Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Boliva Flat - Day 2
Bolivar Flat is famous for shorebirds. But the 2nd day, after I got back all the way from the Firestone store..it was still cold, and it was even rainy! Was hoping Tropical Birding noon shorebird walk would go there again, so waited, in vain lol. They birded Rollover Pass, later found out(they usually go to Bolivar Flat).
Later met a familiar elder birding couple and thanks to their scope and such, spotted American Oystercatcher(lifer!) and Red-breasted Merganser. They were from Austin methinks. The wind was just crazy on the way back to our cars!
Shorebirds frequently 'invaded' the paved road(Retillon rd, on the way to the beach, after entering the Flat boundary). Savannah Sparrow here joined it as well!
Royal, Common and Sandwich's Tern! The last was a lifer! At the middle, with a yellowish bill tip
Piping Plover, another lifer! I thought it was endangered. Found it easily though. The more elusive species was Wilson's Plover
Back to Retillon road on the way out. Solitary Sandpiper! A rare one in the West; not there though. Bigger Willet was the most common one, as in the West
Pectoral Sandpiper, another rare shorebird in the West. Mike Austin kindly confirmed it.
So at the Sanctuary, saw about 35 to 40 species, braving the wind and the rain more than 2 hours from noon. Now on to High Island again.
Later met a familiar elder birding couple and thanks to their scope and such, spotted American Oystercatcher(lifer!) and Red-breasted Merganser. They were from Austin methinks. The wind was just crazy on the way back to our cars!
Herring Gull, probably. More common in the East than the West. Galveston Ferry, so you know what I was thinking then; was in black despair! Note the blurry pic; cold and rainy!
Finally at Bolivar Flat after the travail! Birded inside the car of course; still raining!
Blue-winged Teal. The most common duck here, interesting.
Barn Swallow! Spring is spring I guess
American Avocet in gorgeous breeding plumage! There were in fact literally hundreds of them
Avocets at the Gulf!
American Oystercatcher! It was resting in the wind, so couldn't see it properly though.
The western end of Bolivar Flat is where most birds congregate. You really need a scope to sort out all those smaller birds(peeps). You can see both Pelicans, White and Brown. Also gulls, terns, Avocets..
So at the Sanctuary, saw about 35 to 40 species, braving the wind and the rain more than 2 hours from noon. Now on to High Island again.
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