I'd Rather B Birdin': REDHEAD Duck

Showing posts with label REDHEAD Duck. Show all posts

§ Winter is NOT Over Yet...

This week it's been showing signs of winter for the Texas Coast! High tides, coastal flooding, temperatures dropping into the high 40s overnight, not reaching much above 60!! And rain! Altho, I am enjoying the respite of weather change, I will be happy again to feel the Spring warmth and be able to go back to "my islands"! lol

Top to Bottom [with habitat map links]:
WHITE TIPPED DOVE
WHITE WINGED DOVE
ROSEATE SPOONBILL
SORA
YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER
RED HEADED DUCK

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Linking Tool is now closed...new one Saturday Mar 25th

§ Winter Texans....

This past week it's been a miserable week for me to be outdoors! High winds, near freezing temps in the middle of the day [icy conditions on bridges for driving], so I stayed home for the most part. I still have to laugh at myself, being that I grew up in the Colorado foothills; living there for over 50 years, and when it gets to be wintry here in South Texas, I am chilled to the bone. I know a lot of that has to do with heavy humidity, but still, I've become a weakling when the cold snaps linger for days. I went out only a couple of days. Yes, one morning it was a mild 70° [F] and I walked a trail in shorts and t-shirt. By the time I got my 3 miles' walk completed and back to the car the temp had dropped some 20+° and I was happy to get back in the car with the heater. Another day I drove to Humble Channel in search of a rare gull that was spotted...the Glaucous...but never saw it. Too windy to stand on the coast without being blown over. Another pair of female ducks were reported at Port Aransas, but I never got a chance to get there. Harlequin Ducks. Needless to say, not many 'special' birds seen; the usual winter residents. But, I will share some photos taken:

Along Humble Channel...

LESSER SCAUP
Habitat map: Scaup

GREAT BLUE HERON
Habitat map: Heron

REDHEAD DUCK
Habitat map: Duck

Gulls
But, not the one I was hunting.

At a park...

NORTHERN CARDINAL
Habitat map: Cardinal

GREEN JAY
Habitat map: Jay

INCA DOVE
Habitat map: Dove

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§ Long Saught After...

It's been since Springtime just before Hurricane Harvey [3-4 years already?] that I've seen this one! I've been diligent each time I go where there would be a possible sighting, but to no avail. Until this week. We have had frosty days where I haven't gone out to do any walking or birding. And then, one day, thinking I'd go on a walk about on the islands, I took off only to have the engine light come on on the dashboard of my car. I wasn't about to get out in the 'boonies' and have no way of getting back home without roadside assistance. I turned around, dropped the car off at the mechanics and walked home. They did a computer analysis and called me some hours later, had it fixed, and the very next day I was out enjoying the sunny day and mild temperature. And, to top it off, I finally sighted in on the elusive bird. According to my guide books, they are commonly seen, but I can't agree to this. At least not in MY area of Texas. I was happy about seeing it tho! And here he is. He was busy preening, and I took several photos, showing one with his beautiful wings visible:

CINNAMON TEAL [male]
Habitat map: Teal

Other birds seen in the same area of Port Aransas on this day; some in photos below while others counted and recorded were Avocets, Green Winged Teals, Grackles, Mockingbirds, Blue Winged Teals, Ladder Backed Woodpecker, White and Brown Pelicans, Coots, Gulls, Cormorants, Gallinules, Egrets, Killdeer, Robins [continuing winter based this year], White winged Doves, Terns, and probably more that I can't recall just now...

AMERICAN KESTREL
Habitat map: Kestrel

OSPREY
Habitat map: Osprey

YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER [aka Myrtle]
Habitat map: Warbler

REDHEAD DUCK
Habitat map: Duck

TRI-COLORED HERON
Habitat map: Heron

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§ A Freckle Or a Seed? I Puzzled 'til My Puzzler was Sore...

After ten plus years of birding and getting photos, this is the first time I've ever witnessed the Crested Caracara with its crest actually visible as it turned its head to either attract the 2nd bird coming in or in defense of it, I'm not sure... other than guess work of what it would look like, the crest usually lays flat with the contours of its head when I'm near by. And, I've seen hundreds of these...they're everywhere! So, now, I can say with no hesitation that the bird is aptly named. It really IS crested!

