Port Aransas Whooping Crane Festival 2019-02-19 thru 2019-02-24

I was fortunate again this year to participate in the Port Aransas Whooping Crane Festival. This journal entry covers my time in Port Aransas from a few days before the festival to the last day of the festival.

On Tuesday 2/19 I birded around Port Aransas in cold, wet, overcast weather. My favorite observation was from the Wetlands Park. This stunning white-phase Reddish Egret came in close and was sporting amazing colors on its bill and lores:

Reddish Egret (White Phase)

On Wednesday 2/20 Ray Dillahunty and I scouted the Lamar area for the Birds of Lamar Peninsula field trips I led on Friday and Saturday. We had an amazing morning that included an early Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and a few close fly-overs by Whooping Cranes:

Whooping Crane - 2 - 1

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - 1 - 1

When we returned to Port Aransas we checked the Turnbull Birding Center and were treated to this stunning male Vermilion Flycatcher, which was seen there again on Sunday morning (2/24):

Vermilion Flycatcher

On Thursday afternoon I led my first field trip of the festival, a 1.5 hour bird and nature boat tour around ship channel. These short tours are always fun and I was disappointed I only got to lead one this year. Highlights included a first-year White-tailed Hawk, Northern Harriers talon-grappling, Common Loons, and these American Avocets with their bright blue legs:

American Avocets

Friday morning and Saturday afternoon I led field trips to the Lamar area. On both trips we were able to get good looks at Whooping Cranes, despite heavy fog on Friday morning. Very special thanks to Goose Island park ranger Sarah Nordlof for taking both groups into the newly acquired Big Tree Natural Area where Friday's group saw the early Scissor-tailed Flycatcher we saw on Wednesday, and Saturday's group got to see nine Whooping Cranes. Here's part of Friday's group walking through the fog:

First Lamar Field Trip

And here are some of the cranes that Saturday's group got to see there:

Whooping Cranes - 8 - 4

On Saturday morning I got to attend a bird walk led by field guide author and expert birder Richard Crossley. The walk was called "Learning to Look" and Richard presented a very well structured and passionate approach to observing birds in extreme detail, with and without optics. He emphatically explained that if you rely on gestalt bird identification (general impression, size, and shape) and cannot articulate what you are basing your identification on, then you are not really looking at the bird.

On Sunday morning I slept in, and did some casual birding later in the morning at Paradise Pond and the Turnbull Birding Center. I enjoyed seeing and sharing many of the common birds including this amazing Red-winged Blackbird:

Red-winged Blackbird

Here are a few more photos on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikael_behrens/albums/72157703502237352

Here's my eBird summary, and below are attached observations.
Can't wait for next year!

eBird Checklist Summary for: Feb 19, 2019 at 12:00 AM to Feb 24, 2019 at 11:59 PM

Number of Checklists: 11
Number of Taxa: 92

Checklists included in this summary:
(1): Port Aransas - Beach Access Road 1
Date: Feb 19, 2019 at 9:18 AM
(2): Port Aransas- Charlie's Pasture South Boardwalk (off TX-361)
Date: Feb 19, 2019 at 10:15 AM
(3): Port Aransas Wetland Park (CTC 059)
Date: Feb 19, 2019 at 10:42 AM
(4): Port Aransas Jetty (CTC 058)
Date: Feb 21, 2019 at 8:02 AM
(5): Port Aransas Community Park
Date: Feb 21, 2019 at 9:37 AM
(6): Copano Bay State Fishing Pier (CTC 049)
Date: Feb 22, 2019 at 8:25 AM
(7): 4th Street, Lamar
Date: Feb 22, 2019 at 8:45 AM
(8): Copano Bay State Fishing Pier (CTC 049)
Date: Feb 23, 2019 at 1:57 PM
(9): 4th Street, Lamar
Date: Feb 23, 2019 at 2:06 PM
(10): Port Aransas--Holt Paradise Pond
Date: Feb 24, 2019 at 9:13 AM
(11): Port Aransas- Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Ctr. (CTC 057)
Date: Feb 24, 2019 at 10:14 AM

