[texbirds] Wednesday pictures, Kites, Kitelets, Painted Buntings and Fish Crows

From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
To: 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2013 15:35:14 -0500
I spent most of Wednesday morning along Aweigh drive and the vicinity with
the swallow-tailed and Mississippi kites. As usual with the kites I took
too many pictures but they are just too cool birds.
When I arrived, most of the birds were perched with occasional flights to
intercept parents bringing food. This adult was off to the south a bit
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142051

But headed off to Aweigh when the young started squealing
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142053

The fledged, flying and feeding on bug aged kitelets still had trouble
finding good perches
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142058

Note that the youngsters have swallow-tails but not as deeply forked and
the prongs are shorter too. Still some tan wash across the chest
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142064

They know how to land well
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142068

Especially when they want to land where the nestmate is perched
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142070

But the winner of the perch really got upset when a parent gave a squab to
the supplanted bird
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142074

Dragonflies were starting to get up there by around 10am
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142102

A parent bird really scolded a youngster
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142107

this youngster has more tan on the chest and also the wings. It is just an
edge on the new feathers and wears off quickly
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142112

The adults did not seem to feed the youngsters except when they found squabs
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142117

They can see dragonflies from a great distance
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142123

One adult really wanted the small squab brought home
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142124

But finders keepers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142125

The youngsters are almost as aerodynamic as the parents
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142130

Chases for the dragonflies often went among the trees
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151142129

Mississippi kites were up feeding too
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141821

But no youngsters heard or seen
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141824

Herons going to and from overhead were harassed on occasion like this
little blue heron
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141820

Earlier, painted buntings were singing and feeding? in the dogwood down in
the Trinity River Bottoms
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141812

They are still singing and territorial
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141810

Not sure if they are eating the dogwood berries but something is as most of
the berries are gone. This bird wanted a shot of its good side
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141809

Just too many opportunities for pictures there. Also lots of tent
caterpillars and calling yellow-billed cuckoos but none were together.
Maybe too many webs
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141817

This is the best area for the buntings I have found this summer
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141814

The prothonotary warblers are using cars for perches. Mainly grabbing bugs
off the ground
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141807

Lots of inca doves in the area too with this newly fledged chick
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141805

The fish crow at Deusen Park was really too close for pictures
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141804

http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/151141802

As usual, any day with kites andor painted buntings is great.

-- 
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx


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[texbirds] Wednesday pictures, Kites, Kitelets, Painted Buntings and Fish Crows

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