Date: 4/24/24 2:35 pm From: Scott Ramos via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Birding in southeast Texas
Earlier this month, Dave Swayne and I made a trip to Texas with the hope of catching an early wave of migrants. While the weather did not cooperate, providing only southerly winds, and we missed the charm of a fallout, by visiting a variety of habitats in the southeast part of the state we were able to have a productive trip. We were able to see over 200 species of birds, many of them lifers for both of us. Here is a flickr link with photos of many favorites.
We camped most of the trip which added a little complexity to travel arrangements but gave us some flexibility to be in good places when we wanted. Most locations we visited are well-known eBird hotspots and we chose them for the possible collection of birds we might see. Some spots were from suggestions by local birders we met on the trip (Hazel Bazemore Park is a must!) while others we stumbled upon when en route and in need of a break from driving (Sikes Road Catfish Ponds, but beware the skeeters!). The trip report below gives detail on the itinerary and links to the hotspots should you want to visit.
Oh, and not entirely unplanned, we had a chance to witness a total eclipse. Many of the popular parks were closed to entry the days before and of the eclipse but we didn't intend to be part of a crowd. Instead, we found a backroad that borders the Balcones Canyonlands NWR, didn't have that much traffic and had plenty of sky view for watching the event. Sadly, as time approached the clouds which had been with us all morning seemed to grow denser. We despaired that the effort was not going to pay off. While laying on the edge of the road, we could occasionally see the sun being encroached upon by the moon (eclipse glasses!) then more clouds passed overhead, obscuring the sun entirely. As time neared, so did an even larger black cloud. Sigh. But serendipity prevailed and at the last moment when totality started, the skies cleared and we enjoyed a full 4+ minutes of the awesome phenomenon. It was spectacular!
As is often reported, when totality approached and the whole scene moved to darkness, all bird song ceased, with the exception of a pair of Mourning Doves. And when the event ended, the birds returned to their singing and calling as if nothing had happened. And we continued on our way to more birding.
In the end, the trip was successful in many ways. Hope you enjoy the report. Scott Ramos Seattle
