Port Aransas, July 5-7 2013

I spent the weekend in Port Aransas for the holiday weekend. It's a notoriously crowded time to be here, and not very interesting bird-wise. But I made it to three of the main birding spots and still enjoyed seeing the expected birds and finding a few unexpected things.

On July 5, Paradise Pond had a male and female Painted Bunting, and a heard-only Summer Tanager. The tanager was flagged as unexpected by eBird, so I recorded the call on my iPhone. Here's the observation on iNaturalist with the recording:

http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/323948

Many Black Terns are moving through the area. They were present at the Turnbull Birding Center by the dozen, and were also visible from the pavilion of the Charlie's Pasture Nature Preserve.

A hot afternoon visit to the Turnbull Birding Center on July 6 was unexpectedly fun. There were three Magnificent Frigatebirds flying over the water and dipping into it periodically. There were at least 15 Ruddy Ducks -- even parents with ducklings. I didn't know they breed here. American Coot and Common Gallinule chicks were also fun to see. And there was one Lesser Scaup in basic plumage. See the second photo on the iNaturalist observation here:

http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/323081

Based on the second photo, it might be in a molt and currently unable to fly.

Here are my eBird observations:

July 5, Turnbull Birding Center
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14576275

July 5, Paradise Pond
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14582471

July 6 Wetland Park
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14582470

July 6 Charlie's Pasture
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14582708

July 6 Paradise Pond
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14582910

I've been increasingly interested in dragonflies lately, and was excited to get a few photos of them on the trip. The town seemed to be full of Blue Dashers. At the Turnbull Birding Center there were a few more species, and a special thanks to Greg Lasley for pointing out the Needham's Skimmers and how to distinguish them from Golden-winged.

Posted on 07 de julho de 2013, 09:53 PM by mikaelb mikaelb

Observações

Fotos / Sons

Nenhuma foto ou som

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 10:01 AM CDT

Descrição

2

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 08:08 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 08:13 AM CDT

Descrição

Port Aransas seems FULL of this species right now. They're all over the place. This one's a female.

Fotos / Sons

What

Taínha-Olhalvo (Mugil cephalus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 08:30 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Graúna-d'Asa-Vermelha (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 08:52 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:03 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:04 AM CDT

Descrição

Port Aransas seems FULL of this species right now. They're all over the place. This one's a male.

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:07 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:10 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Anolis-Marrom (Anolis sagrei)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:13 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Mariposa-Arco-Íris (Passerina ciris)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:31 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Anolis-Verde (Anolis carolinensis)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:40 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Mariposa-Arco-Íris (Passerina ciris)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:55 AM CDT

Descrição

Female

Fotos / Sons

What

Testudo (Selene vomer)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 03:43 PM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Tartaruga-Verde (Chelonia mydas)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 2013

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 04:24 PM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Picanço-Americano (Lanius ludovicianus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 04:26 PM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Rabiforcado-Magnífico (Fregata magnificens)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 09:06 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Anolis-Marrom (Anolis sagrei)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 09:18 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 09:25 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 09:30 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 10:01 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 02:12 PM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Galeirão-Americano (Fulica americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 02:19 PM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Negrelho-Americano (Aythya affinis)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 03:07 PM CDT

Fotos / Sons

What

Tartaruga-de-Orelhas-Vermelhas (Trachemys scripta ssp. elegans)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 6, 2013 03:10 PM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 7, 2013 09:56 AM CDT

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 7, 2013 09:48 AM CDT

Descrição

This tiny long narrow shell was about 1 to 1.5 inches long. As you can see, it was very much alive. I found it in the surf.

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 7, 2013 09:52 AM CDT

Descrição

I assume these are Donax texasianus. Does anyone know for sure? We've always known these little colorful shells at the water's edge as Coquinas.

Fotos / Sons

What

Sanhaço-de-Fogo-Migrador (Piranga rubra)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 5, 2013 09:30 AM CDT

Descrição

The bird was heard-only, calling not singing. The recording is faint, made with my iPhone.

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Julho 7, 2013 05:54 PM CDT

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