A Great Day in Texas

Mary and I loaded up Penny and left early for some back road birding north of Rockport. We started tallying gulls and "telephone line" birds and soon were on a Farm-to-Market road heading toward the hamlet of Bayside. These "farm roads" in Texas are usually narrow with a speed limit of 70 and lots of white pickup trucks in a hurry. Not too conducive to birding although usually there is a wide shoulder (or ditch.)

We pulled off on a little narrow road alongside Copano Bay called Egery Flat aka Mosquito Alley and were immediately confronted with a small mudflat/pond with hundreds of shorebirds. As we tried to sort through Dowitchers, Dunlins, Willets some Black-legged Stilts, and lots of sandpipers, I was wishing that I had an expert along. Just ahead, we saw and photographed a Reddish Egret - a white morph in breeding plumage - which turned out to be a new bird for each of us. It is neat to watch them fish, stirring up the water with their feet and then grabbing stuff they've scared.

The American Golden Plovers were in his pasture

As the road turned to dirt, we saw several birds flush out of the grass and settle. I knew right away that they were one of the species we were after - and it turned out that they were American Golden Plovers, passing through on their way north. I got out my scope and we got some good looks, an so-so photos. As I watched, a steer (seen above) watched us and started plodding our way. Time to move on.

American Golden Plover

It was a pretty spring day with no one around on this straight back road so we let the dog go and walked for a while. The temperature was about 80 with a light breeze and blue skies with sparrows and meadowlarks rising from the fields. Of course, the mosquitoes found Mary.

We passed another flock of plovers and then, just as we were nearly done with the loop, Mary spotted more birds. We pulled over, looked at them through the binos, and took some photos. About then, a deputy sherriff pulled alongside asking "Everything ok?" I guess the red Vermont truck with kayak on top looked pretty unthreatening and he was off. (I learned later that the birds were migrating Upland Sandpipers, another new one for us.

Upland Sandpiper

One of the purposes of the outing was to check out a local eating place which friends had raved about. Crofutt's Sandwich Shop & Bakery calls itself "An Oasis in a Junk Food Desert" and it is. Plain looking and frequented by local oil and ranch workers, it has been running for 33 years. We had the Shrimp Po-Boy and they were great. I had to eat mine next to the truck since Penny had an anxiety meltdown and started pulling the rubber stripping from the door .. again. Washed down with iced tea, with a couple of decadent cookies for later, it was quite a feast.

We returned in time for a short nap and then Penny and I drove to the vet for a last checkup. Her leg is nearly there and after a quick check, the doc said goodbye giving her a few treats for the road.

While our more ardent birder acquaintances go out for all day, we found that a few hours, some fresh air, some good food, and a nap is our preference.

We have managed to see 201 different species this trip so far with about 25 new ones for me. Now to follow some them as they migrate northward.

A Big Day

Mary went on a bird walk this morning and came back with a long list of birds -- several which I had not seen.  It was my day to watch the dog since she (the dog) gets anxious when separated for any lengthy period.

After lunch, we decided to go for a drive and look for birds so we left for Refugio, a small town about 35 miles away.  Birding at 70 mph on a narrow highway is a challenge but we were seeing hawks (Redtails, Kestrels, perhaps a Rough-legged) when I blasted by a Scissor-tail Flycatcher sitting on a fence.  This was one of the birds we were after.

No one was behind me so I slowed, turned around on the narrow highway, and of course the bird spooked as soon as we approached.  It flew, gracefully, up and then dropped down to a spot further up the fence.  We got some good looks.

We saw several more, slowing each time, and then birded a local park up in Refugio with no success.  Returning, we saw two flycatchers sitting close to one another and slowing the truck, got some photos.  They were very patient and chirping away at us and we left them undisturbed.  Fortunately, the road is little traveled even though those that do use it cruise at 70-80.  

Scissors-tailed Flycatcher, Refugio County, TX

It was a two mile detour to check out a spot on Highway 35 where folks have seen a burrowing owl.  I’ve been by there two or three times with no luck but we decided, in spite of the heavy traffic, to give it a try.  The spot is a large drainage culvert exactly two miles from an intersection so as we approached, I could see the culvert.  We pulled to the side and checked it with binos.  There was a small owl-looking lump on top (She comes up through a crack in the pipe.)  so once traffic cleared, we crawled ahead and shot a couple of photos of her looking at us.  We then left her undisturbed. 

Burrowing Owl alongside Highway 35, Aransas County, TX

It’s interesting -- hundreds of trucks, RV’s, and cars go past that culvert each day, oblivious to the unusual bird watching them.  Of course, she’s tiny and blends into the scenery.  It was a great find -- I never expected to catch her out of her haven.

