Birding Trip Report – SE Texas – April 2017 – Part 1

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April 25, 2017. I drove from Pensacola FL to Winnie TX. This is a prime time of the year for warbler migration and the weather report was favorable. The motels in Winnie are the closest to birding spots at High Island, Anahuac NWR and the Bolivar peninsula. I arrived in time to do some preliminary scouting and got photos of Black Terns, Eastern Kingbirds, Green Herons, Least Sandpipers, Stilt Sandpipers and Wilson’s Snipe. I was all set to hit High Island and check out the migratory birds the next morning.

April 26, 2017. As I exited the motel room I was greeted by dense fog, strong wind, totally overcast skies, and too few photons for photography in the wooded areas at High Island, even if the birds would brave the wind and make an appearance. Seeking more light, I headed for the coast. What I found is depicted in the first photo. This is a view of what remains of the initial section of highway that once ran from the Bolivar Peninsula to Port Arthur, TX.  This section of the highway was destroyed by Hurricane Allen in 1980 and has been permanently closed since then.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Weather conditions early morning April 26, 2017

Weather conditions early morning April 26, 2017. Note the fog, the Brown Pelicans and the waves.

6 AM. Rollover Pass. Clip from Google maps, satellite view. Rollover Pass (lower left) is a man-made cut from the Gulf of Mexico through the peninsula. The tidal flow through the cut generates favorable conditions for fishermen and birders. Smith Oaks Sanctuary, one section of the Houston's Audubon preserves at High Island, is seen at the top right.

Black Tern - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Terns were actively feeding in the waves generated in the pass by the wind and the tide. This bird is in breeding plumage. Light levels were low and high ISOs were required to try to stop the action. Images are not of high quality, but I enjoyed trying to capture some of the action.  

Black Tern - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Terns, breeding and nonbreeding plumage - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern fishing - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern fishing - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern fishing - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

Black Tern fishing - Rollover Pass, TX - April 2017

White-faced Ibis - Bolivar Peninsula, TX - April 2017

8 AM. Gravel road through pasture and oil pumping stations between High Island and the Gulf. Wading birds feeding in the small pools of water hidden in the reeds.  White-faced Ibis - Bolivar Peninsula, TX - April 2017

Great Egret - Bolivar Peninsula - April 2017

Great Egret - Bolivar Peninsula - April 2017

Snowy Egret - Bolivar Peninsula - April 2017

Snowy Egret - Bolivar Peninsula - April 2017

Dickcissel - Anahuac NWR (TX) - April 2017

10:15 AM. Because of the strong wind and wave action on the beaches, shorebirds were huddled behind the wrack lines along the shore and were not very active. I decided to head for Anahuac NWR which is more inland and more protected by trees and shrubs along fence rows. This was not an effective strategy: the birds were staying low except for one Dickcissel that popped up briefly. Dickcissel - Anahuac NWR (TX) - April 2017

11:45 AM. Two tacos (grilled) with slaw, pico de gallo, shredded cheese and jalapeño ranch in fresh corn tortillas. Served with chips. Iced Tea. Ocean Grille, Crystal Beach.

I called Betty, my wife, in Pensacola to check in and give her the birding/weather report. Because across the years I always seem positive when reporting from SE Texas even when the weather is unfavorable, she calls the Winne area “one of my happy places.” It is true. I thoroughly enjoyed the morning despite the fact that all the photos were taken with high ISO settings and yielded RAW files with high noise and associated lower resolution.

12:45 PM. Some breaks in the clouds. Wind still strong. To Be Continued in Part II.   

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.