Recently returned from a quick trip to the Galveston, Texas area. About 2 days of birding yielded 118 species. Warblers were only fair and numbers of other usually common migrant landbirds were way down. Hopefully just the timing. Laffite’s Cove toward the western end of Galveston Island was more productive than High Island for warblers and yielded a rare-for-Texas Black-whiskered Vireo.
Here are a few photos from the area.
This Wilson’s Phalarope and Lesser Yellowlegs were palling around for 2 days.
Whimbrel’s were unusually common on Yacht Basin Road near Roll-over Pass.
The water moccasin took a young Northern Cardinal that was not paying attention. It’s a jungle out there.
Not the best photo of a Spotted Sandpiper but I love the way the bob their tail as they move along. Spotted’s are now along the golf course near my home in Dallas.
A trip to the rookery at High Island is always worth the time. Hundreds of nesting Roseate Spoonbills and egrets.
This Rose-breasted Grosbeak was only about a foot off of the ground and paid no attention to attentive birders that walked by within a few feet of the bird.
A rare, for Texas, Long-tailed Duck resting on the beach on Bolivar Peninsula.
Several Lesser Scaup were also resting on the shore.
Fluvous (left) and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.
The amazing legs of the Black-necked Stilt.
