Here are a few (ha, ok, alot) photos from Thanksgiving weekend up in the hill country. Fall colors were absolutely refreshing to me.
Even though it was cold at night, butterflies were out during the day.
I put out a raccoon-proof feeder made of steel and hung up with steel chains! First birds to find it were the pine siskins.
And the American Goldfinches were not far behind.
I am a real fan of sparrows, they are really beautiful when you can have a good look. This is a Chipping Sparrow.
This one looks to be a Field Sparrow. Wish he would sing.
Here is a headless Ladderback woodpecker (just kidding! ) First one I have recorded out there.
Maybe the most numerous bird was the good old American Robin. They were hanging around the ponds.
The giant red ants were building something!
This is the Slate colored Dark Eyed Junco...
But I also saw the Oregon Dark Eyed Junco, which was rarer.
I love all these sparrows! Here is a White Crowned Sparrow.
Even the Blue Jays seemed more brilliantly colored than ever.
This was my first Wilson's Snipe here too.
It is not possible to not smile back when one of these Ruby Crowned Kinglets is looking at you!
There were beautiful Spotted Towhee's behind the house.
Notice how he looks like a leaf when the wings are up!
I think this one is a Song Sparrow.
Ah, a bush that burns but is not consumed!
This kind of trail beckons you to go on it!
No sign of the cougar this time.
Just a little acrobatics on my new sock feeder.
Love the cute Ruby Crowned Kinglets!
This may be a Clay Colored Sparrow.
This is the colorful Northern Flicker.
I could not get this Eastern Meadowlark to turn around!
When I got home I heard there was a Broad-billed Hummingbird in a park near Houston, so I went to check it out. He is feeding on the shrimp plants.
What a cutie!
If you look closely here you can see he is sticking out his tongue, probably catching a bug to eat.
The Wilson's warbler was a bonus!
I am ready to go birding again! It was so nice to get out in the woods.
