Where to start,? We thought that the three days of birding and seeing more than 90 different species each day was terrific. Well, Today (Wednesday) was the BEST. Two things happened that made it that great.
I'll back up a bit and say that we took the Ferry again across Galveston Channel to Bolivar Peninsula and spent all day over there. Birding the Bolivar Flats on the Ocean side first and then going inland to look for "grass pipers" as Jim (Stevenson) says, we hit the proverbial "Birder's Jackpot".
On the way we scoped the back roads for other things as Jim was watching the wind to see if it would shift from the southerly flow to either west (preferable) or north, which it did not during the day. That would bring the spring warbler migrants to the Island and create ideal birding for many folks. It did not happen, however, so we continued to look for shorebirds, and "grass pipers"
One of the back road photos was this one of the Female Harrier that came along side of the van. Jim saw it, stopped, and backed up about 100 feet and grabbed his "Big Gun" camera and got this beautiful photo. (one of many shots with his automatic shutter).
 |
| Female Northern Harrier (Stevenson pic) |
We continued through the morning on the flats and ponds on the back bays.
 |
| Black Skimmers resting after their flight across the Gulf. |
 |
| A mixture of Terns, and Gulls on Bolivar Back Bay |
 |
| The prone Skimmer is resting his bill,.It is heavy! |
Here is a list of some not posted before that we saw today.
Least Tern, Wilson's Plover, Western Sandpiper, Green Heron, Semi Palmated Plover, PIPING PLOVER, Least Bittern, Golden Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, BUFF BREASTED SANDPIPER, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, Wilson's Phalarope, Red Tailed Hawk, Marbled Godwit, Avocet, and the Dickcissal (group). The ones in caps are not seen very much by birders.
Probably the highlight of the day was in the rice fields and going around and around them for 1 1/2 hours. We finally saw the "Hud Wits" and the "Buffys" as the are lovingly called by birders. These roads that were made from trucks going through tall grass around the rice fields so they were very bumpy. Jim is truly an expert as he can drive those paths, and stop quickly , pick up his "Big Gun" from the floor of the van, and shoot a bird through the window almost before the van comes completely to a stop.
 |
| The rice fields were just starting to get water. That helped. |
 |
| This is a sample of the 1 1/2 hour ride we took around the fields. |
 |
| Those Hudsonian Godwits ...at last! |
 |
| This is Jim's photo of them. Note dark wing bars |
 |
| Here are the Hudsonians in Flight. |
In the same rice fields we saw the Buff Breasted Sandpipers called "Buffys".
 |
| Two Buff Breasted in the rice fields |
 |
| The "Buffys" in flight. Two other shorebirds on the right. |
The middle of the day we stopped along the Intracoastal Waterway , where we ate lunch at the "Stingeree" Restaurant. There was lots of action there including some Black Terns, making our total of Tern specie ... seven. Barges, loaded with chemicals, went by as this eatery as it is right on the Waterway.
Guys cleaning fish were also a treat, but we got into a unwanted conversation about Politics so I cut it short. As we mentioned we were from Michigan they thanked us for the Presidential vote. We watched the Black Terns chasing the "offal" after the barges went by, but there were no Bonaparte Gulls which we watched for.
Today is a day to "Catch up" so tonight's will be a short one I suspect. 73 Degrees here with a north wind 20 mph and mostly sunny.
 |
| The Stingaree Restaurant with Ruth heading for Lunch. |
 |
| A fish cleaning stand is right there where the Pelicans get the offal in the water. |
 |
| A double wide barge being pushed by the next tug. |
 |
| I think this tug must have been blessed by the Bishop in Marquette or Marquett U. |
 |
| Ruth's Catfish was "Deeeelish"! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Inside the "Stingaree" Restaurant overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. |
 |
| Jim's Seafood Platter -Two Crab, one stuffed shrimp and 16 shrimp sm.bowl gumbo and a piece of fish. |
No comments:
Post a Comment