Did the coast on Wednesday dodging rain. It was nice on bolivar flats after
waiting a bit. Nothing seemed to come out in the rain and no black rails
called.
The birds of the day were 8 young of the year least terns. 4 of them had
nested way down the flats and behind the barrier. They never look like they
can fly but do but are also happy to be fed. Tuesday had been the first day
that they were missing from the nest area.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089407
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089406
4 other terns were older and already well molting into winter plumage. They
flew and could also scold like the parents but were not tied to one area of
the flats. These could have been birds that Audubon showed on their
facebook page to celebrate the first chicks for the year after lots of high
tide events. Another week or so and most of the juvenile feathers will be
gone on these birds.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089404
Another good bird for the flats was a young of the year Wilson's plover.
They are early molters but behind some of the other flat birds.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089401
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089402
The back view shows the molt best
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089403
Even more interesting than the birds were the piles and windrows of
sauerkraut all over the beach. Thanks to Winnie, I was able to look up
sauerkraut bryozoans. They are a colonial animal and may or not be
introduced. Where the sun had cooked some they had a good odor. Birds did
not seem to use it like sargassum.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089398
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089397
Commonest shorebird for the day was western sandpiper
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089399
And killdeer are out on the roads with nesting finished and no longer
having to be injured whenever a car comes by
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089391
Large flocks of herons, egrets, ibis and spoonbills were feeding along
Retillon in the ponds and in the marsh. Both adult and young roseate
spoonbills
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089392
Note that the bill has a dark mark on the tip (nail) which can help
identify them if you do not get a good look at the rest of the bird.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/166089394
Have to wait to see what is happening to the birds for a few days according
to the forecast.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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