Galveston migrant fallout

May 10, 2024 · High Island (Boy Scout Woods), Texas · Cold front overnight with rain, clearing to 64°F · Fujifilm X-T5, 150-600mm

Drove down to High Island after checking the weather radar from the hotel. A good strong cold front had passed through overnight and the radar from the coast was full of migrants. By 7:30 a.m. Boy Scout Woods had warblers in every mulberry tree. I’ve been coming for a few years and this was the best fallout I’ve seen.

I never know how to describe fallout days to non-birders. Imagine Christmas morning except you are crouched in a bog at 4 a.m.

Scarlet tanager on mulberry — On a mulberry. Already half-eating. Scarlet Tanager 150mm, 1/1000s, f/7.1, ISO 800

Summer tanager male — All-red male, no wing bars. Summer Tanager 150mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 400

Rose-breasted grosbeak male — Several of these in the woods at once. Rose-breasted Grosbeak 300mm, 1/800s, f/7.1, ISO 800

Indigo bunting male — Neon blue male on a thin twig. Indigo Bunting 250mm, 1/800s, f/7.1, ISO 200

Painted bunting male — A painted bunting. Unreal. Painted Bunting 200mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 640

Blackburnian warbler — Another Blackburnian, because I won't tire of them. Blackburnian Warbler 300mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO 200

Black-and-white warbler on bark — Creeping on mulberry bark. Black-and-white Warbler 150mm, 1/800s, f/5.6, ISO 640

Chestnut-sided warbler — Crisp spring male. Chestnut-sided Warbler 200mm, 1/800s, f/7.1, ISO 640

Blue-headed vireo — Vireo for a change of pace. Blue-headed Vireo 300mm, 1/800s, f/7.1, ISO 200

Wide view of woods with mulberry in foreground — Mulberry in fruit. The reason birds stop. Boy Scout Woods 23mm, 1/1000s, f/8, ISO 400

Red-eyed vireo in light — Dropping the mist net for fallout days. Red-eyed Vireo 200mm, 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO 400

Baltimore oriole eating a mulberry — Staining itself. Didn't care. Baltimore Oriole 200mm, 1/1000s, f/6.3, ISO 800