Sunday Birding

.On Sunday morning we drove across Houston to the San Jacinto Monument park to check out the bird situation there. Unfortunately, we didn't reach the park until late morning, by which time almost all the birds except a Sedge Wren seemed to have disappeared.

We decided to visit the nearby Lynchburg Ferry landing area, since it has a reputation as a good place to see gulls, terns, shorebirds and the like. As it happens, the first bird we spotted was less exotic - a Great-tailed Grackle.

The beach area had Laughing, Herring (below) and Ring-billed Gulls.

Most of the terns on the beach and in the air were Forster's but we also saw a solitary Royal Tern.

The only shorebirds mixed in with the gulls and terns were four Semipalmated Plovers.

On our way home we made a quick stop at El Franco Lee Park, where White-faced Ibis and Snowy Egrets were feeding in the water by the gazebo.

While four Great Blue Herons were too far away for photos, a Little Blue Heron was just within camera reach.

The ducks in view included Gadwall and Northern Shoveler. However, the most numerous were Green-winged Teal.

Although it was early afternoon on a warm day, many of the Teal were huddled together in rafts and apparently taking a nap. We drove home to follow their example.

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