Pandhandle Birding: Buffalo Lake to Dalhart

I got up early from my campout at Palo Duro to being leg 2 of the trip that would take me from Palo Canyon to Buffalo Lake NWR, then Dalhart, then Rita Blanca National Grasslands. I left Palo Duro with a little hesitation because the camping was outstanding with the wind whistling down the canyon at night and the sun rising along the walls of the canyon was a sight to see. But I also had birds that needed to be seen!

The drive to Buffalo Lake is relatively short, only about 40 minutes. Normally this would be a good day trip spot from Palo Duro, but it was right on my way to my next stops. Buffalo Lake is not a lake, but a canyon carved by Tierra Blanca Creek. There were rumors of a Northern Shrike being seen, and this was prime prairie birding habitat. The weather was a little uncooperative, with the wind being pretty crazy. There is a birding trail at the entrance dominated by Starlings, but looking over the prairie American Kestrel and Northern Harriers were flying everywhere. Snow Geese were flying continually overhead as well.

Ferruginous Hawk

The species diversity was not super high. I suspect a lot of this had to do with the very strong winds (more on that later). I drove the auto tour and saw next to nothing, until a dark hawk was flew up. I couldn't get glass on it to tell. It was not a big hawk, which ruled out Ferruginous. I still have no idea what I saw. But as I was looking something else caught my eye in the distance. No doubt about it with the white tail, Ferruginous Hawk! Lifer! This was one that I came up here specifically to see, and on a day that had so far been dead I was thrilled to get it. Onward to Dalhart!

The Panhandle is known for its wind, so on a clear day I thought nothing of it. But checking my weather app on my phone I noticed the Dalhart area was going to get hit with a few hours of rain in the afternoon. I sped up, hoping to hit the feed lots before the rain.

Northern Harrier

One place that was suggested to me was a series of pastures and feed lots outside of Dalhart near Perico. This was prime area for rare species like Black-billed Magpie or even Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. Dalhart is very close to the corner of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Then Colorado and even Kansas are short hops from there. For reference, Black Mesa State Park in Cimarron County, Oklahoma is less than an hour away and birds like Western Screech-Owl, Black-billed Magpie, and Pinyon Jay, the latter 2 of which are big deals in Texas. Other locally rare birds like Townsend's Solitaire, Juniper Titmouse, and Sage Thrasher are also up there. If I wasn't as short on time it would have absolutely been worth a stop.

Anyways, the previously mentioned birds are very close to an area of Texas that is similar in habitat and is a pretty underbirded area. It is very likely that some rarities stray across the border and just don't get caught. And this place was mentioned by a Texas birding expert as a place to check. Of course, I had to.

It's a bad picture, but it's identifiable. Prairie Falcon!

With the wind whipping I made my first stop and honestly felt a little weird. Texas farmers can be pretty defensive of their livestock so I thought any moment I would be told to leave. But that never happened. I scanned every cow hoping for a magpie, but all I had were Chihuahuan Ravens and starlings. Another dark hawk caught my eye. Was this maybe Rough-legged or was it just a Red-tailed? It wasn't Ferruginous, because a very cooperative one was sitting on the telephone pole in front of me. Rain started falling as I went towards the second stop, and a lone bird sitting in the tree caught my eye. In terrible lighting I could tell it was a bird of prey, but not a big one. Unfortunately my binoculars couldn't get me a view, so I busted out the scope on the edge of my window. All the markings were there, lifer Prairie Falcon, another bird I came up here to see!

All the other birds were starlings and HOSP. Nothing stood out and by now the rain was really coming down and I wanted to get to Rita Blanca before the rain got worse. My last bird was a pair of Ring-necked Pheasants that I just caught running into the tall grass. This was another one I came up to see, as it was a Texas lifer for me.

The rain only got worse, and incredibly strong winds made it impossible for me to even pitch a tent at Rita Blanca. So I settled in to sleep in my car, hoping that tomorrow would not be as gloomy...