§ In My Absence....

I won't be online for over a week...this is a pre-scheduled post [and I have the post scheduled to become active at noon- but thing is it says "Standard Time" as I type this...so, it may not post at the correct hour]. There will be a linking tool for those that wish to share their photos and blog posts, and since I won't have access to being on the 'net, no visits from me.  Know your participation is always appreciated tho!!!. In the meantime, here are some of my photos for this week...

BLACK VULTURE
photos taken:  Goose Island State Park
habitat map:  Vulture





CEDAR WAXWING
photos taken:  Paradise Pond
habitat maps:  Waxwing




WHITE TAILED HAWK
photos taken:  Calallen, Texas
habitat map:  Hawk




NORTHERN HARRIER
photos taken:  H. Bazemore Park
habitat map:  Harrier


TURKEY VULTURE
photo taken: Goose Island State Park

habitat map: Vulture

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or use text linking only copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:
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Now, share your birding experiences: [hope this is working! if not, my apologies!!]

§ Over the Coast and Through the Woods...

Over the past few months I've collected these sightings....


ROSEATE SPOONBILLS
photos taken:  Charlie's Pasture North - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat range map:  Spoonbills


PAINTED BUNTING [female]
photo taken:  Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve
habitat range map:  Painted Bunting


Immature BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON and PROTHONOTARY  WARBLER
photos taken in viewing sequence:  Pollywog Ponds - Corpus Christi, TX and Paradise Pond - Port A, TX
habitat range maps:  Black Crowned Night Heron and  Prothonatary Warbler


BELTED KINGFISHER and  CEDAR WAXWING
photos taken in viewing sequence:  Hans Suter Refuge - Corpus Christi, TX and Paradise Pond - Port A, TX
habitat range maps:  Kingfisher and Waxwing


GREAT EGRET and AMERICAN ROBIN
photos taken in viewing sequence:  Leonabelle Turnbull Refuge - and Paradise Pond - Port A, TX
habitat range maps:  Egret and Robin


Now share your birding experiences:






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§ ...there is safety in numbers

In the King James version of the Bible, Proverbs 11-14 it is quoted: "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." In my way of thinking in modern terms, even with animals and their ways, counsel, using it figuratively, would be the art of governing or giving counsel to be used as a collective. I've often watched a huge flock of birds...one invariably takes to flight and entire remaining populace follows. At times in flight...one bird oftentimes is in the lead as others follow. As an added thought to this, 'have you ever wondered why there are no... when taking to flight in mass numbers, why are there no collisions?'  Or have you ever asked yourself, during hunting season, how do the birds know and disappear 'til the season has ended? --When we lived in Colorado, there was a boundary that no hunter was allowed on the East side of the interstate ---guess what?  The geese would graze to their hearts content in numbers...on the east side of the highway!!  Here in Texas, dove hunting is popular...and you guessed it...the doves disappear!!  Is there a counsel/counselor?  Anyway, to get back to my post this week, I thought to title this particular piece "There is safety in numbers"...indeed, with humans, four legged animals ...AND BIRDS for the most part [of course some species prefers just a couple or even rogue, but that's another post]. Safety in numbers - or so it seems:

For TexWisGirl, I dedicate these two photos of Whistlers...
Black Bellied Whistling Ducks after a heavy rain in 2013

Sandhill Cranes

Glossy Ibis [or white-faced]

Snowy Egrets

Sanderlings

Varied Pigeons

Black Skimmers

Laughing Gulls

Black Necked Stilts

Cedar Waxwings

Terns

Mostly Redhead Ducks

photos taken:  Whistling Ducks -flooded field in Corpus Christi, TX - Goose Island, TX [crane] - Port Aransas, TX [ibis] - Charlie's Pasture, TX [snowy egret] - Portland, TX [sanderling] - Corpus Christi, TX [pigeon] - Port Aransas, TX [skimmer] - Corpus Christi, TX [laughing gull] - Port Aransas, TX [black necked stilt], and Paradise Pond [cedar waxwing] - Port Aransas Bay, TX [terns] - Port Aransas, TX [redhead ducks]

Please Note:  This weekend is our 46th Wedding Anniversary [and Mother's Day the same day as our anniversary this year], so I probably won't be able to stop and visit with y'all 'til Monday!


Now, share your birding experiences:

§ Once in every 10 years...

Now I must say from the get go that Erik, our son, is NOT a 'birder'. He was trapped in our car with us over the holiday while Bud and I drove to the islands so we could check out our favorite areas. The morning was a bit cold and windy, but clear skies...by cold I do mean in the 40 degree range, but with the humidity factored in, it felt near freezing. I was thrilled [Erik, not so thrilled...hehehehe] to spot and get a chance to photograph a Cedar Waxwing as it posed perfectly for me and the lens!! Only seeing one about 10 years ago, and at the time I had no camera, I did get some photos this time. They're so pretty. The waxwing was at Paradise Pond. Then, on to the Aransas Birding Center, we saw several different species of water fowl. And, taking some photos of a Pied Billed Grebe as it caught my attention, preening. The three of us ended up going out for breakfast on the island. While driving back to Corpus, we stopped on the island highway to get a photo of TWO White Tailed Hawks!---

CEDAR WAXWING - PIED BILLED GREBE - WHITE TAILED HAWKS
Photos Taken: Waxwing -Paradise Pond * Pied Billed Grebe -Leonabelle Turnbill Refuge * White Tailed Hawks -Mustang Island  -- Port Aransas, Texas
Habitat Ranges: Cedar Waxwing - Pied-Billed Grebe - White Tailed Hawk




TRIVIA: The Pied Billed Grebe only has the ring around its beak in Summer!

Although it swims like a duck, the Pied-Billed Grebe does not have webbed feet. Instead of having a webbing connecting all the toes, each toe has lobes extending out on the sides that provide extra surface area for paddling.

Now, share your birding experiences with photos...