I'd Rather B Birdin': Bird of the Year [2017]...and more

I'll begin with the American Birding Association's 2017 Bird of the Year...

RUDDY TURNSTONE
photo taken: South Jetty - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Turnstone

...then more. Some were 'surprises', others not so much!

REDDISH EGRET
photo taken: Sunset Lakes - Portland, Texas
habitat map: Egret

ANHINGA -

This was the first time I've ever heard the anhinga calling. I stuck around a while longer to see if I could get it in mid-'sentence'. The sound made me think of a mix of a pig's call and a goose. Have you ever heard them before? This was all new to me - a surprise happening!!

photo taken: Hans Suter Refuge - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Anhinga

COMMON LOON

I wasn't looking for this loon, I was on the shore of the park near the pier and was watching a couple cormorants diving and having some early morning fun in the bay. Then, the loon showed up out of the blue so to speak...another surprise!

photo taken: Indian Point Park - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Loon

WILSON'S SNIPE
photo taken: Leonabelle Refuge - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Snipe

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER

I was listening to the bird calls of a ruby crowned kinglet and trying to spot it when I saw the very thin bill of the gnatcatcher fly by me!! I forgot the kinglet and followed the flight of the more rare to me, gnatcatcher, landing on one branch, focus...it flew off to another tree...okay, here I come...I snapped the shutter in hopes of capturing it....when I got home to upload my images of the card, surprise!! I did get a photo of it!!! Obviously

photo taken: Oso Bay Wetlands - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Gnatcatcher

LADDERBACKED WOODPECKER
photo taken: Pollywog Ponds - Corpus Chritis, Texas
habitat map: Woodpecker

BELTED KINGFISHER
photo taken: Oso Bay Wetlands - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Kingfisher

AMERICAN BITTERN

This was a surprise. I've only read about it and have only seen pictures of this stance in books. As I watched it feeding, I began to walk away and then its neck lifted up and stayed long enough for a photo op!! I read that this action is to blend into the environment and sway in the breeze as if a blade of reed. Amazing, nature is!!

photo taken: Leonabelle Refuge - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Bittern

CRESTED CARACARA
We had pulled off on the shoulder of the park road to watch the five or so Sandhill Cranes nearby. After taking photos of the cranes, and slowly pulling out on the pavement, a Caracara surprised us as it landed on a post to pose for us.
photo taken: Padre Island National Seashore - North Padre Island [Texas]
habitat map: Caracara

Now, share your birding experiences:

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17 comments:

Kenneth Cole SchneiderJanuary 28, 2017 at 12:09 PM
Beautiful photos, but my favorite is the spectacular view of the Reddish Egret! Funny-- just this morning I heard a grunting "complaining" call of an Anhinga but it was deep in foliage just across a canal. Usually they are pretty easy to find. Momentarily I thought I might be something else, until it burst into flight.
photodougJanuary 28, 2017 at 2:01 PM
Anni, nice collection. Have to be on the outlook for a Ruddy Turnstone this year. Thanks for sharing.
~Lavender Dreamer~January 28, 2017 at 2:13 PM
So many great photos! I would love to see a Bittern and I'm not sure I've seen the Belted Kingfisher...we see Kingfishers often but this one looks bigger. And yes, the Anhinga has quite a bird call! I'm still learning to distinguish the sounds of the bigger birds here. Hugs!
Ginny HartzlerJanuary 28, 2017 at 2:30 PM
What a treat!! All your pictures are marvelous! The egret is a wonderful picture, and I love his wild hairdo. The calling Anhinga is great, mid-call! I'm assuming that is air in his throat. The snipe shot is priceless, he reminds me a bit of a Woodcock. And they are in the same family. I have seen a woodcock and they do look so much alike. And the sun on the woodpecker's crest is just beautiful!
eileeninmdJanuary 28, 2017 at 3:05 PM
Hello Anni, awesome variety of great birds. I love the Reddish Egret, Snipe and the Bittern. Thank you for hosting. Have a happy day and weekend ahead.
NatureFootstepJanuary 28, 2017 at 5:08 PM
fine birds and images all of them. I think the image of the Reddish Egret is very cool. Never seen a posture like that :)
orchid0324January 28, 2017 at 5:34 PM
Good morning Dearest Anni; Oh what a great collection of AWESOME birds♡♡♡ I wish I could see another color egret here (red egret). I checked about handsome CARACARA and found it's Falconidae. Thank you so much for hosting♫♫♫
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend, xoxo Miyako*
TomokoJanuary 28, 2017 at 6:59 PM
Good Morning, Anni,
I am visiting you via Eileen's post. Your birds are beautiful!How charming the blue-graygnatcatcher is, and the belted kingfisher takes me into the sky with her. I am pleased to find your" I'd rather-b-birdin". Thank you for letting me join you! Have a good day.
the ancient city Nara of Japan, Green tomato.
IrmaJanuary 29, 2017 at 2:16 AM
Beautiful series of pictures of all the different types of birds
Perfect photographed and perfectly sharp.
Best regards, Irma
AnuJanuary 29, 2017 at 2:43 AM
Great series of birds! I love most that American bittern and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Thank you!
ElaJanuary 29, 2017 at 4:22 AM
I love our meetings in the blogosphere and I love your pictures of birds, Anni !
The bird on the second photo is really beautiful and it has a beautiful glamorous hairstyle!
Happy weekend !!
Margaret Birding For PleasureJanuary 29, 2017 at 5:47 AM
What a wonderful array of birds and great shots of them Anni
Phil SladeJanuary 29, 2017 at 6:22 AM
Good Morning Anni. Just back from birding but no pictures on my card!

See you beat me to it with that series there of which I struggle to name my best. I do wonder why the ABA chose Turnstone as their bird of the year but I am pleased that it is a common rather than a scarce species.

On backing up the page I'm erring towards that spiKy Reddish Egret and the Wilson's Snipe, the latter one i'd love to see. Even better side by side with a Common Snipe.

Have fun this week. And thanks for allowing me to join in your birding once again.

LeaJanuary 29, 2017 at 7:23 AM
I love all your bird photos - the Kingfisher is my favorite!
Have a wonderful day!
DebbieJanuary 29, 2017 at 3:39 PM
i LOVED them all but the reddish egret was my favorite!! what a hair-do!!!!
Mary Howell CromerJanuary 30, 2017 at 4:11 PM
Oh the Reddish Egret is superb..just wonderful. I believe that I saw one in Florida two years ago, but there are so many varieties, not sure. Have a wonderful week Anni~

Bird of the Year [2017]...and more

17 comments:

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