Two weeks after USA's Memorial Day Weekend, our county has had an uptick of covid19 cases. So, once again, our birding trips are close to 'nil' these days. I do get antsy every now and then, and go out birding where I remain in the car...just more or less, drive by 'shooting' with the camera lens. June 24 was one of those days. I hopped in the car and drove a lot of the desolated county roads about 20 miles from home. There, along the cotton and sorghum fields, I saw a couple of birds I haven't seen in years. One, the Greater Roadrunner. It ran in front of the car as it crossed the road. I stopped and opened the passenger window, hoping to get a photo of it. Too late, it was long gone. It flew [which is unusual for a roadrunner] into the chaparral; disappearing. Only to reappear in my rear view mirror on a fence post, behind me. I stopped and slowly backed up to be by its side, and it stayed there long enough for me to get a good supply of photos of the elusive bird! I was pleased. I even got a video recording of it preening. Then, I put the car back into gear and slowly made my way down the gravel road. Only to have a trio of Bobwhite Quail to appear. Of course, they too are very skittish birds, and took cover in the cotton field. Something flushed them out and they came up on the road again. I opened the window, stuck my camera away from the mirror and took a few pictures. Not good, clear, photos but at least a record of the sighting. I was truly elated to see these two bird species since, like I said, it's been a long time coming. Both the Roadrunner and the Quail I haven't seen in the wild in close to a decade.
Other birds seen this fine summer morning were, red winged blackbirds, meadowlarks, sparrows, ducks in the barrow ditches filled with rain water, scissortailed flycatchers, cowbirds, mockingbirds, doves, dickcissels, and maybe some pipits [yet to be identified without a closer inspection of my photos]. Oh and one lone white tailed deer in the far reaches...way in the distance through my binocular's vision... of the field [on private property].
DICKCISSEL
photos taken: Chapman Ranch
habitat map: Dickcissel
Length: 6.5 inches
Wingspan: 10 inches
SCISSORTAIL[ed] FLYCATCHER
photos taken: Chapman Ranch
habitat map: Flycatcher
Length: 11-15 inches
Wingspan: 15 inches
MOTTLED DUCK
photo taken: Chapman Ranch
habitat map: Duck
Length: 22 inches
Wingspan: 30 inches
GREATER ROADRUNNER
photos taken: Chapman Ranch
habitat map: Roadrunner
Length: 20-24 inches
Wingspan: 18-24 inches
Note: Did you know they are of the Cuckoo family?
NORTHERN BOBWHITE QUAIL
photos taken: Chapman Ranch
habitat map: Quail
Length: 9-10 inches
Wingspan: 14-16 inches
Those participating this week:
A Quiet Corner
Me and My Camera
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa
Me and My Camera [2]
Cranium Bolts
Sallie (Full Time Life)
Linda, Virginia, USA
Reds Stand Out
Lavender Dreams
Travels With Birds [no hyperlink used]
Jean@SoNotOrganized
Not Afraid of Color...
Lea's Menagerie
Phil UK
Eileen
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Hello Anni,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your Roadrunner and Bobwhite sightings. They are both awesome birds. I was happy to see the Roadrunner during a New Mexico trip years ago. The Dickcissel is beautiful. Awesome series of birds and photos. Thanks for hosting. Enjoy your day, happy weekend!
Your photos bring back memories-- recent ones of the Dickcissels I normally see in Illinois, but not this year; Roadrunners from our New Mexico days; the coveys of quail which we often saw when we lived in Dallas many years ago-- their habitat is now entirely paved over; Scissor-tails when visiting our son's family in the Texas Panhandle-- not again until the virus runs its course. Finally, your Mottled Duck is darker than ours in south Florida-- it may be in line for a rearrangement of the Mallard-Black Duck-Mottled Duck-Mexican Duck group, maybe splitting the Florida form from the Texas one, or, heaven forbid, lumping them as Mallard subspecies.
ReplyDeleteI'm often Antsy you know. It's not good to believe everything we're told by 'experts' and definitely not by politicians. Your trip out raised your spirit and resulted in brill photos. The Road Runner especially so. I never fail to be amazed at how a vehicle is the best hide/blind ever.
