BY COLLEEN ‘The Bird Lady’ CLAYBOURN, Email me at windrush@skynet.net • 972-2270

Feathered Fridays, our monthly birding bonanza at The Nature Conservancy’s Mad Island Marsh, took place this past Friday. Although we didn’t observe a large number of species, we did get excited about some of them. In the rice field adjacent to Mad Island Slough, we saw a Northern harrier scouting for prey. Two other raptors we observed were an American kestrel and an osprey with a fish in his talons. A Black vulture was chasing the Osprey, in an apparent attempt to cause him to drop his catch. We did see a large number of juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-herons on the south side of Mad Island Slough, while we were scouting for the American bittern, which we’ve seen at that location numerous times. We also briefly got a glimpse of a Yellow-throated warbler and a Red-bellied woodpecker along the north side of the slough. Just like last month, we saw few Eastern meadowlarks but lots of Cattle egrets, Red-winged blackbirds, Boat-tailed and Great-tailed grackles. Pintail pond, a created wetland, was full of water. Many birds were taking advantage of feeding/bathing/preening and fussing in the wetland. These included White and White-faced ibis, Black-bellied whistling ducks, Fulvous tree ducks, and many Black-necked stilts. While we saw no American coots, we observed many Common moorhens, as well as a few juveniles. Scissor-tailed flycatchers were seen on the high lines as well as Loggerhead shrikes. A seasoned birder, who accompanied us, heard a Lesser yellowlegs. It is migration season. While I haven’t observed many shorebirds except a pair of Spotted sandpipers that hang out on my bulkhead, twittering up and down on the rocks, (and many Killdeer), neighbors and friends have reported seeing Baltimore orioles, some in flocks of twenty, more American kestrels, Arizona woodpeckers, and many Ruby-throated humming birds, some of whom will probably winter in our region. Sara Murphy reported seeing a hummingbird that remains unidentified. It had a blue back, and purple underside. The next Feathered Fridays event will take place October 16th, 2009. For more information call Cathy Wakefield, 361-404-1198.

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TEXAS COASTAL FISHING REPORT

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Trout and flounder are fair to good on muddy shorelines on soft plastics. WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair on sand and grass humps on soft plastics and topwaters. Redfish are fair on live shrimp at Shell Island and Mad Island. PORT O’CONNOR: Redfish are best in the back lakes on shrimp and mullet. Bull redfish are good at the jetty on crabs, mullet and shad. Trout are fair to good on the reefs in San Antonio Bay. EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout and large Gulf trout are good for drifters working deep shell on plastics and fresh shrimp. Redfish and flounder are fair to good in the marsh around drains on shrimp. WEST GALVESTON BAY: Bull redfish and flounder are good at San Luis Pass on shrimp and shad. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs. TEXAS CITY: Redfish are fair to good in Moses Lake on crabs and shrimp. Gulf trout are good in the channel on fresh shrimp. A few birds are beginning to work on the outgoing tide. FREEPORT: Redfish are fair to good on the reefs in Christmas Bay. Bull redfish are good around Surfside and at the Quintana jetty on crabs, shrimp and mullet. ROCKPORT: Redfish are good in Redfish Bay on mullet and crabs. Bull redfish are good in the Shrimpboat Channel on shrimp and crabs. PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair at Shamrock Cove and Pelican Island on topwaters and Gulps. Bull redfish are good at the jetty and on the beachfront on natural baits. Offshore is good for tuna. CORPUS CHRISTI: Bull redfish are good in the surf on mullet and shrimp. Trout are fair for waders working mud and grass on small topwaters and Corkies. Redfish and black drum are good in the Humble Channel on live bait. BAFFIN BAY: Trout are good on topwaters and plum plastics around rocks and grass on the King Ranch shoreline. Redfish are fair to good in the Land Cut on shrimp and crabs. PORT MANSFIELD: Redfish are fair to good while drifting pot holes on topwaters and soft plastics under a popping cork. Trout and redfish are fair to good on the spoils in West Bay.

Click here for area Marine forecast and Tidal information

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RE/MAX COSTAL PROPERTIES (PDF requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)