Bruce Di Labio's Blog: Birding Texas

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Birding Texas

Just back from a 10 day trip birding the Texas Hill Country, Lower Rio Grande River and the Texas coast. Overall it was a great trip with lots of exciting birds.

We started at Cancan, Neal's Lodge and found two endangered species, Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler. Both species are very rare and only occur on a limited range.

We had great views at Lost Maples Natural Area. The Golden-cheeked Warblers were easy to find by listening for their distinctive song, reminiscent of the Black-throated Green Warbler of the east. The Black-capped Vireo took a bit more effort to find. We climbed a steep trail for about a mile, in +30c temperatures, but finally had excellent views of 2 or 3 individuals.

The Lower Rio Grande region was an interesting area for a number of specialties that just reach into southern Texas. These species included Least Grebe, White-tailed Hawk, Plain Chachalaca, White-tipped Dove, Ringed Kingfisher, Red-billed Pigeon, Common Pauraque, Great Kiskadee, North Beardless Tyannulet, Couch's Kingbird, Clay-colored Thrush and Green Jay to name a few.

While birding along the Rio Grande for a few days we visited a number of the State Parks, Wildlife Refuges and Audubon areas. Frontera Audubon House and Thicket, near Weslaco, had a few rarities including a female Crimson-collared Grosbeak and Blue Bunting. Other north bound migrants included Hooded Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula and Blue Grosbeak.

Many areas were very dry due to a lengthy drought, but Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge and Estero Llano Grande State Park had a number of ponds and lots of activity including both Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Least Grebe, Green and Ringed Kingfisher, Mottled Duck and White-faced Ibis.

Before heading to South Padre Island we made a brief stop along Old Port Isabel Road and had fantastic views of both Aplomado Falcon and White -tailed Hawk resting in trees while Cassin's Sparrow's were in full song!

On South Padre Island we had a number of spring migrants including Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Summer Tanager, Yellow-breasted Chat and Yellow-throated Warbler. These birds were attracted to the fruit feeders and water drips at the South Padre Convention Center, always a good location to look for migrants.

We finished the trip part way up the Texas coast in the Corpus Christi area at Blucher Park with a small variety of migrants. Highlights included Kentucky Warbler, Chuck-wills-Widow, Indigo Bunting and Buff-bellied Hummingbird.

A wonderful 10 days of birding and photography. You can view photos of the trip here.

Good birding,
Bruce

1 comment:

Jo-Anne said...: Wonderful photos!

Wouldn't want to accidentally back up into that huge cactus. Cripes!; April 28, 2009 at 12:04 AM

Post a Comment

Birding Ethics

Ontario Field Ornithologists' Ethical Birding Principles
As the number of birders increases, we must all make every effort to act in a positive and responsible way. We must also convey responsible image to non-birders who may be affected by our activities. Most people appreciate birds but this appreciation can be quickly destroyed by the irresponsible actions of a handful of birders.

In the past a code of ethics was not considered necessary, but times have changed and as more and more pressure is put on our environment it is essential to do whatever we can to lead by example. Each of us must show consideration to other birders, landowners, habitat, birds and other wildlife at all times. We are ambassadors of birding and our actions today will reflect the respect we receive in the future.

The welfare of the birds must come first.
Whatever your interest, from scientific study to listing, always consider the impact of your activity on the bird. Respect bird protection laws. We are all responsible to ensure we abide by them at all times.

Habitat protection.
Habitat is vital for the existence of birds and we must ensure that our activities cause minimum damage to our environment. Use trails to avoid trampling vegetation.

Keep disturbance to a minimum.
Although some birds can tolerate human activity, this varies from species to species and from season to season. Use common sense and extreme caution around nests. Migrants may be tired and hungry and should not be kept from resting or feeding. When photographing birds, study their reaction and if they become agitated, back off. Avoid the use of flash photography on owls. Tape recordings and similar methods of attracting birds may cause stress for territorial birds. They should be used sparingly and avoided in heavily birded areas. Do not deliberately flush birds. Patience is often rewarded.

Rare breeding birds.
If you discover a rare breeding bird, do not feel under any obligation to report your find to other birders. Record the details of your discovery. You may wish to file the nest with the Ontario Nest Records Scheme at the Royal Ontario Museum. Avoid visiting known sites of rare breeding birds unless they can be viewed from a distance without disturbance.

Rare birds.
Rare migrants or vagrants are the species most sought after by birders. If you discover a rarity, consider the circumstances carefully before releasing the information. You must take responsibility for the decision to release the find. You should consider whether an influx of birders will disturb the bird, people or other species in the area; whether habitat will be damaged; and where people will park. Inform the landowner of the find, explain what may happen and obtain permission to tell other birders. Ask the landowner for a list of dos and don'ts, for example, where birders may stand to get a good view and what restrictions there may be on time of day. Also ask which areas are off limit. If you decide to release the news, give precise directions and instructions. If possible include a phone number. At all times make as little noise as possible. Remember, most non-birders will be surprised by the number of visitors who wish to see a rare bird.

Respect the rights of landowners and occupiers of land.
Before entering an area, be aware of the rules about access such as by-laws of Conservation Authorities, National and Provincial Parks, and Regional Authorities. Many landowners and authorities allow birders access to areas normally off limits. Always act in a responsible way and if you are asked to leave, do so immediately. Do not block gateways or cause damage to fences, and leave gates as you find them. Do not obstruct people who may be working in these areas.

Have proper consideration for other birders.
When telephoning for information, do so at reasonable hours of the day. Try not to disrupt other birders’ activities or scare the birds they are watching. Many other people enjoy the outdoors; do not interfere with their activities. Be polite to other birders and helpful to beginners. If you see people obviously disturbing birds or significantly damaging habitat, explain to them the effect of their actions but be courteous, they may not be aware of the effect they are having.

Increase our knowledge about birds.
Keep notes of your sightings and send them to area compilers. Send rare bird reports to the Secretary, Ontario Bird Records Committee.

When birding in other countries, provinces or regions.
Find out if there is a local code of ethics or any special rules that should be respected.

|Other Birding Codes of Conduct|

Bruce Di Labio's Blog

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Birding Texas

1 comment:

Blogs of Interest

Blog Archive

Followers

Birding Ethics