Golden Triangle Audubon Bird Alert Update -- April 14, 2010
Birding in Sabine Woods today (April 14) was slow (for a day in mid April). Most of the 13 or so warbler species were present in ones and twos, excepting Yellow-rumped Warblers. However, there were still at least three Western Palm Warblers, and several Worm-eating Warblers. Other species which were numerous only a day or so ago were present only in small numbers - Summer Tanager, Wood Thrush, White-eyed Vireo. There was only a hint of possible arrivals in the middle of the day.
A "small nighthawk" was accidentally flushed during the afternoon from trees on the south side of the NW "Island Pond" and kept low. This location is near where yesterday's Lesser Nighthawk was seen.
Apparently, the Lower Texas Coast has received the majority of today's flight, possibly caused by a combination of birds skirting west of the disturbed weather NW of the Yucatan and then heading west in to south Texas to avoid penetrating the continuation of this disturbed weather. The timing of forthcoming weather events seems very uncertain, but the high pressure area over the southeast states is forecast to slide back towards Bermuda (where it normally is!). When the front approaching from the northwest reaches the coast (and indeed whether it reaches the coast at all) is not clear, but late Saturday/early Sunday is indicated by the most used models. This is not a strong front, although it is forecast to produced relatively light northerly winds on the Upper Texas Coast on Sunday, but these winds will not persist for long as the front probably dissipates.
From reports by Steve Dillinger and Howard Davis.
John A. Whittle
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