Santa Ana NWR and To Rockport, Saturday, April 6

As I write this entry, I am at home in Cincinnati, OH, having arrived yesterday at about 1:30 pm.  I noticed that I failed to include Sora, a rail which I heard calling its descending whinny at SPI on the boardwalk several times on Thursday, April 4.  I added Sora to the list.

On Saturday, April 6, I went to Santa Ana NWR, because the information from other birders was that a Ringed Kingfisher was seen the previous day at Santa Ana NWR.  Additional information from birders in the field was that Ringed Kingfisher was more difficult to find now, because they were nesting and not at their usual winter haunts.  Very early on Saturday morning, I wrote my previous entry for April 5 and then went directly to Santa Ana NWR, arriving at about 9:30 am.  Due to the drought conditions, the water at Santa Ana NWR is somewhat limited.  I stuck to the Chachalaca Trail around Willow Lake, where there was deeper water.  There was some water in the Pintail Lakes area, but it seemed rather low.  They were pumping water into the Pintail Lakes and Willow Lakes complexes.  I spent most of the morning scanning the water and trees along the water of the Willow Lakes complex but did not find the Ringed Kingfisher.  I also checked the water areas of Pintail Lakes two times.  I met a man and wife who were originally from Minnesota and now lived in Arizona.  They told me that John from Massachusetts had seen the Ringed Kingfisher earlier in the morning, but that they had missed it.  They also reported that another birder had seen a Ringed Kingfisher at Estero Llano Grande State Park yesterday.  However, I did find three drake Cinnamon Teal with at least one female, a new bird for the year.  See photo with two of the three drakes.

Close to noon, I walked back to my rental car for some food.  I met John from Massachusetts.  He did see the Ringed Kingfisher fly over him at about 9:00 am.  It was a life bird for him!  I was 30 minutes too late!  John was leaving the valley soon and was on his way to the airport after Santa Ana NWR.  He gave me directions to an Audubon's Oriole nest that he found at Falcon State Park.  Those directions may be useful if I miss Audubon's Oriole at Salineno, which is up river on the Rio Grande.   I mentioned to John that I originally had planned to go to Bentsen Rio Grande State Park, because I could add Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet there.  John said that they are at Santa Ana NWR, which I knew, and that he thought he had heard one.  John and I said our goodbyes, and I headed back to the Chachalaca Trail to look for Ringed Kingfisher.  My plan was to stay at Santa Ana until about 2:00 pm and then drive north to the Rockport area to try for Whooping Crane before they leave for the breeding grounds in Alberta, CA.  I could wait to  see Whooping Cranes when they return to Texas in the fall, but it is better to try to get them now, and if I miss them now, I can try in the fall.  However, I needed to try for Whooping Crane on this trip, and now was the time.  All the cranes leave by about April 10-12, so this was my last chance for the winter-sping over-wintering season for Whooping Cranes in the vicinity of Aransas NWR. 

At some point during my vigil for Ringed Kingfisher at Santa Ana NWR, I met Alex Cruz from Minnesota.  He told me that he was in the electric open sided van with seats that passed me at Estero Llano Grande SP on Friday just after I arrived.  When I met him at Santa Ana NWR, he told me that before he left for home, he was going birding up the Rio Grande with his friend John Yochum, who worked at Estero Llano Grande SP.  I told Alex that I knew John Yochum, remembering him from his postings to Ohio Birds when he lived in Ohio, and that I had met him a few years ago at Estero Llano Grande State Park.  John was in that van, and I recognized him, but took no time to chat.  Alex was in Texas for a long weekend, as he described it, and told me that the Elf owl is now calling at Bentsen Rio Grande State Park after dark.  Bentsen is open until 10:00 pm.  Alex left to continue his birding tour of Santa Ana NWR.  I walked from one observation location to another at Willow Lakes to make sure that I scanned the edges and trees for Ringed Kingfisher and to change vantage points for a better chance of seeing a fly-by Ringed Kingfisher.  On one of these walks, I headed to the observation point closest to the Visitor Center, and heard the call/song of the Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, an ascending series of three thin notes "peer, peer, peer" that sometimes flip over at the top end of the song.  I heard this flip over at least twice.  As I was searching for the bird, another birder approached.  When I told him that I had heard the tyrannulet singing, he helped look for it and found it.  I seem to recall that it was a life bird for him.  As we watched, this tiny flycatcher, about the size of a kinglet, flew over the path and landed in a nearby tree and disappeared.  It then flew back across the path to the mesquite trees.  The tyrannulet repeated this activity at least two or three times.  I noticed a nest between some parasitic plant growths on a dead tree on the end of a branch that hung down.  The Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet returned to this location several times.  The birder departed and I continued my vigil for the kingfisher.  Just before I was going to leave, Alex Cruz came by, and I told him about the tyrannulet.  We checked the location, and found two birds, and saw them well.  The Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet is mostly gray with a light yellow lower breast, belly and down toward the under tail coverts and with two white wing bars.  It has a light, thin eye-line/supercilium, the crest is often raised and the bill is flesh colored at the base with a dark tip.

