Title | The Spoonbill, Vol. 5, No. 3, July 1956 |
Contributor (Local) |
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Publisher | Outdoor Nature Club |
Date | July 1956 |
Subject.Topical (LCSH) |
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Subject.Geographic (TGN) |
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Genre (AAT) |
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Language | English |
Type (DCMI) |
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Original Item Location | ID 2007-023, Box 9, Folder 5 |
ArchivesSpace URI | /repositories/2/archival_objects/9841 |
Original Collection | Outdoor Nature Club Records |
Digital Collection | Outdoor Nature Club Newsletters |
Digital Collection URL | http://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/2007_023 |
Repository | Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries |
Repository URL | http://libraries.uh.edu/branches/special-collections/ |
Use and Reproduction | No Copyright - United States |
File Name | index.cpd |
Title | Image 9 |
Format (IMT) |
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File Name | uhlib_2007_023_b009_f005_007_009.jpg |
Transcript | Page 5 FOURTH ANNUAL UPPER GULF COAST' SPRING BIRD ROUNDUP May 6, 1956 Compiled by Noel Perley, Ornithology Group of Outdoor Nature Club, Houston. Texas TOTAL SPECIES: 2^7^23^" (Rock Dove excluded) TOTAL PARTICIPANTS: 48 Observers in 14 Parties AREA: Following Counties (upper inland and coastal to lower inland and coastal): San Jacinto, Liberty, Chambers (85 air mi. from Little Thicket Sanctuary to Bolivar Pen. on Coast); Montgomery, Harris, Galveston; Fort Bend and Brazoria; Colorado and Wharton; Lavaca, Jackson, Calhoun; Aransas. (Air mi. from Rockport to: (1) Little Thicket, 208; (2) Liberty, 201; (3) High Island, most eastward point of Roundup area along coast, 198.) OBSERVATION PERIOD: 12:03 ajn. to 7:30 p.m. (CST) ;*^' WTgflTggB; Beaumont-Port Arthurs Mostly cloudy 68-86° F„; Wind 14-38 MPH. Houston & Vicinity: Partly cloudy; 70° at 6 a.m. Downtown (67° at Airport) to 86° at 3 p,m.| Humidity (Downtown) 97$ at 13:30 a„m.B 87$ at 6:30 a.m., 59$ at 13s30 p.m., 83ft at 6:30 p.m.; Wind: SE, mod. to occ. fresh. Galveston & Vicinity: Partly cloudy with widely scattered showers; 71-81° F.; wind: SE, mod. to locally fresh. Victoria & Vicinity: Partly cloudy; 700 at 7:30 a.m., 84° at 11:50 a„m. 86° at 3 p.m., 90Q at 5:30 p.m.; wind: E to SE, 10-30 MPH. Corpus Christ! fc Vicinity: Clear to partly cloudy, scattered showers in afternoon; 75-86° F.; Wind: Mod. E. SUMMARY: This year's Roundup total of 339 species broke the old record by 9 species - but only by virtue of a considerable increase in territory covered. By extending the area some 185 miles further along the coast than in previous roundc ups, 24 species were added to the 1956 count (recorded by parties 9, 10 and 13^*7 - of which 10 had never before been seen on an U.G.C. Roundup. The fact remains, however, that it was still a relatively poor count, chiefly because of these two factors: (1) The late date (most migrants and winter visitants were gone by May 6) and (8) the hot, summer-like weather during the last week in April and on into May. Thfe following comments clearly indicate that this year's Roundup was some two weeks later than it should have been: Houston - "Great concentrations of migrants on the Texas Coast on April 23." Galy^stonJCsj^n^^Ajro^g^ ~ "At Mulberry Place the warblers were feeding in every tree, shrub and even on the ground." Freeport - "We felt as though May 6 was too late for a good count on field birds. So many we'd seen earlier had gone," Victoria - "The peak of the migration of small land birds through my back yard is April 35-38." Rockport - "The migration was fast and furious in April, but May 6 was quiet," "April 17-24 was the best warbler week in many years." Mustang Island (near Corpus Christ!) April 33 - "A concentrated migration of warblers and other small land birds." Absent from this year's Roundup Report is Mr. Arlie K. McKay's customary aad invaluable contribution from Cove (NW Chambers County). Last year he listed three species recorded by no other party, the year before six "exclusive" species jK This year, unfortunately, Mr. McKay spent May 6 in bed with the measles, so his usual list of 100-plus species was reduced to but 15 (which was nevertheless a remarkable total considering the circumstancesI) RESUME OF UPPER GULF COAST SPRING ROUNDUPS No. Date of Roundup 4-86-53 Species (Excluding Roek Dove!; 331 Rank In U.S. 3rd Size of Area Observers and Parties 48-8 Best Party Total 161 Total Warblers 1 85x 70 mi. 87 8 5-8-54 330 1st 110x100 mi. 58 - 31 147 86 3 5-1-55 814 3rd 180x180 mi. 46 - 13 168 86 4 5-6-56 839 2nd 808x 85 mi. 48 - 14 147 35 (See next month's SPOONBILL for a nation-wide resume of 1956 spring bird counts) *" 4 *ie*eo*tu£s" *r» '53 |