Birds and Nature

Not any butterflies at the National Butterfly Center today but I found a nice mixed flock including this White-eyed Vireo. The National Butterfly Center is one of the locations that has been targeted for some of the additional Border Wall for which funds have been requested by Congress. As one of the few remaining areas of native habitat in the Rio Grande Valley and 2/3 of the National Butterfly Centers property on the south (ie Mexican) side of where they want to build the wall, it would be disastrous if that worthless wall is funded. SeEtta

Didn't have time to pay attention to this photo I got of a White-eyed Vireo, on my trip down at the Falfurrias Rest Stop. Famous for it's rare birds, this highway rest stop with lots of trees had reports of a Painted Redstart but when I got there it had been raining and birds were very scarce. I didn't find the redstart, and haven't heard of it being reported that day or since. I did get this interesting photo of this White-eyed Vireo, a common bird down here in So Texas, in the light rain with an overcast sky and low lighting. SeEtta

Here are two more pics of the White-eyed Vireo I found on the Canon City, CO Riverwalk yesterday. Both of these pics show the whitish throat and yellowish wash on it's flanks found on this species. I birded the Riverwalk again today and did refind this bird but only briefly as it was mid-afternoon by the time I made my way to it's location (lots of other enjoyable, though not rare, birds along the way). SeEtta

I found this White-eyed Vireo yesterday on the Canon City, CO Riverwalk. They are very rare birds in this part of Colorado. Though I see lots of them when I travel to So Texas, this is the first one I have seen not only on the Riverwalk but anywhere in Fremont County. The top pic shows the very distinctive white iris. The bottom pic shows the gray nape noted by Sibley as a one of the field marks for this species. SeEtta

I was fortunate to catch this White-eyed Vireo in song today at the Santa Ana NWR. I was on my way down the 'hawk tower' so for a change I was higher than this vireo putting me and my camera in a position to look right into it's wide open beak. SeEtta