Day 9, Tues. April 10, 2018. The birds are moving north!

PHOTOS BELOW--

This was a fun day for those who love to see the birds coming across from Mexico and S. America to the USA and points north (Canada). They were movin' for sure.   It is a known fact that the weather makes a huge difference and different weather means different things for the birds. Today it we had an  east wind and the first warmer temperatures (73F)  in the last week here, at least.  So with heat, sunshine and a gentle east breeze the birds were comfortable to move and feed after the dark and rainy days.

We took advantage of the weather as well and toured three places , two of which we did actually see many birds, and the third we tested the Tundra on a ...well ...you could not use the word 'pothole road' as these holes would swallow you if you were not careful. That road produced few birds for us as we did not drive the entire length. (The Tundra is tough but there is an axle limit to deep holes.)

The three sites were, first: Corps Woods on the east end of  Galveston Island . This is named as the Corps of Engineers has a large base there across the street. Hence, the woods is rather 'undiscovered' and holds many birds especially in migration as it is located on the tip  of the Island and a good place for the migrating birds to 'linger' while resting, feeding and getting ready to move on before more waterways obstruct their flights.  What we saw there were a few species in abundant number that fly in flocks at migration time.  I would compare that to a bus traveling a route and dropping off passengers along the way as they reach their destination. Birds do a similar thing. Here there are dozens and hundreds of one species together.  They dropout as they fly north.Witness the Indigo Buntings by the hundreds, also the Orchard Orioles, some of which I saw at the campground last night and 'misidentified' them .  I thought they were Towhees. (Corrected today)

The Indigo Buntings

Two of the many Orchard Orioles

It is a dense area with not only the salt Pine, mulberry, live oak and wild blackberries but with other scrub trees and shrubs. We lingered there about 2 hours and a few other "birders" also  with cameras and  binoculars.  Some birds were feeding with the Indigo Buntings and we did not identify them until we saw the photos backin the trailer. Two in particular  were the Cape May Warbler and the Dicksissal, which we were surprised to see.

Ruth and I are using new binoculars on this trip, they are both a step up in less field of vision (8 X 32), but much sharper and give more light than the 7 X 50's that we had before. They are lighter as well. Less field of vision means we have to focus quickly on the object as the field of vision is narrower but the view closer than the 7 X 50.
 

The best part of the "Tank Trap" Road.  I Was so busy driving I didn't take a photo!

 Part of the Corps Woods. There is a stream running through it

 Second; We actually ate our lunch on the" tank trap" road  that was on Pelican Island. This is a very industrial Island just acorss the ship canal from the city. At this point in tine they are building a huge PNG terminal for gas shipment around the world. That was in the news the past few years as there was much controversy. It is huge and breaks up the skyline for sure.

Blackberries are everywhere here in the Corps Woods. YUM!

Then we did some shopping before heading for a hardware store (A very good one in Jamaica Beach,) and dropped off the groceries at the trailer, changed into summer shorts as it was gettng more like the weather we can enjoy, and returend to third;  Dos Vacos Muerta for another visit to  the water drip and  the wetlands there. That was worth the return as the water drip had a bench so Ruth coud set up her tripod and take photos  while seated.  (We will do more of this if we can) . A few photos will show  the resuts of that visit.

A Yellow Warbler has those faint orange stripes on the breast. This is the "drip" at Dos Vacos

A Hooded Warbler in Dos Vacos

Two Long Tailed Flycatchers in the sun.

The sign for the Sanctuary.

An Eastern Kingbird posed for a photo.

Tomorrow we will attempt to do what is called the '8 mile Rd.' (Sound familiar?) and 'Sportsman Road' if time allows. They are on the Back Bay of the Island away from the Gulf. The ponds there provide good feeding and shelter for the birds away from the Gulf winds.