At 2:30 pm, I left Santa Ana NWR without seeing a Ringed Kingfisher, and stopped in the office and gave directions to the location of the nest to the person at the desk in the Visitor Center.  She said that a lot of people were asking about the tyrannulet.  now she had directions to the location.  The directions were as follows: About fifty feet from the observation deck with a roof and toward the Visitor Center on Chachalaca Trail, there is a fallen tree with a sawed off branch jutting up from the trunk and pointed back toward the observation deck with the roof.   From this point, go to the first tree right along the trail on the left side going toward the Visitor Center.  The nest is in a tree opposite this tree along the left side of the trail.  The trunk of the nest tree is about ten to twelve feet back from the trail edge on the right side of Chachalaca Trail.  Look for a branch that droops down toward the trail.  The nest is at the lower tip of this drooping branch. 

On my way to Rockport, I stopped and filled my gas tank and got a sandwich, some chips and two for the price of one Orange Crush sodas.  I actually started driving to Rockport at about 3:30 pm.  It was a 3.5 hour drive, and I arrived with daylight to spare at about 7:00 pm.  I checked an area outside of Goose Island State Park on Lamar Drive, where a family group of Whooping Cranes had over-wintered two winters ago.  I stopped and asked a fisherman, who remembered the Whooping Cranes in that area in previous winters but not this past year.  He claimed to have fished the same area for at least twenty five years.  Oh well, I decided to stay the night in Rockport and drive up to Aransas NWR in the morning.

At the end of the day, Sora, which I forgot to add before, Cinnamon Teal and Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet makes the total 318. 

Brownsville Area, East and West, Friday, April 5; 300+!!

I started birding at Oliveira Park in Brownsville at 6:50 am to look for Red-crowned Parrot, before the birds left their roost for the day.  I should have arrived at about 6:30 am, but wanted some breakfast to start the day.  However, if I had arrived at 6:30 am, the light would have been so poor that I probably could not have identified the birds anyway.  When I arrived, some of the parrots were flying around and a few groups flew off to the east or south.  However, there were still about 25 to 30 birds present, and I was able to see them quite well, if not photograph them well in such low light.  Sunrise was at 7:17 am.  I was able to identify Red-crowned Parrot flying by the solid yellow band on the tail in flight.  All  the birds had vacated the roost by 7:30 am.  Later a large parrot returned to the area and landed on a power line.  However, this is a Lilac-crowned Parrot, not an official bird on the ABA list, because it is an escapee from captivity.  See photo which shows the entirely green central tail feathers that are not present on Red-crowned Parrot.
I also heard a Common Nighthawk call several times.  The local Northern Mockingbird was not mimicking a Common Nighthawk.  This was probably a migrant Common Nighthawk moving through the area.  As I was about to leave the area, a kingbird showed up at the tennis court.  It landed on a light and gave a twittering "pip-pip-pip-pip" call of Tropical Kingbird, unlike the local Couch's Kingbirds.  I stayed for a while to study the Tropical Kingbird.  I was able to find a pair on Viking Lane near Oliveira Park and got a few photographs, which show the notched tail, the darker face patch and the longer thinner bill than for Couch's Kingbird shown in the next photo.   At close range the tips of the primaries for Tropical Kingbird are unevenly spaced for adults, which can be seen on this photo.  Note the thicker bill to the tip for Couch's Kingbird

(second photo) and the less distinctive face patch.  Despite these details in photos examined in close-up, this Couch's Kingbird was identified by the shrill rolling "breeeer" calls. 

