Started the day at east beach where the summering pomarine jaeger was just
finishing tidbits taken from fishermen. It was joined by the summering
lesser black-backed gull who also grabbed some bait that a fisherman was
sorting from his throw net.
For my first time ever, there was no gull or tern in either parking lot
coming or going. None in the tern nesting area and just the small group by
the jetty. Some were going by in the roads.
The strong winds had the water very high along bolivar roads and there was
great habitat for small sandpipers and plovers. They had lots of panic
attacks. The 2 resident crested caracara stopped by to see what was to eat
but did not really panic all birds. A migrating American kestrel did and
the predator unseen by me really panicked everyone.
One frigatebird over the gulf. No landbirds other than grackles and
mourning doves.
Ferry ride was devoid of birds with no gulls on the boat. A nice peregrine
falcon was along Retillon Road and it later stopped by the beach putting
all birds to flight twice including the pelicans.
Driving down to the bollards, there were 4 lesser black-backed gulls with 3
adults. Piping plover were scattered along the beach all doing the
patty-cake feeding method. Lots more patty-caking down in the sanctuary.
Walking down the beach one dunlin was in a group of short-billed
dowitchers. The tide was high and just peaking and was falling by the time
I left. More short-billed dowitchers and marbled godwits out on the edge
but fort travis was dry and only had a few birds. A horned lark was feeding
in the scrub and a land bird flushed that acted and sounded like a longspur
but the gulls were very noisy and I did not hear it well.
Lots of red knots. It is getting hard to say lots of red knots. I had a
total of either 26 or 37 birds depending on whether I can id groups by the
banded birds among them. At least one new banded bird but a very old band.
Originally some were resting down with willets but when I left, they were
feeding like sanderlings along the surf back toward Retillon. Have pictures
of all the groups.
I am even more amazed by the number of snowy plovers on the beach. They far
outnumbered piping plovers and are many times the best I ever saw there.
I missed getting pictures of several banded snowy plovers as a group of
bean ladies were going through all of the debris piles where the plovers
sheltered. Apparently at this time of year a very special rare or magical
bean appears on the beaches here and people come from all around to gather
them. Who knew. The beans only appear on the beach at this time of year.
I spent lots of time looking for odd gulls but found no franklin's or other
goodies. Had my first of fall young of year herring and ring-billed gulls.
Both species were more common up on the dike. Both are getting striped
heads for the winter plumage as are the lesser black-backed gulls.
Had 1 common tern for the day on Bolivar and 1 young sandwich tern begging
from winter plumaged forster's terns. Caspian terns continue way above my
normal number. Probably fewer royal terns around but that is a function of
tides and peregrines.
The best tern of the day was a very juvenile appearing least tern that was
feeding itself with possibly a second bird. My latest ever for the species
on the UTC. There were many late nesting birds that abandoned the area
weeks ago so perhaps one of the stragglers did not leave with the other
birds.
A lot fewer birds on the dike. Mainly laughing gulls and black skimmers. 3
sandwich terns and a big drop in royal terns. Good shorebird habitat
including a 1 legged piping plover that may be a repeat from a prior year.
It was catching goodies.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
from the List Owner
