The story day by day
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For easy reference we added the links to the Texas Coastal Birding Trails and other relevant links in the day by day section.

10-04

Sabine Woods, Willows Pond, Sea Rim State Park, Boy Scout Woods, Bolivar Peninsula, 1st street
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Sabine
Boy Scout Woods, Bolivar Peninsula, 1st street
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Bolivar

We arrived in Houston (by a BA flight) in the afternoon of the day before and most of that day was spent driving to our previously booked Studio 6 hotel room in Winnie (booking accommodation in the High Island area during peak migration is essential!). The next morning we departed to the far east to start our quest at Sabine Woods near Port Arthur. The surroundings vary from coastal marshes teeming with water birds to huge petrochemical industry. Logically the first birds of the day were those associated with marshes: heron and egrets, Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis and both cormorants.
Sabine Woods started with a Prothonotary Warbler, a bird we ended up seeing daily in the coastal areas. First definite proof of migration was a Worm-eating Warbler. Scanning the woods and surroundings rendered us Scarlet and Summer Tanager, Orchard Oriole, Louisiana Waterthrush, Hooded, Black-and-white and Black-throated Green Warbler. The Great Kiskadee was a bit of a surprise but apparently it had been present for a longer time.
We also scanned the Willows Pond with Tennessee and Myrtle Warbler and Loggerhead Shrike and our first Scissor-tailed Flycatcher along the road. The Sea Rim State Park held Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Swamp as well as Seaside Sparrow and Marsh Wren. Boat-tailed Grackle was common.
In the afternoon we visited High Island, starting with Boy Scout Woods. Not as productive as Sabine Woods, a trend that continued during all of our visits. New for the list were Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Northern Waterthrush, Northern Caracara and Downy Woodpecker. Marc found the long-staying Buff-bellied Hummingbird. A quick drive into the Bolivar peninsula yielded Ruddy Turnstone, Long-billed Curlew, Least Tern, Common Loon and White-tailed Kite.
The day was ended in the woods at High Islands 1st street with Wilson’s Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Broad-winged Hawk.

11-04

Sabine Woods, Willows Pond
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Sabine
Boy Scout Woods, Bolivar Peninsula, Smith Oaks
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Bolivar

For us it is near impossible to realize just how lucky we were with the low and rain passing through today. We were on a tight schedule but decided to stay a day longer, reluctant as we were to leave during such potential.
Sabine woods started spectacular with White-Throated Sparrow and Cerulean Warbler in the same tree! Birding was excellent the whole morning with Swainson’s Warbler as second highlight. Other birds seen: Blue-headed and Philadephia Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Northern Parula and a very charming Yellow-throated and Blue-winged Warbler.
Again Boy Scout Woods was not as spectacular but it gave us a few new species: Purple Gallinule, Swainson’s Hawk, Blue Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole and Western Kingbird. 1st Street was good for a confiding Kentucky Warbler. At Smith Oaks we thoroughly scanned the forest with the only mentionable result a Swainson’s Thrush. Later that day we read about an unprecedented spectacle of 20+ species of warbler including Golden-winged, at exact the same time of our presence, that had eluded us totally.

12-04

Anahuac Rail Walk
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Anahuac
Boy Scout Woods, 1st street, Bolivar Flats, Gavelston -> Attwater
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Bolivar

Today was a full but excellent day. We started with the rail walk at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. We spotted 4 species of rail, including 3 Yellow Rails and good views of Black Rail (on the ground in front of us!). Also LeConte’s and Seaside Sparrow, American and Least Bittern and on the way to High Island a Peregrine Falcon and a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
At Boy Scout Woods it was a feast for birders. The fallout of the previous day did its work in numbers of birds as well as numbers of birders. And it was fun with Blackburnian Warbler as the star bird. We dipped on several Painted Buntings, seen by just about anybody that stayed at the drip. But not staying at the drip resulted in good views of our second Swainson’s Warbler and a Kentucky Warbler. We also found Yellow-throated Vireo. 1st Street was also very exciting with a second Blackburnian Warbler but the Chestnut-sided Warbler could not be relocated despite our thorough search. Instead we found 2 Warbling Vireos, the only sighting of our trip.
Bolivar Flats was teeming with shorebirds, but no more than the usual suspects: Piping and Wilson’s Plover in numbers, 7 species of Calidris sandpiper, dowitchers and Willets, 3-4000 American Avocets and a few Reddish Egrets.
Time to start our journey inland towards Attwater for the Prairie Chickens. During the ferry crossing we saw 2 foraging groups of Bottlenose Dolphins and about 50 Black Skimmers. We had a nice meal at Jack in the Box with outstanding milk shake and Cedar Waxwings at the car park. At dusk we arrived at Attwater.
Due to the variation in places visited we had a good day total of 133 species.

