[texbirds] Nemesis Bird @ Pollywog Ponds

From: Clay Taylor <Clay.Taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2013 17:31:24 -0400
Hi all -
We all have had one - all your friends see it, and you constantly miss it.  It 
does not have to be a rarity, or a lifer, or even a Year Bird, but after a 
while you begin to wonder if you are cursed to miss it forever.

I have always tried to help people finally see their "nemesis bird(s)", and 
sometimes it is more gratifying to be the show-er than the show-ee.   A few 
years ago in late June, friends from Oregon visited South TX, and for all her 
life birds (over 3500 worldwide), Jeanine had constantly missed seeing both 
King Rail and Clapper Rail.    I got them both for her before noon.   She was 
so happy she could barely speak.

So, my own personal Nemesis has been lurking around Pollywog Ponds in Corpus 
Christi all winter - a Downy Woodpecker.   The Craiglows would see it, Dane 
Ferrell would see it, Jon McIntyre would see it, and every time I went there, I 
would see scads of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, but NO Downy.   Arrgghhh...

So, I finally had success today - got the little bugger in the dead trees in 
East Pond.   I could scarcely believe it.  I even rattled off a dozen 
digiscoped pictures (like I don't have HUNDREDS of Downy Woodpecker photos from 
New England?) just for good measure.  Woo hoo!

Pollywog Ponds itself was pretty good - it was the Day of the Northern Parula, 
as they were everywhere.   I managed to miss seeing Nashville and Blue-winged 
Warblers, but had great looks at Yellow-throated.   All told, there were 10 
species of warblers seen.   There were both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles 
(males) in the treetops, still lots of both goldfinches and a smattering of 
Pine Siskins along with Cedar Waxwings, all feeding in the new leaf growth.   
The Eastern Kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are gobbling down 
mulberries, fighting through the defensive wall of mockingbirds.

There are definitely TWO American Bitterns there, as they will flush up from 
the sides of the path well before you ever get to see them.   Least Grebes have 
done a disappearing act, as they have become hard to find.   A common Gallinule 
is usually found in the Middle Pond near the coots.

Come on Cold Front!


Clay Taylor
TOS Life Member
Calallen (Corpus Christi), TX
Clay.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Clay.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>



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[texbirds] Nemesis Bird @ Pollywog Ponds

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