Colorful female Painted Bunting

This female Painted Bunting was foraging in the same location as the male pictured in the post below. Though her plumage is not as brilliant as that of the male, she was still quite colorful with her bright greenish feathers. She was less reticent than the male so I got to watch her for several minutes and got several pics.
A few blue feathers on the shoulder area and a few around the head area show up in several pics. Birds of North America online states that females in Basic I plumage may have blue feathers on their heads.
This female and the male Painted Bunting, in addition to foraging close together, interacted at one point. This makes me wonder if they are paired-up. SeEtta

Gorgeous Painted Bunting

I found this male Painted Bunting at Santa Ana NWR today. These guys are one of the brightest and most colorful landbirds that we see in the U.S. Do double-click on the pic to enlarge it--the close-up is even better. SeEtta

Common Yellowthroat with different song

As I walked on the "wetland bridge" walkway over the currently dry marsh area, I heard a song I with which I was unfamiliar. I was surprised when I found that the Common Yellowthroat in these pics was giving that song. It's song sounded nothing like the wich-e-ty, wich-e-ty, wich-e-ty that is associated with this species. I was told today that there is a subspecies called the "Brownsville Yellowthroat" that has a very different song. I found some brief information about this subspecies, Geothlypis trichas insperata, but I couldn't find a recording of its' song to listen to.
Though "Birds of North America" online notes subtle plumage differences between this and other subspecies, though it didn't indicate if these were distinguishable in the field. I will post about my experience on Texbirds listserve and maybe someone will have further information. SeEtta

Brilliant Blackburnian Warbler

Brilliant,brilliant,brilliant--that is the most descriptive word for male Blackburnian Warblers. Their orange heads are so very bright and intense.
The warblers including this one in the mixed flock that I found were actively foraging in the middle of the day. The temperature was in the mid eighties and the humidity was at least that high--it was quite soggy. The winds were strong as they have been all week, with speeds around 20 mph with gusts over 30 mph, but the palm forest at Sabal Palm Audubon Center provided some protection. SeEtta

Chestnut-sided Warbler at Sabal Palm

Hopefully the gremlins that took over my laptop the past few days (no,not a virus) are gone so I can post more pics from my trip like these. I took these photos at the famous Sabal Palm Audubon Center in Brownsville, TX--the same one for which I have conservation alerts due to the likely building of the dumb-destructive border wall that is still being built and will probably cut-off Sabal Palm from access (though the arrogant jerks in charge won't even tell Sabal Palm representatives what they are planning). I better not get wound up about this awful border wall as I could go on for pages about why it is a taxpayer rip-off as well as devastating to the remnant ecosystem that supports birds like this one. Sabal Palm is one of my favorite places because it is such a jewel with it's remnant sabal palm forest, a habitat that has been decimated by development along the Rio Grande Valley. I talked to someone who was catching beetles for a university research program and he told me that over 1,000 beetle species have been identified in these palm forests--that's some dramatic biodiversity.
This Chestnut-sided Warbler was foraging in a mixed flock of warblers (including Blackburnian, Black-throated Green and Black-and-White species). They came in this little burst of frenetic activity that lasted only a few minutes until they moved off in their foraging. SeEtta

Quite a find--a Worm-eating Warbler

I have been enjoying not only Rio Grande Valley specialities but some migrating warblers these past 4 days. Today I birded Quinta Mazatlan, one of the "World Birding Centers" in the Rio Grande Valley. I was quite frustrated and almost left because there was so much noisy maintenance work being done to the grounds, partially because they had a big earth-day celebration there over the week-end. I am glad I hung in because I found this Worm-eating Warbler that is migrating through.

Though this pic is not great it was the best I could get as this bird was sticking to thicket areas that were dark and had lots of vegetation in the way. In fact, the blurriness on this pic is from some vegetation between me and the bird. It does show the blackish eye stripe and some of one of the crown stripes that are distinctive with this species. Other viewable field marks, as described in Birds of North America online are as follows: "Remaining upperparts largely olive green; lacks wing-bars or tail-spots. Flesh-colored legs...." Another pic on the web of a Worm-eating Warbler is good for comparison. As can be seen the bird was foraging in the leaf litter, a common feeding behavior by Worm-eating Warblers. SeEtta

Quinta Mazatlan Canada Warbler

I found this male Canada Warbler working mid-canopy during it's migration stop-over in the trees at Quinta Mazatlan. The top pic shows some of the field marks of this species. Though not as good the bottom pic shows it's black streak "necklace" and a clear view of the full eye-ring. SeEtta

So Texas & Crested Caracaras

Though I saw a few Crested Caracaras in the Uvalde area (at the edge of Texas Hill/River Country & the beginning of South Texas), the numbers I saw this afternoon as I drove into South Texas were impressive--about 30 in under 300 miles or about one for every 10 highway mile.

