I'd Rather B Birdin': MOCKINGBIRD

Showing posts with label MOCKINGBIRD. Show all posts

§ A Song Bird and Birds of Prey....

It's been another quiet week as far as birding goes. I admit there will be a lot of those in the next couple of months since I plan on painting the entire interior of our house. It's been a long time coming and I have, so far, been putting it off. I guess the main reason is I've been waiting for cooler weather so I can open all windows and doors to ventilate as I paint. And the weather hasn't cooperated. It still remains very warm and humid. But, I did go walking a few times early in the morning these last few days. First, a downtown park, then, the large cemetery in town and of course, I drove to the islands in hopes the new boardwalk and the birding center was finally complete. Not yet. I talked with one of the construction boys and asked when it will be open...he said "Soon". That left me with no real answer. LOL I'll share what I saw that morning at a later date.

So with that said and done, I will share only a few birds seen:

At the city park, I actually heard more birds than I saw. The only one I sighted in on was a mockingbird after I spent several minutes taking photos of the beautiful butterflies around the butterfly bushes which I posted on my personal blog.

MOCKINGBIRD
Habitat map: Mockingbird

Then from there, on a short drive, I entered the cemetery. Tall oak trees line the roadways, meandering thru for miles criss-crossing plots. Here I stopped and got out of the car. Even before I strapped my camera over my shoulder a Red Shouldered Hawk made its presence known! I didn't even have time to get away from the vehicle before one landed on the ground...

As I finished snapping the shutter, from my periphrial vision I spotted another, behind and to the left. It silently soared below the trees' canopies and I followed it with my eyes; landing in a tree:

RED SHOULDERED HAWK
Habitat map: Hawk

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§ A Park Rarity...

Welcome back to the bird d'pot! Seems like longer than two weeks, yet the days with company flew by all too quickly. I'm here today to share a few birds seen while out and about with family over the holidays...

Commonly seen here in South Texas:

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
Texas's State Bird
Habitat map: Mockingbird

NORTHERN CARDINAL
Habitat map: Cardinal

Then, while traipsing through a small city park, I spotted a rarity seen in this area. In fact, I haven't had time to check my 'records' of birds seen, so this may be a first for me -or second time in over a decade of birding in this state! As you can see viewing the habitat map link, it is mostly found in Central America, but occasionally showing up in South Texas. I had a long wait for it to actually come OUT of the park's wildlife watering trough to get the "full" view, but I managed to get a few clear images of it close-up...

CLAY COLORED THRUSH
Habitat map: Thrush

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§ Garden Birds...

It's been a quiet week for birding. The temperatures have soared, a tropical storm in the Gulf as I type this up on Thursday, but we will feel a lot more humidity because of the storm front-if possible! lol], and I have to really stick close to home and do some yard work with Bud before each day gets too hot to be outdoors. We got way behind in the yard cleanup with Erik being here for a week and the flooding rains; waiting for things to dry out so we we're not sinking in the mud...and now, I don't want us to suffer heat stroke [108°-112°F 44.4°C] So, I share the few birds I spotted as I walked the trails through the Botanical Gardens early one morning over a week ago. As you can see, the birds sighted are quite common throughout North America, except for the "Texas Kiskadee"...

EGRETS Herons and ducks on the far side of the larger lake

HOUSE SPARROWS
Habitat map: Sparrow

KILLDEER
Habitat map: Killdeer

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
Habitat map: Mockingbird

GREAT KISKADEE
Habitat map: Kiskadee

MOURNING DOVE
Habitat map: Dove

I hope the Linking Tool works this week. Seems last week their server was down for a few hours! I couldn't do anything to assist except wait for the return. Apologies.

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§ Oso Bay Wetlands...

Early, this past Sunday, instead of my usual drive to the islands, I chose to walk my walk along the many trails within the Oso Bay area. I first stopped at the learning center which is part of our city's school district, where school aged children can take classes and attend nature trail walking to learn about our environment. I saw a few Purple Martins at their newly erected condos, watched birds around the waterfall and the lily pond...then "hit the many pathways" to see what birds I could find at that hour of day. It seemed every where I walked, the thrashers, mockingbirds, and buntings were happy to have another beautiful morning. As I was. At least before the heat built up. Unfortunately I can't fly up to the tops of the trees or nestle in the shade of the leaves on the branches and sing. I had to stay on the ground with the hordes of mosquitoes that are thick as molasses since a week of days with heavy rainfall. Besides, I sing off key anyway, I'd scare the bird-life away. Here are some I spotted along the way....

