Yesterday (Sunday, 09/06/15) my wife (Birgit) and I visited two Cameron Co.
sites: Weaver Road sod fields, both morning and afternoon visits, in our
search for âgrasspipersâ (e.g., Buff-breasted and Upland Sandpipers); and
PORT ISABEL RESERVOIR in our search for shorebirds more generally. What
follows are listings of the shorebirds found at these two sites, as well as
comments on both birds and sites:
WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS: Morning visit (10:25 â 11:10 AM): BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPER (6) in two of the several north-most fields, specifically, in the
fields with green, moderately high, grass and areas of standing water, that
are widely south of the west corner of the dog leg. On this same visit, in
a wider variety of fields, were KILLDEER (est. 15-18, a variety of
habitats) and LEAST SANDPIPER (several, generally near some water, either
near ditches or small pools). Late-afternoon visit (ca. 5:30-6:00 PM):
KILLDEER and LEAST SANDPIPER, albeit in somewhat larger numbers than in the
morning; and PECTORAL SANDPIPER (1, in somewhat taller grass adjacent to
some water, in a field immediately southwest of the western corner of the
dog leg). Pectoral Sandpiper was a very welcome sight, one that we had been
hoping for on visits to this site over several recent weeks. This lone
Pectoral Sandpiper looked perfectly healthy but seemed to us a bit wistful
for others of its own kind, as it lifted its head high, stretching its long
neck, seemingly looking, possibly, for others of its kind that were not to
be seen. The Buff-breasted Sandpipers seen on our morning visit were not
re-found on this late-afternoon visit, despite careful searching of all of
the sod fields along Weaver Road. They had been an especially welcome sight
yesterday morning, for we had sought them unsuccessfully for many weeks
after having seen very small numbers of them only at the relatively early
part of their temporal window of passage in fall migration. Total shorebird
species identified on 09/06/15 on Weaver Road sod fields = 4.
We had hoped, also, yesterday to search for grasspipers on the nearby
fields along the dirt-road southward extension of Bass Blvd. between TX-800
and the northern edge of the Adams Park Reservoir, but a quick look at the
northern segment of that often problematic dirt road showed it to have some
deep, often water-filled ruts, so we opted not to drive that road. We also
had, earlier yesterday morning, by-passed entry to the traversal road for
the Progreso sod fields (off US-281, Hidalgo Co.) on account of renewed
recent rains in that area.
PORT ISABEL RESERVOIR: Mid-afternoon visit (ca. 3:00 â 3:45 PM):
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (est. 50-55); SNOWY PLOVER (3); WILSONâS PLOVER (7);
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (4, at least); BLACK-NECKED STILT (6, at least);
AMERICAN AVOCET (est. 60-65, none in breeding color); GREATER YELLOWLEGS
(7); LESSER YELLOWLEGS (3); SPOTTED SANDPIPER (2); LONG-BILLED CURLEW (2);
SANDERLING (4, at least); SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (8, at least); WESTERN
SANDPIPER (est. 18-20); LEAST SANDPIPER (5); and STILT SANDPIPER (2). The
water level at this site has been diminishing rapidly. Total shorebird
species identified on 09/06/15 at Port Isabel Reservoir = 15.
Total shorebird species identified on 09/06/15 across both sites = 18.
Wishing everyone the best of fall migration birding, Rex Stanford (Weslaco).
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