CLOSING PHOTOS from the BIRDING FESTIVAL with help from GOOGLE

12 Nov 2018 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized

Wilson’s Warbler

November 12, 2018

I hope you enjoyed all  the beautiful birds from my latest adventure.   The following  birds  I saw, but  could not capture with my camera – mostly due to their speed and my lack of speed.  So, rather than my readers miss out, Google supplied the photos in this posting.

Yellow Throated Warbler –

Blue Gnat Catcher

Ladder Backed Woodpecker

Ringed Kingfish

Lastly, the Orange Crowned  Warbler.

For all the birders and nature lovers out there, if you ever have the opportunity to visit Texas, you will not be disappointed.

Thanks for reading!

LAST DAY of the RIO GRAND BIRDING FESTIVAL 2018

12 Nov 2018 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hooded Oriole

November 12, 2018

The last day of the birding festival I ventured alone to a nearby park.   I was delighted to see some of the south Texas birds that I had missed on the previous days…..

Here are my favorites……

Gotta love the colorful orioles!

Especially when they are drinking from  humming bird feeders.

Black Crested Titmouse

Golden Fronted  Woodpecker – not the best photo but I liked how it  especially showed off his yellow and orange head.

Curved Bill Thrasher

Had to share this last photo of the Green Jay having a bad hair day.

Can you see it?  There were spider webs, spider included, at every turn.  The drizzle  in the early morning light  made  the webs sparkle  incredibly  with just  a touch of eeriness…….

especially, in this setting of over grown grasses  and  gnarly  mesquite trees.

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 3 RIO GRAND BIRDING FESTIVAL

10 Nov 2018 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Texas blooms in November

Nov. 10, 2018

Day 3 at the birding festival brought some pretty birds, scary  looking  fauna and dinner at a unique steakhouse.

First – the beauty……

Couch’s Kingbird

Another Altamira  Oriole

A parade of White Pelicans

and a clever Green Jay.

Texas  bird  feeders  also are impressive…..

and some are complete with stadium seating.

Next, the scary ….

Lastly the unique…..

Only in Texas can you go to dinner and see……

In the back yard there are horses and ……

But the flip side – they  bring delicious  free cowboy soup and my diet coke in a pitcher!

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

 

 

RIO GRAND BIRDING FESTIVAL’S FALCONER and his BIRDS

09 Nov 2018 2 Comments

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: ,

November 9, 2018

The  highlight of the festival’s trade show was a  falconer and his 17 birds.   Twice  a day he would introduce his birds,  give a little history about each one and demonstrate the  flying abilities of 2 or 3.   Now when I watched, it seemed most of the birds did not really co-operate, but I enjoyed them anyway!  Here are 13 members  of  his beautiful  bird family………

 

American Kestrel

Eagle Owl – he was huge!!

I never knew there would so many kids of owls!!

what was Mother Nature thinking????

 

this is the national bird of Iceland

This was my favorite – a snowy owl  and he was napping  every time I saw him.  The falconer would kiss the top of his head when he introduced him and  explain that the snowy owl was an old guy so he  just lets him sleep.

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

 

 

DAY 2 at the RIO GRAND BIRDING FESTIVAL

09 Nov 2018 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Green Jay

November 9, 2018

Day 2 of the Birding Festival in southern Texas was wonderful!  I successfully saw some new birds  to add to my birding  history and I  owe it all to the terrific professional bird guides.

The Rio Grand Valley  is home to the World Bird Center which  is made up of  several  different locations of nature centers/ sanctuaries.  Many of the sanctuaries also set up bird blinds and feeders to lure  the birds more easily into view.   Through the festival, I could pick from a large selection of birding field trips led by guides.   My opening photo is of the Green Jay, who were beautiful,  plentiful and noisy.

Altamira Oriole

Great Kiskadee

Inca Dove (which is cute and about 1/2 the size of other doves)

Scissor-tail Flycatcher

Female Indigo Bunting

Plain Chachalaca (also plentiful and noisy)

Red Winged Blackbird

Lastly a  Texas Spiny Lizard showing off his colors..

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

RIO GRAND BIRDING FESTIVAL NOV. 2018

08 Nov 2018 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

November 8, 2018

Hello from the Rio Grand Birding Festival!  My first ever birding festival!  So come along with me and I hope to
have interesting birds (and other tidbits) to report.

Day one was arrival  at the Harlingen, Texas airport and a 45 min trip to South Padre Island to try some birding on my own.  Here is what I found….

Great Egret

Great Blue Heron

Duck’s bottoms up

Duck’s bottom down

Great Tailed Grackle

Baby Alligator who laid very, very still waiting for lunch to float by.

Things really  are bigger and better in Texas….

Lesson of the day – watch where I am walking while  looking for birds – Texas has  yucca  trees that grow taller than me and are extremely painful when walked into…..

Stay tuned……more birds to come……

Thanks for reading!

Hope you enjoyed!