By Susan Heath I was elated to start the week off with an email from one of our volunteers, Oron Atkins, who told me that while out on his regular turtle patrol of Matagorda Peninsula he saw LC & R9 with their chick W0X. We banded W0X in East Matagorda Bay the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and when we … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 17
By Susan Heath On Wednesday I checked out West Galveston Bay with Alan Wilde, Stennie Meadours and Stennie’s sister Pasty Gillham. It was a beautiful day with just the right amount of wind. Not too much but enough to keep us cool. We headed up to Swan Lake to get it done in case the wind picked up later. We … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 16
By Susan Heath On Wednesday I headed out to West Galveston Bay with Alan Wilde, Tim Long, and Debbie Repasz. It was a little windy so I guess our respite of nice weather is over. We found R3 & unbanded sleeping on one of Tiki Tom’s docks. I guess they have given up for the year. Sad but probably wise … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 15
By Susan Heath On Monday Annie and I headed out to check on the birds in Bastrop and Drum Bays. I hadn’t been out there this year and I only went twice last year so I wasn’t sure what we’d find. In Bastrop Bay we only found one pair and they were on a reef so I’m not sure if … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 14
By Susan Heath On Wednesday I was joined by Alan Wilde, Maureen Nolan-Wilde (Alan’s wife, big GCBO supporter, and turtle expert) and Steve Alexander (Texas A&M Galveston for the West Galveston Bay survey. We had three sets of chicks to band and I wanted to get that out of the way in the morning so I didn’t have to worry … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 13
By Susan Heath On Wednesday I headed out to West Galveston Bay with Alan Wilde, Jo Monday, and Penny Bessire. The wind was pretty low for a change but the tide was super low so that was a challenge. R3 & unbanded, the pair by the boat ramp, weren’t incubating their nest so as we thought last week, it was … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 12
By Susan Heath On Monday I went down to Port O’Connor to go out with Allan and Brigid Berger. They’ve been monitoring the oystercatchers there and they had a chick that needed to be banded. It was pretty windy but Allan assured me all would be well on the boat and it was! We headed out towards Grass Island where … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 11
By Susan Heath On Wednesday, I was joined by John Wright and Tom Zaal for the West Galveston Bay survey. Alan is in Belize (poor guy!) so John volunteered to take over as boat tender. These guys are invaluable to me! The water was so calm I couldn’t believe it. That never happens. photo by Susan Heath We headed up … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 10
By Susan Heath On Monday I was joined by Bob Friedrichs to survey East Matagorda Bay. Bob surveys oystercatchers for the project in Tres Palacios and Lavaca Bays and he was game to see the habitat in a different bay. We headed out a bit late because I had a dentist appointment in the morning (no cavities – yeah!) but … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 9
By Susan Heath Alan and I were joined by two special visitors this week. Kay Hale is a former GCBO board member and long-time supporter of the oystercatcher project and Judy Boyce is the Executive Director of The Hershey Foundation which has been very generous to GCBO over the years. Both of these wonderful women have supported us for years … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 8
By Susan Heath On Monday I went out to the Texas City Prairie Preserve sand/shell spit with volunteers Paula Kennedy and Joey Barnes. They found that P5 & unbanded had a nest last week and we planned to trap the unbanded bird today. Sadly when we arrived we found the nest had overwashed. The eggs were still there but they … Read More
Oystercatcher Diaries 2018: Field Week 7
By Susan Heath On Monday this week I had the pleasure of joining our Experiences Auction winners to check out the oystercatchers nesting in Tres Palacios and parts of Matagorda Bay. Maureen Wilde was the winning bidder on this auction item which included a day on the water checking out oystercatchers with local Bob Friedrichs, a gourmet dinner cooked by … Read More