While at the Birding Center in Port Aransas, TX, this afternoon, I came across this Northern Shoveler. It was a sunny, warm day (about 72 degrees), and he was sitting up on some reeds basking in the sunshine.
I like how orange his feet are, and that you can see his little toenails! Okay, so I’m pretty easily amused.
Linking to:
I’m so glad I’m a day late posting, because I get to share a first-time sighting with you. Actually I saw this bird yesterday, but couldn’t get a picture; I went back today and was able to get a couple not-great shots, but okay shots. A Great Kiskadee:
He is about 10″ long, and eats most anything — bugs, small rodents, fish, fruit. They aren’t usually quite this far north so his presence at Paradise Pond (Mustang Island, close to Corpus Christis, TX) was even noted in the local newspaper. I feel pretty lucky to have had a good look at him. It’s pretty chilly this week, and I’m afraid he’s going to pack his bags and head farther south!
Linking to:
–Sue
This is one of my favorite shore birds to see on my walks on the Gulf of Mexico. This is a Black Skimmer. It is the only bird where the lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw. It uses that lower jaw to skim along the water for food. His out-of-proportion beak always makes me smile. The gulls in the background are Laughing Gulls, and we see them by the hundreds. The Black Skimmers are much more scarce around here.
Be sure to check out other birds on the Ecobirder’s web site (click on the button below). And if you enjoy taking bird photos, consider posting a picture and linking to the Ecobirder’s Tuesday Tweets post. It’s a fun way to share bird pictures!
–Sue
Today I went to the Birding Center in Port Aransas, Texas, late in the afternoon. I’ve never seen so many ducks! At first I thought this fellow was a Green-Winged Teal, but it’s an American Wigeon — the first one I’ve ever seen. (He has the tell-tale white on the top of his head.)
Be sure to visit the Ecobirder by clicking on the button below and check out other bird photos!
– Sue
The Ecobirder (my favorite bird blog) started a bird meme called Tuesday Tweets, and this is his first week!
This is a green-winged teal photo, taken last week at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center in Port Aransas, TX. Port Aransas is on Mustang Island, one of the barrier reef islands along the Gulf of Mexico. We have the benefit of being in a major migratory path of a large variety of birds. Unfortunately the drought in Texas has even reached the islands, and some ponds have temporarily dried up. The ducks, however, are plentiful, and I thought this fellow was particularly fetching in the late afternoon light.
Be sure to pop on over to the Ecobirder’s blog to check out other photos!
–Sue
