By Jim Stevenson
First, I am enthusiastically recommending Saturday’s field trip, despite the likelihood of some rain. The precipitation will “down” the birds arriving off the Gulf and could make it quite a good day. We’ll meet at my house at 8 am and quit late afternoon when we can’t look at any more Empidonax flycatchers.
Birding
Jim Stevenson is the Director of the Galveston Ornithological Society:www.galvestonbirders.org You may receive his recent bird pictures name suppressed in PDF form for free by writing him here galornsoc@earthlink.net
Vireos
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Other Land Birds
By Jim Stevenson
By First of all, there may be a bird-producing frontal system this Saturday, and it might provide some of the tough-to-see late migrants like various Empidonax flycatchers, Mourning and Canada Warblers and other mid-May specialties. I am considering changing the Big Thicket venue for Saturday to a coastal one, but would welcome feedback from
Ducks & Friends
By Jim Stevenson
If there is anyone you can think of who might wish to receive these photos, please send me their name and e-mail. Or have them contact me below.
Migrant Birds
By Jim Stevenson
I took a little time off the last two afternoons to shoot in my yard with Alan Murphy and Brian Small, probably the best two bird photographers in the Country. They do their migrant songbird photography here. Rather than a PDF, this time I’m sending the pictures of medium-sized birds (no warblers) with numbers, so you can test your
The Great Texas Birding Classic
Join the Fun! The 17th Annual Birding Classic begins on April 15 and runs through May 15, 2013. The world’s biggest, longest and wildest birdwatching tournament is going statewide! There are many different tournament categories to choose from depending on your age, your ability and how much time you have. Just find some friends and family to form your team, select the tournament that fits your
March Songbirds
By Jim Stevenson,
Hi Folks, Last call for the field trip Saturday on the Island’s West End.
EVERYONE INTERESTED IN THE ARIZONA TRIP PLEASE CONTACT (OR RE-CONTACT) ME. I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED THE LIST! Ooops. We also have room for several more on the Great Plains (Montana) Trip, 19-30 May.
This report is on early migrants, mostly, and we have a ton of them right now on the Island! Jim
Houston Audubon Open House
Houston Audubon will have an Open House at their High Island sanctuaries Saturday, April 6. Admission to the sanctuaries will be free. The Smith Oaks Sanctuary on Old Mexico Rd is world famous for the Rookery where herons, egrets and spoonbills nest. There is no place in Texas to get a better look at the birds and their nests. You can also get a great look at the alligators
Grasspipers
By Jim Stevenson,
Please don’t forget the Saturday field trip in five days. April is here and so are the birds! This Saturday we are all over the West End of the Island, including a few secret places. $30, 8-4 pm.
I need for everyone who is interested in the Great Plains Trip to contact me IMMEDIATELY (except RM, MV and AD). URGENT!!!
Today’s article details the shorebirds we know as “grasspipers,” those who spend a fair amount of time in pastures and fields. Texas really has them!
Kites in Galveston
By Jim Stevenson
I’ve never written an article about a single bird but this time I’ll make an exception. A Swallow-tailed Kite spent several hours flying around my house yesterday, grabbing insects, lizards and tree frogs off the treetops. The dark, cloudy conditions made photography difficult but with a brand new camera (!), it wasn’t horrible. I hope you enjoy it and have
Special PART 2 Tropics
by Jim Stevenson,
The GOS could really use your help to “man” the booth at Feather Festival in Galveston. This would be any part of Thursday afternoon, and all day Friday and Saturday. If any of you are interested please let me know by responding below. Enjoy the second part of our Tropics Animals.
SPECIAL! Costa Rica and Venezuelan wild-life
by Jim Stevenson
Enjoy part one of this weeks Costa Rican and Venezuelan wild-life pictures.
Outback seed eaters
by Jim Stevenson,Seeds are an amazing source of energy and nutrition for birds and other animals and there is a lot of them in Australia’s Outback.
Nectivores
by Jim Stevenson
Howdy, I am back in civilization again and wanted to share some critters from Costa Rica which enjoy sugar through nectar. There are mostly hummers in the article but I have also included a couple of songbirds. My ten days making arrangements for the Venezuelan Tour has been made better by traveling with Bruce Anderson, the co-author (with my late father) of Birdlife of Florida. Bruce is an absolutely astute ornithologist and certainly keeps me on the avian straight and narrow. Perhaps more straight than narrow.
