De-railed

The rail trudge at Anahuac was last weekend and next weekend, but not Easter weekend. John will have to do those rails another way.

Had a good Easter anyway. We got the Hooded and Wilson's Warblers at the drip at Boy Scout Woods. A Black-Throated Green was above our parked car. Then, on the walk at Smith Woods lead by Sam of Tropical Birding, we got the Cerulean and the Yellow-Throated Warblers. Other notable sightings were the American Golden Plover, Upland Sandpiper and Wilson's Snipe. I spotted the last two. Sometimes, it is highly satisfying to be the birddog.

John and I also chatted with Sandy Komito, the guy who has the big year record. Turns out he had seen three more birds in 1998 that had not been validated by the powers that be until later, so he really got 748 not 745. While reviewing his strategy in the 11 years since his first big year in 1987 (another record), Sandy had decided that time management would be his most powerful tool, plus, he went everywhere there was a rarity. Impressive accomplishment. John will have a big year too. It will just be HIS big year and HIS accomplishment, whatever the total ends up to be. His total to date is about 360.

To every season, tern, tern, tern

This was an eight tern day! Caspian, Royal, Gull-Billed, Sandwich, Common, Forester's, Black, and Least. That was all at Bolivar Flats. At Boy Scout Woods in High Island, we had, notably, Worm-Eating Warbler and Merlin, and some of the expected species. We have all day tomorrow to get more. Tropical Birding is still doing a great job of free tours. Thanks, Sam. Oh, and I can't omit the wonderful barbecue the Methodist Church served up today.

John is up to about 340 birds now.