Alaska Part 1: Denali and Savage River

Disclaimer: I will try my best to do this trip justice, but words and even pictures cannot capture how incredible the land, birds, and mammals were.

I had been looking forward to Alaska for a long time. A week in Alaska was scheduled to take Anthony and I to both Denali and Kenai Fjords National Parks. This is my second time going to Alaska, having been with my grandmother in the summer of 2014 when we did the Kenai Peninsula(and it would help guide me down the path to rediscovering my love for birding) so I knew what to expect somewhat. Even then, I was not ready for what was to come.

We left Houston and flew overnight to Fairbanks via Seattle. It was awful. We landed at 2 AM Alaksan time, or 5 AM Central. We caught a small amount of sleep in the airport before getting our rental at 7. We should have been exhausted, right? Wrong. We were buzzing. This was going to be amazing, but were we setting our expectations too high? Only time would tell.

Denali means "the high one" in the Athabascan language. Mt. Denali towers over North America at 20, 310 feet. There is only 1 road in the entire park that stretches 92 miles, but only park buses can access the road after mile 15. In addition there are very few trails to protect the tundra, so off trail hiking is not only allowed but encouraged. The combination of all of that makes for a tough way to see birds, especially given the low density of birds. You can find all of Denali's birds in other places in the state. Make no mistake, I knew Denali wasn't going to be our birding spot, but it still offered great chances at ptarmigans, Northern Wheatear, and Arctic Warbler.

The real highlights of Denali are the mammals. Moose, Caribou, bears, wolves, lynx, and various rodents abound in front world class scenery. The birds drew us in but the mammals were what we were really hoping for, although you know that Arctic Warbler was a priority.

Anyways, we arrived at Denali around 10:30 to a ton of traffic around the entrance. Something was making these cars stop and we were going to go check it out. Standing in the river was an absolute unit of a Moose cow with three calves.The excellent looks were breathtaking. The calves were very scared to cross the river while their mother looked on to encourage them. They tried, but in the 15 minutes we stopped they never crossed. Moose may look big, but they're a monstrosity in person. All we could do was sit there slack-jawed.

Not a bad first sighting in Denali

Our next stop was a wakeup hike along Triple Lakes. The 3.2 mile loop meanders along the Nenana River and 3 lakes that feed into it. These lakes are largely the result of beaver dams. Rain fell as we hiked through the beautiful spruce forest, but the lake stole the show. A beautiful clear blue beckoned for us to hike closer while Swainson's Thrushes and Yellow-rumped Warblers guided us down the trail. I was taken aback by the beauty of a Yellow-rumped in breeding plumage. In Texas we only get them in drab winter plumage and their call is a dull chip, but up north we got a striking contrast of gray, black, and yellow. We were rewarded with our hike by getting a shoreline view of beavers in the lakes and Canada Jays (lifer!) flying from tree to tree.

One of the 3 lakes at Triple Lakes

The weather cleared up for us at the perfect time. We took a bus to mile 15 at the Savage River trailheads to get our first taste of the tundra. The landscape opened up considerably and the Alaskan Range shot up to provide the perfect definition of the "The Last Frontier." Of course my attention was diverted to another lifer, Spruce Grouse, chilling in the road.

We arrived at Savage River to a distant view of another mammal, a Caribou, that was laying along the river. Being the adventurous naturalists that we are, we decided to test the off trail routes of Denali. The willow scrub was much harder to cross than it looked. The wet ground squished under our feet as we waded through chest high scrub. It was great to flush up some sparrows, though. We got good looks at Savannah and White-crowned, but I was particularly pumped to get American Tree Sparrow.

Views from the Savage River bus

After huffing and puffing our way up the ridge we got the look when had hoped for. Relaxing by the Savage River was a bull caribou and we had an outstanding view. We hiked back and started on the Savage River Loop, and this is where the trip really took a turn.

First Caribou of the trip!

