I'd Rather B Birdin': Mourning Doves

§ Garden Birds...

It's been a quiet week for birding. The temperatures have soared, a tropical storm in the Gulf as I type this up on Thursday, but we will feel a lot more humidity because of the storm front-if possible! lol], and I have to really stick close to home and do some yard work with Bud before each day gets too hot to be outdoors. We got way behind in the yard cleanup with Erik being here for a week and the flooding rains; waiting for things to dry out so we we're not sinking in the mud...and now, I don't want us to suffer heat stroke [108°-112°F 44.4°C] So, I share the few birds I spotted as I walked the trails through the Botanical Gardens early one morning over a week ago. As you can see, the birds sighted are quite common throughout North America, except for the "Texas Kiskadee"...

EGRETS Herons and ducks on the far side of the larger lake

HOUSE SPARROWS
Habitat map: Sparrow

KILLDEER
Habitat map: Killdeer

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
Habitat map: Mockingbird

GREAT KISKADEE
Habitat map: Kiskadee

MOURNING DOVE
Habitat map: Dove

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§ Last Week of March...

Only photos shared this week. The last image, the photo of the Pyrrhuloxia was taken in our back yard thru the patio door windows...the rest shared today was all within 30 miles of home in different surroundings along beaches and at area parks. If you observe, Happy Easter to All!!!

GREAT TAILED GRACKLE
Habitat map: Grackle

MOURNING DOVE
Habitat map: Dove

AMERICAN WIGEON
Habitat map: Wigeon

WHITE WINGED DOVE
Habitat map: Dove

FORSTER'S TERN
Habitat map: Tern

PYRRHULOXIA
Female...difference of this species compared to Cardinal is: beak color [yellow & curved instead of pink/red on female] and crest coloring [gray instead of reddish]
Habitat map: Pyrrhuloxia

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§ Oso Bay Wetlands...

Early, this past Sunday, instead of my usual drive to the islands, I chose to walk my walk along the many trails within the Oso Bay area. I first stopped at the learning center which is part of our city's school district, where school aged children can take classes and attend nature trail walking to learn about our environment. I saw a few Purple Martins at their newly erected condos, watched birds around the waterfall and the lily pond...then "hit the many pathways" to see what birds I could find at that hour of day. It seemed every where I walked, the thrashers, mockingbirds, and buntings were happy to have another beautiful morning. As I was. At least before the heat built up. Unfortunately I can't fly up to the tops of the trees or nestle in the shade of the leaves on the branches and sing. I had to stay on the ground with the hordes of mosquitoes that are thick as molasses since a week of days with heavy rainfall. Besides, I sing off key anyway, I'd scare the bird-life away. Here are some I spotted along the way....

...the first one, by the waterfall was one flitting about and talking to its mate perhaps. I was only able to get one not-so-good photo with branch obstruction:

ASH THROATED FLYCATCHER or Brown crested?
habitat map: Flycatcher
Length: 8.5 inches
Wingspan: 12 inches

A young Northern Mockingbird watched me with suspicion...

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
habitat map: Mockingbird
Length: 10.5 inches
Wingspan: 15 inches

Serenading me with a mockingbird-like repertoire, from high atop a mesquite tree, I finally spied this one. It is a close relative of another similar bird [the other is more rusty than dull brown seen here]. This particular species is found in South Texas and Old Mexico...

LONG BILLED THRASHER
habitat map: Thrasher
Length: 11.5 inches
Wingspan: 12 inches

On most all trails on this day, it seemed to have one male painted bunting. I saw a lot of them just about everywhere, but no females [they're pretty too...perhaps nesting?] Busy singing [some were preening AND singing].

