[texbirds] Re: Smith Point, 20 Sep
- From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Tony leukering <greatgrayowl@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 19:33:25 -0500
inland to various lakes....B
**********************************************************************
Brush Freeman
503-551-5150 Cell
http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/
Finca Alacranes., Utley,Texas
On Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 7:18 PM, Tony leukering <greatgrayowl@xxxxxxx>wrote:
> H all:
> With the numerous rain cells passing over and by, I conducted just one
> hour of hawk watch (I certainly did not count any) from the tower today. I
> have not posted anything to the blog as yet.
>
> The highlight of today was the most incredible frigatebird show that I
> have ever seen! Early in the AM when I went to feed the hummers, there
> were 22 Magnificents hanging right offshore by the tower. That number was
> sufficient for the eBird filter to get indigestion.
>
> Upon my return home from running errands in town, about 11:30 am, there
> were 22 frigates hanging over the yard. When I got to the tower around
> 12:20 pm, there were 22 frigates east of the tower. I gave the hawk count
> an hour's time, but decided that 37 mph wind with gusts to 45 from the
> south were not conducive to southward raptor migration, so gave up the hawk
> count as lost for the day. However, during that hour, the number of
> frigates crept upward as small flocks came from the W or NW to join the
> bunch hanging by me: 28, 29, 35, 48, 54, 72! Yowzer! I tore myself away
> from the tower once the number seemed to stabilize at 72 and started home.
> But, I had thoroughly enjoyed photographing frigates at eye level as they
> passed the tower.
>
> I got to the main road and noticed another bunch heading for the tower
> from Trinity Bay. So I turned around and hauled buns back to the tower to
> photo some more; the count climbed over 100! In fact, to 114! But I'm not
> done! Flock after flock came around the corner to the west to join my
> birds as they drifted slowly east up the East Bay shore and the tally
> climbed past 150! Then 175! I finally left the tower with a tally of
> 213!!!
>
> Because there was a bunch hanging over the very end of the main road, I
> turned left out of the WMA and got right under them; it was hard not to cut
> wingtips off while photographing them, they were so low overhead. But,
> they kept coming! By the time that I got to the little community at Ouisa
> Rd, my count was 313!!!!!!! I headed out Hawkins Camp Rd to go to the
> point to see if frigates were elsewhere in addition to the hordes that I'd
> already counted. When I could see Smith Point Island (the island on which
> the frigates roost), I could see a bunch hanging over the E side of the
> island; 59 of 'em, bringing the total to 372!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> While doing 'normal' birding at the Point, I saw the frigates hanging off
> the island, so photographed the scene. When I got my 800+ photos gone
> through just now, I counted 76 frigates by the island, so my end count of
> 372 may very well be LOW!
>
> I'll be posting a selection of photos to my Flickr site, hopefully
> tomorrow, and will let this venue know.
>
> As an aside, the weather gods have greatly changed the forecast, so
> tomorrow looks like another wash here, while Sunday looks nowhere near as
> good as it was looking. It might be Monday before things clear -- 'boo' to
> occluded fronts!
>
> Tony
>
> Tony Leukering
> Smith Point, TX
> http://smithpointhawkwatch.wordpress.com/
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/tony_leukering/
> http://www.aba.org/photoquiz/
> 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
>
>
>
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
Other related posts:
