Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Traveling northeast along the Gulf Coast

 

First stop on our way north was at Corpus Christi for this rare Cattle Tyrant.
We enjoyed this life bird as it was enjoying Oyster Bar dumpster insects.

Scissor-tailed Flycaytchers were arriving in big numbers and we saw them perched along the highway.

First two nights were at Goose Island State Park and this is the centuries old "Big Tree" that has survived several hurricanes.

Things are looking up.  Roseate Spoonbill and Great Blue Heron 

There are feeder stations throughout the campground.  Clay-colored Sparrow takes the plunge.

Carolina Wren visits drip.

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Inca Doves courting

Loggerhead Shrike

Gray Catbird

Along the Goose Island pier were a pair of Am. Oystercatchers

American Oystercatcher feeding on oysters

Pipevine Swallowtail laying eggs

Propeller Flower

Marsh Fleabane

Scarlet Indian Paintbrush

Slender Dayflower

Narrow-leaf Blue-eyed Grass

Goose Island Sunrise, we head northeast

We looked forward to revisiting High Island Rookery, it did not disappoint

Great Egret carrying nesting material



Great Egret bowing display over nest with eggs

Great Egret incubating

Great Egret lift-off

Great Egret - bonding display

Roseate Spoonbill colony

Roseate Spoonbill full breeding plumage

Spoonbill landing


Tricolored Heron in nuptial plumage


Snowy Egret squabbles for nesting space

This is my branch!

Purple Gallinule just arrived to the rookery

Majestic colors on full display

Bolivar Flats is a renowned Shorebird migration stop - American Avocet

Willets look so different in their breeding plumage

Long-billed Curlew

One of our target birds - Wilson's Plover

Wilson's Plovers like to blend in on the beach

Snowy Plover

Semipalmated Plover

American Golden Plover

Sunset on 1,000+ Avocets and thousands of other shorebirds

Laughing Gull adult in full Spring plumage

Dolphin pod escorts large ship going down the canal on our third ferry crossing

Dolphins seem to love to play



We made it across Louisiana and into Mississippi, staying at Buccaneer State Park.
We started adding first of the year Eastern birds.
Red-bellied Woodpecker

 

Brown Thrasher pair

Next stop - Dauphin Island Campground, AL and three weeks of migrant birding.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann









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