Showing posts with label American White Pelican. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American White Pelican. Show all posts
Sunday, March 19, 2023
Sunday, September 25, 2022
Monday, January 17, 2022
Saturday, February 6, 2021
Friday, February 5, 2021
020520 Boomer Lake's Big League Warm Winter
012321 Harris's Sparrow
Once again, Harris's Sparrow spends the winter at our beloved Boomer Lake. Last year we hosted a pair, but this might not be any of the same birds. I suspect not, because this one has been out in the open more as it gets to observe me.
020221 American White Pelican
It is not unusual to have the American White Pelican during the winter, and this one was an active bird, as can be seen here.
020221 Double-crested Cormorant
Cormorants are coming through fast and furious, most heading south with their breeding attire.
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Friday, June 5, 2020
060520 Boomer Lake's "Greats" Are In Town Today
American White Pelican AKA
Great White Pelican
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
The Great White Pelican and Great Crested Flycatcher wanted to be highlighted today, so here they are.
The Great White Pelican was observed on the south side of Shorebird Jetty among Canada Geese. It was the only pelican on the lake today. This shot was obtained as it circled the area between Shorebird Jetty and Heron Cove.
Writer had several contacts with the Great Crested Flycatcher over the past week or so. For the past couple of days, a parent has been bringing a juvenile around, which writer met yesterday (060420) at Heron Cove. Today, they both appeared just before I did at the deciduous woods across from Kicker.
The adult called several times and evidently the juvenile liked me, as it stayed in the same area that I was in, permitting several shots. What good fortune.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
040220 Starring Eared Grebe and American White Pelican Convention
03-21-20
American Crow
Neotropic Cormorant
American White Pelicans
032420
Eastern Meadowlark
Double-crested Cormorant nearly
in full breeding plumage
032520
American Robin
03-26-20
Downy Woodpecker (female)
03-27-20
Eared Grebe nearing
full breeding plumage
Migration is clearly an event with several movements, including our late ducks and breeding plumage waterbirds. The one that I refer to especially in this arrival is the Eared Grebe, one of which I personally have never observed in breeding plumage. It was sleeping among a raft of Ruddy Ducks, including two others that I later spied. This grebe had rudely been awakened by a couple of American Coots that rudely ran noisily in front of it. The Eared Grebe made the attempt to return to sleep, but the ruddies awakened and decided to move. To my good fortune, the group swam closer to me and paraded right across me at a reasonable distance and I managed to get a fairly decent shot. At least it was enough to give a good look, since my observations in the past only included winter birds.
The Neotropic Cormorant has also been a fixture in the spring, having been visiting since at least 2015, when my original shots were obtained. We're hoping that it is breeding somewhere in OK.
The Eastern Meadowlark cannot be overlooked, as it is an iconic prairie bird in the great plains. Even though it has been losing population due to loss of habitat and pesticide use, perhaps we can manage to bring some of the numbers back with proper land management.
As of late, the Fish Crows have been more prevalent than the American Crow, and seem to be expanding their range more than the Black Vulture, which is being sighted in OK, too.
Several days prior to this photo there were nearly two dozen American White Pelicans around the Goose Island area. They stayed about four days, though numbers dropped. At one point, they were observed sleeping on the island. The Canada Geese didn't feel threatened, even with eggs in their ground nests.
Migration is clearly an event with several movements, including our late ducks and breeding plumage waterbirds. The one that I refer to especially in this arrival is the Eared Grebe, one of which I personally have never observed in breeding plumage. It was sleeping among a raft of Ruddy Ducks, including two others that I later spied. This grebe had rudely been awakened by a couple of American Coots that rudely ran noisily in front of it. The Eared Grebe made the attempt to return to sleep, but the ruddies awakened and decided to move. To my good fortune, the group swam closer to me and paraded right across me at a reasonable distance and I managed to get a fairly decent shot. At least it was enough to give a good look, since my observations in the past only included winter birds.
The Neotropic Cormorant has also been a fixture in the spring, having been visiting since at least 2015, when my original shots were obtained. We're hoping that it is breeding somewhere in OK.
The Eastern Meadowlark cannot be overlooked, as it is an iconic prairie bird in the great plains. Even though it has been losing population due to loss of habitat and pesticide use, perhaps we can manage to bring some of the numbers back with proper land management.
As of late, the Fish Crows have been more prevalent than the American Crow, and seem to be expanding their range more than the Black Vulture, which is being sighted in OK, too.
Several days prior to this photo there were nearly two dozen American White Pelicans around the Goose Island area. They stayed about four days, though numbers dropped. At one point, they were observed sleeping on the island. The Canada Geese didn't feel threatened, even with eggs in their ground nests.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Fall Photos of Our Best Time of Year For Some
Eurasian Collared-Doves
AmericanEurasian Collared-Dove
Blue-winged Teal
American White Pelican
Male Carolina Wren
American Kestrel in Flight
Carolina Wren
American White Pelican
10-19 through 11-09-16
This was when the weather was quite mild in the fall. The Eurasian Collared-Doves were seen
for the first time not on the ground or on the power lines. This was a rarer shot, so I did my best
to get out of the line of fire of the rising sun so that I could see them well enough in order to get
that beautiful photograph of them in the tree. Fortunately, they trusted me enough to get away from a
large oak tree in order to have a clear shot.
The Blue-winged Teal, our smallest duck made a couple of turns around the lake, so I was as ready
as I could be to get a picture of several of them. Even though they were quite a distance away, Lady Luck was with me, as was the sun.
The first Carolina Wren, an acquaintance, knows me better than the second one, who is generally
across the lake in a residential area. By far, I believe the second shot to be the best one, but how could I refuse the first one?