Crested Caracaras are quite distinctive in appearance, even in flight, as shown in these pics. Though their faces are usually only viewable with binoculars, their bright orange facial skin (ironically matching their legs) stands out.

Though they will take live prey, both invertebrate and vertebrates, they also eat carrion and are known to join vultures to chow down on some rotted delight. SeEtta

Best bird--Golden-cheekedWarbler

This bird will likely be the best bird of the trip because the Golden-cheeked Warbler is an Endangered Species and listed as 'one of the most at-risk species in North America' by the National Audubon Society. It's breeding range is restricted to fewer than 25 counties in Central Texas. The neatest part of seeing this Golden-cheeked Warbler was watching it go to a nest which is visible in the lower pic. This male bird stayed at the nest for a minute or so, possibly feeding a female on the nest or maybe doing some work on the nest (females do most of the building but males may assist)

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, "Golden-cheeked warblers are endangered because many tall juniper and oak woodlands have been cleared to build houses, roads, and stores. Some habitat was cleared to grow crops or grass for livestock. Other habitat areas were flooded when large lakes were built." SeEtta

Neal's Lodges on the Frio River

I had arranged to meet Bob Rasa, who leads tours around the famous Neal's Lodges on the Frio River in Concan, TX. Bob graciously offered to work me in to his schedule and I spent the day benefiting from his experience with the birds in this area. We birded around Neal's Lodges in the morning which is where I photographed this Black-throated Sparrow.
I also saw this Long-billed Thrasher at the Neal's. This species has a fairly limited range, mostly in Mexico but coming into south and central Texas. SeEtta

Black-belliedWhistlingDucks

I was surprised to see these (and several other small groups totaling around 20) Black-bellied Whistling Ducks flying over Lake Nasworthy in San Angelo,TX--this is West Texas and I think of these ducks as South Texas neotropical specialties. I don't recall seeing any here during earlier trips. But when I checked the range map in Sibley's "Field Guide to Birds", I found that they are also found in central plus northeast Texas with an even wider vagrancy range. I did read that they have expanded their range signicantly over the the past 39+ years--hey, maybe they will show up in Colorado some day. SeEtta

Skulking wren

This Marsh Wren was behaving like Marsh Wrens do, skulking in the vegetation. This one was not technically in a marsh but rather in the reeds along the edge of Lake Nasworthy in San Angelo, Tx. There were also Black-crowned Night-Herons in the wider vegetative areas but I couldn't get a pic when one of them flew out nearby. SeEtta

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers

I got to San Angelo,TX in time to get in an hour or so of birding at the Lake Nasworthy area on the west side of town. San Angelo is one of my favorite towns to stop in when traveling south in Texas and I really enjoy Lake Nasworthy, an area with a lot of human impacts (motor boating, expensive developments along most of the lake shore, invasive alien tamarisk) but with some public park areas, cattail wetlands and still some nice birds. The first birds I saw were Scissor-tailed Flycatchers including the two pictured here. They make sounds like squeaky-toys. I saw about 5-6 of them around the rambling parks. Note: their split tail can be separated by the bird which mimics the motion of a pair of scissors, thus the name. SeEtta

Bright Yellow-headed Blackbird

While birding in the lower Arkansas Valley of Colo yesterday I stopped at the Ordway Reservoir, a small fishing area where Yellow-headed Blackbirds breed in a small section of cattails. There were a few male Yellow-headed Blackbirds there engaged in boundary displays. On this dreary cool rainy day the brightness of their plumage striking. SeEtta