Mew Gulls and Black-billed Magpies were the gatekeepers to one of the most stunning views in the world. The slate gray Savage River cascaded between 2 mountains that we competing amongst themselves for all eyes on the trail. Any conversation between Anthony and I died as we tried to soak it all in. For long stretches the only thing that could be heard was the water rushing past us as it tried its best to escape from the road and any sense of humanity. It was not hard to see why. At the end of the maintained trail it was easy to see why. We crested a ridge to see a view that will stick with me until I die. The river below resembled a line drawn by a pencil as it tumbled past an ice patch and into the distant mountains. The short, but lush tundra climbed down the sides of the mountain towards the river. But the most overwhelming thing was the silence. Not even the river was making noise as we were so high up.

Mew Gull

Black-billed Magpie at Savage River

The silence was overpowering. We were really out here. Canada Jays, American Tree Sparrows, and Spruce Grouse gave a lot to reflect on in that moment. Birding is about the birds, but that's not all. It's about the people you go with, the overpowering scenery that makes you never want to leave, the other critters you see along the way, and more importantly it makes us feel like we're truly living life. Believe it or not, that wasn't the last time I would feel that way on the trip. It was fantastic motivation for day 2: the hunt for the Arctic Warbler.

A collection of the views from the end of our Savage River hike

Another Rarity

This has been an insane month. Migration kept be occupied, and I made a few trips that really took it out of me. A Kansas road trip and Big Bend were a ton of fun, but I really didn't have a ton of energy in their wake. With Alaska coming up I really just want to rest. But the travel wasn't over yet. I went to a wedding in San Antonio on June 1, and the late night was enough to discourage me from looking for Golden-cheeked Warblers or visiting the Alamo the next morning. I hauled it back to Houston early Sunday morning and settled in my apartment with an episode of the classic King of the Hill. I was ready for a nap and lazy afternoon after a Chipotle burrito.

I opened Facebok on my phone to a flurry of notifications, all from Texas birding groups. Uh oh. A Red Phalarope had been seen in Jersey Village, a neighborhood in northwest Houston. This is a TBRC review species and it was only a 22 minute drive from where I live. My exhaustion and hunger disappeared. Time to get after it. I didn't even change clothes into something more birder friendly.

I arrived around noon and the heat was stifling. Everyone in range had descended on this small retention pond across the street from the golf course to see this bird. The wetland is not a great birding destination but I'm glad someone went out and took a gander at the local birds because a Red Phalarope is fantastic find. They breed high above the Arctic Circle and winter along the Carolinas and West Coast, although they are scarcely found in the Gulf of Mexico. This was the 49th record in the state and a lifer for me.

First look at the lifer Red Phalarope. What an unbelievable start to the summer, 

There was a large group of birders still there when I arrived, but the bird was not present. We spread out around the pond, and eventually it was spotted! I raced over to some of the closest views of a bird I've ever had. This bird didn't have a single problem being around people. Normally I'm one to enjoy views of a rare bird, but hungry, tired, and pouring sweat I had to head back.

I'm really hoping no rare birds show up this weekend. It's time to study and prepare for the Last Frontier.

Slate-throated Redstart and Red Phalarope?! What is happening!

Absolutely mental

Big Bend Day 3: Rio Grande Village and Final Thoughts

There was no way I could top the prior day's birding effort. I had never been in that bad of pain from blisters so no long hikes were in play. I'm not exaggerating when I say I could hardly walk. That ended up being perfect timing for what he had planned to be a day not centered around hiking. If we could have we probably would have gone to Cottonwood/Santa Elena Canyon, but due to a wildfire that area was closed.

Our plan for the day was to walk around the Rio Grande Village and do the nature trail that follows the river before heading to the scenic Boquillas Canyon. After that we planned to cross the border into a tiny Mexican village. Our final stop was the hot springs along the Rio Grande. If we had time we would stop at Sam Nail Ranch to get some birds.