After Oliveira Park, I headed to Old Port Isabel Road to look for Cassin's and Botteri's Sparrows and maybe an Aplomado Falcon.  It was a bit of an adventure to get to the eastern good birding part of Old Port Isabel Road.  There is a new bridge over FM-511, which is still closed.  To get to Old Port Isabel Road east of FM-511 coming from the west, I had to go south on FM-511 and then go north to make a right turn onto Old Port Isabel Road.  I added quite a few birds on Old Port Isabel Road--Cassin's Sparrow, Cactus Wren, Verdin, Whimbrel, Chihuahuan


Raven, Lark Sparrow, Curve-billed Thrasher (by the two noted whistled call), Vesper Sparrow, and White-tailed Hawk.  I also found a migrant Magnolia Warbler, gray winged with white wing bars, yellow under-parts with dark streaking on the side.  I was able to get a photograph of the Chihuahuan Raven showing the key identification field mark, the white bases to the feathers on the neck, the reason why this bird once was named White-necked Raven.  See photo.   I was also able to photograph a Cassin's Sparrow (last photo) singing from a perch using my car as a blind and lowering the passenger side window.  More often Cassin's Sparrows sing

on the wing and while returning to a perch or to the ground.  I did not find the Aplomado Falcon, but it is not a countable ABA bird.   Perhaps, there will be a later visit.  I met a birder friendly land owner, who told me that they show up near the railroad tracks in the evening.  Hopefully, he is not seeing the local Harris's Hawks.  While I was in the area, I drove east to the end of Old Isabel Road and back to the western end at FM-511.  There are a lot of Cassin's Sparrows, but I found no Botteri's Sparrows.  I can also get

Botteri's Sparrow in Arizona when the rains start in July, and there are other reasons to be in Arizona then.    The pictures of Cassin's Sparrow were obtained on my way back west, the second pass through the area, a testament to keep on trying.  I also heard and saw a Northern Bobwhite along Old Port Isabel Road.  I only heard Northern Bobwhite back in January while looking for Great Prairie Chicken in Illinois. There was enough time to try for Snowy Plover at the boat ramp on Route 48 west of Port Isabel or if not there, the bay access area just north of the Convention Center on SPI.  I did not find any Snowy Plover at the boat ramp on Route 48, but found at least four Wilson's Plovers; therefore, I continued to SPI and the beach access area north of the Convention Center.  There were no sail kite surfers present like there were before when I tried this area.  In about 15 minutes of driving the hard sand on the beach, I found two Snowy Plovers, a small very light colored plover with a black bill and dark legs.  There were two very cooperative Sandwich Terns at close range.  I couldn't resist a photo.  Just for fun, I stopped at the Convention Center to check on what birds are being seen.  When I arrived at the water feature, a Northern

Parula, was taking a bath.  This is a new bird for the year, which had previously eluded me at the Convention Center.  I stopped for a late lunch of a southwest grilled chicken salad at McDonalds.  Then, I headed to the World Birding Center at Estero Llano Grande State Park.  There were roosting Pauraques  there that can be seen in daylight, instead of seeing them at night when they are active.  Pauraque is a southern relative of our northern Whip-poor-will in Ohio.  When I arrived I inquired about Fulvous Whistling Duck on the bird list.  It was in Dowitcher Pond, which was on the way to the Pauraques.  At Dowitcher Pond, I found seven Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, at least eight Stilt Sandpipers, which are new for the year, as well as both Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers, which are no longer new for the year.  It was a short walk to the Pauraque roosting site at Alligator Lake.  I found one Pauraque (see photo) quickly, but did not spend a  great deal of time to find the second one. 

