Free Range Porkers

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Richard

When I bird with Penny in our woods at home I never have her on leash and her wildlife encounters are usually with red squirrels or chipmunks – she tends to ignore deer. We have encountered a few Black Bears, which either I have spotted first or at least grab her, one moose chase years ago, and a couple of coyotes/coydogs that she deigned to chase.

In the South/Southwest, I tend to keep her leashed – often because of park rules but also for her safety. Yesterday morning was a good example: we were birding a scrubland looking for desert birds and had seen a Harris’s Hawk, several Verdin, even a Greater Roadrunner. No one was around as we trudged down a long truck trail and I had her leash looped through my belt and we were getting tangled every so often.

I was about to let her loose for a bit when up ahead, a black object stood in the path. A javelina, no three, no even more. Penny hadn’t seen them as I took a picture of these two watching us.

They scooted across, melting into the brush, then this one ambled over. You can see how black they are against the clay trail.

By now, Penny had them spotted and one last one tore across the opening. We move down the road and her nose was at full alert. I could hear a little rustling on both sides so I clapped my hands, told them to get lost, and we continued on. These porkers had some young ones but unle the big feral hogs in other parts of Texas, these guys are wary of us. Or at least that’s my story.

It’s interesting that just two nights ago, I suggested to Mary that we not but pork until we get back to Vermont. Antibiotics, feedlots, gestation crates – it’s the only type of pork you can get in most of the country. These guys, while free of that stuff, would probably be like eating a leather belt. Hard to fatten up on sagebrush, tumbleweed, and cactus.

The best bird of the morning was a Green-tailed Towhee which I heard, and glimpsed. I’m at 127 species for this county and hope to hit 140 before we leave. We hiked about five miles today – no hills but lots of soft clay – and Penny has started her 12th year with a good workout.

Posted in Desert birds, Southwest trip 5, Texas birding, Texas birds, Wildlife Watching | 3 Comments

Turtle Love & Some Birds

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Richard

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I thought that "will you be my Valentine?" would be a good caption for these two turtles I saw the other day.

One of the specialties of the Rio Grande Valley is the Green Jay. Here, three contemplate the slim pickings at a feeder.

The biggest dove here is the White-tipped Dove, here shown beside a House Sparrow.

This male Green Kingfisher is quite the dude.

The Great Kiskadee is a beautiful but noisy flycatcher.

This Couch’s/Tropical Kingbird was quiet so he’s tough to identify.

The lighting for this Neotropic Cormorant is not good so you can’t see his bright eye. His long tail is the clue. His Double-crested cousins have much shorter tails (in relation to their bodies.)

We are still awed by the colors and diversity of the species we see and hear. It’s never "Just another Green Jay" day for us. Good birding.

Posted in Vermont Birding | 2 Comments

A Couple of RGV Raptors

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Richard

I spotted a flash of grey as I drove up over the levee to the County Park this morning. I had already counted four American Kestrels on the short road in and pulling over, I saw a Grey Hawk sitting in the trees. They are a specialty of the lower Rio Grande but I’d only seen a couple over the years so this was a treat – and a nice omen to the early morning outing.

I walked Penny on leash for two hours plus and picked up 33 species, including 10 I haven’t seen in the County this year. The other highlights were a Black Phoebe, two Couch’s Kingbirds, several Vermillion Flycatchers, and a dozen House Finches (which are rare in this area.)

It was a nice contrast to some chasing I’ve been doing of a rarity spotted last Saturday – a Grey-capped Yellowthroat. I just missed it by 15 to 20 minutes on two different days and spent quite a few hours, side-by-side with other birders, looking for it. It was neat to watch the people – folks with cameras so large that they use baby jogger trailers to transport them. The lack of success was a bit disappointing but it’s also a lesson in “being at the right place at the right time.” I’ve moved on – even if it gets sighted again.

Two days ago, after shopping I took Penny to a wildlife area to which I had never been and the first thing we spotted was this pair of Crested CaraCara – sometimes known a the Mexican Eagle. The habitat, on the edge of County, was more desert-like and I saw Verdin, Black-throated Sparrows, and Pyrrhuloxia.

