[texbirds] Cameron Co. (Friday, 07/26/13): shorebirds and Aplomado Falcon

From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 16:27:03 -0500
Yesterday (Friday, 07/26/13) we birded several sites in Cameron County,
largely in search of shorebirds, but also with interest in the Aplomado
Falcons that seem to be present in or near Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife
Refuge (LANWR) at present. The sites visited in Cameron County were: LA
FERIA SOD FIELD (the small sod area remaining in this formerly much larger
sod-field site); WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS (between FM-800 and Jimenez Road);
RESACA WEST OF RANGERVILLE RD. (immediately south of Jimenez Rd.); and
LANWR.

LA FERIA and WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS: No shorebirds of any kind were found at
either of these sites yesterday. The latter site seems far more promising
because the fields there seemed in better shape relative to the interests of
grasspipers and because of a much greater area being involved. (We also
birded the Progreso sod fields in Hidalgo County, but the fields seemed very
dry, and farm vehicles were working at some places. We found no shorebirds
there.)

RESACA WEST OF RANGERVILLE ROAD (south of Jimenez Road): This area was far
more productive yesterday (07/26/13) than when we had visited it less than
two weeks ago (07/14/13) when the only shorebird species found was
Black-necked Stilt (est. 20). Yesterday we found eight shorebird species:
BLACK-NECKED STILT (est. 60-70), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (1), LESSER YELLOWLEGS
(4), SPOTTED SANDPIPER (1), SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (4), LEAST SANDPIPER (ca.
30-35), STILT SANDPIPER (ca. 45-50), and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (3). The
scene was brightened considerably by ROSEATE SPOONBILL (1, good color),
RUDDY DUCK (1, spectacular male), and BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK (1, who
stayed off by itself on the west side of the pond).

LANWR (and immediately vicinity): We first birded the viewing area
immediately east of the Visitor Center but found no unexpected species. One
of us (Rex) did, however observe an interesting episode involving PLAIN
CHACHALACA. Two adults of that species, after producing loud vocalizations
from somewhere, had come down from the trees to drink at the small
artificial pool. Male and female GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES were there when the
Chachalacas arrived, the grackles drinking water and consuming some of the
hordes of AMERICAN SNOUTS--a butterfly species known for traveling in waves
of thousands. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD was also present, along with, upon
occasion, BRONZED COWBIRD and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD. The
Chachalacas--possibly two females, as I saw no wattle, but I cannot be sure
as to sex--drank for a while before one of them raised the feathers on its
neck and on its crown--"raised its hackles--looked around, backed up (still
beside the other), and I wondered whether this aroused bird might be a male,
despite appearances, and was preparing for a sexual overture. Suddenly,
though, it turned to its right and strode in a determined, even menacing
fashion, vocalizing some utterances for which we have no translation, and
approached an opening between the vegetation to its north. Then I noticed
what I had not seen before, one (possibly another behind it--I am not sure
of my memory here) rather downy Chachalaca youngster(s) approaching from the
opening in the vegetation that lay to the north of this threatening adult.
The adult's puffy demeanor, some sharp vocalizations of some kind, and an
unrelenting stride seemingly put fear into the cute youngster(s), and 
created a
hasty retreat back into the brush, disappearing beneath trees, and 
shrubbery. I
waited eagerly for the cute young to reappear, hoping that they would not be
successfully deterred in their apparent quest to quench their thirst (on a
hot day) by this feisty adult. After some minutes it occurred to me that
what had been observed might not have been an instance of selfish defense of
the artificial pool as a drinking spot, but something quite beneficent.
Surely most experienced birders in this area know that Great-tailed Grackles
can be very predatory creatures, and some of us have seen migratory warblers
meet their death in the mouth of a Great-tailed Grackle. Upon reflection, I
began to wonder if this threat by the adult might have said "Get out of here
youngsters! It's too dangerous for you right now!" If so, this would have
been an act of protectiveness by the adult for young of its species. That,
of course, is pure speculation and may be right or wrong (and there are
possible alternative interpretations that we will not consider here). Has
any reader seen similar things happen by way of adult birds seeming
deliberately to scare their youngsters away from potentially dangerous
encounters with predators. A juicy young "cha-cha" might be a much better
feast than even dozens of crispy Snouts! Perhaps this was a deliberate act
to initiate protective avoidance, rather than an act of territoriality
against youngsters of one's own species. Has anyone evidence that might bear
on the proper interpretation of what was observed yesterday, such as
additional observations of that kind among Chachalacas?

LANWR (cont'd--now on to the birds): We next visited OSPREY OVERLOOK on the
refuge's namesake lake (Laguna Atascosa) at the west end of Lakeside Drive.
Yesterday the most conspicuous shorebird there was LONG-BILLED CURLEW
(35-40, but likely a conservative estimate, as one kept seeing more, near 
and far).
A single MARBLED GODWIT fed west of the overlook. There were 4 yellowlegs
(precise species differentiation not always possible due to distance and
heat distortion, but 2 of them were confidently identified as 1 Greater and 
1
Lesser Yellowlegs). LEAST SANDPIPER (3) foraged very actively closer to the
observation deck, and our first plover species of the day was WILSON'S
PLOVER (2), also working relatively close to the shoreline. TRICOLORED HERON
seemed to be abundant, virtually everywhere one looked (est. 25-30, but
probably conservative). GREAT BLUE HERON (3) favored the north end of the
lake, big enough to be easily identified as to species despite the distance.
A couple of GREAT EGRETS rounded out the identifiable wader contingent.

LANWR (Bayside Wildlife Drive, BWD): Shorebird species were hard to find
here: BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (2), WILSON'S PLOVER (1), and WILLET (several,
widely dispersed along the drive). Tern species were much easier: CASPIAN
(3), SANDWICH (2), GULL-BILLED (2), and ROYAL (5). Terns were seen widely
along the drive, but the best concentration was, as it often is, at the last
little cove--we call it "Tern Cove, which is along BWD before the road heads
"upland" toward Stover Point. Most of the expected waders were present, but
Reddish Egret was conspicuous only by its absence, whereas we often see both
color morphs on BWD. The raptor species along the BWD were few--OSPREY (1,
the most heavily molting individual we recall ever having seen), CRESTED
CARACARA (4, 3 of which occupied upper branches of trees close to where one
enters this drive), and last, but certainly not least, APLOMADO FALCON (2, 
adults perched side-by-side along the long western (north-south) branch of 
the BWD, in its savannah area).

That was, we are happy to report, not the end of our coveted raptors for the
day, for late in the day as we left LANWR we found two less-than-adult
APLOMADO FALCONS very nearby. That was a real treat, and these birds were
very likely the same two that we had found in the same area on 07/14/13
(discussed in our TEXBIRDS report posted on 07/15/13).

It looks like shorebird migration, though still a bit slow down here,
definitely is on the move, and we wish everyone the very best of fall
migration--and all the birds and wildlife some very much needed rain!

Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX



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[texbirds] Cameron Co. (Friday, 07/26/13): shorebirds and Aplomado Falcon

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