Monday, March 16, 2009

Allen William's March 15



I went to Allen Williams yard in Pharr on Sunday, March 15. At times the birds on his property are so tame that I have to focus my camera as close as it will go and then BACK UP until the bird is in focus. Such was true for both a Buff-bellied Hummingbird and a very curious Northern Mockingbird today. I sat and watched his mulberry for an hour and a half. I was amazed to see SIX Northern Mockingbirds in the tree at once, it was as though they had territorial boundaries extending to individual branches in the tree. Great Kiskadees were in and out of the tree constantly as well. The Clay-colored Thrushes were in and out quickly, as was the female Western Tanager and a Baltimore Oriole. The wintering warblers were still around as well, with Wilson's, Black-and-white and Orange-crowned present though I missed the wintering American Redstart this time.

Here are a couple photos, one of a Buff-bellied Hummingbird (top) and the other of a Northern Mockingbird that decided to pose for me.