Altamira orioles
Ringed kingfisher along the Rio Grande River.
Archive for the ‘heron’ Category
Salineño Bird Refuge & the Rio Grande River
Friday, January 30th, 2009Estero Llano Grande State Park
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
Have spent most of my time at Estero Llano Grande State Park as they have the most birds. Above: A lone roseate spoonbill has been roosting with some black-bellied whistling ducks the few days I’ve checked. Nearby are some white pelicans.
A tricolored heron eyeing a small fish.
Grebe
When I started hearing great kiskadees in Arroyo City, it took me a while to recall the kiskadee’s distinct calls. You often hear them but not see them and they are often heard in stereo, with one on each side of you.
A sora, the first one I’ve seen. A volunteer heading a bird walk mentioned you could often see one at this spot, and he was right. The park has some very knowledgeable birders.
There are a lot of moss covered trees at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, especially along the land near the Rio Grande River. I rode my bike on on their 7 mile paved road (cars are not allowed in the winter, just a tram) and walked most of their trails. Did not see a lot of birds. Saw scat left by small to medium sized animals, so there is a lot of wildlife there, just hidden in the woods.
A squirrel getting around a squirrel-proof bird feeder at Frontera Audubon Thicket.
Below, a malachite butterfly, also at Frontera.
Goose Island State Park, Texas
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
Have been at Goose Island State Park, near Rockport, Texas for the past week. Glad to find it pretty much the same as last year. The big tree also made it through the hurricane ok.
Above, a rail, I think a clapper rail. Saw it while driving in the park and quickly grabbed my camera. My first picture of a rail.
Think this is a ruddy turnstone.
Drove 30 miles to Mustang Island State Park on a cold and windy day. The heron and the terns above were on the park beach. Maybe next year I’ll stay here a few days. It is a lot like South Padre Island, just not quite as over-developed. I like Goose Island State Park. I have an ocean view, good evdo internet coverage, and am near the town of Rockport and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge sustained severe hurricane damage from salt water in the fresh water marshes. Most of the fresh water marshes are dry and you see piles of salt everywhere.
Birds seen but not pictured: night herons, crested caracara, roseate spoonbill, sandhill cranes, kestrel, snake bird. Also, saw a large group of ducks fly by as it got dark. 99.9% sure they were black-bellied whistling ducks just from their whistles.
Saw this muscovy duck last year near a privately owned pond near Goose Island park. There were two of them, but the second one has since been killed by a car. Feel sorry for this guy/girl, by itself. Guess the people around the pond give it a lot of attention.
Little blue heron at the same privately owned pond.
Have been trying to get a picture of a kingfisher for a long time. They are small and so quick to fly away, it’s hard to get close enough to get a good picture. Last year I saw a kingfisher on one of the private piers near the Goose Island park. Sure enough, found one again in the same area.
Brazos Bend State Park, continued. . .
Thursday, December 18th, 2008
Top picture: Tricolored heron. Below it a heron catches something (a small crab?) through the muck and swallows it.
Some young coots did not know enough to fly away as I walked by.
After a few days of 40/30 degrees, it warmed up to 70/80 today. Saw a number of turtles and alligators. Met some people who were counting the number of alligators. They had sighted 23 in the two main lakes here.
A snake bird. It was always in the middle of the lake, making hard to get a good picture.
Turkey vultures always congregate by this lake. The black-bellied whistling ducks are heard in the background.
Black bellied whistling ducks. Nothing dramatic.
More from Brazos Bend State Park
Wednesday, December 17th, 2008
Little blue heron and great blue heron on a cold day.
White and glossy ibis’ and snowy egret
Sapsucker, not sure which one
Black-bellied whistling ducks. Seeing them all over the park.
Brazos Bend State Park
Saturday, December 13th, 2008
I’m at one of my favorite parks, Brazos Bend State Park in Texas. It was cold and clear when I got here, but it is supposed to be cloudy and warm (in the 70′s) most of my time here. Like before, it is crowded on weekends, but during the week there are not many people here. Have not seen any residual damage from the recent hurricanes in the area.
Above: pictures of a tricolored heron and black-bellied whistling ducks. There is a flock of 100 or more of the ducks here. They are found only in the southern states and Central and South America.
Below are birds that you expect to see here, at least I saw them here in my last visit as well as currently.
- snowy egret
- great egret
- common moorhen
- white ibis
- vulture
Below is a carolina wren that I saw at McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, where I stayed before coming to Brazos Bend.
Path to New Mexico
Friday, November 21st, 2008
From San Diego I returned to Rancho Jurupa Park in Riverside for a few days. It turned into a week because of the fierce winds that kicked up and perpetuated the Southern California fires.