44 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck -- (7),(9)
9 Blue-winged Teal -- (7),(11)
26 Northern Shoveler -- (3),(7),(9),(11)
1 Mallard -- (3)
6 Mottled Duck -- (3),(5)
30 Northern Pintail -- (2),(9),(11)
104 Green-winged Teal -- (11)
2 Lesser Scaup -- (5)
1 Red-breasted Merganser -- (8)
1 Ruddy Duck -- (11)
10 duck sp. -- (5)
5 Pied-billed Grebe -- (5),(7),(10)
20 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) -- (4)
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove -- (10)
2 Mourning Dove -- (7)
1 Common Gallinule (American) -- (11)
137 American Coot -- (5),(7),(9),(11)
12 Sandhill Crane -- (7),(9)
18 Whooping Crane -- (7),(9)
1 American Avocet -- (3)
7 American Oystercatcher -- (1),(4)
6 Black-bellied Plover -- (1),(5)
6 Piping Plover -- (1)
6 Killdeer -- (5),(9),(11)
2 Long-billed Curlew -- (2)
5 Ruddy Turnstone -- (1),(7)
52 Sanderling -- (1)
6 Dunlin -- (5)
17 Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher -- (3),(7),(9)
2 Wilson's Snipe -- (11)
1 Greater Yellowlegs -- (9)
45 Willet -- (1),(2),(4),(5),(9),(11)
6 Lesser Yellowlegs -- (5),(7),(11)
7 Bonaparte's Gull -- (4)
191 Laughing Gull -- (1),(3),(4),(5),(7),(8),(9),(10)
93 Ring-billed Gull -- (1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(7),(10),(11)
7 Herring Gull -- (1),(4),(7)
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull -- (1)
3 Gull-billed Tern -- (3),(5)
2 Caspian Tern -- (9)
17 Forster's Tern -- (1),(3),(9)
66 Royal Tern -- (1),(4)
3 Common Loon -- (6),(7),(8)
2 Anhinga -- (7),(9)
18 Neotropic Cormorant -- (3),(9)
56 Double-crested Cormorant -- (1),(4)
128 American White Pelican -- (3),(5),(6),(7),(8),(11)
156 Brown Pelican -- (1),(3),(4),(5),(6),(10)
6 Great Blue Heron -- (4),(5),(7),(9)
13 Great Egret -- (3),(4),(9)
78 Snowy Egret -- (3),(4),(5),(9)
2 Little Blue Heron -- (2),(9)
4 Tricolored Heron -- (9),(11)
21 Reddish Egret -- (3),(4),(5),(11)
41 White Ibis -- (2),(3),(5),(9),(11)
3 Glossy/White-faced Ibis -- (3),(9)
101 Roseate Spoonbill -- (3),(4),(5),(9),(11)
10 Black Vulture -- (7),(9)
8 Turkey Vulture -- (5),(7),(9),(11)
1 Osprey -- (5)
1 Northern Harrier -- (5)
1 Red-tailed Hawk -- (5)
1 owl sp. -- (5)
1 Crested Caracara -- (2)
2 American Kestrel -- (5),(7)
1 Peregrine Falcon -- (11)
2 Eastern Phoebe -- (7),(11)
1 Vermilion Flycatcher -- (11)
2 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher -- (7),(9)
2 Loggerhead Shrike -- (5),(11)
19 Purple Martin -- (5),(6),(7)
5 Tree Swallow -- (9)
1 Cliff Swallow -- (8)
7 Sedge Wren -- (2),(5)
1 Carolina Wren -- (7)
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet -- (10)
3 Gray Catbird -- (5),(7)
9 Northern Mockingbird -- (5),(7),(11)
5 European Starling -- (10),(11)
1 American Pipit -- (11)
1 American Goldfinch -- (5)
1 Vesper Sparrow -- (7)
5 Savannah Sparrow -- (7)
20 Western/Eastern Meadowlark -- (7)
62 Red-winged Blackbird -- (7),(10),(11)
6 Brown-headed Cowbird -- (7),(10)
276 Great-tailed Grackle -- (1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(7),(9),(10),(11)
1 Orange-crowned Warbler -- (10)
1 Common Yellowthroat -- (5)
26 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) -- (5),(7),(10),(11)
4 Northern Cardinal -- (7)
3 House Sparrow -- (6)

Posted on 24 de fevereiro de 2019, 11:08 PM by mikaelb mikaelb

Observações

Fotos / Sons

What

Batuíra-Melodiosa (Charadrius melodus)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken between beach Access Road 1 and about 2 miles south of there. Unfortunately I was unable to geotag these photos so location is not any more accurate than that.

Band code: 9G2

Fotos / Sons

What

Batuíra-Melodiosa (Charadrius melodus)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken between beach Access Road 1 and about 2 miles south of there. Unfortunately I was unable to geotag these photos so location is not any more accurate than that.

Band Code: 8N2

Fotos / Sons

What

Gaivota-d'Asa-Escura (Larus fuscus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 19, 2019 09:50 AM CST

Lugar

Texas, USA (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken between beach Access Road 1 and about 2 miles south of there. Unfortunately I was unable to geotag these photos so location is not any more accurate than that.

Fotos / Sons

What

Pelicano-branco Americano (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 19, 2019 10:55 AM CST

Descrição

Taken from the Port Aransas Wetlands Park gazebo.

Three American Pelicans are on the left, a Snowy Egret and Neotropical Cormorant are on the right.

Fotos / Sons

What

Garça-Vermelha (Egretta rufescens)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 19, 2019 10:54 AM CST

Descrição

Taken from the Port Aransas Wetlands Park gazebo.

Fotos / Sons

What

Colhereiro Americano (Platalea ajaja)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 19, 2019 10:54 AM CST

Descrição

Taken from the Port Aransas Wetlands Park gazebo.

This is one of the rattiest spoonbills I've seen! See the missing feathers on its neck. I wonder if it had a close call with a predator.