The Rio Grande Village area of Big Bend is a completely different world compared to the high Chisos. Desert replaces pine trees and Vermillion Flycatchers replace Mexican Jays. But the cool weather is also replaced by serious heat. By about 10:00 the temperature is already above 100.

View from the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail

We arrived around 10:00 due to sleeping in after our insane day the day before. On our way in we were greeted by House Finch and Pyrrhuloxia flying over the desert, but the real highlight was a Lesser Nighthawk that was still active.

The most productive place of the Rio Grande Village has always been the campground for me. Walking through we had Inca Dove, Common Ground Dove, the stunning Vermillion Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, and Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Cliff and Cave Swallows flew across the river of the trail, and Black Phoebe's flitted around the slower moving parts of the river. But there was one unexpected call that raised my attention, the rattle of a kingfisher! Looking at eBird there was really only one of the 3 Texas kingfishers that it could be: Green Kingfisher, a fantastic surprise.

Vermillion Flycatcher from the Rio Grande Village Campground

On our way to Boquillas Canyon we stopped at the pretty reliable spot for Common Black Hawk. Unfortunately the nest was unoccupied, and we were to sweaty to scare. All that was there was the ever abundant Greater Roadrunner.

Boquillas Canyon is my favorite non-Chisos area in the park. It has high cliffs dotted with caves and the Rio Grande moves at the perfect speed. The silence is deafening but it is continually broken by the croak of a Common Raven or the descending call of Canyon Wrens. The rest of the day was spent not birding, but I highly recommend Boquillas del Carmen, a small Mexican village across the Rio Grande and the hot springs that also show ancient rock paintings. We were too tired and in too much pain for Sam Nail Ranch. It also started to rain, and we were just ready to eat some food.

Insane views of Boquillas Canyon

Time for the final thoughts. In review we got a total of 45 species of birds over 3 different days. The best birds were obviously Colima Warbler and Slate-throated Redstart. Green Kingfisher is a great bird as well. We did miss Ash-throated Flycatcher, a shocking miss. Last time I was there they were abundant. Painted Redstart is a somewhat disappointing miss and I think if we had been a bit more alert we would have found one.

Big Bend is a my favorite place to bird in Texas, but it does have one fault: there is too much to see and do. We easily could have done another 3 days. If we had more time I would have wanted to do Cottonwood/Santa Elena, Blue Creek Canyon, and Lost Mine in that order. Because of that fire we missed one of the best Lucy's Warbler spots in the state.

Rock art at the hot springs

Timing is also critical. We missed out on some birds because we got up late. I'm not complaining. I'll trade Ash-throated Flycatcher for Colima Warbler. I would also suggest going no later than Memorial Day weekend. The difference between the late May and early July temperature is stark, but even when we were there it was borderline uncomfortable in the desert. The afternoons were hot in the Chisos as well, which sapped our energy fast and probably led to missing out on some good birds. I'd say late-April is the sweet spot. You can get singing Colimas on territory and you'll probably get a few degrees cooler even in the Chisos. Plus plenty of migrants will be coming through and you can probably snag a Townsend's Warbler and Western Tanager.

Hopefully I can get a winter visit next. I'd love to chase Golden Eagles, Red-naped Sapsuckers, and Green-tailed Towhees without sweating every ounce of water out of my system. Until next time, Big Bend! Thanks for another stellar weekend!

Big Bend Day 2: The Death March

At 6 AM the alarm went off, but I was already up. I had been yearning for this day since we got off the trail in 2017. It was time to do the Colima Death March. In 2017 TJ and I attempted the hike, but due to being sick and dehydrated we failed to get Colima Warbler. I was heart broken to miss it. But this was my chance at redemption.

The boot of Boot Canyon. This is probably my favorite place in Big Bend.

