Birds and Nature

The Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary also has a blind that reaches out over a pond and wetland area that allows closer views of a number of waterbirds and waterfowl that might be shy. I watched this Green Heron as it actively foraged, stalking frogs/fish/snakes unseen by me. The Green Heron in the lower pic was in the process of thrusting it's bill to grab some prey, making the pic a little blurry--but the heron was successful. SeEtta

As I walked on the "wetland bridge" walkway over the currently dry marsh area, I heard a song I with which I was unfamiliar. I was surprised when I found that the Common Yellowthroat in these pics was giving that song. It's song sounded nothing like the wich-e-ty, wich-e-ty, wich-e-ty that is associated with this species. I was told today that there is a subspecies called the "Brownsville Yellowthroat" that has a very different song. I found some brief information about this subspecies, Geothlypis trichas insperata , but I couldn't find a recording of its' song to listen to. Though "Birds of North America" online notes subtle plumage differences between this and other subspecies, though it didn't indicate if these were distinguishable in the field. I will post about my experience on Texbirds listserve and maybe someone will have further information. SeEtta

Brilliant,brilliant,brilliant--that is the most descriptive word for male Blackburnian Warblers. Their orange heads are so very bright and intense. The warblers including this one in the mixed flock that I found were actively foraging in the middle of the day. The temperature was in the mid eighties and the humidity was at least that high--it was quite soggy. The winds were strong as they have been all week, with speeds around 20 mph with gusts over 30 mph, but the palm forest at Sabal Palm Audubon Center provided some protection. SeEtta

Hopefully the gremlins that took over my laptop the past few days (no,not a virus) are gone so I can post more pics from my trip like these. I took these photos at the famous Sabal Palm Audubon Center in Brownsville, TX--the same one for which I have conservation alerts due to the likely building of the dumb-destructive border wall that is still being built and will probably cut-off Sabal Palm from access (though the arrogant jerks in charge won't even tell Sabal Palm representatives what they are planning). I better not get wound up about this awful border wall as I could go on for pages about why it is a taxpayer rip-off as well as devastating to the remnant ecosystem that supports birds like this one. Sabal Palm is one of my favorite places because it is such a jewel with it's remnant sabal palm forest, a habitat that has been decimated by development along the Rio Grande Valley. I talked to someone who was catching beetles for a university research program and he told me ...