Fotos / Sons

What

Balança-Rabo-Azul-Cinzento (Polioptila caerulea)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 20, 2019 11:13 AM CST

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" at the Linda S. Castro pond in Rockport.

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 20, 2019 11:17 AM CST

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" at the Linda S. Castro pond in Rockport.

Fotos / Sons

What

Pica-Pau-Arlequim (Dryobates scalaris)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 20, 2019 10:10 AM CST

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" near the Big Tree monument in Lamar.

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Antigone canadensis)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 20, 2019 09:28 AM CST

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" near the Big Tree monument in Lamar.

Fotos / Sons

What

Suiriri-de-Cauda-Longa (Tyrannus forficatus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 20, 2019 09:52 AM CST

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" near the Big Tree monument in Lamar.

Fotos / Sons

What

Príncipe (Pyrocephalus rubinus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 20, 2019 12:16 PM CST

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" near the Big Tree monument in Lamar.

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" near the Big Tree monument in Lamar.

Fotos / Sons

What

Búteo-de-Cauda-Vermelha (Buteo jamaicensis)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 20, 2019 09:48 AM CST

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" near the Big Tree monument in Lamar.

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken while scouting for the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival field trip "Birds of Lamar Peninsula with Mikael Behrens" near the Big Tree monument in Lamar.

Fotos / Sons

What

Merganso-de-Poupa (Mergus serrator)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 21, 2019 02:52 PM CST

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's first Birding/Nature Boat Tour.

Fotos / Sons

What

Mobelha-Grande (Gavia immer)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 21, 2019 02:44 PM CST

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's first Birding/Nature Boat Tour.

Fotos / Sons

What

Gavião-de-Rabo-Branco (Geranoaetus albicaudatus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 21, 2019 02:11 PM CST

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's first Birding/Nature Boat Tour.

Fotos / Sons

What

Peneireiro-Americano (Falco sparverius)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 21, 2019 11:23 AM CST

Fotos / Sons

What

Guincho-Americano (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 21, 2019 08:29 AM CST

Fotos / Sons

What

Tagaz (Gelochelidon nilotica)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 21, 2019 10:40 AM CST

Fotos / Sons

What

Alfaiate-de-Pescoço-Pardo (Recurvirostra americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 21, 2019 02:25 PM CST

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's first Birding/Nature Boat Tour.

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's first Birds of Lamar bus tour. Despite the fog we saw 4 Whooping Cranes, Sandhill Cranes, many Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, an Anhinga, and an early Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.

Fotos / Sons

What

Galinha-d'Água (Gallinula galeata)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 24, 2019 10:46 AM CST

Descrição

Taken during the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival at the Turnbull Birding Center. This leucisting Common Gallinule has been present here for over a year.

Fotos / Sons

What

Graúna-d'Asa-Vermelha (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 24, 2019 09:50 AM CST

Descrição

Taken during the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival at Paradise Pond.

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 24, 2019 09:45 AM CST

Descrição

Taken during the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival at Paradise Pond.

Fotos / Sons

What

Chopim-Mulato (Molothrus ater)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 24, 2019 09:25 AM CST

Descrição

Taken during the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival at Paradise Pond.

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's second Birds of Lamar bus tour. The weather was much nicer and there was no fog. We saw 14 Whooping Cranes.

Many thanks to the Goose Island park ranger, Sarah Nordlof, who led us into the newly acquired Big Tree Natural Area where we got to watch 9 Whooping Cranes!

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's second Birds of Lamar bus tour. The weather was much nicer and there was no fog. We saw 14 Whooping Cranes.

Many thanks to the Goose Island park ranger, Sarah Nordlof, who led us into the newly acquired Big Tree Natural Area where we got to watch 9 Whooping Cranes!

Fotos / Sons

What

Suiriri-de-Cauda-Longa (Tyrannus forficatus)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 23, 2019 02:41 PM CST

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's second Birds of Lamar bus tour. The weather was much nicer and there was no fog. We saw 14 Whooping Cranes.

Near the Big Tree monument we found this early Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, probably the same individual I photographed on Feb 20, 2019.

Fotos / Sons

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 23, 2019 02:37 PM CST

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's second Birds of Lamar bus tour. The weather was much nicer and there was no fog. We saw 14 Whooping Cranes.

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's second Birds of Lamar bus tour. The weather was much nicer and there was no fog. We saw 14 Whooping Cranes.

Fotos / Sons

What

Grou-Americano (Grus americana)

Observador

mikaelb

Lugar

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's second Birds of Lamar bus tour. The weather was much nicer and there was no fog. We saw 14 Whooping Cranes. This was the only family group we found.

Fotos / Sons

What

Aligátor-Americano (Alligator mississippiensis)

Observador

mikaelb

Data

Fevereiro 23, 2019 02:26 PM CST

Descrição

Taken on the 2019 Whooping Crane Festival's second Birds of Lamar bus tour. The weather was much nicer and there was no fog. We saw 14 Whooping Cranes.

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