1st group of Bluewings

[Rick Hall]

Spotted some in Cameron parish two weeks ago. Rather early, even for us.

"Never say never," and there've long been a very few that summer here (learned the momma blue-wings' assembly call from one the dog sent into her wounded bird act some summers back), but I'm thinking this week would still be early for migrants. Know I'm in Cameron rice and/or marsh daily, and my own first "maybe teal" sighting of the new season was on the 9th, and I'd not bet a cup of coffee they weren't young woodies, which have been thick in the marshes.

Only other SWLA report I've heard to date was a couple mornings ago at the Lake Arthur Tiger Mart, "Saw my first teal yesterday. Well, it was choking on a mullet and may have been a cormorant."

 

[Jordan Vizinat]

"Never say never," and there've long been a very few that summer here (learned the momma blue-wings' assembly call from one the dog sent into her wounded bird act some summers back), but I'm thinking this week would still be early for migrants. Know I'm in Cameron rice and/or marsh daily, and my own first "maybe teal" sighting of the new season was on the 9th, and I'd not bet a cup of coffee they weren't young woodies, which have been thick in the marshes.

Only other SWLA report I've heard to date was a couple mornings ago at the Lake Arthur Tiger Mart, "Saw my first teal yesterday. Well, it was choking on a mullet and may have been a cormorant."

No doubt on the summer thing. Whether passing through or left behind, we’ll never know. But I doubt seriously the June BWs are the same ones we see in late August/ Sept.

Was about 3 yrs ago I saw a pair in the middle of the Basin around the third week of June. No quicker than I saw them, a hawk knocked the drake out of the sky and into the mouth of the bayou I was fishing in. You can about imagine his plumage, so I raced over in my boat to try and grab him (he was still very much alive and diving). Guess my chase made him get his wits about him, and he got up and flew before I ever had a decent chance at getting him. Took off flying through some willow trees, the hawk picked his trail back up chasing him through the trees as well. Never know if he made it or not. But still one of the cooler things I’ve seen.

 

[Jordan Vizinat]

The eight I spotted were in Creole area in a buddy’s wild rice and millet patch.

First ones I saw last yr were a group of about 400 migrators around August 20th, south of Sabine refuge.

 

[Rick Hall]

I've never won our area's first sighting report race but have it in my head that my own have generally been around the 18th with them usually showing in numbers by Duck Festival week in late August. But the festival committee threw a wrench in that calander by moving the dog trial and calling contest up to today. Used to go just to shake some hands - and then take a little teal tour loop southwest between Gueydan and Klondike, but without the birds' added attraction, Pup and I went to a pond, instead.

 

[Grif]

the full moon will do that

Losing teal season days sucks but at least we get another moon right at the beginning.

 

[OneShotBandit]

I see a small group about 2 weeks ago at a small pond out in the woods. And yes, I thought it was a bit early, too. Is Canada going to have an early winter?

 

[Little Ruddy]

Had a single Blue wing on my pond back in July. Its about time for them to start passing through. Here on the lower Chesapeake Bay, we see right many before the season even starts. Beautiful birds...great eating too.