Bird Alert -- July 31, 2008

Some birds are beginning to think about migrating back south!  Christine Sliva found a sizeable roost of Purple Martins that are using the trees near the St. Elizabeth Wellness Center in Beaumont, bounded by North Street, I-10 East Service Road, Harrison Street and 14th Street.

Swallow-tailed Kites are being seen in the Liberty area, especially near US90 between Liberty and Dayton, usually nearer Liberty.  They come and go, so drive the road two or three times if you don't see any the first time.  There are also a good number of Mississippi Kites in the area.  Swallow-tailed Kites are being seen in various places near the Neches and Sabine Rivers.  Please report any sightings.  The Jordans are seeing one or two Mississippi Kites regularly in north Beaumont.

On July 25, John Haynes found a surprising number of birds in Sabine Woods including the expected Orchard Orioles, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Painted Bunting, Carolina Wren and Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, White-eyed Vireos, and Common Yellowthroat. Also seen were presumably early migrant Red-eyed Vireo (1), Gray Catbird (2), Black-and-white Warbler (7 or more), and Louisiana Waterthrush (1). 

Steve Mayes reported a number of shorebirds on Pleasure Island on July 27. On the levee on the west side, the most numerous appeared to be Western Sandpipers and Short-billed Dowitchers but also Spotted, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers along with lots of wading birds including two immature dark-morph Reddish Egrets and good numbers of American Avocets.  There were also a few Black Skimmers there.  Surprising was a well seen White-rumped Sandpiper.  Also from the levee, at least three Painted Buntings.  Some of these birds were distant and a scope is required.  On the other side of the south impoundment (near the first fishing pier) there were also birds, though not as many.  This included more Avocets and Skimmers along with six Marbled Godwits and five basic-plumaged Red Knots.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been present from north Beaumont northwards all summer, but a few have now appeared in mid-County, presumably beginning their southward migration.

John A. Whittle