Texas 16 - Finale

I'd strategically positioned us at the Three Rivers Inn and Suites near Port Arthur so I could have a last session at Sabine Woods on the morning of the 29th.

I arrived at dawn and had a nice 3 hours to mooch around the woods. Thankfully the mosquitoes were having a lie in! I had the place to myself. I made for the drip and 2 Louisiana Waterthrushes were still present. Other birds started to appear.

Black and White Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Hooded Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Northern Parula

I couldn't get a snap of any of them, unfortunately. Reactions dulled! lol.

I did manage a quick pic of a distant Downy Woodpecker...

I also bumped into John Haynes who lives in Port Arthur and birds SW almost daily during migration. Someone's got to do it! Great bloke, laid back and knowledgeable. He told me some great stories...

1. Cottonmouths sometimes wrap themselves around the birdbath at the drip and catch the birds as they bathe...not great for the visiting Birders...or the birds!! He showed me his grabbing device bought from Walmart, which he uses to catch the snake and put it in a bucket. he then takes it to the saltmarsh and releases it. Works well, but on one occasion the snake didn't play fair and as he tipped the bucket up it turned and went for him!!!

 

2. The woods contain wild pigs that can be very destructive. One day he was walking a trail when he came across a large male complete with tusks! Fortunately after a stand off it went on it's way.

3. There's a decent sized pond in the woods which I'd walked along a few times. He enlightened me that it contained THREE Alligators!!!

Problems you don't get in Blighty!

10am came. I said goodbye to John and told him I hoped to see him again in the future. I returned through the Valero oil refinery...

...and took a last look at the amazing Rainbow bridge which joins Texas with Louisiana...

I joined Louise back at the Motel, we packed and set off for the airport. Another amazing Texas odyssey completed.

So that's it! Hope you enjoyed my ramblings. I aim to "do the numbers" and a summary shortly.

Stay tuned...

Texas 16 - Last full day

OK. It's March 28th.

We checked out of our Motel in Galveston and headed once again for the Ferry. Clear skies this morning and an excellent forecast (for what it's worth!).

A few Laughing Gulls following the boat with Galveston in the background...

Once over I detoured left along Frenchtown road again. Would I get lucky with American Oystercatcher today. At least I could SEE!

Oh Yes...

The first bird I saw as I looked over the bay. I could hardly miss it. Really chuffed to see one, a striking species.

Louise kept herself entertained with her favourite Pelicans...

Cracking birds...

A youngster...

We both enjoyed watching them fish at close quarters. The fish don't have a prayer!

Time to move on up the Peninsular...

An hour later we were north of Beaumont in the "Big Thicket" at Edgewater Picnic Area. I wanted to see some American Woodpeckers. 6 species were possible here! I think my chances of Ivory-billed have past!! I took the trail down the bayou (I've always wanted to say that!)...

A beautiful spot

The trail petered out after half-a-mile or so. I slowly made my way back to the car park. I did have a fleeting glimpse of a Northern Flicker but nothing else. There was some terrific habitat however...

Wonderful Bottomland Forest - dreaming of Ivory-billed!

Once back with Louise at the car park she told me she'd heard a tapping noise! Encouraging. I couldn't here anything. We had lunch and then I heard it! Sounded fairly distant and as always hard to pinpoint. The trees were tall, very tall and the cover quite thick. I was determined to locate the bird. Of all the species Red-headed was my main target, although Pileated would do! Which one would this be and would I find out? I strolled around the car park scanning the trees and gaps.

There was one extremely tall (c100 ft) dead tree through a gap in the trees that I'd checked many times. I heard the tapping again. I raised my bins and there it was...here's a sequence...

GOT IT!

Again, really pleased to see this great bird. Thanks eBird

It was now time to head to my favourite migrant spot...Sabine Woods 

Here I am...just one for the record you understand!

I've birded this fantastic migrant trap many times since 2000 and seen an incredible number of birds of many species. Today was quiet but it didn't matter. I was there paying homage and saying thank you. A spiritual place if that doesn't sound too twee?

A fleeting glimpse of a Hooded Warbler in the under storey...

A typical track through the Woods...

Magnificent Live Oaks...

...which have thankfully survived THREE recent Hurricanes and a TWELVE foot tidal surge!!!

They really are something else...especially when they're filled with Warblers!

Lincoln's Sparrow...

The light was poor, a combination of the overcast sky and canopy but the sun did peep through on occasions. Trouble was it produced heavily backlit images unfortunately.

