Rockport meeting, day one: Port Aransas area

Well , day one of my meeting started with a change of plans due to 20" of rain inland at the park we were supposed to visit! So the guide took us to several great birding spots right on the coast. The first stop was a park with a boardwalk, I was delighted to find that there is a beautiful native flower called the "Angelonia!"

The photo does not do justice to the vibrant colors of this Common Moorhen.

I liked the colors of the Northern Shoveler too!

This is not a great photo, but birds move so quickly. This is a Common Tern.

Would you believe this is called a Short-billed Dowitcher?

In the marsh you can find Common Yellowthroated Warblers.

This is actually the trail made by a huge allegator passing below the boardwalk.

The Reddish Egret was fishing, in spite of the allegator in the area.

This is a tiny Sedge Wren ( 4 1/2") who peeked out for a moment.

These are Royal Terns, having a bad hair day!

This looks like a Dunlin, with the drooping bill.

This is a black-bellied Plover, getting ready to migrate up to the Artic!

Now to Paradise Pond, a small park loaded with Warblers - and paparazzi following them !

Here is an American Redstart.

The Prothonotary Warbler dropped in to join the party!

Out near the ship channels we found a lovely Indigo Bunting resting.

Can you name all the birds here? I see a Double-crested Cormorant, American Widgeons, and Redheads.

The Brown Pelican is quite impressive as it stands 45" tall.

These are the tiny Sanderlings, resting.

We saw many different terns - this is the Caspian Tern.

On the left is the Sandwich Tern, and the big one is a young Royal Tern.

This may be an adult Royal Tern with some younger ones.














This is the Least Tern, with the yellow bill.

The sandwich terns were having a personal talk :)

It was unusual to see that the Franklin's Gull was tinged pink.

Here are a couple Lesser Yellowlegs.

The American Avocets are beautiful with their upturned bills.

These laughing Gulls were courting.






















Here was a massive flock of Roseate Spoonbills and a couple Snowy Egrets, feeding like a synchronized team.

Aren't these just incredible birds!?

Click to watch them feeding.

This long billed curlew was running around the bases in a baseball field!

This lovely gal is a Hooded Warbler.








Another look at the American Redstart.

Yabadabadoo - a Blue Grosbeak hiding in the flowers! (see the red on the wing?)



















I love the Black Bellied Whistling Ducks - I see them occasionally near my house.

I have many more photos to sort through - signing off for now!

bird migration in Galveston going strong!

I have so many pictures to post I don't know where to start... this is possibly my favorite of the day: a juvenile Neotropic Cormorant. He looks so cute with the big feet!

I took my afternoon walk in Galveston again today, wow! I never ceased to be amazed by the beautiful colors of these migrating birds.
How is this for eye candy - a Painted Bunting with a female Blue Grosbeak!


I noticed many mixed groups of birds feeding, on the right is a male Indigo Bunting, female Painted Bunting, and the lower left is a female Scarlet Tanager. Hmm, what is the little gray one at the top left?

I just was mesmerized by the colors!

This is a Tennessee Warbler, sorry he wouldn't pose but you can see a hint of the beautiful green on his side.

Walking along the cove I was happy to see this White-faced Ibis...

...and my first ever Wilson's Phalaropes.

I never knew the Blue winged teals had such large families.

The strong winds carried in my first Dickcissels of the year.

Talk about good camouflage - this is a female Black and White Warbler. I have many more photos to sort through, so stay tuned!!

Galveston spring birds

I have had some great birding in the past week...maybe the most unexpected was this tiny cliff swallow nesting under a highway overpass! (You can see he has his "headlights" on)

Next to my favorite spot on the Island, the woods were teaming with exhausted hummingbirds, who have arrived in force after a very long flight. They seemed tired, resting on the branches longer than usual.

My heart leaped a bit when I saw the blue on the tail, but this was not the elusive Blue Grosbeak... it is a female Indigo Bunting!

The male Indigo Buntings have also arrived!

Such beautiful color!!!

AHA - another red eyed vireo !

I think this is a wood thrush, a very beautiful bird to see and hear.

I am thinking this is a first summer Orchard Oriole male.

I was suprised to see another Prothonotary Warbler peaking around the bush, he is a little late!

I think this is a female.

I saw this and said HUH? It is an ORANGE Scarlet Tanager!

The Brown Thrasher is a gorgeous bird too.

What a great walk! Wish you could have heard all the lovely songs and seen the hummingbirds zipping around.