Birding trip to High Island - Part1

High Island, the best place to be during winter migration :-) I had read a lot about this place while reading about birding in Texas. Thankfully I was able to plan a trip to this place, thanks to my wife :-)

The plan was to join the bird walks arranged by Tropical Birding group. They were amazing. Took time to explain about the habitats, about the migration patterns and interesting behaviors in birds. They were very helpful and all of them volunteering for this work. They have 3 walks planned everyday during the spring migration except for Tuesday's and Wednesdays. The morning walk starts at 8:30 near the Boy Scout Woods Sanctuary. And this walks lasts about couple of hours. Afternoon walks start at 12 and the walks are planned either on shore or inland looking for shorebirds. And the evening walks start at 4 at Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary again looking for warblers and other birds. And if possible a walk would be planned near the rookery to look for the roosting birds.

I started at 6:30 and by the time I reached Boy Scout Wood Sanctuary there were already people near the Audubon center looking for birds. There was lot of activity there already. One of the first birds I saw was this beautiful Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Singing in this beautiful sunlight. First of the many life birds I saw during the visit. I thought it wouldn't be common but over the weekend I saw lot of them. The other very common bird we saw were the Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet and Summer Tanagers. These beautiful colored birds were everywhere in the woods. And most of the times seen munching the berries. All these birds do is eat after their long journey and then need to bulk up a little before they again start their northward journey. The bottle brush plants near the Audubon center was attracting lot of these birds and there were lot of Tennessee Warblers around the same trees. We also saw lot of Indigo Buntings around. There was another bird which I need to confirm the ID which looked like a Blue Grosbeak.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Orchard Oriole(Female)

Orchard Oriole(Male)

Tennessee Warbler

Orchard Oriole(1'st Summer Male)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Indigo Bunting

Blue Grosbeak

I met Charles Carlson and Chris at the Sanctuary before the walks started. I have done few birding walks with Charles Carlson and he has been very helpful with birding here in Dallas area. He usually helps me with the birding places around and helps with bird ID's :-) Even during this trip we did lot of birding together.

The bird walk was inside the Boy Scouts Wood Sanctuary. At the start of the trail we saw lot of Grey Catbirds and Tanagers. The first of the warbler seen during the walk was a Yellow Warbler and Golden Winged warbler. Also tropical birding group explained about the Brewster Warbler(which is a cross between Golden-winged Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler). We also saw Black and White Warbler near the prothonotary pond. That was the only bird we saw near the pond. I was hoping to see the water thrushes but we did not have any luck. And further on the trail we only saw Eastern-wood Pewee and a flyover Barn-owl. Since we were not seeing lot of activity on the trail we decided to head towards the Audubon center to check for birds near the bottle-brush trees.

Grey Catbird

Yellow Warbler

Golden-winged Warbler

Black and White Warbler

Behind the Audubon center they have few bird feeders where I saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting feeding. We also saw a lone Inca Dove there and other usual suspects(Tanagers, Orioles, Tennessee warblers and couple of Ruby-throated hummingbird) near the center.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Inca Dove

The walk ended at around 10 at which point I joined Chuck to checkout the Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary. There were lot of birds and the first bird we saw after entering was Chestnut-sided warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler. We also saw few Swainson's thrushes and Tanagers here. We also saw lot of Red-Eyed Vireos around

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Swainson's Thrush

Summer Tanager

Red-eyed Vireo

Northern Cardinal

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Summer Tanager

Black-throated Warbler

After a while we went to the Rookery area to see the Gallinules and other roosting birds. We saw lot egrets with chicks and there were lot of Roseate Spoonbills too. There were few Common Gallinules. We also saw a big alligator near the rookery probably waiting for an easy meal.

Pied-billed Grebe

Common Gallinule

Near the parking lot saw this beautiful Scarlet Tanager munching on the berries. Charles dropped me at Boys Scout Wood sanctuary where the noon bird walk was supposed to start. And near the Audubon center saw few people looking for birds where I got to see my first Blackburnian Warbler also present was aWhite-eye Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Scarlet Tanager

Blackburnian Warbler

White-eyed Vireo

For the noon walks usual we have to drive in our cars to some designated shorebird spots. The spots are communicated before and we were supposed to meet at Rollover pass. We had to follow the walk leaders in our cars. When we reached the rollover pass we saw there were lot of people enjoying their weekend time. We still saw few Black Skimmers, Terns and Sanderlings here. Also saw a White-morphed Reddish Egret here. Because of the number of people near there were not many birds around. Instead we were taken to Yacht Basin Road. 