PAINTED BUNTING
habitat map: Bunting
Length: 5.5 inches
Wingspan: 8.5 inches

Once I arrived at the off the ground observation deck by the bay water, the only bird spotted was a stilt:

BLACK NECKED STILT
habitat map: Stilt
Length: 14-15 inches
Wingspan: 26 inches

...the apartment complex on the grounds:

PURPLE MARTIN
habitat map: Martin
Length: 8 inches
Wingspan: 16 inches

I feel like adding a partridge in a pear tree 'bout now, but no...I saw two ~~turtle~~ mourning doves! [one photographed]

MOURNING DOVE
habitat map: Dove
Length: 12 inches
Wingspan: 17-19 inches

This area is usually abundant in Northern Cardinals...I only saw one!! Near the end of my time out and about. Near the student's playground:

NORTHERN CARDINAL
habitat map: Cardinal
Length: 9 inches
Wingspan: 11.5 inches

And while I was walking to leave, another flycatcher alerted me. I stopped to get pics. Notice its tail above my watermark. [also: with adult males, the tail can reach lengths of 15 inches -38 cm, while the females are much shorter, by 30% or more] And also, for those that don't know this species, that rusty look above the wing in the close up is not blood or an injury - it's the wing color...

SCISSOR TAIL[ed] FLYCATCHER
habitat map: Flycatcher
Length: 11-15 inches
Wingspan: 15 inches

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Participating this week:

A Quiet Corner
Cranium Bolts
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa
Linda, Virginia, USA
Arun
Jean@NotSoOrganized
Travels With Birds [no hyperlink]
Tomthebackroadstraveller
The Early Birder
Phil UK
Lea's Menagerie
Lavender Dreams

§ A Tale of Bird Watching...

Just Birds! With some commentary today....

Except this thought....Have you ever wondered how a certain bird got its common name? I have oftentimes. One of the most obvious tho, is the mourning dove [seen below]. Here's what I found about it: "The genus name was bestowed in 1838 by French zoologist Charles L. Bonaparte in honor of his wife, Princess Zénaide, and macroura is from Ancient Greek makros, "long" and oura, "tail". The "mourning" part of its common name comes from its mournful call."

Now, here's the fun part....I've always been interested in birds; since a youngster. My aunt used to have bird feeders in her yard all year long. I used to spend summer days with her. Cardinals were my favorite and blue jays...they'd visit the feeding stations daily and year 'round I might add. But my bedroom at her house had a window by a huge tree...there was a dove that would sing while perched on the branch and wake me up early each day just after sunrise. FOR YEARS I THOUGHT ITS COMMON NAME WAS MORNING DOVE until my brother who liked to outsmart me in so many ways set me straight decades ago. I could tell you another tale of my brother and a wild canary...but let's just say he was grounded for a month. 'Nough said!! Me, being the younger sibling...well, I was quite pleased he got into trouble.

BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER
photo taken: Blucher Park
habitat map: Warbler

MOURNING DOVE
photo taken: Paradise Pond
habitat map: Dove

BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON
photo taken: Paradise Pond
habitat map: Heron

BROWN CRESTED FLYCATCHER
photo taken: Blucher Park
habitat map: Flycatcher

BLACK BELLIED PLOVER
photo taken: Padre Island National Seashore
habitat map: Plover

ROSEATE SPOONBILL
photo taken: Hans Suter Refuge
habitat map: Spoonbill

GREAT BLUE HERON
photo taken: Oso Bay Wetlands
habitat map: Heron

WILSON'S PHALAROPE
photo taken: Botanical Gardens
habitat map: Phalarope

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§ Juvenile "Court"

Lately, in the last couple of weeks when out doing my walking, I've come across several juveniles [some with their parent nearby others with siblings]. Here are some I've photographed. The first image of a white ibis also has a juvenile willet in the foreground.....

JUVENILE WILLET
all photos taken: NAS highway [Naval Air Station]
habitat map: Willet

JUVENILE MOURNING DOVES
photos taken: Bazemore Park in Calallen, Texas
habitat map: Dove

JUVENILE COMMON GALLINULE
photo taken: Pollywog Ponds
habitat map: Gallinule

JUVENILE SWAINSON'S HAWK
photos taken: Pollywog Ponds
habitat map: Hawk

JUVENILE LEAST GREBE
photo taken: Pollywog Ponds
habitat map: Grebe

YOUNG BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKLINGS
photo taken: Paradise Pond
habitat map: Whistling Ducks

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Now, share your birding experiences:

§ Garden Birds...

§ Last Week of March...

§ Oso Bay Wetlands...

§ A Tale of Bird Watching...

§ Juvenile "Court"

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