A rare mid August cold front brought a good number of hawks to the tower with the count dominated by swainson's hawks instead of the expected kites. A couple of swallow-tailed kites did go by and late in the day a couple of groups of Mississippi kites came down to the tower. But 77 swainsons' hawks was a record. The swainson's were all young birds with differing plumages http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886955 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886956 A red-tailed hawk was territorial and shooed the vultures out of its motte http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886954 the other regular waterbirds came over too including these anhinga http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886952 As well as infernal devices http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886960 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886959 Honeybees took over the feeders http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886962 The young purple martins have lots of pin-feathers appearing http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886981 Eastern wood pewees can also sit in treetops http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886966 But the main tip-top percher are the olive-sided flycatchers. There were at least 7 birds scattered around 5 mottes during the day. http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886993 They eat the dragonflies with the wings on http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886982 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886984 Can do a good mystery bird pose http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886986 And often do not show the white flank patches http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886985 This was going to be the great picture but I flinched when I saw the bomb through the camera eyepiece http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886991 Just a great day for them http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151886992 Them empidonax from Thursday were absent. This is one of the noisy alder flycatchers http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151850773 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151850772 And the willow flycatcher http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151850768 When there are showers nighthawks are abundant with 17 on the wires in a stretch of 3 power poles. When dry and sunny they can be very scarce http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151850770 Northern bobwhite also come out more in the open when it is raining to avoid the wet grass http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151850766 Lots of orchard orioles on Thursday but almost none on Saturday http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151850764 But always great birds at Smith Point. -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx 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
