U Northern Mockingbird......................... A A A A European Starling................................. C U U C American Pipit...................................... O O C Sprague’s Pipit...................................... O Cedar Waxwing..................................... U C Ovenbird.............................................. O Worm-eating Warbler........................... O Louisiana Waterthrush.......................... O U O Northern Waterthrush........................... O U Blue-winged Warbler............................ O Black-and-white Warbler...................... O O R Prothonotary Warbler........................... O U Tennessee Warbler............................... U O Orange-crowned Warbler..................... U U C Nashville Warbler................................. O U Mourning Warbler................................ O Kentucky Warbler................................. O Common Yellowthroat.......................... U U U Hooded Warbler................................... U O American Redstart................................ O O Cerulean Warbler................................. O Northern Parula................................... U O Magnolia Warbler................................. U R 10  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F W Bay-breasted Warbler........................... O Blackburnian Warbler.......................... O Yellow Warbler..................................... U U Chestnut-sided Warbler........................ U Palm Warbler....................................... O O Pine Warbler........................................ U U C C Yellow-rumped Warbler....................... C A A Yellow-throated Warbler....................... R R Prairie Warbler..................................... R Black-throated Green Warbler.............. U O Canada Warbler.................................... R Wilson’s Warbler.................................. O O O Yellow-breasted Chat............................ U O Grasshopper Sparrow........................... O O O Le Conte’s Sparrow............................... U U Nelson’s Sparrow.................................. R Chipping Sparrow................................. U U Clay-colored Sparrow........................... R R Field Sparrow....................................... O U Lark Sparrow....................................... R Fox Sparrow......................................... O Dark-eyed Junco.................................. White-crowned Sparrow....................... R O Harris’s Sparrow.................................. O White-throated Sparrow....................... C C C Vesper Sparrow.................................... O O Savannah Sparrow................................ C C A Song Sparrow....................................... U U U Lincoln’s Sparrow................................. U U C Swamp Sparrow................................... U C C Green-tailed Towhee............................. O 11  Sp ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ S F Spotted Towhee.................................... R Eastern Towhee.................................... Summer Tanager.................................. U O U Scarlet Tanager..................................... R Northern Cardinal................................ A A A Rose-breasted Grosbeak....................... U Blue Grosbeak...................................... O R O Indigo Bunting..................................... U U U Painted Bunting.................................... U C O Dickcissel............................................. O R O Bobolink.............................................. R Red-winged Blackbird.......................... A A C Eastern Meadowlark............................. U R U Yellow-headed Blackbird...................... R Rusty Blackbird.................................... R Brewer’s Blackbird............................... R Common Grackle................................. C U U Great-tailed Grackle............................. A A C Bronzed Cowbird................................. R Brown-headed Cowbird........................ U O O Orchard Oriole..................................... U U Baltimore Oriole.................................. U U House Finch......................................... O R Purple Finch......................................... R American Goldfinch.............................. U U House Sparrow..................................... U U U Northern Red Bishop............................ R Scaly-breasted Munia........................... U 12 W R A A U R R U C O R C U O CITATION Ondracek, C., Buschert, H. D., Comstock, R., & Carey, D. F. 2017. Birds of Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center: A Field Checklist. 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 dissemination 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 Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TDD) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Natural Resources Program Texas Parks and Wildlife 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2017 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. PWD BK P4504-138D (6/17) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.