The best bird at Anahuac Wildlife Refuge was a young duckling back in the water lilies of shoveler pond. It had a large bill and face markings. http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708795 It was joined by others of the brood http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708798 And really made me think of something else and not a young fulvous whistling duck which it was when it joined its parents. A third adult whistling duck tried to join the group but was violently attacked. http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708796 Early brood common gallinules are almost grown http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708778 But the production line of babies continues http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708779 A young purple gallinule thought that it could lily trot but its feet were not big enough http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708782 A least bittern was out on its own in some newly reflooded marsh http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708784 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708783 The renewed water levels had the common nighthawks perched up on fence posts or in bare sandy spots. Note that there is a lot of color variation in the nighthawks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708785 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708786 Young barn swallows are starting to look very adultish but still do not have the long tail feathers of the parents. These still have the light colored aiming marks on their beaks http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708792 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708794 Which they will lose in a short while http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708793 There are still lots of black terns on the Bolivar Peninsula. These birds were feeding at Rollover Pass http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708806 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708808 A sunning yellow-crowned night heron almost could be a mystery bird http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708811 While another was out-waiting a crab in a hole http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708813 Up on the texas city dike, young of the year laughing gulls greatly outnumbered the adults for the first time http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708816 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708815 A common characteristic of the terns there was panting. It was hot, about 98. A large flock of least terns rests and feeds there. A few males still bring in fish to mates but there were no young of the year in the flock http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708819 A single young sandwich tern was there but no parent was seen http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708820 The newly arriving black-colored black terns are starting to lose the black, first around the head http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708821 And one with a little more white showing http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708824 And will soon look like this http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708825 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156708827 All the pictures and more 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
