This birding trip has taken Chris months to prepare and plan for due to the amount of travelling and days needed to target certain species. As a result, the blog will be broken down into several posts. Dated posts are not a complete record of birds seen.
We left the UK on March 27th, arriving at Austin, Texas in the early evening. Unexpectedly, there was extensive fog, but the temperature was warm. This was due to an ongoing storm that was to impact our activities for the start of the trip, but we didn't know that at the time. We later found out that all flights from Austin were cancelled the following morning
There was a bit of a delay with the hire car as they didn't have the high clearance vehicle that we'd booked. We ended up, following two free upgrades with a beast of an SUV, 8 seater and white. It wasn't 4 wheel drive but it was comfortable, had good ground clearance and as it turned out was very nice to drive. We used Fox Rent a Car and were very happy with their service.
We headed off towards Cuero through wet and windy conditions and arrived at 21:30 local time.
28th March
Next morning we set off for the coast having had Northern Mockingbird in the car park, a species present at all locations visited, also Common Grackle, House Sparrow and Starling. On our way to the Fulton ferry over to Rockport we saw our first Turkey Vultures. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were the first birds photographed, although not new for us having visited other areas of the US.
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
We also recorded Crested Caracara, White-winged Dove and Black Vulture as we made out way south. The ferry had just gone when we arrived, but crossings are brief and frequent so we were soon on our way seeing Neotropical Cormorants, Sandwich Terns, 3 Royal Terns, Brown Pelicans and Laughing Gulls from the ferry. There were also Bottle-nosed Dolphins in the channel.
Brown Pelican
Arriving at Leonabelle Turnbull birding centre, in the late morning, we first had a look at the birds that were attracted to the sewage works directly next to the reserve. The list comprised of Least Sandpipers, Killdeer, Shoveler, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Crested Caracara, blue-winged Teal and Laughing Gull.
Laughing Gull
The reserve is basically a long strip of trees skirting a large brackish marsh, with a boardwalk and watch tower.
Leonabelle Turnbull birding centre
There was a lot to see here despite the heat. Around the marsh were ducks, waders, herons and egrets even quite near the walkway. This site gave us the first dowitchers, avocets and yellowlegs.
Blue-winged Teal
Prothonotary Warbler
There was also a smattering of migrants including a Palm Warbler that local watchers informed us was an unusual and rarely seen visitor to the area.
Palm Warbler
Closer to the start of the walk a clump of trees and scrubs provided some shade and fresh water and many birds were seen at close quarters.
White-eyed Vireo
White Ibis
The next stop was to try for Aplomado Falcon at Mustang Island. This would be a new species for us both and we were given the location of some nesting platforms. Having worked our way along, scanning from the road, we hadn't seen anything on the rather distant platforms but on our last drive along the stretch where these birds may be seen Chris noticed a bird next to the road. We couldn't believe our luck as the bird was engrossed in a substantial meal.
Aplomado Falcon
The bird was ringed as part of the reintroduction project in south Texas. These birds had all but disappeared from the US by the early 20th century with only a few vagrants recorded probably from a small population in northern Chihuahua, Mexico seen occasionally. This bird has taken a nightjar species.
The last stop of the day was to Holt Paradise Pond, a small wetland with boardwalk crossing the area. It is now surrounded by housing but provides a sanctuary for birds. Red-winged Blackbirds and Yellowthroat are regulars here, joined by migrants at this time of year.
Black and White Warbler
Hooded Warbler
A late afternoon ferry took us across to Port Aransas, then on to Rockport where we were to base for the next couple of days.
29th March
We were booked on the M.V. Skimmer to go out around Goose Island to try for Whooping Cranes on the following day, but had had a call that some of the runs out were now cancelled including ours, so we had to be at the jetty this morning. It was getting late for the cranes and the captain wasn't certain that we'd find any. The previous trip out had also been cancelled due to low numbers booking in this late in the season.
Waiting to board the M.V.Skimmer
Not long after reaching the area where cranes are usually seen, two were picked up, then a third. These birds came quite close, giving a much better view than had been expected. There were 9 altogether that morning but the first three gave exceptional views. The pair were both colour ringed birds with geolocators and the observation has been reported. The wild population of Whooping Crane was down to only 21 birds by 1941 as a result of habitat loss and unregulated hunting. Conservation efforts have seen a very limited recovery and around 900 birds were in existence by 2020.
Pair of colour ringed Whooping Cranes
Whooping cranes can reach up to 1.6m tall and are the tallest native American bird.
The third un-ringed bird feed constantly while we watched, crossing the channel briefly to give close flight views when the pair came too close. It was more concerned by their proximity than that of our boat.
Having bagged the desired species (although not a life tick) it was great to relax and take in the sights and sounds of the tour.
Osprey
Great Blue Heron
Double Crested and Neotropical Cormorant
In the afternoon we checked out the small reserve named for Linda. S. Castro, but it was extremely hot with minimal activity at the water drip points. We decided to try again the following morning when birds might be more active.
Northern Mockingbird
Kentucky Warbler
Gray Catbird
So, on then to Tule Creek, National Preserve. So very hot that few people were walking or cycling the path. The notice at the entry point made me chuckle.
Inca Dove, another species that we'd seen in Costa Rica last year.
Black-crested Titmouse was a new one
It was always a relief to return to the car as the air conditioning
was a relief from the heat and humidity.
It was clear that birding in the afternoon was little more than a waste of time due to the severity of the heat. It was already warm in the morning and the heat began to build from 10am or so, getting increasingly hot until 5pm when it began to ease a little.
Chris had a walk at the Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary, again very quiet and he recorded Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Hooded Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and 3 Plain Chachalaca while I stayed in the air conditioned bliss of the car.
30th March
The next day we were due to drive to the Rio Grande valley, but knowing how the afternoon birding was going, spent a short time in the cool of the morning at the Linda. S. Castro reserve before leaving. There was still very few migrants passing through and we began to wonder whether the migration was late this year.
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
We set off in the direction of Sabal Palm Sanctuary via Corpus Christie to try and see a Cattle Tyrant that was a first for the US and had been present for months. These birds usually occur in Brazil, Venezuela and Columbia. We spent a good while waiting for the bird to turn up (having identified its usual favoured place from photographs) and searched the surrounding area. We met a deliveryman, who seeing our binoculars, told us he usually saw it most days in the place where we were looking. But today it was nowhere to be seen and we continued with no Cattle Tyrant on the list.
The correct place in Corpus Christie but no sign of the bird.
It was a lengthy drive and as we travelled on we could see flooded areas below the freeway and notices warning of flooding with the advice ' turn around, don't drown'. After the drive, we were looking around Sabal Palm by mid afternoon. Here we saw amongst other birds Great Kiskadee, Verdin, Clay-coloured Sparrow, Olive Sparrow, Green Jay, Golden-fronted Warbler and Least Grebe.
Green Jay
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Great Kiskadee
When we reached our hotel we were told that had we been travelling a couple of days before we would probably have been amongst the people that ended up sleeping in their cars over night between flooded areas. On reaching our hotel, we were told that Harlingen had had 21 inches of rain, within 24 hours a couple of days before, people needed rescue and near the border with Mexico there had been 3 deaths. We now understood why the humidity was so high, and wondered how the reserves would be impacted by so much rain.
