I Like Mine Rare....

For a couple of years now, we've been searching for the possibly becoming extinct [federally endangered] plover. The Piping Plover. This little tiny shore bird has been reported only spotted twice on Mustang Island's Mustang State Park along the Corpus Christi Pass [a hurricane flood basin]. Each time Bud and I have driven there, we've seen no Piping Plover. But, we'll keep watching for one to show itself for us. About a month ago, as we walked Indian Point Park's trail, I thought for sure I had seen the elusive shore bird. I was 99% sure of it all the while I was trying to focus for a photo, but, then, knew better because of the beak color.... Once I got home and took the photos off the camera's card, sure 'nough it was a plover. And sure 'nough it was a rare one. But the legs and beak were, as I noticed through the camera's viewfinder, were not of the Piping's yellow/orange coloring...they were black. Small in stature [I'm estimating about 5 to 5.5 inches -or 127mm- from beak to tip of tail], instead it was a SNOWY PLOVER. I was still thrilled to have spotted it tho difficult it was to get a decent photo with all its natural scurrying; typical of the plovers. My record charts show that in our area of Coastal Texas they are listed as "R" or "U" for each month of the year [rare or uncommon respectively]. In my way of thinking, I hit paydirt!!

SNOWY PLOVER
photo taken: Indian Point Park - Portland, Texas
habitat map: Snowy Plover

TRIVIA:
Young Snowy Plovers leave their nest within three hours of hatching. They flatten themselves on the ground when a parent signals the approach of people or potential predators.


---I knew this time of year, with temperatures soaring to very uncomfortable for birding excursions during the heat of the day[s] and, as y'all may know by visiting Hootin' Anni's this past week, I've been battling a bad case of Bronchitis and having to take antibiotics which makes me want to do nothing but sleep.  So, I'm having to rely on  photos of the past Spring months. I'll share another shorebird...this time it's a Stilt Sandpiper. It, too, on my charts, is listed as a rare sighting in my area except for the Fall Migration. I spotted it in May!!...



STILT SANDPIPER
photo taken: Port Aransas Birding Refuge - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Stilt Sandpiper

TRIVIA:
The main southward migration route of the Stilt Sandpiper passes through the middle of the continent, west of the Mississippi River.


---and one more "R" listed on my area's charts is the Willow Flycatcher. Now, there are two IDENTICAL in marking flycatchers...the Willow [seen here] and the Alder Flycatcher. The only way to tell them apart is their song. The Willow's song is 'accented' on the last 'note' while the Alder is just the opposite to me...the accent being at the beginning; the first 'note'. Other than this, they are the same in size, wing-bar markings, eye ring, lower flesh colored mandible and black feet.




WILLOW FLYCATCHER
photo taken: Blucher Park - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Willow Flycatcher

TRIVIA:
Willow Flycatcher WAV SOUND
Alder Flycatcher MP3 SOUND


Now, share your birding experiences: