TEXAS

10th – 23rd April 2007

TEAM

Gavin Thomas, Garry Taylor, Micky Maher

INTRODUCTION

A last minute decision on a two week trip to catch migrants on the upper Texas coast and trips to Aransas, Houston, and the Edwards Plateau for Whooping Crane, Red Cockaded Woodpecker, Golden Cheecked Warbler and Black capped Vireo. The trip proved very successful with many migrants and most of the target species seen, we dropped on a good fall of ground dweling warblers in the first few days but in general the brighter wod warblers were very scarce.

FLIGHTS

Flights were booked on the internet for a price of £340, Gatwick to Houston with British Airways

CAR RENTAL

We hired a medium sized car from Budget it turned out to be a Pontiac G6, which is actually pretty large by UK standards easily big enough for a team of birders. We asked for an upgrade to a Mustang at the hire desk but they didn't have one avalable (one of the group was gutted!). We had a slight problem at the hire desk as they would only accept drivers if they had a credit card, only two of us did and the one without was due to do most of the driving, in the end we decided to risk it and "the one without" drove anyway. This seemed like a good idea until 20 minutes out of the airport we got pulled for doing nearly 30 over the limit, the cop took one look at a UK driving license and said the obligatory "have a nice day"! We travelled around 2500 miles and used $200 worth of unleaded!

MONEY

Obviously Dollars! We used cash machines to draw money. Micky had trouble trying to cash American Express travellers cheques because he didn't have an account with the bank he tried, then the cash point short changed him!

HOTELS

We mostly stayed in either Motel 6 or Best Western motels, both were clean roomy and inexpensive being between $80-100 per night for a room with two double beds and a sofa bed. we also stayed in a cabin for two nights at Neals Lodges in the Edwards Plateau which was good with excellent birding from the doorstep in great surroundings costing $120 per night. The motels usually had internet access but Neal's didn't

FOOD AND DRINK

We avoided fast food outlets where possible and ate in restaurants near the motels, generally the food was ok but you wouldn't go to Texas for it's cuisine! Highlights were the not for the faint hearted hot salsa in the camp shop at Neals Lodges and the Waffle House in Winnie!!!!! Garages sell a good variety of hot and cold food to keep you going and Subway have outlets all over so we used them a lot. Beer was available from garages everywhere and sold in all the restaurants we used with the exception of Neals Lodges, this area is dry so take your own.

GENERAL

We used the Sibley Guide mainly and occasionally reffered to the National Geographic and Kausmann. We also signed up to the texbirds internet message board which proved useful for finding out what we'd missed on the coast during a good fall that occurred whilst we were in the Edwards Plateau!

ITINERARY

10th

Flight from Gatwick-Houston. Drive to Winnie. Pretty uneventful apart from getting pulled by the dibble

11th

High Island Boy Scout Wood, Smith Oaks & Hooks woods. All fantastic habitat and a great intro to American birding, within minutes we were sat on our arses on superbly constructed viewing platforms (which soon became known as the kop) and not crashing through vegetation like east coast and Shetland birders are used to!

12th

Rollover Flats- Our first taste of shore birding and excellent too, Yacht Basin Road- Worth a visit but nothing amazing, Bolivar Flats- Crap one of the worst sites we've ever been birding! We heard Anthony McGeaghan rated this as the best place he's ever been birding, we've never met the guy but he clearly has a great sense of humour!!! Sabine Woods- brilliant one of our favourite sites, better habitat variety than Boy Scout and less people it's about an hour from Winnie and with the awesome Willows two minutes down the road!, The Willows- Probably the best site for seeing birds just awesome, if you go to Texas you have to go to this site, if there are migrants they will be here.

13th

Anahuac rice fields held a few birds, Anahuac National Wildfowl Refuge- very disappointing, High Island Boy Scout Woods (brief visit), Galveston Ferry- stunning views of Gulls and Pelicans!, Galveston East Beach- Fantastic Gulls,Gulls, Gulls Gulls, Terns, Terns and a few waders! Drive to Ingleside included waders in wet fields outside Rockport

14th

Goose Island State Park- Very little to see here, Aransas- Complete waste of time, drive from Aransas to Rockport produced a few waders on agricultural fields

15th

North Cove Harbour Wetland Sanctuary- Good views of waders on roadside pools, Johnsons Avenue pond- Great little site with a few wildfowl and wader sp, also a massive Cottonmouth snake!, Aransas ‘Skimmer’ Brilliant trip with Whooping Crane the highlight, but many other sp, do this trip if you are in the area but take some sun block we didn't and two days later our faces fell off!!!!.