Black Skimmers

Willet

At the Yatch Basin road we saw lot of Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels, Black-necked Stilts and Ruddy Turnstones. We also saw lone Black-bellied Plover and few Wilsons Plovers. We also saw few Semi-palmated plovers and it was good to see Wilsons Plovers and Semi-palmated plovers side by side for comparison. We saw couple of Common nighthawks and lone Crested Caracara which scared few of the birds arounds. Also present were lot of Willets. But the best sighting of the day was a Clapper Rail which was hiding just 5 feet away from me. My first sighting of the rail species.

Marbled Godwit

Black-winged Stilt

Tricolored Heron

Ruddy Turnstone

Whimbrel

Laughing Gull

Belted Kingfisher

Clapper Rail

Wilsons Plover

Black-bellied Plover

Crested Caracara

Semi-palmated Plover

For evening walk we were back at Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary. We saw Swainson's and Wood Thrush here along with a Veery. Of the warbler species we saw Blackburnian, Hooded, Blue-winged, Yellow-throated, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided, Black and White and Tennessee. We also saw White-eyed, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated and Philadelphia Vireos. We also got a best closeup view of Northern Parula which was quite joyous :-)

Veery

Black-throated Green Warbler

Swainson's Thrush

Hooded Warbler

Blue-winged Warbler

Northern Warbler

Yellow-throated Vireo

Wood Thrush

Yellow-throated Warbler

Cerulean Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

At the end of the walk got to see Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and a Blackpoll Warbler :-) Best way to end the day.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Blackpoll Warbler

ebird :
Boy Scout : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29207520

Rollover Pass : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29207727

Yatch Basin : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29207941

Smith Oaks : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29208167

Birds seen during the day :

1	Pied-billed Grebe
2	Double-crested Cormorant
3	Brown Pelican
4	Great Blue Heron
5	Great Egret
6	Snowy Egret
7	Tricolored Heron
8	Cattle Egret
9	Roseate Spoonbill
10	Common Gallinule
11	American Coot
12	Yellow-billed Cuckoo
13	Barn Owl
14	Ruby-throated Hummingbird
15	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
16	Eastern Wood-Pewee
17	White-eyed Vireo
18	Yellow-throated Vireo
19	Red-eyed Vireo
20	Blue Jay
21	American Crow
22	Carolina Wren
23	Ruby-crowned Kinglet
24	Veery
25	Swainson's Thrush
26	Wood Thrush
27	Gray Catbird
28	Brown Thrasher
29	Northern Mockingbird
30	Cedar Waxwing
31	Blue-winged Warbler
32	Black-and-white Warbler
33	Tennessee Warbler
34	Hooded Warbler
35	Cerulean Warbler
36	Northern Parula
37	Magnolia Warbler
38	Blackburnian Warbler
39	Chestnut-sided Warbler
40	Blackpoll Warbler
41	Yellow-throated Warbler
42	Black-throated Green Warbler
43	Summer Tanager
44	Scarlet Tanager
45	Rose-breasted Grosbeak
46	Red-winged Blackbird
47	Great-tailed Grackle
48	Orchard Oriole
49	Baltimore Oriole
50	Mallard
51	American Bittern
52	Tricolored Heron
53	Black Vulture
54	Turkey Vulture
55	Clapper Rail
56	Black-necked Stilt
57	Black-bellied Plover
58	Wilson's Plover
59	Semipalmated Plover
60	Greater Yellowlegs
61	Willet
62	Whimbrel
63	Marbled Godwit
64	Ruddy Turnstone
65	Dunlin
66	Common Nighthawk
67	Belted Kingfisher
68	Crested Caracara
69	Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
70	Reddish Egret
71	Sanderling
72	Ring-billed Gull
73	Black Tern
74	Common Tern
75	Sandwich Tern
76	Black Skimmer
77	Inca Dove
78	Chimney Swift
79	Purple Martin
80	Golden-winged Warbler
81	Northern Cardinal
82	Indigo Bunting
83	Boat-tailed Grackle
84	Baltimore Oriole
85	House Sparrow

White Rock Lake and Palo Pinto Mountain State Park

There was a rare bird alert for our Dallas area and on checking it looked like the Green tailed towhee was back in White rock lake. This bird had visited us few months back, then I did not have any luck in visiting the lake and missed out on seeing this rare bird for this part of the country. So when I saw this alert last week, decided to try my luck. The spot was clearly updated in some of the ebird reports, that helped me in getting to the right spot.

