The cold up north, and the darkened skies and chilly day was bleak...but, has made us birders a bit awed! The winter migration started a couple of weeks ago. Bud and I were on the islands when the redhead ducks arrived by the 100s! When we walked from the parking lot, around the corner to the first step onto the boardwalk that takes us to the pond, this was our view ---
---the camera was quickly set to panoramic: Literally 1000s of ducks and more were flying in. A true fallout of redheads mostly. The photo, made smaller for loading time, can be enlarged if you so choose. Just click on the image[s]. When I made it to the end of the boardwalk, and stood at the platform, observing, I tried to capture the feeling of it all to share here. Everything I'm hoping except for the sounds....
...the black bellied whistling ducks are arriving also; they were congregated more so by the dying reed grasses!
Bud and I saw on this day, cormorants, moorhens, coots, egrets, other ducks like mottled ducks, mallards, a couple of wigeons, two roseate spoonbills, killdeer, tri colored herons, great blue herons, sanderlings I believe they were, nutrias [water rats!!], egrets,both green and blue teals, and one lone glossy ibis in its winter garb.
We needed to head back home, it was time. We'd spent over an hour -getting chilled to the bone from the chill factor- at the ship channel and the jetty in search of a Northern Gannet [which we didn't find] prior to stopping here. As we were nearing the parking lot, a rouge Ruby Crowned Kinglet was flitting through the branches in the mesquite tree. I'm surprised the photos actually showed the bird instead of the wing tips or tail feathers only....so many times they are THE MOST difficult birds to capture a decent photo since they don't stay still long enough to focus and click the shutter---
REDHEAD DUCKS
BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
photos taken: Aransas Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
Now share your birding experiences
PS...For the American Birders...I'm wanting to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving this coming Thursday. Be safe, warm, and enjoy the holiday!!
I'm sure the sound was amazing with that huge flock of birds. Wonderful warbler photos.
ReplyDeleteIt was, the air was still, damp and the sound carried well.
DeleteI have heard of red headed woodpeckers, but not red headed ducks! Being in Texas, I know you get to see every kind of bird there is in the country!
ReplyDeleteI think I've posted some here before...you may have missed 'em. Yep, Texas is a great place to bird.
DeleteWe saw hundreds of migrating Redheads up in Wisconsin in late October. Quite an event! Your warbler has ane eye ring, wing bars and markings on the flight feathers, along with a very small bill, similar to a kinglet.
ReplyDelete....there are oftentimes a LOT of Kinglets in this area. Thanks.
Deletei'd love to see a redhead in person. i just finally saw/heard my first flock of geese overhead today. :)
ReplyDeleteWe rarely get many geese here this far south...lucky you,
DeleteWhen I walked around Lake Harriet today there was a huge congregation of ducks also. I didn't have my camera. Because it is cloudy and cold. But it would have made a good foggy shot. When will I learn! You really captured it.
ReplyDeleteMmmmmmm, that would've been some great images. Of course I love fog,
DeleteWowzer- that first shot..must have been awesome to see! I see you saw some whistlers, too- I thought Tex had lured them all to her pond! :)
ReplyDeleteYep, there down here also....but not as many as Ms. T gets on her pond.
DeleteThat was all very exciting. Great photos Anni! I have linked up too.
ReplyDelete...thanks Denise
DeleteWhat an amazing spectacle to watch,as all those ducks come in.
ReplyDelete...it is spectacular and awe inspiring.
DeleteHow exciting! We will be visiting the coast after Thanksgiving. Hope to get some shots of different birds. Love your photos. Best wishes for a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDelete...thank you Janice. What part of the coast will you be near? Hope you get some good photos of birds while you're in this vicinity.
DeleteThat's a lot of birds. I can imagine they were very noisy.
ReplyDelete...they were noisy when landing, but otherwise quiet.
DeleteI love your duck photo, they are so cute sleeping with their bills tucked in on their backs, on one leg. The duck scratching its head is cute too. I miss all the Texas birds and wildlife.
ReplyDelete...thanks Hannah
DeleteWonderful to see the Redheads and Geese migrating. Flight shots are good.and the warbler shots are great. Please don't get to cold!
ReplyDelete...thanks Margaret.
DeleteHi Anni, I love seeing the Whistling Ducks and the cute warbler. Great post, happy Sunday!
ReplyDelete:::Eileen::: So good to see you back online and getting things fixed. You've been missed.
DeleteGreat collection of those beautiful photos !
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday !
...thank you Ela. And happy Sunday to you also.
DeleteYou know Anni it is almost impossible to capture with a camera the sight and sound of thousands of wildfowl, however your photographic panorama goes a long way to achieving that. The best way is actually to experience it, as you and Bud have done.
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for those people who can not see the beauty and awesome nature of such things but then we don't really want all those people to be birders do we?
Thanks for the birding party again and wrap up warm.
Great migration photos. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow---you all hit the jackpot --in seeing all of the migrating birds.. My son lives on the western tip of Galveston Island (not far from Freeport)--and they see many migrating birds at their place too... SO exciting...
ReplyDeleteI love the Whistlers...Another blog friend in Texas photographs Whistlers quite often. So beautiful.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Hugs,
Betsy
This was real fun to go to all the sites.
ReplyDeleteThe migrations scenes are always amazing ... but capturing ducks in flight is not easy at all and you made very nice shots ... The Ruby Crowned Kinglet is adorable and very nicely photographed too ... I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a beautiful new week!
ReplyDeleteo, that´s where they are! This fall has been very empty of migrating birds where I live. There used to be lots of ducks and geeze, but not this year :(
ReplyDeleteWow, the numbers of ducks...incredible. I'd love to witness a fallout one day. LOVE your shots of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. That is a hard bird to shoot. Truly lovely shots. A very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteAmazing shots! So much ducks...
ReplyDeleteThe flying ducks look like maybe my beloved pintails? I'm trying to get caught up on reading and wanted to tell you to have a Happy Thanksgiving! Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteThe migration has begun and we see again a lot of birds that come winter. There are a lot of nice links between:-)
ReplyDeleteGreetings, Helma
Exciting time seeing the arrival of so many ducks! Fantastic! Love the photos and hearing about all your sightings. I hesitated briefly unsure if I should do a bird post this week because of Thanksgiving. I knew getting to the postings to comment would be an issue until about Friday. But, I couldn't help myself...HAD to! :-) It will be such a joy on Friday after the stress of today to just relax and join in. :-) Right now I have to hop in the shower. The kids will be here by 11, and I still have to mop the kitchen floor and do the bathroom surfaces. I got a LOT done yesterday and wasn't on here except first thing in the morning, dreading getting busy. :-) Hope you have a very blessed day today.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to see the birds coming in! Hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving day, Anni!
ReplyDelete