I spent the morning wandering around Anahuac yesterday and it was another great day. Very few and spotty bugs and lots of birds at shoveler pond. Unfortunately, the area has missed most of the recent rains and most ditches have no water and deep marsh? (the large former wetland on the way down to the bay) has no water whatsoever. It always had some water even back in 1911. Purple gallinules are all around shoveler pond http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499677 They are feeding in and on the lily pads. They walk out on the pads which sink and turn over. The gallinules eat by picking off the underside or what comes loose http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499681 Most of what the get seems to be seen and grabbed rather than just poking around http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499680 And then a big bite http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499679 The youngsters are reaching the ugly gallinule stage http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499683 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499685 And unlike the young common gallinules, do not have the white rump patches of the adults http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499684 Here is a common gallinule chick of about the same age http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499669 They will keep an oranger bill than the parent until later in the winter and will gradually look more like an adult http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499670 The swim much more and better than young purple gallinules http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499674 And their incessant constant begging is the sound of the month everywhere around the tour loop. And there are really lots of them http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499671 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499672 Each trip, there have been more broods of black-bellied whistling ducks which are really nice looking ducks. Both the chicks of the black-bellied and fulvous whistling ducks clump as a brood more than the other ducks and often form tightly knit groups http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499665 They do spread out when moving to a new place to feed http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499663 But quickly form back up. At times they all gather against the parents and even between the two parents as protection http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499660 Barn swallows are out sitting http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499656 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499655 There are more neotropic cormorants just sitting around http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499647 A pair of least bitterns was working one of the last puddles along the road http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499645 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499644 Butterflies are coming into season like this giant swallowtail http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499643 I tend to forget that butterflies have 4 wings as they seem to only have two most of the time. But they can actually use each set of wings differently http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499642 This was my first from the ferry magnificent frigatebird from the Galveston ferry last week http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499640 Young scissor-tailed flycatchers are popping up everywhere and really like like regular kingbirds. This one was at Quintana And the lingering male redhead at Brazoria early in the morning http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156499638 All of these and more can be browsed at http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox just use the right and left arrows. -- 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
