Birding in the teeth of a gale
We were back on guiding duty again taking another group of ABA Birders out to the fantastic sites around the Port Aransas area. The only trouble was the wind. It was blowing so hard at Indian Point Park that we could barely stand upright never mind hold bins and scopes steady. We had to resort to angling the bus as a windbreak and shelter behind that. Of course the birds themselves didn't have such luxury, so they were harder to see than usual. We decided birding from the bus was our best option and in the calm of our elevated position we were able to pick out Snowy and Wilsons Plovers, Royal and Caspian Terns, Whimbrel and the incredible Long-billed Curlew.
At Port Aransas Birding Centre the whole group enjoyed amazing views of a Magnificent Frigatebird which soared over the pools swooping down to dip its belly in the water just feet in front of us. What a spectacle! We also scoped a good range of waders (shorebirds) including Short-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin in breeding plumage, Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers and American Avocets, while a Stilt Sandpiper pottered right beside the boardwalk. Marbled Godwits flew in and Yellow-crowned Night Heron posed on one leg. A great place and we had to reluctantly drag the group away to our final destination of Paradise Pond. At the drip male and female Blackpoll Warblers, a Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroats and a Northern Parula bathed and drank. A Grey-cheeked Thrush lurked in the vegetation and eventually showed to all, a life-bird for many of our group. On the foxtail grasses a riot of colour paraded right in front of us, in the shape of Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Summer Tanager, Indigo
Buntings and, best of all, a rainbow of colour called Painted Buntings.
From a tough start, we ended on a pleasing 110 species, not bad considering we were back at the hotel in time for afternoon tea!