Hi Texbirders and Pelagic Fanatics,
After spring migration winds down in early May and the breeding season
becomes quiet in June the best birding thing to do in Texas is to take a
Texas Pelagic and enjoy some fantastic offshore birds and marine wildlife.
Our first Texas Pelagic is now just under 2 months away on June 4th. And
there is no better way to spend a summer Saturday than offshore onboard the
newly renovated Osprey with us enjoying the sea breezes far offshore in the
Gulf of Mexico.
Fortunately a number of people have signed up recently for the June 4th trip
and it's looking good that we will be able to run this trip, but we still
need some more people to sign-up. We haven't yet heard from a large number
of our regular Texas Pelagics participants. I imagine they've just been too
busy out birding to plan too far ahead. But we need to hear from you so we
aren't short on participants for running June 4th. What does amaze and
please me is that a lot of new first time pelagic birders are signing up for
this summer's Texas Pelagic adventures. I hope the word is getting out that
Texas Pelagics can offer a fantastic birding and overall wildlife
experience. There is really nothing else like it in Texas. It's not just a
day of birding, it is a birding adventure!
Only 3 Texas Pelagics have ever been run earlier than June 4th, and only one
of those was from South Padre Island. Early June is a good time for
Storm-petrels. And early June has proved to be a great time for East Coast
Outer Banks pelagics. Because this is the time that corresponds to a very
interesting diversity of Pterodroma shearwaters in North Carolina in the
"Gulf Stream" that originates from the Gulf of Mexico. Come explore this
under-birded season offshore with us this year, who knows what we could turn
up? Remember that Wilson's Strom-Petrel is most likely to be found during
this time frame, like one was found by Petra Hockey on June 11, 2015. Manx
Shearwater and Black-capped Petrel are a real possibility in late spring.
I am extending the early bird discount until Monday 4/18/2016 for June 4th.
If you get your check in the mail by Monday April 18th (tax day) you'll save
$20.00. So don't delay, sign-up today!
Also if for some reason you can't make June 4th but would like to go on June
11th please email me and let me know. I've already heard from a number of
people who can only go on June 11th. The odds are about 50-50 that June 4th
could be weathered out so it would be good to know if we have a lot of
additional people interested in June 11th as an alternate date.
All of our other summer trips are beginning to fill up especially the Port
Aransas trip on July 23rd. So don't wait too long or you may miss out on
your most desired trip dates. If the Port Aransas trip works out good (and I
have every reason to believe it will be a great trip) than I'll try to more
than one in 2017.
All the details on the trips and how to sign-up can be found on my website
here: http://texaspelagics.com/2016-schedule-2/ ;
Good seabirding,
Gary Hodne
The Woodlands
Garett 'Gary' Hodne
www.TexasPelagics.com
281-684-5425
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