Richland Creek WMA August 29

[Mary Lee]

Please join Jim Jones for a field trip to Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area near Corsicana on August 29th. We will be looking for Wood Storks and Roseate Spoonbills.

Carpooling is encouraged and Jim will post more information in the coming days.

[JimTx]

Drove out to Richland WMA late yesterday afternoon. First time out and it took awhile to find the birds but it was worth the drive. It is covered with birds. Didn't see the storks but I only had time to cover a small part of the facility. Some birds at extreme distances ... good Binoc or scope needed.
Mosquitoes were aggressive ... bring spray.

Field Trip should be great

Did see the following

Hundreds of White Ibis ... juvi to adult
10 Glossy Ibis
10 light pink and white birds (at exteme distance) Ibis shaped bodies and bills
could have been roseate spoonbills or scarlets

Multiple Great Blue Herons
Multiple Little Blues
Multiple Tricolored Heron

Anhinga
Cormorants .... not sure what type but many
Hundreds of cattle egrets
Snowy Egrets
Great white Egrets
Lots of different ducks

[JimTx]

Checked my pictures again this morning and it was a tree full of Roseate Spoonbills.

Field trip is looking even better..... I would think!

[JimTx]

Went back to the WMA late yesterday afternoon ... nice finding one so close.... wouldn't have known about it if I hadn't read about the field trip.

Found the Roseate Spoonbills again .. this time was able to get close enough to get a few decent shots. Also ... would like to know what stage the blue is in .. juvi ... molting or what?


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/JimTX/P1010925_edited-1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/JimTX/Spoonbills.jpg


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/JimTX/Spoonbills2.jpg

[Mary Lee]

Hi Jim -

That's a juvenile Little Blue Heron. Thanks for confirming the presence of the Roseate Spoonbills.

Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area has 2 sections - a north unit and south unit. Different habitat so great opportunity to see a variety of birds.
Don't know if you are aware and perhaps already have one but individuals using Richland Creek WMA are required to have a limited use permit ($12 at any place you can buy a hunting permit). Click here (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/wma/find_a_wma/list/?id=23) to get additional information.

I hope you'll be able to join us on our field trip on August 29. More info about that trip will be posted soon.

[JimTx]

Went back to the WMA this afternoon ... Spoonbills were still there and counted 10. Blue-Winged teal were also present as were the White Ibis.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/JimTX/RosateSpoonbills.jpg


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/JimTX/Blue-wingedteal.jpg

[JimTx]

Went out again yesterday .. spoonbill count is now 15 that I saw .. juvi to adult.

I was also able to see most of the other families from juvi to adult as well and all the stages in between ... has been interesting. Books don't show all of the stages ... just some ... confusing to a new birder.

[JimJones]

Hi all,
I apologize I have not been doing much with the new site or with this particular forum strand. Work, work, work got in the way this summer.
But since I am the 'trip leader' for this weekend's journey to Richland Creek WMA, I wanted to post something. So:
Thank you, thank you to Mary Lee for posting the original announcement.
Thanks even more to JimTX for his great news that the Spoonbills are in fact there. I hoped they would arrive by now, and even if we only see 20 to 50, that will still be a treat. Last September I counted over 175!, and several sources told me the larger numbers do arrive in September. They seem to hang around until they need to move further south for the winter.
Several have sent me RSVPs, so one thing I want to ask is if you have a 2-way radio, bring it along so we can communicate while driving.
Also, if you have a point & shoot camera, bring that as well as we will do some Digiscoping when needed.
If you plan to meet at one of the locations listed under the fieldtrip, look for my white Ford F150 4 door pick-up license 4BIRD.
I'll add more news if warranted before this weekend.
See everyone bright and early!
Jim Jones
817-915-6089