Fall 2009 Images

Updated: Tuesday November 24, 2009

Fall 2009 images from Texas:

July 21st - Lakeside Park, Andrews, TX

July 24th - Shafter Lake and Vicinity, Andrews, TX

July 27th - Andrews Bird Viewing Trail, Andrews, TX

July 28th-31st - Lakeside Park, Andrews, TX

August 2nd - Lakeside Park, Andrews, TX

August 21st - South Jetty, Port Aransas, TX

August 22nd - Robstown sod farm, Hazel Bazemore Park, Kennedy Causeway, Corpus Christi, TX

August 23rd - The Birding Center, Port Aransas, TX

August 23rd - Brown Noddy at the South Jetty, Port Aransas, TX

August 24th - Robstown sod farm, Kaufer-Hubert Memorial Park, Corpus Christi and Riviera, TX

August 25th - Paradise Pond, Port Aransas, TX

August 26th - Lake Corpus Christi SP, Paradise Pond, Corpus Christi and Port Aransas, TX

August 27th - Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens, Indian Point Park, Paradise Pond, Corpus Christi, Portland, and Port Aransas, TX

August 28th - Indian Point Park, Paradise Pond - Portland and Port Aransas, TX

August 29th - Hazel Bazemore Park, Indian Point Park, Corpus Christi and Portland, TX

September 22nd - Andrews Bird Viewing Trail, Andrews, TX

October 13th and 16th - Andrews Bird Viewing Trail, Andrews, TX

October 16th - NW 8000 Road, Andrews, TX

October 26th - My Back Yard, Andrews, TX

November 9th - Lakeside Park, Andrews, TX

November 20th and 21st - Laguna Atascosa NWR, Rio Hondo, TX

November 23rd - Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX

November 24th - Convention Center, South Padre Island, TX

Erik Breden
Andrews, Texas
erik.breden@otterside.com

Lakeside Park - July 21st:

Great Blue Heron #10 - a juvenile bird hunting along the bank of the island...is the juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron giving or getting instructions?
Black-crowned Night-Heron #6 - a juvenile bird hunting along the bank of the lake...the rookery on the island produced a bumper crop of Black-crowned Night-Herons and Cattle Egrets this year.
Forster's Tern #13 - a pleasant surprise and a new bird for my Andrews yard list
Forster's Tern #15 - taking a rest from fishing over the lake...and keeping an eye on a Mississippi Kite!
Forster's Tern #18 - taking a rest and cooling off

Shafter Lake and Vicinity - July 24th:

Western Kingbird Nestlings #14 - building a nest in a man-made structure is not new...but this pump jack is still in service, going up and down and up and down and...

Western Kingbird Nestlings #9 - ...and the nestlings were hungry, especially junior in the front!

Western Kingbird #13 - Momma Kingbird was never far away...always looking for food...

Western Kingbird Mother and Nestlings #15 - Momma Kingbird approaches the nest on the moving pump jack arm...

Western Kingbird Mother and Nestlings #16 - Momma Kingbird continues her approach to the nest on the moving pump jack arm...

Western Kingbird Mother and Nestlings #18 - Momma Kingbird matches the motion of the moving pump jack arm...

Western Kingbird Mother and Nestlings #19 - Momma Kingbird continues the "docking maneuver" with the moving pump jack arm...

Western Kingbird Mother and Nestlings #10 - ...OK, junior got his, but now another sibling opens its mouth!

Tiger Beetle #4 - a small, but ferocious hunter...check out those jaws!

Robber Fly #6 - another ferocious hunter...check out those piercing mandibles!

Rainbow Grasshopper #1 - Mr. and Mrs. Grasshopper still have some "spark" left in their marriage!

Andrews Bird Viewing Trail - July 27th:

Red-winged Blackbird #8 - a juvenile preening in a tree at the edge of a pond (this would be a good "mystery" bird photo quiz)

Black-necked Stilt #8 - a juvenile (and its mirror image) hunting along the bank of a pond

Black-necked Stilt #8 - an adult (showing signs of a heavy molt) sounding the alarm!

