§ Springtime in Texas Bird Country....

More Spring Migrants seen in the past few days. I'm not sure of the first ID tho. I'm thinking this may be a Philadelphia Vireo?   At first, I saw this as a Warbling Vireo, but the dark eye line on THIS bird goes all the way to the beak; unlike the Warbling. And the light lower mandible may be observed. I haven't taken time to confirm. It was feeding on halved oranges in the Audubon Park on North Padre Island. Do they even eat fruit? I know that Red-Eyed Vireos are often known to feed on citrus...but, the Philadelphia? I was able to get two images before it flew off. I'm not sure. Keep in mind it's a guess identification. Expert advice is appreciated. If it IS the vireo I assume it is,  I can then mark it as 'seen' in my record charts.   Can anyone confirm the ID?

§ Elusive...

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




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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

§ Celebration of Flight...

I had a post readied to publish for this week, but I will forgo that post and share this new bird with you instead....

On Saturday, September 28th, I attended the 31st annual Hawkwatch Celebration of Flight that is held in Hazel Bazemore Park in Calallen, Texas. I left early hoping to beat the crowds and get some birding in and walking my goal of 10,000 steps [approximately 5 miles]. But it was a 'no go' for the most part since when I arrived about 30 minutes after sunrise, the crowds were gathering already. I did walk, I did go on the watch platform, I did witness a 300+ flock [aka, scoop, squadron and more collective names] of American White Pelicans flying overhead, I did stop and watch the action on the ground, just below the platform and near the drip system for the small watering holes for the migrant birds...There I saw Green Jays, Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Sparrows [house and olive], heard a Kiskadee, several different doves, hummingbirds, vultures above us, and more. One species in particular caught my attention and I focused mostly on them...there were five Dicksissels feeding on the corn. I haven't seen one Dicksissel in over two years!!

I then, took a stroll down the park's roadway since most traffic was blocked off for our safety. More doves mostly, stilts and ducks on the larger pond in the hollow. Around 9 a.m. the hosts of the festival began sitting up the tents, the tables and the spectators' chairs to watch the demonstrations of other birds; from Texas [harris's hawk, turkey vulture, barn owl, caracara] and one from Australia, and another from East/South Africa. The one from Africa was a new bird at the show, and I was particularly interested in learning...besides I got to pet it, and was mesmerized by its near human antics....

The African White Necked Raven:

habitat map




The Australian Laughing Kookaburra

habitat map




Also at the park that morning:



Dicksissel


Inca Dove and Eurasian Collared Dove


Young Harris's Hawk


Harris's Hawk and Couch's Kingbird

...as I prepared to leave the park, perched on a tree branch by the larger pond was a Red Shouldered Hawk

I also published MORE birds that day at my personal blog, as mentioned above, with the likes of Green Jays, Cardinals, etc. earlier this week.  VIEW HERE

Participant Listing Before Closing on Thursday
LINKS below:
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Lea's Menagerie
Lavender Dreams
Phil UK
Nature Footsteps PhotoArt
Linda in Virginia
David Gascoigne
Christina [Sweeden]
Shiju Sugunan
Rose, Time Stand Still
A Quiet Corner



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