I did the loop from Anahuac to the Texas City Dike back on December 11th and finally got around to posting the pictures. Had a couple of rainy and wet weeks in California and new years duties so was a little slow posting. Apparently brought the rain with me when I came home A loggerhead shrike along 1985 was very cooperative http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126168 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126160 The herd of red-breasted nuthatches at high island was still running around smith oaks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126185 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126175 Despite the dry surroundings, the ponds on bob and frenchtown road are full. A young white ibis was scavenging leftovers from the fisherfolk http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126188 The best birding was on the texas city dike. Wilson's plovers are scarce in winter but the dike small plover roost had one bird http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126502 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126500 The american oystercatchers were out on the rocks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126505 But were the unbanded birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126504 A very itchy long-billed curlew was trying to make the itch go away http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126506 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126511 But was still scratching when I left http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126512 An adult lesser black-backed gull had replaced the greater or had left the species hot spot at Quintana http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126564 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126563 I tried very hard to make this seagull with a ring around the bill something other than a herring gull http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126570 But it will molt into a real herring gull http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126568 Lots of varied plumages out there to look over http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126566 A young of the year white-tailed kite was catching crickets out near the end of the dike http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126579 Most youngsters from last summer have long lost their juvenile feathers http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126573 And I was unappreciated based on the glare http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/148126578 All the pictures can be browsed at http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner