Goose Island

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF GOOSE ISLAND S T A T E P A R K A FIELD CHECKLIST 2016 checklist area map Cover: Illustration of Reddish Egret by Jeremy Boehm. INTRODUCTION G oose Island State Park, Aransas County, is situated in the great Central Flyway at the southern tip of Lamar Peninsula. It is on the shores of Aransas and St. Charles Bays just west of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Park habitats include shallow waters of the open bays, shorelines and mudflats, marshes, meadows, live oak mottes and dense shrub thickets with yaupon, American beautyberry, agarito, redbay, grape, poison ivy, bumelia, prickly-ash, greenbriar and others. A paved park road traverses several of these habitats and leads to the Big Tree, The State Champion coastal live oak. The habitat variety at Goose Island State Park makes it a good place to observe water birds, waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines both in migration and in residence. During spring migration, the live oaks attract many passerines; warblers can be especially abundant. Hawks and falcons can be seen flying overhead. Bird observations may be particularly rewarding during the wet cold fronts of spring. During migration periods and low tide conditions, marshes and shores are especially good for shorebird sightings. St. Charles Bay, the shallowest of the area bays, provides good feeding for shorebirds. The marshes are good for rails and gallinules. Swallows can be observed flying overhead. The winter bird population is excellent and varied. Aransas Bay has goldeneyes, Lesser Scaup, various other ducks, Common Loons, Eared Grebes and Double-crested Cormorants. St. Charles Bay, being shallow, attracts the dabblers: gadwalls, pintails, teals, wigeons, shovelers, and redheads; American White Pelicans are found across the bay on sand spits near the Aransas Refuge. On occasions, a family of Whooping Cranes can be seen feeding. Snow and Canada geese feed and rest in the bays; Herring, Ring-billed, Bonaparte’s and Laughing gulls are found in winter over the water, as are Forster’s, Royal and Caspian terns. Some of the breeding birds in the marshes and on the shores and islands are: Pied-billed Grebe, Least Bitterns, herons and egrets, 1 Roseate Spoonbills, Mottled Ducks, Black-belled Whistling-Ducks, Clapper Rails, Killdeer and Willets, Wilson’s Plovers, Laughing Gulls and six species of terns, Seaside Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds. Some of the birds that nest in the Oaks and open areas are: Inca Doves, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Purple Martins, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wrens, White-eyed Vireos, Northern Cardinals, Painted Buntings, Lark Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlarks and Great-tailed Grackles. Bird observation and study at Goose Island State Park is always good, but is especially rewarding during low tides or during migration. This checklist includes only those species that have been observed in the park or passing overhead or from Lamar Peninsula and the immediate environs of Aransas, St. Charles and Copano Bays. Nomenclature and organization follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds, 7th edition (1998) as supplemented. This list was compiled by members of the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi, who made spring and winter counts of the area for several years, and includes many sightings turned in by park visitors. The Checklist Committee included Dennis Haessly; Ray Little; Hilde Kaigler; Jim and Sally Lockwood; and Cullen S. Reeves. Jr. A special note of appreciation is extended to Ruthie Melton for her contribution to the 1993 checklist from which the current edition is based. Because we are interested in maintaining and revising this checklist, we solicit your help and ask that you share new and unusual sightings and/or comments on the status of the park’s birdlife with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. You may leave your sightings at the park headquarters or mail them to the Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Please help protect natural avian communities by refraining from using playback tapes of bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes alters normal avian activity patterns, disrupts essential territorial behavior, and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. 2 LEGEND Season/Abundance S = Summer – birds that come in summer and are presumed to breed – March through October. W = Winter – birds that come for the winter season – November through March. Some arriving as early as July and some leaving as late as June. R = Resident – the bird is found throughout the year. M = Migrant – a bird whose stay may be brief in spring and fall, while enroute between its summer and winter homes. c = common – should be seen in proper habitat during season noted. u = uncommon – may be seen in proper habitat during season noted. r = rare – unlikely to be seen even in proper habitat during season noted. ca = casual – a few records per decade. i = irregular – great variation in numbers for the same season from one year to the next. Acc = Accidental – not expected to recur. * = nesting/breeding documented. CHECKLIST SWANS, GEESE AND DUCKS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ *Black-bellied Whistling-Duck ................................................... Rc Fulvous Whistling-Duck ............................................................. Su Greater White-fronted Goose ......................................................Wr Snow Goose ...............................................................................Wr Canada Goose ............................................................................Wr Tundra Swan .............................................................................Acc Wood Duck ................................................................................ Wi Gadwall ..................................................................................... Wu American Wigeon ...................................................................... Wu Mallard.......................................................................................Wr *Mottled Duck............................................................................ Rc Blue-winged Teal ................................................................Mc; Wc Cinnamon Teal ...........................................................................Wr Northern Shoveler ..................................................................... Wc 3 ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Northern Pintail ........................................................................ Wc Green-winged Teal .................................................................... Wu Canvasback ............................................................................... Wu Redhead.................................................................................... Wc Ring-necked Duck .................................................................... Wu Greater Scaup ............................................................................Wr Lesser Scaup ............................................................................. Wc White-winged Scoter ................................................................Wca Long-tailed Duck ........................................................................ca Bufflehead ................................................................................ Wc Common Goldeneye .................................................................. Wc Hooded Merganser ....................................................................Wr Red-breasted Merganser ........................................................... Wc Common Merganser .................................................................Acc Masked Duck ............................................................................Acc Ruddy Duck .............................................................................. Wu QUAILS ____ *Northern Bobwhite ................................................................... Rr TURKEYS ____ Wild Turkey ................................................................................ Rr LOONS ____ Red-throated Loon ....................................................................Acc ____ Common Loon........................................................................... Wc GREBES ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ *Least Grebe............................................................................... Rr *Pied-billed Grebe...................................................................... Rc Horned Grebe.............................................................................Wr Eared Grebe ............................................................................... Wi Western Grebe ..........................................................................Acc FLAMINGOS ____ American Flamingo ...................................................................Acc 4 STORKS ____ Wood Stork ................................................................................. M FRIGATEBIRDS ____ Magnificent Frigatebird ........................................................Su; Wr GANNETS AND BOOBIES ____ Masked Booby ..........................................................................Acc CORMORANTS ____ Neotropic Cormorant ................................................................. Rc ____ Double-crested Cormorant ....................................................... Wc ANHINGA ____ Anhinga .................................................................................... Wu PELICANS ____ American White Pelican ............................................................ Wc ____ *Brown Pelican........................................................................... Rc HERONS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ American Bittern ....................................................................... Wu Least Bittern ............................................................................... Su *Great Blue Heron ..................................................................... Rc *Great Egret................................................................................ Rc *Snowy Egret.............................................................................. Rc Little Blue Heron ........................................................................ Rc *Tricolored Heron...................................................................... Rc *Reddish Egret............................................................................ Rc Cattle Egret ................................................................................ Rc *Green Heron....................................................................... Sc; Wr *Black-crowned Night-Heron...................................................... Rc Yellow-crowned Night-Heron .....................................................Ru 5 IBISES AND SPOONBILLS ____ White Ibis .................................................................................. Rc ____ White-faced Ibis ......................................................................... Rc ____ Roseate Spoonbill ...................................................................... Rc AMERICAN VULTURES ____ Black Vulture ............................................................................. Rc ____ Turkey Vulture ........................................................................... Rc KITES AND HAWKS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Osprey....................................................................................... Wc Swallow-tailed Kite .....................................................................Mr White-tailed Kite .........................................................................Mr Mississippi Kite.......................................................................... Mu Northern Harrier ...................................................................... Wu Sharp-shinned Hawk ................................................................. Wu Cooper’s Hawk ...........................................................................Wr Harris’s Hawk ............................................................................Wr *Red-shouldered Hawk............................................................... Rc Broad-winged Hawk ................................................................. Mc Swainson’s Hawk ...................................................................... Mu *White-tailed Hawk..................................................................... Rc Red-tailed Hawk ....................................................................... Wc Ferruginous Hawk .....................................................................Wr RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Yellow Rail ................................................................................Acc *Clapper Rail.............................................................................. Rc King Rail ....................................................................................Wr Virginia Rail ...............................................................................Wr Sora .......................................................................................... Mc Purple Gallinule ..........................................................................Sr Common Gallinule ..................................................................... Rc American Coot .......................................................................... Wc 6 CRANES ____ Sandhill Crane........................................................................... Wc ____ Whooping Crane ....................................................................... Wc PLOVERS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Black-bellied Plover .................................................................. Wc American Golden-Plover ........................................................... Mu Snowy Plover .............................................................................Ru Wilson’s Plover .......................................................................... Su Semipalmated Plover ................................................................ Wu Piping Plover ............................................................................ Wu *Killdeer..................................................................................... Rc OYSTERCATCHERS ____ American Oystercatcher ............................................................. Rc STILTS AND AVOCETS ____ *Black-necked Stilt .....................................................................Sc ____ American Avocet ....................................................................... Wu SHOREBIRDS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Spotted Sandpiper ..................................................................... Wc Solitary Sandpiper ...............................................................Mu; Wr Greater Yellowlegs .................................................................... Wc *Willet........................................................................................ Rc Lesser Yellowlegs....................................................................... Wc Upland Sandpiper ..................................................................... Mu Whimbrel .................................................................................. Mu Long-billed Curlew ...............................................................Wc; Su Marbled Godwit ......................................................................... Wi Ruddy Turnstone ....................................................................... Wc Red Knot ....................................................................................Mr Sanderling ................................................................................ Wc Semipalmated Sandpiper .......................................................... Mu Western Sandpiper .................................................................... Wu 7 ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Least Sandpiper......................................................................... Wc White-rumped Sandpiper ...........................................................Mr Baird’s Sandpiper ......................................................................Mr Pectoral Sandpiper ................................................................... Mu Dunlin ...................................................................................... Wc Stilt Sandpiper........................................................................... Mu Short-billed Dowitcher .............................................................. Wc Long-billed Dowitcher............................................................... Wc Wilson’s Snipe ............................................................................ Wi American Woodcock ..................................................................Wr Wilson’s Phalarope ................................................................... Mu GULLS AND TERNS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Bonaparte’s Gull ....................................................................... Wu *Laughing Gull............................................................................ Rc Franklin’s Gull .......................................................................... Mc Ring-billed Gull ......................................................................... Wc Herring Gull .............................................................................. Wc *Least Tern .................................................................................Sc *Gull-billed Tern ..................................................................Sc; Wu *Caspian Tern ............................................................................ Rc Black Tern ................................................................................ Mc Common Tern ............................................................................Mr *Forster’s Tern............................................................................ Rc *Royal Tern ................................................................................ Rc *Sandwich Tern ..........................................................................Sc *Black Skimmer......................................................................... Rc PIGEONS AND DOVES ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ *Rock Pigeon.............................................................................. Rc Eurasian Collared-Dove ............................................................. Rc *Inca Dove.................................................................................. Rc Common Ground-Dove .............................................................. Rr White-winged Dove .................................................................... Rc *Mourning Dove......................................................................... Rc 8 CUCKOOS AND ANIS ____ ____ ____ ____ Black-billed Cuckoo ..................................................................Mr Yellow-billed Cuckoo .......................................................... Su; Mu Greater Roadrunner ...................................................................Ru Groove-billed Ani ..........................................................................r OWLS ____ ____ ____ ____ Eastern Screech-Owl .................................................................. Rr *Great Horned Owl..................................................................... Rc Barred Owl ...............................................................................Acc Short-eared Owl .......................................................................Wca NIGHTJARS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ *Lesser Nighthawk ..................................................................... Rr *Common Nighthawk ..................................................................Sc *Common Pauraque ..................................................................Ru Chuck-will’s-widow ................................................................... Mu Eastern Whip-poor-will ............................................................. Mu SWIFTS ____ Chimney Swift .............................................................................Sc HUMMINGBIRDS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ *Buff-bellied Hummingbird ....................................................... Rc Ruby-throated Hummingbird ............................................... Mc; Sr Black-chinned Hummingbird ............................................. Wu; Mu Broad-tailed Hummingbird .......................................................Acc Rufous Hummingbird ................................................................Mr Anna’s Hummingbird ................................................................Acc KINGFISHERS ____ Belted Kingfisher ....................................................................... Wc 9 WOODPECKERS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Red-headed Woodpecker ...........................................................Wr *Golden-fronted Woodpecker..................................................... Rr Yellow-bellied Sapsucker .......................................................... Wu Ladder-backed Woodpecker ......................................................Ru Downy Woodpecker .................................................................Wca Northern Flicker ....................................................................... Wu CARACARAS AND FALCONS ____ ____ ____ ____ Crested Caracara ........................................................................ Rc American Kestrel ....................................................................... Wc Merlin.........................................................................................Wr Peregrine Falcon ........................................................................Mr FLYCATCHERS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Olive-sided Flycatcher ............................................................... Mu Eastern Wood-Pewee ................................................................. Mc Yellow-bellied Flycatcher .......................................................... Mc Acadian Flycatcher .................................................................... Mu Alder Flycatcher .........................................................................Mr Willow Flycatcher .......................................................................Mr Least Flycatcher ........................................................................ Mc Eastern Phoebe ......................................................................... Wc Vermilion Flycatcher ..................................................................Wr Ash-throated Flycatcher .............................................................Mr Great Crested Flycatcher ........................................................... Mc Brown-crested Flycatcher ......................................................... Mu Great Kiskadee .........................................................................Wca Couch’s Kingbird ........................................................................Wr Western Kingbird ...................................................................... Mu Eastern Kingbird ....................................................................... Mc *Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ............................................................Sc 10 SHRIKES ____ Loggerhead Shrike..................................................................... Wc VIREOS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ *White-eyed Vireo....................................................................... Rc Bell’s Vireo .................................................................................Mr Yellow-throated Vireo ............................................................... Mu Blue-headed Vireo .................................................................... Wu Warbling Vireo .......................................................................... Mu Philadelphia Vireo ..................................................................... Mu Red-eyed Vireo .......................................................................... Mc Black-whiskered Vireo ................................................................ca JAYS AND CROWS ____ Blue Jay ..................................................................................... Wi ____ American Crow .........................................................................Acc LARKS ____ *Horned Lark ............................................................................Ru SWALLOWS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ *Purple Martin ............................................................................Sc Tree Swallow ............................................................................. Mc Northern Rough-winged Swallow .............................................. Mc Bank Swallow ........................................................................... Mc Cliff Swallow ...............................................................................Sc *Cave Swallow .............................................................................Sc *Barn Swallow .....................................................................Mc; Su CHICKADEES AND TITMICE ____ Carolina Chickadee .......................................................................r ____ *Black-crested Titmouse ............................................................ Rc NUTHATCHES ____ Red-breasted Nuthatch ..............................................................Acc 11 VERDIN ____ Verdin........................................................................................Acc WRENS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ House Wren .............................................................................. Wc Winter Wren................................................................................Wr Sedge Wren................................................................................ Wc Marsh Wren .............................................................................. Wc *Carolina Wren........................................................................... Rc Bewick’s Wren ...........................................................................Ru Cactus Wren ................................................................................ca KINGLETS ____ Golden-crowned Kinglet ............................................................. Wi ____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet................................................................ Wc GNATCATCHERS ____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher................................................................ Wc THRUSHES ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Eastern Bluebird ........................................................................Wr Veery ......................................................................................... Mu Gray-cheeked Thrush .................................................................Mr Swainson’s Thrush .................................................................... Mc Hermit Thrush .......................................................................... Wc Wood Thrush ............................................................................ Mu American Robin ........................................................................ Wc Clay-colored Thrush ...................................................................ca MIMIC THRUSHES ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Gray Catbird ........................................................................Mc; Wc Curve-billed Thrasher ................................................................ Rr Brown Thrasher ........................................................................ Wc Long-billed Thrasher ................................................................. Rr *Northern Mockingbird.............................................................. Rc 12 STARLINGS ____ *European Starling..................................................................... Rc PIPITS ____ American Pipit .......................................................................... Wc ____ Sprague’s Pipit........................................................................... Wu WAXWINGS ____ Cedar Waxwing ......................................................................... Wu WOOD WARBLERS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Ovenbird ................................................................................... Mc Worm-eating Warbler ................................................................ Mu Northern Waterthrush ............................................................... Mc Louisiana Waterthrush ...............................................................Mr Blue-winged Warbler ................................................................ Mu Golden-winged Warbler ............................................................ Mu Black-and-White Warbler.....................................................Mc; Wr Prothonotary Warbler ............................................................... Mu Swainson’s Warbler....................................................................Acc Tennessee Warbler .................................................................... Mc Orange-crowned Warbler .......................................................... Wc Nashville Warbler ...................................................................... Mc MacGillivray’s Warbler ..............................................................Acc Mourning Warbler .....................................................................Mr Kentucky Warbler ...................................................................... Mu Common Yellowthroat ............................................................... Wc Hooded Warbler ....................................................................... Mc American Redstart .................................................................... Mu Cape May Warbler ......................................................................Mr Cerulean Warbler ...................................................................... Mu Northern Parula ........................................................................ Mc Magnolia Warbler ..................................................................... Mc 13 ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ Bay-breasted Warbler ................................................................ Mu Blackburnian Warbler ............................................................... Mc Yellow Warbler ......................................................................... Mc Chestnut-sided Warbler ............................................................. Mu Blackpoll Warbler ......................................................................Mr Black-throated Blue Warbler ......................................................Mr Palm Warbler .............................................................................Wr Pine Warbler ...........................