...the first one, by the waterfall was one flitting about and talking to its mate perhaps. I was only able to get one not-so-good photo with branch obstruction:

ASH THROATED FLYCATCHER or Brown crested?
habitat map: Flycatcher
Length: 8.5 inches
Wingspan: 12 inches

A young Northern Mockingbird watched me with suspicion...

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
habitat map: Mockingbird
Length: 10.5 inches
Wingspan: 15 inches

Serenading me with a mockingbird-like repertoire, from high atop a mesquite tree, I finally spied this one. It is a close relative of another similar bird [the other is more rusty than dull brown seen here]. This particular species is found in South Texas and Old Mexico...

LONG BILLED THRASHER
habitat map: Thrasher
Length: 11.5 inches
Wingspan: 12 inches

On most all trails on this day, it seemed to have one male painted bunting. I saw a lot of them just about everywhere, but no females [they're pretty too...perhaps nesting?] Busy singing [some were preening AND singing].

PAINTED BUNTING
habitat map: Bunting
Length: 5.5 inches
Wingspan: 8.5 inches

Once I arrived at the off the ground observation deck by the bay water, the only bird spotted was a stilt:

BLACK NECKED STILT
habitat map: Stilt
Length: 14-15 inches
Wingspan: 26 inches

...the apartment complex on the grounds:

PURPLE MARTIN
habitat map: Martin
Length: 8 inches
Wingspan: 16 inches

I feel like adding a partridge in a pear tree 'bout now, but no...I saw two ~~turtle~~ mourning doves! [one photographed]

MOURNING DOVE
habitat map: Dove
Length: 12 inches
Wingspan: 17-19 inches

This area is usually abundant in Northern Cardinals...I only saw one!! Near the end of my time out and about. Near the student's playground:

NORTHERN CARDINAL
habitat map: Cardinal
Length: 9 inches
Wingspan: 11.5 inches

And while I was walking to leave, another flycatcher alerted me. I stopped to get pics. Notice its tail above my watermark. [also: with adult males, the tail can reach lengths of 15 inches -38 cm, while the females are much shorter, by 30% or more] And also, for those that don't know this species, that rusty look above the wing in the close up is not blood or an injury - it's the wing color...

SCISSOR TAIL[ed] FLYCATCHER
habitat map: Flycatcher
Length: 11-15 inches
Wingspan: 15 inches

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Participating this week:

A Quiet Corner
Cranium Bolts
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa
Linda, Virginia, USA
Arun
Jean@NotSoOrganized
Travels With Birds [no hyperlink]
Tomthebackroadstraveller
The Early Birder
Phil UK
Lea's Menagerie
Lavender Dreams

§ Migrants....and Locals

It was grand seeing the three migrant birds this week! Along with regular, permanent Texas residents of course. I never tire of seeing the same species over and over again. I just like photographing them and perhaps comparing the plumage from one season to the next. I remember when I began my birding 'fetish' [hobby] and learning all the hundreds of TEXAS birds...thinking I knew it all in just over three months. Lo and behold, the breeding plumages threw me on a kilter, and I had to re-learn. But, what a good challenge it's been. This week, here are some I took pictures of for this post:

AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER [winter plumage]
photo taken: Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens
habitat map: Plover

BLACK THROATED GREEN WARBLER
photo taken: Oso Bay Wetlands
habitat map: Warbler

NORTHERN CARDINAL
photo taken: Blucher Park
habitat map: Cardinal

VERMILLION FLYCATCHER [immature or female?]
photo taken: Packery Channel Park
habitat map: Flycatcher

CRESTED CARACARA [immature ...notice the pink instead of orange on adult]
photo taken: Mustang Island Highway
habitat map: Caracara

VERMILION FLYCATCHER [adult male]
photo taken: Botanical Gardens
habitat map: Flycatcher

ANHINGA
photo taken: Caribbean Drive Ponds
habitat map: Anhinga

Texas State Bird NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
photo taken: Bazemore Park
habitat map: Mockingbird

PS...in America, each of the 50 states have a state bird....what is your state bird?

These are those that participated this week:

Hootin' Anni
Lea's Menagerie
Phil UK
Lavender Dreams
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Eileen
Travel with Birds
Orchid
Christina, Sweeden
A Quiet Corner

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§ A Song Bird and Birds of Prey....

§ A Park Rarity...

§ Garden Birds...

§ Oso Bay Wetlands...

§ Migrants....and Locals

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