Along Navigation Highway...


One Sunday morning, I did some birding, mainly, from the car.  I found myself driving along the river on the back side of the city where the oil refineries are and railroad tracks. I drove and drove, and drove some more. Then, I decided to make a U Turn and head back to go to West Guth Park to see what birds were at that area. As I was nearing the area that intersects the highway I was on with the interstate system, I noticed what I missed by going the other direction [what was behind me, at the bottom of a hill that couldn't be seen from the car as I drove along the river]. Literally hundreds of birds!! White Ibis, Snowy Egrets, Herons, Wood Storks, Grackles, Stilts, and Spoonbills! Of course this highway is one of the busiest highways for semi-trucks 365 days a year!! What with the refineries and the port of call where some transport the grain from the trains to areas across South Texas.  I pulled off the highway onto the shoulder as far as I could, and waited for the truck traffic to clear out and crossed the highway to take photos. With the egrets there was quite a lot of either territorial disputes or some breeding rituals...I tend to think it was more territorial disputes as I couldn't distinguish any breeding facial colors....





WHITE IBIS, WOOD STORKS, SNOWY EGRETS, GREAT EGRETS, ROSEATE SPOONBILLS
[also seen that morning but no photos shared here, tri-color herons, great blue herons, mottled ducks, black necked stilts, grackles...and angus cattle on the hilltop]
photos taken:  Navigation Highway/Joe Fulton Corridor - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat maps:  Ibis, Storks, Snowy, Great, Spoonbills


Now share your birding experiences:










For use of graphic link in your post, copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:



or use text linking only copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:
By on


Labels: , , , ,

18 comments:

  1. LeaJune 24, 2017 at 12:06 PM

    Great photos of fantastically beautiful birds!
    Have a wonderful week-end!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kenneth Cole SchneiderJune 24, 2017 at 12:12 PM

    Nice find, and right by the busy highway! Those Snowy Egrets can be pugnacious. Love the way they are displaying their plumes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. NatureFootstepJune 24, 2017 at 12:48 PM

    wow. wow. You was right to turn back. This was a real treat. You must had a great rusch of adrenalin that day. I know I would. Love all the images. Fun also that it was mainly white birds. :) Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. LeaJune 24, 2017 at 12:54 PM

    Hi Anni
    RedPat at Occasional Toronto has a cute sparrow photo
    http://occasionaltoronto.blogspot.com/2017/06/camouflaged.html
    You could invite her to link up
    Thanks for hosting this fun meme!

    ReplyDelete
  5. carol l mckJune 24, 2017 at 2:44 PM

    Beautiful bird photography ~ can see why you 'would rather be birdie' ~ thanks, ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  6. eileeninmdJune 24, 2017 at 3:46 PM

    Hello, wonderful photos of all the waders Anni. Your images remind me of Florida. I love the Spoonbills. Thank you for hosting. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. eileeninmdJune 24, 2017 at 3:47 PM

      PS, thank you for linking up and sharing your post.

      Delete
  7. TomokoJune 24, 2017 at 6:55 PM

    Hello and Good morning Anni,
    Such beautiful birds and their place looks like a paradise!You made my day.
    Thank you for your host. Have a good day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ~Lavender Dreamer~June 24, 2017 at 7:29 PM

    Well they definitely had their feathers ruffled! AMAZING! I'm so glad you were able to get to a spot that you could see them all. It's interesting to see so many different birds together...and so close together too. Wonderful photos! Love those Spoonbills! Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ruth HiebertJune 24, 2017 at 9:13 PM

    You live in such a bird rich area. Fantastic pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Judy BiggerstaffJune 24, 2017 at 10:12 PM

    Oh my stunning pics of the birds but sounded like it was a bit dangerous to get the shots. Great clarity in your photos and beautiful color.

    ReplyDelete
  11. BreathtakingJune 25, 2017 at 3:43 AM

    Hello Anni!:) My Oh My, what a fantastic display of bird behaviour, those plumes and white ruffled feathers are quite splendid. The Egrets remind me of beautiful ballerinas, and I love the shot of the Roseate Spoonbill spreading his wings and the close up of the Wood Stork. An unexpected find that must have made your day Anni,...it surely would have made mine. Thank you so much for hosting.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Phil SladeJune 25, 2017 at 9:37 AM

    Nice work Annni. I guess your work andd picture prove that even in an industrial and urban landscape birds can thrive and survive if they arfe left alone. Not everyone would stop alongside a busy road just see a few old birds would they?

    Enjoyed your pictures, and thanks for letting me along today.

    ReplyDelete
  13. photodougJune 25, 2017 at 10:10 AM

    Anni, nice collection of birds. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. A Colorful WorldJune 25, 2017 at 3:05 PM

    Sassy birds! Some awesome photos!

    ReplyDelete
  15. GordonJune 26, 2017 at 3:48 AM

    What an amazing sight, all those species in one place , yourself and the Floida girls have got it made, nothing like that over here.
    Have a great weeek, Gordon.

    ReplyDelete
  16. MaggeeJune 26, 2017 at 10:14 AM

    Wow! Great variety! Glad you turned around and went back that way!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sallie (FullTime-Life)June 30, 2017 at 1:25 PM

    Awesome pics of awesome birds -- I especially love seeing more than one species together .....

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Table of Contents