[texbirds] Brown Boobys (2) in Corpus Christi (04/30/14): vantage points

From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 1 May 2014 11:35:06 -0500
Yesterday (04/30/14) we found the BROWN BOOBIES that had been seen in Corpus 
Christi for some time. The main purpose of this communication is to convey 
the two different ways we yesterday easily found and photographed these two 
birds.

PEOPLES STREET T-HEAD: Here yesterday afternoon we went to this T-head's 
northeast corner (easy parking) and set up our scope to scan the following 
areas: (a) the breakwater north/northeast of one's vantage point, (b) 
channel marker #2 (immediately east of the east end of the aforementioned 
breakwater), which bears an orange triangular sign bordered broadly by a 
wide red margin and has a platform atop it where these boobies often hang 
out, and (c) the north end (abutting the channel) of the very long, curved 
jetty to the south of the channel. We first found one of the boobies on the 
breakwater, near, but not quite at, its east end, but the other booby could 
not, at that point, be located. A bit later, though, a return to our vantage 
point afforded views of both of the boobies sitting atop the platform at 
channel marker #2. (We never saw either bird sitting on the jetty.) These 
distant views and our distant photos of these rather persistently located 
birds convinced us that a bay tour (1 hour) on the Japonica would be a 
sensible investment in much closer, better photos. (See TEXBIRDS posting of 
April 29 by Steve Snyder in regard to this tour. Thanks, Steve! Thanks, 
also, to other birders who recommended this bay tour to get closer to the 
boobies.) The boat leaves from the Peoples Street T-head (north side near 
east end of the entry drive), and tickets may be purchased at the gift shop 
of a restaurant a short distance to the east of the tour boat's docking 
area.

JAPONICA TOUR BOAT: We took the 4:00 PM Japonica tour and found ourselves 
the only passengers on this quite windy, generally overcast afternoon. We 
got excellent close-range photos of the two boobies on this tour, especially 
on its return leg. Additionally, we had delightful views of dolphins 
swimming in the channel and managed photos of them, as well. The crew also 
pointed out the numerous Royal Terns sitting on a large, curved, concrete 
structure as we headed back in.

TULE LAKE: Afterward, it was getting late, so the only other area birding we 
could do before heading back to McAllen was at Tule Lake and, very quickly, 
at Hazel Bazemore County Park (water-filled areas only), which were easy 
side trips. At Tule Lake we found no unexpected birds, but we much enjoyed 
what we did find (no special order): BLACK-NECKED STILT (several), WILSON'S 
PHALAROPE (2), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (1), LESSER YELLOWLEGS (1), STILT 
SANDPIPER (1), SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (1), LEAST SANDPIPER (est. 25-30; a 
few in lovely breeding plumage), DUNLIN (3), WILLET (1), plus NORTHERN 
WATERTHRUSH (1, only warbler of the day), GREAT EGRET (1), WHITE PELICAN 
(1), BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (1), BLUE-WINGED TEAL (several), and BARN 
SWALLOWS (numerous, but not counted). Birds were few at Hazel Bazemore, and 
the only species we added there for the day was LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (1).

Wishing everyone the best of spring-migration birding,
Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX

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[texbirds] Brown Boobys (2) in Corpus Christi (04/30/14): vantage points

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