ReplyDeleteWow! To have a bird sit on a post and pose for you! Very special!
ReplyDeleteMost of my birding is done either from the car or right here in my own yard. Hanging bird feeders not only gives me birdsong, but also provides opportunities for bird photos. Well worth the price of birdseed!
The Roadrunner is my favorite! You NEVER see any on blogs! And I have always been fascinated with them. Great pictures. this just shows that you don't always have to go very far from home to see great birds.
ReplyDeleteLove the dickcissel pictures but wow, what amazing pictures of the roadrunner! Is it me or does it kind of look like it's waiting for Wylie Coyote to go into a trap? :) Hopefully, things level off and drop again soon so you can get out more. Hope you are enjoying your Saturday!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely wonderful series of pictures, especially of the Roadrunner, a bird which everyone who has never seen would like to, and those who have can't wait to see again.
ReplyDeleteIt's been years since I saw a Roadrunner. We saw them in TX and in NM when we lived there. They really do look like a cartoon bird when they run across the road. Love seeing your bird photos today....a lot of which I never see. I walked on a trail this morning all by myself in the heat and saw a few birds. Then when I got in the car to leave a hawk flew right toward me...chased by a mockingbird. Always something neat to see! Hope we can get out more soon! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThe SCISSORTAIL[ed] FLYCATCHER I have seen once. From inside a bus. I wanted to stop and see if we could see it. Nut NO. They said, no worry, we will see a lot of them further on. Did we? NO. Never again. So, I still have not seen it!
ReplyDeleteThe Quail is also a bird I would love to see. But I probably never will. So. I happy to see shots at least. Take care and stay safe!
I was most interested in your photos of the roadrunner and I enjoyed reading how you managed to get your photos. We do not have roadrunners here in Ontario(that I know of). Of course, I grew up with the Bugs Bunny cartoons with the roadrunner outplaying poor Bugs all the time so was always taken with it.Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh, I so loved these..those are fabulous pics of the Roadrunner...well, all of them. I have yet to see a dickcissel. Since the fields out at the strip pit area has started being farmed, I hardly see any there and I just love them.
ReplyDeleteFine pictures! I can't see a picture of a roadrunner without hearing that silly song in my head from the cartoon.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of the road runner. Now that is a bird I would dearly love to see. Yes sorry the virus is rising in 20 of your states now but I think opening up to soon was a mistake. We are starting open more things now and even more very soon and I hope we do not also fall into this trap with this terrible virus. hanks for the comments you leave. I appreciate every one. Stay safe and have a good week.
ReplyDeleteWonderful series again. You got some really interesting angles. Especially liked the roadrunner and dickcissel.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a Dickcissel before. I remember a road runner many years ago out west, and it was way too fast for a photo but it was fun to see, who knows if I will ever set eyes on one again. Thank you for another great series. Stay safe and I enjoy your week.
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing bird photos and there's no way that anybody could tell that it was a drive-by shooting from your car window. I would love to see a roadrunner I've never seen one except in pictures. About the quail. When I was maybe 15 years old my dad used to go hunting with his brothers and his brothers boys and his cousins they had big hunts. They had hunting dogs and all the good stuff make that bad stuff. He came home with a dozen quail and Mama cleaned and cooked them and when she sat them on the table I started to cry which made my younger brother start to cry and we refused to eat because he had those tiny little birds on the table. From then on he didn't go hunting that often and when he did he never came home with birds. His brothers and cousins thought he was a big wimp because he always shot the birds but gave them to them to take home because his kids would cry
ReplyDeleteToday is the first time that the link to this lock showed up in my Feedly yay!
ReplyDeleteExcellent photos especially as taken from the car, I would never have that sort of luck. I love the roadrunner. Thanks for hosting. Keep safe, Diane
ReplyDeleteI "excursion" solo unless there is a good reason for an .additional person. I cannot even imagine my reaction to seeing a real live Roadrunner!!! ...:)jp
ReplyDelete