I'd Rather B Birdin': ~COMMON LOON~

Showing posts with label ~COMMON LOON~. Show all posts

§ Coastal Birding on the Bays...

I walked the trail system at Oso Bay Wetlands the other day. It was a gray, overcast, cloudy morning and there wasn't much bird activity going on. Once I reached the observation deck that overlooks the bay area, I watched a white morphed reddish egret feeding and doing its ballet routine with its outstretched wings. As I searched the other areas I noticed, way in the distance, a couple of dark 'spots' on the landscape that may be birds. So, I viewed through the camera lens and realized it was two Crested Caracaras. The smaller one was grabbing what I thought was a piece of wood at first [only to realize it was a rotted fish carcass]. Watching the couple a while through the lens, I started taking photos of the two grooming each other. I read that they mate for life, and that grooming one another is a 'family ritual'. Perhaps a mating couple?! This is the time of year they begin to build nests, so maybe.

CRESTED CARACARA
habitat map: Caracara

NEOTROPIC CORMORANT
habitat map: Cormorant

BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK[s]
two whistling their unmistakable call
habitat map: Duck

NORTHERN PINTAIL
habitat map: Pintail

LONG BILLED CURLEW
habitat map: Curlew

I drove to Indian Point Park between Corpus Christi and Portland, Texas on the North Bay in hopes of finding a Brown Booby [there were four reported seen the previous day]. But, I didn't see any, and I couldn't pull over safely on the causeway bridge to view along the edges 'cause of the amount of traffic. So, I opted to stop at the fishing pier and walk along that so that I may see some wintering Common Loons. They frequent this area each season. I saw Five!! All in their winter plumage, of course. But, I only followed one as it dived only to reappear several yards away from where it disappeared.

COMMON LOON
habitat map: Loon

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§ Still, I Go Birding....

As I type this up the corona-virus is still a threat nation-wide [globally, actually] so, as I go on the hunt for birds to photograph, I tend to stay in the car and shoot from the window, or try to go to a refuge before crowds arrive, leaving home before sunrise. With my life-style, not too much in the line of living has changed. [I don't even need to hoard toilet paper like the populace seems to be doing...I am civilized enough to use the shower!!!] Altho, if push comes to shove, I do have back-up photos in my archives [no, not to use at toilet wipes], but would prefer 'fresh' and new photos at this time of year when a lot of them are coming into breeding plumage. These are from quick walk-arounds in the parks recently:

AMERICAN AVOCETS [female and male]
photo taken: Indian Point Park
habitat map: Avocet
length: 18 inches
wingspan: 30-35 inches

OSPREY
photo taken: Portland, Texas
habitat map: Osprey
length: 20-24 inches
wingspan: 54-72 inches

RED BREASTED MERGANSER
photo taken: Sunset Lakes
habitat map: Merganser
length: 17-25 inches
wingspan: 30-36 inches

COMMON LOON
photo taken: North Bay
habitat map: Loon
length: 32 inches
wingspan: 54 inches

WHITE IBIS [breeding plumage]
photo taken: Lakeview Park
habitat map: Ibis
length: 24 inches
wingspan: 38 inches

MUSCOVY DUCK [domesticated?]

Note: Wild Muscovy Ducks have a plumage that is nearly all dark, except for brilliantly white feathers under the wings. Domesticated versions of the species may have a very wide array of plumages, but generally include more white or other colors than the all-dark wild Moscovy Ducks.

photo taken: City park
habitat map: Duck
WILD: Found in Old Mexico
length: 26-30 inches
wingspan: 49-48 inches

Those participating this week:

Sallie {FullTime-Life}
Lea's Menagerie
Lavender Dreams
Eileen
Tomthebackroadtraveler
Travels With Birds
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Linda, Virginia, USA
Lintuilua-Birding
Cranium Bolts
Nature Footstep
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa

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§ November...

