[texbirds] Smith Point hawk watch today
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2013 18:43:09 -0500
Not many hawks counted today and the watch had to take a 2 hour break from
8:30 to 10:30 due to lightning etc.
Actual hawks counted were:
broad-winged 12
cooper's 2
Best hawk of the day a sharp-shinned male that would have hit my windshield
on the way down to the point just before the JP building right after
sunrise. It possibly arrived at the point about 11:30 but I just saw the
bird vanish into the trees never to reappear.
Background birds at the point is an adult and either 3 or 4 recently
fledged broad-wings that are out flying; at least the parent is out and
about and the young went out for a spin.
Best birds a the point are the 2 just fledged turkey vultures that really
want to perch on the tower and use the parking lot. Last week they mainly
hopped around trees but this week that can soar well for a short while. A
scientific experiment with the 2 showed that each could recognize a peanut
butter sandwich as natural food without the intervention of a parent.
One big female cooper's came by and headed out to the park just as I went
back up the tower. No other birds were seen until 1 pm when the wind
shifted to the northeast and about 165+ vultures kettled up in 2 groups.
This is the most non-migrants I have seen in the area since pre-Ike.
Several of each are young of the year. The 2 locals joined in for a bit but
soon came back down. A single cooper's and broad-wing went up at the same
time and then there were a couple of small groups of immature broad-wings
until everone settled down for the afternoon.
Had 20 oystercatchers scavenging including band Y0 from Dickinson Bay. The
scissor-tails that just got out of the nest last week were up on the wires
begging. a few dickcissel, orchard orioles, about 35 gnatcatchers and 3
hummingbirds plus an unknown empidonax made up the migrants. An upland
sandpiper and solitary sandpiper went over.
As the rain approached, 2 kettles of frigatebirds moved ahead of the cloud
face and combined with birds moving from Galveston to trinity bay during
the day, I had 31 magnificent frigatebirds for the day. I did not see the
south polar skua heading from Oklahoma to the gulf unfortunately but I did
watch. Almost no gulls or terns all day.
There was almost no rain at the tower and even less at Robbins Park. Many
of the tall oak trees are starting to die after the 100 degree weather and
continuing rain last week. Big tree problem starting. Also happening along
the road. Only freshwater wet spot is the drying pond at the red abandoned
restaurant.
The fish and oyster fry is rumored to be on Saturday August 31 to keep it
with the labor day weekend but not the first Saturday of September.
Information should be posted places in the next couple of days.
Summer is still doldrumming in the area; the area out near Robbins park
does have young seaside sparrows as the tide levels have kept water in the
marsh but not the flats at the park. Hard on the clapper rails. The
forecast on the news last night of inches of rain along the coast fell flat
with probably less than 1 tenth of an inch in spots with many areas having
none. And there may be a cold front later next week with north winds and
vast flocks of hawks and kites to look forward to.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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