Christmas Bird Counts

The Austin CBC circle is centered at McKinney Falls State Park in southeast Austin and covers a wide variety of both mixed urban and rural habitats. If you are interested or would like to participate in this year's Austin CBC please contact Tyler Miloy at austincbc@gmail.com for more information and to preregister. The Austin CBC is held on the first Saturday of the count window.

This count has enjoyed steady growth in participation over the past few years, and as a result our species total has continued to climb as well. We would love to continue this trend - more eyes in the field gives a better view of the birds life there. The Balcones CBC is sponsored by the Friends of Balcones Canyonlands NWR. The circle includes all the tracts of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding area (see map on our website). We need many birders of all skill levels to adequately survey the birds in the circle area to find all of the expected species and the rare species visiting the area. We would especially like to have some feeder watchers this year, so if you live within the circle and have bird feeders, please participate. Send an email to Brad James at balconescbc@gmail.com with questions or to participate.

Shelia Hargis is the count compiler. Counting birds in Bastrop is the perfect way to bring in the new year! Many birders are needed to adequately survey the birds in the circle area to find all of the expected species and the rare species visiting the area. Shelia would like to have some feeder watchers also, so if you live within the circle and have bird feeders, please participate. For more specific information about the Bastrop CBC including a map showing the count circle, check out the website at www.bastropcbc.com. Email Shelia Hargis
at bastroptxcbc@gmail.com with questions or to register. Thank you for participating in this important citizen-science project! This count is usually scheduled on January 1.

Sponsored by Twin Lakes Audubon Society, the count is open to anyone. Some of the more interesting birds that could be found this year include Mountain Plovers, three species of Longspurs, Mountain Bluebird, and almost certainly the Sage Thrasher. We appreciate anyone participating in the count, even new birders who wish to learn some field identifications of birds. The compiler is Kathy Cantu. Information about participation is on the Twin Lakes Audubon Society website.

We usually do not accept new or guest members for our count as most teams are filled with members of long standing. Teams will meet in the field. Most team are driving teams and leaders restrict their teams to 4 individuals. Occasionally a team dissolves for various reasons then a new team leader is recruited. The team leader is responsible for recruiting new members for that team. Contact compiler to inquire if openings are still available for the current year. New participants may want to bring a sack lunch/snack in case their count team does not stop for lunch at a local restaurant. We will meet for dinner at 5pm at Hungry Horse Restaurant in Boerne where "bragging rights" for best bird will be determined after hearing what all teams observed. Those wishing to be placed on a waiting list should an opening occur may contact Betty Sue Dunn by email at bebsd@hotmail.com.

The Burnet CBC circle is centered slightly west of Burnet in the Texas Hill Country. The count circle includes Lake Buchanan and Inks Lake as well as large private ranches, grasslands, mixed hardwood forests and Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery. We count birds at Inks Lake State Park, on private property including Eagles Wings Retreat Center and Reveille Peak Ranch, in rural subdivisions and along county roads. Species highlights—and definite rarities—in the past have included a Long-tailed Duck, Zone-tailed Hawk, Long-billed Curlew and Golden Eagle. We probably won’t get those rarities but we can have 41 species of waterfowl, herons, egrets, sandpipers and gulls, 12 species of raptors and 19 species of sparrows. Compiler: Kay Zagst, kay.zagst@gmail.com

Covering Choke Canyon State Park, the reservoir, and surrounding scrub, fields, and woodlands, this count offers a high diversity of waterbirds, raptors, and sparrows, and easy access to many "South Texas" specialties. Coverage of the count circle is arranged prior to count day. Groups are assigned the night before, and each group is responsible for getting themselves going in the morning, so there is no pre-count meeting and no "official" start time other than "first light". A countdown dinner is held after the count to tally the species seen. Please contact compiler Paul Sunby at psunby@swca.com if interested for further details.

Highlights of recent counts include Pyrrhuloxia (2015) and the U.S. high count of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (2008). Anyone interested can contact Betty Vermeire, compiler, 979-324-6654 (leave message, please) or email bavermeire@suddenlink.net.

Please contact Annette Jones (plawaco@aol.com) by December 1 if you want to participate in this count.

This CBC is centered on the Fort Cavazos Military installation in central Texas. New participants will be paired with past participants who are familiar with the installation. Since this is an active military installation, space is limited and detailed instructions will be provided. If you are interested in participating in this unique count, please contact Charlie Plimpton at aim.fortcavazos@gmail.com.

Compiler: Glenda McDowell, mxdowej7@gmail.com .

This central Texas CBC is located about 30 miles north of Austin and covers areas mostly west of IH-35 with a small part of the circle to the east allowing for some eastern habitat as well as Hill Country habitat. Some of the birding areas include Lake Georgetown, Berry Springs county park, San Gabriel Park and trails, and numerous county roads. All levels of birders welcome. Anyone wishing to participate should contact Ed Rozenburg at birded78@suddenlink.net

The count circle is located in Grimes County and encompasses Gibbons Creek Reservoir, the former TMPA reclamation area (lakes, ponds, grasslands, woodlands), and the small communities of Anderson, Carlos, Keith, Singleton, Shiro, and Roans Prairie. Click on the name of the count for a color map. The tree species in the circle are comprised mostly of hardwoods, but there are pines in the eastern portion of the circle. Waterfowl, long-legged wading birds, raptors, shorebirds, grassland birds, and woodland birds are encountered within the count circle. Bald Eagle, Crested Caracara, Cave Swallow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Sprague's Pipit, Henslow's Sparrow, and Harris's Sparrow are some of the species encountered on count day. Some of the rarities found within the count circle include Cinnamon Teal, Golden Eagle, Long-eared Owl, Ringed Kingfisher, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Sage Thrasher, Pyrrhuloxia, and Evening Grosbeak. Everyone is welcome to participate. Novice birders will be grouped with experienced birders. If you are interested in participating in the count, please send the compiler, Darrell Vollert, an e-mail at dvollert1967@yahoo.com, or call him at 979-251-4986. Participants will be e-mailed a map of the count circle with the territories defined. Participants will also receive the tabulation form, compilation form, rare bird documentation form, and a CBC form via e-mail or snail mail.

