I did the route from the ferry to Anahuac on Tuesday but most of the
birding was on Bolivar as the wind kept land birds scarce or way down in
cover. The ferry ride was very slow as boat traffic in and out of the
channel had been slowed by the strong winds of the days earlier.
The tide was very high again and the Wilson's plovers on bolivar flats were
regrouping for I think the 3rd time this year. A week earlier they had been
washed out and again the storm tides went up into the vegetation. Most of
the least terns from a week earlier were not present but a small group
close to the bollards scolded but ignored my head so they were not real
serious.
I had 8 territorial male plovers between the bollards and the end of the
sand. One banded bird spent most of the time on one leg
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198121
But eventually showed all of its bling
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198120
Most just watched me walk and pipped a couple of times but a couple stood
up and scolded a little more or even walked me out of their territory
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198116
I did not see any other small plovers on the walk nor were there any going
east from Retillon up to the wide cut. Good numbers of sanderling with a
few black-bellied plovers and turnstones were working the sand but there
was no habitat for birds like dowitchers etc to feed in.
There were a couple of unattached female birds way down the way or just out
for a walk away from the males
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198115
Several adult reddish egrets were dancing in the surf
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198114
The yards in Port Bolivar continue to have short-billed dowitchers feeding
in the grass with most birds in breeding plumage
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198089
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198093
Others are still molting but I did not see any non-molters for the day
which can summer.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198091
They were joined in wetter spots by lesser yellowlegs. Normally there are
lots of greater yellowlegs along the coast but I only had one for the day.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198082
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198080
Went back and visited my friendly whimbrels again who was feeding on the
road
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198101
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198102
He seemed to be finding pieces of fiddler crabs but the crabs that normally
scurry out of the ditches when your drive by were absent
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198100
Away from the flats, there were good numbers of spotted sandpipers in
ditches and road shoulders and whimbrels are still in some of the same
areas.
Very high water on Frenchtown road which flooded again. Water had also been
over much of Bob road and some of Yacht Basin Road.
Horned larks were on both Retillon and Yacht Basin roads but were not up
singing. They seem to be later breeders on the coast than the tradition of
first land bird nester of inland populations.
Johnston road had some good habitat appearing but no birds other than
long-billed curlew. Very high water on Bob road had the seaside sparrows up
but Tuna road did not look good enough to drive as there was still water
over it.
The water was in all of the parking lots at rollover pass with no habitat
except for the begging turnstones and sanderlings near the fishermen.
A sort of slow day but an American goldfinch in full breeding plumage did
show up at home for a couple of days
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/163198074
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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