Last Thursday I started out looking for an early golden plover in their favorite haunts on Fairview road with no luck. None on 1985 or Bolivar either. Then a few were found on Friday and they were all over by the weekend. Going through the wooded part of 562, near the church, a young bald eagle returned to the roost area accompanied by several crows who saw him off. Then on the entrance road to Anahuac, another young eagle was prospecting for carrion by traplining from pole to pole http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653890 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653889 It would move several poles and scan again http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653887 Never really found anything http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653884 At one point, it thought to land on the wires but gave that up as a bad deal http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653882 The bird finally headed off toward the roost area. 3 young cooper's hawks have been resident around the refuge all winter. Usually they fly off but this bird decided to sit for a picture http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653871 Lots of scanning for little birds but they were staying down and quiet in the area http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653872 And who knew that cooper's hawks could wink at the camera http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653874 Out on 1985 but in the refuge a young white-tailed hawk was sunning on a fence post http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653859 For a change, it only took a while and a look at the white face patches to figure out what the bird was in contrast to my usual mis-iod's. But from the back they can still be confusing http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653859 But the face says it all http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653861 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653862 Another point to check on birds like this is the toes. The white-tail has fatter and wartier toes than a red-tail, perhaps related to its snake eating habits http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653864 The bird was very polite and did turn around to unload prior to moving to a new post http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653863 The tree swallow roost was still in business when I went around shoveler pond http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653825 Apparently, 36 degrees lets swallows stay in bed late http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653823 They would circle up and then back down http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653824 There were a good number of collisions in the sudden swarms, sometimes with 3 birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653821 Seaside sparrows were up but not very high in the wind and singing http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653814 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653815 A king rail was out sunning http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653809 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653811 The book says that savannah sparrows can have a central breast spot like a song sparrow and some do http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653840 The new grass seed comes in very handy at this time of year with the ragweed etc from last fall all washed away http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653841 There is a lot of plumage variation in the birds with several subspecies wintering in the area but some flocks contain similar birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653838 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653843 There were still a few geese out in the fields who already knew that the hunting season was over. Almost all of the northern ducks were gone with mainly teal and shovelers remaining. The trip down bolivar was rather sparse birding with no good water areas. There were no fishermen at rollover or the jetty and the mud at rollover pass was almost out to Anahuac as were the birds. There were 2 laughing gulls in the parking lot. Many birds at the jetty but way out and the light was still bad so I passed. Both the ferry and the Texas City dike had several hundred forster's terns feeding and sitting. Most would be arriving birds as the number was many times more than the wintering population. They are starting to get dark heads and several had their tail streamers fully grown http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653930 There is lots of molt going on with new feathers growing rapidly http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653928 A spotted sandpiper on the jetty was one of the few I have seen this winter. It was catching very small things by sneaking up on them and pouncing http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653932 I never could see what was being grabbed but it was small http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653931 A young of last year white-tailed kite was kiting out at the end of the jetty in the breeze http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653955 And showed off its white tail http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653958 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653957 It would then move to another spot http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653960 It wanted to go over to pelican island but gave up at the waters edge and eventually went back down the dike But really showed how to kite before leaving http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653965 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653963 Note the remaining brown stripes on the youngsters belly http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653964 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/154653966 A great day out with no ice or other more recent weather fun. All the pictures and more can be browsed at http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox -- 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