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Owls, other birds and varmints are outdoors, Fall edition

2,744 Views | 22 Replies | Last: 3 mo ago by Junction71
iamtheglove
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2:54p, 9/30/25
Last Spring I posted some images captured on a game cam I set up on my property in Matagorda county. This Fall has yielded more interesting visitors to the drip.



The Barred owl pair was back and made many appearances......



....as did the Eastern Screech Owl.



The Hooded Warbler was back, making its way to the south for the Winter.



For some reason, there were a ton of Canada Warblers passing through. I had at least 50 images of this species.



Kentucky Warbler on the right with another Canada on the left.



This is a Blue Winged Warbler, cousin to the Golden Winged Warbler. They often interbreed creating several hybrids.



Baltimore Orioles came through in good numbers this year.



The Yellow Breasted Chat is reclusive but made several appearances.



Wilson's Warbler is a resident of the Texas coast that you can see in the Winter as well.



This is the Black Throated Green Warbler. Many warblers have different plumage in the Fall versus their Spring breeding plumage, so it can make identification difficult in the Fall.



This is the Mourning Warbler. As with many other warblers, it only passes through during the Spring and Fall. While very common in terms of numbers, this bird is extremely hard to locate as it prefers to feed in dense brushy areas.



There's been a big bobcat on the property and she is responsible for this litter of 3.

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TX AG 88
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3:02p, 9/30/25
AG
sweet pics! thanks for sharing them and your bird ID knowledge!
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Gunny456
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In reply to iamtheglove • 3:25p, 9/30/25
AG
Very cool. Great pics. Thanks for sharing!!
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Ag by Association
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3:37p, 9/30/25
Love this thread!
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TRIDENT
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3:40p, 9/30/25
AG
Cool setup. Thanks for sharing!
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DoitBest
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In reply to iamtheglove • 4:42p, 9/30/25
S
What are you trying to deter with the 1x4 stakes pointing up ?
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iamtheglove
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In reply to DoitBest • 6:27p, 9/30/25
DoitBest said:
What are you trying to deter with the 1x4 stakes pointing up ?

Hogs. They were creating a wallow this past Spring, grubbing up the dirt and laying across the drip basin. I planted the stakes upside down thinking that the pointed end would be just enough deterrent to them lying down or tearing up the area around the drip basin. So far it has worked and easier than putting up hog fencing that might exclude other animals. I actually don't mind even the hogs from coming to drink, just don't want them tearing up the place.
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DoitBest
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In reply to iamtheglove • 9:26p, 9/30/25
S
Thanks, that was my guess & makes sense.

I will remember that for future reference.

I just think my dumb azz would step on one or trip, fall & have a really bad day....

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DoitBest
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9:28p, 9/30/25
S
And please keep the pics coming....

I enjoy trying to identify the birds my Dad tried to teach me back in the day....
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Twisted Helix
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9:36p, 9/30/25
That Oriole is very cool.
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fullback44
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10:17p, 9/30/25
AG
very cool pics.. thanks for sharing
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TheAggiesAreWe03
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12:55p, 10/1/25
AG
No California Neighbors showed up this year?

ETA: may have you mixed up with someone else that posted pics of their neighbor snooping on their property.
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iamtheglove
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In reply to TheAggiesAreWe03 • 2:07p, 10/1/25
TheAggiesAreWe03 said:
No California Neighbors showed up this year?

ETA: may have you mixed up with someone else that posted pics of their neighbor snooping on their property.

Ha, no that wasn't me. I do have Scottish neighbors, they're good people.
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Junction71
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3:32p, 10/1/25
AG
There are people that would pay to come see some of those species that close. I have seen them all at the migratory stops on the upper Texas coast like High Island and Sabine Pass. Cool, thanks for sharing. I have seen all of those species in Kimble County, with the exception of the Canada Warbler, and they are on my published county checklist. Check that---I haven't documented Barred Owl but it has been documented quite well in Kerr County just south.
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iamtheglove
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In reply to Junction71 • 7:58p, 10/1/25
Junction71 said:
There are people that would pay to come see some of those species that close. I have seen them all at the migratory stops on the upper Texas coast like High Island and Sabine Pass. Cool, thanks for sharing. I have seen all of those species in Kimble County, with the exception of the Canada Warbler, and they are on my published county checklist. Check that---I haven't documented Barred Owl but it has been documented quite well in Kerr County just south.

My goal is to eventually donate the property to a suitable organization such as Houston Audubon or Texas Ornithological Society, so it will be open to the public at that point. It is about 3 miles from the coast so it has a similar draw and profile as High Island and Sabine Woods, though both of those are far more isolated woods which increase the volume of migratory birds. A couple similar forests are closer to the coast from my property and there is much more forested acreage north of it, so not quite as intensive fallouts in the Spring. But it is a quality old growth forest.
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iamtheglove
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9:40a, 10/2/25
A few more photos:



This is the Nashville Warbler



Another Baltimore Oriole



A Wood Thrush from the Spring migration. These birds are in steep decline, unfortunately, as are many song birds.



This is the Ovenbird, so called due to it's nest which is shaped like an old fashioned pot belly oven - round with an opening in the middle. The black and orange stripes on its head are a good tool for identification.



