Female Great-tailed Grackle
Female Red-winged Blackbird
Juvenile Male Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Great Blue Heron
Red-winged Blackbird
Great Blue Heron
"Silent Sentinel 5"
0715-0935/81 to 90 degrees F/partly cloudy/17 mph wind gusts
The weather has had a bit of a damper on photography for the past few days, but the breeze helped
this morning. With dead air, birds don't want to be out in the open any more than we do, as they also feel the same effects of the weather, most notably the dark birds.
This year has had very few butterflies to speak of, which I have been diligently watching for. I see
a few stragglers here-and-there, like monarchs, swallowtails, and gulf fritillaries.
It is a little early, but some of our local Downy and Red-headed Woodpeckers have been doing a
little drumming, but that could be attributed to the juvenile males asserting themselves. There have
been a few more than usual, and Brown-headed Cowbirds and European Starlings have been keeping
a watchful eye on their activity, to see where they can usurp their roosting cavities.
Migratory activity is gearing up, and some birds like the eastern group of ultralight-led Whooping Cranes will be flown south in September from White River Marsh to St. Marks and Chassahowitzka NWRs in FL. I'm looking forward to working in Aransas NWR in TX this February with the group that winters there.
Hawkwatch is underway in our area. There are Mississippi Kites, the American Kestrel, and it
is a good idea to begin looking for Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks. The youngsters will be
arriving within the month. Best of luck on your hawking activity.
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