One rainy, gray, gloomy, day last week I was told from reading the Texas Birding site that four Upland Sandpipers were spotted at Tule Lake [just on the outskirts of Corpus Christi]. Of course the very next hour I was headed that direction in hopes of spotting them. For me, they're very elusive and hard to find without a scope. When I arrived at the lake, nothing but a few water birds, egrets, stilts, pelicans [both white and brown], spoonbills in the distance, a few soaring barn swallows, and several sandpipers/sanderlings busy feeding in the mud flats surrounding the lake. Once out of the car, heading to the twin observation decks for us birders, I spotted three wood storks. I scanned the grasses around the lake and nearby fields, but not surprising to me, no Upland Sandpipers! I wasn't all that disappointed tho, I do like to see the storks! And I concentrated on getting photos of them. Before I left to another 'hidden' pond behind the lake and between there and the ship channel, FOUR storks had stopped to rest and clean. Altho, I didn't see the fourth fly in...
WOOD STORKS
photos taken: Tule Lake - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Stork
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Hello Anni, The Wood Storks are cool birds. I enjoyed seeing them in Florida. Awesome photos! Thanks for hosting, have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteOur Wood Storks have virtually abandoned south Florida because of the combined effects of habitat disturbance and erratic climate conditions. Most now breed in north Florida, Georgia and even up into the Carolinas. Only 8-10 years ago they were common, with thousands nesting and bringing their young to feed in our back yard lake. It is a sad situation, but is great to see that they are still present near you. Very nice images and too bad about the Uppie. They were my nemesis bird but this year I saw three in South Dakota along with two little chicks.
ReplyDeletei love how prehistoric the wood storks look. :)
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful stork pictures! My favorite is the first one. You almost never see blog posts with storks. So where do they nest? On rooftops and chimneys like in Europe? I would rather see these than sandpipers anyway. They are so impressive, and a rare sight in Blog Land.
ReplyDeleteThe Wood Storks are so beautiful !!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos !!
Happy weekend !
I love the wood storks in flight, but not closeup on ground. Only the parents can think they are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteNice shots and thanks for hosting. :)
I'm not sure beautiful is the word I would use but they are unusual, aren't they? And very neat to see in flight...they have such a big wingspan! You took some amazing photos my friend. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteHehehehe, very clever blog title, Anni :) and such neat birds. I meant to tell you last time, I love your new header! Nicely done. Have a wonder-filled week!
ReplyDeleteThey are very cool birds, Anni.
ReplyDeletePunk rock birds, even.
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Glad you got to see your storks Anni. They are extraordinary birds. Great shots! Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)
ReplyDeleteHello Anni!:) What a good sighting of the Wood Storks, I have never heard of these birds before, but they are great images of what would appear to be a male and female, because of the colour of the beaks,...don't know, will have to look it up.:)
ReplyDeleteHi Anni. Shame about your "dip" with the sandpipers but as I like to say, "there's always another day". Anyway all was not lost as you seemed to see a good variety of other stuff and got spot-on pictures of the Wood Storks.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ahead.
PS. Not sure if you use the term "dip".
"Dip: to miss out on seeing a bird common in the area, or to miss seeing a species one particularly wanted to see, especially frustrating if everyone else has seen it and it is rather rare."
I think they are beautiful birds and you got some great photos! I see them every once in awhile here, but not often.
ReplyDeletere your question on my blog. It´s a Zebra Dove - Geopelia striata, common everywhere in Honolulu. And, I think, in many other countries as well.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful creatures
ReplyDeleteAmazingly captured
Kind of an artistic approach
Hello Anni,
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful pictures of storks.
Best regards, Irma