On the branch to the right is the male American Redstart



Bay Breasted Warbler on the wing



Hard to see at the very bottom of the image is the head of a Blackburnian Warbler. This is another species in steep decline.



On the left is a very wet Western Tanager. It is a western species whose migration path just skirts Matagorda county. Not often see any farther to the east.



As you would expect, plenty of deer on the property. Regular visits from this big buck as well as doe and fawns.

One of the reasons that some migratory birds are in steep decline is that they somewhat uniquely require three different habitats throughout the year to survive - their wintering habitat in Mexico, Central and South America, their breeding habitat in the northern US and Canada and habitat along their migration route.

The most grueling part of that migration is the Spring non-stop flight over the Gulf which can take up to 18 hours. When they arrive on our gulf coast they immediately need resources to survive - food, water and shelter in the form of tree cover as some other birds such as Coopers hawks eat other birds. That is why any native forest or wood lots within 6 miles of the coast is vital to maintain populations of these birds.
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tandy miller
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10:28a, 10/2/25
AG
Here's an owl
FJB
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schmellba99
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In reply to iamtheglove • 11:51a, 10/2/25
AG
iamtheglove said:
Junction71 said:
There are people that would pay to come see some of those species that close. I have seen them all at the migratory stops on the upper Texas coast like High Island and Sabine Pass. Cool, thanks for sharing. I have seen all of those species in Kimble County, with the exception of the Canada Warbler, and they are on my published county checklist. Check that---I haven't documented Barred Owl but it has been documented quite well in Kerr County just south.

My goal is to eventually donate the property to a suitable organization such as Houston Audubon or Texas Ornithological Society, so it will be open to the public at that point. It is about 3 miles from the coast so it has a similar draw and profile as High Island and Sabine Woods, though both of those are far more isolated woods which increase the volume of migratory birds. A couple similar forests are closer to the coast from my property and there is much more forested acreage north of it, so not quite as intensive fallouts in the Spring. But it is a quality old growth forest.

You must be fairly close to the Colorado river bottoms then I would assume. Selkirk Island general area?
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iamtheglove
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In reply to schmellba99 • 12:36p, 10/2/25
schmellba99 said:
iamtheglove said:
Junction71 said:
There are people that would pay to come see some of those species that close. I have seen them all at the migratory stops on the upper Texas coast like High Island and Sabine Pass. Cool, thanks for sharing. I have seen all of those species in Kimble County, with the exception of the Canada Warbler, and they are on my published county checklist. Check that---I haven't documented Barred Owl but it has been documented quite well in Kerr County just south.

My goal is to eventually donate the property to a suitable organization such as Houston Audubon or Texas Ornithological Society, so it will be open to the public at that point. It is about 3 miles from the coast so it has a similar draw and profile as High Island and Sabine Woods, though both of those are far more isolated woods which increase the volume of migratory birds. A couple similar forests are closer to the coast from my property and there is much more forested acreage north of it, so not quite as intensive fallouts in the Spring. But it is a quality old growth forest.

You must be fairly close to the Colorado river bottoms then I would assume. Selkirk Island general area?


Caney creek (which ironically was the Colorado river about 800 years ago until it rerouted to its current path).
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chet98
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In reply to iamtheglove • 12:59p, 10/2/25
AG
Couple of questions for you as I've set up similarly sized water pans in my yard in NW Austin. We get fewer birds but practically every night we're getting skunk, foxes, coons and ringtail cats.

Looks like you have a hose permanently in the pan, is that just so you can fill up from a distance and not get into the area? How often do you fill up / replace the water? Ours gets funky pretty quickly so about weekly I'm scrubbing the pan and refilling. Not that the critters seem to care.

I've also got a homemade bubbler but for the most part the birds couldn't care less. That said we don't really have a ton of birds in general. Probably b/c we back up to Balcones Preserve and they're all in the real woods.
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iamtheglove
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In reply to chet98 • 1:06p, 10/2/25
chet98 said:
Couple of questions for you as I've set up similarly sized water pans in my yard in NW Austin. We get fewer birds but practically every night we're getting skunk, foxes, coons and ringtail cats.

Looks like you have a hose permanently in the pan, is that just so you can fill up from a distance and not get into the area? How often do you fill up / replace the water? Ours gets funky pretty quickly so about weekly I'm scrubbing the pan and refilling. Not that the critters seem to care.

I've also got a homemade bubbler but for the most part the birds couldn't care less. That said we don't really have a ton of birds in general. Probably b/c we back up to Balcones Preserve and they're all in the real woods.

I live in Houston so I can't get down to Matagorda county as often as I would like. Usually once every other week is the best I can do. I added the sprayer attachment and put it on a timer so it might help with cleaning out the basin and water. Timer turns on full blast for 1 minute once a week and does an ok job of cleaning out the basin. The dripping pipe which is mounted a couple feet above the basin also helps by dripping clean water for about 12 hours per day. The dripping noise also attracts birds.
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chet98
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In reply to iamtheglove • 1:08p, 10/2/25
AG
Very cool setup. Thanks!
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Junction71
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3:29p, 10/2/25
AG
That is a cool set-up. I have a re-circulating water feature in my yard with the water tumbling over rocks. Wild birds are really attracted to the sound of moving water.

I am a member, and past Regional Director of TOS, and they might be interested. We have properties in Matagorda County already (Magic Ridge, which I think is in that county).
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