Bulletin 173 - end of migration birds

I had a birding buddy from the Big Apple and his son from LA visiting on the weekend of April 27th for migration. We had a grand time and saw an incredible variety of migrants, both songbirds and shorebirds.

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge on the coast by Freeport was absolutely inundated with birds including as estimated 400 - 500 Wilson's Phalaropes (Phalaropus tricolor). Phalaropes are shorebirds that also swim. They pick food off the waters surface with their dainty thin beaks. They are unusual among birds in that the female is the brighter color. Three species of phalaropes exist in the world and this is the only one that occurs regularly on the upper Texas coast. The other two can be seen along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Here is a female in breeding plumage with bright red, gray and black markings.

Wilson's Phalarope - breeding female

The male in breeding plumage is gray with just a faint rusty wash on his neck.



Wilson's Phalarope - breeding male

A single breeding plumaged American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) was also found at Brazoria. These long-legged birds have rusty heads and necks, white bodies, black wings with a wide white stripe and upcurved beaks. The sexes are similarly plumaged, but the female has a more curved beak than the male. This is a male.

American Avocet - breeding male

There are 3 Ibis species in the USA, 1 white and 2 dark. Ibises are heron sized wading birds with long curved beaks. The usual dark ibis in Texas is the White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi). In breeding season, it has a white V behind the eye on the face. The rest of the year, the white is gone and it can be difficult to differentiate the 2 species as the only specific mark is the color of the iris of the eye and the bare facial skin. This bird was right beside the road at Brazoria and allowed a close up of his face to show the field marks. The white feathers can be seen on the face, as well as the red facial skin and iris. usually one is not lucky enough to get this close to a bird.

White-faced Ibis - breeding

The late migration brings in the thrush species. The Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) is ID by his reddish head, brown back and tail and large dark breast spots.

Wood Thrush

The Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) is very similar to the Swainson's Thrush in the previous bulletin, but it lacks the eye ring. It has a uniform dull brown head, back and tail and spotted breast.

Gray-cheeked Thrush

The Veery (Catharus fuscens) has been a tough bird for me to find and photograph, but this spring, I had several. It is IDed be the uniform reddish-brown head back and tail, as well as a sparsely spotted breast.

Veery

The orioles always are a hit with birders due to their bright colors. The male Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is bright orange with a black head and wings.

Baltimore Oriole - male

The female is duller.

Baltimore Oriole - female

The Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) is chocolate brown where the Baltimore has orange, but the first year male is yellowish with a black throat and often confuses novice birders. I showed one of these in an earlier bulletin this year, but this is the best photo I have ever obtained of this plumage.



Orchard Oriole - 1st year male

Lastly, a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) perched against the sky for a portrait.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak - male

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2013 David McDonald

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Bulletin #153 - Spring migration #2

We have not had a fallout this year so far and the weather suggests it will be unlikely in the next week or so. Birding has been rather slow everywhere on the coast from what I can read on Texbirds.

Still, a few birds can lead to some good photos. This weekend has seen an influx of the more sought after beauties, but few warbler species.

The perennial favorite of all is the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris). The gaudy male is unmistakable with his red breast, blue head and yellow-green back. This bird came to the drip at LaFitte's Cove and perched on a snag by the pond for his photo to everyone's delight.

Painted Bunting - male

Of interest, I noted the green feathers between the eye and bill. I had not noticed this before, but when I checked my other photos of this bird, they all have it. It is amazing how we can miss a curiosity like this.

He got down into the drip and took a bath as we all clicked away. This photo has his feathers on his head standing up and his head in a reflection. What a great bird! These were my best photos ever of this species.

Painted Bunting - male

Another favorite of mine is the Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea). Last year I read and told you that the piranga genus of tanagers were going to be moved to the cardinal family. Apparently it hasn't happened yet. The male is red with black wings and tail. It has been a hard bird for me to get a good photo as usually when he is in the sun, the photos ar overexposed on the back and head in the sun. This bird was low down in some shrubs eating a berry. the time was 6:30pm, so no sun and a perfect exposure using flash. I like the photos with the bird doing something..eating, singing etc.

Scarlet Tanager - male breeding

Here is another photo a minute later in another pose with a half-eaten berry.

Scarlet Tanager - male breeding

The black, red, and white male Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) is an easy ID.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak - male breeding

Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) have always been a difficult bird for me to photograph as they tend to perch near the treetops. This one at least was in a bare tree. The breeding male with black head, black wings with white bars, black tail and orange body is stunning.

Baltimore Oriole - male breeding

The best warbler for the weekend was this Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia). Notice the genus change from dendroica as I mentioned in the last bulletin, all the warblers have been renamed and reordered. The yellow beast with black streaks, gray head and back, and black face ID this bird.

Magnolia Warbler - male breeding

The female American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) is gray with yellow wing and tail patches.

American Redstart - female

The male Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)is all yellow with red streaks on the breast. The female lacks the streaks.

Yellow Warbler - male

 Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2012 David McDonald

To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask for subscribe.

LaFitte's Cove Bird Report 9-10-11

It was a beautiful day to be birding, sunny with a few clouds and light breeze. The drips were on today. The schedule is Wednesday and Saturday mornings due to water restrictions on Galveston Island.

The woods had lots of birds this morning. There were 4 species of warblers seen - 2 Black-and-white, 3-4 Canada, 1 Ovenbird and 1 Mourning. Here is a Black-and-white enjoying the drip.

There were several Warbling Vireos. There was a number of flycatchers including an eastern Wood-Pewee, an empid, a couple of Great Crested Flycatchers and maybe 10 Eastern Kingbirds. including this one.

There were numerous Baltimore Orioles with numerous juveniles. Here is a juvie male at the drip.

Other migrants included a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo  and best of all 2 Chuck-will's-widows. I was watching the drip when this one flew into the back of the drip area. Best photo ever for me (only the second one) of this species. I don't think I have ever seen the feet of any of this family of birds. His toes can be seen wrapped around the tiny branches. Talk about a stroke of luck!

It was so much fun today, I'll check it out again tomorrow.

PS - another birder was at LaFitte's before 8am and saw Veery, Dickcissels, Worm-eating Warbler and Red-eyed, and Philadelphia Vireos besides the birds I listed.