[texbirds] Smith point hawk watch today lots of birds and lots of good birds

From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:54:53 -0500
I spent most of the day at the hawk watch tower and was very happy not to
have to officially count the hawks. I had 16 species for the day with one
of them out at Robbins Park at the end of Hawkins Camp Road.

That bird was  full adult bald eagle out on the little sandbanks behind the
shell mound. It was harassing the resting pelicans and terns and eventually
caught a white bird which it took down to the ground to dine. It was behind
the grassy island and I could not find a spot to see what had been
captured. It was not seen at the tower.

The tower had lots of good bird including a say's phoebe which appeared on
the fence next door before the hawks started flying. About an hour later, a
second say's phoebe also showed up on the fence so 2 were in sight at the
same time. They were absent later in the day but when I left about 3pm, a
say's phoebe was on the fence.

Hawks at the tower included my guestimate of over 10,000 broad-wings or
possibly some other number. It was hard to keep track of the birds and many
were up high and off over there. The northwest wind kept them away from the
tower during part of the day but there was no shortage of lower birds or
birds up there either.

The total count of mississippi kites may come close to 100 birds which will
cause ebird to spasm as will the single swallow-tailed kite heading west.
The number of late season kites continues to increase. Some mississippi
kites just went by Duluth and a swallow-tailed kite has been in Iowa so
more will be coming as both species spread northward.

A merlin perched off to the east and a couple of other merlins were seen.
I think that I had around 10 peregrines including 3 at one time that
chatted together. A single bird was overhead and joined by a second. Then a
3rd bird came in and tried to play pattyclaw resulting in a loud
discussion. One or two of the birds stayed around for a good bit.

There was a shortage of harriers and other larger hawks and the only
red-tails and red-shoulders appeared to be in residence at least for the
time being.

The mississippi kite from the weekend with a bad wing is still around and a
second broad-wing with white replacement feathers was seen.

Horned owls were ahoot with both the male and female calling off and on all
day. They have been really noisy all day recently. I checked out 2 other
pairs on the way down to the point before dawn and they were calling too.

Swallows and dragonfly numbers were down but an early morning cooper's hawk
was eating the dragonflies it picked up under a light on Linda Street. A
peregrine also caught one of the bugs.

Good numbers of dickcissels out at the park early and a couple of brown
colored indigo buntings were just outside Candy Abshier about 8am.
Scissor-tails are starting to arrive and eastern kingbirds and olive-sided
flycatchers continue.

Wood storks, white pelicans, anhingas and white ibis continue up there with
the hawks.

Not many shorebirds at Robbins Park etc as the area is basically dry,
fishermen beat me to the area and there are very few oystershells being
dumped to attract the scavengers.

Great day and maybe tomorrow will be better if the forecast northeast winds
do materialize.
-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
[texbirds] Smith point hawk watch today lots of birds and lots of good birds

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