Lakeside Park - July 28th - 31st:

Trumpeter Swan #1 - showing unbanded legs and pointed (not rounded) base of upper bill

Trumpeter Swan #3 - showing "straight" slope of the forehead and bill

Trumpeter Swan #4 - close-up of head and bill

Trumpeter Swan #6 - close-up of head and bill

Trumpeter Swan #11 - profile while swimming

Black-crowned Night-Heron #11 - banking in flight to land on the lake shore

Mississippi Kite #30 - perched on a wire near a nest tree, giving me a quick glance

Mississippi Kite #31 - perched on a wire near a nest tree, giving me a quick glance

Mississippi Kite #32 - perched on a wire near a nest tree, surveying the surroundings

Mississippi Kite #37 - perched on a wire near a nest tree, surveying the surroundings

Mississippi Kite #40 - perched on a wire near a nest tree, surveying the surroundings

Mississippi Kite #41 - an upper wing view while circling to catch a thermal

Mississippi Kite #46 - a typical underside view while circling to catch a thermal

Eurasian Collared-Dove #1 - on the same wire as the kite, giving it a quick glance

Lakeside Park - August 2nd:

Mississippi Kite #47 - pair perched on a wire near a nest tree, surveying the surroundings

Mississippi Kite #48 - perched on a wire near a nest tree, surveying the surroundings

Mississippi Kite #51 - stretching a wing

Mississippi Kite #53 - perched on a wire near a nest tree, surveying the surroundings

Port Aransas Jetty - August 21st:

Snowy Egret #16 - a juvenile flying along the jetty, showing its bi-colored legs

Laughing Gull #9 - an almost winter plumaged bird along the jetty

Brown Pelican #34 - gliding over the water along the jetty

Sanderling #37 - a bird molting into winter plumage along the jetty

Black Tern #14 - a bird molting into winter plumage flying along the jetty

Black Tern #17 - a bird molting into winter plumage flying along the jetty

Black Tern #18 - a bird molting into winter plumage flying along the jetty

Black Tern #21 - a bird molting into winter plumage flying along the jetty

Black Terns #22 - a part of the huge flock at the end of the jetty

Sandwich Tern #29 - a bird hunting along the jetty

Ruddy Turnstone #13 - walking along the jetty

Ruddy Turnstone #14 - walking along the jetty

Ruddy Turnstone #16 - walking along the jetty

Willet #45 - walking along the jetty

Green Sea Turtle #2 - one of a half dozen swimming along the jetty

Robstown Sod Farm, Hazel Bazemore Park, Kennedy Causeway - August 22nd:

Long-billed Curlew #3 - one of a pair that flew in to the sod farm

Killdeer #13 - one of several at the sod farm

Buff-breasted Sandpiper #10 - one of over a thousand at the sod farm approaching my car

Buff-breasted Sandpiper #16 - one of over a thousand at the sod farm approaching my car

Buff-breasted Sandpiper #20 - the sprinklers didn't deter them from feeding (just a rain shower to them?)

Buff-breasted Sandpiper #21 - if they got too wet, a quick shake, and then back to feeding

Buff-breasted Sandpiper #26 - one ventured to within 20 feet of the car

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher #4 - the Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch was pretty slow, so passerine birds took the spotlight

Reddish Egret #11 - birds along the Kennedy Causeway become quite tame

Tricolored Heron #18 - birds along the Kennedy Causeway become quite tame

Semipalmated Plover #2 - birds along the Kennedy Causeway become quite tame

Black-necked Stilt #38 - birds along the Kennedy Causeway become quite tame

Port Aransas Birding Center - August 23rd:

Neotropic Cormorants #21 - a study in plumage and age

Olive-sided Flycatcher #1 - an early migrant

Olive-sided Flycatcher #2 - an early migrant

Brown Pelican #38 - coming in for a landing

Black Skimmer #13 - an adult and immature..."be sure to keep your head down, junior"

Black Skimmer #16 - an adult "skims" along...

Black Skimmer #15 - ...ever wonder what happens when a Skimmer hits something in the water?

Forster's Tern #22 - feeding over the impoundment

Port Aransas Jetty - August 23rd:

Common Tern #7 - flying by the end of the jetty

Sandwich Tern #31 - flying by the end of the jetty

the "Brown Noddy" buoys - #7 in the foreground...#6 in the background...both are used as roosts by the Brown Noddy

Brown Noddy #1 - flying past the end of the jetty

Brown Noddy #5 - flying past the end of the jetty and a couple of Pelicans

Brown Noddy #6 - flying past the end of the jetty

Brown Noddy #8 - flying past the end of the jetty and another Pelican

Brown Noddy #9 - flying past the end of the jetty

Robstown Sod Farm, Kaufer-Hubert Memorial Park - August 22nd:

Upland Sandpiper #4 - a few Uppies are mixed in with the huge Buff-breasted Sandpiper flock at the sod farm

Upland Sandpiper #3 - a size and plumage comparison of Buff-breasted and Upland Sandpipers at the sod farm

Upland Sandpiper #7 - a little patience was rewarded with a relatively close look

Least Sandpiper #14 - a tame bird at Kaufer-Hubert

Least Sandpiper #4 - a wary bird that finally posed for a few pictures at Kaufer-Hubert

Least Tern #8 - a hungry bird that was constantly fishing at Kaufer-Hubert

Paradise Pond - August 25th:

Painted Bunting (female) #29 - coming to the drip for a drink

Mystery Flycatcher #2 - Traill's type? ID comments are most welcome

Mystery Flycatcher #3 - Traill's type? ID comments are most welcome

Orchard Oriole (female) #43 - coming to the drip for a drink

American Redstart (female/immature male) #19 - coming to the drip for a drink

White-eyed Vireo #17 - coming to the drip for a drink

Canada Warbler (male) #2 - coming to the drip for a drink

Canada Warbler (female) #3 - coming to the drip for a drink

Canada Warbler (female) #4 - coming to the drip for a drink

Ribbon Snake #1 - coming to the drip for a drink (and maybe a meal?)

