Christmas Bird Count by Kayak: Old River
Jan. 2nd, 2015
by Natalie Wiest
2015 is off to a good start for me, combining two of my favorite activities on the second day of the year: birding and kayaking, and all for a good cause, the annual Christmas Bird Count, Old River iteration. It also gave me a 14 mile boost for my annual Houston Canoe Club mileage tally – and you could have been there too, the trip was posted on the HCC trip list.
Bruce Bodson was the mastermind, and master birder too, always a pleasure to go on a bird counting expedition with him and his excellent bird identification skills. I am always learning more! Kent Walters was our third birder and off we went, departing the boat ramp at Picketts Bayou (Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge) on an overcast and cool morning January 2. Here are the men in blue setting out:
Cool though it was, it was quite comfortable for paddling, no overheating on this trip. Kent showed up in his new vehicle, which he was not able to get fully outfitted with carrying racks, so he brought his short plastic boat in the bed of the pickup. I think he rued that decision as Bruce and I were paddling our “long boats” and Kent got quite the workout.
As you can see, he also has that most valuable of kayaking attributes – a good attitude and sense of humor.
From Picketts Bayou we paddled west across the Cutoff, to Old River and up it to the road crossing at 1409. We explored multiple side passages.
My little point and shoot camera can’t do justice to birds in the brush. We (Bruce!) identified 39 species of birds for our effort. Most notable to me were the number and variety of wood pecking birds including an unmistakable red-headed woodpecker. Bruce sorted out the red-headed, red-bellied, downy and hairy woodpeckers; the yellow-bellied sapsucker and Northern flicker. It was a great day paddling in the woods.
The vultures were having a holiday feast as well. According to Bruce and Kent they were eating a feral hog in the state of being well-rotted. Can you separate the turkey vultures from the black vultures in the photo?
OK, so there’s not quite enough resolution here but you’ll have to take our word for it, both varieties were present. You could have been present too, make sure you partake (at least the paddling part) next time you get the opportunity.
Natalie Wiest
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| The author, Natalie Weist |