Puryear Ranch 2019-04-13 to 14

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

Lark Sparrow is another native sparrow species that breeds in central Texas. I was excited to finally find this bird on the ground after hearing it singing.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

I heard and finally saw this male Golden-cheeked Warbler singing across the creek from where I was. I was only able to get these distant heavily cropped photos.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

This bird had me baffled because first I could only hear its muttered song from dense low brush. It turned out to be a Lincoln's Sparrow, a species just in central Texas during the winter. I almost never hear this species sing here in Texas, I was lucky to be able to hear this one before it heads north.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

This male Black-chinned Hummingbird landed near me and actively preened its feathers. Despite the bright background, the bird itself was in the shade, so I had to use a slow shutter speed. Still I like they way these photos turned out. I especially like how you can see just one purple feather at the edge of the black throat on the second photo.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

I took this photo from inside the recently updated Seek app, and the time and date were off. I corrected the date but I'm unsure of the exact time.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

I took this photo from inside the recently updated Seek app, and the time and date were off. I corrected the date but I'm unsure of the exact time.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

I took this photo from inside the recently updated Seek app, and the time and date were off. I corrected the date but I'm unsure of the exact time.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

I took this photo from inside the recently updated Seek app, and the time and date were off. I corrected the date but I'm unsure of the exact time.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

I took this photo from inside the recently updated Seek app, and the time and date were off. I corrected the date but I'm unsure of the exact time.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

I took this photo from inside the recently updated Seek app, and the time and date were off. I corrected the date but I'm unsure of the exact time.

Taken on the Puryear Ranch during Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC group camp out.

Most native sparrow species are only in Texas in the winter, but Field Sparrows breed here too. I heard their bouncing-ball song on the ranch much more often than the few times I was able to see one.