It's called the Colima Death March because it may be the most physically demanding bird in the ABA area to find. The only place you can find Colima Warbler in the United States is in Boot Canyon, and it breeds from April to August. Allegedly you can find it in Pine Canyon in the Chisos as well, but it is even more remote than Boot Canyon, so finding reliable data is hard. You go 3.8 miles up Pinnacles where you gain 2,400 feet of elevation before descending into Boot Canyon, where you can spend 1.5-3 miles in the canyon before leaving back down Pinnacles or going down Laguna Meadow for 4.5 miles. No matter what you're looking at at least a 10 mile hike. Even being in good shape means you get worn out by about mile 8 when the Chisos start heating up. It is not for the faint of heart.

Boot Canyon is the perfect spot for Colima Warbler. They love the dense oak woodlands that provide tons of cover. The canyon packs a powerful birding punch of some of the most sought after North American birds like Painted Redstart, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Lucifer Hummingbird, and Blue-throated Hummingbird. But getting views of any of these is tough. The canyon is very dense and the hike up Pinnacles drains a lot of focus. Plus it is extremely hot once that sun comes over the mountains. But the birding potential combined with the stunning views makes it a hike that cannot be missed, even for non-birders.

It's amazing how Boot Canyon is so different from other areas of the park, it even feels like a different world compared to the Chisos Basin.

But it gets even more exciting. The 16th state record and about 20th ABA record of Slate-throated Redstart was present for a few weeks in the canyon and looked to be nesting with a mate, which according to the ABA may be the first ever time this has happened in the ABA area. This bird is mythical for me because Mark Adams found one of the first state records during his Texas big year in 2000 that he wrote about in "Chasing Birds Across Texas." To this day it is one of my favorite books I have ever read, and it's one of the biggest influences on my passion of going all over Texas to see birds. Normally they can be found from Northern Mexico to Bolivia, but occasionally they venture into southern Texas, Arizona, and once in New Mexico. Finding one is a big deal, and it's a Code 4 rarity according to the ABA.

Mexican Jays are another rare ABA bird. They can only be found in the Chisos Mountains and the sky islands of Southeast Arizona.

The morning was cool at about 75 degrees as we started our ascent. Says Phoebes and Mexican Jays guided us up the Pinnacles. Acorn Woodpeckers and Bewick's Wrens were common on the trail as well as the Canyon and Spotted Towhees that hopped ahead of us, encouraging us to continue pushing on. Even a Gray Vireo, an uncommon sighting, made an appearance. We met many birders on the trail with the same pilgrimage in mind. More eyes in the canyon means more eyes looking for Colimas. We were the first to summit the Pinnacles, climbing the entire trail in only an hour and a half. We took a breather as White-throated Swifts welcomed us to the top. We settled in for a break to enjoy the scenery before continuing the mission as another group of birders scouted a little before their own break.

The Acorn Woodpeckers were everywhere in the Chisos.

My feet were blistered and in serious pain from the hike the night before and the current hike. The blisters had already popped and were bloody. It was not fun, but pure hype got me through the hike. Then it happened.

An excited yell of  "COLIMA" cut through the silent air at the top of that mountain. If I ran as fast I did in that moment at the NFL Combine I'd be playing for the Cowboys because I flew down that trail. I didn't even need my bins. It was right there. Drab brown bird? Check. Eye Ring? Check. Apricot colored rump? Bingo. This is it. This was my grail bird. I know some of y'all read this and think "what a goober, it's just a bird," but I don't care. I don't expect even the serious birders to understand what this means to me. When I first got into birding the adventure of it all is what captivated me. When I was new to birding and I read about the Colima Warbler I told myself I would do that hike even if it killed me. This is the bird that made me fall in love with birding 3 years ago. It's a bird that sparked a desire to see the natural beauty of Texas, something that I am so thankful to have discovered. The Colima Warbler symbolizes so much to me that I can't help but be dramatic about it.