16th

Neals Lodges Edward’s Plateau- - fantastic birding in great countryside, well worth a visit, Bat Cave- we were unable to get access but distant views of thousands and thousands of bats, this must be impressive when viewed close up, an Armadillo ran into Gav's leg!

17th

Neals Lodges, Kerr Wildlife Management Area- Stunning Black capped Vireos, also brief stops at Garner State Park and Guadaloupe River

18th

High Island - Boy Scout Wood, High Island Oil Fields- best wader site really close views from car, Hooks Wood

19th

Gilchrist Beach, Rollover Pass, High Island Boy Scout Wood, Anahuac, Smith Oaks

20th

Sabine Woods, The Willows

21st

Boy Scout Wood, Galveston Ferry Terminal, Anahuac

22nd

Boy Scout Wood, Anahuac, High Island Oil fields.

23rd

WG Jones State Forest park- for the unforgettable Red Cockaded Woodpecker and Brown headed Nuthatch. Flight Home.

SPECIES LIST

Only species of particular interest have notes, others can be assumed to be widespread or common at several sites. As this report is likely to be read mainly by UK birders we make no apology for the use of common UK names instead of the American version

Great Northern Diver Gavia immer

12 at Goose Island state park on 15th and 15 from the Skimmer the following day

Pied billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

Seen regularly at Aransas and also present at Anahuac and Johnsons avenue pond

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

Black necked Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

10 seen from the Skimmer on 16th

Northern Gannet Sula bassana

5 seen offshore from the willows on the 20th

American White Pelican Pelicanus erythrorhynchos

Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis

Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

Neotropical Cormorant Phalacrocorax olivaceus

Anhinga Anhinga anhinga

Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnifiscens

One of the birds of the trip was an adult male seen from the galveston ferry terminal on 21st

American Bittern Botarus lentiginosus

1 in a roadside ditch near Anahuac on the 19th

Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis

At least 1 seen a couple of times in flight at Anahuac on 19th

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias

Great White Egret Casmerodius albus

Snowy Egret Egretta thula

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea

Tricoloured Heron Egretta tricolor

Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Green Heron Butorides striatus

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

White Ibis Eudocimus albus

White-faced Ibis Plegdadis chihi

Roseate Spoonbill Ajaia ajaja

American Black Vulture Coragyps atratus

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis

Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor

White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons

1 Greenland race bird present at Anahuac on each visit

Snow Goose Chen caerulescens

3 present at Anahuac had slightly better credebtials than most British birds!

Wood Duck Aix sponsa

1 present on a roadside lake whilst travelling from Neal's Lodges to Kerr Wildlife area on 17th

Gadwall Anas strepera

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula

Blue-winged Teal Anas discors

Shoveler Anas clypeata

Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis

Redhead Aythya americana

Single drakes Seen at Goose Island and Johnson's Avenue pond were the only birds of the trip

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

4 on Johnson's Pond were the only birds of the trip

Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata

1 flew past the Skimmer on the 15th

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola

A flock of 7 seen from the Skimmer

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

Only seen at Johnsons Avenue pond

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

American Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus

A pair at Anahuac East showing very well along the river

White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus

Seen along the Bolivar Peninsula and marshland to the north of High Island

Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus

Sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus

Harris' Hawk Parabuteo unicintus

Only 1 seen, perched along roadside between Neals lodges and Kerr Wildlife area

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus

1 at Neals lodges on 16th gave very close but brief views

Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus

Singles seen nr Aransas on 14th and nr Winnie on 20th

Swainsons Hawk Buteo swainsoni

White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus

An immature bird ay Retillon rd along the Galveston Peninsula on 21st

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Crested Caracara Polyborus plancus

Several seen whilst driving to Aransas on 13th/14th and a single at Yacht Basin rd on 19th

American Kestrel Falco sparverius

3 seen in the Sabine woods area on 12th and a single seen on the 17th from the car

