High Island 2025 (April/May) Part 1
Attwater NWR
As usual, I started my High Island adventure for 2025 with a visit to Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR. Also per usual, no Prairie Chickens!! However the singing Dickcissels were everywhere!! I was especially interested to see a group of about 25 Dickcissels all within about 20 yards of each other and all singing their Dickcissel songs — I suspect it was lekking behavior.
I was also pleased to get shots of the open tail of Eastern Meadowlarks, and always good to see Grasshopper Sparrows.
The Grackle Trifecta
Nice to get the Grackle Trifecta several days running (Common, Great-tailed and Boat-tailed). The many Red-wing Blackbirds are annual, and a single sighting of a Bronzed Cowbird is an almost annual event on this trip.
Warblers & Other Colorful Passerines
The many warblers and other colorful passerines are the primary draw of High Island during migration. We didn’t see great numbers of passerines this year, but we did manage all the expected thrushes in low numbers (Wood, Gray-checked, Swainson’s and Veery) and 25 or 26 warbler species. We also got the Tanager Trifecta (Summer, Scarlet & Western), with the Western Tanager being slightly out of range.
The last warbler I saw on the trip was a Canada Warbler on the beach !! I think it must of just flown in and was weary!
Flycatchers
Flycatchers were not plentiful this year, but always a pleasure to see and try to photograph. Most flycatchers arrive later than our late April dates for this trip, so we usually only get Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-pewee, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird and occasionally Least Flycatcher (though not this year I think).
Insects
In addition to birds I very much enjoy the beauty and challenge of photographing insects.
These 2 inch long Dobson Flies look fearsome, but their pincers are mostly for show I understand.
Insects on the Wing
Insects on the wing are a particularly interesting and challenging subject!
When they sit still a moment they are easier!!
The Beautiful Ebony Jewelwing
These Ebony Jewelwings (damselflies) attracted every photographer in our group!!
