I'd Rather B Birdin': Long Billed Dowitcher

Showing posts with label Long Billed Dowitcher. Show all posts

§ Archive Images...

...I'm finding no time to go birding...busy each day painting interior of all rooms in our house!!! Bud is rewiring the outlets and light switches. Kinda too busy to do much of anything else.

BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS
Habitat map: Duck

BLACK TERN
Habitat map: Tern

DUNLIN
Habitat map: Dunlin

LONG BILLED DOWITCHER
Habitat map: Dowitcher

RED WINGED BLACKBIRD
Habitat map: Blackbird

STILT SANDPIPER
Habitat map: Sandpiper

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LINKING TOOL NOW CLOSED

On Sunday morning, I walked the trail along the edge of Oso Bay on Ward Island. This trail was 'built' for the students attending Texas A&M, but still open to public use. I only go there a couple times of year. During the summer when classes are nearly non-existent, and then again during the Christmas Break when most all students go home or take a trip away from studying. Most times, at that time, I have the trail to myself. On this particular day, I met up with one couple walking in the opposite direction, and then, a great variety of birds along the shore and out in the bay. [Of course there were guys out in the deeper parts, fishing! That's a given.] Here are some of what I spotted along the path and then taking steps off the path and walking along the mangrove bushes to see what shorebirds were in the quiet areas; away from people...

BLACK NECKED STILTS [parent and 3 juveniles]
Habitat map: Stilt

LITTLE BLUE HERON
Habitat map: Heron

GOLDEN FRONTED WOODPECKER [Juvenile]
Habitat map: Woodpecker

GREAT BLUE HERON
Habitat map: Heron

WILLET
Habitat map: Willet

WHITE IBIS
Habitat map: Ibis

Back at the parking lot after a 3 mile walk, I drove out of the area and headed toward the Naval Air Station to just drive and see what I could see of birds along the mudflats and open water. I had to pull over, get my zoom lens steadied, and shoot outside the car window...Dowitchers, Gulls, and Godwits!

SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER [long billed?]
Habitat map: Dowitcher

MARBLED GODWIT
Habitat map: Godwit

By the way, the hour I arrived to walk the first trail, it has just stopped raining for a short period, cooled it some, and the trail is 90% shaded by black willow trees and mesquite. You can see this beautiful, peaceful, area, lined with gazebos, and see one fisherman in his JAWS [shark] kayak in the bay...HERE.

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§ Calallen Texas...

It's been another quiet week around here. Still Spring Break, and the weather has been far from good. Too foggy one day, misty another, and chilly. We even stopped yard work because of the dampness. I'm really ready for sunshine and more Spring-like days. Then, again, I don't look forward to what follows in the coming months either. I do, tho, look forward to the students going back to class and for me, being able to get out in search of the migrant birds. In the meantime, these photos are of a day at the park...

NORTHERN CARDINAL [male and female]
Habitat map: Cardinal

GOLDEN FRONTED WOODPECKER
Habitat map: Woodpecker

GREEN JAY
overhead in tree
Habitat map: Jay

BLUE WINGED TEAL
Habitat map: Teal

GREATER YELLOWLEGS
Habitat map: Yellowlegs

WHITE WINGED DOVE
Habitat map: Dove

SNOWY EGRET
Habitat map: Egret

LONG BILLED DOWITCHER
Habitat map: Dowitcher

Note: Each week, I add the species Habitat map link below the birds' names since a comment was left for me last week about "I wonder if they're here in our area". MOST times the maps are accurate. But, you must always remember that some birds fly off in a whole new direction - differently than a normal passage, and you may see a 'rogue' that doesn't necessarily "belong" in your section of the country....or considered a 'rare' bird. Some times it's interesting to see the migrant passage compared to the breeding part or wintering grounds...for instance, note on this particular bird, the Dowitcher [above] is seen in Texas during "non-breeding"...but they fly back to their nesting grounds far north into the tundra areas of Northern Canada and Alaska 1000s of miles away from Texas! And change color...more vibrant during the breeding season. Also, once you get to the habitat map, there is a link there to take you to the "about" description of the bird...colors, feeding, breeding and non-breeding plumage, size, similarities of some [such as Long Billed Dowitcher and Short Billed Dowitcher - one is fresh water, while the other is seen mostly near saltwater], etc.

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§ Waterfowl and ONE Reptile...

I've only been out birding a couple of times this past week. Due to a huge job of a huge chore for Bud and me. And, that is cleaning up winter kill in our yards. So, without further narration, this is some of what I saw on the islands:

AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS
Habitat map: Pelican

GREATER YELLOWLEGS
Habitat map: Yellowlegs

AMERICAN AVOCET
Habitat map: Avocet

GREAT BLUE HERON
Habitat map: Heron

LONG BILLED DOWITCHER
Habitat map: Dowitcher

CINNAMON TEAL
Habitat map: Teal

LEAST GREBE
Habitat map: Grebe

TRI-COLORED HERON
[AND American Alligator]
Habitat maps: Heron - Alligator

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§ P I N S [National Seashore Federal Park]

I believe I photographed a "new" bird for me. I've seen the Short Billed Dowitcher, and heard of others seeing the long billed dowitcher. On a cloudy, chilly, damp day at the Bird Basin, on Padre Island National Seashore, I drove past a small rain water collected pond, and along with several Blue Winged Teal, Stilts, Egrets, and Red Winged Blackbirds, I spotted these. I thought they were Marbled Godwits at first, then I noticed there was no pink on the beak/bill...so, Godwits were out. Dowitchers? I checked and compared my poor photos with my guide books once home, and they're very much identical to the short billed except for one distinctive characteristic, the long billed has BARRED stripes just under the wing, while the short billed dowitcher is spotted just under the wing...I see bars/stripes, and I am quite sure they're larger in bulk/size, not to mention the length of the bill...could this be a new one for me? If I am incorrect in ID, please inform me.

I apologize for the fuzzy photos...they were taken through the car window and I had no place to prop my hands to steady the camera weight...

LONG BILLED DOWITCHER
photos taken: Bird Basin - Padre Island National Seashore
habitat map: Dowitcher

Once I parked the car, I walked behind the Basin to traipse along the back side of the area, known to local birders that Piping Plovers [rare] can be found. Well, I saw two different plovers, but not the Piping Plover on this day. Also seen in the back acres of Bird Basin were:

...what I believe is the Savannah Sparrow [yellow eyebrow]

SAVANNAH SPARROW
photos taken: Behind Bird Basin {PINS}
habitat map: Sparrow

BLACK BELLIED PLOVER [winter - non breeding]
photo taken: Behind Bird Basin {PINS}
habitat map: Plover

GREATER YELLOWLEGS - larger and longer legs that LESSER Yellowlegs
photo taken: Behind Bird Basin {PINS}
habitat map: Yellowlegs

LITTLE BLUE HERON
photo taken: Bird Basin {PINS}
habitat map: Heron

Other Birds seen on this day -2 hours:

Red Winged Blackbirds -6
Snowy Egret -3
Blue Winged Teal -x
White Tailed Hawk -1
Semi Palmated Plover -1
Sanderling -x
Black Necked Stilts -4
Willets -8
Black Skimmer -2
Great Blue Heron -3
Tri Colored Heron -1
Laughing Gulls -x
Grackles -x
Ruddy Turnstones -14
Brown Pelicans -5
[heard only] Meadowlark -1
NOTE: The Aplomado Falcon is laying on a nest!!

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§ Archive Images...

§ This Week's Birds....

§ Calallen Texas...

§ Waterfowl and ONE Reptile...

§ P I N S [National Seashore Federal Park]

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