Some Birds of Goose Island

With both shorebirds and woods birds, Goose Island has a wonderful population of bird species and the surrounding areas add some variety.  I’ve added seven birds to my life list (231) since I got here and saw four birds this afternoon that I’m pretty sure were Anhingas but Penny was with me and they flushed before I could positively ID them.  They might have been double-crested cormorants so I’m hoping to get another chance at another place.

Most songbirds are not breeding so there is little birdsong but we hear lots of calls here -- the ubiquitous Red-winged Blackbirds and Long-tailed Grackles are noisy as are the Northern Cardinals.  A pair of Great Horned Owls sound periodically as does a Red-shouldered hawk.  The Inca Doves call out "squirrel poop" continually during the day. 

I went on two organized bird walks where we saw 40 or so species each time.  I also spent a lot of time riding the bike and walking with binoculars and camera hanging from my neck.

A lot of my photos needed a bigger lens but I don’t have the budget or the inclination to lug a monster lens around with a tripod -- at least at this time.  Here are some of my favorite shots from this time at Goose Island.  They give you a nice idea of the diversity of the birds here.  Good birding.

Great Egret this afternoon

Pied-billed Grebe

Inca Dove

Black-crowned Night Heron thinking he's invisible

E.T. -- a captive Great Horned Owl used in a wonderful talk on raptors

Red-shouldered Hawk perched just around the corner from our campground

Roseate Spoonbills are starting to get their breeding plumage

Pelicans

As a pilot and as a birder, I love pelicans.  I’m intrigued by the way they fly inches off the water, in “ground effect” and it’s fun to watch them weave back and forth with the traffic flow on a long causeway.  The Brown Pelicans are impish-looking as noted in the photo below.  At Goose Island State Park, they’ll line up begging for fish parts when sport fisherman return and clean their catches.

Brown Pelicans at Goose Island State Park boat ramp

White Pelicans, to me, seem more regal and reserved although I saw one in a tussle the other day with an Osprey for a catch -- it was thirty seconds of aerial dog-fighting with the pelican ending up with the catch.

Brown Pelicans fish by plunging headfirst into the water -- giving you the “that’s got to hurt” feeling as you watch.  White Pelicans tend to herd the fish as a group and skim off the ones they have corralled. 

The oil spill did not go west to this part of the Gulf and the pelican numbers seem strong.  The browns will stay here while the whites head north where we’ll see them off the New England coast later this spring.

Both types of pelicans are spectacular landers.  They wheel in, extend their feathers, slow and sometimes sort of water ski with their feet.  Haven’t seen a bounced landing yet -- they are great naval aviators.

Whoopers

Yesterday, at the halftime of the Packers game, we decided to take a quick drive up to where the Whooping Cranes were last year.  We had not heard any reports of sightings and thought we’d check it out.

Sure enough, once we got on the street (more of a rural road),  there were a few cars and pickup trucks parked and I knew what had attracted them.  There were three Whoopers, a mom and dad along with a juvenile.  They were feeding about a hundred yards from the road and oblivious to the cameras and binoculars trained on them.



I took a bunch of photos but they were too far away for good resolution.  I got out my telescope and we got a good look at them -- one had two leg bands on it and the juvenile was quite brown in spots.  Very elegant birds.  I tried to digiscope using my old Rebel XT and took a few shots when something flushed them and I lost them in the scope.

We watched them gracefully fly away, taking their time deciding where to head, and slowly head back towards the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge where most of their 175 western brethren are wintering.

Seeing them slowly recede to the Northeast made me think of the 2500 mile journey they took the fall from Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada.  They are protected at the refuge and stock up on blue crabs and clams -- and next spring will launch for the return trip north.  Great birds -- hope to see more while we are here.


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Texas Birding Rocks!

Birding in Village Creek State Park, just north of Beaumont, was good although there were many birds that I could not identify - often because my bird dog was running wild.  I could let her go on the trails through the “Big Thicket” and she loved it - but it made birding a challenge.

However, seeing Eastern Bluebirds right beside the campsite each day was fun, as was watching a big flock of Cedar Waxwings work the berry trees nearby.  We did a lot of hiking and cycling in the two days there -- and the tall pines yielded Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, and a raft of warblers too high and fast to ID. 

One morning, the woods were alive with hundreds of American Robins.  I even saw a Hermit Thrush posing nicely as I grabbed my camera and departing when Penny arrived.  Of course, the Northern Cardinals were plentiful to the “ho-hum” point. 

I find it interesting that we get used to birds to seeing birds that in Vermont would be a big deal -- Cardinals for example, even Red-Winged Blackbirds.  In the south, they are so common as to be taken for granted -- although I try not to.

We are now at Goose Island State Park near Rockport, Texas.  It’s so rich with shorebirds that it’s a bit overwhelming.  We got here this afternoon and on a bike ride before dark, I saw White and Brown Pelicans, White Ibis, Long-billed Curlew, Northern Pintail and Redhead ducks, all sorts of gulls, and many sandpipers that will take a while to learn. 

Gulls, American Oystercatchers, and Dowitcher(?)

We’ll be here for a week and bird walks often top 70 species so it will be intense.  I promise not to write long laundry lists of birds seen but will call out some more interesting ones and hopefully, get some good photos.  Good birding to you.

Mama Owl is Great

Yesterday, we decided to look for the Great Horned Owl that was reportedly nesting here at Fontainebleau State Park.  Early in the morning, I had gone down to the pier and seen Grey Pelicans, Killdeer, Tree Sparrows, and an unidentified hawk -- and heard an owl somewhere.

