There was a nice mixed flock of Snow and Ross's Geese.
I overnighted in Van Horn. My target for this trip was the first winter California Gull at Tornillo Reservoir south of El Paso. I've chased a number of these over the years and always come up empty. But that was to change. It was the first gull I saw on the lake.
There was an amazing flock of Common Mergansers that I estimated to be at least 1200 strong.
Another nearby lake that I have always want to check out is the McNary Reservoir. eBird has reported some good stuff there lately and upon arrival it didn't take long for things to get interesting. As soon as I walked up on the dike I flushed a covey of Gambel's Quails. I've seen very few of these in Texas.
The lake was loaded with ducks, Snow and Ross's Geese, Double-crested Cormorants and another big flock of Common Mergansers. It was still before noon so I decided I would have time to run up to Dell City and look of Sagebrush Sparrows. The drive up RR 1111 north of Sierra Blanca produced little but I started seeing more birds on RR 1437 to Dell City like this dark Ferruginous Hawk.
Once on William's Road I could tell the bleak terrain with scattered grass and saltbush was textbook Sagebrush Sparrow winter habitat. Eventually I found a nice flock of about eight of them near a railroad tank car used for storing water for cattle.
And nearby at the turnaround and parking area for access to the sand dunes I found three Sage Thrashers and some Brewer's Sparrows.
Another night in Van Horn and I got an early start to the Guadalupe Mountains. After considerable thought I decided on walking up McKittrick Canyon rather than hike up Devil's Hall or up to the Bowl. I figured there might be water up there and the walking is easier. Turned out to be a pretty slow day. Six hours and seven miles of walking only produce eleven species. But one of them was this young Black-chinned Sparrow.
My only real activity of the day started with a couple of Townsend's Solitaires near the Pratt Cabin.
Then I heard tapping on a nearby tree that I hoped was coming from a Red-naped Sapsucker. Turned out to be a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Not sure which would be more common here.
I did some pygmy-owl tooting and a flock of birds landed far above me in a dead pine. They included the solitaires, five Western Bluebirds and a Pine Siskin. A little later I found the bluebirds in the stream.
A couple of White-breasted Nuthatches also responded. But I never found the coveted Mountain Chickadees or Steller's Jays.
Got back to the motel in Van Horn in time for a great meal at Chuy's and an exciting Super Bowl. The next morning I headed south towards the Davis Mountains. Birding was a little slow except for the L E Wood Picnic Area on TX 118 north of Fort Davis. There I had juncos, chippys, Acorn Woodpecker, more White-breasted Nuthatches and Western Bluebirds and a heard only Mountain Chickadee.
A brief stop at the bird feeding station in the state park found it deserted and a short run down to Fort Pena Colorado County Park south of Marathon turned up little. There were both Say's and Eastern Phoebes, Swamp, Song, White-crowned, Chipping and Clay-colored Sparrows and a few Yellow-rumps. So I decided it was dark and I had had enough and made the long drive back home.