The American Kestrel male has returned for the winter to his stomping grounds and this picture in
flight was a little sun washed, yet it was necessary to try it.
This American White Pelican was the first of a total of three arrivals. He arrived on October 22 and
rested at Boomer Creek where there is a natural blind. It was advantageous, as this waterbird had no
inkling that I was waiting silently in the wings. There were a few shots of the birds flipping its gullet,
so these are representatives of this first meeting.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
First of Season Early Birds Are Not Shy
American White Pelican
Turkey Vulture
Male Wood Duck
Great Blue Heron
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Meadowlark
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Savannah Sparrow
Canada Gosling
Savannah Sparrow
0720-1035 hrs./55-73 degrees F/sunny/light and variable winds to 22 mph gusts
These are photos from the past two days, some of which are first of season or first ever made.
As an example, the Wood Duck was up in a tree, which I knew that the hens raised their young in
a tree, and they literally jumped in the water from the tree for their first water voyage. However, I
did not expect to see a Wood Duck staring down at me. Due to the bright sunlight, I tried to get the best shot that I could, and this was passable, even though it was a good distance away.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was the first of season(year), and was in the company of another male,
which he got for me to view. These are birds that I have known from last year, now all grown up, and I suspect that this was two from the nest of seven that I found last year and photographed. Birds
usually return where they were born, which makes me believe that this was the case, and if fact, some
of these birds practiced their flight in this vicinity.
The Canada gosling was one of five. Mother and father goose met me on a bank to show off the first born of the season, a strapping young group, I might add. Don't you think?
This Turkey Vulture was waiting for me at shortly after sunrise over the berm on the southeast side
of the lake on the north end of the Southern Cove. I shot this bird from both front and back, each
photo equally as good.
Believe it or not, this Savannah Sparrow was feeding in the same area where I met the Lark and the Vesper Sparrows a couple of weeks ago. It makes sense, as they all like short, savannah-like areas.
The Brown Thrasher is one of a family of three born here two years ago, and they are staking out their claim.
This American White Pelican has been here on-and-off for the past several weeks. He is a young
bird, and he has been doing a lot of preening, taking care of those new feathers that are coming in. His clothing is a bit old and worn, but as new feathers come in, he will look a lot better, and remove those old juvenile feathers that he was born with.
Most of the Great Blue Heron are at the rookery, but Buddy is an older bird that I have known for the past five years. As an incidental, three Great Egrets came through the area yesterday, so we should
be in for a nice surprise. It will be interesting to see what youngsters are born here the year, as we have had both a Little Blue Heron last year and a Snowy Egret from the year prior to last. If the Little Blue Heron makes it back this year, he will be in a pied coat, which is a mix of blue and white.
The Eastern Meadowlarks are courting, and I observed some rare mating rituals. This photo was
a meadowlark that actually was walking up to me, a lovely male. There are two pair here now.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Valentine's Day Present From the Birds on Galveston Bay via Rockport, TX
American White Pelican
Laughing Gulls
Brown Pelican
Osprey
American Oystercatcher
Common Loon
02-15-16 afternoon/partly cloudy/warm/15 mph winds
Having grown up both in and around salt water, I was at home both in and around the bay.
Nothing pleases me more than to be birdwatching, but this was an added bonus. Feeling like I
was part of a more serious cast of Gilligan's Island, I could not have asked for more than this wonderful afternoon.
This was the closest that I was able to get to the Osprey, American Oystercatcher(most ironically on
a bed of oyster shells), and the Common Loon. There was also a band of several dolphins, but the best photo that I could get was a dorsal fin, so I deliberately omitted that shot. We were surrounded by both Brown and American Pelicans, Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorants, a few different species of gulls, Great Blue Herons, Great Egret, the Reddish Egret, shore birds, Whooping Cranes in the distance, and many more birds attracted to the water. There was even a small island rookery for
breeding herons and egrets that was occupied by close to a dozen birds when we passed by it.
Thanks to Captain Tommy Moore on the Skimmer for providing a wonderful cruise on Galveston Bay. It was wonderful to obtain the photos that I did for my first time on a moving tour boat. It was an experience that I will not soon forget.
For your birding adventures in the Rockport Texas area, call and book with Capt. Tommy Moore, also author of The Lobstick Prince, a Whooping Crane Story at 877-TX-BIRDS. You'll not regret this adventure. The book can be purchased through amazon.com via http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0557179076?keywords=birding%20with%20Capt.%20Tommy&qid=1456240104&ref_=sr_1_fkmr0_2&s=books&sr=1-2-fkmr0
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Sun and Fun For All
Pied-billed Grebe
Song Sparrow
American White Pelican
Northern Mockingbird
0730-1100 hrs./37-50 degrees F/light and variable winds/partly to mostly cloudy
There are several Pied-billed Grebes on the lake this winter, one of which has been in the Southern Cove for the past two days. This lovely specimen is a little shy, but I hope it will get used to the surroundings. This area is sheltered and kept this sweet little bird sheltered from a Red-shouldered Hawk that was nearly overhead, so it worked out well. Last seek there were hawk trappings hanging on a tree(wings), so I sometimes hold my breath around the red-shoulders.
A lone American Pelican came calling, most likely the one that was reported to me at Hazen Lake last week. I happened to find it east of Goose Island, but it had made its way to the west side of the lake on my return trip.
Large numbers of Song Sparrows were all over the area this morning, some in groups of two or three.
The Carolina Chickadee males are claiming territories and they were also available in numbers.
The American Robin and Red-winged Blackbird are both moving in numbers, and I'm inclined to think that we area already experiencing early spring movement.
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