As my time on South Padre draws near its end, I wish I could stay for months, instead of the weeks available in my time-budget. It is especially hard to think about leaving when a fresh supply of warbler species starts showing up. Like most days here on the island, I began my morning at … Read more
September days on South Padre Island can be hot as hell, with enough humidity to keep me dripping in sweat from dawn to dusk, and through the night. It can wear me down, and if not for the amazing birds I get to meet, I’d sooner stay under cover and in an air-conditioned space. But … Read more
After breakfast Sunday, I stopped at Sheepshead, where I met a Northern Parula and a more typical female Blackburnian Warbler than the bird I met on Saturday at the SPI Convention Centre. When I left Sheepshead, I headed north to the SPI Convention Centre. There were few visitors of the two-legged variety, but a fair … Read more
What can I say about the South Padre Island Convention Centre I’ve not said already? For me, last Tuesday had an added enjoyable dimension to my visit, when my friend Horacio showed up to bird with us. I first met him during the long spring I spent here in 2021 and appreciated how generous he … Read more
Having skipped one day of birding on Sunday, I was eager to get out and hunt for birds. It was a dreary, drizzly morning on the island, with a lot of standing water on the lawns, the streets, and other low places. After breakfast, I drove out to the South Padre Island Convention Centre, which … Read more
I spent much of my last day on South Padre Island on the sandy flat beach north of the Convention Centre. Until this day, I’d neglected this habitat for gulls, terns, skimmers and shorebirds, and I knew I’d find Black Terns there. I’ve met Black Terns in the Great Basin, but not here in Texas, … Read more
This is a three day post. With my 2021 visit in south Texas drawing to a close, I’ve been pushing my limits to maximize my opportunities to meet migrating birds. This story is about Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on South Padre Island. Besides the Convention Centre, I spent most of Thursday at the SPI Birding … Read more
I spent Sunday at South Padre Island (Texas) and couldn’t resist shooting flycatchers. For most of us interested in learning to identify birds, small flycatchers are among the most difficult groups of birds to identify in the field by sight alone. I enjoy the entire flycatcher family, but as we meet more of them, we … Read more
Thursday morning started off slow, and stayed that way most of the day, but ended with a flurry of activity, when a new batch of warblers fell from the sky. I arrived at the Convention Centre early, but I didn’t take very many pictures. The birds I met were lovely, and other visiting birders were … Read more
My stay at the Convention Centre was relatively brief this Thursday. There was a lull in the migration, but even on a slow day, good things can occur here. In the few short hours I spent at the Convention Centre, I met the American Redstart, Black-and-White Warbler, Black-Throated Green Warbler, Dark-Eyed Junco, Least Bittern, Mottled … Read more
