Birds and Nature

There are several Vermilion Flycatchers at Neals Lodges this week and have seen them at other locations in the area including Chalk Bluff Park. And I spotted this Blue Grosbeak at the pecan grove at Neals Lodges also. SeEtta

I couldn't help but take several photos of the colorful bird. It looks like it is one of the first to return to this area. SeEtta

I birded an area called Chalk Cliffs Park (actually a private location that has day passes for $8 for those not staying there. I hadn't even gotten out of my car when I spotted this beauty. SeEtta

This Tropical Parula is a hard core singer--it sings from morning, less in afternoon but some again at evening. It has apparently been here almost 3 weeks. I found records of one last year that stayed also but no other reports on ebird. This is only one of many neat birds I am seeing at Neals Lodges (more in next posts). SeEtta

I came to Neals Lodges in Concan because it is a great birding hotspot but I was surprised to find out there was a Tropical Parula here. I refound the bird both yesterday and today, not difficult to locate it's raspy song but it is difficult to find it when it is 80-100 feet in the top of one of the many tall trees. I was able to follow it today when it flew into a shorter tree so I could get some reasonable photos. More photos to follow. SeEtta

This is how I spotted this male Black-and-White Warbler at Kerr WMA yesterday-it looked strange to see it perched upright. SeEtta

I have tried to turn a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets into Hutton's Vireos in the past week so very happy I finally have a real Hutton's Vireo, a bird I found at Kerr Wildlife Management Area. And I got it in the mid-afternoon--I was driving past that area on my way to Concan and couldn't resist stopping to see what I could find. See the bluish legs shown clearly in the top pic-very different from the yellowish legs and feet on Ruby-crowned Kinglets. That pic also shows the pale edges that meet the base of secondaries (instead of black line) that is another field mark per Sibleys. The bottom pic shows well the 'thick hooked bill', round head,and pale lores.  Plus the eye ring broken at the top--all the field marks for Hutton's. Vireo.  SeEtta

This is the Myrirchus flycatcher I saw and photographed quickly before it flew off. I did see a flash of rufous fromit's undertail asit flew. Tho it does not show any crest I think it is a Great Crested Flycatcher because it h shows the "broad white inner tertial edge, thinker at base"as noted for this species in Nat Geographic field guide. SeEtta

These are photos I took yesterday at Warbler Woods Sanctuary just north of San Antonio of the same or possibly two different vireos in the plumbeous complex. The owner Susan and I both thought there was a rather light vireo but I also saw and photographed amuch darker appearing bird about 30 feet from where we saw the lighter appearing bird. I thought that both photos showed a fairly diffuse border between the throat and the auriculars which would be more indicative of a Cassin's Vireo. However it has pointed out that this is a difficult species to prove for this area. It was also noted on the Texbirds facebook page that dark lores are a fild mark for Cassin's. Do click on each photo to enlarge for best viewing. Note: I did no editing other than cropping of these photos.SeEtta