Birds and Nature

On Monday while birding at South Padre Island's Convention Center gardens I had the opportunity to spend more than 10 minutes less than 10 feet from this Ovenbird as it foraged.   I stood very very still and enjoyed this unusual opportunity, and got a number of good photos. SeEtta   

  These Baltimore Orioles were enjoying refreshing baths in the extensive water feature at the South Padre Island Convention Center.  The color of their feathers were nicely enhanced by the light. These birds like most of the others here had recently migrated hundreds of miles across the Gulf of Mexico and have stopped over at these gardens for food, rest and a good bath. South Padre Island is a barrier island and the first land migrating birds come to when they fly across the Gulf in this southern area. Unfortunately there has been horrendous habitat destruction with many hotels and other buildings. Fortunately the Convention Center allows local birders to add trees for these birds. These local volunteers also maintain the large water feature and provide food like oranges for the birds. SeEtta

I really had to work for this sighting. I spotted this skulker late in the afternoon, getting brief glimpses of it as it moved through some thick vegetation on the south side of the Convention Center. It took about 20 minutes to finally get a confirming view like the one below. SeEtta

I saw two more eastern warblers at the Convention Center gardens on SPI today. Though I didn't get a pic the first time I saw a male Hooded Warbler today was on the boardwalk where one had ventured briefly from the vegetation adjacent. The one pictured here was foraging in gardens area. This Yellow-troated Warbler came in to take a bath at the water feature. SeEtta

This is one of the two Black-throated Green Warblers coming into the gardens next to the SPI Convention Center today. Both of these warblers took baths in the water feature. SeEtta

I was delighted to get to observe this Blue-winged Warbler for several minutes, in fact 3 times in 30 minutes at the Convention Center Gardens on South Padre Island. It bathed in the water feature but spent most of the time feeding in some low vegetation. So I was able to get some excellent looks at this beautiful bird and these pics. I actually saw my first of this species at Two Buttes 'black hole' in southeast Colorado more than a decade ago, but I saw that bird briefly from further away so not a great view. So today's views were so much better. It did appear to be successful in it's foraging as the pic above shows it with something in it's bill. Since this bird may have flown over the Gulf of Mexico before stopping over on South Padre Island it is likely very hungry. So glad that these gardens next to the South Padre Island Convention Center are available to provide a good stop over spot with food, water and shelter in the many shrubs, perennials...