Started the day on east beach of Galveston and beat all the fishermen
there. No one to feed the prime mooches (jaeger and lesser black-backed
gull) and they did not show up until after I was gone. The jaeger does
business off to the west early but I have not figured out where yet. Maybe
some other site where fish etc is available.
There was a nice group of terns at the jetty but there was a steady stream
of birds going into the bay to fish. The knots and banded plovers that have
been regular were missing too.
The young of the year sanderlings were almost done molting out of their
juvenile plumage
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332312
The tern nesting area had lots of water and great habitat but was basically
empty of birds. A peregrine feeding on a bird and the 2 adult caracara
hunting probably had something to do with the lack.
There was a good influx of sandwich terns from further up or around the
coast at the jetty, ferry, bolivar and the flats. Local birds have been
scarce for a long time. Nothing much on the ferry but
When we were docking on bolivar, many brownish butterflies (frittilaries?)
were using the boat to make headway across the channel. Laughing gulls were
waiting and snatched up every one. Many more along the peninsula.
Bolivar flats was as water free as any time since late last winter with
birds scattered all over. Avocets were arriving all during my visit
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332313
A family of horned larks was right by the entrance from Retillon and
another by the bollards
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332316
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332317
Greater yellowlegs were hunting trapped minnows
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332314
This one was doing a reddish egret act
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332315
Red knots were scattered way out there toward the jetty where there was
deeper water but I did not see any of the banded birds
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332319
Shorebirds do well standing and hopping about on one leg to make people
feel sorry for them
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332321
But then you see the 2 toes sticking out of the feathers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332325
A lingering Wilson's plover was out there
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332323
This is Spot, a nesting snowy plover from across the bay at east beach
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332322
And a locally banded piping plover seems to greet me on every trip
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332326
The ferry landing on the bolivar side attracts lots of birds compared to
the Galveston landing including brown pelicans
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332336
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332337
And a good chance to distinguish between the 2 cormorant species. The
cormorants have feet that grip well
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332341
Note that the neotropic cormorant is missing the yellow in front and over
the eye and there is a sharp angle in the beak skin back of the jaw line
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332344
Double-crested cormorants have much more yellow in the lores and a more
rounded angle at the base of the bill
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332343
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332340
A couple of frigatebirds were out by the back end of pelican island
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332346
The texas city dike had 5 American oystercatchers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332352
bronzed cowbirds
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332353
And the continuing monk parakeets
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332356
On the way home, there was a flock of about 40 parakeets annoyed by a hawk
over the beltway and pearland parkway
Migrating cattle egrets often stop among tern flocks like this bird
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332354
A flock of American avocets were feeding in the pool on the dike
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332364
They were catching lots of very small things with about every 5-10 swings
of the bill
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332365
Whatever it is it is small
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332367
A single franklin's gull was in the flock of laughing gulls, sort of on the
edge and by itself
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332381
The white wing spots distinguish it from the larger laughing gull
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332378
And the bills are different
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332382
It is possible that the front will move lots of them through the area. In
some years large flocks go over the smith point hawk watch but most move
through the central part of the state
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332379
But that part of the state does not have them with royal terns
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/164332384
It would be nice if the temperature at sunrise on the beach was not 83
degrees in mid October etc. It would make going into the woods more
feasible.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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