It's a Bird? it's a Whale? No its some more trash

ShepDawg on the bow
stiffing out the next
year bird

I was already signed up as leader for the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival when I was asked if I would be "willing" to be a guide for the pelagic trip scheduled for Monday. Oh I guess I could. Actually I was doing cartwheels in my head because this was an incredible opportunity to get.

Because this was only a twelve hour trip and daylight savings time has ended we left the dock at sunrise and headed out into the open gulf into rising sun.

At 7:30 and only about 8 miles out we find a big flock of gulls and we pulled most of them in with chum. A couple of Franklin's Gulls where pulled out of the crowd of Laughing Gulls. Suddenly a shout goes out "Sabine's Gull"

Sabine's Gull

It takes me several minutes to get on it, But Sabine's Gull becomes Year Bird 471. About 30 minutes later we get our first of many Common Terns. We chug on. Ninety minutes later at the 30 mile mark we get our first pelagic bird, Masked Booby.

Magnificent Frigatebird

Just a few minutes and miles later we meet a shrimp boat that has 2 Magnificent Frigatebirds in the rigging and they pose for good photos. We continue on getting nothing but more Common Terns. The conditions were great, the Gulf is smooth, the best conditions we had all season. Bird are well dispersed though and we aren't picking up new stuff.

Audubon's Shearwater

Finally about 3:15 later and now 58 miles offshore we get a Shearwater. At first there is much excitement because its thought this bird is a Manx Shearwater. We go to the instant replay on cameras and no joy. Most show this bird as dark undertail coverts instead of the expected white ones of a Manx. It turns into an Audubon's Shearwater.

In about another 30 minutes we head cross back onto the Continental Shelf and begin the long trek back to South Padre Island.

We encountered a lot of trash in the water. Most agree this is a lot more than expected. Likely its all stuff blown out and stirred up by the recent storm passages. Cups, large soda bottles, a bucket here and there, foam blocks, a balloon, even a sprayer.

Atlantic Spotted Dolphins surf in the wake

We continue in and at one point a really large pod of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins rush in to surf with us for a bit. There were at least 20 of them all around the boat.

One new species was what I was expecting for a new year bird, but I was expecting Parasitic Jeager, not Sabine's Gull. I was thinking that the migration of Sabine's Gull was about over and it was pretty unlikely to find. I'll take it though!

You Mean Their Habitat isn't Trailer Parks?

Ponds and Swales at San Luis Pass

I've been tormented by reports in eBird for the last month of Red-necked Phalarope. I've been looking in the usual places you expect to find red-necks; trailer parks, ice houses, NASCAR tracks, etc. I looked for the field marks; mullet haircuts, dually trucks with mudflaps that say "Back Off!". No luck.

Today about 1 pm Howard Smith called and said he had one at San Luis Pass at the west end of Galveston Island. I wrapped up my day at work a few minutes after 3 pm and headed home to gear up. I was on the way to Galveston by 3:45 pm. The GPS showed my ETA to be 5:15 pm. I was able to shave a few minutes off and got there by 5:05 pm.

Howard was more than generous to meet me and show me where he has found it. He told me he and Dennis Shepler had looked for it that afternoon with no luck. I thought it likely was there and I had a chance to find it. Positive vibes you know.

The edge of the dunes and the low area behind them had ponds all the way to the pass itself. We started hiking. No luck. At about 6 pm Howard had to call it a day and I continues on. Positive vibes. I made it to the pass with nice wet shoes from flooding them getting to some good looking ponds with only a half dozen coots to show for my effort. I started back but continued to recheck the ponds. That bird was here somewhere. Boy it was a long trip back to the car, close to 2 miles according to Howard. The sun was setting and so where my chances at finding this bird.

