Texbirds:
Yesterday, I conducted my assigned Buff-breasted Sandpiper (BBSA) survey
through Wharton and Colorado counties. We're working on a more accurate
population estimate. Overall yesterday, there were 692 BBSA spread across
various habitats in both counties. Bermuda grass turf seemed to be preferred
especially if it were recently irrigated or had turf cuts. There were some
birds on St Augustine turf grass but only if it were wet and cut. Wet rice
fields also had a few birds but dry ones did not. Interestingly, one of the
largest single BBSA flocks was on a completely bare sandy field that was dry
and being prepared for rice.
If you need your 'year' BBSA or just a BBSA 'fix', now is the time to get it.
Check those local turf farms. This is the peak of BBSA migration through our
area. Lots of White-rumpeds out there too.
The BBSA survey uses a 'point count route' methodology that provides
opportunity for birding between points. One of the best locations for this
incidental birding yesterday was at the CR 215 crossing of West Bernard Creek
north of Wharton/Hungerford in Wharton County; good inland migrants here with
Bay-breasted Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo being my favorites. I was also
surprised to see some very nice Bald Cypress trees growing in the creek. A
Northern Waterthrush was appropriately foraging on the Cypress 'knees'.
The highlight for me however from my incidental birding yesterday, was a flock
of 14 Bobolinks along CR 202 in Wharton County just east of the intersection
with CR 207. Since Bobolink would be a new 'state' bird for me, I'm always on
the look-out for these birds during spring migration in weedy fields and fence
lines. When I stopped to investigate the funny looking Red-wingeds along CR
202, the male Bobolinks were belting out their best R2D2 rendition and most
were in striking black and white breeding plumage, sporting a snappy
straw-yellow nape. There were a couple of females in the flock, the objects of
considerable attention from the males. The Bobolink flock yesterday was
feeding in a weedy fence row adjacent to a cotton field about 40 yards to the
north of CR 202.
Good birding to all!
Bob Friedrichs
Palacios
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