Archive for April 2009

April 15 Rookery Report Featureing A Nesting White Great Blue Heron

16. April 2009 by Capt. Tommy.

Greetings!

We went out to the Second Chain Rookery last Saturday and were treated to spoonbill galore! Some were nesting with the GHBs. There is lots of nesting material being move both onto and around the island. It is hilarious watching these birds steal material from each others nest.

Skimmers, Caspian, Forsters, Royal, Gull Billed, Sandwich, and Least Terns are all courting with fishes in their bills. The Reddish Egrets are in full breeding plumage with their beautiful purple lorses and Pink and purple bills.  Also on the rookery were Crested Cara Cara, Great and Boat-tailed Grackles, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, American Oystercatchers, Ruddy Turnstones, Laughing and Herring Gulls, White Ibis, Willets, Blackbellied Plover,  oh and yes the white GBH in full sight! What a treat!!!!!!

Y’all call Leslie at 877 TX BIRDS and lets go birding. Remember that we can take groups of 4 on our 22 ft skiff for $350 for a half day.

Happy Birding

Capt. Tommy

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Happy American Oyster Family

15. April 2009 by Capt. Tommy.

Well I’ve been derelict in my blogging duty but here I am!

I took a group of Kids out to Matagorda Island and stopped at Cape Carlos Dugout  where there are Reddish Egrets and GBHs nesting. The Oystercatcher family nesting at the south end of the island hatched their chicks last week. When we pulled up the adults were there but no chicks. I scanned the edge of the vegetation but could not find any chicks. I began to watch the adult female open an oyster on the reef about 20 feet from their nest. When she got the meat out she walks toward the nest and 2 chicks came a’running!

She fed each chick a half of the oyster and then flew up and chased a Laughing Gull away who was interested in the Chicks meal. I then started watching the male open 6-8 oysters in about 5 minutes. Then he walks over to the chicks and yaks up one oyter at a time. He caught each oyster in the tip of his bill to feed the chicks. He reminded me of a Pez machine. The Chicks are really cool, they look like little dinosaurs. They have really thick legs. They are about 6-7 inches tall at 1 week old.

We are still seeing whoopers way out in the marsh and the rookeries are on fire!  I will blog the rookery report shortly.

Happy Birding!

Capt. Tommy

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