Birds and Nature

I photographed this Cattle Egret during the Weslaco Christmas Bird Count. It reminded me of Pegasus, the mythical winged horse. SeEtta

A specialty of southern Texas and eastern Mexico, this Long-billed Thrasher also came in to the water features (there are three) at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge for a long drink. SeEtta Moss

This RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN, a vagrant from Mexico, has been seen at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge over a month ago and is still being seen regularly. I arrived at 10:15 and was amazed when it showed up at 10:23. It stayed for about 2 minutes as it drank 7-10 times from the water feature next to the Visitor Center about 25-30 feet from where several of us birders watched. It was pretty shady in this area so the photos were a little dark I included the rear view pic as most birders only post frontal photos, while there are times in the field when birders only get to see a bird from behind. Double-click on each photo for closer views. SeEtta

I photographed this Carolina Wren at Hildago Pumphouse (where they used to pump water from the Rio Grande River for many farm fields). South of the McAllen,TX, this location is adjacent to the Rio Grande River and just across the border from Mexico. There were also 2 Black Phoebes on the Hildago Pumphouse grounds. SeEtta

I spotted this Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Northern Cardinal in the Roselawn Cemetery getting a drink from one of the urns that are filled with fresh flowers. This source of drinking water, the first I have observed, adds to the better known amenities such as diversity of trees and minimal disturbance that cemeteries offer to birds. SeEtta

While birding in the Roselawn Cemetery I found this Pine Warbler, I believe a male, foraging in the same area as the Greater Pewee. SeEtta

Just one more pic that helps show off the yellow-orange mandible on it's bi-colored and very large bill on the Greater Pewee. (It's crest, white chin and dark upper bill visible on pics in prior post while plain gray plumage shown on pics in both posts). When I viewed this bird it showed a greenish tinge to some of it's lower parts which hadn't been reported or noted by other 2 birders who viewed it with me. I did find that Birds of North America online states that for birds in Definitive Basic plumage, "Fresh plumage more deeply colored than spring plumage aspect described below, with upperparts more olive, lower parts more strongly suffused with yellowish buff or greenish yellow ." Since this plumage is acquired after pre-Basic molt that occurs in July through September, it's plumage shouldn't be too worn yet. SeEtta