Critters – Page 3

First raft-up.

Camelot and Nirvana rafted up last night after going for a nice long sail. It was the first raft-up of 2019, and the first one in quite a long time before that. It’s nice to be at anchor, and we were tucked way up in a creek where the only wakes being thrown at us came from kayaks. Perfect.

The lake is rising and is above full, due to recent rains. We’ll see how high it goes in the next week or so.

I kayaked up to the end of the creek that we anchored in. Lake sailing in the Texas Hill Country doesn’t suck.

A mallard duck came out to greet me.

Pretty view of a lovely anchorage.

Pretty birds.

Memories of most birds that I identify through binoculars reside only in my mind’s eye. Though, occasionally, I am able to capture a clear photo. These are a few of the 100+ species logged on my trip to High Island and Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge over the weekend.

Chestnut-sided warbler: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Golden-winged warbler: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Mom and Dad Great Egret at the nest with their babies: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Yellow-billed cuckoo: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Eastern kingbird: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Neotropic cormorant: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Bikes and birds.

This is the weekend of the MS-150 bike ride from Houston to Austin. I served as sherpa again with Doray and drove Laura and her friend Patty to Houston on Friday night.

This morning we helped her get to the start and then we drove east, instead of west, so we could do some birding on the coast.

We had a great day, logging over 80 species, and turned in at the hotel late and a tad tired. Tomorrow is another day!

Bunny.

Happy Easter!

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Migrants.

Over the weekend I made a trip to the coast. The Spring migration is underway, and I wanted to see some colorful birds arriving after their Gulf crossing. I thought the cold front headed for the coast might make for favorable chances of a fallout. As it turned out, the front passed north of where I was, so weather conditions were not exceptional. I did end up seeing lots of birds – almost 70 species. But, I had to work at it.

Scarlet tanager eating a juicy mulberry…

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Painted bunting and common yellowthroat… OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Black-necked stilt, standing daringly close to an alligator… OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Play ball!

We went to the ballpark tonight to watch the Round Rock Express play baseball; they are the Triple-A minor league club for the Houston Astros. It was a good game! We won, too.

The Budweiser Clydesdales were there, too. It was a treat to see them up close.

Spring guests at the chez.

Spring is here! I have been busy filling up a couple dozen lawn waste bags to put on the curb for pickup the last few weeks. So, I’ve had the opportunity to spy on several pairs of birds who have picked our birdhouses to build nests in and raise a mess of babies.

This is a ceramic birdhouse that I bought when we visited Louisville Stoneware a couple years ago. I hung it up last year with no takers, but a cute Carolina Wren couple have moved in this Spring.

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I built and installed two bluebird houses last year, again, with no takers. It’s a bit of wishful thinking that I might attract a bluebird since they really prefer a more rural setting. But a girl can hope! This year they won’t be empty, though! A Bewick’s Wren couple is building a nest in this one…

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And a Black-Crested Titmouse couple is in the other one… OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I have seen a few other birds enter some of the other houses/holes around the yard. But I’ll have to stake them out to see if anyone moves in.

I’m just thrilled to know where several nests are, and will anxiously watch for signs of babies hatching and fledging.

Spring break.

We have a tradition with Tim & Fiona…taking their family fishing on the lake during spring break. They have three great kids, who are a pleasure to be around. We had a wonderful day today. The weather was perfect and the fish were biting. A good time was had by all.

Mud bugs.

It’s what’s for dinner. Another sign of spring.

My Hill Country happy places.

We took a drive out through the Hill Country this week; out Highway 290 towards Fredericksburg. It was a beautiful day. We left early to beat the morning rush hour and stopped at Pedernales Falls State Park to visit their bird blinds. We stayed for less than an hour, but saw canyon wrens, ladderback woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, lincoln and field sparrows, ruby-crowned kinglets, black-crested titmice, cardinals, spotted towhees, and more.

Field sparrow…

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Lincoln sparrow…

Along the way we stopped at the Pedernales River several times and saw wild turkeys, buffalo and longhorn cattle.

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Then we stopped at Wildseed Farms to buy fresh flower seed to plant after the last freeze.

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After lunch in Fredericksburg, we headed back east, making stops at the tasting rooms of Grape Creek Winery, and Becker Vineyards.

Our last stop, Hye Rum, was a new one for us, having opened only a few years ago. Monte especially enjoyed their barrel-aged dark rum. Check them out.

We made it back home before the afternoon rush hour.

All good!

Web sight.

I came across this spider web strung with tiny pearls of dew, on a foggy morning last week.

Counting birds.

I participated in my 3rd Christmas Bird Count today. Our small group of four birders hiked for over 6 hours and logged 45 species. Our counts will be rolled up with the other teams’ results.

A foggy morning over the Pedernales River….

turned into a beautiful day above the Pedernales River.

What a lovely day!

G’nite y’all.

We had a bit of a Wii frisbee golf-a-thon tonight. As I turned out the kitchen lights at the end of the night, the silhouetted tulips caught my eye. Keeto says, “night night go seepies.” So, off I go… 🙂

No lions, tigers, or bears.

I checked the SD card on my critter cam yesterday. I moved it a few weeks ago to point at the opening of a burrow I discovered that some animal had recently dug in the middle of our back lot. I just wanted to see what I could see. I captured countless daytime visiting backyard bird species (doves, blue jays, cardinals, titmice, wrens, mockingbirds,…). But it turns out, it’s quite the popular nightspot. Here are some snaps…it’s a jungle out there. I thought these were the most interesting visitors.