Texas 22 - Day 16

After yesterday's Dream Day it was time for a day off...the Island!

The Venue was Brazos Bend S.P. the Target was Limpkin, which would be my second Texas Tick of the Trip. This species has crept slowly West from Florida over recent Years and is now a Rare Breeder in the State. I aimed to be there at opening time at 8am, so I gently negotiated a 6am rise with Louise! Google Maps stated it would take 75 minutes...and it did. We paid the justifiable entrance fee of 10 Dollars and drove to the first Car Park to look at the excellent map provided.

eBird came in again, as contributors gave excellent information regarding exact locations for the Birds in this (once again) huge Park. I waited till Louise had set her stall out then started to walk to the Trail...

...passing some distant Northern Rough-winged Swallows on the way...

...and a singing Carolina Wren...

As soon as I walked through the opening stand of trees...

...I KNEW I was going to enjoy this stroll...

2 high flying Anhingha's were a great start...

I started to scan the marsh and noted a few species...and THIS...

This was the Biggest example I saw...by far! One of the advantages of being first down the trail. He soon disappeared into the murk. I continued down the trail...carefully! I won't give it the big build up this time...I saw one fairly quickly...

Limpkin (Texas 473)

This is a decent sized bird, coming in at almost 3 feet in length. A unique marsh species that will readily perch in trees...

Early Success!

The Black-bellied Whistling Duck is ALWAYS worth watching...

After around 600 yds the path started to enter the woods again, so I turned around to re-trace my steps, preferring to Bird the Marsh. Half way along I saw a movement...

It saw me...and froze...which was quite handy, as it posed for a full 5 minutes! 

First sight

A stunningly cryptic species

...with decent camouflage...

Another Quality sighting...and worth a few images I feel...

I did have a further sighting of a Limpkin but I was too slow to get a flight view when it saw me first. 2/3 Birds seen. I bumped into a lady from Vermont who was visiting Texas and had come to see the Limpkin. I couldn't get her on one BUT she WAS around when I found the Bittern. I hope she saw one. It was getting hot by 11 so I returned to have lunch with Louise. A sinister shape was watching us...

Black Vulture...complete with Chain Mail 

...and an Eastern Bluebird provided good views...

The Live Oaks (complimented by the Spanish Moss) around the car park were stunning...their spread is greater than their height...

After lunch we decided to have a drive around the rest of the Park in the hottest part of the day. Even the Squirrels were feeling the heat...

At the second Car Park I had a brief look from a viewpoint but things were understandably quiet. I did some car Birding hoping for some Woodland species. There was a decent breeze by now so Louis found a spot under the trees and I had a walk round the Lake. By 4pm we decided to return to our original spot. There were a couple of short trails I wanted to try. 

Before I made the Trip I made a shortlist (don't we all?) of Species I was keen to see. Having tried for this next Bird at a few Parks I was beginning to think I'd "had my chips". When I was planning today's visit I was pleased to see it had been recorded here! I'll never forget my first experience with this species North of Beaumont in the "Big Thicket". One landed close to me briefly before disappearing. I was keen to get another view and hopefully a pic of this fairly common but surprisingly elusive bird.

Good Advice!

The Park was quiet and I was the only person on the Trail. During the first hour I saw very little Avian activity BUT I did see THREE Armadillos!!!

Guessing it was a Family group. Difficult to get "on" as they were moving fast in heavy shade...

Chuffed to see some "live" ones! It was now gone 4. We'd decided to stay till 7pm so I continued the loop which now took me down by another "flooded forest"...

I decided to hang around a while as I heard some distant tapping? Now then, tapping strength and frequency is a difficult thing to judge IMHO, even more so in a Foreign Country when trying to judge species you're not familiar with. Anyway...it WAS a Woodpecker! Of course...I couldn't see it. In an attempt to give a more realistic account of the next hour or so, I'm going to post a series of images to hopefully give a flavour of this special occasion for yours truly.

More tapping...a Woodpecker...Red-bellied...

The canopy area was very dark with made for a harsh contrast with the strong sunshine above. More tapping...more Red-bellied action. Then more tapping from a different tree...and a flash of red and a promising bulk?

The bird flew up into a dead stump in full view. I'd found one...but it was only there a second...

GUTTED!!!

I'd found one, after searching most of the day. I'd seen it in full view for a split second...BUT I was too slow. Mixed emotions to be honest...BUT I wanted more. I have to admit though I thought my chance had gone given the terrain and scale. I waited...and waited. It was now gone 5.30pm and there was no further drumming. The area I was stood was my only open view so it would have to come back...hopefully. The earlier photo gives you a good idea of my view through the trees to the Lake. Then it came...an unforgettable moment etched in my ageing brain forever. A Pileated Woodpecker flew across the Lake fringes from Left to Right at c50 yards. Awesome...as they say over here! It was huge and looked ALL of its 30 inch wingspan!!

Even better (maybe)...it landed in a nearby tree. Unfortunately, on the far side. Things were tense now! I have to admit to forgetting the "don't go in the long grass" mantra as I tried to get a better view. I couldn't go far to be honest in the dense understorey. Then up he popped...

A male with red moustache stripe and white on wing

The King of Woodpeckers!!!

The next 10 minutes seem to fly by. Plenty of fingers and thumbs moments but fortunately I didn't drop the camera in the Swamp!

A Silhouette...

A blur...

A glimpse...

I lost it! I waited. Tension lol! He was BACK...

...with a Bang!

DEFINITELY a highlight of the trip. Yes, I know...another! It's true though...what a Bird!!! This time it was...gone as it flew off a considerable distance. I'd had more than my fill. Brilliant!

I still had an hour so I went for a stroll to the viewing platform...

There are NO viewing platforms like Texas viewing platforms!

passing yet another enormous "rookery" filled with Egrets, Herons and Spoonbills....

I told you it was good here. On the other side of the ath was a carpet of water lilies with a few Common Gallinules present. Wait...that's not a Common...

Purple is reported as a scarce bird. I saw 11 here!!!

A couple more

It was time to head back to the car and make our way back to Galveston...via the Roadhouse of course. A superb day at a superb Texas S.P. One of the Best. It was great to get a Tick but THIS was the Star Bird today for me...

55 species seen...12 Trip Ticks