I'd Rather B Birdin': White Tailed Hawk

Showing posts with label White Tailed Hawk. Show all posts

§ Along the Bay...

From last week's post, Ken at Rosyfinch Ramblings, suggested that my duck I mistakingly ID'd was a hybrid duck. And after his explanation, I totally agree! Thank you.
I would also like to make note of the loss of the "world's" queen!! Her passing has definitely put a somber note in my household. I grew up only knowing one Queen...at that is the late Elizabeth II. My condolences to all in the British Commonwealth.

WHITE TAILED HAWK
Habitat map: Hawk

RED TAILED HAWK
Habiat map: Hawk

SNOWY EGRET
Habitat map: Egret

WHITE IBIS
Habitat map: Ibis

GREAT EGRET
Habiat map: Egret

REDDISH EGRET [white morph]
Habitat map: Egret

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§ Island Highway & FYI....

In the past months, these hawks...once seen just about every time I drove over the island highway, seem to now be scarce. I don't know why. But, it was kinda exciting to actually see one recently!!

WHITE TAILED HAWK
Habitat map: Hawk

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Just FYI...

I will not be visiting until I return from my break. Hope you all share and visit one another during my absence! Happy Birding!!!!

§ Ward Island and Mustang Island...

Seems one month we are inundated with flood waters from continual rain. Then, it stops. Within a few days, some of the flat land dries quickly, becoming mudflats that some birds will casually habitat for a few days. One particular area in town, Ward Island, [this is where the NAS -Naval Air Station is located for pilot training. And, if interested, where President George H W Bush trained during WWII]

source

One day I found myself driving along Ocean Drive and ended up just outside the entrance gates of the Army-Navy Air Station. I walked the flats as you see in the photo above.

I didn't see too many birds as I walked, keeping an eye on the ground more so for snakes [I hate snakes]. In the distance where Oso Bay surrounds the island and meanderes around the Corpus Christi Texas A&M island campus, I could see some herons and skimmers, and spoonbills. Overhead gulls and brown pelicans flew. The few birds I saw on the mudflats were mostly willets and a couple of plovers. Around the bend were about a dozen terns...

WILLET
Habitat map: Willet

WILSON'S PLOVER
Habitat map: Plover

LEAST TERN
Habitat map: Tern

I left that area and headed to another island, Mustang Island along the barrier reef. I walked a short distance and stopped for the day. In south Texas, in the summer, the heat indices will force you to enjoy the great outdoors for a brief outing and then head back to where there is an A C in the car, and back home with the same cooling comfort...

WHITE TAILED HAWK
Habitat map: Hawk

BLACK TERN
Habitat map: Tern

ROSEATE SPOONBILL
Habitat map: Spoonbill

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§ Ranch Cotton Fields...

Before I finished getting holiday stuff down and I took a drive to Port Aransas [last week's pelican video], I did another drive-by through a bit of ground fog early on a Sunday morning to reach the historic Chapman's Ranch. There are several county roads to take, all mostly through cotton fields with large ranch houses here and there. The early morning hour was perfect; for when the fog lifted and the full sun came out, the birds were quite active. I saw several different species of hawks, and numerous other birds. I laugh and at the same time get frustrated with the kestrels that perch on power lines only to fly off when my car even remotely acts like it's gonna slow down to a stop to get a photo. Only for them to land a short distance away and the same routine begins again...dang...it flew off again. So, after several attempts at getting a picture of the pretty American Kestrel, I concentrated on others!!
WHITE TAILED HAWK
Habitat map: Hawk

MEADOWLARK [western]
Habitat map: Meadowlark

LARK SPARROW
Habitat map: Sparrow

SAVANNAH SPARROW [?]
Habitat map: Sparrow

CRESTED CARACARA [young]
Habitat map: Caracara

EUROPEAN STARLING
Habitat map: Starling

The countryside is filled, nearly on its entire ranch land perimeter, with wind generators [turbines]. On one road, I turned off the main highway that takes me toward Kingsville, Texas, and the plowed field was literally "moving"...dozens of Sandhill Cranes. Some feeeding, some being territorial, some flying in, while others flying off!!

SANDHILL CRANES
Habitat map: Cranes

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§ More Archive Photos...

Well, the heat indices for the past week have dropped considerably with the oncoming of a cool front from Canada. Not much, but it's a bit more tolerable. Now, tho, the rainy season has begun, so birding is still 'on hold' for a while, longer. Migration is just beginning. The hawks, anhingas, kites are returning to the south, coastal bend, with many counted in flyovers. It's the start of the 'good' season for birders in Texas. Anyway, at home I've kept busy crocheting, craft projects and puzzles with the caution still in existence for Covid 19. I'll just post some photos taken over the last year. I really enjoy taking a zoomed in photo of the close-up and detail of birds if possible...

AMERICAN BITTERN
photo taken: Port Aransas, Texas
habitat map: Bittern

GREAT BLUE HERON
photo taken: Indian Point Park
habitat map: Heron

ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAK
photo taken: The Willows
habitat map: Grosbeak

PAINTED BUNTING
photo taken: Oso Bay Wetlands
habitat map: Bunting

RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
photo taken: backyard
habitat map: Hummingbird

CRESTED CARACARA
photo taken: Mustang Island Highway
habitat map: Caracara

WHITE TAILED HAWK
photo taken: Mustang Island
habitat map: Hawk

TURKEY VULTURE
photo taken: Bazemore Park
habitat map:Vulture

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§ Staying Inside Order [Texas Style]

Once again, a drive to the ranch land for photo ops as I practice 'staying inside the car' on drive by shootings [through the lens of course]. These birds were spotted as I took different county roads -34,000 acres (138 km)- a few miles from home one afternoon this week. You could drive from sun up to sun down on this ranch land and still not cover it all...Chapman's Ranch....

COOPER'S HAWK
habitat map: Hawk
Length: 15-20 inches
Wingspan: 28-34 inches

UPLAND SANDPIPER
habitat map: Sandpiper
Length: 12 inches
Wingspan: 18-20 inches

WHITE TAILED HAWK
habitat map: Hawk
Length: 20 inches
Wingspan: 50 inches

LARK SPARROW
habitat map: Sparrow
Length: 6.5 inches
Wingspan: 11 inches

MEADOWLARK
habitat map: Lark
Length: 10 inches
Wingspan: 14-16 inches

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
habitat map: Shrike
Length: 9 inches
Wingspan: 13 inches

If you're curious, we are allowed to get out of the house; walking in parks and natural refuges as long as we keep our 6-10 foot "social distancing" of each other. So many states have the stay at home ordinance/laws enforced during these trying times, everywhere but grocery stores and doctors. Here, in Texas, the government officials see that walking in parks [exercise and fresh air] is safer than in petri-dishes like doctors' offices, stores, and hospitals!!! Thank goodness. Although, I still remain more cautious than before and not go out EVERY day for hours at a time as before the pandemic. Nor do I go to congested city parks...I find the out of populace areas; more remote and less known.

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Those participating this week are:

A Quiet Corner
Anu
Birds Seen in Europe and Africa
Jenn Jilks
Linda, Virginia, USA
Travels With Birds [no hyperlink]
Tomthebackroadstraveler
NatureFootstep PhotoArt
Eileen
Ella
Jean@SoNotOrganized
Not Afraid of Color
Phil UK
The Early Birder
Rosyfinch Ramblings
Lavender Dreams
DeniseVA
Lea's Menagerie