I am waiting for better internet service before adding a number of nice photos of birds I’ve seen. The weather has been good (as we monitored the Blizzard) and all in all, we like this area. Good birds but too many people. Lots of wonderful birders including our own Chris and Fred Pratt, who everyone seems to know, but with whom our paths have not crossed. Make sure you read this great post by Ken Benton to get a sense of the “madness” of birders. It captures the spirit and enthusiasm of the North Branch Nature Center Staff. Good Birding.

Posted in Southwest trip 5, Texas birding | Comments Off on A Couple of RGV Raptors

Another Cute Owl

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Richard

Having found the Eastern Screech Owl the other day, yesterday I went hunting for a Burrowing Owl who is located not far away. I had driven there Wednesday but only found a feral cat hunting on the rock piles where the bird was reported.

Yesterday afternoon, the first thing I spotted was a Loggerhead Shrike and then another feral cat. “Great,” I thought, being pretty sure that the bird would be laying low.

Feral cats are everywhere in Texas -- and while pretty, are quite devastating to the bird population.

Feral cats are everywhere in Texas — and while pretty, are quite devastating to the bird population.

However, as I scanned the piles of rocks along the dike, a Burrowing Owl was perched up like nothing was amiss.  This is the best look I’ve had at one — and I took a few shots through the open truck window as the guy/gal posed.

BurrOwl1W

The Burrowing Owl appears to be diurnal because it can often be seen foraging during the day. In fact, it hunts all day and night long and is most active in the morning and evening. It catches more insects during the day and more mammals at night.

"Hey, you looking at me?"

“Hey, you looking at me?”

I plan to return with Mary to see this guy again once the cold front winds die down. It’s a great bird.

 

Posted in Texas birding, Texas birds, Winter2015 Trip | 1 Comment

Hello Mr/Ms Eastern Screech Owl

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Richard

Last year, a couple put us on to an Eastern Screech Owl nesting in a tree at nearby Anzalduas Park. I could not spot it during our first visit this year but yesterday, a friend pointed out the correct spot (we were keying off the wrong building) and sure enough, there he/she was. I took a rather long-range shot so as to not bother the bird although it seems to sleep through hordes of visitors.

You can't see me (without help from others.)

You can’t see me (without help from others.)

The park is very birdy – lots of activity in the trees and overhead.  Here are a couple of other shots from Wednesday’s visit.

Golden-fronted Woodpeckers are pretty common and pretty noisy -- and just pretty.

Golden-fronted Woodpeckers are pretty common and pretty noisy — and just pretty.

There were dozens of Eastern Bluebirds at the park.

There were dozens of Eastern Bluebirds at the park.

I’m waiting for better weather to launch the kayak here in the Rio Grande. The border runs down the middle of the river so as long as I stick to the correct side …. perhaps I’d better carry my passport.  Good birding

 

 

Posted in Anzalduas County Park, Texas birding, Winter2015 Trip | 1 Comment

Goodbye Goose Island State Park

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Richard

After a chilly (by Texas standards) start, we had a good end to our week at Goose Island. The birding was good and I got a couple of life birds: Clay-colored Sparrow and Harris’s Sparrow. One of my birding goals for 2015 is to get at least 100 birds in five U.S. counties. I did it in 2014, just squeezing through with my home county. So I was hoping to reach 100 birds during our week at Goose Island. It’s not easy since while the waterfowl are around (although I missed Green-winged Teal), only Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers are present.

One of the common sites at Goose Island is the Brown Pelicans waiting for anglers to return and clean their fish.

One of the common sites at Goose Island is the Brown Pelicans waiting for anglers to return and clean their fish.

By Saturday night, I was at 99 species; we were leaving Sunday morning. I got up early, took the dog for a long walk, and visited some feeders which had been unproductive all week. As things would have it, the 100th bird who hopped out of the bushes was Vermont’s State Bird, a pretty Hermit Thrush. Then, four White-Throated Sparrows arrived and I called it quits at 101 and went back to hook up the trailer and get ready to depart.

Large rafts of Redheads are everywhere, as are duck hunters traveling by noisy airboats.

Large rafts of Redheads are everywhere, as are duck hunters traveling by noisy airboats.

