One very warm day this past week, I ventured to the islands for tallying my 10000 step count. I walked the Port Aransas Jetty first. It can be a challenge with uneven footfalls on the huge boulders, but giving me movement of many muscles that normally wouldn't get a workout. After counting about 2 miles in steps, I sat down to watch the huge cargo ships going out to the Gulf from the Port O' Call. The early morning sun was beautiful reflecting its light on the channel -in the hazy distance miles out to sea, a line of tankers and large cargo ships were awaiting a channel pilot boat to guide them through...and the waterfowl was aplenty - terns of all kinds, seagulls, pelicans, egrets, cormorants, turnstones, the all intrustive grackles, sandpipers, and turtles bobbing up for air in the channel. One large tanker was a virtual playground for the bottle-nosed dolphins. I took pictures. Along the huge boulders, in a small inlet, I notice the shadow of an egret on the rock. I found it hunting for its breakfast. [above photos] By the time the ship got to the open waters, the day was becoming quite warm, and I had many more steps to count. I ended up at Charlie's Pasture [also along the ship channel]. Upon arriving, I was VERY pleased to see, after three years of hurricane Harvey damage, the park road was finally repaired and repaved!!! I could get to the covered pavilion and perhaps find some swallows busying with their young. Indeed, the mud nests were filled and the parents were active! My total steps accomplished along the trails with finding no rattlesnakes on the paths [they are here, I've seen a couple in my walking the boardwalk days], and I sat under the protection of the pavilion's roofing and enjoyed the cooler sea breeze gently blowing through as I watched the feeding frenzy...
Upon my return drive to Corpus Christi, I pulled off the park road to check on the Aplomado family. Both ma and pa were out of the hacking tower [nest box] and no sign of the two little ones in the nest...did they fledge? Did coyotes or raptors get 'em? Maybe snakes? Who knows. I may take another drive there over this weekend to check and see if they may be nearby. Otherwise, it'll be until next Spring I suppose.
Participating this week:
Travels With Birds [David uses no hyperlink]
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa
Linda, Virginia, USA
Arun, India
Linda aka Crafty Gardener
Eileen
Ella
tomthebackroadstraveller
notafraidofcolor
Phil, UK
The Early Birder
Jean@sonotorganized
Lavender Dreams
Lea's Menagerie
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Love those bluebirds and composites! You also painted a beautiful picture with your words describing the Port Aransas seascape. Cute swallow nestlings and Snowy Egret "on the rocks." Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteI hope you see the two little ones the next time you go! And you sure saw a lot of different birds on that walk. Now that I'm wearing an Apple watch and it tallies my steps...I realize how hard it is to get 10,000 steps! On days I hike I can...other days...not so much! heehee! It's HOT here and quite buggy this week! Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteGlad the road was open, you met your step goal, and didn't see any rattlesnakes (yikes! I guess that would get a heart rate going).Gorgeous egret and enjoyed seeing the swallow babies as well. Thank you for hosting. Hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, your pictures are PRICELESS!! They are just adorable. Baby birds always look so MAD! I hope they stay safe.
ReplyDelete...you captured some mighty hungry mouths! Thanks Anni for hosting.
ReplyDeleteI have loved swallows since I was a child, and their babies are special to me!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for hosting!
Hello, Anni
ReplyDeleteThe swallows are adorable, great sighting. The Egret is beautiful too! Wonderful photos.
Thanks for hosting. Have a great day, happy weekend!
Love seeing the adorable little babies. Great sightings.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear the road got fixed. Love the baby birds and the graceful egret. Thank you for hosting and have a nice Sunday.
ReplyDeleteWonderful close up images of the "young ones". I hope the next time you go back, you might spot them. Thanks for all your comments, stay safe and have a great week ahead.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos of the little ones great shots. Hope you get to see the youngsters from the Aplomado family. Thanks for hosting, Diane
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you got your long walk back Anni. It's been a long wait for you but not for the Swallows. You have lovely shots of the hungry chicks. No, we don't climb the cliff. If you look close you will see the top of our most net. The Martin's fly Lowe once they are away from the nest holes. Thanks for the link today.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the tankers and the huge cargo ships are far more intrusive than the grackles and certainly pose a greater danger. Can you imagine an oil spill from one of those tankers in that area? I am sure that you were thrilled to be able to flex your muscles again and I hope you were not too sore after an enjoyable outing.
ReplyDeletethe bird was on my patio table, hiding from the rain...I thought it was a cute connection... LeeAnna at not afraid of color
ReplyDeleteOh, those swallows! What shots of that wide open mouth! I just love these little birds...
ReplyDeleteI can't stop smiling at those babies! They are absolutely precious! When I read about the uneven Boulders and the up-and-down motion that made me think of many many years ago my dad would put on his big rain boots to make his feet heavier and March around the yard stepping over logs and climbing over anything he could climb over and stepping over High bushes for exercise
ReplyDelete