Hi Texbirders
I had not seen any reports from LaFitte's Cove in a long time, so decided
to give it a shot yesterday and see if any good birds were wintering there.
The woods were very quiet except for the usual Cardinals. However, I heard
a small woodpecker drumming when I entered the woods and I assumed it was
the male downy. But when I located the bird across from the main drip, it
was the famous Ladder-backed/Downy hybrid female. I do not know how long
these small woodpeckers live, but if this is still the same bird, she is at
least 10 years old as I first saw her at Thanksgiving in 2006. Maybe an
offspring?? But it was good to see her again. If the same bird, she has
survived Hurricane Ike, drought and everyting else.
http://www.pbase.com/image/164993991
The male Downy was seen a little ways off.
There were no wintering birds that I saw in woods but I may have missed a
couple of things.
The ponds had a large number of Green-winged Teal, in fact more than I have
ever seen at LaFitte's Cove. There were also some Shovelers and this
beautiful pair of Buffleheads.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/164993992
In the pond across from the parking lot was a single spoonbill and several
White Ibis.
A couple of Nutria were in the pond off the boardwalk
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/164993993
A pair of resident Loggerhead Shrikes were around the gazebo.
Settegast Road had a Cooper's Hawk on top of power poles and he was being
harassed by the White-tailed Kites.
8 Mile road had a large number of White Ibis by the ponds with a couple of
dark ibis mixed in.
On 'Rail' Road 1/2 dozen Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were at the edge of
the reeds.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/164993994
At the end of the road, a single male Red-breasted Merganser was feeding.
The piers were covered with Laughing Gulls and Willets, but I did not see
any oystercatchers among them.
For me the highlight of the day was seeing my old friend the hybrid
woodpecker again.
Good birding,
David McDonald
Friendswood texas
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