Showing posts with label White Ibis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label White Ibis. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Saturday, September 11, 2021
Saturday, May 15, 2021
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Birding on a Shoestring: South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, Part 1
On Friday, March 21, 2020, the band of birding and studious pupils-to-be for our National Wildlife Rehabilitator's Conference were on the road for South Padre Island, Texas by 1000 hrs. We were several hours late in leaving to beat the traffic, but we paid for it later. Normally, prior Texas jaunts have taken 12-13 hours, but we didn't pull in to our hotel until 0230 hrs. Tuesday morning.
This meant that we didn't begin birding until much later on Saturday. We began our search for South Texas birds after a good meal, starting off at the Birding and Nature Center, later wandering over to the SPI Convention Center. There were no good songbirds there, but we did get better photos of the rarer Reddish Egret and the Black Skimmer.
02-22-20
Brown Pelican
Reddish Egret
Black Skimmer
White Ibis
Tri-colored Heron
Great Blue Heron
Roseate Spoonbill
Killdeer
Some of these photos were obtained via the SPI Convention Center property. We also viewed Redheads, Laughing Gulls, Purple Martin, Roseate Spoonbill, Snowy Egret, and many other interesting individuals. It was a full afternoon and we worked on obtaining photos between noon and 1700 hrs, which is good for semi-rested travelers.
Friday, November 30, 2018
Birding On a Shoestring: Brevard County Florida, Days 2 and 3
Gray Catbird among serviceberry
Sandhill Crane (Florida Subspecies)
Boat-tailed Grackle
Loggerhead Shrike
with Armored Catfish
Sandhill Crane
Snail Kite
Boat-tailed Grackle
Cape May Warbler
Red-shouldered Hawk
Florida Subspecies
House Wren
Juvenile Alligators
 |
Limpkin
|
White Ibis
American Bittern
11-18 and 11-19-18
One photo from 11-18 was taken at Turkey Creek in Palm Bay. This bird, the Gray Catbird, was in the shadows and a very dense area with creeping vines. It was feeding upon the fruit seen in the photo. Also seen were the Pine and Prairie Warblers, but photo potential was non-existent due to their extreme height and bad trajectory on a boardwalk.
The Sandhill Crane was in Brevard County while enroute to Joe Overstreet Rd. and Landing. There was a pair of them in a front yard near the street, not far from a dog.
The first Boat-tailed Grackle and Loggerhead Shrike were on private property which were pastures and on the Florida Birding Trail, also enroute to Joe Overstreet Rd..
The next five shots were taken on Joe Overstreet Road which is off Lake Kissimmee, terminating at a public boat launch. The head shot of a Great Blue Heron with the armored catfish, or plecostomus is an aquarium invasive species, of which Florida has many dumped in their waters. Two Sandhill Cranes flew overhead, and one of them was photographed. Also seen and shot was the Snail Kite or everglades kite. This bird was once losing population due to drainage of wetlands and disruption of water levels. This in turn affected the native apple snail negatively. Surprisingly, the invasive apple snail, another aquarium invasive, is actually responsible for causing their numbers to rise and stabilize. I don't believe it is known how the South American apple snail is affecting native biota.
Next is the Boat-tailed Grackle in more suitable habitat, which is in a marshy area. Also located in this area was the rare Cape May Warbler, which is usually found at the southern tip of Florida, not as far north as this location. Also in attendance on this date was the Western Palm Warbler, Wilson's Snipe, a couple of Limpkins, and the Common Gallinule, as well as a few other birds.
Later enroute to Three Lakes around Jackson boat ramp, we discovered the Florida subspecies of the Red-shouldered Hawk, which is generally smaller than other subspecies of red-shoulder. Also noted was a House Wren. At the boat ramp, close shots of the Limpkin, White Ibis, and American Bittern were taken. Other birds present were the Common Gallinule, White-faced Ibis, Wood Stork, and several other species.
Juvenile alligators were also located later after leaving Jackson boat ramp. The small gator in the foreground was from this years hatch and the one in the rear is believed to be from last year's crop.
More photos are coming.
For more on the Florida adventure, see:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/11/florida-birding-adventure-in-brevard.html
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/12/florida-birding-adventure-in-brevard.html
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Birding On a Shoestring: Brevard County Florida Day 1
Black Vulture
Tri-colored Heron
White Ibis
Male Common Yellowthroat
Anhinga
Eastern Palm Warbler (Yellow)
Glossy Ibis
Juvenile Wood Stork
Common Gallinule
111718- 1100-1200 hrs/partly cloudy
Viera Wetlands AKA Rich Grissom Wetlands
No sooner did we arrive in Florida, we were on our way for an adventure. This escapade was initiated by a birding buddy that grew up in this area. The best thing about it was that this was an expanded area, so neither one of us knew what to expect. I believe it went above and beyond our expectations.
My experiences in Florida never included birding, as I had not been interested in it at the time, so this visit was going to mean a great deal to me for Florida birds. Hoping that I'd get the well-known birds to the area meant that I was prepared to work for them. There was a little disappointment that not all of them were to be discovered on this trip, but another trip would be in order, especially since I'd gained one good contact.
Viera Wetlands netted us both some great finds, especially the Wood Stork, which I had never seen before, as well as the Eastern Palm Warbler. Even though this was our first day birding, I tried not to let our good fortune cloud my senses or uplift my spirits needlessly.
There is more to come.
For more of the Florida adventure, see:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/11/florida-birding-adventure-in-brevard_30.html
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/12/florida-birding-adventure-in-brevard.html
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
The Birds of McCurtain County, Oklahoma, Including the Endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Tree Swallow
Carolina Wren
Great-tailed Grackle
Prothonotary Warbler
King Rail
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Broad-winged Hawk
Yellow-breasted Chat
White Ibis
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
American Alligator
Tree Swallow
May 6 through May 10, 2016
These birds and the American alligator all hail from McCurtain County, Oklahoma, which is
in the southeast part of the state, just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Arkansas border. This trip
had very strong possibilities for two of some of the rarest birds of the state, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Swainson's Warbler, both of which were seen. However, I have no photo of the warbler. I do hope to redeem myself with the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, which is rare all over the country, as well as an endangered species.
Also included in this package, is the King Rail, which is uncommon and local in the southern states. Even more rarely, it will go quite far north, mostly in the central part of the country and the northeast
states.
McCurtain County also hosts a fairly sizable and diverse warbler population, though a good part of it is just temporary. Most of these warblers were observed at Red Slough, as well as a few in Little River, most notably of course, the Swainson's Warbler.
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker was located in the McCurtain County Wilderness Area, and my knowledge on this bird was increased by being in the field with it as well as having excellent instruction through the Oklahoma Forestry Service, namely Clay Barnes, who I definitely hope to see
again, and gain additional knowledge through the state and the national wildlife refuges, all who do
a superb job in keeping our wildlife thriving. I have seen naked nestling Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, as well as the eggs.
This is an experience that I will not soon forget, and I hope that you also enjoy what is here as seen through my eyes.
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