[texbirds] Smith Point Hawk Watch today, eagle day, hawks, winter birds etc. Outstanding
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2012 20:22:53 -0500
I guess the highlight of the day were the 7 eagles of 2 species which sort
of beats any old records. A total of 9 eagles for the weekend. One bird
early in the morning and then the push came later in the afternoon after
most visitors except eagle spotters had left. My camera battery had run out
and I was going down to get the replacement when the golden eagle was
spotted. Got the battery exchanged but missed the shot when the golden
eagle passed an adult bald eagle going the other way.
An immature dark phase broad-winged hawk was my first of the fall and my
first immature. Lots of red-tailed hawks arrived and all different color
phases were overhead as were lots of swainson's hawks in all sorts of
colors too. Plus a mississippi kite, merlin and swarms of cooper's hawks.
Most of the cooper's were adult males but most of the birds in the woods
were females. Large flocks of turkey vultures. Around 1500 hawks for the
day give or take a few vultures.
Did a walk through the northwest motte before the hawks really got up and
they got up early and still had a dozen or so red-breasted nuthatches.
Golden-crowned kinglets, brown creepers and hermit thrushes had also
arrived along with white-throated and white-crowned sparrows.
Large number of horned owls calling at several stops along the way and a
barn owl was on a pole just north of the white-head place. There were
accipters flying all the way up to I-10 in the afternoon. A large group of
turkey vultures was going to roost in the whitehead dead trees so they can
be counted again in the morning.
Lots of other birds up there too including the usual white pelicans and
anhingas with geese, sandhill cranes and cormorants too. Several common
loons were seen including one low flying bird that went over my head out
near the motte that was low enough to hear the wings.
It was a eastern phoebe day at the point. Lots of them everywhere but when
I arrived there were well over 100 along the first stretch of Hawkins Camp.
Had over 60 in the same stretch around 11am and 4:30 pm. They tend to move
out into the area when traffic picks up. No shortfall of swallows either
adding to the migrant hordes.
On the way down predawn, I had to slow way down to avoid hitting sparrows
and some other birds that flushed from the road edges. Not sure where they
ended up but there were many fewer at the point itself. Not many shorebirds
at the park and shell mound as it is well traveled by hawks from well
before sunrise.
Just a great day to be out and again almost always birds in sight.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
Other related posts:
- » [texbirds] Smith Point Hawk Watch today, eagle day, hawks, winter birds etc. Outstanding - Joseph Kennedy
