[texbirds] High Island Update 27th April

From: Richard Gibbons <rgibbo3@xxxxxxxxx>
To: New Texbirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:31:13 -0500
> 
> 27 April 2013
> After "Thundering Thursday" which had some old hands talking of their best 
> times in High Island for some eight years or so, the following days were 
> always going to be something of a comedown back to the reality between the 
> heady peaks of migration which we all crave so much. And so it turned out. 
> The woods at HAS Boy Scout were somewhat quiet during the morning walk, where 
> the traditional changing of the guard involved a swap of warblers for 
> thrushes, which disturbed the leaf litter regularly, with showings from 
> SWAINSON'S, GRAY-CHEEKED, and Wood Thrushes, and VEERY during the morning 
> rounds, along with the usual heavy dose of catbirds in the mix too. Warblers 
> were few and far between, with the metallic ramblings of Tennessees the only 
> regularly ones that were heard. However, the prairie at the south edge of Boy 
> Scout held a handful of buntings, including a gaudy male Painted. The 
> blooming bottlebrushes along 5th Street, at The Roost and opposite Boy Scout 
> were again lively, as they have been through the last half of the week, with 
> TENNESSEES, ORCHARD ORIOLES, and even BAY-BREASTED WARBLER rummaging in them 
> regularly.
> The noon shorebird drive for Houston Audubon, attempted to shoot for maximum 
> diversity, by visiting both freshwater environments in High Island, as well 
> as the regular hotspots of Rollover Pass and HAS Bolivar Flats for the 
> coastal avifauna too. Our first stop at some freshwater pools brought close 
> looks at dowitchers (only Long-billed heard in the groups there), Least Sand, 
> SEMI-P SAND, WESTERN SAND, and Least Sand, as well as a few spinning WILSON'S 
> PHALAROPES, but sadly, the few WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS spotted there earlier 
> in the day had moved on by the time of the official visit. Along the coast 
> HAS Bolivar Flats boasted just a few burnt red Red Knots, a pair of showy 
> SNOWY PLOVERS but little else of note. The final official walk of the 
> afternoon, through the motte at HAS Smith Oaks produced smal numbers of 
> warblers like MAGNOLIAS, the odd BLUE-WINGED, Yellow, BLACKBURNIAN, 
> BLACK-THROATED GREEN, and a few Black-and-whites too. Once again though, as 
> with yesterday, the cuckoos outperformed the warblers during the afternoon, 
> with a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO once again proving the doubters wrong, and showing 
> that indeed they can be seen, and can be seen very well; and so it proved, 
> along with a handful of YELLOW-BILLEDS too. Although, the official Audubon 
> walk did not bump into it, CANADA WARBLER was also reported, and many eager 
> eyes will be hoping for that tomorrow.

> The outlook for tomorrow is hard to say, thunder, lightning, and deep dark 
> rainclouds rolled in during the early evening, which begs the question - had 
> the migrants already moved north with the steady south wind they had enjoyed 
> earlier in the afternoon, or were there some late arrivals which chose to 
> stopover for the "Sunday warriors". Night calls were prominent tonight, so 
> some at least are on the move, but let's hope soem of them take a liking to 
> High Island, and its ever improving migrant lots! 
> As a side note you can join Richard Gibbons of Houston Audubon tomorrow who 
> is taking part in the Audubon BIG SIT at HAS Bolivar Flats tomorrow from dawn 
> to dusk. He would be happy for the company, and the extra eyes, to prove that 
> the coast can be an exciting venue for some relaxed birding which can still 
> produce a high octane bird list...Good luck Richard, we will be pitching in 
> during the noon walk which will make a stop there!
> Another note: Tomorrow are the last Tropical Birding/Houston Audubon walks of 
> the season, as the Monday walks must unfortunately be canceled due to 
> personnel issues, but hopefully the migration will continue in our absence...

> Sam Woods
> Tropical Birding and Volunteer Houston Audubon Guide
> Currently in High Island

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[texbirds] High Island Update 27th April

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