Thursday, January 07, 2016

Galveston Island

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Thursday morning under dark skies I did a scouting drive to find Sandhill Cranes, so that Dee and I would know where to find them later.

There were plenty of other birds around on 8 Mile Road. One flock had a nice mix of Great and Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Roseate Spoonbill and White Ibis.



On Sportsmen Road, Ospreys seemed to be perched everywhere, eating their fish breakfasts.


 



A Belted Kingfisher was still fishing from a utility wire while another had already caught a crab.
 

 

Perhaps the best sighting along the roadside was a Red-breasted Merganser, always a treat to see.


The rocky area at the end of 8 Mile Road was busy with shorebirds, including Ruddy Turnstones and Least Sandpipers.


 

I decided to return there later, when the light would hopefully be better. However, a Common Loon just cried out to be photographed then and there.





There were a few Sandhill Cranes along 8 Mile Road but they were all very distant.



So I went over to  11 Mile Road, where I finally found a trio of Sandhills fairly close to the road. 



After that, it was back to the motel to collect Dee and to do a more leisurely drive around the 8 Mile Road area.
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