Oystercatcher Diaries 2020: Week of March 23

By Susan Heath On Monday, Taylor Bennett (GCBO Shorebird biologist) and Morgan Barnes (GCBO intern) went with me to East Matagorda Bay. They closed the beaches in Matagorda County so we thought we might have to use an alternate boat ramp because the one we normally use is on the beach road. Fortunately we could still get to it so … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2020: Week of March 16

By Susan Heath This week Alan and I were joined by Leslie Goodman and her son Travis Ly to survey West Galveston Bay. Travis is interested in a career in wildlife biology and I’m all about giving kids a taste of what it’s like! It was windy and that caused some issues with the boat but we made it work. … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2020: Week of March 9

By Susan Heath   If I could put another title on this week’s addition it would be “Things are starting to get interesting”. On Monday I was accompanied by Amanda Hackney (Blackcat GIS) for the first trip of the season to East Matagorda Bay. In years past the birds out there have started nesting later than the ones in West … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2020: Week of March 2

By Susan Heath It wasn’t pretty but we made it out to monitor the oystercatchers this week. We were supposed to go on Wednesday but there was a high chance of rain so I postponed til Friday. After seeing what the weather actually was on Wednesday it was clear we could have gone that day but you just never know. … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2020: Week of February 24

By Susan Heath I was joined by Alan Wilde (Galveston Master Naturalists), Taylor Bennett (GCBO Coastal Biologist) and Morgan Barnes (GCBO intern) for our oystercatcher survey this week. The weather was bad on Wednesday so we had to move it to Thursday. It was cold but fortunately sunny and not very windy. On Sunday, while Alan was kayaking he discovered … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2020: Week of February 17

By Susan Heath It’s that time again! Welcome to the Oystercatcher Diaries 2020. We did our first official oystercatcher survey on Tuesday and things are starting to happen. As is the case every year Struve Luci in West Galveston Bay has the early nesters. On January 31, we stopped by to do a check on them while out doing other … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/30/19 (2 raptors)

Bob reports one migrating Peregrine Falcon and one migrating Sharp-shinned Hawk today. Today is the official end of the season at Smith Point! Marvin Masters and Sara Harrison helped out today. I’d like to acknowledge all of our volunteers though. Thank you Craig Geoffroy, Jim Peterson, Joe Kennedy, John Whittle, Justin Bosler, Linda Hoffman, Lynn Wright, Marcy Brown, Mark Swanson, … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/28/19 (2 raptors)

Bob reports 2 migrating Northern Harriers today and that is all! 3100 cormorants fly by though. That’s a lot of cormorants! Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Only two days left although Bob says he may do part of Sunday since he and Sue aren’t leaving until Monday.

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/27/19 (79 raptors)

Bob reports 79 migrating raptors today. Broad-winged Hawk 2 Red-tailed Hawk 27 White-tailed Hawk 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper’s Hawk 1 Turkey Vulture 28 Black Vulture 9 Northern Harrier 5 Bald Eagle 1 Golden Eagle 2 (both young birds) Finally a Golden Eagle! Was expecting them any day now. They always come late in the season on a nice north … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/26/19 (8 raptors)

Tad reports 8 migrating raptors today. Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 1 Northern Harrier 1 Turkey Vulture 5 Strong southerly winds with overcast skies and potential for rain may have kept the birds away. A flock of 60 white pelicans was about the only thing else seen other than periodic flyby passerines and lots of swallows.