Today was very hot, so I decided to do some birding by car... somehow I ended up in Galveston. The heat index was well over 100 but I had plenty of drinking water. I drove down a once marshy road and found this Clapper Rail along the edge. There was not nearly as much water in the ponds and marshes as usual, the drought is taking a toll. This bird is really an intricate piece of work!
The Black Necked Stilt always makes me smile. Here I have an adult on the right, and probably a juvenile on the left, resting by sitting on the long legs!
The Reddish Egret seemed to be wondering what was happening to his shrinking marsh.
So was the Brown Pelican! Where is the water?
Further down the road I found a group (family?) of Marbled Godwits.
What a bird!
Ok, here is the first of what I will call my bird portraits ! This is up close and personal with a White Ibis (which should have been named Old Blue Eyes!!).
Along the shore, there is nothing quite like the sight of a Brown Pelican cruising by.
This is not a great photo but I think I have spotted a Spotted Sandpiper. (The heat was really getting to me).
This was my most unexpected bird today - a Black Bellied Plover in breeding plumage? I thought they spent the summer in the arctic. Maybe she is the first of the migration coming back? That must have been quite the temperature shock (maybe she knows there is a cold front coming? Sure hope so!)
I did see many Western Willets. I could not stand out on the point too long for I think the tripod was melting in the heat. I drank lots of water but boy it was nice to get back in the air-conditioned car.
Where there was water, birds were numerous. Here was a Great Egret along with the Tricolored Heron.
Yikes, another rail! I think this must be a King Rail since it is so much darker than the other Clapper Rails I saw; here it is along with another Western willet.
This is a funny looking Laughing Gull, but he seemed happy just floating.
Speaking of happy - this Snowy Egret happens to be one of my favorite birds. He was a-dancing hava nagila in the cool water, notice the dancing shoes!
He was so cute I decided he needed his portrait done as well.
I happened to look up and behold! a Swainson's hawk overhead!
I drove over to Lafitte's cove and was sad to see the marsh nearly gone. There were a few Killdeers looking sad too!
It was sweltering hot inside the cove, but thankfully no mosquitos. Lots of flycatchers flitting about, I think this may be a Yellow bellied flycatcher.
I am not sure what this one is - any ideas?
This white winged dove was too hot to fly off, he was resting at the water drip at Lafitte's cove. I need to do some more car birding, as there was much of the island I didn't get to. It was a nice way to spend a hot day!
The Black Necked Stilt always makes me smile. Here I have an adult on the right, and probably a juvenile on the left, resting by sitting on the long legs!
The Reddish Egret seemed to be wondering what was happening to his shrinking marsh.
So was the Brown Pelican! Where is the water?
Further down the road I found a group (family?) of Marbled Godwits.
What a bird!
Ok, here is the first of what I will call my bird portraits ! This is up close and personal with a White Ibis (which should have been named Old Blue Eyes!!).
Along the shore, there is nothing quite like the sight of a Brown Pelican cruising by.
This is not a great photo but I think I have spotted a Spotted Sandpiper. (The heat was really getting to me).
This was my most unexpected bird today - a Black Bellied Plover in breeding plumage? I thought they spent the summer in the arctic. Maybe she is the first of the migration coming back? That must have been quite the temperature shock (maybe she knows there is a cold front coming? Sure hope so!)
I did see many Western Willets. I could not stand out on the point too long for I think the tripod was melting in the heat. I drank lots of water but boy it was nice to get back in the air-conditioned car.
Where there was water, birds were numerous. Here was a Great Egret along with the Tricolored Heron.
Yikes, another rail! I think this must be a King Rail since it is so much darker than the other Clapper Rails I saw; here it is along with another Western willet.
This is a funny looking Laughing Gull, but he seemed happy just floating.
Speaking of happy - this Snowy Egret happens to be one of my favorite birds. He was a-dancing hava nagila in the cool water, notice the dancing shoes!
He was so cute I decided he needed his portrait done as well.
I happened to look up and behold! a Swainson's hawk overhead!
I drove over to Lafitte's cove and was sad to see the marsh nearly gone. There were a few Killdeers looking sad too!
It was sweltering hot inside the cove, but thankfully no mosquitos. Lots of flycatchers flitting about, I think this may be a Yellow bellied flycatcher.
I am not sure what this one is - any ideas?
This white winged dove was too hot to fly off, he was resting at the water drip at Lafitte's cove. I need to do some more car birding, as there was much of the island I didn't get to. It was a nice way to spend a hot day!
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