Joann Merritt's Essays

Flock Of Bushtits At Crawford’s
Continued From Vol. 51, No. 9
Chapter 4, Crawford’s Magic Ridge
December, 2006

In last month’s issue of The Phalarope, Donna and Rose Marie wrote about the Magic Ridge Sanctuary along the Texas Gulf Coast, but stay-at-home Midnats have access to a Magic Ridge right here in Midland County. Formerly known as Crawford’s Ridge, surely Magic should be added to its name because of the rare birds found just below the ridge on the east side.

At lunchtime on December 17, 2006 Don & I received a rare bird alert call from Sybil who reported a flock of 25-30 Bushtits at Crawford’s. We arrived within 30 minutes and via cell phones we found Sybil who had kept track of the Bushtits even though they had dispersed into smaller groups. Sybil & Don’s excellent hearing enabled us to follow the birds as they flitted through the brush staying low all the while. We wondered if the Bushtits were feeding on the innumerable gnats that nearly covered the ground in places- where were the gnatcatchers? These tiny birds, Psaltriparus minimus, were not located again that day.

During 2006 a pair of Crissal Thrashers, nesting Black-tailed Gnatcatchers and a single White-tailed Kite have been seen and identified in this area below the ridge and now we have added Bushtits to the list. It’s fair to say that finding 2 new and 2 rare species for the county in one spot is impressive. If you would like to explore this place just park beside the road as you round the first curve after entering the ranch and either walk through the pasture or take the old road that leads south to a dry Soda Lake. All four birds were found in this manner so let’s keep trying!!