Ribbon Snake #7 - coming to the drip for a drink (and maybe a meal?)

Lake Corpus Christi SP, Paradise Pond - August 26th:

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher #10 - foraging in the trees around Lake Corpus Christi

Turkey Vulture #4 - overhead at Lake Corpus Christi

Desert Termites #4 - mud workings on the sparse grass at Lake Corpus Christi

Northern Cardinal (female) #34 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Orchard Oriole (male) #44 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Philadelphia Vireo #11 - this bird did not have a black line outlining the gray cap...the apparent black line is a shadow

Black-and-White Warbler (male) #13 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Black-and-White Warbler (male) #14 - "leaving" the drip at Paradise Pond

Mourning Warbler (male) #13 - playing "hide-and-seek" at Paradise Pond

Yellow Warbler (male) #13 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens, Indian Point Park, Paradise Pond - August 27th:

Mourning Dove #5 - in the trees at a feeding station at the Botanical Gardens

Honey Bees #5 - drinking water in one of the small pools at the Botanical Gardens

Honey Bees #6 - a Bee in flight at the Botanical Gardens

Honey Bees #9 - there were more Bees than Hummingbirds at this feeder at the Botanical Gardens

Flamingos #1 - the Botanical Gardens were over-run with Flamingos looking for water...note that several have already fallen due to heat exhaustion!

Flamingos #2 - some of the Flamingos looking for water tried in vain to drink from a Hummingbird feeder..alas, their bills were just too big!

Neotropic Cormorant #25 - an immature hanging out on the boardwalk at Indian Point Park

Laughing Gull #10 - an immature hanging out on the boardwalk at Indian Point Park

Great Blue Heron #11 - this has to be the scruffiest Heron I have ever seen...hanging out on the boardwalk at Indian Point Park

American Oystercatcher #14 - and the gold medal for synchronized flying goes to...at Indian Point Park

American Oystercatcher #18 - flying by and calling at Indian Point Park

Black-bellied Plover #37 - on the rocky flats at Indian Point Park

Caspian Tern #14 - a good size comparison of Caspian and Royal Terns at Indian Point Park

Willet #47 - landing in the water at Indian Point Park

Orchard Oriole (female) #45 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Orchard Oriole (female) #45 - getting a drink the hard way at Paradise Pond

Wilson's Warbler (male) #28 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Yellow Warbler #19 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Indian Point Park, Paradise Pond - August 28th:

Wilson's Plover #13 - a fledgling along the shore of one of the tidal pools at Indian Point Park

Least Sandpiper #19 - on the rocks of the small jetty at Indian Point Park

Ruddy Turnstone #18 - on the rocks of the small jetty at Indian Point Park

Willet #48 - on the rocks of the small jetty at Indian Point Park

Hermit Crab in Moon Snail Shell #48 - almost every shell on the rocks of the small jetty at Indian Point Park hosted a Hermit Crab!

Great Egret #14 - an elegant bird hunting in the shallow water at the Birding Center

Black-necked Stilts #39 - a pair resting at the edge of the reeds in the shallow water at the Birding Center

Northern Cardinal (female) #35 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Inca Dove #12 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Baltimore Oriole (male) #14 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Baltimore Oriole (male) #16 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Orchard Oriole (female) #47 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Black-and White Warbler (female) #19 - coming to the drip at Paradise Pond

Hazel Bazemore Park, Indian Point Park - August 29th:

Kettle of Anhingas #14 - one of several large flocks seen at the Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch

Kettle of Mississippi Kites #55 - part of a kettle of over 1,000 Kites seen at the Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch

Swallow-tailed Kite #15 - a lone bird flying low over the Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch

American Oystercatcher #30 - carrying a mussel to shallower water at Indian Point Park

Black-bellied Plover #45 - Hey! Your shoe's untied...made you look!

