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We had several nice looks at Bay-breasted Warblers, one of the later migrants to show up on the coast in good numbers. Photo by participant Jim Philipson.
Our week of birding in Texas was a great time. We struck it rich with one of the best migrations I have seen for years. Each day brought new treasures and it's good when your arms are tired at the end of the day from lifting your binoculars so much. We were fortunate to have good birding weather. A cold front passed through at the beginning and our first day was coolish and, I believe, curtailed some of the bird song on the breeding grounds in east Texas. But, we still managed to find what we wanted to see there before heading to the coast, where north winds had to help with the fallouts but there was not any huge weather event that led to our great time, which shows how difficult it is to predict migration.
Our time in the piney woods and Big Thicket area started with a Red-cockaded Woodpecker soon after arriving at our first stop, that gave us a great view. We ended up seeing wonderful Brown-headed Nuthatches and Pine Warblers before we headed east. The rest of our day was spent seeing a bunch of great breeding warblers which included Prothonotary, Hooded, Yellow-throated, Kentucky, Prairie and a great Swainson's Warbler that afforded a wonderful view. Barred Owl and Red-headed Woodpecker were also enjoyed. We drove north the next morning and found a fabulous Bachman's Sparrow singing away in classic piney woods habitat that we watched for twenty minutes. We then headed to Winnie, with a couple of stops where we saw Yellow-crowned Night-Heron and Hudsonian Godwit, among others. Getting to High Island for the afternoon was profitable, with several Blackburnians, Cerulean, and Chestnut-sided warblers showing well, along with orioles, tanagers and thrushes.
The next three days we birded various sites in the mornings and returned each afternoon to High Island, which had great birding each day. Ovenbird, Bay-breasted, Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Worm-eating, Magnolia, Blackpoll, American Redstarts, and Black-throated Green were some of the warblers we encountered, usually with multiple numbers of all. Other highlights of our time in the woods, rice fields, marshes and beaches were Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Anahuac, good looks at both American and Least bitterns, Piping Plovers on the beach, Upland Sandpiper, multiple encounters with Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a daytime Barn Owl, Crested Caracaras, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, a handful of Philadelphia Vireos, Cave Swallow, daily sightings of four species of brown thrushes, Nelson's Sparrow, several Painted Buntings, a hedgerow full of Dickcissels, and a surprise Bobolink, one of our last new birds on our final morning.
Another interesting sighting was the rookery at Smith Woods where Great Egrets, Neotropic Cormorants, Snowy Egrets, and Roseate Spoonbills were all in fine feather, with some tending to young in the nests. While there, we watched a large American Alligator climb up on the island's shore and pick up the carcass of a Great Egret that appeared to have been there for a few days. Over a dozen of the spoonbills left their nearby nests and walked down toward the alligator and ogled at it while the gator chewed, then swallowed, the egret whole. It was almost like they couldn't not watch.
We also got to experience the culture and cuisine of east Texas and the Cajun influenced coast. While we heard a lot of talk, we saw little damage from Hurricane Harvey in the areas we visited, which was a good thing! This was a great trip, and a lot of fun, and I hope to see you all again soon. John
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

Intent on a prey item, this American Avocet was one of several we saw at Rollover Pass. Photo by participant Jim Sharples.
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna bicolor)
WOOD DUCK (Aix sponsa)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Spatula discors)
NORTHERN SHOVELER (Spatula clypeata)
MOTTLED DUCK (Anas fulvigula)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (AMERICAN) (Anas crecca carolinensis)
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Anhingidae (Anhingas)
ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga)
Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
AMERICAN BITTERN (Botaurus lentiginosus)
LEAST BITTERN (Ixobrychus exilis)
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)

Our Nelson’s Sparrow showed well at the edge of a marsh on the Bolivar Peninsula. Photo by participant Nancy Barnhart.
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)
LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea)
TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor)
REDDISH EGRET (Egretta rufescens)
CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nyctanassa violacea)
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
WHITE IBIS (Eudocimus albus)
WHITE-FACED IBIS (Plegadis chihi)
ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Platalea ajaja)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
Pandionidae (Osprey)
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)

