Wild Bird Wednesday – 138

More of the birds from South Padre Island Birding and Nature center. Just gonna show one type today, female boat tailed grackle.

Click here to see fabulous birding photos!

Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Wild Bird Wednesday 138

Another hawk caught the attention of my lens. This was along I 37 and we just pulled on the shoulder (illegal : / ). Maybe that explains the blurred images along with a very skittish hawk. So the question I bring today is what kind of hawk, a juvenile red tail or an adult female Northern Harrier? Or maybe neither. Please let me know if you have an opinion.

Wishing all the birders lifers this week! Visitors make sure you visit all the wonderful sites by visiting:

Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Wild Bird Wednesday 137

These are a few shots of gulls we saw while visiting South Padre Island last December. The first are on the beach of the Island facing out into the Gulf of Mexico. The last are on the mainland looking over Laguna Madre. For simply marvelous birding folks and photos, please, visit Stewart M. by clicking here.

Not sure if these are Laughing (non-breeding) or Franklin (1st. winter) Gulls or some other group. It is a challenge to pick up on all the details of the birds for proper identifications.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Wild Bird Wednesday – 136 – Spoonbills

Still more photos from our visit to the South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center. We were pretty psyched to see these beauties! At first there were just four.

Then in the distance there came a much larger group following this one.

Even though it has been almost 3 months, it is still pretty exciting to think of all the wonderful birds we saw in this very small birding center. Can hardly wait for the next adventure! Till then I invite you to join all the great birders over at Stewart’s.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Wild Bird Wednesday – 135

First post in almost a month. My mom was put in the hospital on Jan. 17, the day after the last post. She died 10 days later. Mom always loved cardinals. She would call and inform me if the cardinals were visiting her bird feeder. These were the only cardinal photos I could find to honor her memory and love of birds.

Hope you will join the group at Wild Bird Wednesday. You will be in for a real treat.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Wild Bird Wednesday -131

More from the December visit to South Padre Island, USA. This island is located at the very southern most tip of Texas. We visited nearby Brownsville to allow my husband to see if he could locate a buddy from his Army days. No luck on the buddy but we did get to go through an immigration check point that was several miles within the border. We had not crossed to border into Mexico. Kinda strange to be asked if we are US citizens on a highway inside the US. Sign of the times.

I have done my best to identify the birds but, please, let me know if any are misidentified. Still working on focus with fast moving objects. Birds are fast moving objects.

spotted sandpiper, South Padre Island

As I am a senior citizen the term old coot is now a common description of myself. I do think this American Coot has its own kind of simple beauty.

Avid birders will post the common moorhen. I have not spent much time in the areas the common moorhen live so it was fun to see the antics of this breeding adult try to get the weed off of its back.

After dunking and dunking several times the poor bird just gave up and started swimming.

Finally the lovely common moorhen was able to rid itself of the weed. Well, it basically just slipped off its back.

Nearby was a moorhen displaying non-breeding coloring according to the Silbey Field Guide. Well, the best I can tell.

To close today’s visit the last birds I will share are the mottled duck and Northern Pintail . These birds were not close and lots of movement so I apologize in advance for the quality.

Mottled Duck, with the yellow beak and eye markings per Silbey Field guide, anyway.

Northern Pintail

And here is a group doing some preening. You might see a reflection of some of next weeks post in this last photo of the Northern Pintail.

Make sure you visit all the wonderful birders over at Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Wild Bird Wednesday – 130

So glad to be settling back in to a semi-normal routine. I have missed my birding blog friends. Our son’s girl friend’s dad is an avid birder! I certainly enjoyed visiting with him at Thanksgiving. Then he presented me with The Sibley Field Guide To Birds as a gift. Yesterday and today I have been searching the book for the birds photographed on our early December trip to the Texas coast. I would like to share a few with you.

I was not certain if this was a plastic bag or a bird at first. Had to use some zooming to determine.

Snowy Egret © Janice Adcock

Walkways and bird blinds for observation. © Janice Adcock

This lovely reddish egret was not the least bit happy about the wind causing such a bad hair day!

Reddish egret having a windy hair day. And not happy about it, thank you!

Reddish egret © Janice Adcock

Then I just was way too close for comfort!

Reddish egret in flight © Janice Adcock

Great Blue Herons were foraging, resting and flying about the birding area.

Waiting for a meal or just trying to stay warm? © Janice Adcock

Great Blue Heron © Janice Adcock

Great Blue Heron © Janice Adcock

Further along the walkway this bird was foraging in the grasses.

Tricolored Heron © Janice Adcock

Thanks for stopping by to catch up for a bit. Do go see all the lovely birds at Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Wild Bird Wednesday -124

More birds from the recent Inks Lake visit.

Egyptian geese. Who knew!

Crested mallard

Muscovy duck, maybe?

Crested white drake

Please, visit and join in the fun at: Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to host Stewart M.

Just Thought I Was Back

The past several weeks there have been a myriad of things going on around the new homestead/apartment. Weddings, funerals, visitors, costumes and forts to be made. Then a camping trip to a nearby lake. Became drenched during the visit to the park and promptly came down with chest cold. Was much improved until I had to run errands yesterday in the near freezing weather. Now the cough is back. Not complaining, just stating the facts, ma’am.

With tissues, cough syrup and hot cocoa nearby I’ll attempt to share a couple of critters, some skies, a bird or two and finish with some fences. Sorry I have not been keeping up with dropping by all the great posts out in the blogosphere. I am certain a lot of beauty has been missed.

For Saturday’s Critters I give you this critter found outside the cabin.