Texan Hummers

Been meaning to post this for ages, but somehow never got round to it: a few shots and video sequences of some more avian highlights from Texas. We saw three species of hummer: Ruby-throated, Buff-bellied and Black-chinned.

And here are the movies…

 

 

Common Nighthawks at Anahuac

Couple of photos that I meant to post earlier… we saw at least half a dozen Common Nighthawk one afternoon at the far end of the Anahuac reserve. They were roosting on the gravel road, presumably having recently come in off the sea, and with a bit of patience allowed fairly close approach. The intricate patterns on each feather are extraordinary!

What do you get if you cross a tame Treecreeper with a mint humbug?

Answer: lots of nice photos! As if you couldn’t guess, this is a Black-and-white Warbler, photographed in Port Aransas as it fed contentedly no more than a couple of metres from a small group of impressed birders.

Suzanne’s Favourite Lumix Photos from Texas

I thought it was about time I shared some of my photos from the trip before I head out to the Birders’ drinks to drive all over East London dropping the Boozy Birders home…

They are certainly not my favourite birds and I also took lots of flower and dragonfly photos but these are the ones that I want to share for now. They’re the ones that remind me what Texas was like for me. There will also be lots of links to my bird videos to follow. I discovered that this was the one thing that I could definitely do better than David. I think they’ll have to wait until my time is my own again once the kids go on study leave next Friday though.

Brazos Bend – my favourite placeSnowy EgretYellow-crowned Night-heronSome kind of Swallowtail!Aransas National Wildlife RefugeMenacing Croc…Wild TurkeyBrown PelicanLaughing GullRoyal TernParadise Pond, RockportBlack and White WarblerUnimpressed Great-tailed GrackleGreen JaySwamp RabbitWe really wanted to know what the Pelicans do but alas they did not perform for us…Tricoloured HeronSanta Ana National Wildlife RefugeRuby-throated HummingbirdLost Maple State ParkConcan Bat Cave187 miles on one long straight road to HoustonHoustonRoseate SpoonbillEastern KingbirdCommon NighthawkWilletMulberry-stained Blue JayMulberry-stained Lizard!WG Jones State Park, managed woodlands for Red-cockaded, Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers

Meep, meep!

Remember this?

Well, in Texas we saw the real Roadrunner – and they’re almost as charismatic as the cartoon version. Here’s a selection of their many poses…

PS – here’s a very long distance hazy record shot of Mr W. E. Coyote. And no, he didn’t get the Roadrunner in real life, either.