We hit it rich with King Rails at Anahuac NWR, as there were at least five adults and two chicks that we spotted along the edge of the road. Photo by participant Jim Sharples.
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
NORTHERN HARRIER (Circus hudsonius)
COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii)
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (Buteo lineatus)
SWAINSON'S HAWK (Buteo swainsoni)
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
KING RAIL (Rallus elegans)
CLAPPER RAIL (GULF COAST) (Rallus crepitans saturatus)
SORA (Porzana carolina)
PURPLE GALLINULE (Porphyrio martinica)
COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata)
AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana)
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)
AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana)
Haematopodidae (Oystercatchers)
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus palliatus)
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER (Pluvialis dominica)
WILSON'S PLOVER (Charadrius wilsonia)
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (Charadrius semipalmatus)
PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus)
KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
UPLAND SANDPIPER (Bartramia longicauda)
WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus)
LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Numenius americanus)

We worked hard to get a good look at our first Hooded Warbler on its breeding ground, then we had many in the migrant woods near the coast. Photo by participant Jim Sharples.
HUDSONIAN GODWIT (Limosa haemastica)
MARBLED GODWIT (Limosa fedoa)
RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres)
STILT SANDPIPER (Calidris himantopus)
SANDERLING (Calidris alba)
DUNLIN (Calidris alpina)
LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Calidris subruficollis)
PECTORAL SANDPIPER (Calidris melanotos)
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (Calidris pusilla)
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus griseus)
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
WILSON'S SNIPE (Gallinago delicata)
WILSON'S PHALAROPE (Phalaropus tricolor)
SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)
SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria)
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)
WILLET (Tringa semipalmata)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes)

Jan’s photo of a Kentucky Warbler captures the exact view you get from 90% of your sightings. Photo by participant Jan Lockwood.
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
RING-BILLED GULL (Larus delawarensis)
HERRING GULL (AMERICAN) (Larus argentatus smithsonianus)
LEAST TERN (Sternula antillarum)
GULL-BILLED TERN (Gelochelidon nilotica)
BLACK TERN (Chlidonias niger)
COMMON TERN (Sterna hirundo)
FORSTER'S TERN (Sterna forsteri)
ROYAL TERN (Thalasseus maximus)
SANDWICH TERN (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
BLACK SKIMMER (Rynchops niger)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) [I]
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccyzus americanus)

The water drip at Anahuac NWR was attracting a lot of birds including this Tennessee Warbler. Photo by participant Jim Sharples.
Tytonidae (Barn-Owls)
BARN OWL (Tyto alba)
Strigidae (Owls)
BARRED OWL (Strix varia)
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
COMMON NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles minor)
Apodidae (Swifts)
CHIMNEY SWIFT (Chaetura pelagica)
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Archilochus colubris)
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
BELTED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle alcyon)
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes carolinus)
DOWNY WOODPECKER (Picoides pubescens)
RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER (Picoides borealis)
NORTHERN FLICKER (YELLOW-SHAFTED) (Colaptes auratus auratus) [*]
PILEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus pileatus) [*]
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
CRESTED CARACARA (Caracara cheriway)
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE (Contopus virens)
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax virescens)
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus crinitus)
WESTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus verticalis)
EASTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus tyrannus)
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus forficatus)