We are rather limited with Wifi and busting our data plans for the phones and iPads so posting photos is a challenge. After a long wait one night, I told a fellow who was standing their in the dark with his cell phone that “It’s like watching grass grow.” He didn’t get it — turns out he was a visitor from the Netherlands. He certainly agreed that the reception was awful. We are now in the Rio Grande Valley with thousands of other Winter Texans, many from Canada. Each year, as more folks get multiple devices, the signals get worse. You can get a 4G signal with three or four bars but there’s so much demand that you might as well forget it. I get up early and it works like a charm.

A face only a Turkey Vulture mother could love.

A face only a Turkey Vulture mother could love.

We are not sure we’ll make it back on the way home but in any case, it remains one of our favorite state parks in the Southwest.

Posted in Goose Island State Park, Texas birding, Texas birds, Winter2015 Trip | Comments Off on Goodbye Goose Island State Park

Po-boys at Crofutt’s Sandwich Shop

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Richard

It’s a place we would normally drive by, not being adventurous eaters. A tired-looking building on a wind-swept curve in the highway, parking lot filled with muddy pickup trucks, Crofutt’s is an area attraction, known for its monstrous hamburgers, shrimp po-boys, and cinnamon rolls to die for. We were told about this place four years ago and try to make the trek each time we are at Goose Island.

Crofutt’s doesn’t lok like much from a distance.

 

The shop has been in business for half a century or more and the walls are lined with pictures from the past. They make it on their food, not their ambiance. My kind of place.

My Ford looked a bit puny up beside these muddy working trucks.

 

Mary and I were the only ones in the place not wearing muddy leather boots. Guys working on ranches or oil/gas rigs flock to this place – a mixture of Hispanic and Anglo, and most were built like guards for the Dallas Cowboys.

We ordered Shrimp Po-Boys and as we waited, listened to the Texas twangs and the banter of the waitresses. It was obvious that most were locals – I suspect we were the only visitors (although they get many.)

I didn’t ask if there was a vegetarian menu. This sandwich rocked.

 

The sandwiches are big and they are good – well worth the drive. We bought a package of cinnamon rolls and loaf of pumpkin bread – because we could.

We did a little back road birding on the way home and after a rest, I took Penny on an hour and a half walk. I don’t know if she needed it, but I did.

Posted in local attraction | 2 Comments

An iPhone Red, White, & Blue Trifecta

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Richard

This morning, a few of us brave souls met at the pier for a bird walk. I had every piece of warm clothing I had brought, including “hot hands” insert for my mittens, and managed to stay relatively warm. I was keeping score on my iPhone so that entailed working with bare hands but we had a good time. We recorded 40 species – nothing particularly unusual – but like many walks, too much talking, not enough looking and listening. It was too windy to steady the camera so I decided to do some shooting in the afternoon.

I brought the iPhone adapter along and did some digiscoping. The Red, White, and Blue Trifecta ( Snowy Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, & Little Blue Heron) was the first group of birds I encountered. They were at a distance but happily feeding away. Many of the other shorebirds were too far for clear shots, particularly on a cloudy, windy day. The Great Egret posed nicely for me before flying off so I called it quits to return to the snug trailer.

A Snowy Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, & Little Blue Heron in one scope view.

 

A Little Blue Heron.

 

A Great Egret posing for an iPhone digiscope.

 

So far, I have 76 species in three days in the County and would like to break 100 this week. We’ll see if improving weather stirs up some. We plan to drive down to the boat ramp tonight in hopes of getting a look at some Black-crowned Night Herons.

Posted in Digiscoping, iPhone, Southwest trip 5, Texas birding, Texas birds, Winter2015 Trip | Comments Off on An iPhone Red, White, & Blue Trifecta

Checking Out The Whoopers

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Richard

Today was a day to catch up a bit since the weather is cool and rainy, so we drove into Rockport for some groceries and way too much bird feeding gear and supplies. We also picked up some comfort food (apple turnover, cinnamon roll etc) to get us through the morning.

Returning, we invited our neighbor, Gail from Nova Scotia, over for coffee and goodies. I am often surprised about the backgrounds of fellow campers: it turns out Gail is a recently-retired psychologist who specialized in dealing with special needs kids and who now is traveling the U.S. in an old VW camper, teaching herself to paint watercolors, while her husband tends the fort at home including caregiving for an aging parent. Good conversation, calories, and caffeine made for a nice late morning in spite of the weather.

