[texbirds] shorebirds (and more) Hidalgo + Cameron Co.'s Thursday 09/11/14

  • From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 20:56:08 -0500

Yesterday, September 11, 2014, we birded several sites (Hidalgo and Cameron 
Counties) in search primarily of shorebirds, but taking note of whatever of 
special interest we might find.

PROGRESO SOD FIELDS (Hidalgo Co.), late morning: KILLDEER (several); and 
LONG-BILLED CURLEW (4, foraging as they often do, on a relatively grassy 
area on the west side of the traversal road); there was no standing water 
where they foraged, and this species seems more likely than many others to 
forage in such an area, although it may do so in wetter areas as well. 
(Shorebird species this site = 2.)

WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS (Cameron Co.), near noon: LEAST SANDPIPER (3). This 
site also provided BLACK SKIMMER (5) and FORSTER'S TERN (3). (Shorebird 
species this site = 1.)

RANGERVILLE ROAD (FM-1479; Cameron Co.); pond east of highway and south of 
Jimenez Road, just south of the single residence on the east side at that 
intersection, shortly after noon: KILLDEER (several); BLACK-NECKED STILT (5, 
at least); and LESSER YELLOWLEGS (3). The Black-necked Stilts very 
aggressively ran toward the Lesser Yellowlegs, chasing them back into more 
vegetated areas. (Shorebird species this site = 3.)

TX-48 BOAT LAUNCH (Cameron Co.) mid-afternoon stay about 1 hour: 
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (50+, well east of parking lot on north side in long 
line amidst sand furrows; varied plumage, including some still in nice 
breeding plumage); WILSON'S PLOVER (4, at least; widespread, quickly moving, 
and hard to count); AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (2, 1 adult, 1 juvenile; they 
stuck together very closely); BLACK-NECKED STILT (1); AMERICAN AVOCET (1); 
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (1); WILLET (several; both Eastern and Western 
subspecies); LONG-BILLED CURLEW (1); RUDDY TURNSTONE (3, incl. 2 adults and 
1 very crisp juvenile who posed close at hand for photos, a superb example 
of a very fresh juvenile with clean white fringes on scapulars and greater 
coverts); SANDERLING ("everywhere"); and LEAST SANDPIPER (4). A delightful 
surprise, just as we backed out to head toward Port Isabel, Birgit spotted a 
lone WOOD STORK, just off the northeast corner of the parking area. It was a 
seemingly quite young juvenile, all alone, looking about, and we fancied it 
would greatly have welcomed some of its own kind. Having afforded us one 
photo, it quickly took off to the east. We hope it found some of its own 
kind. This site also yielded BLACK SKIMMER (est.55-60), CASPIAN TERN (1) and 
LEAST TERN (1). (Shorebird species this site = 11.)

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND (Cameron Co.) - BAY SIDE SANDFLATS NORTHWEST OF 
CONVENTION CENTER (ca. 5:45 - 6:30 PM): BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (est. 10-12; 
wide ranging; hard to count); SNOWY PLOVER (2); SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (est. 
20-25); PIPING PLOVER (2); WILLET (many, both eastern and western 
subspecies); MARBLED GODWIT (4, south margin of beach area); RUDDY TURNSTONE 
(1); SANDERLING (est. 16-20); WESTERN SANDPIPER (1); LEAST SANDPIPER 
(several); and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (est.150-165). (Shorebird species this 
site = 11.)

Additionally, this SPI site yielded WHITE IBIS (1, adult, beautiful breeding 
condition); ROSEATE SPOONBILL (2); REDDISH EGRET (1, dark morph, spectacular 
breeding plumage); BLACK SKIMMER (numerous, but not counted); SANDWICH TERN 
(several); and COMMON TERN (1).

Total shorebird species for the day = 18.

We were very pleased with the diversity of the finds for the day, except for 
the fact that we still this season have found neither Upland Sandpiper nor 
Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We will continue to search for them. It still is 
not too late to give up hope of finding those species. We have been hoping 
for at least some of the 2400 Buff-breasted Sandpipers found at the Robstown 
sod farm on August 24, 2014 by Derek Muschalek and Willie Sekula. Most of 
all, we hope that these two threatened species will find all they need to 
get safely to their wintering territories in southern South America. If that 
means bypassing this area, so be it!

Wishing everyone the best of birding,
Rex and Birgit Stanford
McAllen, TX

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  • » [texbirds] shorebirds (and more) Hidalgo + Cameron Co.'s Thursday 09/11/14 - Rex Stanford