[texbirds] Cameron Co. (11/21/12): Red Knots at Laguna Atascosa NWR + Aplomado on OPIR
- From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:31:24 -0600
Yesterday (11/21/12) we, joined by Erik Breden, birded both Old Port Isabel
Road (OPIR) and the Bayside Wildlife Drive at Laguna Atascosa National
Wildlife Refuge (LANWR).
Birding was far less than spectacular on OPIR, but our highlight was an
APLOMADO FALCON perched on the cross-bar of a two-pole
electricity-transmission line on the east side of the road, perhaps 60-70%
percent of the distance northward form the south entry to OPIR off Hwy. 511.
I (Rex) was able to study it at about 60X, clinching identification even
though its back was turned to us as it faced into the east wind. Shortly, it
took to the air, showing its underside colors, speedily gaining distance and
height such that we had a spectacular view of its silhouette as it glided
swiftly against the clouds overhead--a rather breath-taking performance by
this slender, long-tailed falcon. It was fun watching it fan its long tail
in some of its banking maneuvers. Another raptor meriting our special
appreciation was a close-by flight of a very handsome male NORTHERN HARRIER
("Gray Ghost").
It may be of interest that OPIR had been superbly graded and was, throughout
its length, in what is probably the best condition we every have seen it. We
wonder whether this improvement might have had something to do with some
development that has occurred at several places along the road. Fortunately
from our perspective, this development has not, thus far, been of a kind
that harms the birdability of the road. Please, though, keep in mind, that
this dirt road still could become treacherous after rain.
We thereafter visited the Bayside Wildlife Drive (BWD). The highlight of
that visit and the Bird (Species) of the Day were two winter-plumaged RED
KNOTs, an unexpected and delightful find. They were found walking together
in tandem on the immediate shoreline near the south end of the shoreline as
it is visible prior to Stover Point. They foraged along the open shoreline,
heading southward, but, ultimately taking flight, also heading southward,
shortly before the shoreline became obscured by re-appearance of mangroves.
Neither knot appeared to have been banded.
Expected raptor species were seemingly everywhere in the LANWR area
yesterday, but no Aplomado Falcon was found in that area, either along the
BWD or anywhere along Buena Vista Road, which was traversed from Hwy. 510 to
the entrance to the LANWR Visitor Center. It would have been easy to miss
that species on our single, brief passage on the way to the refuge.
Wishing everyone the best of late-fall/early winter birding,
Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX
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- » [texbirds] Cameron Co. (11/21/12): Red Knots at Laguna Atascosa NWR + Aplomado on OPIR - Rex Stanford