Red-necked Phalarope, San Luis Pass, Galveston Island

Howard has told me when he found the bird he new it was a phalarope right away because it was by itself. As I was approaching the beach access. I saw a bird in the original pond that Howard had found it in wading in belly deep. What this it? Damn it was dark and hard to see. I worked by way up to it and it was amazingly unperturbed. Yes! Red-necked Phalarope was Year Bird 470! Of course my camera battery was almost dead, so close to dead it wouldn't auto focus. I wanted a photo though. Manual focus, aperture priority at F4, ISO 1600 and I could get the exposure. Oh and hand hold a 300 mm lens. I took deep breaths and held them as I took as many shots as possible. A couple even turned out ok. This bird was a camera hog, it even walked out of the water a few time about 50 feet in front of me. After about 200 shots of the bird I turned to a blazing sunset and headed home with one of the most satisfying chases yet.

Sunset

Third Time is the Charm

I had written this bird off. Its a very rare fall migrant in Texas. Its not easy in the Spring, but I figured I would get it. South winds during its Spring window had made that a dip though.

I had been alerted to birds in the fall at the Texas Ornithological Society Sabine Woods Sanctuary. Twice I've made trips this fall looking for this bird with no luck.

John H had put me on his group distribution when he found something unusual at Sabine Woods. Today late morning I got a text message that one was there! Some quick back and forth and it turns out Dennis had found it and it seemed to be hanging around. Positively Positive vibes! There really was no decision to make  Am I doing a big year or not? I am doing a big year and I needed to go! I spend an aggravating 15 minutes getting the OK to take the afternoon off and I headed home to change and grab my gear at 11:43 am, 132 miles to go.

At 2:04 pm I walked in the gate at Sabine Woods. John was still there and he offered to take me to where he had last seen the bird. An Eastern Phoebe popped up while we made our way to the site. Nothing was moving though where the bird was.

We start to search. I find a Blue Gray Gnatcatcher. Then my first of season Golden-crowned Kinglet. Since its getting close to Halloween the male American Redstart seemed appropriate. A couple of Barn Owls peered down at me from the top of the trees. A Black-and-white Warbler always makes me smile to see.

Cape May Warbler checks us out by Nina Rach

Dennis, Nina, and Sue arrived back to the scene of the crime and we compared notes. We were looking in the right place. The additional three pairs of eyes will sure help. We kept looking.

John found a Blue-headed Vireo and while trying to get on it I saw a bird move right. Wait, that's not a vireo!, that's it! Cape May Warbler is Year Bird 469.

I have to say I felt a huge sense of relief getting this bird. That makes 47 warblers for the year. I'm only missing MacGillivray's and Red-faced warblers for non review species warblers. The door is quickly closing on those birds. To be honest I think Golden-crowned Warbler in the Rio Grande Valley might be my best chance for an additional warbler this year. You know the Rio Grande Birding Festival is coming up in less than two weeks and it just so happens I'm going to be there for the whole week! I love it when a plan comes together.

Birding Through the Keyholes

Saturday afternoon I was lazily laying on the couch when my friend John calls and asks "Do you want a Yellow Rail?" I say "do you have one?" He explains they are cutting rice on the Nelson's Farm tract of the Katy Prairie Conservancy and they have had several today. Taking advantage of the opportunity I head out and get there with about an hour and a half of light left.

When I arrive the combines are at the far end of the field but getting closer. We watch and they seem to be playing chicken right in front of us. The two combines work the front row by the road, getting closer and closer. Suddenly one bird after the other flushed, One Sora, two, Sora, three Sora, finally ten Soras total few by us and across the road, but no Yellow Rail.

The combines worked their way back to the far corner of the field and stopped for the day. I decided to return early in the morning for another shot.

Sharp Rd by Nelson's Farm

Nelson's Farm rice field

I arrived at 8 am. For about a half hour I'm alone. Just me and the local group of Crested Caracaras. A couple of House Wrens sing, and a Wilson's Snipe flies out of the field and over my head. A Northern Harrier works the field, twisting anf turning and dropping in every so often. I wonder if I could identify a Yellow Rail if it emerged with one. A Common Ground-Dove passes overhead. A Broad-winged Hawk soars over I guess getting ready to head out for the day. Then some acquaintances from Lago Vista roll up asking If I know where they Yellow Rails are being seen. I tell them right here. We chat a while longer then. Dennis and Sue show up. Dennis is doing a big year also and we see a lot of each other.