The Pauraque photo was very dark and needed substantial modification.  While at the Pauraque spot, Greg Lavaty, whom I met at SPI, walked up with a birding client.  They had not looked for/seen the Solitary Sandpiper, so I told them where it was.  I walked back to Dowitcher Pond again, just in case I had missed something, and on my way there, I found three birders looking at a Great Egret and two Yellow-crowned Night-Herons along Alligator Lake.  At Dowitcher Pond on the way to the parking lot, I found two Spotted Sandpipers, new for the year.    Greg Lavaty was headed toward the parking lot to look for a Cerulean Warbler that had been seen today.  I was headed that way, and joined them in the search, where we meet John from Massachusetts, a birder I had met several times at SPI.  The Cerulean Warbler had been first found by the park host right near his trailer.  Greg found the bird almost immediately, and we all got great looks at a Cerulean Warbler.  It was very slow moving, thus very visible and showed the cerulean blue head and the dark chest band and very white under-parts.   This was probably the best view I have had of a Cerulean Warbler, which breeds in southwest Ohio and spends most of its time in the canopy of tall beech trees.  There was still daylight available, so I drove to nearby La Feria Sod Farm fields to look for Buff-breasted Sandpipers and Upland Sandpipers previously reported there.  I found up to six Buff-breasted Sandpipers but no Upland Sandpipers.  There were distant American Golden Plovers with their heads raised, giving them a small headed look but upon close inspection in the telescope they were American Golden Plover.  Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a great spring addition to my year list.  Buff-breasted Sandpipers are rare in Ohio in the spring and usually only seen during the fall migration and then only a few birds.  There were a lot of American Golden Plovers, Pectoral Sandpipers, a few yellowlegs and at least one dowitcher and a Black-necked Stilt present in some pooled water.  I checked for Baird's Sandpipers but could not find any.  There was a flock of about 30 plegadis ibis present.  In the late day sun, the light was nearly horizontal and showed the facial features very well in telescope views at 30X.  The eyes of all these ibis were red, and the facial skin was red.  At least two of these plegadis ibis were developing the white border to the red faces.  These were White-faced Ibis approaching if not quite in breeding plumage.  I did not see any birds that looked like hybrids between Glossy and White-faced Ibis.

This was a very productive day, adding twenty four species.  I added Red-crowned Parrot, Tropical Kingbird, Common Nighthawk, Magnolia Warbler, Cassin's Sparrow, Cactus Wren, Verdin, Lark Sparrow, Whimbrel, Chihuahuan Raven, Curve-billed Thrasher, White-tailed Hawk, Vesper Sparrow, Snowy Plover, Northern Parula, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Stilt Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Pauraque, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, Cerulean Warbler, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and White-faced Ibis.  The total list is finally now over 300 at 315!

SPI Again, Thursday, April 4

I arrived at SPI at the Convention Center late.  I was celebrating the Swainson's and Worm-eating Warblers from yesterday by up-dating my blog.  Getting Swainson's Warbler now will save time by not requiring a special trip to breeding locations.  Yesterday I had a Common Yellowthroat, while looking for the Marsh Wren.  In addition, I was not satisfied with the Long-billed Dowitcher identification, so I removed the Long-billed Dowitcher and added the Common Yellowthroat to the list.  Therefore, the list at the end of yesterday stays the same.  Here are some photos of yesterday's Kentucky, Hooded and Swainson's Warblers and the Painted Bunting.  The Swainson's Warbler and Painted Bunting photos were taken in the "T" mode and were light adjusted.  It was fun to discuss the Kentucky and Hooded Warbler behavior with other birders.  They were out in the lawn or in the open near the edge of the bushes.  This is a behavior not seen on breeding territory in southern Ohio where I live.  It was amazing to see them so easily out in the open.  The Swainson's Warbler was true to form, staying in the shadows and flipping leaves on the ground looking for food.

Today I added House Wren, Franklin's Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Eastern Kingbird, Black Skimmer, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Clay-colored Sparrow, Bank Swallow, Osprey, Tennessee Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Wilson's Plover, Semi-palmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher (by call in flight), Least Bittern, Mottled Duck and Long-billed Dowitcher.

The Franklin's Gull migration was in force at SPI.  There were hundreds, perhaps 1000 Franklin's Gull in the area.  They were spectacular with all the white in the wing showing and some having the rosy blush of breeding plumage.  I saw three Gull-billed Terns fly-by showing their very light colored upper wings and heavy dark bill, thus the name.  At the end of the day, I visited the boat ramp on Route 48 west of Port Isabel where there was a flock of about 20 Gull-billed Terns on the mud flats with other terns.  The Black Skimmers were on the flats in the bay at the Convention Center.  There was a small flock of Eastern Kingbirds sitting on the vegetation in the marsh at the boardwalks.  A Wilson's Plover showed up on

the mud flats near the Convention Center.  The Short-billed Dowitcher was seen at the same time, giving the "tu-tu-tu" yellowlegs-like flight call.  I thought that I had previously seen and reported Semi-palmated Plover from my trip to Chincoteague, but discovered that I had not included Semi-palmated Plover on the list.  During the day, here were several reports of Least Bittern along the boardwalk near the Convention Center.  I chased all those reports, but finally saw the Least Bittern fly across the
 water from one stand of rushes to another late in
the day.    On my visit to the boat ramp on Route 48 west of Port Isabel, I found a Long-billed Dowitcher, identified by the shape of the bill at the base and the single "keeek" or "peeeep" flight call.  I found two Yellow-headed Blackbirds (see photo) as well as Clay-colored Sparrow at the feeder behind the Birding Center.

