Got down to east beach about sunrise and was greeted by many no-tailed
grackles. Most had lost their tails in the annual molt and some were going
bald around the head. Last week I watched 2 birds on the ferry drop 3
feathers in just a couple of minutes so the shedding can occur very fast.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062420
The sand was damp on the walk out to the jetty from the parking lot and was
being used by many least sandpipers to feed.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062736
Walking back, most were resting in tire tracks which also provided cover
for the snowy plovers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062740
The first birds noted out on the beach was a group of buff-breasted
sandpipers that were disturbed by two crested caracara leaving the area
after eating most of a brown ring-billed gull
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062751
Later, a single buff-breast was next to the pomarine jaeger
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062750
The bird was not used to gull calls and jumped each time that one of the
laughing gulls really called showing the white underwings which are used in
its display in the spring
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062752
The pomarine jaeger had been out on an island, the remnant of the sandy
point when it was flushed by a bow wave and ended up on the sand
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062766
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062765
A close look at the head feathers which look ok from a distance, shows that
many are actually bare shafts The body is starting to look better as some
new feathers grow and it appears to have new primaries but it never raised
its wings so I could count them
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062760
And a look at its good side
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062763
Yellow-crowned night herons were patrolling the ship channel for crabs
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062747
And piping plovers were in a tide pool
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062742
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062744
As were the snowy plover
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062748
Reddish egrets were disputing ownership of the minnows in some of the pools
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062753
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062754
Across the ferry in Port Bolivar there were fewer marbled godwits in the
yards as it had not rained for a couple of days
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062816
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062817
Fort Travis had a group of buff-breasted sandpipers feeding in the new mown
grass
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062827
They hunt visually rather than probing like the godwits in the same habitat
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062823
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062818
Never got a picture of what they were eating but they were well fed
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062822
This is as close as I could get but it was already out of sight
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062829
The tide was high when I got to Bolivar flats but was going out. How do the
dowitchers resting back from the beach know it is time to come out and feed
when flats are uncovered?
A rather dark young Caspian tern was out there alone
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062852
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062853
All of the banded birds were old friends from north and south Dakota and
bolivar flats except for this one that never showed its flag. Its
surprising how hard it can be to see all of the bands
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062855
This snowy plover was banded locally
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062856
And this one is from south Dakota
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062857
And a Nebraska sandpit piping plover
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062854
Snowy plovers can scold like Wilson's
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062859
The western willets are all in winter plumage
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062861
Except for a few feathers here
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062862
The texas city dike was very quiet with one American oystercatcher eating
hermit crabs
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062867
And a semipalmated plover preening every feather
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062869
A reddish egret at rollover pass had been stealing bait
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164062868
Lots more pictures especially of the buff-breasted sandpipers at
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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