[texbirds] Pictures from friday, golden plovers, baby terns, godwits, avocets and more
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:13:02 -0500
I started the day with birding on east beach of galveston. About the first
bird was a scavenging american oystercatcher feeding on a half fish.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370344
Few shorebirds present with semipalmated plover the commonest
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370342
The local harriers raised at least one youngster who was looking for
shorebirds too
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370340
Most of the least terns out there were non-breeding first year birds
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370348
Many of the royal terns had already lost their black heads
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370359
A caspian tern had brought it newly flying chick to the beach. It still
peeped instead of whining for food
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370385
The bill is the color of a royal tern but will change to red with a dark
end and yellow tip. Note that the youngster is close to the prototype
ur-tern with yellow feet, another species not portrayed correctly in most
field guides. One of the prominent guides used birds in the british museum,
some of which differ from american birds, and the colors on the soft parts
are painted with some painted with "normal" colors.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370375
A look at the two bils together
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370382
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370383
Further down the island, a sandwich tern was losing its dark forehead
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370355
White ibis adults are losing their bright red breeding color but still are
rather bald on the neck
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370334
Down on Follett's island an american golden plover was working in the heap
of gulfweed
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370414
Many gold back feathers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370420
Not an expected bird during the summer
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370418
This marbled godwit at the Quintana lagoon with a hidden orange bill is
likely a returnee within the last few days as it is not molting
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370424
The friend is starting to shed
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370425
Lots of white butterflies around Brazoria refuge
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370596
Lot of roseate spoonbills on the tour route
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370597
A reddish egret was dancing nearby
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370601
and catching stuff
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370603
With a tricolored heron as a dancing partner, they did not get along
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370600
Lots and lots of black-necked stilts in the ponds with young of all ages,
this one is a few days old
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370634
These are younger
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370620
Lots of room to grow
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370617
But feeding itself
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370618
The young seem to have trouble knowing where to put their legs
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370624
Many were resting
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370629
Much stretching
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144370632
When I got to the godwit spot on the refuge, a yellow-bellied woodpecker
was on the tree next to the car.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371013
An interesting color in light of other woodpeckers on the coast
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371009
The black-tailed godwit was well back there and appears to be molting some
of its back feathers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371025
Good sized bird next to an egret
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371027
During the turtle incident, the local birds gathered around a red-eared
slider. The godwit had just moved off from the group.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371014
This american avocet shows its foot is semipalmated which helps it swim in
the gulf etc.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371021
Several appear to be paired since they are mated. This is a male of one
pair.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371019
And the pair marching around together piping a short bit after mating. Note
the big difference in the amount of upturn on the bills.
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/144371017
Lots more pictures to look at at
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
Other related posts:
- » [texbirds] Pictures from friday, golden plovers, baby terns, godwits, avocets and more - Joseph Kennedy
