[texbirds] Smith Point Hawk Watch today
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2012 19:56:30 -0500
To add to what Tony reported, I had a total of 18 hawks and vultures ( his
total plus 2 vultures and 3 resident hawks not migrating) which made a very
good day.
On the way down to the point, I found the or a Harris's hawk feeding along
526 a little over a mile north of the Whitehead homestead and watched it
head south down the way. Forecast it to arrive at 8:52 but it did not come
until 10:52. As with a number of these birds it was with turkey vultures.
I went off mid-morning to metropolitan Smith Point and had 3 red-breasted
nuthatches tooting on John O street (the second street to the left in
mid-city). When I got back my latest ever olive-sided flycatcher was in the
northwest motte. A late pm swallow-tailed kite was just seen way out there
when it banked. When going tail-on, it could not be seen. And a late
evening young-of-the-year lark sparrow on Hawkins Camp.
Lots of swallows in the am in 2 different streams. It quieted down during
the middle of the day but as I was leaving very large numbers of mainly
rough-winged swallows streamed in and were feeding heavily and drinking in
some water patches.
A 1st year bald eagle was way up there at the eagle hour of 12:30 and the
number of mississippi kites continued to grow. Lots of meandering by the
kites and it was hard to really count them. Cooper's hawks were easier and
were soaring high until they really got up there in the blue skies and the
clouds left. More birds were probably around but too high in the blue to be
seen. Only a couple of non-migrant hawks were around. A young
red-shouldered hawk could have been a migrant or the bird seen earlier but
was missing many feathers that the earlier bird had not lost.
Still only a few swainson's hawks but more than previous days. Only 1
red-tail seen that was not the adult that been out hawkins camp and passing
the tower.
Very few land birds in the trees or around; after the hawks died down in
the pm, the mockers and shrikes started to set up again. Horned owls all
hooty in the pm but were scarce on the drive down where they had been
calling earlier in the week. Cooper's hawks almost ready to set a record
for a full season count to join the mississippi kites and sharp-shinned
hawks. Will not have a record bird season as the really big broad-winged
numbers were missed.
Lots of visitors enjoyed the hawks as well as the storks, white ibis,
anhingas, pelicans and frigatebirds of Smith Point.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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