Galveston Shorebirds

I went on a quick trip to San Luis Pass when I was in Galveston for the Fallout.  It was a ride in a van with 10 other people being guided by Jim Stephenson, the renowned birder and ornithologist who invited us down for the beginning of the migration.  I was stuck in the back of the van, which was potentially a big problem ( I get motion sickness when I am not driving and to be put all the way in the back was just asking for trouble).

There were a number of species and a number of lifers for me on that trip.  It was an educational trip that I should have been taking notes or taping, because I have forgotten the majority of the information from that trip.  If you have a chance to take one of his trips, I would recommend them.  They are informative and he can be entertaining at the same time.

We saw both Neotropic and Double Crested Cormorants.  Great Blue, Little Blue, Tricolored, and Black Crowned Night Herons were all there as well as the White Ibis and Great, Snowy and Reddish Egrets.  The smaller shorebirds were also prevalent with Snowy and Black Bellied Plovers, Western Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, Dunlins, Eastern and Western Willets( One of the sources of multiple discussions), Marbled Godwits, Short Billed Dowitchers, Greater Yellowlegs, American Avocets, and American Oystercatchers.

The Gulls and Terns were on the ground for the most part because the wind from the front was still blowing through pretty strongly.  We had the three usual gulls (Laughing, Ring-billed, and Herring), and a number of species of Terns were also there ( Least, Caspian, Common, Forsters, Royal, and Sandwich), along with some Black Skimmers.

We saw all of these birds in a matter of about an hour.

11:34 AM - April 6, 2009 - post comment

Favorite bird....

Besides seeing the Avocets, I think my favorite bird of the day was the Oystercatcher!

Anonymous - 5:35 PM - April 14, 2009