Combine stalking Yellow Rails

About 9 am a truck pulls into the field and a couple of guys get out and work on the combines. We see them driving around with the hood of the truck up. Not a good sign. After a while we see then leave and head down the road. A very bad sign indeed. Dennis says he believes in positive vibes now after the Rufous-capped Warbler and says they will be back.

The Tribe waits, taking the high ground

The Tribe waits some more, Entertaining ourselves with stores of birding adventures and ideas for future adventures. The Tribe is here to see birds and finding birds they will. The Tribe spreads out some.

At about 10:45 a truck returns to the field. A couple of guys work around the combine. I ask, am I hearing a plane? No its the red combine running. Then there is exhaust smoke and the green combine is running. A few more minutes and the combines enter the field. We're in business! We reach out to The Tribe members who have left to return and train optics on the combines

Yellow Rail in flight by Nina Rach

Birding is like birding through keyholes though. We follow up and down the hedge row; grabbing a few minutes few then running to the next keyhole. A Sora flushes. A good sign. Another bird flushes. Dennis and I exclaim together "That's a Yellow Rail!" Positive vibes work again! Yellow Rail becomes Year Bird 468.

Yellow Rail had me sweating. Of all of the tough birds in Texas this is one you would expect I would get. To think David Sarkozi reduced to chasing rice combines to get a Yellow Rail!

Positive Vibes

On Monday September 28, 2015 word came out that a Rufous-capped Warbler had been found at Lost Maples State Natural Area. Good news, bad news. Bad news, I couldn't chase it until Saturday. Good news is Rufous-capped Warblers usually stick around for a while.

Thursday I got a text message that a Sulfur-bellied Flycatcher had been found at Sabine Woods. Sulfur-bellied Flycatchers never seem to stick around for long. It took me a couple of hours to reach my boss and get permission to take off that afternoon. I managed to get there about 2:30 pm. Three hours of searching and I had to call this a swing and a miss, dipped on the flycatcher.

All week I got eBird alerts that the bird was still there. Each one made me feel a little relieved and a little anxious. I don't mind driving alone but company is nice too. I invited John Berner along and we made plans to leave early Saturday morning.

The Tribe Awaits the Arrival

I picked John up and we were outside the Grand Parkway of Houston headed west by 4:30 am. Catching up on birding stories and the drive went fast, we arrived at Lost Maples about 8:30 am. We checked in and got some directions to the site to confirm the information we got on line and headed to the site.

We got there and it really was just off the parking lot. As soon as we arrived we saw The Tribe spread out along the trail on vigil waiting. There are a lot of birders in Texas, but The Tribe that chases birds isn't that big. I knew 75% of those there. That's really one of the great parts of a chase like this; you get to see a lot of friends and catch up.

All of the reports this week seems to indicate the bird wasn't seen until about 9:30 am. I've seen a good number of Rufous-capped Warblers in the tropics. The do seem to like the sun. The canyon we were in you could see wouldn't get sun until at least 9:30.

9:30 came around the area the bird was being seen in got lively with the usual suspects. No warbler yet. More catching up with stories among The Tribe. At about 10:30 Dennis mentioned that he was thinking this bird was going to be a no show. I argued this bird had been seen every day since Sunday, there was no reason to think yesterday was the last day. Don't go messing things up with negative vibes Dennis.

Rufous-capped Warbler
Lost Maples State Natural Area

A couple of minutes later I heard a chip note. I told Dennis there was a bird right in front of us. We got on it and simultaneously both Dennis and I called out "Here it is!" Not 30 feet in front of us was the Rufous-capped Warbler as Year Bird 467. See Dennis, it just takes Positive Vibes (and the new lucky green shirt I got on my birthday on Tuesday!)