One of the things you do at Goose Island is to check out the Whooping Cranes who return to some ranchers’ fields (where they are fed) just north of the park. Mary and I (and of course, Penny) motored up there this afternoon and sure enough, there were five Whoopers and about 32 Sandhill Cranes.  Here are a few shots that I took with freezing fingers in a minor gale.

The Whooping Crane flock journeys 2,500 miles south from Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada to Texas.

The Whooping Crane flock journeys 2,500 miles south from Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada to Texas.

About thirty Sandhill Cranes are also enjoying the local hospitality.

About thirty Sandhill Cranes are also enjoying the local hospitality.

Not to be outdone by exotic visitors, a couple of elegant Great Blue Herons also grace the field.

Not to be outdone by exotic visitors, a couple of elegant Great Blue Herons also graced the field.

Whoopers and Sandhills often feed together here, providing a nice comparison of size and marking differences.

Whoopers and Sandhills often feed together here, providing a nice comparison of size and marking differences.

It’s great to see the cranes each year after their long return from up north.  They are a wonderful success story.  Like the Peregrine Falcon, the Bald Eagle, the Osprey, and several other species, they remind us that we can succeed with conserving threatened species, but it takes lots of effort and more vision and leadership than we often see these days in the halls of our public servants. These elegant survivors give us hope.

Posted in Goose Island State Park, migration, Southwest trip 5, Texas birding, Texas birds, Winter2015 Trip | 2 Comments

Sorting Sparrows at Goose Island State Park

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Richard

Our six-day trip to Texas was highlighted by:

  • Trekking down our icy driveway with last minute luggage for a 5:45 AM launch Monday
  • Whiteout with treacherous driving for 20 miles around Saratoga on the Northway
  • Awful crosswinds for the first three days
  • Black ice on I-81 in PA below Chambersburg
  • Freezing rain and 30 degrees in MS
  • Heavy rain around Beaumont and steady rain through Houston (and a backup that I luckily circumvented, pulling the Mass-h_le trick of driving up the right side of everything)
  • Four comfortable nights in La Quinta Inns which, while seeming to lower in quality as we went south, still were clean, warm, and restful.)

Once out of Houston, the weather cleared and we stopped for fuel at Buc-cees (and topped off our fat levels with some great barbecue sandwiches.  Soon, I was starting to see more birds –  and at 70 mph (on low traffic roads) I noted Eastern Meadowlarks, Great-tailed Grackles, a Crested Caracara, several Northern Harriers, many Red-tail Hawks, and the ever-present Turkey Vultures. We are now settled at Goose Island State Park for a week and whilebit’s cool and windy, the only white stuff around are American White Pelicans and Great Egrets. The park is one-third full and we have a quiet spot to relax and get the trailer organized.  And bird.

I took Penny on four walks today and the bird activity was good — too early for warblers except for many Yellow-rumps, but loaded with sparrows. Sparrow identification is not something I would list when considering KSA’s (Knowledge, Skill, Ability.) It’s not easy when they keep flying up from the tall grass to spots just out of binocular range while the Vizsla on leash pulls your arm off.  I missed more than I even got a look at.  Yet, I got a lifer, a Harris’s Sparrow.  It popped up on a bush not too far away and I got the glasses, then the camera, on it. I didn’t know what it was but went back, downloaded the photos, and tentatively identified it as a juvenile Harris’s.  Then I emailed my friends at North Branch Nature Center and Chip, the Executive Director, agreed with my call.  So it was life bird #412 — first of the year and the trip.

This was one of two juvenile Harris's Sparrows I saw this morning. Lifer #412

This was one of two juvenile Harris’s Sparrows I saw this morning. Lifer #412

I ended up with six sparrow species (and may have missed others):

  1. Song
  2. Field
  3. Savannah
  4. Lincoln’s
  5. Harris’s
  6. House

I hope to sort ducks and gulls in the next couple of days.  There are rafts of Redheads and Northern Pintails and it will be time to relearn the gulls and shorebirds. Good birding.

Posted in life bird, Life list, Southwest trip 5, Texas birds, Winter2015 Trip | 2 Comments