But the day was not over. We still had a mile and a half to the Slate-throated Redstart. Our descent into Boot Canyon was rushed. Even Gordon and TJ, who had little if any interest in birds, were excited. We picked up another Colima as we made our past the junction with Juniper Canyon. Hutton's Vireos called to each other in the trees. A female Broad-tailed Hummingbird whizzed by and perched on a branch.

Then a flash of red flew across the sky. It was for sure a redstart, but what kind? Painted Redstart, a gorgeous birds, breeds in the Chisos Mountains and in the sky islands of Arizona, but it has white on its wings. This bird had solid black wings. There was little confirmation left to need. We got it, we saw the Slate-throated Redstart. This is the rarest bird I have ever seen in the ABA area, and I saw 2 of them. Amazing. Those two birds made it the best birding day of my life. We watched them fly around for about 45 minutes before making our way back to the basin. We hiked 5 miles in and went 5 miles back out. By that point I was too tired to look for more birds. The excitement had worn off and the heat was a killer, as well as my raw feet. The rest of the day I would hardly be able to walk, even with band aids and a different pair of shoes. Always break in your Chacos before a long hike. As of writing I still feel pain from the blisters when I try to walk, an entire week later. 

Slate-throated Redstart! This is the only Code 4 ABA rarity that I have seen

Which gets me to my next point. We missed a lot of birds in Boot Canyon. After leaving the group behind us got another mega rarity: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. They also got Painted Redstart, Cordilleran Flycatcher, and Blue-throated Hummingbird. Missing those birds isn't fun, but I don't care in the slightest that I missed them. I got my grail bird, and I saw a bird that is much rarer than the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher.

The sights, sounds, and experience of all of this made it a day I truly will never forget. There is a reason saying you got a Colima Warbler in Texas raises eyebrows. It pushed me to my limits and I'm a young guy in good shape. When you think of birding as a bunch of out of shape old people looking at bird feeder behind a window, think again. I saw people way older than me powering through to see these birds. It's hard, it's mentally exhausting, but it's an adventure.

We finished the afternoon with 2 appetizers at lunch, a massive chicken fried steak, and the best chili burger I have ever eaten in Terlingua. Huge shoutout to Gordon and TJ for making that hike and dealing with my probably annoying enthusiasm for seeing a 5 inch bird. I do have a hunch that those 2 are quietly becoming interested in the joys of birding, though. 

I hiked over 10 miles to go see 2 species of birds. It was 100% worth it and I can't wait to do it again. I'll let you decide if that's really cool or really crazy. But I'm gonna sit here and smile to myself knowing that I conquered the Colima Death March.

Big Bend Day 1: The Window

The jampacked birding summer has commenced! I spent Memorial Day weekend in my favorite place to bird in Texas: Big Bend National Park. Although I love to bird this park, birding wasn't the entire focus, so I didn't make it to all of the birding spots, but this was an incredible adventure.

Black-tailed Prairie Dog with a Greater Roadrunner at Marathon Prairie Dog Town

Day 1 began at 6 AM on Friday morning. My current roommate, Gordon, my former roommate, TJ, and I left Houston to drive to Big Bend where we spent the first night in the Chisos Mountains. The highlight of the drive was stunning views at Lake Amistad near Del Rio and the best Mexican food I have ever had at Live Oak Drive Thru in Uvalde. We also stopped at the Marathon Prairie Dog Town After 9 hours of driving you'd think we were dead and had no energy, right? WRONG. We arrived around 5:00 at the Chisos Mountains Lodge and ate a massive chicken fried steak with an appetizer of hot wings. We all ate the same thing, how adorable of us. After that we made the terrible decision to hike the Window Trail at sunset. While the idea was awful, it was completely worth it.

