[texbirds] ABUNDANT grasspipers (04/18/14): Hidalgo + Cameron Co.'s

From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 12:19:05 -0500
Yesterday morning we headed out to South Padre Island (SPI - report on that 
is forthcoming), but, in the course of driving there by a back route, we 
felt that the conditions were something close to perfect for the appearance 
of many "grasspipers" on sod fields because of a stiff northeast wind (maybe 
encouraging inland movement) and a heavily overcast sky, which, it was 
thought, might keep the birds down to feed and rest on the sod fields. We 
first visited PROGRESO SOD FIELDS (Hidalgo Co.), then LA FERIA SOD FIELD 
(Cameron Co., early and later visits), and, finally, the WEAVER ROAD FIELDS 
(Cameron Co., early and late visits). Presented here are the highlights, 
from our personal perspective, of the birds found at these sites, focused on 
shorebirds; no effort has been made to list all the avian species present.

PROGRESO SOD FIELDS (prob. ca. 10:40 - 11:15 AM): AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER 
(est. 55-65); KILLDEER (several); UPLAND SANDPIPER (5; 1 of these 
individuals was of a remarkably flat, light-gray color, an appearance not 
recollected from our extensive experience with this species; we have no 
suggestions as to an explanation, but this individual's structural features 
and behavior left, in our minds, no doubt as to species); PECTORAL SANDPIPER 
(8); and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (2; lovely bright plumage). These birds all 
were observed from the north/south transit road between US-281 and the 
floodway levee.

LA FERIA SOD FIELD (PLEASE NOTE: two visits, prob. ca. 11:50 AM - 12:45 PM 
and ca. 6:40 - 7:00 PM; highest count/estimate between the two times, for 
each species, is listed below--NOT a summation across times, which would be 
fallacious): The roads of this area are private, and we birded solely from 
the margin of FM-3067, using both binoculars and a zoom-telephoto scope; the 
latter was definitely needed for birds at  the back of the area. (PLEASE BE 
CAREFUL: This two-lane road can be busy, so please stay out of the way of 
traffic.) This remnant area of a formerly much larger sod area had been 
copiously watered at places, and the great turnout of shorebirds there 
yesterday no doubt had considerable to do with that. Our finds there were: 
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER (est. 45-50, but widespread, and this may be 
conservative); BLACK-NECKED STILT (1); GREATER YELLOWLEGS (prob. several 
dozen, no effort to count); LESSER YELLOWLEGS (prob. several dozen, no 
effort to count); UPLAND SANDPIPER (2); BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (est., 40-45); 
PECTORAL SANDPIPER (est. 80-90); BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (3); LONG-BILLED 
DOWITCHER (ca. 15; difficult to count precisely at great distance, due to 
low-viewing angle); and WILSON'S PHALAROPE (6, back in farthest north watery 
area with green plants growing in it). The La Feria sod field showed its 
potential yesterday, thanks to the fact that the fields had been copiously 
watered.

WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS (PLEASE NOTE: two visits, prob. ca. 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM 
and 6:40 - 7:00 PM; highest count or estimate between the two times, for 
each species, is listed below--NOT a summation across times, which would be 
fallacious): BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (6); AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER (est. 50-60, 
widely dispersed and in several of the fields); LESSER YELLOWLEGS (several, 
not counted, widely dispersed); UPLAND SANDPIPER (2); LEAST SANDPIPER (4; 
one north-end field only); BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (est. 25-30); PECTORAL 
SANDPIPER (18-20; hard to count, widely dispersed); BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER 
(by actual count, 97, spread along very green second field north of  south 
end of the fields, but a few stragglers were noted at the far south end of 
that field, so the total number certainly exceeded 100).

WORTHY OF MENTION AT WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS: Dozens of Red-winged Blackbirds 
fed on one of the several sod fields that lie in the "dog leg" of Weaver 
Road at the north end of its sod fields. Among them was a resplendently 
bright, fully adult YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (seen during our early afternoon 
visit).

In the late afternoon we visited SPI, and highlights our visit there will 
posted to TEXBIRDS later today.

Wishing everyone the best of spring migration birding,

Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX

Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds

Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
from the List Owner
[texbirds] ABUNDANT grasspipers (04/18/14): Hidalgo + Cameron Co.'s

Other related posts:
