Erik Breden already has posted today about the joint birding trip yesterday (10/01/12) in which he and we birded together. The three of us visited (in temporal order) Port Isabel Reservoir, SPI (Convention Center), and the Hwy. 48 boat launch. Erik's posting included a link to some very nice photos of some of the birds seen yesterday. We wish to supplement his report in regard to what for us was the highlight of our birding yesterday. Erik's report focused on passerines found at the SPI Convention Center, but we thought it might be of interest to TEXBIRDS readers that we found two Wood Storks yesterday, in mid-afternoon, on the west (or, more precisely, northwest) side of Hwy. 48, between its intersection with TX-100 (at Port Isabel) and the boat launch area. These birds were feeding nearby each other on the north side of the first substantial bay that one comes to when one travels southwest on Hwy. 48 (i.e., toward Brownsville) from Port Isabel. Yesterday was, in fact, the third time that the undersigned recently had seen Wood Stork in this very same area. On September 16 and 26 we had seen a single Wood Stork feeding in the same area except that it was closer to the highway, up in the finger of water from this bay that extends northward, parallel (and adjacent) to the highway.
As we approached the area yesterday, but before seeing the Wood Storks, we had mentioned to Erik our earlier two sightings of a single Wood Stork "up the road a bit" and expressed a hope for that species being found by us again yesterday. As we pulled up to that area to search, Erik spotted them, noting that there now were two. Thanks Erik! Given that this species now has been seen by us on each of three visits over a 16-day period and that there has been an increment to two individuals since our two earlier sightings, perhaps there is a chance that others interested in seeing this species might be able to re-find it at this location.
Best wishes to any who seek these birds. We also would remind readers that the Hwy. 48 boat launch area can be an excellent area for shorebirds, waders, and terns of a variety of kinds. Viewing from the boat launch area is at its best in late afternoon, due to the sun angle, and there usually is a cooling breeze off the water.
Rex and Birgit Stanford McAllen, TXEdit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
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