CRESTED CARACARA
photos taken: Packery Channel
habitat map: Caracara
length: 22-14 inches
wingspan: 50 inches

It's that time of year...the breeding plumage is showing up on many species. One of my favorites in coloration is the mating Spoonbills with their red legs, dark patches, deep, rich rose wings, yellow neck patches and the bright, orange tail feathers.

ROSEATE SPOONBILLS
photos taken: Port Aransas
habitat map: Spoonbill
length: 32 inches
wingspan: 48-52 inches

RED HEAD[ED] DUCKS [male and female respectively]
photos taken: Mustang Island
habitat map: Duck
length: 19 inches
wingspan: 32 inches

At this particular park, the bird seed is replenished daily, year 'round, at the drip system watering hole for them. But, on this particular day while I was observing through the lens I noticed what looked like a 'freckle' on its right cheek - I used the zoom lens to check it out...it was a loose feather [or a seed?]

GOLDEN FRONTED WOODPECKER
photos taken: Bazemore Park
habitat map: Woodpecker
length: 9.5 inches
wingspan: 17 inches

This week's participants are:

NatureFootstep PhotoArt
Linda, Virginia, USA
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Adam
Lavender Dreams
Phil UK
Lea's Menagerie
Eileen
Sallie [Fulltime Life]
Cloudia

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§ From North Padre Island to Mustang Island

[Don't confuse NORTH Padre Island with South Padre Island which is about 200 miles southwest of us]

Once again, many birds were spotted. My first stop was off the 'beaten path', taking an exit ramp to a pier on Humble Channel. There, early in the morning, I spotted 100s of Readhead Ducks, Scaups, gulls, grackles, egrets, herons and a couple of Bufflehead ducks that dived below the water surface to not be found again. I then took off toward Port Aransas, spying five ospreys along the power lines before taking the turn off North Padre Island to Mustang Island. I made several stops along the park highway since so many birds were also perched on the power lines/poles. The usual 30 minute drive took nearly an hour. At Port Aransas, I spent most of my time photographing and watching the sea of white [massive numbers of pelicans and egrets] and a resident alligator, known as Boots! I got 'up close and personal' with him if you'd like to see what I saw through my lens, zooming in on him as he snoozed in the shallow water under the warm sun. Took several close up photos of him too, very reptilian detail I might add. LOL[kidding]

BLACK NECKED STILT
photo taken: Port Aransas
habitat map: Stilt
length 14-15 inches
wingspan 26 inches

GREAT EGRET
photos taken in series: Port Aransas
habitat map: Egret
length 37-41 inches
wingspan 56 inches

NORTHERN SHOVELER
photo taken: Humble Channel
habitat map: Shoveler
length 17-20 inches
wingspan 27-33 inches

SNOWY EGRET
photo taken: Port Aransas
habitat map: Egret
length 22-26 inches
wingspan 46 inches

GREATER YELLOWLEGS/Lesser [this has a long beak, so greater?]
photo taken: Port Aransas
habitat map: Yellowlegs
length [Greater] 14 inches
wingspan [Greater] 25 inches

LESSER SCAUP [this species has a rounded head, Greater Scaup is more flat]
photos taken: Humble Channel
habitat map: Scaup
length 16-18 inches
wingspan 24-32 inches

REDHEAD DUCK
photo taken: Humble Channel
habitat map: Redhead
length 19 inches
wingspan 32 inches

BELTED KINGFISHER
photo taken: Mustang Island
habitat map: Kingfisher
length 12-14 inches
wingspan 22-26 inches

AMERICAN KESTREL
photo taken: Mustang Island
habitat map: Kestrel
length 10 inches
wingspan 22 inches

PEREGRINE FALCON
photo taken: Mustang Island
habitat map: Falcon
length 16-20 inches
wingspan 40-48 inches

Lastly: I'd like to take this time to wish all who observe the holiday, a very MERRY CHRISTMAS from Bud and me. May your day be merry and bright.

Those that participated are:
Christina, Sweden
Shiju Sugunan
Birds seen in Europe and Africa
Linda, Virginia, USA
Rosyfinch Ramblings
It's All About Purple
Lea's Menagerie
David Gascoigne
Phil UK
Sallie (FullTime-Life)

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