Ponds, NatureWalks, Parks, and in the 'hood...

We went to a new area [new to us but it's been around for a year or two now] this week. Also, we walked the hilly area outside the northwest part of the city at West Guth Park where I spotted a lone, young cormorant at the park's pond. Trying to get over to Port Aransas at least a couple times a month to check on the birding in that area, we stopped at Paradise Pond, Leonabelle Nature Preserve and the newest section of Charlie's Pasture Naturewalk. Also, before heading to Charlie's, we drove out toward the beach and the ships' channel that heads into Corpus Christi's North Bay and Harbor, the port....we stopped at the Wetlands Learning Center, where they have a small area set aside for birding and the natural habitats of the coastal bend. I took some photos and published a bit about the ARK [Animal Rehabilitation Keep] on my personal blog today if you'd like to see a photo of an injured hawk 'on the mend', and some of the interior part of the science involved...click here. The winter migration opens up a whole bunch of newer possible areas within a short drive from home, which we will explore in the very near future. Speaking of newer areas where we will go, I'm excited to learn that another phase of a learning center/park with a birding trail and observation deck will begin in OUR city. Proposed to be completed by this time next year. By what I've read, it will be a 'state of the art' area for all nature enthusiasts.

And if you ever do go to birding areas, you've probably come across the blackboard near a birding trail's kiosk. The blackboard is a way of showing/telling other birders which species have been spotted on a certain date...

GREAT BLUE HERON [stalking dragonflies!]

photo taken: Paradise Pond - Port Aransas, Texas

YOUNG CORMORANT [notice the beautiful aqua green-colored eye!]

Altho, I'm still learning the 'techniques' of ID'ing different bird species of a certain family, I'm certain of this: Double-crested Cormorants have green eyes - this one, still cloaked in muted tans, is young. Eventually, as it ages, it will be near black in color.

photo taken: West Guth Park - Corpus Christi, Texas

EASTERN PHOEBE

photo taken: Paradise Pond - Port Aransas, Texas

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE

photo taken: Charlie's Pasture Nature Preserve - Port Arnasas, Texas

BROWN PELICAN

photo taken: Wetlands Learning Center - Port Aransas, Texas

REDHEAD DUCK

photo taken: Hans Suter Nature Preserve Oso Bay - Corpus Christi, Texas

COOPER'S HAWK [or Merlin Falcon?]

photo taken: Across the street from our house...neighbor's tree

[of all the times we have gone hawk watching at the renowned area about 25 miles from home, we then spot a hawk in a TREE just outside our house!! Go figure.]

Speaking of ID'ing birds...I'm having much difficulty deciphering the differences in my mind among two hawks...if anyone has any 'special' brain tools to use to tell the differences between the Sharp Shinned and the Cooper's Hawk...please...help me out. They're so similar. Distinguishing between Cooper's Hawk and Sharp Shinned Hawk