Yesterday I drove over to the north edge of Sheldon Lake State Park to see what birds were there and in Carpenter's Bayou, just across Garrett Road from the park.
As soon as I got out of the car, I spotted a new year bird: Purple Gallinule.
I watched the Gallinule for a while as it wandered about, carefully lifting up the edges of lilypads as it went.
A few days earlier a Glossy Ibis had been reported from the same area and so I paid particular attention when a dark-colored Ibis appeared. It was difficult to get a good shot of the bird but the photos I did manage showed that it was indeed a Glossy Ibis, another new bird for 2013.
Nearby a Little Blue Heron was prowling in the shallow water.
A few yards further west, at the bridge, there was a group of Great and Snowy Egrets.
One of the Great Egrets stayed where it was.
The others flew up to the treetops, joining a White Ibis that was already perched well out of harm's way.
Although there were lots of herons and egrets on the Carpenter's Bayou side of the the bridge, I decided that I would wait to check these out until after I had paid a visit to the nature center area.
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Hi Jeff. Great to see you adding two more colourful species to your year list.
ReplyDeleteEgrets are a special favourite of mine.
Hi Jeff, nice birds, thank you for the frigatebird, I nearly forget to look for it on the ferry, remember it in the last second and saw one flying away from the area, but we was to late with cameras.
ReplyDeleteWere just passed 100 species after 14 days, it aint easy with the warblers ¨when we dont know the song, I have all the songs on a mp3-player, but it still not easy.
We are in the Smokies now, heading for 2 days in Nashville before moving South to Lousianna and ending with 3 days in Galvestone at the end of June. We have not seen the Bald eagle and Swallow-tailed kite, I saw that you had them, very nice birds,:-)!
dns
Thanks, Frank.
ReplyDeleteGlad you saw a Frigatebird, Dag. If you want to see the Bald Eagles and Swaqllow-tailed Kites, let me know and I'll send directions (if the birds are still here then).