Birds in Costa Rica
by Jim Stevenson,
We had a wonderful Costa Rica Tour with some of the best clients ever! It was fantastic! This week we are in Venezuala, here are some beautiful pictures and descriptions of
Want to go to the Down Under?
by Jim Stevenson,
Hello Travelers,
It is time to begin thinking seriously about the Australian Trip. Here are some details that might help you to know if you are interested. We would fly on Monday, July 8, to Townsville, Australia (see below for additional dates). You would pick your flight and pay for it. After that,
Water Birds
by Jim Stevenson,
This week I have an article I did with a little depth. I show and discuss Anhingas, cormorants and then some waterbirds with something in common. It’s a little different.
Costa Rican Birds
By Jim Stevenson,
The Costa Rica tour is off to a rip-roaring start with a Short-tailed Hawk over our hotel and various stuff like motmots hiding from it. Tomorrow it’s up to Poas Volcano and down the Caribbean Slope. More coming next week.
Waders of Florida part 2
by Jim Stevenson,
If you would be interested in hearing more about a 10-day GOS trip to Southeastern Arizona’s cool mountains the second half of August 2013, let me know and I’ll send information. That’s the part of the Country that has many “Mexican” species like trogons and such, plus a nice retreat from the sauna of August elsewhere.
Waders of Florida
by Jim Stevenson,
I will be renting out my house to anyone wishing to spend time in Galveston, possibly birding the Upper Texas Coast. It will be any part of February, and from mid-May through August. Anyone interested, let me know, and I’ll send you a flier. It is very secluded, extremely quiet, 2-bedroom with a third room cot (plus new couches), marvelous sky deck, full kitchen, a/c and heat, etc.
by Jim Stevenson,Ducks and friends
by Jim Stevenson,
I have five people signed up for this June’s Alaska Trip. If anyone else wishes to go, this would be a good time to let me know! Reservations up there start early! THERE WILL BE NO ALASKA TRIP IN 2014. Also, anyone who is interested in a 16-day birding trip to Australia this summer, AND HAS NOT ALREADY CONTACTED ME, please let me know. I am at the very beginning stages of this process, so please don’t ask me too much right now! I’m thinking July (winter there), about $3800, the Northeastern portion (that’s the best), total of five people and a visit to the Great Barrier Reef.
Science, Birds and Record Keeping
by Jim Stevenson,
Science has blessed us with an enormous amount of information on the natural world, from medicine to physics, and while it is great to enjoy birding with cameras and binoculars, many of us feel a certain responsibilityto add to the body of knowledge from our observations of these feathered beauties. The journal of American Birds collects
Winter Gulls
by Jim Stevenson,
The article is on some of our tough winter gulls, and we have had some great ones lately! Enjoy!
A few other species
by Jim Stevenson,
First, I hope all of you are enjoying family and friends at this time of year, and are concluding a good 2012. This article is actually all the non-birds I photographed this fall, and sending them out is becoming more/less an annual tradition. All kinds of animals!
Water birds
by Jim Stevenson
I will be leaving tomorrow for Tallahassee to deal with my mother’s estate and sell my books for the final week before Christmas at Books-a-Million in North Tallahassee. Then I will be heading for the GOS Florida Trip that will commence 7-17 January. I’ll be home in time for the Valley Trip 24-27 January before leaving immediately afterwards
Hummingbirds
by Jim Stevenson,
Liz and I visited several birding sites in Ecuador and did a lot of photography. There is one species of hummer in the Eastern US, a dozen or so in the West, several dozen in Central America and 300 or so in South America. So, here are a few for your enjoyment.
Migrating or wintering birds
by Jim Stevenson,
Hi folks, If anyone is interested in our four upcoming trips and hasn’t contacted me yet, please do so immediately! That’s Florida (Jan. 7-17), Rio Grande Valley (Jan. 24-27), Costa Rica (Feb. 3-13) and Venezuela in late February. This article is on some land birds seen recently, either migrating or wintering. Enjoy!
Coopers Hawk and friends
Announcements: If you are interested in going with us to our Costa Rica Trip, please drop me a line asap. We really need a couple more to make the trip! February 3-13. There will be a Rio Grande Valley Trip January 24-27 and the group is very small. Great birding and photography! We’ll go in the van. $500. Are there people who would like to do a Venezuelan Tour the second half of February? It’s a
