The dawn temperature at Balmorhea SP on Sunday, Jan. 3, 1999, was somewhere between 15 and 19 degrees. Yes, it was cold and, no, we weren't quite prepared for that dip in temperature but we survived. All the water bottles in camp were frozen, including the one beside my sleeping bag, as well as the water faucet in our campsite. We finally managed to get coffee and oatmeal made and warm up a little.
Within a mile of leaving the SP we saw a dark morph Red-tailed Hawk-probably the same one we saw the day before on the western edge of Balmorhea. We made a quick trip to the Lake and Sue was able to add a Ross's Goose to her life list. At the dam we met Cecilia Riley who pointed out the Common Loons, so Sue was able to tick that off her list, too.
We decided to go out Reeves County Road 315 and look for the Crissal Thrasher that was seen Sat. on the CBC. We didn't find it but after turning east on Reeves Cty. Rd. 329 we did see a flock of Sage Sparrows and a Sage Thrasher (more life birds). I also spotted a soaring bird circling on the wind about a mile or so in front of us-a Golden Eagle. The debate was to rush ahead and try to see it up close or continue to bird along slowly in the van and keep an eye on it and hope for the best. We didn't have to make a decision or move.
The eagle continued to circle and follow the road and within a few minutes it passed directly over us in a slow gliding circle. Wow-what a Kodak moment! We finally made it to the interstate and then up Hwy. 67 towards San Angelo (a family detour).
We stopped at the Town & Country gas/mart in Rankin for food and Sue got another life sighting behind the building-a flock of about 30 Lark Buntings in a feeding frenzy. As we pulled out, there was a flock of Horned Larks that were trying to feed on the road but passing cars kept them flying more than they were feeding.
Near Miles, about 13 miles east of San Angelo we saw a White-tailed Kite flying across the road. I saw two of them last year about 20 miles east of there but it still seems to me to be an unusual bird for that area. The rest of the trip was uneventful, birdwise. All together we spent five days in the Davis Mountains and Balmorhea "birding til we dropped" each day. It was great. Makes me wonder how many consecutive days it would take to get a little burned out.
If anyone is looking for Phainopepla, we found several at Bloys Campground on the southside of Ft. Davis. Best wishes to everyone for a good birding year. Tom & Sue Richards-San Antonio