It's the 4th of July weekend in America. For the last several days our area of the Coastal Bend has been inundated with heavy downpours. So, again, I sit home and read mostly...waiting for it to dry out. We won't be doing much of celebrating other than our annual grilled hot dogs, potato salad and icy COORS!! Of course there won't be much sleeping until past midnight on the 4th because of the fireworks. I will watch "the show" from our garage window to keep dry and mosquito free!
Here are some images from my Spring months' archives of this year; all warblers. And those that bird and try to get photos of them, know that it's a challenge of nerves and patience. I really hope to get out soon, even tho the birds will be scarce other than the resident year 'round birds....
It's still been too hot to spend too much time outdoors...and my understanding is, for the last three or four weeks it's either a boiler room, disastrous forest fires, or devastating floods and violent storms across most of the US of A. I can't help but wonder about the birds...where do they go and are they safe from harm? For that matter, ALL the wildlife of our country. Hopefully there are some areas that'll keep them out of danger. In the meantime, I'm relying on some of my photos from the Spring of 2018 again...
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
photo taken: Blucher Park
habitat map: Yellowthroat
While out birding, one pond has dried up completely from lack of any measurable rainfall. But...happily I report the small park also has a drip system, and there is where the birds congregated for their water intake. Those birds were mostly permanent residents of South Texas but, as I was standing there in the area, watching those partake in foraging and drinking, a 'new' bird came in. It gave me an opportunity to get a photo of it before it disappeared in the dense tree growth...
From what I've read about this species, it's so closely related to the Bicknell's Thrush they were once considered the same bird. But, after much research and banding, this species is different in a few tell-tale markings AND their songs differ. Also, the Bicknell's Thrush keeps themselves mostly to the Atlantic shores in the USA, while the thrush I sighted in on has a migration path from parts of Northern South America to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska [going through the eastern 2/3s of Texas]. They normally remain quite 'hidden' in the brush while searching for food and berries that they are considered 'uncommon'. By bird population standards they're of least concern...
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH
photo taken: Paradise Pond - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Thrush
In comparison, the very similar Bicknell's LIMITED North American habitat map
Another Thrush I spotted at the watering hole was a Swainson's Thrush. These are identified by the size, the spots and the complete eye ring plus the eyebrow, giving them a 'bespectacled' feature. They are a common migrant throughout the USA. Also note that at first I thought it could be a Louisiana Waterthrush...but the coloration and the complete eyebrow beyond the eye ring to the back of the head, and the action of bobbing the body as it walked, was lacking.
All in all, this area proved to be a good stopping ground for the few minutes I was there. Also seen were doves, grackles, tanagers, woodpeckers, grosbeaks, other warblers, buntings and even a great blue heron looking lost and as if wondering where the water in the pond went!! Other birders told me they saw an ovenbird, but I never found it before I left for another 'hotspot'.
- - -
This next stop, early in the morning hours, was quite busy. I watched and waited for an opportune time [warblers are quite a challenge to get a decent photo of them since they're in continual motion!] ---
AMERICAN REDSTART
photo taken: Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Redstart
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER
photo taken: Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Blackburnian
BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER
photo taken: Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Warbler
---Even the Least Bittern was active in the hunt!
LEAST BITTERN
photos taken: Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Bittern
THEN!! I spotted this in the dried reed grasses near the boardwalk...
COMMON GALLINULE & family [estimated count 7 chicks]
photos taken: Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Gallinule
Also, as I previously posted on my personal blog last week, here is a short 56 second video of the family:
I recorded this with my phone:
Now, share your birding experiences:
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Here, in our yard, the lack of hummingbirds for the migratory season was dumbfounding....yet, we saw them in abundance at local parks. It dawned on me why....the Spring rains brought a whole slew of flowering plants, profusely blooming all around town and the barrier islands!! The hummingbirds prefer the blossoms' natural nectar!! Can't blame 'em. We've only had TWO active at our feeders over time. During the drought...........dozens!!
No...the following bird photos I share were NOT seen in El Paso, Texas!! They're migrants that were just passing through our area this past month, on their way to their summer breeding grounds....el paso [the passage].
Without a whole lotta chit chat, I'll just share the photos I got of several seen mainly in one area of town [along the island highway] over several different days in April:
