After leaving Holy Cross this afternoon, I took a short detour to scan the river from the levee adjacent to Tulane's Hebert Center. Because a load of frigatebirds had come inland not far from this spot during Cindy in June, and Harvey had made landfall in approximately the same location as Cindy near the Texas border, I figured what can happen once can happen twice.
Winds were strong in my face from the (more or less) south- making whitecaps on the water and causing my pant legs to flap vigorously. I only had binoculars, but a scope would have been useless. The weather service reported gusts to 35 mph at nearby Alvin Calendar Field while I was there, but it sure felt more like a sustained 30-35 to me!
For the entire half hour I was there (1:40-2:10 pm) there were a dozen or so Black Vultures kiting at various heights along the shoreline to my east, evidently buoyed by winds blowing up river and deflecting up the levee there, where the river makes its sharp turn. I kept scanning them thinking a frigatebird might be coaxed into enjoying the same updrafts (I have seen this in storm-waif frigates before), but none appeared.
An Anhinga came northwest across the river fairly high up, scarcely making any effort to do anything but let the wind carry it. Ten on so Chimney Swifts also came across riding the gale, one seemingly on the verge of losing control as the wind bullied it forward.
Several Barn Swallows fought the wind to cross the river southward. A buffeted Spotted Sandpiper flew by along the shore. A handful of Laughing Gulls glided up and downstream. One Caspian Tern flew downstream. It was the only surprise of the visit- though only mildly unexpected.
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