After finding 115 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at the Saha Sod Farm yesterday
afternoon, I decided to do a more thorough survey of the Matagorda County sod
farms. So, after we finished at the Formosa Tejano Wetland this morning, Brian
Berry and I hit 6 sod farms with the following results.
1.). CR 453 = Francintas Rd sod farm (Jackson County): 31 Buff-breasted
Sandpipers
2.). CR 436 = Morris Rd sod farm (Matagorda County): 47 Buff-breasted
Sandpipers / 2 Pectoral Sandpipers / 1 Upland Sandpiper .... all birds in the
same frame at one point.
3.) Zemanek Rd sod farm ( Matagorda County): 6 Upland Sandpipers
4.) CR 454 = Graff Rd (Matagorda County): 0 grasspipers
5.) Saha Sod Farm on Bieri Rd (Matagorda County). 114 Buff-breasted
Sandpipers / 2 Pectoral Sandpipers / 5 Upland Sandpipers / 15 Western
Sandpipers / 5 Least Sandpipers / 1 Peregrine Falcon (eating a peep)
6.) Hanson Sod Farm on S Citrus Rd (Matagorda County) 15 Buff-breasted
Sandpipers
I'll pin all of these locations in eBird for those interested in more
information.
In addition to the sod farms, we also stopped to 'glass' 3 disced fields and
drove by numerous stubble fields. We did see a group of 6 Upland Sandpiper
flying low over one of the stubble fields but all other grasspipers that we
found were on the sod. Note that due to other commitments we were unable to
check the Triangle Sod Farm in Matagorda County or the 4-5 sod farms on Wharton
County. These have been good for grasspipers from time to time. Also note
that this morning, Brent Ortego had 17 BBSA and 11 UPSA at the sod farm near
Docasta in Victoria County.
Some takeaways are that:
-> There are already fairly large numbers of BBSA in Matagorda County at this
early date; 207 birds on this morning. (eBird is definitely not very happy
with me.). And there is a good showing in Victoria County today as well. Is
this normal to have so many birds this early? Do we know? Did the BBSA have a
poor breeding season so more birds are returning earlier than usual?
-> All of the BBSA that we found today were on sod farms. Do they really
prefer this habitat, at least in the fall, to other available habitats? Or,
are they just easier to see/find on the sod?
-> Not all sod farms are created equal. The birds were on some fields but
totally absent from others. What is the difference? Obviously food and
safety, but why, how? Or is it really just all about the food since the field
with the most birds was also the only one with a Peregrine?
Lots of questions here. Regardless, it was a good morning with great views of
the grasspiper trifecta of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper and
Pectoral Sandpiper.
Good birding,
Bob Friedrichs
Palacios
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