Subject: Re: 60 degrees and sunny
Date: Feb 02 09:56:00 1996
From: "Nunnallee, Dave" - DNUN461 at ecy.wa.gov



Dan Stephens wrote about High Island, Texas:

>Why don't we (tweeters) rent a van for a quick trip to High Island the last
>week of April? Maybe a 3 or 4 day weekend, driving/sleeping in shifts on
the
>way down and back. Splitting the costs, eating sandwiches and Snapple.

Dan, are you serious? I don't think you could physically get there & back
in 3-4 days by car, much less do any birding! It would be a great
adventure, but at least 3 days should be allowed for *birding* in the High
Island - Anahuac area, in addition to travel time; more if you plan to visit
Bolivar, the piney woods and the Louisiana sanctuaries.

My wife and I have visited High Island several times, and we love the area.
However, we have often witnessed the most wretched of pathetic sights -
birders having to leave too soon. You know the classic symptoms... grown
men racing back and forth along the trails trying for one more warbler,
shoving handicapped children off the boardwalk, racing in a full run across
the fire ant field because someone called out "Worm-eating!", standing
trembling beneath the tree where the Brewsters Warbler was seen yesterday.
And of course the depressing long faces in the restaurant that evening, the
demoralized acceptance that a fallout will probably occur the next day,
after they leave.

High Island can really be hopping in late April-early May, and it can be
really dead, and it can be both in the same day. Of course you can get
lucky, but to have a realistic chance at one of those incredible 30-warbler
days you need patience, and should plan to be in the area for a full week.
And don't forget that there are other warbler traps within easy driving
distance (Sabine; Holly Beach), and those spots can be hopping when High
Island is slow.

Oh, BTW, motel reservations should be made now; in fact it may already be
too late for the best peak weekends this year.

Dave Nunnallee
dnun461 at ecy.wa.gov
Bellevue, WA