Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Short-tailed Hawk, adult, Chihuahua Woods Preserve, Mission Texas
In the "world's worst" category of lousy bird photos I was very happy to take, here's a few photos from Chihuahua Woods Preserve near Mission, Texas this morning (8/7). This adult Short-tailed Hawk played tag with the treetops for me and finally when I got to an open area I was able to get a couple quick shots off - though I missed better opportunities. These are heavily cropped and one is darkened very slightly as the whites were bleached out.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
South Padre Island Pelagic, July 17, 2010
The Osprey headed out from South Padre Island on July 17 with a full load of birders and leaders. The forecast was for calm winds and calm seas and for once it was correct. We finally worked up to nearly two feet waves, but I've seen bigger waves at a family reunion from a cannonball off the diving board.
We looked through a lot of Royal and Sandwich Terns near the shrimp boats on the way out. There really wasn't much going on there, and with the calm waters we were anxious to get to deep water.
Bird of the trip on Eric Carpenter's South Padre Island Pelagic was this Greater Shearwater, one of fewer than 20 records for Texas (once reviewed by the TBRC). This spiffy looking bird was sitting on the water near a young Masked Booby and stayed with the boat and a school of tuna for more than half an hour - at times within 10 feet of the boat!
Here's the Greater Shearwater taking off from next to the boat.
We were also treated to several views of the Shearwater coming in and landing on the water, giving us great views of the smudgy belly found on the species.
We were frustrated with several very distant or very brief views of Masked Boobies in the morning, but this cooperative youngster was extremely accomodating first sitting on the water, and then flying down the length of the boat. 
Later, we saw this adult Masked Booby, quite a contrast to the first bird and recognizable a long way out. 
We looked through a lot of Royal and Sandwich Terns near the shrimp boats on the way out. There really wasn't much going on there, and with the calm waters we were anxious to get to deep water.
Bird of the trip on Eric Carpenter's South Padre Island Pelagic was this Greater Shearwater, one of fewer than 20 records for Texas (once reviewed by the TBRC). This spiffy looking bird was sitting on the water near a young Masked Booby and stayed with the boat and a school of tuna for more than half an hour - at times within 10 feet of the boat!
Here's the Greater Shearwater taking off from next to the boat.
We were also treated to several views of the Shearwater coming in and landing on the water, giving us great views of the smudgy belly found on the species.
We were frustrated with several very distant or very brief views of Masked Boobies in the morning, but this cooperative youngster was extremely accomodating first sitting on the water, and then flying down the length of the boat. 
Later, we saw this adult Masked Booby, quite a contrast to the first bird and recognizable a long way out. And now for a fish story. With the Greater Sheatwater and the tuna feeding frenzy we spotted a whale shark about 20 feet long as it swam slowly slowly under the boat - lengthwise. While whale sharks are the largest fish in the world (being truly a shark though the size of a whale) this is a "little" whale shark. Next we saw the tail of one out of the water with dark shadows indicating where the body was for at least two whale sharks. 
And then a third was spotted! It's easiest to see fish in the water with polarizing sun glasses, but one whale shark did a tail stand and poked its nose out of the water with its mouth agape. The spots were spectacular in the midday sun! And then it slowly slid underwater. 
Wow. This was the best look I've ever had at a whale shark! I spent a lot more time watching these huge fish instead of taking pictures.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Rio Grande Flood - Llano Grande Floodway; photos from July 16, 2010
Here's a series of pictures showing the floodway that runs from Anzalduas Dam to the Gulf of Mexico. These photos are in Mercedes or Weslaco, Texas. All the pictures are from the levee that runs east/west at the south end of Estero Llano Grande State Park. This view is from the west end of the federal and state tracts, looking east on the floodway to the Llano Grande RV Park.
This next picture is looking west from the same point. The area is usually a channel bordered with cattails and marsh and a pond in the center. 
This photo is looking south where 1015 crosses the floodway. The sign just left of center is on 1015, as is the big tangle of phragmites and sticks behind it.
Here's a view across 1015 to the pumphouse on the west side of 1015. 
Here's another view from the levee looking south across the floodway. A local told me these are the highest floodwaters in the Llano Grande floodway since 1967. The land in the distance under the second electric tower is all agricultural fields.
This next picture is looking west from the same point. The area is usually a channel bordered with cattails and marsh and a pond in the center. This photo is looking south where 1015 crosses the floodway. The sign just left of center is on 1015, as is the big tangle of phragmites and sticks behind it.
Here's a view across 1015 to the pumphouse on the west side of 1015. Here's another view from the levee looking south across the floodway. A local told me these are the highest floodwaters in the Llano Grande floodway since 1967. The land in the distance under the second electric tower is all agricultural fields.
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