During the slow times before southbound migrants arrive, the young of the
year birds provide new things to look at. The young royal terns have
arrived out on the flats like these birds on East Beach
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699619
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699622
There is much variation in the amount of yellow in the legs
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699620
And the adults are losing their breeding plumage at the same time
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699623
The red is fading from the bills of the few birds that develop that color
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699621
Magnificent frigatebirds are following the ferry hoping to steal from the
gulls that find fish in the wake. Most were on the Bolivar side
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699627
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699626
A long-billed curlew was at its summering post and has not started to molt.
Arriving birds will seem to drop lots of feathers on touchdown or just a
bit after
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699631
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699628
Lots of tricolored herons perched up during the high tide
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699635
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699634
Quite a few reddish egrets both around the jetty and down past the bollards
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699636
The tern barrier going down bolivar flats has been expanded and a few least
terns are nesting and come and greet you. I turned back here but there was
a good tern flock further down.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699637
Back at the bollards, a yellow-crowned night heron was working at
swallowing a crab. It had to knock off legs and claws to get it down. A
laughing gull hope to get some of the pieces but the heron gathered all of
them
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160699638
Almost no returning shorebirds and very few summering ones perhaps due to
the lack of gulf weed and its host of birdfood. Some very small pieces were
the first I have seen all summer.
A Mississippi kite at Double Bayou Park was the first summer bird in the
area in several years.
All the pictures can be browsed at
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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