Swainson’s Warbler is one of the most sought after birds of the area, and we had great looks at this one in the Big Thicket. Photo by participant Nancy Barnhart.
Laniidae (Shrikes)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus)
Vireonidae (Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis)
WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus)
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (Vireo flavifrons)
BLUE-HEADED VIREO (Vireo solitarius)
PHILADELPHIA VIREO (Vireo philadelphicus)
RED-EYED VIREO (Vireo olivaceus)
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
BLUE JAY (Cyanocitta cristata)
AMERICAN CROW (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
FISH CROW (Corvus ossifragus)
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis)
TREE SWALLOW (Tachycineta bicolor)
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
CLIFF SWALLOW (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
CAVE SWALLOW (Petrochelidon fulva)
Paridae (Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice)
CAROLINA CHICKADEE (Poecile carolinensis)
TUFTED TITMOUSE (Baeolophus bicolor)
Sittidae (Nuthatches)
BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH (Sitta pusilla)
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon) [*]
SEDGE WREN (Cistothorus platensis)
MARSH WREN (Cistothorus palustris)
CAROLINA WREN (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila caerulea)
Regulidae (Kinglets)
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula)
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (Sialia sialis)
VEERY (Catharus fuscescens)
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH (Catharus minimus)
SWAINSON'S THRUSH (Catharus ustulatus)
WOOD THRUSH (Hylocichla mustelina)
AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdus migratorius)
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis)
BROWN THRASHER (Toxostoma rufum)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)

A couple of the days at High Island we had many Scarlet Tanagers dropping in and really lighting up the woods. Photo by participant Jim Philipson.
Sturnidae (Starlings)
EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) [I]
Bombycillidae (Waxwings)
CEDAR WAXWING (Bombycilla cedrorum) [*]
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
OVENBIRD (Seiurus aurocapilla)
WORM-EATING WARBLER (Helmitheros vermivorum)
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis)
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER (Vermivora chrysoptera)
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER (Vermivora cyanoptera)
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia)
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Protonotaria citrea)
SWAINSON'S WARBLER (Limnothlypis swainsonii)
TENNESSEE WARBLER (Oreothlypis peregrina)
KENTUCKY WARBLER (Geothlypis formosa)
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas)
HOODED WARBLER (Setophaga citrina)
AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla)
CERULEAN WARBLER (Setophaga cerulea)
NORTHERN PARULA (Setophaga americana)

Nancy caught this Scissor-tailed Flycatcher as it was settling in to its perch in the rice fields. Photo by participant Nancy Barnhart.
MAGNOLIA WARBLER (Setophaga magnolia)
BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (Setophaga castanea)
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Setophaga fusca)
YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia)
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (Setophaga pensylvanica)
BLACKPOLL WARBLER (Setophaga striata)
PINE WARBLER (Setophaga pinus)
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Setophaga coronata)
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (Setophaga dominica)
PRAIRIE WARBLER (Setophaga discolor)
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Setophaga virens)
CANADA WARBLER (Cardellina canadensis) [*]
Passerellidae (New World Buntings and Sparrows)
BACHMAN'S SPARROW (Peucaea aestivalis)
NELSON'S SPARROW (Ammodramus nelsoni)
SEASIDE SPARROW (Ammodramus maritimus)
LARK SPARROW (Chondestes grammacus)
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (Zonotrichia albicollis)
SAVANNAH SPARROW (Passerculus sandwichensis)
SWAMP SPARROW (Melospiza georgiana)
Icteriidae (Yellow-breasted Chat)
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens) [*]

This dazzling Prothonotary Warbler showed well on its breeding grounds, then we saw a few late migrants at High Island. Photo by participant Jim Sharples.
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)
SCARLET TANAGER (Piranga olivacea)
NORTHERN CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis)
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
BLUE GROSBEAK (Passerina caerulea)
INDIGO BUNTING (Passerina cyanea)
PAINTED BUNTING (Passerina ciris)
DICKCISSEL (Spiza americana)
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
BOBOLINK (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Sturnella magna)
ORCHARD ORIOLE (Icterus spurius)
BALTIMORE ORIOLE (Icterus galbula)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus)

This Common Nighthawk that was spotted at Anahuac NWR likely arrived during the previous night. Photo by participant Nancy Barnhart.
BRONZED COWBIRD (Molothrus aeneus)
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (Molothrus ater)
COMMON GRACKLE (Quiscalus quiscula)
BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus major)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)
PINE SISKIN (Spinus pinus)
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]
EASTERN COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus floridanus)
SWAMP RABBIT (Sylvilagus aquaticus)
EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus carolinensis)
NUTRIA (Myocastor coypus) [I]
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (Tursiops truncatus)
WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus)
Totals for the tour: 197 bird taxa and 6 mammal taxa