I'd Rather B Birdin': American WIDGEON

It seems everywhere I want to go these days, to check for any bird life, there is road construction. I sat during my breakfast one morning to figure out where I could go with the least amount of detouring or, delays in traffic flow. Sunset Lakes? No! Bridge work. But, hopefully I can venture there on a Sunday when no work is being done on the 'day of rest'. The islands? No. More bridge work on the causeway here! Downtown to parks? Nope, road construction. Drive 50+ miles to Refugio Texas to the awesome park there? Ummmm, the Nueces River section of interstate is torn apart and getting a facelift! Oso Bay Wetlands? Ya, it's possible. There are two ways of getting there from home...both "under construction". In fact, in our own neighborhood, there is repaving residential streets! I guess I could go to Bazemore Park in Calallen Texas. Yes, a new highway is being built, but that has been going on for 3 years now, I know where to detour and get around it for the most part. Calallen Texas it is!!

Once I arrived around 6:45 or so in the morning, I drove the parkway around the circle drive, looking for early deer that normally feed on the grasses. I saw four. Two does and two yearlings. No bucks that day. It was fun to sit and watch the young ones at play. At the ponds, the larger pond was filled with widgeons, blue winged teals, and a few egrets on the banks. The smaller pond, several mergansers. One belted kingfisher.

Here are my photo shares for the day...

HOODED MERGANSER
Habitat map: Merganser

AMERICAN WIGEON
Habitat map: Wigeon

SNOWY EGRETS
Habitat map: Egret

As I climbed down the embankment, among the willow trees, I reached the nearly dilapidated deck to wait for the kingfisher. She stopped and perched on the tree "knees" that jut out of the water's surface. I snapped some photos and left. Returning on the roadway, walking, she flew out of one willow tree and landed on the deck I had just left!!

BELTED KINGFISHER
Habitat map: Kingfisher

SAVANNAH SPARROW[?]
Habitat map: Sparrow

I then climbed up the Hawkwatch Tower. No bird activity there, but birdsong...grackles, mockingbirds, and in the distance, a cardinal. I scanned the horizon to see if I could relocate the deer. Way off I found two in my viewfinder. Then, I saw something as I moved my camera side to side using the zoom as my scope....could this be just a fence post? Or a bird? I kept watching for more deer. Then, going back the direction I saw the post, it was gone. Nope, couldn't be a fence post afterall. But, even with the zoom lens it was way too far away...I snapped my shutter button anyway, before it left for a better environment...

I never saw it in flight, but I will guess it's a red tailed hawk!

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LINKING TOOL IS NOW CLOSED

The Migrating...

AMERICAN WIGEON

photo taken: Oso Bay - Corpus Christi, Texas

The American Wigeon population experienced a major, drought-induced decline in the early 1980s, cutting the population almost in half. By 1997, the population had steadily recovered to near-former levels and is considered stable. The breeding grounds are fairly stable for this far-north breeder, although migration stopover and wintering sites are threatened by the loss of wetlands that has occurred throughout the United States.

...and the not migrating

BOAT TAILED GRACKLE [female]
photo taken: Lakeview Park - Corpus Christi, Texas

I've been reading up on grackles vs. cowbirds since this photo I got shows such a vivid bronze head and breast. At first glance I thought this was a cowbird. But the beak was too elongated. Then, when taking the photo from the camera card to upload it to the blog, I noticed the eye color. While checking for identification, it's stated that grackles have a distinct bright golden yellow eye color. YET...reading on one site, it tells me that boat tailed grackles have dark eyes along the Atlantic coast while in the Gulf Coast area, the eyes are yellow. Reading further, cowbirds...nation wide, have dark eyes and a thicker beak. So, I'm sticking with female boat tailed grackle. I love the challenge. Even if I may be incorrect for now, unless otherwise told differently.

CAYUGA DUCK
photo taken: Lakeview Park - Corpus Christi, Texas

This breed of duck is listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, tho considered a domesticated duck. The Cayuga is in the "Medium class" and has been a recognized breed of the American Poultry Association since 1874. the standard weight for adult males is 8 pounds and females 7 pounds. The Cayuga are characterized by a black bill and black plumage which is an iridescent beetle green in the correct light. The temperament of the Cayuga is docile, and adult Cayuga Ducks enjoy eating snails, slugs, and most other insects.

§ Pearl Harbor Day Outing...

§ To migrate or not to migrate...that is the question

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