Golden Triangle Audubon Bird Alert -- April 2, 2011

Spring migration has begun in earnest.  Some 16 warbler species were reported at Sabine Woods after the passage of the cold front on Wednesday (March 30) and 12 to 16 species have been seen on subsequent days. Northern Parulas, Worm-eating, Black-and-white, and Hooded have been the most common migrant warbler species, although both Waterthrushes, Nashville, Yellow-throated, Kentucky and unusually few Prothonotary Warblers have been seen.  A good number f Palm Warblers (both Eastern and Western subspecies) have been present for some time, and there are Yellow-rumped (including at least one Audubon's), Orange-crowned and Common Yellowthroats around.

A very few Orchard Orioles have been seen; Indigo Buntings have been more numerous. One or two Summer Tanagers have passed through, while one winter plumaged Male (or perhaps a bright female) Scarlet Tanager was seen April 2.

The Gambusia Trail at Sea Rim has had a good variety of shorebirds, including Pectoral and Semi-palmated Sandpipers, two American Golden-Plovers and an early Baird's Sandpiper in addition to Dunlins, Western and Least Sandpipers, both Yellowlegs (in good numbers) and lots of Short-billed Dowitchers.  The beach has produced Wilson's, Piping, Snowy and Black-bellied Plovers, and lots of terns and gulls, including larger numbers of Sandwich Terns than have been seen in recent years. A number of Least Terns are present. Three Red Knots, one beginning to show splotches of red on the belly, were on the beach April 2.  At least one Franklin's Gull was present some days ago.

Offshore were scaup and a flock of mostly male Red-breasted Mergansers seen flying east. Otherwise, duck numbers are very much reduced although there is a Ruddy Duck (possibly not able to fly well) at the Gambusia Trail, and there are still some Shovelers and a number of Blue-winged Teal around.  Two Sulids (probably Gannets) were well offshore on April 2.

Swainson's Hawks were seen in two locations on April 2, and a Swallow-tailed Kite was seen over Hardin County also on April 2.  Eastern Kingbirds have increased in number in recent days, and the first few Scissor-tailed Flycatchers have appeared.

Compiled from reports from Cody Conway, Terry Ferguson, John Haynes, John Mariani, Steve Mayes, Kelley Sampeck, Jana Whittle.

John A. Whittle

Golden Triangle Audubon Society

P.O. Box 1292

Nederland, TX 77627