Before I share my bird photos today, I want to bring up, again....this:

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Since this photo above of this particular bird shows no prominent wing bars, I am thinking it's a common winter inhabitant of South Texas; the orange crowned warbler [compare to the photo on this website]. For most of the half hour I watched it it remained low to the ground and flitting from bush to bush; never going much higher. Another avid birder suggested a Tennessee Warbler, but I think they have more yellow coloration of the eye ring and wing bars. Maybe, just maybe, it's not either species. Am I wrong in ID? Please inform me of your opinion!!

Now, this one ID I KNOW is correct. LOL Even tho they closely resemble the Northern Cardinal, their higher and beautiful scarlet colored crest makes this bird distinguishable if sighted. I believe this one to be female since the males have a red 'mask' and red wide stripe on the breast, throat, tail and crest, while the female is silver-gray as is the male, but has the color marks of scarlet on the crest and wings and tail only...

PYRRHULOXIA [pir-uh-LOK-see-uh].
photos taken: The Willows - Mustang Island
habitat map: Pyrrhuloxia

[the computer's spell check is so confused right now with a bird name like this!!]

As I stood, looking out from the covered platform toward the larger of two ponds at the Park I happened to see a small bird fly by me to my left into the grove of palm trees. When I turned to see where it had landed, it was in the sunlight, preening. I noticed right away it was a favorite small bird [I have a LOT of favorites]. The sunlight was good to help capture the buttery yellow breast and the rufous colored back and striped tail. And, luckily it didn't fly away all too soon like they normally do for me....

CAROLINA WREN
photo taken: Bazemore Park
habitat map: Wren

Another morning at Port Aransas, another wren was chirping [I think I was distracting its cover] loudly. I waited for it to come into view if it ever would...it did, chirped loudly in protest at me a minute, and disappeared in silence...

HOUSE WREN
photo taken: Port Aransas
habitat map: Wren

To the North Bay across the Harbor Bridge, I drove to Indian Point Park with hopes of seeing the migrant ducks...the Merganser and/or the Bufflehead. None seen while I was there! I walked to the end of the parking lot to view out to sea, with the outcropping of boulders that jut out farther [at times of low tide, you can walk out on those boulders]. This particular day there were white pelicans, a pair of brown pelicans, and a couple of cormorants perched there through the misty air. I saw to my left eye's peripheral vision something dark in the water, I looked out and noticed the water's surface was rippled. Something had just dived under! I missed it. Was it? Could it be? Possible!!!! I climbed the ramp to the fishing pier and while keeping my eye to the vicinity, I anticipated...it surfaced with a catch of the day!! Then, consumed all too quickly and dived again!! After minutes it resurfaced....

COMMON LOON
photo taken: Indian Point Park
habitat map: Loon

My last bird share in this week's series was seen the same morning while I walked around the pond at the Willows on Mustang Island.

GRAY CATBIRD
photo taken: The Willows
habitat map: Catbird

Take a moment; think about it....
Why couldn’t anyone see the bird?
Because it was in da skies!

- - -

On Tuesday of this past week, Corpus Christi was hit with an Arctic Winter Blast!! Wind chill for a couple of nights of 20s in temp [-6 C], I didn't get to go out birding much. So, I stayed home, read books and played on the computer a lot!! Hence, the joke above, and then, I went into a search for Latin Species names. Well, I found this instead: TAXONOMY HUMOR [with the likes of "Vini vidivici"...the scientific name of an extinct parrot. If you break the last up into two words, the Latin translates as "I came, I saw, I conquered"] Or another one: La cerveza Latin name for a beetle...It's also Spanish for "beer."

There are some really good ones, and all quite humorous...READ MORE HERE Guaranteed you'll laugh out loud. So, have fun this weekend, and show off your brainy ways of Latin with others near you.

