§ One Species Only Today...

I've not been out birding much once again; still nursing my pelvic injury [it's much better]. When I pulled off the road and entered a small city park parking lot, I walked to the water's edge. Across the lake, I saw what looked like 'a fiery orange-red' plumage, with the morning sun hitting their feathers just right, on the ducks at the bank! I pulled my camera up and focused the zoom lens on them, and noticed they were ducks that occasionally stop over in our southern Texas bend. One breed I've only seen once or twice in my decade of birding. Not being able to ambulate too well, I take baby steps and force myself to walk toward them, and they moved out into the water.  I gladly stopped walking, and began snapping away. Then, they took to flight, circled around, and landed at the far end, away from me!! Just the one bird this week...

FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS
Habitat map: Ducks
And yes, Ginny, like the black bellied ducks, they do have a "whistling call" unlike other ducks. LISTEN HERE


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§ Birding Vistas...

Just panoramic exposures this week:




SNOWY EGRETS
photo taken:  Port Aransas [unharmed area of Charlie's Pasture]
habitat map:  Egrets


BROWN PELICANS
photo taken:  Padre Island National Seashore
habitat map:  Pelicans


BLACK TERNS [and others]
photo taken:  Port Aransas Jetty
habitat map: Terns


BLACK SKIMMERS
photo taken:  Leonabelle Refuge [during reconstruction]
habitat map:  Skimmers


BLACK NECKED STILTS
photo taken:  Bazemore Park
habitat map:  Stilts


FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS
photo taken:  Botanical Gardens Pond [the larger pond]
habitat map:  Ducks


LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER
photo taken:  Paradise Pond
habitat map: Woodpecker


AMERICAN AVOCETS
photo taken:  Sunset Lakes
habitat map: Avocets





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§ Choke Canyon State Park

A few weeks back I mentioned on a post that I spotted/photographed another banded bird and was waiting for any information on it. Recently, I received another certificate from my reporting the sighted Piping Plover!!! I never fail to be impressed with this knowledge shared when a marked bird is seen!! This one in particular was born in 2012, banded in 2013...in North Dakota. I photographed and reported it sighted along Padre Island National Seashore [about 15 miles East of Chapman Ranch...which covers a distance of an estimated 1500 to 1600 miles from its birthplace], along the beach's shoreline. Imagine, within a few years of probably migrating from North Dakota to South Texas; it never ceases to boggle my mind that such a tiny creature flies so many miles to grace my morning!! Here is the certificate with the pertinent information on this Plover...

...and here are photos of the little rascal!! Standing Proud...

PIPING PLOVER [non breeding plumage]

photos taken: Padre Island National Seashore

habitat range: Piping Plover

On October 30th, Bud and I drove to Choke Canyon State Park about 80 miles from home. Stopping for a few hours in the morning light, on a dreary, overcast day, we found several species of birds:

WILD TURKEYS

habitat range: Wild Turkey

FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCKS [and American Coots]

habitat range: Fulvous Duck

EASTERN PHOEBE

habitat range: Eastern Phoebe

AMERICAN KESTREL

habitat range: American Kestrel

GREEN JAY

habitat range: Green Jay

SAVANNAH SPARROW [dark form]

habitat range: Savannah Sparrow

VERMILION FLYCATCHER [female]

habitat range: Vermilion Flycatcher

OSPREY

habitat range: Osprey

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN in the area of Choke Canyon State Park [Calliham Unit] - Near Three Rivers, Texas

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§ 5 Minutes on Navigation Highway

On the back side of our port of call, between the ships' channel and the Nueces River, a highway meanders between. There is sometimes, depending on the time of year and the amount of water found in the ponds and playas [dried up flat wetlands] along the way, a lot of bird life. On this particular Sunday morning recently, we drove the eight mile stretch and stopped just short of the interstate junction. Different bird species were spotted in high numbers...great egret, snowy egret, white ibis, spoonbills, mottled ducks, fulvous tree ducks.

I won't talk much today...just showing a lot of photos - - - -

Stopping at the lake:

>

Mid summer to late summer, if you know where to go, Wood Storks are plentiful!

I spotted a Fulvous Tree Duck [aka Fulvous Whistling Duck] on the muddy banks, hidden partially by the cattail/reed grasses. They're a scarce breed, so I was kinda excited. Then to my amazement, a whole family appeared in the water! They swam so quickly, and soon to disappear behind the other side that is most always inaccessible, I didn't want to mess with my zoom, so the family of eight ducklings is seen only from a distance.

While I was following the duck family, I noticed an immature white ibis flying overhead!  I changed the lens focus to above me, and snapped the photo while it soared silently and disappeared into the sunlight like the ending of an epic western movie....riding flying off into the sunset "THE END"

STORK, EGRETS, IBIS, DUCKS
photos taken: Navigation Highway -Northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat maps: Wood Stork, White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Fulvous Tree Duck, Roseate Spoonbill, Mottled Duck


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