Female Pronghorn

Before we get into it let's rewind a bit. In 2017 TJ and I went to Big Bend over July 4th and saw some amazing birds and amazing views. Highlights included Lucifer Hummingbird, Painted Redstart, Scott's Oriole, and Zone-tailed Hawk. But we missed my ultimate prize: Colima Warbler. Big Bend, specifically, Boot Canyon, is the only place this bird can be seen in the United States. One canyon in the entire country holds this bird. Due to a number of factors that boil down to inexperience I missed it, and it was heartbreaking. It bothered me for 2 years, and this trip was a chance to redeem myself.

Casa Grande 

Back to 2019. My birding experience has increased exponentially and I was ready to see some birds, although hiking the Window at 6:30 PM isn't going to pick up birds. But I have to say this trail is a must do in the park for both birders and non-birders. Going at sunset yields amazing views as you descend to the bottom of the Chisos Basin. Heading down we got Blue Grosbeak, Canyon Wren, Cactus Wren, and Say's Phoebe among other common birds. The 6 mile round trip was spectacular, and I especially loved it because I got my lifer Varied Bunting, a bird I'm sure I saw in 2017 but couldn't count out of now being 100% certain I saw it. But now there was no debating. This bunting looks like it was dipped in blue paint with a reddish purple splattered on it. I wish I got a picture in the fading light.

Winding through the canyons was a treat. Gordon took this one.

What's crazy is that wasn't the highlight of the hike. I detected movement in my peripheral as we walked out of the canyon, 3 not so small dots on the mountainside. BEARS! A sow black bear and her 2 cubs were scampering up the mountain. The sow heard us a rose up on 2 feet to check us out and they continued on their way. Luckily we were a few thousand feet below them so we didn't have to worry, but that was a really cool encounter.

Sow with her 2 cubs. Park rangers told us these cubs in particular were born in January

Bears, both black and brown, wolves, mountain lions, and even jaguars used to inhabit Big Bend before being killed off. For a while only mountain lions remained, and in Big Bend you are always within territory of one so the population is pretty stable. Jaguars lasted a while, with the last one being killed in the 1940s. Can you believe that? A jaguar was alive in Big Bend in my grandparents' lifetime. It's surreal how wild that place still is, and it wouldn't shock me if one was still out there, but that's for a different post that I've been working on.

Anyways, Black Bears were extirpated from the park a while ago before naturally reclaiming the Chisos again in the 1980s and now being regularly seen throughout the park, even in the low desert areas. This is extremely rare to have an animal recolonize it's former region and it's a blessing to have our NPS do the amazing work that they've done to make it possible for something like that to happen in Texas. Seeing those bears was an experience that I can't put into words, although spoiler alert, I have a few essays penned on bears, jaguars, and nature that will be dropping soon on here.

Little did I know that the best was still to come. We hiked back to the room, guided by Black-throated Sparrows and Northern Mockingbirds along the trail. TJ and Gordon slept like rocks, but I was too excited for the next day. Despite a great birding day with a few lifers I couldn't wait for the clock to strike 6 AM. As I laid down all I could think about was one hike that goes down in birding lore: the Colima Death March. 

Gordon got an amazing shot of the Window at sunset. Perfect end to the night.

Woodland Park

I've been looking for a good local birding park since I've moved to Houston. In College Station I had Lick Creek Park and in Dallas I had White Rock Lake. I had seen some stuff on an Upper Texas Coast Facebook group the last few days about Woodland Park, which is located in The Heights area of Houston. That's less than 3 miles from my apartment, and it seems like an underbirded park that has made some waves like Golden-winged Warbler and Great Kiskadee over the last few days. While it may be no High Island or Sabine Woods I figured it was worth a shot on a Friday afternoon. It's not like I was going to the coast anyways.

It's a small park with a network of trails that is cut in half by a stormwater drain. This is critical for a good migrant spot, and it probably helps make Brison Park the amazing migrant spot that it is, as a smaller storm drain passes through it as well.