At the end of the day this list total is 291.  Tomorrow I will try for the Red-crowned Parrots in Brownsville.




    

Sabal Palm Sanctuary and South Padre Island, Wednesday, April 3

After picking up breakfast and on the way driving east from Pharr on 83, I had Black-bellied Whistling Ducks fly over the highway, my first new bird for the day.  I arrived at Sabal Palm Sanctuary and while I was paying my entry fee, Long-billed Thrasher (see photo) appeared right outside the office window, Clay-colored Thrush (see next photo) and my target bird, the immature Crimson-collared Grosbeak (see next two photos).  These photos were taken in automatic mode (T)and the lighting has been adjusted in the photos shown.  Thanks to Steve from UK on the tip about using the "T" mode on Cannon cameras to be able to focus in the low light conditions early.  It was cloudy and the birds loved to sit in the shaded areas, causing poor light for photography. 

A goldfinch came in to the feeder and was a Lesser Goldfinch due to the dark markings on the sides as it was changing into breeding plumage.  I arrived at about 10:00 am and over the next three hours, I added 19 new species for the year.  At the feeders by the current visitor center I added Yellow-breasted Chat, heard Ladder-backed woodpecker (seen later on the trail), Hooded Warbler, Plain Chachalaca, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Black-crested Titmouse, Hooded Oriole, Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Altimira Oriole not necessarily in that order.  Between 12:00 or 12:30 pm, I left the feeders to walk the trails and headed to the blind on the resaca to look for Least Grebe.   Thanks to a tip from a lady birder at the feeders.  I found several Least Grebes and one came very close to the blind.  See next photo.  As I was photographing the Least Grebes, a Green Kingfisher flew by from west to east and disappeared.   On my way back to the visitor center on the Resaca Trail, I heard a Great Crested Flycatcher giving its "wheeep" call and as I

approached the area where the call was coming from, I saw the Great Crested Flycatcher.  I left Sabal Palm at about 1:30 pm and decided to go to South Padre Island (SPI).  The volunteer lady at the desk said that a fall-out was expected due to the approaching front.  I drove to Route 48 and decided to stop at any spot where there were gulls, terns and shorebirds.  I stopped at a spot with a bridge across a waterway, where there was a congregation of gulls and terns.  Very quickly at this spot I added, Brown Pelican, Royal Tern, Caspian Tern, Least Tern

 

and Sandwich Tern.  In addition, there was a Cattle Egret and a two Neotropic Cormorants.  The Neotropic Cormornat was about two thirds the size of the few Double-crested Cormorants also present and with a light yellow throat pouch, not the bright orange facial skin and throat pouch of the Double-crested Cormorant.  The Neotropic Cormorant had the very pointed posterior part of the bill in the back corner of the "grin."  That was a quick addition of seven more species to make the daily new bird count 26.  Little did I know what was in store for me on SPI.
I arrived at the SPI Birding Center and Convention Center at about 4:00 pm and paid the entrance fee.  I checked the bird list and noted a lot of new birds for the year on that list! I grabbed my camera, telescope and tripod and started walking the boardwalks.  On the boardwalks I added, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher,


American Golden Plover, Barn Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Black-necked Stilt, Reddish Egret (see photo) Tri-colored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Common Moorhen, Clapper Rail (calling), Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis and Marsh Wren (at first by song, later also seen).  I walked over to the Convention Center to join the many birders there.   The list kept growing until it got too dark to see any birds except to look for nighthawks.  At the Convention Center I added Yellow Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Black-throated green warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Painted Bunting, Indigo Bunting and finally my last two new birds of the day, Worm-eating Warbler and Swainson's Warbler.

I met Greg Lavaty, who now has his own business leading birding tours.  I remembered his name from reading TexBirds.  Greg suggested that we watch the
water at the Convention Center just before dark.  he predicted, very accurately that the Swainson's Warbler would come in to the water as the last activity before dark...and it did!