I reached the lake at around 7AM and decided to head directly towards the spot to try my luck. I was looking for the bird for around 15 min and then I saw an unusual movement but the movement of the bird was very similar to the spotted towhee that I keep seeing at my office. That was enough. I stood there with my binocs for sometime to see if the bird comes out and out he came. It was a beautiful bird. Took couple of pictures and decided to leave him in peace. Since most of the birds are in migration did not want to disturb him too much. Got my wish fulfilled though :-)

Green-tailed Towhee

The other bird I saw during the day were Spotted sandpipers near the dam area. Lot of Least Sandpipers, Ring-Billed Gulls and Blue-Winged Teals. In the woods I saw lot of wood ducks and teals swimming in the ponds. There were lot of hermit thrushes around. There were Savannah, Lincoln and White-Throated sparrows too. I also got to see my first Yellow-Crowned Night Heron. It was try to collect nest material and later I realized the nest of the bird was close by.

Spotted Sandpiper

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Wood Duck

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

White-throated Sparrow

Least Sandpiper

Near the Winfrey point of the lake I saw lot of Coots, Mallard, Blue-Winged teals and Northern Shovelers. A fellow birder had luck with a humming bird there but I did not have any luck in spotting that bird.

Cedar Waxwing

Blue-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

Red-winged Blackbird

It was a great day at WRL :-)

ebird : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28793328

Birds seen during the day.

1 Canada Goose
2 Wood Duck
3 Mallard
4 Blue-winged Teal
5 Great Blue Heron
6 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
7 Turkey Vulture
8 Red-shouldered Hawk
9 American Coot
10 Spotted Sandpiper
11 Least Sandpiper
12 Ring-billed Gull
13 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
14 Downy Woodpecker
15 Eastern Phoebe
16 White-eyed Vireo
17 Blue Jay
18 American Crow
19 Barn Swallow
20 Carolina Chickadee
21 Tufted Titmouse
22 Hermit Thrush
23 American Robin
24 Northern Mockingbird
25 European Starling
26 Cedar Waxwing
27 Yellow-rumped Warbler(Myrtle)
28 White-throated Sparrow
29 Savannah Sparrow
30 Green-tailed Towhee
31 Northern Cardinal
32 Red-winged Blackbird
33 Brown-headed Cowbird

On April 9'th I went to Palo Pinto Mountain state park with Jim Sipiroa who was leader leading the group walk. I read about this field trip in FWAS portal and sent an email to Jim if I could join the walk. He was kind enough to include me for the walk. I have not done much of birding west of dallas and this was my first. I met Jim in DFW area and from there I car pooled with Jim. Thanks for the ride Jim :-)

We reached the park at 7AM and most of the group members joined us directly over there. We were total of 6 people for the days walk. The day was cold and overcast when we started. Very little work for the camera :-) We saw quite a number of birds for the day. The highlight being Canyon wren, Black-Crested Titmouse and Ladder-backed woodpecker. I was seeing these birds for the first time :-) The other 2 birds that were new for me were Ash-Throated flycatcher and Golden-cheeked warbler  but we could only hear them during the walk. We did see lot of siskins, Gnatcher and Orange-crowned warbler chasing each other, Towhees and sparrows. Infact few of the group members did get to see a Rufous-crowned sparrow. I was one of the unlucky ones to miss out on seeing the bird. It started to rain continuously and we had to end our birding sooner than planned. It was first birding experience in rain. At one place we heard a call and some of the group members thought it could be a Black-capped Vireo. We stayed there when Jim and Missy tried to get a glance of the bird but with no luck. 

Canyon Wren

Ladder-Backed woodpecker

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Decided to call the day and we headed back home.

ebird : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28874531

Birds seen during the day.

1 Blue-winged Teal
2 Double-crested Cormorant
3 Great Blue Heron
4 Great Egret
5 Little Blue Heron
6 Turkey Vulture
7 Red-shouldered Hawk
8 Red-tailed Hawk
9 American Coot
10 Mourning Dove
11 Belted Kingfisher
12 Ladder-backed Woodpecker
13 Ash-throated Flycatcher(Heard)
14 White-eyed Vireo
15 Blue Jay
16 American Crow
17 Carolina Chickadee
18 Black-crested Titmouse
19 Canyon Wren
20 Bewick's Wren
21 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
22 Eastern Bluebird
23 Brown Thrasher
24 Northern Mockingbird
25 Black-and-white Warbler
26 Orange-crowned Warbler
27 Golden-cheeked Warbler(Heard)
28 Field Sparrow
29 White-crowned Sparrow
30 White-throated Sparrow
31 Lincoln's Sparrow
32 Spotted Towhee
33 Northern Cardinal
34 Brown-headed Cowbird
35 Pine Siskin