Jefferson County North American Migration Count – 16 September 2000

 
 
The first fall cold fronts reached the coast early this year, and made for more pleasant birding than might otherwise be expected. A number of our regular participants were out of town, but all areas of the county were covered. The 157 species found was a little low, but definitely respectable.
 The south impoundment at Pleasure Island proved to be a hot spot this year. The mudflat and shallow water conditions were near ideal for many shorebirds at a time when shorebird habitat was almost non-existent in the rest of the very dry county. Good numbers of White Pelicans, Avocets and even Northern Shovelers were there. High numbers of Willets, Black-bellied Plovers and Roseate Spoonbills were recorded. Marbled Godwits have not been seen very frequently in recent years in Jefferson County, but there were several there, along with a Wood Stork and at least two Baird’s Sandpipers – new to the count – among the thousands of small sandpipers. Good numbers of Least and Black Terns were also there. 
 John Haynes found Cattail Marsh in Tyrell Park to contain very little “usable” habitat but was treated to a succession of Broad-wing Hawk flights totaling 1750 birds and kettles of Anhingas totaling 225! However, there were few ducks and this was the first year that we didn’t find both Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling-Ducks. We found neither! Neither did we find any Green-winged Teal 
 Rose Ann Jordan’s army of helpers in Beaumont came up weth most of the usual species. However, Bob Collier saw a good number of Upland Sandpipers on the soccer fields on Dishman Road. Attempts to relocate them on Sunday were unsuccessful although there were Buff-breasted Sandpipers instead. (There was at least one Upland there on Monday!). 
 The northwest sector of the county produced a Vermilion Flycatcher (and another one in a different location the following day, along with a Say’s Phoebe).
 Sabine Woods produced a decent number of warblers and other migrants, flycatchers especially, but not quite the 22 warbler species seen there the following day. Wilson’s Warblers and Yellow-breasted Chats were the most visible species. Large numbers of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were there (and elsewhere). For the first time on this count, we failed to find any thrushes, although there were Brown Thrashers there (and Swainson’s Thrushes the following day). A very early Ruby-crowned Kinglet was seen.
 The beach at Sea Rim, which has disappointed us in the fall in recent years, was well populated with essentially all the possible terns.

The following is a provisional list of the species and numbers seen: GREBE, Pied-billed (32); PELICAN, American White (200); PELICAN, Brown (7); CORMORANT, Neotropic (76); CORMORANT, Double-crested (3); ANHINGA (228); HERON, Great Blue (28); EGRET, Great (156); EGRET, Snowy (127); HERON, Little Blue (10); HERON, Tricolored (17); EGRET, Cattle (1875); HERON, Green (23); NIGHT-HERON, Black-crowned (9); NIGHT-HERON, Yellow-crowned (1); IBIS, White (144); IBIS, White-faced (92); IBIS, Plegadis (10); SPOONBILL, Roseate (216); STORK, Wood (1); VULTURE, Black (16); VULTURE, Turkey (49); DUCK, Wood (2); DUCK, Mottled (19); TEAL, Blue-winged (93); SHOVELER, Northern (178); DUCK species (18); OSPREY (3); KITE, White-tailed (1); KITE, Mississippi (4); HARRIER, Northern (1); HAWK, Sharp-shinned (1); HAWK, Cooper's (3); HAWK, Red-shouldered (10); HAWK, Broad-winged (1905); HAWK, Swainson's (2); HAWK, Red-tailed (1); KESTREL, American (16); MERLIN (1); RAIL, Clapper (2); MOORHEN, Common (21); COOT, American (3

