A Trip Through Southwest Texas
North to Black Mesa (NM & OK)
2-22 August 2004

This is a work in progress (Winter 2004-05) as I process some 3400 images taken on this trip. Below are just some examples of what is to come.

DOCUMENTATION

see also PLUMAGE STUDIES, SCENICS & HABITAT

Documentations: uncommon sightings from TX, NM, & OK

• Gray Flycatcher at Rio Grande Village, Big Bend Nat'l. Park 11 Aug. 2004
• Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush at Pharr, TX 5 Aug 2004
• Black-throated Gray Warbler HY at Guadalupe Mtns Nat'l. Park 15 Aug 2004 (see below)

Comments on Black-throated Gray Warbler: This bird represents an early (by a week) record of an uncommon migrant* through the Guadalupe Mtns., TX, The bird was discovered in the rain the morning of the 15th August 2004, making it's way up the small ravine just west of the nature trail lopp at the entrance of McKittrick Canyon. The bird was quite vocal giving a soft 'chup' similar though softer than a Myrtle Warbler. It was this call note that brought the bird to my attention. A Black-throated Gray Warbler was found well up McKittrick Canyon the next day by another party (a member of the California Bird Records Committee) by the Grotto. Possibly the same individual. The plumage here, the lack of a breast band, weak streaking of the flanks which do not advance to the vent strongly suggests a Hatching-Year bird.

This shot would likely not have been possiby with anything but the method used. This bird's closest approach was 55 meters (about 170 ft.).

*Local nesting has been suspected in the past so this may be an erroneous assumption.



All photographs by Victor W. Fazio III (Part of the AVES.NET PHOTOGRAPHIC INDEX).
All these images are digital stills (0.84 megapixel) off a Sony TRV340 25x camcorder (usually with 2x teleconverter attached = 1750 mm lens).