South Padre Island is one of the better spots for seeing shorebirds in Texas as well as in the entire country. The rich mudflats there and other sites on the gulf coast play host to thousands of sandpipers, plovers, egrets, and other aquatic species during both fall and spring migration.
A recent jaunt over to South Padre turned up good numbers of several species and some fine photo opportunities.
There were several beautiful Ruddy Turnstones around.
Like most of the other shorebirds on the flats, the Semipalmated Plover was in the Arctic just a few weeks ago.
The Least Sandpiper is one of the most common of the shorebirds that visit south Texas.
A foraging Black-bellied Plover.
Not all of the shorebirds nest in the arctic. In fact, two of the larger, more easily identified species nest in prairie wetlands of Canada and the north-central USA.
The Marbled Godwit is one of those birds.
The Willet also breeds in prairie wetlands of the north in addition to salt marshes on the Atlantic and gulf coast, including Texas.
South Texas is a good place to see the Long-billed Curlew after it leaves its grassland breeding grounds.
While watching shorebirds at South Padre Island, you can also be treated to nice looks at various herons and egrets. The uncommon Reddish Egret is among the most elegant of these large wading birds.
A Reddish Egret in flight.
The beautiful Green Heron is one of our most common heron species.
The Least Bittern is much less common and a lot more difficult to see!
As with other wetland sites in south Texas, you will probably also see Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.
The Black-bellied whistling Duck is a striking, beautiful waterfowl species.
Baby whistling ducks might not be as colorful as their parents but they are a lot cuter!
The numbers of waders visiting south Texas should increase over the coming weeks. Since these migrants come and go, you never know what might show up!