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Tuesday, April 18, 2000

Spring into birding
Newcomers to hobby can wing it at bird-friendly park

If you've ever kicked around the idea of becoming a birder, this is the time of year to start. During spring migration, Corpus Christi soars as one of the best birding spots in the country. It is situated on the central flyway beside the Gulf of Mexico. Many birds that winter in Mexico, Central America or South America pass through here on their way north to nest and breed.
   For birds that come north across the Gulf of Mexico, the Texas coast is their first landfall. Weather disturbances, late northers accompanied by rain, are hazardous for traveling birds. Bad weather can trigger a phenomenon known as a "fallout'' - bad for the birds but good for birders. Thousands of birds seem to fall from the clouds. Trees and ground are covered by a rainbow of blue, red and yellow birds.
   Sometimes, if the weather clears, their stay is short, only a day. At other times, a wet norther can keep them grounded for almost a week.
   Begin at Blucher
   One of the very best places to start birding is in Blucher Park.
   Located in an old arroyo behind the main branch of the Corpus Christi Public Library on Carrizo Street, Blucher Park is what is known as a migrant trap. About the size of a city block, its foliage gives shelter and food to migrating birds, while a little creek provides water.
   A pioneer family, the Von Bluchers, donated the park to the city with the understanding that it would be maintained in a natural state. Every April since 1962, the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi has sponsored Sporting Bird Walks there. Walks begin at daybreak Saturday and Sunday mornings (except Easter morning) in April.
   The walks are not formal, but birders are always present to help novices decide what birds they are seeing. Bird Walks are not the only time birds can be found in Blucher Park. Avid birders gather there on weekdays throughout April and for the first two weeks in May.
   Though spring migrants are some of the most spectacular sights, birds such as the tri-colored heron and black-necked stilt can be seen here all year.
   For a satisfying birding experience, binoculars are a must. A little practice makes them a useful and essential tool. Field guides also help. A lawn chair or blanket can come in handy.
   Beaches and inland
   Plenty of migrants hit the beach. These feathered spring breakers are already donning breeding plumage. Red knots in flocks run from wave line to sand, in and out among Sandwich terns, least terns, and the larger orange-billed Caspian and royal terns, which have come to spend the summer. Ruddy turnstones in harlequin patterns run about on short red legs and feet.
   In fields out Chapman Ranch Road and beyond Portland, look for lesser golden plover. There may be migrating black-bellied plover among them. In flight, black patches under the wings and a white ump patch identify the latter. Upland sandpipers, their big eyes bugging in small heads above slender stalks of skinny necks, and their miniature version, buff-breasted sandpipers, often set down in the same habitat for refueling.
   Black terns often fly low above fields being plowed for spring planting. Keep an eye out overhead for flocks of Franklin's gulls. They resemble laughing gulls but will be flying in loose formation and have lacey black windows at their wingtips.
   In the Oso, watch for apparent long-billed curlews. Some may be whimbrels, their smaller, stockier cousins. On shallow ponds may be found Wilson's phalaropes, turning and whirling. The female of this species, more colorful than the male, has a bright, rusty head.
   Some spring warblers:
   Wood warblers are a New World group of birds found only in the Americas. Beguiling to the eye, they are immensely popular, probably because of their tiny size combined with dazzling colors and a habit of darting quickly about. For many birders, wood warblers are the heart of spring migration. About 26 species can be seen here during a good season. By the time they arrive, most are in spring plumage but have not yet begun to sing.

Black and white warbler: Brightly striped as its name implies, the black and white warbler has a habit of deliberately working around the trunk and branches of trees.

Black-throated green warbler: The male is characterized by a bright yellow face, framed by a black throat and an olive green crown. The female is similar but duller.

Northern parula warbler: These small, blue gray birds with yellow throats and breasts are most often viewed overhead where they feed in new leaf buds. Unlike many warblers passing through, they sing, a persistent series of same pitch notes with a rising buzz at the end.

Cerulean warbler: A darling mite of a bird with a heavenly blue back. Males have a narrow black throat ring above a white breast.

Hooded warbler: A glossy black hood surrounds a lemon yellow forehead and face. Backs are green and underparts yellow. This bird works in understories and announces its presence with a loud tick.

Wilson's warbler: Green above and yellow below with a well defined black cap, more distinct in males than in females.

Yellow warbler: Head and underparts bright yellow with rufous streaks on breast.

Yellow-breasted chat: The largest warbler, gray green above a bright yellow breast, and wearing distinctive white spectacles. This bird is very vocal, fusses and scolds from thickets.

Ovenbird: Shadow skulker and forager in dry leaves. Identifiable by its distinctive black bordered, orange crown stripe and bold white eye-ring. Its walk is deliberate and mincing.

Water thrushes (Northern and Louisiana): Also warblers, these brown striped birds work the edge of any damp spot, clicking loudly and pumping their tails up and down.
   Other spring species:

Summer and scarlet tanagers: Stunning red bodies accented by black wings make the sighting of a scarlet tanager a thrill. Summer tanagers wear a slightly subtler shade of red and the black of their wings is faint. Both species have light bills. Summer tanagers are more numerous in migration here. Females of both species are yellow green.

Baltimore oriole: The old name has been restored to this handsome gold and black bird. Females are yellow green.

Orchard oriole: Black head, wings and tail set off a deep chestnut body. Females are yellow green. These birds favor coral bean bushes, loquat and mulberry trees and bottle brush.

Indigo bunting: The blue color of the male of this species is enchanting. The female is a mellow, bright brown. They travel in flocks feeding on weed seeds on low bushes and on the ground.

Painted bunting: A South Texas treasure that comes to us in migration and sometimes stays to nest. The male has a red breast and rump, navy blue head, chartreuse green back, with wings etched in black, with touches of yellow, and a pale bill, a living dream. The female has a lovely color all her own, a unique shade of green. An immature male looks like a female.

Thrushes: Robins are thrushes but they are winter tourists, not harbingers of spring in South Texas. Thrushes that migrate through are Swainson's, veery, wood, and gray-cheeked. All have gray brown backs and spotted breasts and forage in shady places, on the ground.
   The bird friendliness of Blucher Park comes as a courtesy of The Blucher Bunch. These volunteers work on Monday evenings throughout the summer to beautify the park
   They have planted beds of red salvia, restoring such native plants as agarita, yaupon and beauty berry. Among the beds they have made paths and replaced fallen trees. Old and ailing Hackberry and Anacahuita trees have been nurtured and coaxed back to bloom. Spring is payoff time for The Blucher Bunch, and, of course, birds.



Phyllis Yochem, a Corpus Christi resident, has studied birds of Texas since 1960.

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