A Fall 2020 Day of Birding at the Leorna Turnbill Birding Center in Port Aransas

 

After a tough day of fishing, Renita and I decided to head out for a morning of birding at the Leorna Turnbill Birding Center in Port Aransas. Our friends Jane and Dave had told us of seeing thousands of ducks and a flock of rosette spoonbills, all close to the boardwalk.

So, we grabbed our binoculars and cameras and headed over, watching for birds along the way. We did spot a cooper’s hawk, four belted kingfishers, and even a magnificent frigate bird, probably hiding from Hurricane Eta. We also spotted hundreds of flocks of duck heading south and we hoped they would land at the birding center.

While crossing the ferry pods of dolphins entertained us and we tried to get some images, but Renita had the beat luck, with our small camera. Disembarking from the ferry we were confused by the new lanes, the ferry crossings have been relocated, but we left and headed directly to the birding center.

There were quite a few people on the boardwalk, including several classes of students and so we wore our masks. It was a hot and humid day, and this kept our visit short and sweet as we do not do well in humidity. We glassed for the whooping crane pair that last year had made it their territory, but they must not have arrived. We did see lots of ducks but not the thousands that Dave and Jane had spotted.

Even thought the fall birds are drab, compared to their breeding plumage they still had color and we enjoyed watching them as they fed and napped on the still water. A green winged teal even woke up, at least opened its eyes so we could photograph in and a blue winged teal paddled by.

Northern pintails were evading the hunters and American coot went about their business. A northern shoveler, along with ruddy ducks posed below us.

American white ibis waded and fed, and the ever-present common gallinules fed below us.

We did see an unusual colored bird which looked like an immature purple gallinule or perhaps a purple swamp hen, which was introduced to Florida, but we are think it was a young purple gallinule.

We left the birding center tired and hot but we enjoyed ourselves and will return there again. A couple of cold fronts are forecast to pass thorough the coastal bend and cool things off a bit. Clear skies.