 PLOVER, Black-bellied (219); PLOVER, Snowy (21); PLOVER, Semipalmated (9); PLOVER, Piping (9); KILLDEER (46); STILT, Black-necked (51); AVOCET, American (200); YELLOWLEGS, Lesser (2); SANDPIPER, Solitary (1); WILLET (512); SANDPIPER, Spotted (2); SANDPIPER, Upland (30); CURLEW, Long-billed (1); GODWIT, Marbled (8); TURNSTONE, Ruddy (26); SANDERLING (63); SANDPIPER, Western (508); SANDPIPER, Least (75); SANDPIPER, Baird's (2); SANDPIPER, Pectoral (4); SANDPIPER, Peep species (2500); SANDPIPER, Stilt (3); DOWITCHER, Short-billed (35); DOWITCHER, Species (35); PHALAROPE, Wilson's (7); GULL, Laughing (810); GULL, Ring-billed (7); TERN, Gull-billed (2); TERN, Caspian (95); TERN, Royal (203); TERN, Sandwich (2); TERN, Common (1); TERN, Forster's (148); TERN, Least (30); TERN, Black (77); SKIMMER, Black (250); DOVE, Rock (71); COLLARED-DOVE, Eurasian (8); DOVE, Mourning (262); DOVE, Inca (5); CUCKOO, Yellow-billed (1); OWL, Great Horned (1); OWL, Barred (1); NIGHTHAWK, Common (1); WILL'S-WIDOW, Chuck- (2); SWIFT, Chimney (166); HUMMINGBIRD, Ruby-throated (114); KINGFISHER, Belted (2); WOODPECKER, Red-headed (7); WOODPECKER, Red-bellied (3); WOODPECKER, Downy (24); WOODPECKER, Hairy (7); WOODPECKER, Pileated (7); WOOD--PEWEE, Eastern (6); FLYCATCHER, Yellow-bellied (3); FLY-CATCHER, "Traill's" (2); FLYCATCHER, Least (8); FLYCATCHER, Empidonax (4); PHOEBE, Eastern (6); FLYCATCHER, Vermilion (1); FLYCATCHER, Great Crested (13); KINGBIRD, Western (3); KINGBIRD, Eastern (32); FLYCATCHER, Scissor-tailed (30); SHRIKE, Loggerhead (92); VIREO, White-eyed (16); VIREO, Warbling (1); VIREO, Red-eyed (2); JAY, Blue (103); CROW, American (36); CROW, Fish (27); CROW, Species (11); MARTIN, Purple (1000); SWALLOW, Tree (56); SWALLOW, N. Rough-winged (15); SWALLOW, Bank (10); SWALLOW, Barn (178); CHICKADEE, Carolina (21); TITMOUSE, Tufted (1); WREN, Carolina (17); KINGLET, Ruby-crowned (1); GNATCATCHER, Blue-gray (96); ROBIN, American (23); MOCKINGBIRD, Northern (170); THRASHER, Brown (3); STARLING, European (296); WARBLER, Blue-winged (1); WARBLER, Nashville (16); PARULA, Northern (2); WARBLER, Yellow (28); WARBLER, Magnolia (3); WARBLER, Pine (4); WARBLER, Black-and-white (12); REDSTART, American (2); WARBLER, Prothonotary (2); OVENBIRD (4); WATERTHRUSH, Northern (20); WARBLER, Kentucky (1); WARBLER, Mourning (1); YELLOW-THROAT, Common (18); WARBLER, Hooded (2); WARBLER, Wilson's (15); WARBLER, Canada (8); CHAT, Yellow-breasted (14); TANAGER, Summer (7); SPARROW, Lark (5); SPARROW, Seaside (1); CARDINAL, Northern (119); GROSBEAK, Blue (2); BUNTING, Indigo (24); BUNTING, Painted (4); DICKCISSEL (1); BLACKBIRD, Red-winged (187); MEADOWLARK, Eastern (8); GRACKLE, Common (99); GRACKLE, Boat-tailed (62); GRACKLE, Great-tailed (288); COWBIRD, Brown-headed (31); ORIOLE, Orchard (3); ORIOLE, Bal-timore (53); FINCH, House (11); SPARROW, House (162); TOTAL (15783); Number of species (157); Observers (17); Parties (12).

Thanks to the following for participating: Jack Baugh, Althea Bythewood, Bob Collier, Gerald Duhon, Keith Hansen, John Haynes, Winette and Brad Hogue, Rose Ann and Harrison Jordan, Carol Lynn Loker, Steve Mayes, Leon Purkey, Ken and Eric Sztraky, and Joe Tibbs.                        John A. Whittle
 

 
Golden Triangle Audubon Society
Call for Nominations for 2000 Officers and Board
 The term of President Ken Sztraky continues through the end of 2001. The terms of all other officers and board members (see list in panel on opposite page) expires at the end of this year. All incumbents have been re-nominated for an additional one-year term.
 Additional nominations may be submitted to President Sztraky. Nominations must be made and seconded by members whose addresses are within the chapter’s official territory and are members in good standing of National Audubon Society.