Returning to Goose Island State Park, I took the Vizsla for a walk and decided to check the feeding station near our site.  Not much activity in the late afternoon but I sat down and right away, a Hooded Warbler -- a handsome male -- began using the bird bath.  Mary had seen the warbler earlier in the day and it was one I was looking for.  Of course, my camera was back at camp but I got a wonderful look at the bird -- and my third life bird of the afternoon.  

We are here in Texas later than normal for us and we are starting to get some early migrants.  Hopefully, a few more will show up in the next week.  Then, some of them, we’ll get to see again in New England later on this Spring.  But not these three.

Adios, Falcon State Park

We leave windy, arid Falcon State Park in the morning after two weeks of nearly-constant wind and temperatures in the mid-to-high eighties. All in all, it has been a nice stay here and a chance to see some friends and make a few new ones. This is a unique state park: there is an active community here many of whom have been coming here for years and in many cases, decades. There is a rather active social calendar around the recreation center and while that’s not our cup of tea, we do drop in periodically to say hello and pick up a book.

Sunset over Falcon Lake

We said goodbye this morning two our Oklahoma friends, Bud (87) and Charlotte (85) who we first met three years ago. Bud, a former trucker and mechanic, helped me with some big problems with the Airstream - and this time helped me (well, he did most of it) fix a faulty switch on a motor that raises the trailer tongue. Last night, we went over at dusk to talk and in the warm Texas evening, a number of couples came by to say goodbye. It was very poignant since with their age, you never know if they’ll be back. They are traveling home with some Vermont honey from our bees - and our hopes to see them again.

Being right on the Mexican border, there are some challenges. First of all, a Mexican phone company, TELCEL, grabs your signal much of the time and phones therefore are pretty unreliable. The radio stations are nearly all Spanish language and the few in English seem to be right-wing talk shows. It’s fifteen miles for decent wifi and 35 miles for decent groceries. Don’t even look for skim milk in a thirty mile radius; Chips and beer and fishing gear, yes.

And yet, this place grows on you. We are on the western edge of the Central Time Zone so it doesn’t get light until nearly 8 AM. Early morning walks with the dog are cool and filled with bird songs. Roadrunners and rabbits tease the Vizsla with their run, wait, run movements. Double-crested Cormorants fly over in large formations, heading for a day of fishing. Likewise, White Pelicans cruise out to Lake Falcon as we walk along. The breeze is almost always constant and picks up big time during the day.

Roadrunners drive our Vizsla nuts

Spring flowers have been popping everywhere and some of the ugliest plants have the prettiest flowers. Butterflies are everywhere but the wind makes it a challenge. Red Admirals come reliably to the orange halves we stick on trees.

Flower of a Thistle Plant

Prickly Pear Flowers

I had a chance to do some kayaking here although the wind kept the boat on the truck most days. The first morning I launched, a little Eared Grebe surface right in front of the kayak, dove and came back up alongside. I got pretty close to egrets, and Osprey, and other water birds. They seemed to not be afraid of the quiet boat -- particularly with many bass boats roaring by.

We can’t get away from the drug war. Border Patrol vehicles cruise the park and and are common along the highways. A tethered observation ballon often flies to the north of here -- sort of an ominous sight in a clear blue sky. But there have been no issues for several years here -- even though Mexican drug activity goes on in Roma and Rio Grande City.

But as the Winter Texans like us leave, it’s hard to imagine living here. We’ve had a taste of the temperatures and the constant wind and one can see why siestas are popular. It’s deadly in mid-day. The decrepit homes, mongrel dogs, and trash get to you after a while.

But what a place for birds. I picked up nine new life birds and both Mary and I saw a wonderful array of Texas birds. Just on our little camp road we have Scaled Quail, Northern Bobwhites, Inca Doves, Northern Mockingbirds, Orange-crowned Warblers, Long-billed and Curved-bill Thrashers, Olive Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, White-Crowned Sparrows, and the ubiquitous Turkey Vultures, Northern Cardinals, and Red-winged Blackbirds.

So, we are trading wind for mosquitoes and returning to another favorite place, Goose Island State Park where Penny has a vet appointment to check her progress and remove the last two stitches. It will be nice to kiss TELCEL goodbye. Never thought AT&T would look so good.

Birds of Falcon State Park

While the Texas drought has cut back the number of birds, there is still a wide variety here and down at Salineno. Here are some photos I've taken in the last week.

Altimira Oriole

Long-billed Thrasher across the street sounding like a Northern Mockingbird

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Great Kiskadee

Green Jays are hard to beat for color and personality

Hooded Oriole