Granger Lake in Williamson County is approximately 35 miles northeast of Austin. This is an important wintering habitat for many prairie species such as Mountain Plover, longspurs, Burrowing and Short-eared Owl, and Sprague's Pipit, with 20 species of sparrows documented on the count. The Granger CBC area offers diverse habitat, and participants will have the opportunity to count open farmland, freshwater, riparian woodland, and Blackland Prairie habitat. Compiler Richard Kostecke, rkost73@yahoo.com.

Compiler: Crystal Ledezma, crystalledezma@gmail.com

This CBC is located in Bastrop County between the Bastrop CBC and Austin CBC circles and just a bit to the north. This count is a community collaboration between the Lower Colorado River Authority, Bastrop Audubon Society and the Lost Pines Master Naturalists. The count will include the properties of McKinney Roughs, Hyatt Lost Pines, Webberville, Utley, numerous rural areas around Elgin, many area county roads and neighborhoods including Crystal Lake, Bluebonnet Acres, Wilbarger Bend, Union Chapel and Young's Prairie Road. The count also encompasses miles of the lower Colorado River. Contact for more information: Nicholas Cowey, nicholas.cowey@lcra.org

This count in Bandera Co. includes The Nature Conservancy's Love Creek Preserve and TPWD's Lost Maples SNA. The count as its name applies includes the awesome Love Creek Preserve, normally closed to the public. It also includes the famous Lost Maples SNA, including its newest acreage addition. It also includes at least 20 private ranches, with more to add in the future. Contact Crystal Ledezma at crystalledezma@gmail.com.

Come along with the Comal County Birders as we scan fields, ponds, rivers, parks, and prairies, counting birds in all types of weather. If you would like to participate or be a feeder watcher, please contact Lynn Thompson, count coordinator, at Lynn.Thompson1954@gmail.com

I would encourage all those who bird the area or want to explore a new area to join us. The count circle offers an interesting mix of birds that include Zone-tailed Hawks that have been seen in and around the park over the last couple of years. If you are interested in helping with the count, please let me know at your earliest convenience. For more information and a copy of the count circle please contact compiler Dwayne Rogers at dwayne_rogers@comcast.net, 713-417-1309 (cell).

The Round Rock CBC circle is centered at the intersection of IH35 and TX45 on the border of Travis and Williamson counties, and covers a range of suburban lakes and greenbelts and semi-rural habitats. To participate, please contact Andrew Dickinson at dickinap@gmail.com for details.

Our count circle is located southwest of downtown San Antonio. Interested participants should contact me, Dahn Windhorn, directly at: naturenut7@hotmail.com and I will work with you to identify an area (leader) counter who needs assistance. We will be hosting a virtual countdown that will begin around 7:00 pm to allow compilers to fill out Rare Bird Forms and complete their daily checklists.

Compiler: Sherie Gee, slgee18@yahoo.com

The San Marcos Christmas Bird Count is open to any and all levels of birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts! Teams will be assigned an area of the count circle and can participate for a half day or full day, depending upon their schedule and abilities. Most section leaders are previous graduate students at Texas State University, giving this count a "youthful pep" unlike others in the area. In previous years, this CBC has uncovered some rare species for San Marcos, including Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, White-tailed Hawk, and Sora, among others! Compiler for the circle is Rebekah Rylander (rebekah.j.rylander@gmail.com).

Located about 1.5 hours west of San Antonio, Uvalde is perched between the Edwards Plateau and South Texas Plains ecoregions. This count is open to all and a great way to see some hotspots of the Uvalde area! We cover Cooks Slough, Fort Inge, the Nueces River, county roads through brush and ag fields (sandhill cranes sometimes in the 100s). We usually find all 3 species of kingfishers, green jays, and great kiskadees as well as waterfowl, hawks, and sparrows. This count always turns up some interesting species! Email Rose Cooper, acacialady@gmail.com for more information.

Please contact Annette Jones (plawaco@aol.com) by December 15 if you want to participate in this count.

Count circle TXWK is centered north and west of Hunt, TX, usually totals between 90 and 100 species. TXWK includes public (Kerr WMA and Heart of the Hills Fisheries Science Center) and private properties (ranches and summer camps). Birders will experience a great variety of environments: Riparian areas, oak-juniper-grasslands and rocky, near-desert landscapes. Besides Hill Country specialties, southern and western species can occur, such as Mountain and Western Bluebirds. A three Kingfisher day is possible! Eagles, Bald and Golden, are not uncommon. This count has a core of very experienced birders to lead the routes. There are two ways to participate: (1) Be a Field Observer and join one of the teams in the field. (2) Be a Feeder / Yard Watcher. Newcomers and visitors are welcome. Dress in layers, bring snacks and water. Paul Sellin is the compiler. Please contact Paul at pjsellin@yahoo.com if you're interested in participating.

Meet at 7 a.m. at the Whataburger on Hwy 27 in Ingram. Countdown at 6 p.m. at Billy Gene's Restaurant on Hwy 27 in Kerrville.

This is a wonderful circle with a wide range of habitat. Depending on your special interests, you might ask to be assigned to lake, prairie or woodland. Several parks and private ranches open their gates to CBC participants on this special day. If interested in participating, please contact Jane Jones by email jane@westcave.org. Weather will be unpredictable but this is a rain or shine activity. Be prepared!