Descrição
Hazel Bazemore is a 31 hectare park to the west of the city of Corpus Christi on Texas's central coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Given its location, the park combines several semi-tropical habitats that make for highly diverse birding. Short, scrubby woods along the entrance road can be good for severel southern Texas specialty species, including Inca Dove, White-winged Dove, Long-billed Thrasher, Greater Roadrunner, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Black-crested Titmouse, White-tipped Dove and Green Jay.
Along the floodplain of the Nueces River, several resacas (lagoons) provide wetland habitat for many species, including Least Grebe, White Ibis, Black-necked Stilt, Long-billed Curlew, Green Kingfisher, and Sedge Wren among many others. Migrating shorebirds can be common in spring and fall, and the park has recorded 37 species. These habitats are also very productive for ducks in winter, with most North American freshwater species recorded.
The park is most famous however for its hawkwatch, which is the most productive hawkwatch in the US and Canada for both species and total numbers. Between 750,000 and 1 million raptors are recorded each autumn, with 26 total species recorded. The most numerous species, recorded in the tens to hundreds of thousands each autumn, are Broad-winged Hawk (single day record >250,000) Mississippi Kite (13,426), Turkey Vulture (11,797) and Swainson's Hawk (1,493). Other species recorded annually in smaller numbers include Black Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, White-tailed Kite, Swallow-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, Harris's Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel, Merlin and Crested Caracara. Several rare or vagrant species have been recorded, including Zone-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Grey Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle and Prairie Falcon. Other large migrating species regularly recorded in high numbers include Sandhill Crane, Wood Stork and American White Pelican.
Detalhes
Acesso
Hazel Bazemore Park is located west of Corpus Christi along the central coast of the Gulf of Mexico. From IH-69, exit onto Northwest Blvd. heading west. After 1.2 km, turn right onto County Rd. 69, which leads directly to the park entrance. While the park is small enough that all sites can be reached by walking, it is recommended to drive to specific sites to minimize transit time. Birding from the car also makes it easier to approach certain species that are wary of humans. Press a P on the map for directions to a parking spot.


