Trip South

I left the house a little before 8 a.m. on Friday the 29th for a trip to my hometown. First I'd stop in Victoria to pick up a co-conspirator. Then we would run the highway to Sinton. We will be down here for a few days with others - including our brother. He knows the birds. We have "oohed and aahed" at the raptors along the route. I observed 15 hawks and 7 kestrels.

My plan was to add to my "road-kill" observations as 183 from Luling to Cuero and then 87 from Cuero to Victoria are generally "covered" in dead critters. I didn't give myself much time and so only recorded a few as I counted hawks.

Just south of Gonzales I glanced at a pond and saw a Great Blue Heron and Great Egret wading. Now THAT was worth turning around for - so I headed back to try and grab a photo of the birds and found, Killdeer as well.

All in all we observed loads of birds along the highways, at Indian Point Park, at Sunset Lake, in fields around Sinton, at the family property near Taft, and on our alternate route home through Rockport. We stayed through Sunday morning, giving us a little more time to enjoy the Roseatte Spoonbills, egrets, herons, pelicans, ducks, and ibis (and so much more).

These were two of my top three trips to Indian Point.

[And I'm keeping up with the roadkill.]

Posted on 02 January, 2018 16:19 by alflinn329 alflinn329

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Coyote (Canis latrans)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 10:09 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 08:00 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 10:00 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 10:00 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 10:00 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 10:58 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 10:57 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 12:52 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Buffalo Gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 02:58 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Toothed Medick (Medicago polymorpha)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 03:02 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 03:02 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 29, 2017 03:21 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 01:06 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 01:06 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 01:08 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 01:09 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Spanish Dagger (Yucca treculiana)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 09:35 AM CST

Description

Christmas yucca

Photos / Sounds

What

Camphor Daisy (Rayjacksonia phyllocephala)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:18 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Greenshield Lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:07 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:09 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow Prickly Cockle (Dallocardia muricata)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:40 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Stiff Greenthread (Thelesperma filifolium)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:04 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Sand Palafox (Palafoxia hookeriana)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:05 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Angelwing (Cyrtopleura costata)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 07:53 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Christmas Berry (Lycium carolinianum)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 07:55 AM CST

Description

Wolfberry at Indian point

Photos / Sounds

What

Searockets (Genus Cakile)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 07:46 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 09:24 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:47 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Prickly Pears (Genus Opuntia)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:06 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Beach Evening-Primrose (Oenothera drummondii)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 07:48 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 07:49 AM CST

Description

There is a family of raccoons living out here. I have video of one from a year or so ago. And we saw on on the 30th feeding in and around the birds - but too far for a photo. I love coming upon these tracks at low tide.

Photos / Sounds

What

Texas Lightning Whelk (Sinistrofulgur pulleyi)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 07:46 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Typical Rails (Genus Rallus)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 08:33 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 10:46 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 01:29 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 02:07 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Domestic Cat (Felis catus)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 02:20 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 31, 2017 02:21 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:41 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:43 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:45 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:46 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:49 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:49 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:50 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:53 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park.

Photos / Sounds

What

Christmas Berry (Lycium carolinianum)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 07:55 AM CST

Description

Ridiculously wonderful day to bird at Indian Point Park. We call this a Carolina Wolfberry.

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 08:08 AM CST

Description

Fabulous birds at Indian Point

Mammals

Photos / Sounds

What

Mammals (Class Mammalia)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 08:19 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 08:24 AM CST

Description

Fabulous birds at Indian Point

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 08:24 AM CST

Description

Fabulous birds at Indian Point

Photos / Sounds

What

Willet (Tringa semipalmata)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 08:25 AM CST

Description

Fabulous birds at Indian Point

Photos / Sounds

What

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 08:12 AM CST

Description

Birds at Indian Point

Photos / Sounds

What

Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)

Observer

alflinn329

Date

December 30, 2017 08:12 AM CST

Description

The mangroves appeared to have spread significantly since our last visit. It is hard to know because the entire area seems to have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey. We had not been back since because of park closure. We found lots of herons hiding in the mangroves.

Comments

Roadkill observations are SO important. Thank you!

And remember, each time that you observe roadkill, you're validating that organism's existence. Its death is not in vain! :)

Posted by sambiology over 6 years ago

I know Sam, but I don't publicize my participation in this project. My husband already thinks I'm a little morbid. We negotiate what stretch of road we'll stop on as he refuses to do so on the entire trip if he's along. He wasn't on this one, so I was able to stop whenever it was safe to do so. I do like to balance the dead things with the live ones and we did. It was a fabulous trip. I added at least two birds to my life list I'd never been able to count before. Best of all I was birding with my brother and sister - always a good time.

Posted by alflinn329 over 6 years ago

A wonderful time observing nature with family! :)

Posted by sambiology over 6 years ago

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