For a park in the middle of the city you definitely get the feel that you're away from it all

I descended the hill into the trees, greeted by tons of Great-tailed Grackles. It was a warm afternoon so I had really low expectations, but when I saw the storm drain I got pumped. There are some portions that are too deep for birds, that I actually saw bass and gar swimming in, but there are some places that are very shallow and flow enough for birds to bathe in, which is great for some of these tired migrants. I immediately saw male and female Indigo Buntings bathing, and a bird with a yellow crown, almost golden. I thought it could have been Chestnut-sided or Golden-winged Warbler, but by the time I got to a vantage point it was gone. I found the perfect spot to camp out for about 30 minutes while I watched various migrants come in.

There were a bunch of Indigo Buntings throughout the park

Indigo Bunting was the bird of the day, but Summer Tanager was also pretty common. The only positive ID on a warbler that I got was Common Yellowthroat, but I cleaned up on tanagers. A Swainson's Thrush was bathing in the creek, but a flash of red got me on one of my favorite migrants, Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I would see a few throughout the afternoon.

The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is a stunning bird, seeing one is a highlight of migration

The star of the show was a gorgeous Scarlet Tanager. This was a bird I looked at in my field guide as a kid and thought I would never see. I noticed it through the trees because this is an almost neon red bird. All I could do at that point was stare in awe at such a beautiful bird.

Scarlet Tanager. Look. At. That.

By that point I was sweating and I wanted to get back and relax before the draft started. Overall this looks to be a great migration park I look forward to coming back!

Still can't get over this bird

Migration

This is my favorite birding time of the year. Mid-April to mid-May is one of the craziest times on the Texas coast. Neotropical migrants from Central America are coming through on their way to breeding grounds all over the country. Some will breed in Maine and some will breed in Alaska. Some are settling down in breeding territory in Texas. It's an exciting time where lots of color fills the sky and hopeful birders sit around all day waiting for a mega rarity to blow through. Huge rarities like Double-toothed Kite and Greenish Elaenia have blown in off the coast before, and the cool thing about migration is you never know what will show up. It changes week to week, even day to day. Some days are dead, some days the trees are dripping with tired birds and you have to be careful where you walk so you don't step on a bird.

One of my favorite birds, the Roseate Spoonbill can be found everywhere on the island

There are few places on the Texas coast where legendary migration experiences can be found. Padre Island and Hazel Bazemore Park in Corpus Christi are good places, although I have never been there. High Island near Anahuac is probably the most popular place. That's where the kite and elaenia were found at High Island. I'm making my next migration trip there. Quintana, near Lake Jackson, has an amazing sanctuary there and Sabine Woods is another good place up in Beaumont, although it was dead when I went there. Why are these places so great? They are literally right off the beach. As these tired migrants literally fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula they get so tired that as much as 40% die en route. Those that survive, especially after a storm, will drop in to the nearest patch of green they can find. With so much development on the coast these tiny sanctuaries are a beacon for the birds. Anyways, enough rambling. My favorite migration sanctuary is Lafitte's Cove in Galveston.

March 31 started out hot. Walking down the boardwalk I immediately had Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bunting, and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in a Mulberry. Eastern Kingbird flew in shortly afterwards.  This was right after a bad storm had blown in and winds were blowing south at 20 mph. I got there around 2 when the wind slowed down. As exciting as it was to get some amazing migrants from the get go, it was nothing compared to what was in store in the trees.

Orchard Orioles are pretty abundant early migrants, can't wait for their cousins, Baltimore Orioles to come through!

The trees were full of warblers that are normally tough to see. Hooded Warbler was abundant, Northern Parula was everywhere, and tired Prothonotary Warblers were all over the ground. Normally parulas and prothontaries are almost impossible to see. They love to be up high and they nest in dense Spanish Moss. You can hear them when you're around them, but good luck seeing them. To be up close with such fantastic views was an awesome experience. As the afternoon wore on there were even better sightings. Black-and-white Warblers came in and Worm-eating Warblers offered brief glimpses. A few Yellow-throated Vireos popped out as well. 

