Hi Texbirders,
I had some friends in for a migration weekend. Martin Jackson from NYC
and his son Tome from LA came to town to enjoy the highlights of our
fabulous coastal migration.
Martin had a specific bird he wanted to see, the Yellow-headed
Blackbird. Well that would a tough one to provide as Mike Austin
posted the only sighting I saw this year at Ft Travis park a week or
more ago. My target birds for the year are Golden-winged Warbler and
Black-billed Cuckoo as I needed photos of them.
I planned a route to start by crossing to Bolivar on the ferry, check
Ft Travis park for the YH Blackbird, do bolivar flats, then head to
High Island and Anahuac in the afternoon.
Well with the abysmal weather forecast of thunderstorms in the morning
and again mid-afternoon, I decided to go the other way around as you
can always bird Anahuac from the car if it is raining
So we started there. There was an abundance of beautiful Purple
Gallinules. Tom found a Marsh Wren nest just off the board walk and we
watched the pair bring in more nesting material. But they always
managed to stay partially behind the reeds.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/163122662
Then the rain started with a vengeance, but we drove down Frozen point
Road and when we got to Crab corner, it had stopped. A pair of King
Rails were out in the open.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/163122663
We decided to make another loop around Shoveler Pond before heading to
High Island and damned if we didn't find a pair of Yellow-headed
Blackbirds in the first leg of the loop. They dove down into the reeds
before a photo could be obtained, but Martin had his target bird.
At High Island, it was fairly slow after we enjoyed the BBQ lunch at
the church. But in Smith Oaks, a beautiful male Golden-winged was
exploring some dry leaves just overhead.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/163122664
We went by the rookery and that is always exciting to see. But overall
it was quite quiet in the early afternoon, so we decided to head to
the ferry and back to Galveston for the late afternoon arrivals.
We stopped on Yacht Basin Road and the recent rains had covered the
mud flats and the small shorebirds were all on the road. There were
Least Sandpipers, Willets and lots of Ruddy Turnstones. The longer
legged birds were in the water and included Whimbrels, Marbled
Godwits, and a Long-billed Curlew.
We got to LaFitte's Cove about 4:30 and people said a Black-billed
Cuckoo was there and flying around. Martin found it by chance in the
canopy. The tail markings were blocked by leaves, but the red eye
ring, black bill and long tail can be seen.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/163122665
The drip was crawling with warblers and another Golden-winged male appeared.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/163122666
There were many others including Kentucky, Blackburnian, Yellow,
Chestnut-sided, Redstarts, Northern Parula, Black-and-white, Tennessee
etc
What a day! We got all 3 target birds and I think this is my first
time to see 2 Golden- winged Warblers in a day. Some springs I don't
see any.
To cap it off, a Crested Caracara flew just over the car as we drove
past the Galveston airport on the way home.
We are headed back to Galveston this morning for a few hours before
they have to catch their planes home.
Good birding y'all
David McDonald
Friendswood Texas
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