[texbirds] Bolivar to Anahuac today
- From: David McDonald <dkmmdpa@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2015 15:39:24 -0600
Hi Texbirders,
I was chasing distant birds the last 2 weekends..Striped Sparrow and
a beautiful dark morph Ferruginous Hawk. So is has been 3 weeks since
I went to Bolivar to check if the Mountain Plover is still present as
I haven't seen reports here.
The ferry landing on Bolivar had about 10 ducks, one was a scaup and
the rest looked like Ring-necked. Some of the Laughing Gulls had
complete black hoods.
On Frenchtown Road, no shorebirds, but an Osprey was fishing and a
White-tailed Kite was on a post in the marsh.
The burned area on Retillon Road that Joanne Kamo reported was very
small fortunately.
Bolivar Flats was blustery and cold. There were several exposed sand
bars and lots of peeps, Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones were
enjoying the exposed food. The was no sign of the Mountain Plover nor
the group of Piping Plovers that he hung out with. I didn't take any
photos as light poor and birds far away. However, as I was leaving
and just about to get back on Retillon Road from the beach, 2
Great-tailed Grackles were on the beach and the wind blew their
tails. I just caught a glimpse of some white in one tail. This guy
has 2 white tail feathers.... http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/158993211
So my time wasn't wasted there!
There were no birds on Yacht Basin Road either, not even a Willet. I
guess the wind kept them hunkered down.
I drove to Anahuac and checked in at the visitor center. On the board
was a report of an otter. The volunteer said a lady had posted it
about 10 minutes previously, that an otter was on the dike on the 4th
leg of the Shoveler Pond Loop. I jumped back in my car and headed
there. I of course had to drive all the way around and wait to pass
some cars. There were several dikes, but the one with the green reeds
at the end was the one. There wasn't any otter visible, but just
then, a head popped up in the canal beside the road..... He was
close enough to see his whiskers in the
photo.... http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/158993212
Then a second otter appeared. They swam along the canal towards the
entrance corner and it was hard to keep up as they would disappear
for what seemed like a couple of minutes. Then they turned and swam
right to the bank at the base of the road. I was hoping they might
climb out. I was probably on 40 feet from
them... http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/158993213
They headed back across the canal to the edge of the reeds. Here is
the pair of them.. http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/158993214
I lost them in the reeds after that. I have been to Anahuac probably
more than 200 times and have never seen the otters before. This was
only my second time to see a River Otter and first photos.
Not many birds, but a lucky day anyway.
Good birding,
David McDonald
Friendswood TX
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