Nesting Bald Eagle & attentive mate

I have been monitoring this nesting female and have often seen her mate nearby. Last year their nest and nest tree was destroyed in severe winds. I found her still on the nest yesterday and her mate perched about 25 feet above her as shown in this pic (double-click on pic to enlarge it to see them better).Interestingly, at dusk I found both Bald Eagles in the nest--see bottom 2 pics (unfortunately the eagles were several hundred feet away and it was dusk). I don't know if perhaps the male was going to try to breed with her again or if he was going to enjoy a nest to spend the night. Another, though anthropomorphic explanation might be that he was being altruistic by staying in the nest with her as it was quite windy (I don't know if they would even remember the bad winds that destroyed their nest last year). At first I thought I had just caught him bringing her food but I watched for more than 10 minutes and he was still there. SeEtta

Very bad times for Whooping Cranes in central flyway

I have extracted salient portions of the annual crane season at Aransas NWR in Texas:

"The tenth aerial census of the 2008-09 crane season at Aransas was
conducted April 7, 2009 with USFWS observer Tom Stehn in a Cessna 210
piloted by Gary Ritchey of Air Transit Solutions of Castroville,
Texas. . . .

Today's flight tallied 103 adults + 6 juveniles = 109 total. Thus, 56% of
the flock has started the migration. Whooping cranes have been confirmed
on April 2nd as far north as Nebraska. I expect a considerable number of
cranes will start the migration in the next week. Conditions should be
ideal for departure with very strong southeast winds forecast for Aransas
April 8-9. . .

Mortality

Today's flight provided evidence of 2 additional mortalities, with total
winter mortality now estimated for the winter at 7 adults and 16 chicks
totaling 23 whooping cranes, a loss of 8.5% of the flock that was a record
270 in the fall. In the last 20 years, the current winter ranks as the
worst in terms of mortality, ahead of 1990 when 7.5% of the whooping cranes
(11 out of 146) died at Aransas. The 3rd worst winter in 1993 showed a
4.9% loss at Aransas (7 out of 143). Mortality in the 2008-09 winter (23
birds) can be added to the 34 whooping cranes that left Aransas in the
spring of 2008 and failed to return in the fall. Thus, 57 whooping cranes
have died in the last 12 months, or 21.4% of the flock of 266 present at
Aransas in the spring, 2008.

The 2 additional mortalities confirmed on today's flight that had been
reported earlier by volunteers and staff . . . .

Overall, these continue to be some of the worst conditions I have ever
observed for the cranes at Aransas, with some birds looking thin and with
disheveled plumage. The refuge is continuing its program of supplemental
feeding with corn. A moderate response by the whooping cranes has
continued. The cranes are getting somewhat of an energy boost by catching
fiddler crabs just prior to migration.

By Tom Stehn - Aransas National Wildlife Refuge"

Read the full report and find additional crane information too. SeEtta

Great Blue Herons engaged in breeding

Though I have continued taking some good bird pics, I have wanted to move to a higher level with a high quality and longer telephoto zoom. I finally took the big step and my new Canon EF400mm 5.6 USM lens arrived today. I had to go try some bird pics so I drove to a herony where I have been frustrated as I hadn't been able to get very good pics because I won't risk disturbing these nesting birds by going too close even though I stay in my car to reduce disruption. So I took several pics of a small group of Great Blue Herons that were either on the nest or still building nests. Then I stopped to watch and give them a break from the noise that the electronics in digital cameras make. I was closely watching a pair that were standing very close together in their partially built nest. Then one of the herons mounted the other to engage in breeding.
I had my camera with the new lens still leaning on my window so I was able to quickly shoot a number of pics of them as they copulated. These pics start with the male mounting the female then several pics during copulation which only lasted about 20 seconds. Read here about bird copulatory behavior. Several of these pics enlarge nicely so try double-clicking on them. SeEtta

More Greater Sage-Grouse video

I found that the researcher, Dr. Gail Patricelli, has a whole utube site for her labs videos of Greater Sage-Grouse. Below is one of their great video's showing male Greater Sage-Grouse engaged in strut displays including a cool slowed down section at the end that allows close observation of how they do it (again, just click on the arrow below to start the video).



Go to the Patricelli Lab utube page for more fantastic videos of Greater Sage-Grouse plus a few of Satin Bowerbirds.

Bird's eye view of life-at-the-lek

There is a cool research program in Wyoming using a robot version of a female Greater Sage Grouse to study mating behavior. This is most unique and inventive. The following video will give a literal bird's eye view of life-at-the-lek for a female Sage Grouse (just click on the arrow below to start the video).



Read the story about this great project SeEtta