[texbirds] Hwy. 48 (Cameron Co.) boat launch: Wood Storks + more

From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 12:51:34 -0500
Inspired by the TEXBIRDS posting of Mary Beste (June 19, 2013) about Wood 
Storks near the boat-launch area (Jaime J. Zapata Memorial Boat Ramp) east 
of Hwy. 48 between Brownsville and Port Isabel, we yesterday (06/21/13) 
visited that boat ramp late in the day in the hope that Wood Storks might 
still be there. We were not disappointed, although the birds had moved from 
south of the boat-launch area where Mary had found them on the 19th to north 
of it when we found them late in our visit.

Before we found the Wood Storks we had spent some time enjoying the other 
birds that were east and south of the boat-launch parking lot (see some 
details below), but having fruitlessly searched for Wood Storks with our 
scope and binoculars south of that area where Mary had found them (June 19), 
we drove out of the parking lot and turned north, heading for Port Isabel. 
As soon as we had made that turn we spotted a wide, long, water-filled ditch 
east of the highway that hosted dozens of white birds. On its south end were 
numerous egrets, Snowy (most numerous) and Great (a few). Almost 
immediately, though, we spotted a flock of 10 Wood Storks, walking and 
feeding together as a group, in the water-filled ditch, but north of almost 
all of the egrets. Hiding behind my vehicle and poking my camera around it, 
I got numerous pictures of the storks before a bunched group of vehicles, 
including one loud, very speedy pick-up truck, zipped by and flushed all the 
Wood Storks. They stuck together and flew to a seemingly vegetation-barren 
and waterless sandy area immediately east of the mangrove-lined ditch where 
they previously had foraged. They seemed, though, to be finding some kind of 
food in this seemingly unlikely spot. As they flew to this barren area, they 
had provided some nice flight/landing photos. They remained there feeding as 
a group when we left.

We would note that birding was less than exciting at the boat launch, except 
for the presence of what would appear to be regulars there, the family of 
two adult and one immature American Oystercatcher. It was low tide and lots 
of good feeding areas (oyster beds?) were exposed above the water line, and 
the Oystercatchers and the Willets seemed very happy about this table laid 
out by nature. All three Oystercatchers fed fairly close together the entire 
time we were there, and it was fun to see them chase off the numerous 
intrusive Willets who dared to enter their feeding territory. The Willets 
seemed almost scared silly whenever the Oystercatchers turned and walked 
directly toward them whenever they dared to approach. The Oystercatchers 
seemed particularly protective of the feeding rights of their youngster, for 
they would allow a closer approach by the Willets to themselves as the 
foraged than they would when the Willets approached their offspring. Aside 
form the Oystercatchers and the Willets the only other shorebird species we 
found there was a single Black-bellied Plover, whose plumage suggested a 
first-summer bird.

Again, the Wood Storks were initially found foraging  in a wide, very long, 
mangrove-edged water-filled ditch immediately east of Hwy. 48 and 
immediately north of the boat-launch parking lot. Later they foraged on a 
barren-looking sandy area immediately east of the mangroves that line that 
watery ditch.


Wishing everyone good birding, "birding doldrums" or not!
Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX 

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
[texbirds] Hwy. 48 (Cameron Co.) boat launch: Wood Storks + more

Other related posts:
