Oystercatcher Diaries 2021: Week of March 22, 2021

By Susan Heath The weather people are just not my friends this year! We had planned to go to West Galveston Bay on Thursday but the forecast looked awful with rain and wind so we switched to Wednesday and what did we get? Rain and wind! Ugh. Alan, Taylor, Sarah and I set out to see what we could get … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2021: Week of March 15, 2021

By Susan Heath It was a busy week with the oystercatchers! On Monday, Taylor, Sarah and I headed out to East Matagorda Bay for our first check of the season. The weather was less than optimal and it was a bit drizzly and foggy. We could see well enough to be safe though and we had no backup day so … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2021: Week of March 8, 2021

By Susan Heath Well the wind was not our friend last Thursday. Remember when I said we’d pay for the good weather last week. Well, it didn’t take long. We were unable to go to Swan Lake because it was just too windy so we opted to survey some additional areas in West Galveston Bay where we could be protected … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2021: Week of March 1, 2021

By Susan Heath On Thursday I was joined by Alan Wilde and John Wright, awesome volunteers from Tiki Island, to survey West Galveston Bay and the Galveston shoreline up to Swan Lake by Texas City. The weather was beautiful for a change! There wasn’t much wind, the skies were blue, and the water was unusually clear. It was a little … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2021: Week of February 22, 2021

By Susan Heath Well the news is good so just relax and read on. We weren’t able to go out last week because of the weather and everything associated with the weather. I was worried about the birds though so on Friday (19th) I emailed Kevin Somers who lives along the Galveston Island shoreline and asked him whether the pair … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2021: Week of February 8, 2021

By Susan Heath I had to move my day with oystercatchers from Thursday to Wednesday because of the impending Arctic blast. That wouldn’t have been a big deal except I also had to go monitor Loggerhead Shrikes on Wednesday morning. The shrikes only take a couple of hours though so I figured Alan and I could make a mad dash … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2021: Week of January 25

By Susan Heath Well folks, it’s time again. I was alerted by Kevin Somers, a Galveston Island resident, that a pair of birds on Struve Luci island in West Galveston Bay might be incubating a nest on January 26. Kevin lives along the shoreline and has been keeping an eye on the birds. He was a great help last year … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/30/20 (56 raptors)

Bob reports 56 migrating raptors today. Turkey Vulture 30 Northern Harrier 2 Bald Eagle 6 Broad-winged Hawk 7 Swainson’s Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 7 American Kestrel 2 Merlin 1 The wind was strong out of the NNW all day but two Wood Storks decided today was the day to move and they flew over the tower. Possibly the latest ones … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/29/20 (0 raptors)

Bob reports no migrating raptors today. The wind was strong out of the NW all day. There were some nice rafts of Red-breasted Mergansers and flights of white pelicans. Sara Harrison and Marvin Masters kept Bob company. Tomorrow is the last day of the count!

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/26/20 (6 raptors)

Bob reports six migrating raptors today. Northern Harrier 3 Cooper’s Hawk 1 Bald Eagle 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 There was a strong east wind all day and the skies were mostly overcast. Sara Harrison joined Bob on this Thanksgiving day.

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/25/20 (2 raptors)

Bob reports one migrating Cooper’s Hawk and one migrating Merlin today. The weather was excellent with moderate north winds. Highlight of the day was a pair of duetting Great Horned Owls.