§ Campus Birds on the Bay....

A cold front that moved in over the weekend, created icy conditions  along with sleet falling here and there around town. But not for long. A slow trend of some warmer weather is now predicted. These photos were taken on a sunny, but windy, morning, behind the Texas A&M campus along the bay on Ward Island...

LONG BILLED CURLEW
Habitat map: Curlew


LESSER SCAUP
Habitat map: Scaup


NORTHERN PINTAIL
Habitat map: Pintail


GREATER YELLOWLEGS
Habitat map: Yellowlegs


BLACK BELLIED PLOVER
Habitat map: Plover


For use of graphic link in your post, copy text in gray text area below and paste into your blog post: <a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSGykwuxLDOwQrESJgGvZEYYSjnrWmY_rGW2MegmddZNS5V5c0EXWlqbu3s4mtxehEUPnfRUQhoGhFuoIvgFk4goVKTaQBRZg5Ij2GX98-xSsPuvVkUZTMSkxmRRwaAI5EBo3OMjDdEU/s1600/IRBBlogo.png" width="120" height="120" /></a></center> or use text linking only copy text in gray text area below and paste into your blog post: <a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" />Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'</a></center>

Linking tool is now closed.

§ A Week of Birding in November...

The areas where the photos were taken were Naval Air Station [Ocean Drive] and Texas A & M Campus, Bazemore Park, Han Suter Park,  West Guth Park.  The weather, tho very dry and near drought conditions, has been great for birding and walking this past week!

NORTHERN PINTAIL DUCK [male top, female bottom]
Habitat map: duck


SUMMER TANAGER
Habitat map: tanager


GREEN JAY
Habitat map: jay


SNOWY EGRET
Habitat map: egret


YELLOW CROWNED NIGHT HERON
Habitat map: heron


NORTHERN CARDINAL
Habitat map: cardinal


SONG SPARROW*
[identifying mark...spot on breast *the only sparrow with this feature]
Habitat map:  sparrow


Always use HYPERLINK For use of graphic link in your post, copy text in gray text area below and paste into your blog post: <a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSGykwuxLDOwQrESJgGvZEYYSjnrWmY_rGW2MegmddZNS5V5c0EXWlqbu3s4mtxehEUPnfRUQhoGhFuoIvgFk4goVKTaQBRZg5Ij2GX98-xSsPuvVkUZTMSkxmRRwaAI5EBo3OMjDdEU/s1600/IRBBlogo.png" width="120" height="120" /></a></center> or use text linking only copy text in gray text area below and paste into your blog post: <a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" />Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'</a></center>

§ the Call of the Wild....

We are now under "house arrest" here in Corpus Christi, some areas are closed for safety precautions of the virus. Our county now has ten reported cases, and they are in quarantine...nine of the ten are travel related Tsk, tsk. If people would just stay close to home and use the distance safety tips, it'd help with the pandemic. The good thing about birding is you don't have to be out in the open; in crowds...in fact, drive by birding is an acceptable pastime these days.  Much better than resorting to cleaning house!!

The first bird I am sharing, I can't help it...I think they're pretty and they have a wonderful, soft, soothing song.  Even if they're 'the impalers'...they are one of nature's wonders.  Of course, each of the species of birds is, in my opinion.   Except for the vultures, but they serve their purpose on earth, so you still have to appreciate them.   It's the individual features of each bird [and their survival capability] that never ceases to astound me.

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
photo taken:  South Bay Park
habitat map:  Shrike
length:  9 inches
wingspan:  13 inches

At the hightower for observation [click here for tower photo], the black vultures were gathered in large groups [called committee], and singly spotted here and there in the undergrowth....

BLACK VULTURES
photos taken:  Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
note:  this refuge along the coastal bend is nearly 120,000 acres with hundreds of species of birds/wildlife
habitat map:  Vulture
length:  25 inches
wingspan:  60 inches



I am thrilled to capture this with its 'hood ornament' exposed!


HOODED MERGANSER
photo taken:  Bazemore Park
habitat map:  Merganser
length:  18 inches
wingspan:  25  inches

Another bird that gets a bum wrap like the shrike [for different reasons] is the American Coot.  Again, I marvel at its adaptability to conquer the different terrains along the ponds' edge and walk through quagmire without loosing its footing...

AMERICAN COOT
photo taken:  Caribbean Drive [Flour Bluff, Texas]
habitat map:  Coot
length:  15 inches
wingspan:  25 inches



This bird is quite easily identified...it is aptly named ...


NORTHERN PINTAIL DUCK
photo taken:  Indian Point Park
habitat map:  Pintail
length:  20-26 inches
wingspan:  28-36 inches

When I spotted this hawk, I was in awe of its beautiful plumage!  Such wonderful colors and pattern.  And for a few minutes it posed for me before flying off.  I was on foot, and just under by a marginal few feet from its perch...

RED SHOULDERED  HAWK
photos taken:  Lakeview Park
habitat map:  Hawk
length:  17-22 inches
wingspan:  32-45 inches




For use of graphic link in your post, copy text in gray text area below and paste into your blog post: <a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSGykwuxLDOwQrESJgGvZEYYSjnrWmY_rGW2MegmddZNS5V5c0EXWlqbu3s4mtxehEUPnfRUQhoGhFuoIvgFk4goVKTaQBRZg5Ij2GX98-xSsPuvVkUZTMSkxmRRwaAI5EBo3OMjDdEU/s1600/IRBBlogo.png" width="120" height="120" /></a> or use text linking only copy text in gray text area below and paste into your blog post: <a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" />Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'</a></center>
Participating this week:

Little Wandering Wren
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Lintuilua-Birding
Linda, Virginia, USA
The Early Birder
Lavender Dreams
Phil UK 
Lea's Menagerie
Tomthebackroadstraveler
Sallie 
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa
Eileen
Wren Nest Building
Traveling With Birds

§ A BOWL of Spoonbills and Others....

This will be a very heavy post with several pictures, so I will refrain from being too wordy. At two co-joining parks [one in Corpus and the other that intersects with the one in my city, Sunset Lakes in Portland Texas], was where I walked recently. Another cloudy day, but the birds were quite active. At one point when I stopped at an observation deck off the trail, I was overwhelmed by the numbers of Roseate Spoonbills I found!! So, I'll take you there. But first some I saw along the way...

AMERICAN WIGEON
habitat map: Wigeon

...something I've never seen before. It was low tide on the bay, and the pintail ducks were WALKING on the mudflats/oyster beds instead of swimming.

NOTHERN PINTAIL DUCKS [female-male]
habitat map:   Ducks


RED BREASTED MERGANSERS [male and female]
habitat map:  Mergansers

...now the dozens of white ibis and roseate spoonbills [a group of spoonbills is called a "bowl"]:








ROSEATE SPOONBILLS and WHITE IBIS
habitat map:  Spoonbills - Ibis

And, while marveling at the feathers of both ibis and spoonbills, I experienced an American Avocet flyover....

AMERICAN AVOCETS
habitat map:  Avocets





For use of graphic link in your post, copy text in lavender text area below
and paste into your blog post:


<a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSGykwuxLDOwQrESJgGvZEYYSjnrWmY_rGW2MegmddZNS5V5c0EXWlqbu3s4mtxehEUPnfRUQhoGhFuoIvgFk4goVKTaQBRZg5Ij2GX98-xSsPuvVkUZTMSkxmRRwaAI5EBo3OMjDdEU/s1600/IRBBlogo.png" width="120" height="120" /></a> <br />

or use text linking only copy text in lavender text area below and paste into your blog post:
<a href="http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com" />Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'</a>