A Day at Cedar Hill Ranch

Cedar Hill Ranch Trail (Photo by Permission of Carol Fox Henrichs)

On Saturday, September 20, 2014, fifty-five (55) people (including one child) participated in nature activities at Cedar Hill Ranch, a 700+ acre tract of land in Gause, Milam County, TX. The ranch is operated under a wildlife management plan.

The participants were members of Rio Brazos Audubon, Texas Master Naturalist (most in the Brazos Valley Chapter and the El Camino Real Chapter), Brazos Valley Wildlife and Nature Photography Group, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and some of their friends and families.

The day began with misting rain and ended with hot, humid, and sunny temperatures.

One Group of Birders (Photo by Permission of Rick and Sarah Laughlin)

Around 8:30 am novice and expert birders broke into groups and walked three marked paths surveying birds and noting other items of nature that caught their interest.

Their totals were sent to eBird.org and show that 39 species were recorded for a total of 730 birds. Two new species were recorded for this site - one Great Egret and 27 Cattle Egrets (which are not native). The birds most seen were Northern Cardinals (179) and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (131). The following is the complete list.

September 20, 2014   
Cedar Hill Ranch (Milam Co.)   
Total Species    39
Number of Individuals    730
Number of Checklists    3
   
Species Name    Species Count
Double-crested Cormorant    2
Great Egret    1
Cattle Egret    27
Black Vulture    8
Turkey Vulture    30
Osprey    1
Red-shouldered Hawk    4
Inca Dove    2
White-winged Dove    1
Mourning Dove    7
Eastern Screech-Owl    1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird    5
Red-bellied Woodpecker    20
Downy Woodpecker    13
Pileated Woodpecker    1
Crested Caracara    1
Olive-sided Flycatcher    2

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Photo by Permission of Rick and Sarah Laughlin)

Eastern Wood-Pewee    1

Eastern Wood-Pewee (Photo by Permission of Rick and Sarah Laughlin)

Acadian Flycatcher    1
Least Flycatcher        2
Eastern Phoebe        2
Great Crested Flycatcher    9
White-eyed Vireo    74
Blue Jay    3
American Crow    47
Purple Martin    2
Barn Swallow    3
Carolina Chickadee    45
Tufted Titmouse    28
Carolina Wren    51
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher    131
Northern Mockingbird    4
Black-and-white Warbler    3
Black-throated Green Warbler    1
warbler sp.    2
Northern Cardinal    179
Brown-headed Cowbird    7
Orchard Oriole    2
Baltimore Oriole    7

For a list of all Cedar Hill Ranch bird high counts go to http://ebird.org/ebird/tx/hotspot/L1440449. (Please note that when Mike Conner is listed that is only because he entered the data and not necessarily because he was one of the birders.)

Also during the morning, people hiked woodland trails in search of interesting wildlife and plants.

Sarah Laughlin (Photo by Permission of Rick Laughlin)

Rick Laughlin (Photo by Permission of Sarah Laughlin)

A three-toed box turtle, lizards, squirrels, butterflies, and other critters were reported as being seen. A few of the many sightings found by birders and others are shown below.

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly (Photo by Permission of Sarah and Rick Laughlin)

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterflies (Photo by Betty Vermeire)

Palafoxia (Photo by Betty Vermeire)

Eastern Fence Lizard (Photo by Permission of Sarah and Rick Laughlin)

Mushrooms were a hit this September with several great shots by participants.

Mushroom (Photo by Permission of Sarah and Rick Laughlin)

My all time favorite is this picture below taken by Milana Cypert.  

Mushroom (Photo by Permission of Milana Cypert)

Although this one by Carol Henrichs takes a high second place.

Mushroom (Photo by Permission of Carol Fox Henrichs)

For a sampling of 36 amazing photographs taken by the Photography Group go to http://www.meetup.com/BV-Nature-Photography-Group/photos/all_photos/?photoAlbumId=24628382.














Carol Henrichs also posted some of her pictures on the Brazos Valley Chapter Facebook page on September 20 at https://www.facebook.com/groups/361254733982438/.

Simultaneous with ranch activities, approximately one mile from the ranch, 14 trainees for the 2014 Texas Master Naturalist Program in the Brazos Valley Chapter climbed Sugarloaf Mountain. Along with the trainees were 11 guests including our hosts Kerri and Dave Cunningham (members of the Texas Master Naturalist program in the Brazos Valley and El Camino Real Chapters), and A&M esteemed professors Dr. Alston Thoms (expert in Anthropology), and Dr. Thomas Yancey (expert in Paleontology and Geology).

After birding, hiking, and/or climbing Sugarloaf Mountain, participants gathered at the ranch house for a potluck lunch. Billy Lambert and Tim Siegmund (with wife Kelsey and son August) from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department attended the event and were available to informally talk to attendees about wildlife management.

Nature Lovers (Photo by Permission of Katharine Cupps)

Thanks to everyone who provided refreshments for and helped with the event. In addition, special thanks to El Camino Real Chapter members Cindy Bolch and Donna Lewis who also helped with setup and cleanup.

At the end of the day it was discussed that we move the day of activities at Cedar Hill Ranch and the Sugarloaf Mountain field trip to October next year. This would give us the possibility of cooler and less wet weather.

Participants Discuss Next Year's Possible Cedar Hill Ranch and Sugarloaf Mountain Activities

Posted and written by Joyce Conner with help from Mike Conner. Thanks to everyone who sent pictures and helped with all data. Please send edits to joyce@conner.net for correction.