Merlin Falco columbarius

1 seen at Aransas on 14th and 1+ at High Island on 18th

Peregrine Falco peregrinus

A very large individual at High Island on the 18th and a single at Sabine on the 20th

Wild Turkey Meleagris galloparvo

Aransas

Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracencis

3 seen on the Rail walk at Anahuac on the 20th

Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris

Yatch Basin rd was the most reliable spot but also seen at Anahuac

King Rail Rallus elegans

A family party seen at Anahuac

Sora Porzana carolina

Seen on the rail walk at Anahuac and in the marsh at the south end of Boy Scout Wood

American Purple Galinule Porphyrula martinica

After nearly avoiding them all holiday we bumped into 1 at Anahuac Willows on 21st/22nd

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

American Coot Fulica americana

Whooping Crane Grus americana

3 birds seen from the Skimmer on 15th were the only birds left. It would be advisable to go a little earlier if you want to see these birds, the regular boat trips had finished as and we were fortunate to be allowed to gatecrash a private charter for the afternoon. You see literally thousands of birds from this boat and also had dolphins swimming alongside us, highly recommended.

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola

American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica

Interestingly all birds seen were in 1st summer plumage and very dull

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus

Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia

A couple seen very distantly from the viewing platform at Bolivar flats, practically the only birds here, and a single from the Skimmer

Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus

Kildeer Charadrius vociferus

American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus

Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus

American Avocet Recurvirostra americana

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca

Upto 10 at High Island Oil Fields and a few seen at Anahuac

Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes

As above but outnumbering Greater by about 3:1

Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria

Seen at Anahuac, Aransas, High Island, High Island Oil Fields and Johnsons Avenue Pond but never more than 2 seen in a day

Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

How this has never turned up in Britain is remarkable, they're everywhere!

Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia

Seen on the river at Neal's Lodges and High Island Oil Fields

Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda

A flock flew over the Motel 6 in Winnie on the first morning the singles seen at Aransas on 14th and a very showy bird in a waterfront garden in Rockport the next day

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Commonly seen. Of interest the brightness of the head pattern was variable

Long-billed Curlew Numenius americana

Hudsonian Godwit Limosa heamastica

Upto 3 at Anahuac between 19th and 22nd

Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa

Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Knot Calidris canutus

Sanderling Calidris alba

Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla

Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri

Although seen at several sites great views of this and the former species were had at at High Island Oil Fields over the last few days of the trip. Anyone wishing to get to grips with the ID of these is advised to spend a bit of time here.

Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla

Less common than the former 2 species but similarly good views at High Island Oil Fields

White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis

Only seen at High Island Oil Fields and Anahuac

Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii

2 nr Aransas on 14th, 2 High Island Oil Fields on 18th and 1 at Anahuac on 19th

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos

Upto a dozen seen at the usual wader sites

Dunlin Calidris alpina

Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus

opto 10 at the usual wader sites

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficolis

4 flying past Goose Island State Park on the 14th were th only birds of the trip

Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus

Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus

Wilson's Phalarope Phaloropus tricolor

10 along Farm Road 1985 on 13th, 3 High Island oil fields on 18th and a single there on 22nd

Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus

1 At the Galveston ferry terminal on 21st

Laughing Gull Larus atricilla

Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan

2 at Rollover pass on the 12th, 1 Galveston Beach on 13th a northward movement of at least 50 birds at various sites around Rockport on 14th and a single at Rockport on 15th

Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia

2 at Rollover pass on 12th and 5 at this site on 19th

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

Quite scarce 3 seen at Galveston Beach on 13th and Rollover Pass on 19th

American Herring Gull Larus Smithsonianus

The only opportunity to study these that we found was at galveston beach and ferry terminal where upto 20 were present

Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica

Caspian Tern Sterna caspia

Royal Tern Sterna maxima

Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis

Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri

Least Tern Sterna antillarum

Black Tern Chlidonius niger

50 at Rollover Pass on 12th and 4 here on 19th

Black Skimmer Rynchops niger

upto 200 at Rollover pass on each visit and smaller numbers elswhere along the Galveston Peninsula

Rock Dove Columba livia

Collared Dove Streptopellia decaocto

White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

Inca Dove Columbina inca

Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina

Only seen at Neal's Lodges where they weren't that common!

Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus

1 in Sabine Woods on 20th

Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americana

Upto 3 daily at Sabine Woods/High Island area

Barred Owl Strix varia

1 heard calling on the roadside nr the Bat Cave

Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis

1 at High Island on 16th

Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor

2 migrants in Boy Scout Wood on 11th, 6 displaying birds at Anahuac on 21st

Chuck Will's Widow Caprimulgus carolinensis

1 at Boy Scout Wood on 11th

Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilocus alexandri

Several seen at Neal's Lodges

Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon

Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana

A breeding pair at Neal's Lodges on 16th showed well

Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens

Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus

upto 6 at WG Jones Park on 23rd

Golden Fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons

Common at neal's Lodges

Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus

1 High Island on 11th, 1 Smith Oaks on 19th, 1 Boy Scout on 21st and 1 at WG Jones on 23rd

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varuis

Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

2 at WG Jones on 23rd

Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis

2 in WG Jones park on 23rd. The rangers are very helpfull and will happily let you know where the recent woodpecker activity has been.

Eastern Wood Peewee Contopus virens

Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens

Singles in Boy Scout Wood on 11th and Sabine Wood on 12th

Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans

Easily seen in the Neal's Lodges area

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

2 at Neal's Lodges on 16th

Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya

Singles at Neal's Lodges on 16th and Kerr Wildlife Management Area on 17th

Vermillion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus

Upto 6 at Neal's on 16th and a single at Kerr on 17th

Great-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus

Migrants seen on 6 dates at various sites with a maxima of 3 birds on any one day

Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis

Singles seen nr Neal's on 17th and Yacht basin rd on 19th

Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus

Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus

White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus

Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii

Several at Neal's Lodges on 16th

Black-capped Vireo Vireo atricapillus

After struggling to find any at Neal's we relocated to Kerr management area where the rangers showed us the best areas for the birds. We were fortunate enough to bump into a couple studying the birds for a PHD and saw a bird in the hand and seeral other birds responding to playback of the tape used to catch them, and a pair nest building

Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons

Singles at Boy Scout on the 11th, the Willows on 12th and Boy Scout on 22nd with 2 at Sabine on 12th

Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius

Singles at Boy Scout on 11th and 22nd, at Sabine on 12th and Neal's on 16th

Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus

Singles in Smith Oaks on 11th, Sabine and the Willows on 12th, Boy Scout on 19th and 2 at the Willows on 20th

Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus

1 in Boy Scout on 13th, 1 Sabine on 20th and 1 at Boy Scout on 22nd

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

upto 4 seen daily in the Boy Scout/Sabine/Anahuac sites during the second half of the trip

Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristatus

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

Raven Corvus corax

Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris

A single seen from the Skimmer on 15th

Purple Martin progne subis

Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopterix serripennis

Present at Neal's in good numbers. A single at High Island on 19th

Sand Martin Riparia riparia

Cliff Swallow Hirundo pyrrhonota

Swallow Hirundo rustica

Carolina Chickadee Parus carolinensis

Black-crested titmouse Parus bicolor

Brown-headed Nuthatch Sitta pusilla

About 6 seen in WG Jones park on 23rd

Brown Creeper Certhia americana

Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus

Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii

Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis

Marsh Wren Cistophorus palustris

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

Blue Grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis

Veery Catharus fuscescens

The least common of the Thrushes if all the reports of Grey cheecked were to be beleived with 2 in Sabine woods and 1 at The Willows on 20th being the only ones seen

Grey-cheecked Thrush Catharus minimus

A single seen in Boy Scout on 22nd was the only one seen by us but they were being reported regularly by others, we could only see Swainson's!

Swainson's Thrush catharus ustulatus

Seen on practically every visit to the woods with upwards of 10 on the 20th/21st

Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus

Singles at Boy Scout on 11th, Neal's on 16th, and Sabine on 20th

Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina

Seen on every visit to the woods, usually upto 5 birds

Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre

A couple seen at Neal's lodges feeding stations

Starling Sturus vulgaris

Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

5 along the river at Neal's on 16th

Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus

5 in the woods on 11th, 2 on 12th and singles on 19th in Boy Scout and at Anahuac on 21st

Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora

Singles in Boy Scout on 18th and 22nd

Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina

Permanently in the Bottle Brush bushes opposite the entrance to Boy Scout Wood

Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata

2 at Neal's lodges on 16th and 3 at High Island on 18th

Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla

1 at the Willows on 12th, 1 at Rockport in 15th and 4 at Neal's on 16th,

Northern Parula Parula americana

disapointingly scarce with birds only seen on 5 dates a maxima of 7 on 12th but usually less than 3 seen

Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia

The first in the Willows on 20th was followed by 5 on 22nd as this species started to arrive

Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica

A Crippling male in Sabine Wood on 12th was the only one, on reflection this was probably bird of the trip no doubt helped by the scarcity

Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia

A very elusive bird in the Anahuac Willows on the 22nd was seen briefly by one lucky member of the team!

Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata

Upto 3 seen daily in the woods

Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens

The most frequently encountered "wood Warbler" seen almost daily but only ever in very low numbers

Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia

Seen quite easily at Neal's. The shop/info centre will tell you where to look

Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca

A cracking male on 11th was a great start, followed by another duller male on 12th at the Willows and a female there on 20th were unfortunately the only ones seen

Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica

1 in Smith Oaks on 11th, 5 at Neal's on 16th and another single in Boy Scout on 22nd

Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor

A single at High Island on the 18th was only seen by one member of the team!

Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata

A very approachable tired male at High Island on 22nd was the only sighting of this late migrant

Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea

Stunning, a rival for Chestnut Sided as bird of the trip. Single drakes seen at Boy Scout on 11th and the Willows on 12th with a female at Boy Scout on 21st

Black and White Warbler Mniotilta varia

Seen on every visit to the woods with a maxima of 6 on 12th

American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla

Upto 3 seen on most days the woods were visited

Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea

2 seen each day in the high island Sabine area sites with 3 at Anahuac on 22nd

Worm Eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus

At least 10 on the 11th numbers then tailed off as this early migrant moved through

Swainson's Warbler Lymnothlypis swainsonii

A single in Boy Scout on 11th was the only sighting of this early migrant

Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus

1 or 2 seen most days in the woods with 4 on 12th being the highest count

Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis

Singles at High Island on 18th and 19th with 3 on 22nd as this late migrant started to move through

Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla

$ on 11th and 12th with singles on 18th and 20th as late irds allowed us to study the differences between this species and Northern

Kentucky Warbler Opornis formosus

Seen in the woods on most days but in small numbers usually with am daily maximum of 3

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

Seen on most days in the woods becoming commoner towards the end of the trip with a max of 7 on 22nd

Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina

An impressive fall on 11th produced at least 150 of the cracking birds. Perhaps 75 were still present on the 12th with upto 3 seen on most other days

Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens

Either 1 mobile bird in Boy Scout on 18th (or possibly 4 individuals) with further singles on 19th and 21st

Summer Tanager Piranga rubra

Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea

Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufvirgatus

A single at Neal's on 16th

Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythropthalmus

A single in Sabine Wood on 12th

Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus

Singles at Neal's on 16th and Sabine on 20th

Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps

1 at Neal's on 16th

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

A single at Goose Island on 14th and 15 at Neal's on 16th

Clay-coloured Sparrow Spizella pallida

7 at neal's on 16th

Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla

4 at Neal's on 16th

Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus

1 nr the Bat Cave on 16th, 7 en route from Neal's to Kerr on 17th, 3 at Anahuac on 19th and a single at the Willows on 20th

Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata

2 birds at Neal's on 16th

Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis

Seaside Sparrow Ammodramus maritimus

10 at Anahuac on 21st

Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii

Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys

1 bird seen rather fortuitously from the car whilst stuck at roadworks nr Garner State Park was the only one seen

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis sinuatus

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheuticus ludoviscianus

Blue Grosbeak Guirca caerulea

Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena

1 at Neal's on 16th was the only record

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea

Painted Bunting Passerina ciris

Dickcissel Spiza americana

3 at Anahuac on 19th were the only ones recorded

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoenicius

Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna

Several seen at adjacent to the beach whilst driving to Bolivar Flats

Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula

Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major

Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicana

Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater

Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius

Common and like Tenessee Warbler permanently in the Bottle Brush Bushes

Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus

Northern Oriole Icterus galbula

House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Other fauna

Quite a few Snakes were seen, from a distance! Aligators were common around High Island, Anahuac and Aransas. Several Armadillo were encountered including one that took a shine to Gav's leg! The best views were in Sabine wood

Garry Taylor- garry1366@hotmail.com