Birding the Lone Star State
We've escaped the office and computer and travelled out to Texas for the American Birding Association Convention at Corpus Christi. We spent the first few days at High Island near Houston, where we joined our friends from Tropical Birding. As ever the migration spectacle was excellent and we enjoyed great views of warblers such as Golden-winged, Bay-breasted, Black-throated Green and Magnolia. Add to the colour mix Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Blue and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Indigo Buntings, and that was just in the woods! Down on the coast we watched Black Skimmers, and a host of American waders.
We drove down to Corpus Christi for the Convention but not without taking time out to meet up with our good friends from last year's trip to Ethiopia, Oz and Gail. They were visiting local residents Carole and Norbert who were kind enough to invite us over to their home on Padre Island for a delicious BBQ - and a good view of the Great Horned Owl in their backyard.
Today we checked out a few birding sites at the north end of Mustang Island. Highlights included Cape May, Wilsons and Northern Parula Warblers, Stilt, Western and Least Sandpipers, Wilson's Phalaropes and an 11 foot long Aligator!