[texbirds] Annual Sabine Connecticut Warbler census, umpteen thousand shorebirds plus record lovebugs

From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 15 May 2014 17:23:06 -0500

I did my annual census of Connecticut warblers in Sabine Woods and managed
to tie my old record of none. I did set a new record of expected birds not
seen which goes along with the season.
There is a mass of shorebirds along 1985 in the giant field west of Pear
Orchard Road. They are concentrated on the western side of the field. Note
that there is little shoulder in that area and truck drivers are not kind.

I had 3 or 4 or 5 thousand white-rumped sandpipers in the air at one time.
There are x times that number resting on the levees in the field waiting
for it to drain enough for them to feed. A truly spectacular sight.

Lots of other birds mixed in and one should mention 4-500 hudsonian
godwits. That is more hudsonian godwits that I have seen in texas over the
years.

Added a couple of pictures to my web page with white rumps showing white
rumps
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/155668072

And mixed with hudsonian godwits
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/155668073

Lots more to come when I recover.

You can hear the white-rumps from over 1/2 miles off which is remarkable
given their mouse-like squeaky call.

I almost missed them. All the birds were sitting on the lumps and basically
invisible. I stopped to look at some teal and swimming phalaropes when a
flock flew in and then birds started getting up and looking for shallow
water. It took a good while to remember that I had a camera and could take
pictures.

Only 2 buteos for the day and one was one of the Cove red-tailed hawks. I
have been checking them off for over 10 years now and have seen them on
almost every time going by on the freeway. 3 or so broad-winged hawks
roosted in Sabine woods and took off about 9 with one doing lots of calling
before leaving. One white-tailed kite and 1 osprey were the only other
hawks for the day.

Common birds were magnolia warblers, red-eyed vireos and wood pewees. Got
my spring olive-sided flycatcher and yellow-bellied flycatcher. Acadians
were calling in a corner of the woods.

Nice bunch of shorebirds on the beach and in the state park early but most
took off and went north when I was coming back up the highway from
McFaddin. Maybe helped by school buses, dump trucks and other equipment.
Lots of weed on the beach. Lots of nighthawks on nests. killdeer have
babies. mottled ducks have babies. barn, cliff and cave swallows have
babies.

Most of the shorebirds have left the ruff spot at Anahuac but a few are
still there. Not much rain in the area and not much recovery of the water
level.

Really great day out.

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


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[texbirds] Annual Sabine Connecticut Warbler census, umpteen thousand shorebirds plus record lovebugs

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