As y'all know by now, a favorite birding area close to home, within a 30 minute drive over the islands, is Port Aransas, Texas. The beach, the jetty, the ship channel, the refuge, Paradise Pond [which has been dry for a couple of years because of a harsh drought], and the two salt flat pastures that have been turned into a huge, vast area for birders. Bud and I stopped first as we headed from home, at Charlie's Pasture South [this is the newest of the two, and yet incomplete...will eventually connect to the North Salt Flat boardwalk]. The once cattle grazing lands of a rancher, there are dry pasture lands and trees --for land loving birds, and the salt flats that most often have fresh water for the water fowl. As we walked from the parking lot/picnic area, off in the distance through binoculars, we got a good showing of a lot of white!! Today was our lucky day!! The two of us rambled quickly across the many boardwalks crossing small ponds to get to the larger area of water. I'll just share the photos, and let you enjoy the scenery we saw. It was teeming with so many different birds.........
...by the way, Phil I believe it was, mentioned a couple weeks ago, with a comment, that Texas 'caters to birders'? Well, on the week's end of November 8-11, just outside of Harligen, near Mission, Texas [south of us in Corpus by about 150 miles], an AMAZON KINGFISHER was spotted along the resaca off highway 100- a major highway -so over populated with birders it was, the state troopers actually CLOSED one lane of the highway for the camera toting, binocular carrying spectators. I was told there were hundreds of cars parked along the shoulder of the pavement with birders all hoping to spot the kingfisher. This is the 2nd only, since records have been kept that this species has been seen in Texas!!! [I read they're nearly 4 times larger than the green kingfisher]
a 'resaca' is like a marshy tributary...or dry ditch at times of drought...that fills with water, runoff from storms. Similar to the desert southwest's pantanos [occasional ponds] or arroyos [flooded washes] that flood during monsoon season. Imagine, closing a major thoroughfare for birders?!!!
...now, share your birding experiences:
Beautiful scenery indeed! Thanks for hosting :)
ReplyDelete...it was gorgeous...a bit noisy...but gorgeous.
DeleteThe jetty, the ship channel, the refuge, a pond which has been dry for a couple of years because of a harsh drought and the two salt flat pastures? Hey Anni and Bud get me over there quick with that wonderful variety of birds and habitat. I'd settle for the Amazon Kingfisher, never mind all those egrets so close and photogenic and in the same frame view. thanks for hosting Anni (and Bud).
ReplyDelete...it was pretty amazing. And I'm with you about the A. Kingfisher.
Deletethat's pretty amazing that they closed a lane of traffic. :)
ReplyDeletebeautiful spoonbills, and i'd love to see a reddish egret.
...the reddish egret is even MORE pretty when in the white morph, at least I think so.
DeleteHow wonderful to see so many birds all at once.
ReplyDelete,,,It definitely was a sight!!
DeleteWow!! That Amazon kingfisher is amazing. I've been seeing the belted lately, but if I saw this one, I'd probably drop my jaw and my camera. We've been seeing lots of ibises, pelicans, and egrets lately. More than usual. I love this time of year. Great photos, Anni!
ReplyDelete...oh me too, I'd not know what to think =I'm sure= if I saw the A. Kingfisher.
DeleteOops the first link I added was the wrong one and I don't see an option for me to delete it. If you can, please delete the one that leads to some crochet bags. Sorry for the mix up
ReplyDeleteI deleted the 'purse' link....but this morning trying to open BOTH links I get an error message about database. Will try later hooking up.
DeleteAnni, wonderful shots of all the waders. It is cool seeing them all together in a group. I saw photos of the Kingfisher on facebook, it was a cool sighting. I enjoyed your beautiful photos and post. Thanks for hosting and have a happy day.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine what Facebook was like....seems the birders down there went berserk with trying to spot it.
DeleteAnni, what a splendid array of birds. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteglad you enjoyed it Doug.
DeleteI think that is so neat that they closed the highway for the birders trying to spot a special bird.
ReplyDeleteI thought so too, but I was VERY surprised they did that.
Deletethat´s an amazing group of birds. I would have loved being there.
ReplyDeleteWe went back this weekend, and nothing compared to that day. It was phenomenal.
DeleteCorpus Christi is proclaimed to have the title 10 years and counting as the 'birdiest city in the USA'
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful assortment of waders! We live 18 miles inland and so far have attracted only one Reddish Egret to our lake, a young one at that. You live in a birder's paradise, with such a variety of habitats and always the possibility of a rare bird from Mexico.
ReplyDelete...from what I've gathered in my reading the bird sightings in Texas, the kingfisher remains in the area for now.
DeleteWonderful! I would love to see all those beautiful birds. You took some great photos!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to see such a great variety of beautiful birds! Wonderful photos of the birds and scenery, Anni.
ReplyDelete...thanks Pat
DeleteI'm so jealous. All of my beautiful summer birds are gone, and I don't have any of those water birds to start with. Lovely captures.
ReplyDelete...thanks. Consider yourself invited to the Coastal Bend.
DeleteAmazing shots! and this also looks like a great place to view birds! i am hoping to check this out too! Love your blog, and what serendipitous timing!
ReplyDelete