[texbirds] Smith Point Hawk Watch pictures from Saturday

From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2012 16:27:37 -0500
The highlight of the hawkwatch Saturday was an adult swallow-tailed kite
that likely lingered from Friday and went back and forth over the tower for
more than an hour letting both large groups had a good look
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225564

Any swallow-tail makes for a notable day and one this late is even better
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225562

The long tail points and lack of amber rust on the chest show that the bird
is an adult in contrast to the mississippi kites that are all immature.
Perhaps this is a bird that wandered well to the north of the current
breeding range after the nesting season. If so, there may be a few more to
pass in the coming days
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225555

All of the mississippi kites I have seen for some time have been young birds
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225552

There is much variation in the amount of striping on the underparts and how
white the head appears especially when the birds are coming at you headon
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225551

The number of "late" mississippi kites continues to increase each year when
weather brings them to Smith Point. It may also be that the adults use a
migration corridor a little different as the birds I saw earlier in the
season were also mainly youngsters.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225547

The expected kettles of broad-winged hawks were very scarce and only a few
lower flying birds were seen
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225544

The number of white pelicans, storks, anhingas and white ibis also were
down and very high but a couple of groups of white pelicans obliged all
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225538

The alligator pond is mainly hidden behind vegetation this year and water
birds are mainly seen when disturbed by other birds or standing sentinel
like this great egret that perched for about an hour.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/146225533

Land birds including the swallow stream were scarce for the weather
conditions but the early am bobolink spinking over the tower was a really
good find. I have only seen one other fall bird in texas and reported it as
a tawny bird with stripes that was scavening in the spilled rice with the
blackbird flock at the Freeport terminal. In 18 years in Lousiana, I only
had them once at dawn on the day of a tremendous early cold front that had
1000's of migrants still moving after sunrise.

A yellow-headed blackbird with a little yellow on the chest lit way off to
the west of the tower but flashed it white wing patches when it left with
its cowbird companions.

High tides out at the park had the clapper rails and the small group of
seaside sparrows up and out in the open. Very few shorebirds at the roost
as the fisherfold beat me there and the oyster operation is still very low
key. I have yet to see any accipter or harrier migrating out that way this
season. Most of the accipiters are up high like broad-wings rather than
feeding their way south.


-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
[texbirds] Smith Point Hawk Watch pictures from Saturday

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