Edinburgh Wetlands - Birds

Birds were second to butterflies at Edinburgh. An osprey flew over and many Great Blue Herons, Egrets and Pelicans were across the pond.  A yellow rump warbler landed near. 

 The Great Kiskadees Romancing

          But the Great Kiskadee  put on quite a show for the females around him and 

      the humans  who chanced by.  Check out the male's flash of yellow on his crown.  

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The male is in the back, note the begin of a bump on his noise.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
                       Osprey flying over.

Lesser Yellow-legs

                                                                 
                                                                 Mocking Bird

Frontera on a Windy Day - Butterflies

Tailed Orange

The crowds of birders last year are at Estero Llando Grande looking for the Rose-breasted Becard instead of at Frontera looking for the Blue Bunting. It was a pleasant day to walk casually through the woods and sit by the feeders seeing a Thrasher, Orange Crown, Titmice, Cardinals, and Turkey Vultures. Our big find of the day was some good butterflies. Truth be told it really was at the Mercedes Outlet Mall. That is some huge mall. Or it might have been the free Al Pastor Pizza at the Blue Onion because that mixed up our order.

                           Giant White                                                                     White Peacock

 Cardinal 

Turkey Vulture        Plenty of  TVs in the air.

Back at It: Birding in the Wind

After a cold and rainy few days we could again be out in the parks.  This morning was spent in Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge.  The wind was very strong so the birds hunkered down out of sight for the most part. It was a lovely day to see birding friends and go for a hike. 

Eastern Phoebe

                         Vermillion Flycather  Immature Male

Least Grebe

Blue-wing Teal

Common Pauraque

     Great birders today including Laura and Steve but the most interesting were Dave Seal and his old buddy Lee and his wife.  They have been birding and banding birds together since 1949.  Lee said he has been birding since 1943 and first came to Texas from Illinois to bird in 1951.  Amazing!

Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge

Butterflies were more numerous than birds on our first day back.  Some butterflies do not sit but seconds.  The Queen, White Peacock and Laviana Skipper sit nicely for a photo shoot.

   





                        





                          Green Kingfisher  
   (saw a Belted earlier in the AM)

                          

                          Black-neck Stilts

                            with Shovelers

                            Tri-colored Heron

Ebony & Ivory or Ibis & Egret at Estero

It was very curious to see these two different species together on a tree stump. Later they flew and fished together. Lesson learned, we all could work together no matter how different or alike we are.    Grebe Pond

 

Plain Chachalacas at Bensten, Fronteria & Quinta 2015

The Chachalacas are getting in the mood by vocalizing and strutting their stuff. They a large pheasant like bird found in Mexico and in South Texas. Their names comes from their loud call. Eric Brunhke claims the female always has the last word since they mate for life.  He also says the chicks are adorable.  I do believe him. 

First Day in the Valley & a Lifer

             Who knew when we casually eased into birding this winter that we would find our good friends and find a life bird on a short road trip near Elsa north of Mercedes. Mountain Bluebird was the highlight of the Estero Grande Llano Christmas Bird Count that was found today.  We saw old favorites like the Brown Thrasher, Ibises, Night Herons, Phoebes and Snowy Egrets.  Nice way to start the birding season.

                                                                 

                                                                 Brown Thrasher

Gadwall Couple

White-faced Ibis

             Cormorant with fish and swallowed

                                               Immature Night Heron (Golden-crown)

Tri-colored Heron

                                                 White-faced Ibis and Snowy Egret 

                                                              Wilsons Snipe