Date: 4/4/21 12:06 pm From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36...> Subject: [texbirds] Bolivar to High Island Thursday, Migrants and wind
The forecast of a front and good north winds lured me down to the coast for a dawn ferry ride. Again laughing gulls were along but not much else.
I had left home with the break between clouds and clear skies right overhead and the line followed me and beat me to the coast. Along with the clear skies came wind and combined with blowing sand left the car, me including my ears filled with sand.
Instead of a north wind on bolivar thee was a strong east wind and even a bit to the south which kept the tide in high and getting a little higher. Most of the usual shorebird feeding area was under water except for a corner was covered with white pelicans and american avocets. The avocets as a group are getting redder heads and most were somewhere else
Worked my way to High Island without many birds. Good numbers of singing northern parula and hooded warblers with a couple of orchard orioles in Hook's Woods there.
Not a whole lot of migrants elsewhere. Stopped and saw the wintering spotted towee near Boy Scout Woods where the louisiana waterthrush was in front of the bleachers.
There had been a few more birds present in the morning but by the time I arrived they were more spread out.
Not many birds on 1985 but a swainson's hawk was at one of its usual places but the red-atiled hawk was not at his usual spot and most americn kestrels were not on the wires. Only a couple of northern harriers were migrating.
One pair of northern harriers is thinking about breeding on the UTC for my first in several years. No sky dancing yet but he comes when she calls which is a good sign. But without food.
Now that it is April, we can start to look for birds.
-- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston <Josephkennedy36...>
