April 18th 2015
After more turbulent weather last night, the hope was that the plentiful birds
from yesterday would stick around, and again this hope came true. Our 8am walk
around Boy Scout Woods started off on the right foot with a nice female
CERULEAN WARBLER flitting around in the big oak near the grand stand. Also here
were 2 BLACKBURNIAN, multiple TENNESSEE, and a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER. A
WORM-EATING WARBLER was hanging out around Prothonotary Pond, and the dark
undergrowth in the center of Boy Scout Woods held many OVENBIRDS, a few
KENTUCKY WARBLERS, and a smattering of HOODED WARBLERS. In the back meadow,
while watching a couple of NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS flying above, we
found 2 female BLUE GROSBEAKS perched up amongst the purple thistle. Basically
every mulberry bush today had at least a few SCARLET and SUMMER TANAGERS,
ORCHARD and BLATIMORE ORIOLES, and multiple INDIGO BUNTINGS. Lots of people,
lots of birds, and lots of smiles all around this morning!
We went inland to the Anahuac area today for our noon shorebird tour with word
of good numbers of birds on RR1985. Our first stop at a flooded field was
filled with shorebirds, and on arrival a PEREGRINE FALCON stirred things up
with about 500 shorebirds in the air. Sandpipers seen include; WHIMBREL,
WILLET, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, STILT, WESTERN, SEMIPALMATED, and LEAST SANDPIPERS.
Plovers were also in attendance with; SEMIPALMATED, BLACK-BELLIED, and best of
all a couple AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS. A nearby tree held a pair of CRESTED
CARACARA, and a pale SWAINSONâS HAWK, while overhead 2 WHITE-FACED IBIS flew
by. Our second and final stop of the tour went right into Anahuac NWR, in a
flooded field just to the east of Shoveler Pond. Here we found; FULVOUS
WHISTLING-DUCK, KING RAIL, and a very cooperative SEDGE WREN.
Our 4pm walk in Smith Oaks was extremely busy with people, and more
importantly, birds. The Live Oaks were alive with activity including a FOS
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO among a few YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS seen. With both ACADIAN
FLYCATCHER and EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE sallying out from exposed perches, our
flycatcher appetites were being satisfied. We managed to find some great
Warbler species this afternoon, best of which were GOLDEN-WINGED and a FOS
CANADA WARBLER, but we also found YELLOW-THROATED, BLACKBURNIAN, CERULEAN,
CHESTNUT-SIDED, KENTUCKY, HOODED, BLUE-WINGED, and WORM-EATING WARBLERS. With a
possibility of rain in the forecast overnight, we can hope that at least a few
of these birds will stick around until the morning.
Scott Watson
Winnie Burkett
Friendswood & the Bolivar Peninsula
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