Joann Merritt's Essays

Harris’ Tank 1984 - 2004
September, 2004

Harris’ Ranch is much more than an earthen tank of water, but when we first started going there that was the only area of the ranch that we birded so our field trips were listed in The Phalarope as Harris’ Tank. A few years later Midnat birders flocked to the orchard to see the Monarch Butterflies that David told us about. Every year toward the end of September and the first of October Monarchs stop to rest in the orchard before continuing on their journey south to Mexico for the winter and every year Midnats eagerly await their arrival. Lots of birds were observed in the orchard so that became another area of our field trip and we then spread out wings to encompass the surrounding mesquite pastures.

Many trees and shrubs surrounded the tank providing food, shelter and water - everything a bird could ask for! The largest cottonwood tree had a circumference of 158” and supported a swing on a L-O-N-G rope which caused some Midnats to revert to childhood!! The extended drought has adversely affected most of these things, but Harris’ Tank is still a great place.

September’s field trip marked the Midnats 20th year of birding the ranch and during this time 211 species of birds have been identified which includes some new records for Midland County. The first record was a Red-naped Sapsucker on 10-19-87 which was followed by the Lesser Nighthawk on 7-16-94 and on the 21st of the very next month Rose Marie and Sara found a Chuck-will’s-widow in the orchard. These birds have subsequently been seen other places in Midland but on 9-13-97 a Zone-tailed Hawk which Donna picked out of a group of Turkey Vultures that were dehedral-ing above the orchard as well as the Tropical Kingbird discovered and photographed by Rose Marie and Forest on 8-10-01 remain strictly Harris Ranch sightings.

Two Black-crested Titmice who stayed with several Wilson’s Warblers were the best birds of our September 11th 20 year anniversary trip although the Vermilion Flycatcher males are always a treat to observe. Other finds were a large Coachwhip snake, an Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly, a Devil’s Bouquet in bloom that Donna needed for a plant collection - and a beehive!

Some of us are now learning to identify dragonflies so we can give them names instead of colors, but we didn’t check for them at the tank that day. Harris’ Tank is the only place Allen and Bill have found Desert Fork tails - I sense another list in the making! These are just a few of my memories of the ranch but everyone has his/her own special memories and experiences.

THANK YOU DAVID AND KATHY HARRIS for 20 wonderful years of enjoying your ranch.