A new arrival! Louisiana Waterthrush with the diagnostic kink in the supercillium...

No kink at this angle BUT still wider behind eye...

Dull and distant but conclusive?

Great to see.

Black and White Warbler from below!

Time to go now as the Mosquitoes came out to play. A great day.

Stay tuned...

Texas 16 - High Island/Anahuac

After leaving Frenchtown road I tried briefly for the "Sand Plovers" at the entrance to Bolivar Flats. No sign as the party revellers cleared up. A Willet adopted a typical pose on a fence post...

As we approached High Island we stopped to enjoy the Brown Pelican spectacle once more...

I wanted to visit Anahuac first then work our way back. The fog had cleared by now and it was another lovely Texas day (75F). On the approach road I saw a bird that could only be one species. She (reddish belly band extending down flanks) wouldn't let me get close but I managed some passable shots...

Punk?

We then tok the nature loop. Louise was hoping to see an Alligator, so was I to be honest. An Eastern Meadowlark posed on a fence post...

A Great Egret showed well...

We then came across this turtle...

Nearest I can get is Red-eared Slider. Again comments welcome.

No sign of the hoped for Alligator yet but I was still picking up trip ticks. These were the only Fulvous Whistling Ducks I came across on the whole trip...

Chuffed to pick these out at 150 yds in the increasing heat haze.

All good but where was that Gator?

Here...

Spotted by Louise

Success, so back to High Island over the intra-coastal Waterway bridge...

Sacred ground...

I had to pay my respects at "the Cathedral"...I sat here for an hour in April 2000 and saw 12 species of Warbler, many species in double figures!!!

Didn't see one today, completely dead! That's Birding and I was early.

Prothonotary Pond...

Time to move onto my favourite High Island site, Smith Oaks. A fabulous natural woodland on the 30 foot high salt dome. Amazing really. This obviously acts as a magnet for tired migrants. Birding heaven...on the right day. I didn't expect much and I wasn't disappointed! It was great just to see these famous sites again.

Then there's the Rookery...

A superb sight with various Herons, Spoonbills and Egrets. Oh and Alligators...

Deals with predators trying to swim across to get the eggs. Fierce!

...and then there's the snakes...

Cottonmouth

with brave/stupid Common Gallinule...

Roseate Spoonbill...

Pretty from the neck down

Nesting dispute

A truly memorable day.

Stay tuned...

Texas 16 - More Bolivar!

Having checked eBird the night before I wanted to try and add American Oystercatcher to my trip list. They were being reported on Frenchtown road which is the first road North when you leave the Ferry. We love the Ferry, especially because it's free as it's deemed part of the highway...

7.28am

It was a very steamy morning with a fairly thick fog which didn't bode well for viewing...

Half-light Laughing Gulls...

A permanent fixture on the crossing

Once off the Ferry we drove slowly along Frenchtown. A close Red-breasted Merganser raised the spirits but it was very foggy although warm.

My chances of seeing the AO looked slim. The road is lined with reeds and my thoughts turned to Rails. It was very quiet traffic wise so I decided to try driving slowly along the edge of the road. At least I could see far enough to look for them! Ironic really, being able to look for birds that are extremely difficult to see?

Nothing after 30 minutes and I was thinking of moving on as we had plenty of ground to cover (as usual). I then heard the sound of two stones being hit together. The distance a sound emanates from can be very deceptive, especially in fog. It seemed close but nothing was showing. I was using the car as I hide and viewing was limited. Then I looked down and there right by the car was this...

Sora

Memories of Scilly 1991!

I hoped it would grace us with a better view but it was feeding constantly within the vegetation. It's only an 8 inch bird! Louise was fascinated with the little sprite. Luckily we were eventually treated to better views...

Flushed by this success I decided to give it a while longer...with agreement from the boss of course! I could still here the stones? A Roseate Spoonbill was just viewable through the gloom...

We couldn't figure out just how distantly the noise was coming from. I showed Louise how similar Clapper and King Rail were. Then she said "is that one?!!!"

"I guess it is" I said...or something like that!

As you can see we got a great view of this secretive bird...or is it. Not sure if the sighting was diffused when it decided to walk across the road as we were leaving!!!

Now then...Clapper or King? I've ummed and ahhed over this one...but I'm going for Clapper.  Could be wrong, often am! Comments welcome.

One of the highlights of the trip. 2 Rails, both photographed! Nice.

Enough for now. More on my High Island/ Anahuac trip tomorrow.

Stay tuned...