13-04

Attwater Prairie Chicken Festival
Central Coast Birding Trail: Rio Colorado
Attwater Prairie Chicken Festival
Lost Maples State Natural Area
Heart of Texas Trail: Bandera
Lost Maples State Natural Area

Today we realized that our luck continued. Our superb extra day at the coast made us arrive at the Attwater Prairie Chicken Festival a day later than initially planned. While gathering in the early morning for the excursion we found out that the Saturday excursion was very windy. It was even too windy to hear the Prarie Chickens call. On Sunday we had excellent weather with virtually no wind. We saw and heard at least 4 displaying male Attwater Prairie Chickens. Great spectacle! Also good numbers of Upland Sandpiper around and great views of White-tailed Hawk, Grasshoppers Sparrow and Sedge Wren.
Before noon we hit the road towards Lost Maples State Natural Area. This is one of the few areas with fair chances for both Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo.
The afternoon gave us a bunch of new species including Black-crested Titmouse, Bushtit, Eastern Phoebe, Spotted Towhee and Rufous-crowned Sparrow. The two targets, however, didn’t show up. We spent the night at the campground with Chuck-will’s-Widow in the background.

14-04

Lost Maples State Natural Area
Heart of Texas Trail: Bandera
Lost Maples State Natural Area
Kerr Wildlife Management Area
Kerr Wildlife Management Area
Lake Balmorhea
Lake Balmorhea

Early morning was freezing cold but did result in good views of Golden-cheeked Warbler. We left the park at 8 am and hurried to Kerr WMA. Soon we found another Golden-cheeked Warbler and a bit later we had great views of Black-capped Vireo. We also found Lark and Vesper Sparrow and our first Vermillion Flycatcher.
Most of midday was spent driving west. A surprise was the 2 female Hooded Orioles present in a flowering tree along HW 10.
We visited Lake Balmorhea with quite some leftovers of winter, including Clark's Grebe, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup and American Pipit. Migrants were also present: Baird’s Sandpiper, Wilsons Phalarope and American Avocet among the waders. A low flying Zone-tailed Hawk was a real treat. Lots of Western Kingbirds and Say’s Phoebes around the lake. Residents included Greater Roadrunner, Scaled Quail and Pyrrhuloxia.
The night was spent in Fort Davis.

15-04

Davis Mountains
Davis Mountains
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park

We started in the Davis Mountains State park at the campground. We dipped on Montezuma Quail (wrong feeding spot) but found Green-tailed Towhee, Western Tanager, Bullock’s Oriole, Black-Chinned Sparrow and White-breasted Nuthatch. Acorn woodpecker and Phainopepla were in evidence. Higher up the mountain we found Western Bluebird, Northern Flicker, Violet-green Swallow, Plumbeous Vireo and Gray Flycatcher. On the way to Big Bend National Park a Coyote with a just caught rabbit crossed the road and Pronghorns where abundant.
In Big Bend National Park we made our quarters at the campground in the Chisos basin. There was just enough time to do a quick stroll around the campground with Scott’s Oriole, White-throated Swift and the red-backed form of Dark-eyed Junco. Marc even managed to find a Black Bear but it was gone by the time I arrived.

16-04

Big Bend National Park: Boot Spring Canyon in the Chisos Mountains, Window Trail
Big Bend National Park

The Boot Spring Canyon was quite a stroll but worth every bit. The walk up the mountain gave us Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Hutton’s Vireo and Canyon Wren. We stumbled across our first Colima Warbler before we even realized that we had arrived in Boot Spring. The second one was together with a stunning Painted Redstart. A Townsend Solitaire and Red-breasted Nuthatch were also present. We were confident in our identification of a (vagrant?) male Anna's Hummingbird. Blue-throated Hummingbird was also found and Mexican Jay was common. Both Myrtle and Audubon’s Warbler were present (Audubon’s won the beauty contest).
In the afternoon we birded the Window Trail. In terms of birds it was quiet, the only surprises being a flushed Crissal Thrasher and a Song Sparrow. The campground gave us Dicksissel near our tent.

17-04

Falcon State Park, Salineno
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: Falcon

We decided to depart as early as possible to give us enough time to not only to drive the long way towards the Lower Rio Grande Valley but also to enjoy the ride. It was still dark when we left the campground, heading towards Marathon. Common Poorwill was calling at the campground. A second Crissal Thrasher crossed the road and Scaled Quail was very common along the road in the park. From Marathon to the east we found 2 Hepatic Tanagers at the roadside. Our first Harris’ Hawks started to appear near Del Rio.
In the end we forgot to stop at St. Ignasio or Laredo to try for White-collared Seedeaters. We then decided to skip them, not willing to drive back again.
In the Falcon area we had just enough sunlight left to scan the regular birding spots. In Falcon State Park it was too hot for birds and birders and we only found some commoners: Bronzed Cowbird and Golden-fronted Woodpecker. At Salineno we had lucky views of a flyby Muscovy Duck. But that was pretty much all for the day.

