Texas 22 - Friday Summary

At the risk of overdoing the "great days"...today was a GREAT day! lol!!

Up at 5.30 am and on the Ferry for 6. 30 minutes to Yacht Basin Road on the Bolivar. Another 30 minutes later and I'm watching 5 Bobolinks (rare passage migrants in Texas)...

3 of 5

I also nailed King Rail. 

Much fun in between but the sight of a flock of over FIFTY Buff-breasted Sandpipers North of High Island was the undoubted afternoon highlight. I even witnessed display!

Love this species

Trip Total...211 species

MUCH more detail on return...

Texas 22 - Thursday Summary

Checked out two sites this morning. I started at Corps Woods which was quiet(er) but still held some stunning Warblers. Close views of Magnolia being the pick. 

I then drove to East Beach...free Car Park. Why pay 12 dollars for the adjoining one?! My target here was the cute Snowy Plover...which can be elusive...especially to me! It was a good mile to the tip of the Island and I could see good numbers of birds resting there. Another glorious day (24C) made the walk a pleasure on firm sand.

One pool...one bird...one Snowy Plover...

18 Black Terns were another surprising highlight.

We spent 3 hours down at Dos Vacas Muertos, just relaxing and seeing what came my way. I added a few Island ticks the major one being Purple Gallinule...

A surprise alate addition here was Blue-grey Gnatcatcher...

He was fast!

Trip Total...208 species

BIG Day at High Island tomorrow. Stay tuned...

Texas 22 - Wednesday Summary

A full DAY at the wonderful Brazos Bend S.P. An early departure paid off when I scored with my Limpkin Texas Tick early doors. I saw 4 birds altogether of this recent colonist from the East...

52 species seen in all including 11 Trip Ticks. A monumental end to the day when I finally managed to track down and photograph (5pm) the King of Woodpeckers...

Pileated

It wasn't easy...but VERY satisfying...trust me on this one!

Trip Total...203 species

Texas 22 - Tuesday Summary

Morning at Corpse Woods...7.30 till Noon. AMAZING!!! Visible Migration par ex-cel-lence. 54 species recorded including ELEVEN Trip Ticks. Brilliant Birding in a natural low-level woodland with only a handful of Birders present. Bliss!

Personal highlight was a brief encounter with a Yellow-billed Cuckoo...

Gorgeous

As already stated MUCH more on return.

Tried a few spots down the Island this afternoon ending up at Dos Vacas Muertas again. It was bouncing...just incredible. At one point there were so many birds I couldn't check them all in time!!!

An example...

Again...Gorgeous!

Trip Total...192 species

Texas 22 - Postponed

I've finally cracked...some say I did Years ago! To do this Trip justice I need more time...and energy. The balance of Birding, planning, blogging and "holidaying" needs to be redressed. I state here and now, no pressure from Louise whatsoever... I have a Diamond.

One last brief anecdote to give you a "feel" of this magical State...

Around 5pm it started to rain. It developed into a Thunderstorm. I nipped down to Corps Woods near the Ferry terminal. In 30 minutes before the heavens truly opened, I "had"...

Cape May Warbler - YES ANOTHER!!!
Ovenbird
Blackburnian Warbler
American Redstart
Hooded Warbler

ALL in the same spot whilst sheltering from the rain...and I had them all to myself. Fantastic!!!

Superb to experience a "fall". Tomorrow could be interesting as the streets of Galveston are flooded...

I WILL complete on return and may post a few pics, if time allows. Stay tuned...

***Having slept on it, I've come up with a compromise. I WIll still post when time allows BUT the remaining FULL daily reports will be published on return. I still hope to give you a flavour of the remaining days***

Texas 22 - Day 13

Holiday Sunday, so time to find somewhere relatively quiet. I headed for the East end of the Island. Boddeker Road and East End Lagoon... 

The view across the marsh with Galveston in the distance...

Looking across to the Bolivar Peninsular...

Plenty of fishermen and people heading for the beach but I did OK. Another aspect of the trip is to explore other areas and hopefully fully appreciate some old ones? I enjoyed a very pleasant 3 hours in beautiful weather just strolling around, seeing what came my way...

Species added included Long-billed Curlew and Forster's Tern. I'm also doing an Island list for a bit of fun, as a significant number of species can be seen here...

I spent a few hours after lunch reviewing the trip and trying to decide the plan for the second half. It's going to be a balance between migration hotspots, target birds and giving Louise a great time. Not in that order of course!

We had a drive down Sportsmans Road looking for the elusive (at least to me) American Oystercatcher but no joy. The Egrets, Ibises and Herons are unbelievably tame here...