This week's Participants:
Phil UK
Lea's Menagerie
Lavender Dreams
Travels with Birds
Christina, Sweeden
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Nature Footsteps PhotoArt
Linda Crafty Gardener
Cranium Bolts

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§ Indian Point

At North Bay in Corpus Christi, between the city and a small town of Portland, Texas there are two areas I frequent .... one, Indian Point Park [with a fishing pier and an observation deck for birding]. The other area is connected via a walkway along Sunset Lakes [Portland, Texas]. On a foggy morning, I drove there and walked the distance; seeing quite a few birds. Herons, ibis, osprey, godwits, curlews, sandpipers, gulls, pelicans, egrets, a few newly arriving ducks [mergansers and buffleheads], spoonbills, willets, sandpipers and more. At one time the sun tried to break out of the misty air, but not for long as the fog continued to linger throughout the couple hours I was there. Here are some of them I photographed....

Red Breasted Merganser [female]
habitat map: Merganser

FORSTER'S TERN [winter, non-breeding plumage]
habitat map: Tern

TRI COLORED HERON
habitat map: Heron

MARBLED GODWIT
habitat map: Godwit

WHITE IBIS [and a snowy egret]

habitat map: Ibis

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
habitat map: Pelican

LONG BILLED CURLEW [note the similar marking and color with above Godwit]
habitat map: Curlew

OSPREY [feeding]
habitat map: Osprey

...and a very special one off the pier, feeding on crabs! A Winter Texan!! This is the only area I've ever seen them. I've HEARD them at Copano Bay near Rockport, Texas; their haunting, beautiful, mournful calls. I found a 5 second mp3 audio....listen HERE

COMMON LOON
habitat map: Loon

- - -

I got myself an early Christmas present. I have been using my old and scratched pair of binoculars for years, birding, and wanted a larger magnification and viewing range at 1000 yards. Going to Academy Sports here in town, I inspected all the displayed binoculars on the counter and thought these were ideal for what I wanted. I've tried 'em out a couple of times while out birding already. It will take some 'getting used to the weight' for now, my vision is super, but after a while, my hands shake....making them a bit cumbersome. Yet...I can see much further, more clearly, AND a with a much wanted, wider range-view. Here is one review screenshot I found online...

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§ Nueces Bay Birds...

One morning, early, I drove to Nueces Bay. Crossing the Ship Channel via the Harbor Bridge, I stopped at Indian Point Park. After checking out the bay near the parking lot, I walked first to the observation deck, seeing, Willets, Tri-colored Herons, Snowy Egrets, Cormorants, Redheaded Ducks, and Seagulls. Along with this treasure...

BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON
photos taken: Indian Point Park - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Heron

I then walked over to the rock outcropping that juts out into the bay a short distance and saw Turnstones, more Willets and Seagulls along with one lone loon. Which made me think "I'd best go out on the long pier and see if I can find MORE loons." Before climbing the steps I stopped to watch a few Brown Pelicans...most were still 'sleeping' on the outcroppings near the pier's steps. Once on the pier, I noticed the area was literally 'swimming' with Common Loons!! Dozens!! Most at a far distance where I'd just see small shadows popping up from beneath the water surface, others close by. And some even closer; dining on raw oysters!!

COMMON LOON
photos taken: Indian Point Park - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Loon

As I stood and watched the loons, a female Red Breasted Merganser surfaced...

RED BREASTED MERGAMSER [female]
photos taken: Indian Point Park - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Merganser

As time slipped away, I climbed back in the car and drove a short distance east from Indian Point and walked the trail that divides the sea with Sunset Lakes in Portland, Texas. As I drove out of the 1st park and merged onto the freeway, I stopped and photographed some Roseate Spoonbills near the exit ramp. I was facing into the light so the images aren't too sharp...

While I stopped to watch them from a distance, in the car, all too soon, something spooked them and they took off to the tidal ponds near the bay...

ROSEATE SPOONBILL
photos taken: Sunset Lakes - Portland, Texas
habitat map: Spoonbill

Now share your birding experiences:

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§ Coastal Birding on the Bays...

§ Still, I Go Birding....

§ November...

§ Indian Point

§ Nueces Bay Birds...

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