[texbirds] Anahuac to texas city today, geese, hawks, 175 fulvous whistling ducks etc

From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2014 17:41:39 -0600

I did the loop around the east bay today starting at Anahuac refuge just
after sunrise. The birds of the day are still the snow geese concentrated
just west of shoveler pond.
When I arrived, there were maybe twice as many geese as a week ago even
after large numbers went out to feed. I stopped and watched a bit. 4 1st
and 2nd year bald eagles were out back of the geese and were strafing each
other to see who could sit on which mound. After I went around the corner
and down the way a bit one of the eagles must have made a pass which was
repeated off and on during the morning. You could see and hear the birds
all the way down at the bay when the whole flock erupted.

I did another loop later in the morning and had an eagle make an attack
while I was there. Lost the eagle in the geese and it apparently did not
get breakfast.

Still great ducks around, the best in years. I counted 175 fulvous
whistling ducks on the berm that extends out from the last pull off on the
4th side of the shoveler pond loop. More were on the back side of the berm
where you can only see a few at the end. Fewer black-bellied whistling
ducks there and elsewhere.

More canvasbacks are present and I had at least 3 greater scaup flush in
front of the car from the roadside ditch. Lots of ruddy ducks and
ring-necked ducks. The only white-fronted geese on the refuge were there.

There is good sparrow habitat and good numbers of sparrows but not many of
the normally common savannah sparrows. A bunch of song sparrows at the old
willows parking area and along the boardwalk there.

My only swallow of the day was a rough-winged swallow acting like it was
home in shoveler pond. Several palm warblers were in the woodlot.

Down on the bay a single bufflehead and horned grebe were on the bay.

An odd young hawk was seen twice. Gave the impression of a broad-wing but
pictures later may be a red-shoulder that looked small but will be studied
later. A couple of merlins joined the osprey, white-tailed kites, northern
harriers, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks.

The coast was rather empty. I drove miles of beach and found nothing of
note and did not even have a herring gull. Retillon road had a merlin and
kite but not much else and not many birds on the beach again. Nor back in
port bolivar.

They are rebuilding the Frenchtown road bridge so that made birds scarce
along with the high water. Pelican island is mostly closed for the
construction of the new aggy dormitory thus no kingbirds.

Texas city dike again was mostly deserted by birds but lots of fisherfolk.
Very few gulls, terns, pelicans etc. But a really great day to be out.

-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx


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[texbirds] Anahuac to texas city today, geese, hawks, 175 fulvous whistling ducks etc

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