Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 5

By Susan Heath On Monday, Amanda and I were joined by Allison Huysman who is working at the Mad Island Marsh Preserve banding station this spring. Things have been a little slow so far this year at the banding station and Allison was up for a day on the water so invited her to come along. It’s always exciting to … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 3

By Susan Heath The wind was too high to go out to East Matagorda Bay on Monday and because I was attending a Loggerhead Shrike Working Group meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, I didn’t have any available days to switch to so we were only able to get out to West Galveston Bay this week. In addition, our faithful photographer … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 2

By Susan Heath On Monday, GCBO shorebird technician Amanda Anderson, Cradle of Texas Master Naturalist Oron Atkins, and I headed out to East Matagorda Bay to check on the pairs there. The good folks at the Texas Mid-Coast National Wildlife Refuge are letting us use their boat for this monitoring and for that we thank them very much! To monitor … Read More

Oystercatcher Diaries 2017: Field Week 1

By Susan Heath Believe it or not, it’s time to start monitoring the American Oystercatchers for nesting activity. This year we’ll be monitoring the birds in West Galveston Bay and East Matagorda Bay once a week. We’ll be putting nanotags on 10 adults and 5 chicks so we can track their movements using our new Motus tower network. This project … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/15/16 (148 raptors)

Well that’s a wrap folks. The last day of the hawk watch was today. Bob, Tad, Joe and I had nice day enjoying the last of the birds for this year’s total. Seems like we should keep going a bit since we had so many birds today but alas, it is not to be. We waited all day in vain … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/14/16 (84 raptors)

It’s slowing down folks. Tomorrow is the last day of the hawk watch! Bob enjoyed watching some shorebirds mucking about in the mud today and an adult Bald Eagle is always a treat. Broad-winged Hawk 11 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Swainson’s Hawk 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper’s Hawk 2 Turkey Vulture 52 Northern Harrier 12 Bald Eagle 1

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/13/16 (23 raptors)

An overcast day without a lot of activity. Bob reports lots of robins and some close loons in the bay. Broad-winged Hawk 10 Red-tailed Hawk 4 Swainson’s Hawk 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper’s Hawk 1 American Kestrel 1 Northern Harrier 3

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/11/16 (224 raptors)

A great day with a non-migrating adult Bald Eagle, lots of Sandhill Cranes, and over 1000 Greater White-fronted Geese. This is the last weekend of the hawk watch (it ends next Tuesday) so if you haven’t gotten your fix you better go visit Bob this weekend! Broad-winged Hawk 45 Red-tailed Hawk 11 Swainson’s Hawk 9 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 White-tailed Hawk … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/10/16 (148 raptors)

Bob reports no birds of note but decent raptors Broad-winged Hawk 31 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Swainson’s Hawk 6 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 Cooper’s Hawk 4 Turkey Vulture 90 Black Vulture 2 American Kestrel 1 Merlin 1 Northern Harrier 8

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/9/16 (133 raptors)

Tad reports a weird weather day with north winds all day but constantly changing skies. Birds of the day were seven Snow Geese that flew low over the tower very early. Broad-winged Hawk 23 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Swainson’s Hawk 6 Sharp-shinned Hawk 12 Cooper’s Hawk 22 Turkey Vulture 57 American Kestrel 2 Merlin 1 Osprey 1 Northern Harrier 6 White-tailed … Read More

Smith Point Hawk Watch 11/7/16 (52 raptors)

Another slow day but not as bad as yesterday! Broad-winged Hawk 8 Swainson’s Hawk 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 8 Cooper’s Hawk 4 Turkey Vulture 8 American Kestrel 5 Peregrine Falcon 2 Northern Harrier 16