A VERY special and sincere note of thanks to our friends, Jane Tillman and Mark Lyons, for meeting up with us early Monday before we headed west.

Together we hit Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park in Austin to try for Chuck-wills-widow and got ’em! After birding the park for a few hours, we had success adding the following new species for the year.

And thanks to Jane for her enthusiasm and sharp strategizing for Mom’s Big Year and to Mark for all his support!  Jane’s recommendations were ‘spot-on’ and produced many more birds throughout the adventure!  Thank you, Jane!

We spent the afternoon at Pedernales Fall State Park.  A lifer Golden-cheeked Warbler was a REAL treat for me!  And we had a chance to watch a male Painted Bunting take a bath.. That’s a bird I was tickled to see for the first time earlier this year after drooling over it in a book when I was 5 years old. I’ve been dreaming about seeing it ever since then! New year birds at Pedernales included the following–although we did hear Bewick’s Wren loud and clear in the morning at Commons Ford too.

Stay tuned for a review of Day 3 tomorrow..

MORE birds AND friends!……My two favorite things! 🙂 ❤

Bathing Painted Bunting – Pedernales Falls SP

White-winged Dove – Pedernales Falls SP