Piping Plover #8 - a feisty male who chased anyone who came into his part of the mud flats at Indian Point Park

Piping Plover #10 - a feisty male who chased anyone who came into his part of the mud flats at Indian Point Park

Semipalmated Plover #3 - working the mud flats at Indian Point Park

Wilson's Plover #20 - working the mud flats at Indian Point Park

Andrews Bird Viewing Trail - September 22nd:

Tiger Beetle #5 - Tiger Beetles not only run fast, but are also excellent flyers

Tiger Beetle #6 - one of the meanest looking insects...check out those huge mandibles!

Variegated Meadowhawk #1 (male) - Fall is a good time to look for migrating Dragonflies

Common Whitetail #1 (male) - Fall is a good time to look for migrating Dragonflies

Prairie Racerunner #1 - lizards are still out and about...

Sunflower and Bees #3 - ...and bees are actively gathering pollen and nectar

Andrews Bird Viewing Trail - October 13th and 16th:

Mourning Cloak #2 - a sombre, but elegant butterfly

House Finch #6 - a female responding to pishing

Northern "Red-shafted" Flicker #8 - a wire is a funny place for a woodpecker to perch

"Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler #17 - foraging in a willow tree

NW 8000 Road - October 16th:

Field of Cotton #1 - a field of cotton along the road looks like snow

Cotton Plant #3 - a close up of a cotton plant

Insect Tracks in the Sand #1 - two (diverging or converging?) sets of tracks in the sand

Desert Box Turtle #1 - why did the turtle cross the road?

My Back Yard - October 26th:

Wafer-lid Trapdoor Spider #1 - a large (body about 1.25+ inches in length) black and brown spider

Wafer-lid Trapdoor Spider #2 - a large (body about 1.25+ inches in length) black and brown spider

Wafer-lid Trapdoor Spider #3 - a large (body about 1.25+ inches in length) black and brown spider

Wafer-lid Trapdoor Spider #4 - a large (body about 1.25+ inches in length) black and brown spider

Lakeside Park - November 9th:

Ross's Goose #21 - a size comparison with one of the resident Mallards shows how small a Ross's Goose really is!

Ross's Goose #17 - a surprise visitor to the park

Ross's Goose #19 - a surprise visitor to the park

Ross's Goose #26 - a surprise visitor to the park

Northern Shoveler #8 - a common visitor to the park

Laguna Atascosa NWR - November 20th and 21st:

American Avocet #23 - a winter plumaged bird at Osprey Point Lookout

Long-billed Curlew #4 - feeding on the mud flats at Osprey Point Lookout

Northern Pintails #3 - many large flocks were moving past Osprey Point Lookout at sunset

Northern Pintails #4 - a smaller flock moving past Osprey Point Lookout at sunset

Crested Caracara #9 - in a Yucca along the Bayside Drive

Crested Caracara #10 - flying along the Bayside Drive

Loggerhead Shrike #9 - in a Yucca along the Bayside Drive

Harris's Hawk #2 - along General Brant Road

Ocelot Crossing Sign - some wishful thinking along the Bayside Drive

Texas Tortoise #10 - crossing the road along the Bayside Drive

Gladys Porter Zoo - November 23rd:

Common Moorhen #9 - a "visitor" to the zoo, taking advantage of the safe environment

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck #13 - an abundant "visitor" to the zoo, taking advantage of the safe environment

Cape Barren Goose #3 - a native of coastal southeastern Australia and northern Tasmania

Southern Screamer #3 - a native of central and southern South America

Gulf Fritillary #3 - a native North American butterfly in the newly opened butterfly enclosure

Banded Orange Heliconian #1 - a native North American butterfly in the newly opened butterfly enclosure

Erato Heliconian #2 - a native North American butterfly in the newly opened butterfly enclosure

Zebra Heliconian #6 - a native North American butterfly in the newly opened butterfly enclosure

Long-tailed Skipper #2 - a native North American butterfly in the newly opened butterfly enclosure

Giraffes #1 - some of the more "normal" creatures at the zoo

African Lion #3 - another of the more "normal" creatures at the zoo

Zebra #1 - another of the more "normal" creatures at the zoo

Red-ruffed Lemur #1 - one of our more "distant" cousins (both phylogenetically and geographically)

Ring-tailed Lemur #2 - one of our more "distant" cousins (both phylogenetically and geographically), and also one of the stars of the "Madagascar" films

SPI Convention Center - November 23rd:

Reddish Egret #12 - one of many herons and egrets visible along the boardwalks

Killdeer #14 - working the mud flats along the boardwalks

Lesser Yellowlegs #14 - working the mud flats along the boardwalks

Roseate Spoonbill #14 - flying overhead along the boardwalks

Roseate Spoonbill #20 - working the ditches along the boardwalks

Roseate Spoonbill #25 - working the ditches along the boardwalks

Wilson's Warbler #33 - in the garden plantings by the Convention Center

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