Got tired of cutting and burning brush and took a day off to bird wetlands in
the Matagorda area. We are starting to get in the mood for CBCs and will make
several excursions in this area in the coming months.
After cleaning up hurricane tree damage, Dora Ann and I switched our efforts to
removing the dense yaupon from the 4 acres we recently purchased adjoining our
property to the west. This property has live oaks in the uplands and a
hackberry/pecan forest in the creek bottom. After a week of cutting yaupon, we
took a break
Made it to Matagorda beach about 1 hour after sunrise. Tides were very high.
There was a concentration of over 600 Great Egrets foraging in the shallow
marshes near the beach. I enjoy seeing those birds taking advantage of
concentrations of food and creating a feeding frenzy.
Yesterday was definitely a day for brown backed swallows. We observed a major
movement of at least 9000 Rough-winged and Bank flying over the dunes heading
south from 8 to 9:30.
Found 11 Piping Plovers on 2.5 miles of beach and 5 had yellow flags indicating
they were originally banded in the Great Plains.
We also found a banded Snowy Plover that was banded by Warren Conway's research
team.
The concentration of Red Knots that Bob Friedrichs reported were still on the
beach, but none of these were banded. Would be nice to have a 4x4 while many
birds on the beach and drive the length of the peninsula. Much of this area is
slated for acquisition by TPWD and its conservation partners.
The GCBO fenced area at the jetty had a flock of over 600 Semipalmated Plovers.
It was difficult seeing the lone Wilson's Plover in the crowd.
Stopped at the wetlands at STP but the vegetation was too tall to see many
water birds. The area did have a large herd of deer though.
Made it to the Holsworth Road loop. Saw one flooded waterfowl impoundment with
a few hundred shorebirds and a large area of rice which should be feeding a
large number of waterfowl in the coming weeks.
The turf farms in the area were dry and had few birds.
It was Great to take a break. Stopped by to visit David and Marilyn Sitz on
the way home. These long time friends have been very influential in the
success of the Matagorda County CBC and the Matagorda Birding and Nature Center
over the years.
Brent Ortego
Victoria, TX
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