'Marantzian tome'
'Trumpian tweet'
What's next, can't wait!
(too bad I couldn't attend his Haiku reading!)
But boy am I glad to accompany Lance Benner and co. today to Bob's Gap. Much more productive than Smith Oaks field trip at High Island. Probably because today we weren't mainly looking for warblers and vireos lol, but at Smith Oaks I was super frustrated because of my hearing defect.
After being clueless for a while when others were exchanging info, which of course I can't hear, had to finally ask 'w-what?' When I obtained the name of the bird, it's already gone...that way missed Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Scarlet Tanager, and countless others. So, disgusted, quit on the 2nd trip.
I should've 'demanded' special treatment lol from the onset, asking them to tell ME first lol, but still.
Anyhow. Gray Vireo! Scott's Oriole! Black-throated Sparrow! White-throated Sparrow which I couldn't spot during last year(according to Tom Wurster it's still there at Arboretum? I don't believe it..haha)! Vermilion Flycatcher! I even think I took a faraway pic of Ladder-backed Woodpecker..lol.
To tap it off, again with the help of veteran birders, later spotted Harris's Sparrow!
In sum; Yoo-hoo! :)
Saturday, April 14, 2018
135(really, probably, final count) species this trip
Wrote this on the 11th;
Most surprising is probably Phainopepla male harassing an Osprey near Bolivar ferry. Not reported there, like ever(corrected by Mike Austin as Mockingbird; light played tricks on me, but no excuse. Always approach identifications with caution! Lesson again, learned)!
Missed: Anhinga, Crested Caracara(later confirmed by MA!), Buff-breasted Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper(maybe saw it?), Monk Parakeet, Chuck Will's Widow, and other usual Eastern urban/forest species. Insane traffic at Houston today afternoon denied me ever visiting W. G. Jones forest : Red-cockaded Woodpecker, alas..
Still, great, aside from the rental car company(hope they refund for the tire..they did!). Saw pretty much all target warblers, plovers, even spotted Pomarine Jaeger(what a sight), Yellow-billed Cuckoo...
Not humid and hot, at all really. First two days were COLD and rainy(drizzle)!
The moment when I confirmed with Tropical birding leaders about my sighting of Wilson's Plover..probably the highlight of the trip(spotted it then met those coming this way. They lead birding walks at High Island Thu-Mon)!
Boy Scout Woods is well known but smaller Hooks Wood is probably better in some regard. Was within a foot of that elusive Kentucky warbler twice lol. Similar elusive birds, Worm-eating warbler, Swainson's warbler, all spotted. Can't wait to upload pics at ebird and confirm with the experts...
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Again want to thank Michael Austin for ongoing?! confirmations!
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