Great Egret

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

They are also stunning in their breeding finery...

Tricoloured Heron

Whilst scanning for the AO a bonus bird came into my view...

My first RBM

We spent the last couple of hours down at Rettilion rd. Bobolinks were seen today...but not by me. A fading Osprey was a fitting finish to the day...

Trip Total...174 species

Texas 22 - Day 12

I have to admit I was feeling the pace a bit this morning! I still rose at dawn then tried some spots down the Island while Louise had a leisurely morning. Firstly I tried Settegast Rd the site of my Bobolink triumph in 2019 at the Artist Boat Coastal Heritage Preserve...

I didn't bump into Greg Hall but his buggy was there...

I remember the ride well! None there today (maybe tomorrow) but I did have cracking views of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher...

A common migrant BUT stunning none-the-less, I think you'd agree. I also saw my first Eastern Meadowlark.

Onto the famous Laffitte's Cove migrant trap...

Unfortunately, this morning wasn't a good one "migrant wise" but it was still nice to renew the acquaintance. This Rose-breasted Grosbeak was enjoying the Mulberries...

I also added Stilt Sandpiper, White-faced Ibis and Brown Thrasher (gotta love a Thrasher)...

A blur in the shade but a fine bird.

Galveston can be busy at weekend; maybe something to do with the THIRTY TWO mile beach!!! It's a fantastic place with plenty of room for everyone. It's obviously wise to head for quieter stretches at weekend...so we headed SW to San Luis Pass. Less crowded but still busy. Never mind. I had a search for Yellow-headed Blackbird at the 2019 site...but none today.

The Houston Audubon Dos Vacas Muertas (two dead cows) Sanctuary isn't far from the pass, so we gave it a go. We'd booked a Bay House for 2020 which was right next to this reserve and I was hoping to make it my local Patch for the holiday but the pandemic put paid to that. I've visited it a few times in the past but never had much luck here. Today all that changed.

As well as lots of Grockles, there are plenty of Birders from all over the States here this weekend for the Featherfest. Groups visiting all the hotspots. I found Louise a quiet spot in the shade and started to explore.

Drip Birding isn't my cup of tea. Even the Convention Centre at SPI is a bit like a Zoo with Birders stood in line waiting for a picture...me included! To each there own I say. I certainly enjoyed the views I got and the crowd was always polite and well behaved...unlike somewhere else I could mention.

To roam around a natural woodland with pools is heaven in my book...and this place ticked all the boxes. Example: I stood in the shade overlooking a pool...

In 5 minutes I "had"...

Sora

Cape May Warbler (male)

Common Yellowthroat

Veery (also pleased with this record)

Louisianna Waterthrush

Blue Grosbeak (male and 2 females)

White-tailed Kite

Not bad!

I continued my stroll. I passed under some trees and as I looked up I saw a Warbler. To my amazement it was a female Cape May!!! I think...lol!

Incredibly the next bird I saw was the Male...I know!

Incredibly I'd come across TWO birds!!!

A group had just arrived so I let them know and they seemed interested! The Frigatebird "moment" was special but this has topped it. It only takes one bird...or in this case...two!

Trip Total...167 species

Texas 22 - Day 11

It just had to be done...

Galveston/Bolivar Ferry

Afer turning down the MEGA Gull I planned to try for a couple at Bolivar Flats!? They are a tad nearer. I was going to try there first but after trying for a coffee at a place we'd been previously we decided to carry on and "do" High Island first. On the way I had a brief stop off at a grassy area I knew in the hope of another target. Grim photo into the sun, but top bird...

Upland Sandpiper

There were also nine Whimbrel present...my first.

Another grim one!

My target at HI was Wood Stork as mentioned previously. I didn't see it and the staff were perplexed by my enquiry despite several eBird entries? I always enjoy it here though, as the Rookery is something to behold...

...with nesting Egrets, Spoonbills etc...

Great Egret

There's a Roseate Spoonbill in here somewhere!

Another (yawn) special bird...only kiddin' is the beautiful Purple Gallinule. It's quite a skulker but in my 3 hour vigil for the Wood Stork it DID appear briefly...

The last couple of hours were spent at Bolivar Flats, another World Class Birding Site. The numbers of birds here can be quite overwhelming...

Species added here today included Black Tern...

Ring-billed Gull...

Wilson's Plover...

Semipalmated Plover...

My mate was also there...

Reddish Egret

The Iceland Gull was a no show but by then...who cares!

Trip Total...160 species