At the end of the day, I had added fifty new species for the year and several south Texas specialties as well as my target rarity, the Crimson-collared Grosbeak.  The total is now 273. 

Below I have added a few more photos of some of the special birds--Hooded Oriole (left), Altamira Oriole (right), Green Jay, Reddish Egret and Olive Sparrow.


  











 

Texas and Lower Rio Grande Valley, Tuesday, April 2

I flew to San Antonio, Texas to continue to the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) to try for the Crimson-collared Grosbeak and other south Texas specialties, leaving on a 6:00 am flight.  I arrived at about 9:45 am.  My first new bird at the rental car pick-up in San Antonio was Great-tailed Grackle right near the original car for me.  I also heard the characteristic cooing calling of a White-winged Dove and finally found it on a nearby power line but hidden behind the cross-piece of the power pole.  The male Great-tailed Grackle was making all the characteristic whistles and cackles and other assorted noises, too many to describe, and showed its large tail; thus, its name.  I wanted a Compact vehicle but there was only an Economy size that was too small for my suitcase to fit in the trunk.  I got a free upgrade to an intermediate size, and I was on my way.  I have been to the LRGV at least 20 times in my birding career.  I usually take I-281 because this is a good birding route particularly for hawks.

I stopped in Three Rivers to get some snacks, drinks and food and ended up with a delicious Texas beef brisket barbeque sandwich with freshly chopped onions and dill pickles.  After that energy boost, my first stop was Choke Canyon State Park about eight miles west of Three Rivers on Route. 72.   I added a lot of new birds for the year at Choke Canyon.  I will mention all of the new birds in this account.  The first was a gorgeous Scissor-tailed Flycatcher sitting a tree right after the fee paying area and soon thereafter, on a spit at the boat ramp, Laughing Gull and Snowy Egret.  I walked the nature trail and found over-wintering or migrant Blue-gray Gnatcatchers everywhere, Orange-crowned Warbler, Green Jay, Bewick's Wren, Lincoln's Sparrow, Olive Sparrow singing its rapidly accelerating series of chips, a male Summer Tanager, Couch's Kingbird, and White-eyed Vireo, trying mightily to sing its breeding song but still stuck on the partial winter version.  At a designated fish cleaning area near the boat ramp, the fish scraps attracted a Black-crowned Night Heron, some Black and Turkey Vultures and a Crested Caracara.  See photo. 
I heard a thrasher singing a more complicated song than our eastern version, Brown Thrasher, and got a brief view but hidden deep within a bush.  I suspect Long-billed Thrasher given the location, but will delay adding it to the list until I get an identifiable view.  I also heard but did not see well some titmice, but will also delay adding Black-crested until I get an identifiable view.  On my way out of the park, I stopped to look at a sparrow on the power line, only a House Sparrow, and heard a Bell's Vireo singing from the brush along the road opposite a trailer camping park right near the intersection of Route 72.  This bird's song is distinctive, a rapid series of harsh scolding notes repeated frequently.  After returning to Three Rivers, I continued south on 281 to McAllen, looking for hawks and wire birds.  Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are either back in force or migrating, because I saw about 25 different birds on my way south.  Somewhere between Falfurrias and the turn-off to Raymondville, I found a kettle of what appeared to be about thirty vultures at a distance but where actually hawks.   I stopped and turned on my flashers for safety and found that all of these hawks were Swainson's Hawks, probably migrating.  Further down 281, I found a Harris's Hawk sitting on a power pole.  I looked for but did not find a White-tailed Hawk, but will have more chances for this hawk during my visit.  I continued to Pharr and reserved a room for the night, and then left immediately to go to N. 10th and Dove to look for Green Parakeets, which often stage at this intersection.  On my way to 10th and Dove on Nolana Loop, I found two Loggerhead Shrikes, possibly a pair.  When I arrived at N. 10th and Dove, a local Cooper's Hawk was patrolling the area and chasing the Rock Pigeons.  There was about 1.5 hours before sunset, so I waked around the area.  Behind the Walgreen's store, I found a pair of Great Kiskadees.

I started to hear Green Parakeets before I actually saw them.  In total, I saw 10 or 12 flocks of Green Parakeets fly over heading north.  They were identifiable in flight with binoculars.  A few came very low and looked like they would land but none did, and all kept going north.  A small kettle of raptors flew north and included about 12 Broad-winged Hawks and a few vultures.

