Bob reports a good day with multiple migrants! Swainson’s Hawk 2 Cooper’s Hawk 1 Swallow-tailed Kite 14 (nice!) Also a group of 13 Roseate Spoonbills and 31 Wood Storks. Come on out to the point and check things out!
Smith Point Hawk Watch 8/2/17 (1 raptor)
Bob reports 1 migrating Peregrine Falcon today. He also had a single Purple Martin. The best news is that he got to go see the Jabiru that has been on Pear Orchard Road near Anahuac NWR. Now he awaits it’s passage by Smith Point!
Smith Point Hawk Watch 8/1/17 (1 raptor)
It’s time folks! The hawk watch is up and running as of today. Bob is back because he just can’t get enough of the Texas heat (and the frigatebirds and the broad-wings and the… well you get the drift). Just one migrant today, a single Red-shouldered Hawk but Bob was entertained by 16 Magnificent Frigatebirds at once and some local … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 16
By Susan Heath I finally made it back out to East Matagorda Bay on Monday. The weather was not optimal with many rain storms in the area and ordinarily I would have passed on the trip but this was the only day it was possible. Since I’ve missed so many trips out there and my volunteers were game, we decided … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 15
By Susan Heath I wasn’t able to make it out to East Matagorda Bay last week due to boat issues and weather. This week because of the impending arrival of Tropical Storm Cindy we had to get out to West Galveston Bay on Monday to band some chicks and the Fish & Wildlife boat was not available on Tuesday so … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 14
By Susan Heath Once again we had to scrap our trip to East Matagorda Bay because of weather. I sure hope I can get out there next week. On Thursday, I checked out West Galveston Bay and Swan Lake with John Wright, Alan Wilde, and Amanda Hackney. Our goal was to head up to the Swan Lake area and get … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 13
By Susan Heath On Tuesday, John Wright, Alan Wilde, and I went to check on the birds in West Galveston Bay. The wind was all over the place and we weren’t sure how much we’d be able to get done so we focused on the two chicks that needed to be banded first. Alan and I had a tough time … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 12
By Susan Heath I had planned to go to East Matagorda Bay on Monday and West Galveston Bay on Tuesday but the wind got me again. Tuesday was forecast to have winds 17 to 19 mph and that is too high to be out on the water trying to get work done. Since there were chicks that needed to be … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 11
By Susan Heath I had to cancel my trip to East Matagorda Bay on Tuesday because the wind was too high, but on Wednesday I was able to make it out to Bastrop and Drum Bays with Texas Mid-coast NWR Complex biologist Jennifer Wilson. She wanted to check out the colonial waterbird islands there and I haven’t been out there … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 10
By Susan Heath I was able to get out East Matagorda Bay on Monday for the first time in a month. The last time I’d been out, one pair had two chicks and three pairs had nests, but the tide was really high and I feared the worst. I was joined by Jennifer Wilson, Texas Mid-Coast NWR biologist, and Woody … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 9
By Susan Heath I was unable to monitor any oystercatchers last week due to illness. Fortunately this week John and Alan were on the ball and alerted me that Monday was the only viable boat day for West Galveston Bay so we changed our field day from Wednesday to Monday. Stennie Meadours, one of the steadfast volunteers that monitors birds … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 8
By Susan Heath On Thursday I went out to Tres Palacios Bay with Bob and Ruth Fredrichs to band chicks. There were three pairs there with chicks old enough to band and I wanted to check on the nanotags I put out there as well. We headed out from the Palacios boat ramp about 8:00 and went over to the … Read More