Above, an adult night heron on top and a group of egrets and herons seen at Rancho Jurupa.
I finally made my way to Blythe. It was unseasonably hot there, so after two days, I decided to press on to New Mexico. I took the I-10 to Phoenix and then the I-17 to Flagstaff. Northern Arizona was at least 10 degrees cooler than Southern Arizona was my reasoning. I’ve never taken the I-17 before. It was a nice drive, but there is a pretty steep grade.
Below: A falcon seen at Cibola Wildlife Refuge in the Blythe area. There were a hundred or so sandhill cranes there.
On the I-40 in Arizona, I stopped at Homolovi Ruins State Park in Winslow, Arizona. Ended up staying two days because it was so nice. In the past, I’ve always hit severe winds coming through this area. It was calm and peaceful this time, with only a couple of other visitors in the park. It got down to freezing at night, but by mid-day, it warmed up.
My camp site is shown below. There are both pull-throughs and very wide back-ins.
Rancho Jurupa Park, Riverside
Monday, October 27th, 2008
I’m back at Rancho Jurupa Park in Riverside, California for a few days. Back to 90+ degree temps. Riverside has really done a good job in removing all their dead brush. It is really noticeable.
Above: Saw this young night heron this morning. Some adult night herons landed nearby high in the trees. Maybe relatives of this young one. It’s the first time I have seen night herons here.
Think this is a vireo. Don’t know which one.
It has been a while since I’ve posted pictures of herons and egrets.
The two pairs of mascots that I’ve spoken of before are still here. They have returned to their roots…water! It is the first time I have seen them in the water. It may be just because it’s been hot. Also, they are doing a lot of construction work here at the park and that may have pushed them back to the water. The two pairs of mascots, some cormorants, and some other birds rest together on the grass next to the water. The cranes most likely rest in some trees or some other safe spot.
Am I Dreaming
Saturday, September 20th, 2008
On Wednesday, when I was in Anacortes, I was surprised to see diesel for $3.99. The last time I saw it priced at $3.99 was more than 6 months ago in Junction, Texas. It seemed to hang at $3.99 for the longest time. Passing the $4 mark had the most affect on me. After that, $5 and more didn’t phase me. There is a Shell oil refinery in Anacortes. So, my first thought was is Shell trying to give Anacortes a break? Then, on Friday, I saw diesel for $3.95 in Stanwood, a small town you pass through on the way to Camano Island.
It is so unusual to see prices go down. Once prices go up, they tend to keep going up. I am crossing my fingers that this pricing is present elsewhere in the west, especially in California, where it is traditionally the highest.
There are a lot of madrone trees in this area. They have reddish bark that peels away to green. It is a tree mainly seen in the west.
The roadside berry stands may have closed for the season, but there are still wild berries all over the place. At Iverson Spit Preserve on Camano Island, they are almost consuming the trail. From the scat seen along the trail, a lot of animals are enjoying them.
Heron in a cabbage gone-to-seed field above; below, a heron in some driftwood at Iverson Spit Preserve.
Saw a group of three hawks hunting in farm fields in Stanwood. Almost ran over one as it swooped down to get its’ prey in a corn field.
Change of Season
Saturday, September 6th, 2008
This baby swallow did not know enough to be afraid of me. I have become a fan of swallows since being here. They have to rank with hummingbirds at being fast and adept in the air. They can transfer food from one to another in mid-flight. At dusk here, they start weaving in and out catching insects in the air.
The last week or so has seen cooling temperatures, probably down 10 degrees from most of August. With the cooling, the swallows have become much less visible. They are gone from the telephone wires and sunning themselves on the sides of the buildings.
A couple of clear, cold nights caused the farmers to put large water jets in place in case it got close to freezing. Luckily, the cloud cover returned last night and the temperatures were warmer.
Another sign of the change in season, it’s hunting season. The Skagit Gun Club either owns or rents a number of farming lots within a mile of where I’m at. I heard the first shots yesterday. A man got in a ATV with a gun and not much later I heard the shots. Luckily, most ducks I’ve seen in this area take off when they see people. Also, the Department of Fish and Game are nearby and can keep an eye on hunters to insure they are following the rules.
Just recently, a 14-year-old boy in Concrete, Washington shot and killed a woman hiker while out hunting for bear with his 17-year-old brother. He had taken a class on hunting with a gun (when he was 9-years-old) and thus it was legal for him to hunt without adult supervision. His trial is just starting.
A heron by a farming channel. The heron’s here are just like the ducks in flying off when they see people. Pretty sure it is illegal to hunt herons though.
There are wild blackberries all over this area. Also have noticed the above red “pod”. Not sure what it is.