The whole Tribe got good looks at the bird. A gentleman and his daughter came up and got the impression that they has just missed it. No No! the Positive Vibes are still working, its right there a couple of feet up the trail!

John had a couple year birds he was after. He got the Clay-colored Sparrow at the feeders during the vigil. We spent some time watching the sky for Zone-tailed Hawk. After about 40 minutes we headed out towards home. We decided to head back to Houston via US90 and headed south reasoning that would give us the most time to look for Zone-tailed Hawk.

All the way vulture after vulture is checked. "Pin head", "red head", "no head" were our comments. Positive Vibe, keep working the Positive Vibes.

Right as we came into Sabinal another dark bird flew over the road. Wait, that bird is flapping, not soaring. It has a fully feathered head. It has a banded tail! It's a Zone-tailed Hawk! Positive Vibes, it just takes Positive Vibes!

There and Back

I've always kind of known I was going to have to make a trip like this, West Texas and back in 48 hours.

The new West Texas Hummingbird Webcam was taunting me. Right there live was a Magnificent Hummingbird. I could see it every five minutes is all its glory of an iridescent violet crown and emerald green gorget.

Add to the drama, a Broad-billed Hummingbird was found on the central coast. I tried all morning to make contact to get a chance at the Broad-billed with no luck. So about noon I sought and got permission to visit the sit of the webcam. My weekend was set now.

Dark and early at 4 am I headed out and proceeded west on I10. Since my appointment with the hummingbird was for Sunday morning I could spend the afternoon looking for other birds. Lake Balmorhea seemed like a good place to start. It was only 567 miles away.

Miles ticked away a nice pace, traffic was light the whole way. Uneventful except for a new county bird, a Zone-tailed Hawk in Pecos County.

I pulled off the highway a few minutes after noon at Balmorhea, TX I decided to check the little birded Sandia Wetlands Project first. I was last at this site in August and it was dry and tractor work was going on. The first two units had water in them this time but not a single shorebird was present, except for a Killdeer calling somewhere. Very quiet here. Then I heard a sound like an insect. I was able to locate the two birds making the call, a pair of Grasshopper Sparrows made for Year Bird 465. Another bird that's been popping up out of the way.

I made my way over to Lake Balmorhea on speculation. Lots of large grebes present mostly Clark's Grebe. I was hoping for some cool gull like Sabine's but not a single gull or tern was present. Only a few Spotted Sandpipers and Killdeers for shorebirds.

Cassin's Kingbird

Made my way too Davis Mountains State Park. I had been given the advise the the Limpia Creek Trail would be my best chance for a MacGillivray's Warbler. The trail was birdy. Lots of Audubon's Warblers (Yellow-rumped Warbler), Grosbeaks, Cassin's Kingbird, Wilson's Warbler. No MacGillivray's though. Later that evening I saw an eBird.org alert for MacGillivray's Warbler for the exact location but in the camp ground. The camp ground was full of tents when I got there so I think I just missed it.

I'd been up since 3:30 am and had now driven well over 600 miles today. About 5:30 pm I headed in for the night. On my way to the hotel I got a text message about a Piratic Flycatcher in West Houston! I was even sent the pictures and it sure looked like a good one to me. It felt like I had gone the wrong direction all of a sudden.

The next morning I meet up with my host at 7:30 am and we headed to the site. It was about 45 minutes out of Fort Davis. The last bit was 4-wheel drive only and I left my car at the bottom of the hill. I was told it was just 400 yards up the hill, just turn in at the stone marker with the number on it. I walked up the hill, saw the number and turned left up the hill following what I though were fresh tire tracks. Man this was a long way. This is way more than 400 yards I told myself. Finally I came to a cabin. Funny I don't see hummingbird feeders. Wait, that's the wrong truck in the drive way. I realize I went the wrong way and hot footed it back down the hill. After my 1.2 mile wrong turn my host met me at the bottom of the hill and showed me the correct way. I was basically in sight of the place.

