South Padre Island, Sargassum Birds, 4/25/14

After a few hours of looking at pretty passerines at south Padre Island yesterday, I decided it was time to drive the beach and look for rare stuff like Black Turnstones and Wandering Tattlers (I like to think big!) However the beach was loaded with tons of Sargassum and driving was very difficult so I didn't get as far as planned.  This time of year the south east winds blow the floating Sargassum seaweed onto the beach where it provides lots of food for migrating shore birds.  I saw close to 200 Ruddy Turnstones while driving only ten miles.

Black-bellied Plovers were scattered along the beach.

As were Dunlins.

I found a neat flock of twenty migrating Willets but my inept camera skills caused me to miss the photos. Here's a single.

Hundreds of egrets, mostly Cattle Egrets, moved north.

When there's Sargassum seaweed, there's also the Sargassum Fish, Histrio histrio.  This member of the frogfish family is a voracious little predator in the floating beds of Sargassum.  It comes equipped with its own little fishing pole that lures unsuspecting prey into its cavernous mouth.  This Laughing Gull is proudly showing off the Sargassum Fish he caught.

Not so fast buddy!

The proud victor.  And for the Sargassum Fish, what goes around comes around.  Though not a puffer, the fish has the ability to gulp air and enlarge to make things difficult for the would be predator.

A real surprise on the beach were passerines feeding in the Sargassum weed.  Here's a bright Yellow warbler.

And a late Louisiana Waterthrush.  At least that was my ID based on jizz.  I also saw one that was clearly a Northern Waterthrush. 

"Hey, have I got something for you!"

"Just leave me alone."

After ten miles of bouncing on the rough beach, I decided against fifteen more miles to the Port Mansfield Channel so I turned around and headed for home.  Guess I need to get an early start and try again.

South Padre Island Passerines, 4/25/14

Lots of good stuff has been seen the past week at SPI so I thought it was time to get out there and work on the year list and get some photos.  The wind was blowing from the east which is a bit unusual so I hoped something may have dropped in.  Turned out to be a pretty normal spring day on the Island.  Buntings and grosbeaks were aplenty.  I have a tough time getting photos I like of Painted Bunting but these were pretty good.

Here's an Indigo Bunting getting dressed for some springtime action.

I really like Blue Grosbeaks.  One good thing about them and Painted Buntings is that they stay for the summer.  Brushline road is a good place for both of them.  This one was working on a sunflower at Sheepshead.

Finally got my Scarlet Tanager for the year.  Thanks to the other Scarlet for putting out the fruit to attract these guys.

I saw fifteen species of warblers for the day which is pretty average for a non-fallout late April day. Unfortunately I had my stupid camera on the wrong mode and butchered about half of my photos.  Or maybe it was the photographers fault.  Best warbler for me was this male Blackpoll Warbler.  Love those orange legs.

Here's a very late Hermit Thrush.  Notice the rusty tail.

I thought my Gray-cheeked Thrush pics would come out good but I guess there just wasn't enough light.

Today was the one year anniversary of our big fallout last spring when SPI was covered with orioles, buntings and warblers.  Baltimore Orioles were around today but nothing like last year.

Here's a photo from one year ago today.