For the year 2018, the birding hasn't been up to par for the entire time. Slow recovery the last months after the damaging hurricane. A lot of the habitat for birds and migration was devastated, and the birds went elsewhere. Hopefully, in a few years, nature will restore some of the feeding and nesting grounds nearby. In the meantime, I keep going out in search of the few that remain and the little numbers that have returned....The following photos are for the year 2018. One photo of mine taken from my photos for each month...
Beginning in January...
CRESTED CARACARA
photo taken: Labonte Park
habitat map: Caracara
February...
NORTHERN SHOVELER [and Green winged Teal]
photo taken: Leonabelle Refuge
habitat map: Shoveler
March...
NORTHERN CARDINAL
photo taken: Bazemore Park
habitat map: Cardinal
April...
BLACK THROATED GREEN WARBLER
photo taken: Hans Suter Reserve
habitat map: Warbler
May...
INDIGO BUNTING
photo taken: Pollywog Ponds
habitat map: Bunting
June...
WHITE WINGED DOVE
photo taken: Oso Bay Wetlands
habitat map: Dove
July...
BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK
photo taken: Linda Castro Sanctuary
habitat map: Duck
August...
HAWK [Broad-winged?]
photo taken: Rose Hill Cemetery
habitat map: Hawk
note: The narrow tail bands and color make me think this is a Broad-winged. They frequent the cemetery more than any other hawk during migration. Please, correct me if you think I'm incorrect with ID] ...comparing to this photo online
September...
GREAT EGRET
photo taken: Leonabelle Refuge
habitat map: Egret
October...
AMERICAN AVOCET
photo taken: Indian Point Park
habitat map: Avocet
November....
RING BILLED GULL
photo taken: Port Aransas Beach
habitat map: Gull
December [2017]...
BLACK NECKED STILT
photo taken: Hans Suter Reserve
habtat map: Stilt
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Wonderful Texas Gulf Coast! (Your not-the-greatest-birding Year would be a top one for me). Loved every picture, but the Indigo bunting is the bird I long to get a decent picture of myself... will never forget waking up to a yard full of them when we were staying in Port A....first ever sighting...other people at the birding sites I went to were almost ‘ho hum, it happens every year’, but I was still ecstatic. . ..anyway, back then I didn’t have a digital camera. We’ve seen a few in Florida more recently, but never really got a good picture.......thank you for hosting.
ReplyDeleteVery nice selections! I would not try to pick a favorite out of them. Hurricane Irma just a year ago also had a very adverse effect on out local habitat. It stripped the flowers, buds,leaves and fruit from the Lantana, Firebush and Trema trees so that they did not bear all winter. Felled trees still limit my access to several favored "sit spots." On top of that the butterflies are also down in numbers. I do think that some of this is due to the stepped-up mosquito control program after the Zika scare which followed the hurricane.
ReplyDeleteIt all came to an end too soon! My favorites are definitely the Avocet and the Stilt!
ReplyDeleteHello, wonderful review and a great variety of birds. Some of my favorites are the Caracara, Whistling Duck, Stilts and Avocet. They are all beautiful photos,well done. Thanks for hosting, enjoy your day and weekend.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a tough year for you and I pray things improve. It sometimes takes years to get the balance back in nature. I love your idea for this post and especially love the Indigo Bunting. Each one is beautiful and special! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteA fabulous way to finish a year of birding and blogging and that was to share your favourite images month by month. Thanks Anni
ReplyDeleteHello Anni,
ReplyDeleteWonderful series of birds are this.
Photo 4, 11 and 12 are my favorite.
I enjoyed your blog.
I wish you a very nice Sunday.
Best regards, Irma
Hi Anni. Your comment arrived safe and sound. So no problem here - at the moment.
ReplyDeleteYour year looks a pretty good one judging by those super birds. It's hard for us over here to imagine the destruction those storms caused but I'm sure your are correct. It does take time but as soon as the weather warms up I'm sure lots of new groth will appear - reinvigorated by the down time.
Have a great Texas week.
they are all gorgeous and April and May are my favorites because I love jewel tone colors... love the gull also...
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting journey through the year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting this great bird-watching site
Anni, enjoyed your review of 2018 photos. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful review ♥
ReplyDeleteWow! So many stunning shots.
ReplyDeleteI’m very jealous of most of these birds Anni. What a fantastic year you’ve had!
ReplyDelete