Hooded Warbler

I have learned to always check every single bird. Sometimes you miss really good birds in a flock. Not so this time! I thought it was just a Northern Parula, it was actually a lifer Yellow-throated Warbler! This nemesis bird had taken forever to find, and it was a sigh of relief to be able to get it. About an hour I was checking out what would should have been another of many Prothonotary Warblers, but it had a black stripe along the eye. Somebody had been studying their field guide, because it could only be one thing: BLUE-WINGED WARBLER! Another lifer! As the sun started to set I headed back to Houston, pumped for the next trip down there, which turned out to be 6 days later.

April 6 brought in new birds and better weather. A fog had settled over Galveston Island, but the sun came out for a gorgeous day. I had lunch plans and about 3.5 hours to bird, so I started out at Lafitte's Cove. The first bird I saw was an active Blue-winged Warbler. I had really yearned for this bird for years so it was funny that I looked so long and got it twice this year already. Hooded and Prothonotary Warblers were abundant again, but I will never tire of seeing those little guys hopping around. I took a lap around the preserve, getting Indigo Bunting, Orchard Oriole, Mottled Duck, and a FOY Black-chinned Hummingbird. Still in the early stages of migration, a lot of the birds remained the same, but I did notice a little more warbler variety. The star of the early show was a lifer Glossy Ibis that had been continuing all week. I also had the best views ever of Worm-eating Warbler, a really exciting bird to get. I had some kind of thrush/Ovenbird, but before I could lock in on it flew off.

Migrants normally love these drips when the Blue Jays aren't hogging them!

Without getting repetitive and boring I'll focus on one exciting moment. There is a boardwalk that is pretty productive for shorebirds. There was a rumor of Louisiana Waterthrush hanging around the shore of the pond, and with lunch fast approaching I had to check it out. While looking for it located a Solitary Sandpiper and baby alligator. Sure enough there was a bobbing tail that gave away the Lousiana Waterthrush's location! Huzzah! Then out of nowhere a Common Yellowthroat flew across! There was also a Summer Tanager waiting for me to head out. What an amazing few minutes! That's peak migration madness right there.

Although not the best picture can you pick out the Solitary Sandpiper and Louisiana Waterthrush?

My birding day ended at Galveston Island State Park. I focused on the beach because unbeknownst to me a Groove-billed Ani, one of favorite birds because it looks like a dinosaur, had been seen on the other side of the park. But the beach was very productive. The usual suspects like Laughing Gull, Sanderling, Caspian Tern, Willet, and Brown Pelican were abundant, and I had a great chance to brush up on my shorebirding, which I am admittedly awful at. I got great looks at Western Sandpiper and I had a Piping Plover, which is always an exciting find, especially when you consider that I actually ID'ed it myself. On my way out I had a 1 bird fall out, an exhausted Yellow-throated Warbler that was foraging in the picnic tables maybe 50 yards from the surf. Overall, a great two weeks of birding.

Piping Plover

I cannot wait to get back. I am still debating between High Island and Lafitte's Cove next weekend, and then my girlfriend and probably only reader of this blog, Katie, moves in to UTMB the next weekend so I will for sure be at Lafitte's Cove for a bit that first weekend in May, which is right when the birds will be coming in force!

In other news there are some exciting birding trips coming up. Alaska is now totally booked and we are set to go! First is Denali National Park where Arctic Warblers, Northern Hawk-owls, Northern Wheatears, and Willow Ptarmigans will be sought after, followed up by a trip to Kenai Fjords National Park where Kittlitz's Murrelets, Tufted and Horned Puffins, and Pine Grosbeaks will steal the show among probably 100 other incredible species. I also have a Big Bend trip booked for Memorial Day weekend to look for Colima Warbler, Painted Redstart, and Blue-throated Hummingbird! It's an exciting time to be a friend of Birding with Christian!