Magnificent Hummingbird 

We settled in on the deck. Almost right away my target bird made its appearance. Magnificent Hummingbird was Year Bird 466. This place was amazing. In about 2 hours I had 8 species of hummingbird, including White-eared Hummingbird.

The White-eared Hummingbird just added to something I've started to notice. I've very few birds with only one record this year, maybe less than 10%. I've got about 90 days to go and I wonder how that will play out.

Too soon I had to head home. I see the attraction of this place. It does grow on you. This is my fourth time in the Davis Mountains this year and there is going to have to be a 5th before the end of the year.

Fall is wrapping up for sure, but I need to keep my eyes pealed for those very few migrants I still need. I'm starting to feel what one of the previous Big Year record holders told me "At some point its going to seem like winter will never get here" I just need a couple more fall birds then let winter roll on in.

I made it home by 9 pm. I did about 1,311 miles in about 40 hours. I went there and back and still got in a little birding. Neither the Broad-billed Hummingbird nor the Piratic Flycatcher were seen again, so I guess I made the right call after all.

In Coming!

Lucifer Hummingbird

Wheels Up!

Saturday morning about 10 am I got a message from the TexasRBA alert - Northern Jacana at Estero Llano Grande State Park. Ok, here's the situation. I'm one of the leaders at the Rockport HummerBird Festival. We are in the middle if the Saturday morning field trip to the Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch. The field trip will end at about noon in Rockport. Its about 3 ours to Estero Llano Grande State Park. If I can leave by 1 pm, I could be there by 4 pm. The park closes its gates at 5 pm. This could work. Just have to take care of a couple of things first...

Step 1. Send a message to my wife who is waiting for me back in Rockport. "Northern Jacana in Estero Llano Grande State Park!". She replies "Is that there we are going later?" Have I mentioned how incredibly understanding my lovely wife Donna has been about this Big Year? I answer "Yes, we can have dinner at the Blue Onion in Weslaco, and back to Rockport by 9 pm." Her answer "What about the Texas Ornithological Society table?" That's going to be step 2.

Step 2. I ask if I can be excused from the working the TOS table with by best puppy dog sad eyes because there is a Northern Jacana with my name on it. The answer is yes, if we will give them time to grab some ice cream at Dairy Queen. Done deal! While Donna and I man the table another friend, Bill, comes by. "Aren't you on the way to the RGV" he asks. I explain the ice cream trade. Bill says "Go, I'll watch the table". Many thank-yous to Bill and we're wheels up headed south.

Northern Jacana, Estero Llano Grande SP

The drive to the RGV is uneventful and we make it just a few minutes before 4 pm as expected. Not as expected, its starting to rain. Just as we're getting out of the car John Yochum, one of the park naturalists pulls up in a cart and we ask if the jacana is still there. He says yes, I just left it, let me take you there now! We jump in and wheels up we're bouncing our way to the bird.

At 4:05 pm I'm looking at the Northern Jacana for Year Bird 464! I'm on my A game today and to quote the A-Team, I love it when a plan comes together. A short time later we execute part two of the plan, dinner at the Blue Onion. By 5 pm we are enjoying a fine craft beer and the delicious hummus and grilled flat bread.

Celebrating at
the Blue Onion

We head back. Again the trip back is mostly uneventful except the passage through the Border Patrol checkpoint south of Sarita. I've been through these checkpoints more times than I can count. Its routine and since I pull up with virtually no one in front of me I'm counting on 20 seconds at most. Nope the agent has lots of questions. "Are you cititzens?" Yes we are. "Where are you coming from?" Weslaco. "What where you doing there?" I went to see a rare bird. "You bought a rare bird?" No I went to see one. "Just one bird? what kind of rare bird?" A Northern Jacana. "What was rare about it?" Its from Mexico. "Where are you headed? We're going to Rockport tonight. "Ok you can go" So many questions!

Anyway we make it back to Rockport by 9 pm. I didn't expect to get a new one this weekend, but a big year is all about taking advantage of opportunities.