18-04

Falcon County Park, Falcon State Park, Salineno
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: Falcon
Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: Los Ebanos

We started in Falcon County Park. Birding started slow but within a few hours we found some of the targets including a feeding flock of about 10 Red-billed Pigeon, Clay-collared Sparrow, Bullocks Oriole and Olive Sparrow. Falcon State Park gave us Ringed Kingfisher and Black-throated Sparrow and good photo opportunities at the blind.
In the afternoon we headed to Mission to spend the afternoon at the Hawk Tower in Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park after checking in at one of the few motels in town. The Hawk Tower provided excellent birding but the only evidence of migration consisted of 2 Mississippi Kites. Highlight of the day was not a bird but a mammal: a Bobcat gently strolled down under the Hawk Tower and even sat down for a photo! At dusk we had several Lesser Nighthawks and while walking back at least two different Paraques sitting on the road. Chuck-Wills-Widows were calling.

19-04

Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: Los Ebanos

Our second day in Bentson gave us the regulars including Altamira Oriole, Ringed Kingfisher, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet but again no evidence of raptor migration, even though we saw more raptor species. Again the afternoon was spent on the tower with a highlight: Swallow-tailed Kite flying by, a few Broad-winged, a Harris and a Gray Hawk. And finally my first Painted Bunting!
During the heat of day we decided not to spend the night in Bentsen, but in stead to hit the road again towards the east. Fortunately we were able to check into the excellent birdwatcher lodge Alamo Inn in Alamo. We spent two superb nights in this very friendly inn where the innkeeper provided us with an overload of local birding information.

20-04

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: Santa Ana
South Padre Island (Convention centre)
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: South Padre
Frontera Audubon thickets
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: Estero llano

We spent the morning in Santa Ana NWR. Pretty much the same birds as in Bentsen but easier and quicker to find. Targets included Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Gray Hawk, Painted Bunting, Olive Sparrow, Altamira Oriole, Ringed Kingfisher and a few good new ones: Clay-colored Robin, Green Kingfisher and Groove-billed Ani.
After finishing at Santa Ana's we drove to South Padre Island to do a bit of migrant birding again. No Aplomado Falcon along highway100. The Convention Centre held good numbers of migrants though not as much as during the bonanza they had there two days earlier. Goodies were Palm warbler, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Lincoln’s Sparrow. There was also a Yellow-rumped Warbler without a yellow rump (see the photo’s). A Clapper Rail was very showy at the end of the board walk. In a town garden we found and photographed a Grasshopper Sparrow.
During late lunch we found out about the great birds found at Frontera Audubon's Thicket thanks to the TEXBIRD mail group and we decided to give it a try. We had an hour left but that proved not enough to find the Golden-winged Warbler nor the Woodthrush. Instead Marc found a Chestnut-sided Warbler that would not show itself to me... Yet this became our best day up to now with 139 species seen including 18 warblers.

21-04

Frontera Audubon thickets
Lower Coastal Birding Trail: Estero llano
Gavelston
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Gavelston

After another excellent night at the Alamo Inn we tried Frontera Audubon’s again this morning. Four hours of thorough search only revealed Woodthrush, Ovenbird and a nice Veery among the more common warblers, but no Golden-winged or Chestnut-sided Warbler.
Around noon we hit the road for the big drive back north, skipping excellent birding spots like King Ranch. Just before checking into a motel in Gavelston we checked the Common Loons and found one of the long-staying Pacific Loons.

22-04

Gavelston, Bolivar Flats, 1st street, Boy Scout Woods, Anahuac Wildlife refuge, Sabine Woods
Upper Coast Birding Trail

On our last full day in Texas we started at first light in Gavelston with Common and Pacific Loons. Underway to High Island we stopped at Bolivar Flats. Great views of 2 Clapper Rails, one with 'king rail flanks': distinctive black and white barred. The Bolivar Flats were full of birds again, high numbers of Dunlins in all plumages. Western Sandpiper was harder to find.
The forest on 1st Street was empty as was Boy Scout Woods. We continued to Anahuac Wildlife Refuge. Good numbers of waders including Stilt Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper and Hudsonian Gotwit and fair looks of both Northern and Louisiana Waterthrush with a bunch of other birders.
Things really started to work out at Sabine Woods in the afternoon. Birds seem to drop into the bushes every minute. The bushes were teeming with Gray Catbirds and an impressive set of warblers were present, including Chestnut-sided (pfff, finally the High Island Fallout shirt complete), Magnolia (wow) and Bay-breasted. There were also a lot of Yellow Warblers all of a sudden as well as good numbers of Blackpoll Warbler. We dipped on a Canada Warbler simply by not being at the right time at the drip. Good numbers of thrushes with a second Woodthrush, Swainson’s Thrushes and our only Gray-cheecked Thrush. Several Ovenbirds and Norhtern and Louisiana Waterthrushes made the ground dwellers more common than ever before. Exciting birding indeed!
After 12 hours of birding we ended up with our best Texas day list: 152 species seen.

23-04

Sabine Woods
Upper Coast Birding Trail: Sabine

The last morning was spent at Sabine Woods again. Why not give it a try once more? Not as many birds as the previous afternoon but a second Veery and a Swainson’s Thrush illustrated that the bulk of ground dwellers was still to come. Blackpoll Warbler was in evidence. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was a late one.
And all of a sudden that was it. Migration had only halfway started but we had to catch an airplane back home.

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