A Transient of Texas PART II

...so, from Paradise Pond we hopped in the car and drove just a few short blocks [about 1/2 mile away] to Leonabelle Nature Reserve. This area is filled with park benches before you reach the open water way in the wooded area just off the parking lot, then walking further into the area of water and high reed grasses and wooden bird perches strategically placed out in the water, there is one large observation deck along the above water boardwalk. This particular day, we saw only a couple of brown pelicans, pied-billed ducks, and a few cormorants. The area was very quiet for any bird activity...but then again, at the time we were there, there were 5 other bird watchers on the upper level of the observation deck that were VERY noisy. To me, that is all kinds of wrong. But, what can I say?!! We walked the entire boardwalk and climbed to the first level of the observation platform with not much spotted. Before we left, the other birders had left only to be found at the park bench area where many different species of warblers, cardinals, mockingbirds and others frequent. Bud and I stopped and sat on the bench, only observing...while the five chatted away, way too loudly!! We left for the third and last area all too quickly. Not fun when those others don't respect the protocol of birding. Back in the car, we headed to the newest birding area in the coastal town of Port Aransas. About three or four miles along the coastal highway. This is a quiet open field with several watering spots, along with raised wooden walkways throughout the field passing over the water....to get to another large three story observation deck with 360 degree views of the entire span of land. Open fields, watering areas, trees, and grasses abound. Not too many people know about this area yet, and it's usually filled with quite a bit of activity. This day it was quiet and becoming hot with no shaded areas along the pathway. But we did spot some birds at a distance....two even greeted us as we approached the 2nd boardwalk over the water....an egret to the left, and a white reddish egret [morphing plumage]. Above and far beyond the path, in the barren trees, we spotted two birds together....two different species. A loggerhead shrike and an American Kestrel[sparrow hawk]. In between the wooden bridges, throughout the pasture land, some cute birds were keeping us company. Also, in the ponds we saw ducks, black-necked stilts and a few willets.

At first glance, tho, of the two in the tree, I stopped and aimed the camera with the zoom fully extended [several yards away] to make sure I got 'em recorded by photo before they flew off with out oncoming presence.

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE & AMERICAN KESTREL
photos taken: Charlie's Pasture New Reserve - Port Aransas, Texas

...then, as we continued to walk, the loggerhead soon disappeared, but the kestrel flew from one tree top to another, all giving me more opportunities to zoom in on it.

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
photo taken: Charlie's Pasture New Reserve - Port Aransas, Texas
Habitat Range in the Americas:

AMERICAN KESTREL
NOTE: American Kestrel is also known by the name Sparrow Hawk
photo taken: Charlie's Pasture New Reserve - Port Aransas, Texas
Habitat Range in the Americas: