Over the last couple of weeks, I've been receiving emails that most of Texas is spotting migrant Sandhill Cranes! On November 22nd, Bud and I heard, then searched for them at Oso Bay Wetlands. We spotted four in a field close to the facility....
SANDHILL CRANES
photos taken: Oso Bay Wetlands - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Sandhill Cranes
But as we drove away from the area, out of the car window we spotted a good three dozen or more, but no place to pull off the road safely and get photos. Maybe again soon.
The two of us then drove to a small 'twin' community of Rockport-Fulton, Texas to view the Whooping Cranes that are arriving for their winter stay on Goose Island. I didn't get any decent photos of the four we found, but have promised ourselves to return when lighting and weather cooperates more for photography. After watching them for about an hour we drove to a newly opened sanctuary...a small four acre piece of land set aside for bird habitat. I posted pictures of the area on my personal blog....HERE. The Sanctuary is called Linda S. Castro Sanctuary, and it's on the outskirts of Rockport-Fulton near Capano Bay. While at the island, I asked another local birder where the Castro pond was and she told us how to find it, since it's so new, it's not been marked on the highway yet. We found it, and enjoyed seeing TWO new ducks!!! Altho, the Wood Duck was very well hidden in the bushes near the far side bank and in shadow, I did manage to get an 'identifying' photo for recording it as another new one for me. Tho, the quality of the photos leave a lot to be desired...it's still proof for me and my chart/recording. The other 'new' duck is the Ring Necked Duck. We spotted both male and female of this species.
WOOD DUCK [male]
photos taken: Linda S Castro Sanctuary - Rockport Fulton, Texas
habitat map: Wood Duck
RING NECKED DUCK [male predominately black/gray white female brown/black]
photos taken: Linda S Castro Sanctuary - Rockport Fulton, Texas
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Nice views of the cranes. Good luck getting close to the Whooping Cranes. I took the boat trip and did get pretty near but they were very wary. Of course we had two from the Wisconsin captive breeding group overfly their normal wintering grounds and end up in our neighbor's back yard! Still have not had a Sandhill in the local wetlands but it's so odd that the Whooping Cranes spent a couple of weeks there! This "ring-billed" Ringnecks are certainly mis-named!
ReplyDeleteIf you look closely at the last male ring necked duck in my series, you CAN see, faintly, a purplish ring. The light has to hit their feathers just right.
DeleteHello Anni, I have always loved seeing the Sandhill Cranes. They are beautiful. I love the beautiful Wood Duck. The Ring-necked Ducks are pretty common around here in the winter. Great post, thanks for hosting. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteI know other birders have seen the ring necked ducks here before, but this is the first for me.
DeleteNice big birds, those cranes. Albeit, somewhat weird-looking and behaving. I first saw them playing golf in South Carolina. (I was playing golf, that is!)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the Ring-necked Ducks, too.
P.S. Oops I messed up..forgot that I'd pasted your link into memory in order to update my post, which is here.
~
no problem...all corrected. They DO love golf courses here too.
DeleteThe cranes are very handsome birds. Thank you for hosting and have a great weekend, Anni!
ReplyDeleteHope you're enjoying the weekend too...thanks!
DeleteSandhill sightings are the best. They are such tall exotic beauties.
ReplyDeleteThey definitely are exotic beauties!!!
DeleteGood Morning Dearest Anni; OMG, these Sandhill Cranes are SO Gorgeous and really happy to see the different ones famous in Japan. Never seen them(^^;) Wood ducks are brave looking, aren't they♬♬♬
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Sunday (I woke up early today, haha)
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*
Glad you enjoyed all my post today Miyako
Deletelol, can´t help but smile. :) Congrats to the new species :) I am happy to see somebody else but me dare to put out lousy shots. When it is all we got. :) And it is possible to ID them :) Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteSome day I hope to get a GOOD photo of a wood duck. They're scarce around here!!
DeleteAlways exciting to see something new. Happy for you on that. I had a whole lot of fun looking at your photos Anni, and reading your post. Thank you and thanks for hosting. Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)
ReplyDeleteNot that egrets and herons are boring....but I'm always exciting and raring to try to find a 'new' bird!! Thanks Denise
DeleteNeat! We don't see sandhill cranes in our area but we do have wood ducks.
ReplyDeleteI'll trade you two cranes for ONE male wood duck I can photograph!!!
DeleteLovely to have seen the Cranes and the shots of the ducks are excellent
ReplyDelete...thanks Margaret.
DeleteHi Anni.
ReplyDeleteIt must be an exciting time of year when the Sandhill Cranes begin to arrive. They are not your average bird are they?
Great shots of the Ring-necked Ducks. I've seen the species over here, just a mile or so from home. They are vagrants to the UK - it's quite a distance from North America.
Have a great week Anni. I hope our respective weathers improve.
Yes, you probably know this already, but the cranes 'vocalizations' can be heard for miles before they arrive nearby. That is what is exciting...anticipation.
Deletealways love to see the ringnecks. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you have many visit with you around your pond/lake on the ranch!!
DeleteLove the cranes!
ReplyDeleteI'm still choking on YOUR critter post!!
DeleteWe actually have a pair of Wood Ducks down on the river behind our house, but they have escaped from someones private collection. I always look out for them though. Never seen a wild crane though yet. Great pictures.
ReplyDeleteYou are the epitome of a very wise young man!!!
DeleteGreetings from Michigan. We have sandhill cranes in the corn field next to us. They are so loud.. reminds me of something from the dinosaur age actually. Our cranes left end of October I believe.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cindy
Www.countrycitycindy.blogspot.com
That's great, Anni! I'm glad you were able to cross the wood duck off your list. They are such a beautifully marked bird! So exciting that this years migratory birds are arriving - looking forward to your photos! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteGreat wood duck and ring-necked duck! Loved seeing the cranes also. Thanks for both your comments on my finches. We went out of town on Wednesday and had intended to return by Friday night but because of something unforeseen stayed gone till yesterday afternoon (will explain in my blog post)so I linked in before I rested yesterday from the trip and am back this morning with my comment! :-)
ReplyDelete