When I saw the camp hosts sitting on their four-wheelers talking, I asked them whether they knew where the owl was.  The guy from Minnesota said, "You mean, my owl?"  And before I knew it, we were following in the truck to the spot, not too far away, where we got out and walked to a viewing spot.  "She's right up there in the flat spot, see her?" he asked.  Here's what we saw -- it wasn't easy at first, and then you couldn't miss her.

The host explained that the owls have used this site in three out of the last four years (last year was apparently too wet and they went elsewhere.)  He thinks that one of her eggs has hatched since she has moved up slightly in the nest.  She was dozing when we saw her and once I got my scope out, both Mary and I, and some visiting Canadians, got great looks.  It was beautiful to see the tufts on her head waving gently in the breeze as she slept and every so often, she'd pop open an eye and check on her human spectators.  Last night, after dark with a full moon, we went back down and sitting in the dark truck nearby, could hear her sort of purr hooting sounds while a bit further off, her mate gave forth with a full Great Horned Owl series of hoots.  Quite a treat, and a life bird for me.

Here's closeup of her -- the "ears" are hard to miss once you spot them.

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Mississippi Birds

Tufted Titmouse

We stopped for two nights at Clarko State Park in Quitman, MS and ran into some nice birds.  The park was nearly vacant and birds were all over it -- this is a Tufted Titmouse that was around our site.

There were tons of Northern Cardinals and high in the trees, warblers.  Of course, I didn't have any better luck down south than I do in Vermont identifying them.

The first walk with Penny just before dark revealed this Great Blue Heron all hunched down, waiting.  The plumage was such that I was not sure what it was -- but saw it again the next day all stretched out, looking normal.

Mary and I went out together so that she could try out her new binoculars -- a Christmas gift -- and we practiced on Cardinals and a bouncy warbler.  The highlight was this cooperative Golden-crowned Kinglet which we watched from a viewing platform for some time.  He hopped around but much less frenetic than a warbler, and a great look for new birder Mary.

I saw several Grey Catbirds, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadees left and right, as well as others that I see regularly in Vermont.  The new camera is working well with the tele lens.

This morning I was treated to good looks at a Great Egret.  I got a bunch of shots -- this is one I particularly like. 

This afternoon, arriving at Fontainebleau State Park in Louisiana, we were met by two red-headed woodpeckers.  I hear there is a Great Horned Owl in the park with a nest and babies due any day.  Bodes well for good birding up ahead.

Bluebird in January?

Bluebird in January?

We are finally launched on our trip to the Southwest after snow delayed us several days.  Yesterday, Day 2, starting out in frigid Pennsylvania, we drove southward on I-81 and started to see birds.  Hawks were starting to move about -- it’s a little hard to ID them at 70 mph but I think most were Redtails with a couple rough-legged and one harrier thrown in.  Saw our first turkey vulture in Virginia.  After the last month of rather sterile winter birding in Vermont, it was exciting to see more and more activity.

Since we are moving with a winterized Airstream in below-freezing temperatures, we tend to overnight in Walmart parking lots.  Well, last night we were in Athens, Tennessee, north of Chattanooga, and it was warmer (45 degrees) but still had snow from last week’s storm.  Walking the dog just before dark, I was noticing how this massive superstore had been carved out of the fields and oak forests around it -- and a little saddened by it -- when I noticed a lot of bird activity down over the bank in the brushy fence line.  I didn’t have my binoculars but could see that some of them where Northern Cardinals due to there shape and crests.  I went back to the truck, got my binoculars, and spotted about a dozen mourning doves roosting along with the cardinals.  I know I got some strange looks from the Tennessee pickup truck drivers wheeling in and out of Walmart on a Saturday night.  From the squealing tires and speeds, it looked like they were NASCAR wannabees but far from it for me, with Vermont plates, to call them out on it.

After dark, I took Penny on one last walk around the massive perimeter of the parking lot.  As I came around the back of the store, I saw a bird fly up to one of the spruce trees planted along the periphery.  It sat there as I watched (as did the dog) but I could not identify it without binoculars.  The strong lights made it look like daylight (which raised a whole set of questions about impact on birds who live here) so I returned once more to the truck and grabbed my binoculars.  The bird, once I returned, flew to another tree and waited.  I was amazed to see the brilliant blue of a male bluebird.  It sat for a bit but wouldn’t turn so I never really saw the breast for a positive identification.  I’m pretty sure it was not an Indigo Bunting.  Looking at recent sightings in Tennessee on eBird, I saw that Eastern Bluebirds were seen in the last three weeks at several spots so that’s my call.  In any case, it’s a great way to get juices flowing as we head to Mississippi.  I’d like to wait around and check it out but we need to hit the road.  Good birding.

Northern Hawk Owl

A Northern Hawk Owl

The digest of VTbirds this morning had several reports of a Northern Hawk Owl about 10 miles from here.  It's a bird that I'd not seen and rather rare to Vermont -- one or two a year get spotted each year.

So the dog and I hopped in the truck this morning and went over to River Road and sure enough, there were a group of birders standing beside the road with scopes and binoculars looking south.  I knew several of them and they pointed out the bird sitting in a tree quite a ways off.  It is a life bird for me.

It was hard to see clearly without a scope -- which I had left in the truck -- but several scopes were already set up and all of us got some good looks.  The owl left to hunt for a bit and then cooperatively perched on another tree about the same distance away.  Since the word was out (and it was the start of a new year of counting) birders were showing up from all over upstate Vermont.

Later, I went up to visit my other bird, my Luscombe, and install a new canopy cover to protect it from the elements. It was a nice way to start off the new year. 

photo by seabarium