I hope all who celebrated the holidays had a happy, healthy, loving season. For the two of us, we had a most perfect time!! But... I must admit I missed birding. Even tho the weather wouldn't have been ideal. For most of the past week, we've had wet, cold and wintry days along the coast!! Thanks for sharing your wonderful bird photos throughout the past year and while I was on holiday blogging hiatus. Hope to see you link up again often during 2016. Your photo contributions are always valued!!
Okay, so since there wasn't much birding for nearly two weeks, I chose a few of my photos as "favorites". Here they are. Can you pick your favorite of my favorites?
OSPREY
photo taken: Oso Bay Wetlands - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Osprey
BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK - 'teenager'
photo taken: Ramsfield Road Pond - Flour Bluff, Texas
habitat map: B B Whistling Duck
WOOD STORK
photo taken: Navigation Highway - Calallen, Texas
habitat map: Wood Stork
RED BREASTED MERGANSER - male
photo taken: Sunset Lakes - Portland, Texas
habitat map: Merganser
CRESTED CARACARA
photo taken: Pollywog Ponds - Corpus Christi/Calallen, Texas area
habitat map: Crested Caracara
AMERICAN AVOCET -summer plumage/breeding
photo taken: Bazemore Park - Calallen/Corpus Christi area
habitat map: American Avocet
NORTHERN CARDINAL -male
photo taken: Botanical Gardens - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Cardinal
KILLDEER
photo taken: Charlie's Pasture North - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Killdeer
I want to add that I hope you'll have a great 2016!! May all of our days be promising, prosperous, and peaceful!!!
Now, share your birding experiences:
or use text linking only copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:
Stunning shots as usual. Two or three I have never seen before, but the Osprey is my favorite right now as I am so determined to find one myself.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Anni and I hope the bad weather missed you last week.
I too like it any time I see an osprey. They're 'nearly' as regal as the eagle in my opinion.
DeleteHere's wishing you a bird filled 2016 Anni. I think your favourite might be the Cardinal but I'm going for the Wood Stork that need a woolly winter hat.
ReplyDeleteHope your weather improves soon. Ours needs too before we all drown!
Once again, it's cold and drizzly. I think I'm the one that needs the woolly winter hat.
DeleteAnni, enjoy your hiatus. Happy New Year. As always, thanks for sharing your splendid photos.
ReplyDeleteI just returned to blogging from the holiday hiatus. Thank YOU for sharing your link today.
DeleteThis is a tough one-- the whistling-duck portrait is a delight, and of course the cardinal steals the show every time. The caracara is majestic, the Avocet so graceful, the Killdeer surprises me with its bright wing coverts and of course the stork has my heart. Overall the merganser is such a great study -- nope, I can't help you by making up my mind about which is best. happy New Year and thank you for hosting so faithfully all these years!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU Ken, for adding links when you can!! Much appreciated.
DeleteWonderful photos each and every one! My favorite - the Whistling Duck, a great portrait, such personality!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Lea
The whistlers DO have a quirky fun personality to be sure. Thanks Lea.
DeleteHello Anni, my favorite is the Crested Caracara. But, they are all wonderful birds and photos.
ReplyDeleteI am linking up my post and thanking you at the same time for linking up and sharing with my critter party. Have a happy weekend!
Thank YOU Eileen!!
DeleteFantastic photos. The cardinal is my favourite bird and is a frequent visitor to our garden all year round. I love the osprey as well.
ReplyDeleteOh me too....both sexes are equally attractive in my opinion. Thanks Linda.
DeleteThe Red Breasted Merganser is so beautiful, but, all of them needs love.
ReplyDelete...and I do love 'em all!!! Thanks for the visit today Bob
DeleteI love the Caracara! I just recently saw one, too.
ReplyDeleteOh that is awesome to see one...
Deletevery nice selection! the cardinal shot is a stunner!
ReplyDeleteThanks....and for me, not much beats the color and beauty of a cardinal.
Deleteyour birds are so beautiful and colorful. Especially the Avocet. But what happened to the Osprey. I hardly recognized it. Strange "hairdo"
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting. :)
...the osprey was caught in a wind storm.
DeleteGlad you had great holidays! Love your birds!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda
DeleteEnjoyed your photos! The cardinal is definitely very eye-catching. I love your new header/blog design. Have a beautiful New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bethany....and a Beautiful New Year to you too.
DeleteHappy New Year! Love your photos as always!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rebecca.
DeleteBeautiful pictures of different birds.
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice collection, I love all birds.
Best regards, Irma
I too love watching and photographing birds. Thanks Irma
DeleteOh, tough choice, but I like that red breasted merganser. And those whistlers have such cute, almost comical faces.
ReplyDeleteI like 'em too Judy....both male and female.
DeleteI know what you mean about the weather! We had a sudden dump of snow. It meant that the birds flocked to the feeders, though!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteYep, they love being fed at the 'feeding stations' during storms.
DeleteI like them all, but I have to vote for the Wood Stork.
ReplyDelete(And I added some cardinals in a mystery bush at my place. I wonder what it is, I think my mom planted it decades ago.)
~
To me the seed pods look like crepe myrtle, but the bush doesn't. Does that make sense at all?
DeleteThanks....wood stork it is.
The osprey is definitely my favorite! Great photos! I enjoyed joining in all through 2015 and I wish us all some great blogging in 2016! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly Marie. Happy New Year to you too.
DeleteYour bird shots are great and have a lot of character, Anni! I particularly like the Osprey with the bad hair day, the vivid red Cardinal, the Avocet looking over its shoulder, and the perky Merganser. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hannah...glad you liked this post for the week!
DeleteAnni, thanks for stopping by to wish a good new year! May you have a glorious new year!
ReplyDelete...thanks Janice
DeleteA very nice start to the new year Anni,
ReplyDeletewith beautiful birds and their beautiful colors.
For you and all your loved ones a very nice and loving 2016. That we may in this new year with a lot of beautiful moments and enjoy nature.
Greetings, Helma
Thank you Helma...and happy new year to you too.
DeleteThat osprey shot is wild and wonderful!
ReplyDeleteNo bird shots from me today, but I hope you'll link up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/01/nosey-cat-yep.html nonetheless.
Thanks Sue.
DeleteInteresting birds have been scarce in my area for awhile. Lucky you to have so many great ones!
ReplyDeleteTexas is a good place for birding!!! That it is.
DeleteGreat set of shots, so it was hard to choose. I like the Killdeer best because of the reflection. Happy New Year and thanks for continuing with your weekly challenge in 2016.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year great shots of all the beautiful birds.
ReplyDeleteThe weather may not have been idea but you are seeing many more varieties of birds than I am here in Canada...at the moment. LOL
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Annie!:) You get to see some awesome birds, many of them are the larger species that I so appreciate seeing on your blog, but the darling American Avocet, and the beautiful Cardinal are show stoppers.Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteHave a great Weekend.:)