Great Morning at Brazos (2)

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As we continued our walk around 40-Acre Lake, it seemed there was never a dull moment. The sighting of the Purple Gallinule family chicks was followed by close-up looks at four more adult Gallinules and then a Common Moorhen with two chicks.




The most common species was Yellow-crowned Night Heron. We must have seen 20 or more.


Most of the Yellow-crowneds were adults but a few were juveniles.


Several Green Herons were busy fishing.




A Great Blue Heron flew off as we approached but landed again only a few feet away and then stayed to give us good looks. From the speckled plumage on its neck, I assume it was a juvenile.






A White Ibis also let us watch it from a close distance.


Great Egrets and Cattle Egrets frequently passed by overhead.

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

As always at Brazos Bend, there were plenty of Red-eared Sliders and American Alligators, many of them so decorated with vegetation that it was easy to overlook them.




One alligator considerately waited until we had passed by before crossing the path behind us.


Some yards further on, we had to walk carefully past another that was lying right on the path.








After finishing our walk around 40 Acre, we moved on to have a picnic at Elm Lake and then to take a quick peek at Creekfield Lake before heading home. I'll report on this section of the trip on Thursday.
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