As the sun set, I quit birding for the day.  With the new birds mentioned above, I added 23 new birds in a mostly travel day in Texas, making the total 223.  On Wednesday, actually toady as I finish this entry, I go to Sabal Palm Sanctuary to try for the Crimson-collared Grosbeak.   

Saturday, March 30, Search for Ruffed Grouse

This time of year in Ohio is the time to look and listen for Ruffed Grouse drumming in southeastern Ohio, the closest area to Cincinnati.  I was really tired from the early start at 3:00 am to Friday, to be able to meet Steve, Dave and Harris at 4:25 am to go for the Spotted Redshank.  I got awake naturally at about 3:30 or 4:00 am on Saturday, and after a quick breakfast, started driving to Shawnee State Forest and arrived there at shortly after first light. 

I listened at four or five locations on Odle Creek Road but heard only Wild Turkey gobblers apparently strutting their stuff for hens.  However, this area is great for early spring birding.  First, I heard a Brown Thrasher singing, repeating each phrase twice unlike a Northern Mockingbird.  Then while driving with my windows down to listen, I heard the sweetly downward slurred song of Louisiana Waterthrush.  It is always a thrill to hear this song near the end of March, signaling that Spring really is here!  Shawnee State Forrest is one of the best places to find this bird in late March.  Then, while walking along the road and listening for grouse drumming, I heard some distinctive sharp calls of a wren, but there were too many notes unlike the two-noted calls of Winter Wren.  I thought these calls were probably from a Carolina Wren, a common species in southern Ohio.  However, soon a Winter Wren started singing the long series of melodious trills that are flute-like.  The Brown Thrasher, Louisiana Waterthrush and Winter Wren are new for the year bringing the total to 200 species.  Winter Wren is a bird I was concerned about, because I am headed west and south after this, and could miss this bird in the winter in the east, requiring a chase to their breeding grounds in June or wait until the fall migration. That was a satisfying find. 

 I continued driving and stopping on Odle Creek Road, but did not hear or see Ruffed Grouse.  Last year I saw a Ruffed Grouse on Forest Road 2 just after the intersection with Odle Creek road, but not today.

I drove to Pond Lick Road off of Rt. 125, another road that has been productive in the past for Ruffed Grouse, but without success and continued on to Forest Road 2.  I got out and walked a logging road off of Forest Road 2 for about a mile, but did not hear or see any Ruffed Grouse.  I drove Forest Road 2 to Twin Creeks Road and drove that to Rt. 125.  I did not see a Ruffed Grouse, but by that time it was getting too late in the morning. On Forest Road 2 off of Pond Lick Road, I encountered a displaying tom Wild Turkey in front of two hens.  Quite a sight, but no camera out of its bag.  They were in the middle of the road until I drove up.  Later, I heard and saw two singing Pine Warblers, one near the parking lot along Rt. 125 at the entrance to the lodge and another in the campground area.  These are nice confirmations of my heard bird yesterday at Winton Woods Park in Cincinnati.

On my way back home, I stopped at Bass Island to look for Rough-winged Swallows again, but did not find them.   At the end of this entry, the total still stands at 200.             

Friday, March 29, Spotted Redshank, YES!

During this time period at home, I need to complete reservations for Attu in May-June including trip insurance including medevac, replace the replacement tire on the back of my new Dodge Dart, and prepare for income taxes.  Yesterday, as a break from tasks, I stopped at Rowe Arboretum near my home to look for early spring migrants as well as Bass Island along the Little Miami River nearby.  At Rowe Arboretum, I found about three singing Pine Siskins, which have indicated evidence of breeding at this location in the past, as recently as during the Ohio Atlas period, during which I found evidence of collecting nesting material.  At Rowe, I was looking for an early Chipping Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet or Brown Thrasher.  I have found these birds here in past years, but not this year.  While at Rowe Arboretum, I found two different Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and got a better view of this species than when previously seen in my neighbor's yard in February 18.  At Bass Island, I was looking for Rough-winged Swallows, but did not find them.  At about 12:30 pm, I got an alert from NARBA, North American Rare for Spotted Redshank in Indiana, a Life Bird for me, a new great bird for the year and within driving distance, so I headed home.   I also got a note from Bob Ake, who has been following my progress, because he did a Big Year in 2010.  I also got a note from Steve Bobonick, birding friend from Cincinnati, asking about going for the Spotted Redshank tomorrow, Friday.  I quickly started looking for details, but found the first directions "E of Route 59 at Goose Pond" a little too vague, because I have been to Goose Pond only once before.  I thought E meant east of , but it really meant Field E.  Fortunately, Steve was on top of this and forwarded a map showing the location.  However, it was too late to get there, today, Thursday, so Steve and I made plans to meet at 4:25 am Friday morning at the Dry Fork Road exit off of I-74 in southwester  Ohio.  The rest of Thursday, I completed the registration and insurance for Attu in May-June and mailed it.

