CBC season is a little over a week away and the Matagorda County count is only
a week from Monday. In preparation, I scouted Western Roads yesterday and
found some interesting birds that will hopefully hang around.
The S Citrus Road, aka 'Bermuda Triangle' Turf Farm was very wet from the
recent rains. As a result it held ducks, geese, lots of shorebirds as well as
most of the usual suspects. Where prey birds gather, raptors are not far behind
and an immature Bald Eagle harassed the geese while a Merlin preened on an
irrigation wheel. The real story was an adult Prairie Falcon. This bird was
resting on the turf at about 200 yards on the east side of S Citrus. It
provided excellent scope views but I managed to botch the digi scope pics.
Bummer. It flew away toward the NE and some Ag fields. We had Prairie Falcon
here 2 years ago, so not totally unexpected though always a treat.
The Sprague's Pipit was in its normal spot and flushed from the grassy fringe
of the gravel road at the NW corner of the turf farm. A pair of Horned Larks
foraged. with a flock of Savannah Sparrows; though expected, I don't see the
Larks every trip. Now we just need a mixed flock of Longspurs (Brent don't
hold your breathe...:-)
Down on the south end of S Citrus Road, the flooded field that local duck
hunters have designated as a refuge for wintering ducks was more flooded than
normal, now apparently too deep for all of the shorebirds that were there
previously. The hoards of Pintails were also gone from hear with mainly GW
Teal and Shovelers present and a few Baldpates and Redheads. There seems to
have been a recent uptick in RN Ducks because they are present in more
locations. The White-tailed Kite was kiting over the adjacent pasture and a
young Vermilion managed to find a bug down around the corner. No signs of the
Says Phoebe that we had here last year.
So, it's wet on the landscape and the weather has moved birds; some in and
others out. As usual, the Matagorda CBC should be fun and should produce some
interesting birds. Can't wait to see the T-shirt and awesome job that Dennis
Shepler has done (as usual) painting the Orchard Oriole, best bird from last
year!
Good birding and see you on the 19th!
Bob Friedrichs
Palacios
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