Today (Sunday, 04/17/16) my wife (Birgit) and I twice birded both the
Progreso and Weaver Road sod fields in search of âgrasspipersâ and any
other birds that might be there. Discussed below in chronological order are
some highlights of those visits. The report herewith is not intended to
list all the avian species seen at these sites, but focuses largely
(although not exclusively) on shorebirds of whatever species were found
there.
PROGRESO SOD FIELDS (early visit, ca. 10:30 â 11:30 AM): AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER (est.100, at least); KILLDEER (4); BLACK-NECKED STILT (est.
85, at least); GREATER YELLOWLEGS (2); LESSER YELLOWLEGS (1); LEAST
SANDPIPER (several); BAIRDâS SANDPIPER (4); PECTORAL SANDPIPER (29); STILT
SANDPIPER (est. 85, but could be substantially conservative); and
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (est. 8-10; hard to count as they were very active
and most of the time behind towering sunflowers, given that they were
relatively close to the road; due to the latter, quite a few might have
been missed). PLEASE NOTE: Most of these sighting were of birds east of the
north/south traversal road, and they were seen at the south end of the long
sod field just past an irrigation standpipe; that end of the field was
substantially and widely flooded with irrigation water. Water stood at
various places on the west side of the traversal road, but that area,
nonetheless was not as highly productive as the much larger east-side
flooded area. The above numerical figures subsume observations across both
sides of the traversal road, but readers might be interested to know that
22 of the American Golden-Plovers were seen in areas west of that road and
that the much larger number (78) of that species east of the traversal road
was estimated, not counted, due to their widely dispersed character.
Obscuration, again due to towering sunflowers, might have meant that the
east-side estimate was quite conservative. The vast majority of the
Pectoral Sandpipers also were on the well-flooded east side, not surprising
at all due to their inclination to forage in areas with substantial
standing water. We also found there WHITE-FACED IBIS (5) and several of
both BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING and MOTTLED DUCK. Of possible interest is that
a large coyote was seen walking north-south right amongst the mobs of
shorebirds on the east side of the road. We never saw them taking flight at
that time, and we did not observe the coyote trying to catch any. This was
my third straight visit in a row to this area in recent weeks in which I
observed at least one coyote traversing that very field in the same
direction, behaving in the same way.
WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS (first visit, ca. 12:30 â 1:20 PM): AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER (est. 16 â 20; approximate because were widely dispersed,
walking about often, and sometimes taking to the air and returning to the
general areaâbut the last time they apparently departed); BAIRDâS SANDPIPER
(2); and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (29).
WEAVER ROAD SOD FIELDS (late visit, ca. 3:40 â 4:00 PM): AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER (est. 12 â 15; see note on approximation in report of earlier
visit); and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (est. 32-35; see note on approximation
in report of earlier visit).
PROGRESO SOD FIELDS (late visit, ca. 4:30 â 4:45 PM): The mob of diverse
shorebirds found on our earlier visit was nowhere to be seen, and we found
only KILLDEER (1) and LEAST SANDPIPER (2).
A CAUTIONARY NOTE RELATED TO BIRDING FIELDS, INCLUDING SOD FIELDS: Birders
of fields should not (without explicit permission from those in charge)
enter the fields by any means, including by driving onto side roads that
are private, and should bear in mind the importance of extending courtesy
to the farm workers and consideration of the need for passage of their
vehicles/machinery. For oneâs own safety it is important to remember that
following any substantial rain, unpaved roads, such as those that run
through sod-field areas can become very slick, sticky, and able to cause
vehicular mishaps of various kinds, including getting stuck. Also, the
north/south traversal road (through the Progreso fields), which begins
north of US-281 and traverses the sod fields (and other fields) and ends at
the dike road north of the floodway, runs alongside a very deep and wide
ditch, at some points extremely close to its edge. The very dangerous
possibility of slipping or tumbling into the deep ditch should remind
visitors to pay close attention to the road, its condition, and its edge
and to avoid potentially dangerous avian distraction. Please note, too,
that at a couple of small (and hence, potentially unnoticed) places along
that traversal road either it has been eroded and slopes toward the ditch
and/or might actually have collapsed at its edge due to undermining of the
road by a combination of wetness and vehicular weight. Further such
degradation could occur to due weather and travel. I personally never drive
on this traversal road soon after any substantial rain, and when one does,
caution is always important because the condition of the road can, on
various accounts, be treacherous (as can Weaver Road) and can vary
dramatically over time. Last, but not least, the well-being of the hungry,
tired avian migrants requires self-reflection by birders because the
discovery of exciting birds all too easily can inspire close approach that
can disturb and set them to flight when they desperately need both food and
rest.
Wishing everyone the very best of spring-migration birding â Rex Stanford
(Weslaco).
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