I met Steve Bobonick, Dave Helm and Harris Abramson at the Shell Station near the Dry Fork exit.  We caravanned to Goose Island arriving not long after sunrise.  There were about six birders already there, and they had the Spotted Redshank in their scopes.  A quick peak in one of the scopes and then got set up with my scope and got my camera ready.  The bird was in Field E and about 300 yards distant.  I could see the bird well in my scope at 20X and 30X, but the light was still too low for reasonable photography.  Within about an hour, the bird flew toward Field B.  I drove to the Field B location, but by the time I walked out to the dike, the bird had flown back to Field E.  At the parking area for Field B, I met Jim Edihuber, Prairie Frontier LLC, and Chris West, Swallowtail Birding Tours, birders from Wisconsin.  Jim agree to share his photos, because at that point I was not successful. 

I also met Lee Sterrenburg a local Indiana birder from Bloomington, whose posts I see on the Indiana Birds list serve.  Lee and I met for the first time on Attu in 1989.  I did not remember that until reminded, but we reminisced about seeing the then Chinese Little Bittern, now Yellow Bittern, a first North American record, and as of the Sixth Edition of the ABA Checklist (2002), the only record for North America, shortly after our arrival on Attu.  My records indicate the day was May 17, 1989.  This bird was collected by ornithologists for scientific evidence, and created the ill-will of birders arriving later.

I returned to Field E to enjoy the Spotted Redshank more and see it very well at 30X and try for photographs in the better light.  By that time, a large number of birders had arrived.  It is interesting to finally see a bird that you wondered about for many years.  I recall a trip to Brigantine (now Forsythe) NWR in New Jersey in the late 60's or early 70's looking for a reputed Spotted Redshank that was really an oiled yellowlegs.  The arguments then presented by Harold Axtell, expert birder and then recently retired ornithologist at the Buffalo Museum, were partly that the bird did not behave like a Spotted Redshank.  Well, now I know what Harold, long departed, meant.  In addition, to being a much lighter colored bird, very white underneath and lighter gray on the back in non-breeding plumage, the Spotted Redshank has a more stream-lined slender shape than a Greater Yellowlegs and feeds more actively with a "high stepping" motion that shows off the bright orange legs in non-breeding plumage.  The bill is much longer and thinner overall than either Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs with a slight droop at the end.  I believe that the bill can be flexed, because at times it looked up-turned.  It was also difficult to see the full bill length, because of the thinness at the tip and blending into the dark background of the dark earth at this location.  I could also see the red at the base of the bill and the white eye-line and the dark line in the lores between the bill and the eye.  Occasionally, the Spotted Redshank feeds like a dowitcher with a sewing machine motion with its head under water unlike either yellowlegs.  I am including two of my photos showing the bill length and shape, the white eye-line/supercillium and dark line in the lores and high stepping behavior,

one of Jim Edihuber's, which shows the comparison to Greater Yellowlegs and the red at the base of the bill and one of Steve Bobonick's (last photo) also showing the high stepping behavior.  It was difficult with the equipment that I have to get a good photo, but the bird is identifiable.  Special thanks to Bill and Steve for sharing their photos.  I think that it was challenging for them too.

The Spotted Redshank is life bird number 794 for the ABA Region.  I also added Pectoral Sandpiper and American White Pelican to bring the total for the year to 195 after Goose Pond

Jim Edihuber's photo, next to last, further cropped and adjusted, shows the red at the base of the bill



and the difference in shape and the lighter color of the Spotted redshank relative to the Greater yellowlegs.

On my way back to Cincinnati, I stopped at Winton Woods Park and added male Purple Martin at the Spotted Redshank relative to a Great Yellow legs.  Settling Basin and a singing Pine Warbler near the campground.

The total at the end of a fantastic day is 197!