2020-05-07: Texas Farewell

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33 Photos

Green Jay - Cyanocorax yncas — **Green Jay**
*(Cyanocorax yncas)*

**Description:**
Having collected many images of Green Jays on my first two visits to Atascosa, these birds were not a priority for my day's shooting, but I couldn't resist capturing this bird's grooming behaviour. This was my third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas and was intended to pickup images of a few birds I came up short with on my second visit, but then I started meeting new birds, so I stayed all day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:24 11:15

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
36.09 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500

**File Name:** GreenJay_D505901-Atascosa-NWR

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pin It — **Green Jay**
*(Cyanocorax yncas)*

**Description:**
Having collected many images of Green Jays on my first two visits to Atascosa, these birds were not a priority for my day's shooting, but I couldn't resist capturing this bird's grooming behaviour. This was my third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas and was intended to pickup images of a few birds I came up short with on my second visit, but then I started meeting new birds, so I stayed all day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:24 11:15

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
36.09 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500

**File Name:** GreenJay_D505901-Atascosa-NWR

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Purple Martin - Progne subis — **Purple Martin**
*(Progne subis)*

**Description:**
Flight shots of these Purple Martins proved a challenge. Stationary shots were much easier to capture. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:26 8:54

**Location:**

Breeze Lake
Brownsville, Texas
United States
29.53 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250

**File Name:** PurpleMartin_D508439Breeze-Lake-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Clay-Colored Thrush - Turdus grayi — **Clay-Colored Thrush**
*(Turdus grayi)*

**Description:**
The ID on this bird was tricky for me, and I struggled, but The Clay-Colored Thrush (or Robin) finally came clear to me. I found these birds at a well stocked feeder in camp where I stayed in Brownsville Texas.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:04:17 16:06

**Location:**

Breeze Lake
Brownsville, Texas
United States
39.37 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250

**File Name:** ClayColoredThrush_D503358-Breeze-Lake-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Northern Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis — **Northern Waterthrush**
*(Parkesia noveboracensis)*

**Description:**
Most Northern Waterthrushes spend winter in Mexico, Central America and northern South America, but breed in Canada and some northern tier USA locations. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:30 16:20

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250

**File Name:** NorthernWaterThrush_D501268-South-Padre

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus — **Hermit Thrush**
*(Catharus guttatus)*

**Description:**
Hermit thrushes tend to stay near cover, but this bird found the food was better on the lawn. The morning was slow for bird meetings, but the afternoon was better.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:02:01 13:32

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/800

**File Name:** HermitThrush_D5X6721-SouthPadreIsland-TX

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius — **Spotted Sandpiper**
*(Actitis macularius)*

**Description:**
I'd seen the Spotted Sandpipers at a distance from camp during my stay, but this bird took the time to forage along the camp's shoreline. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:26 8:39

**Location:**

Breeze Lake
Brownsville, Texas
United States
29.53 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250

**File Name:** SpottedSandpiper_D508372Breeze-Lake-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Red-Crowned Parrot - Amazona viridigenalis — **Red-Crowned Parrot**
*(Amazona viridigenalis)*

**Description:**
My "home base" in Brownsville Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border. I spent my mornings checking out the local birdlife.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:03 19:32

**Location:**

Breeze Lake
Brownsville, Texas
United States
29.53 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/60

**File Name:** RedCrownedParrot_D508985-BreezeLake-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus — **Tropical Kingbird**
*(Tyrannus melancholicus)*

**Description:**
Couch's and Tropical Kingbirds are so similar in appearance, they only distinguished in the field by voice. I was able to hear this bird. Both Kingbirds were present here. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Resaca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:26 9:10

**Location:**

Breeze Lake
Brownsville, Texas
United States
29.53 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200

**File Name:** TropicalKingbird_D508577Breeze-Lake-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Buff-Bellied Hummingbird - Amazilia yucatanensis — **Buff-Bellied Hummingbird**
*(Amazilia yucatanensis)*

**Description:**
The southern Texas coast is one of the few places north of Mexico where the Buff-Bellied Hummingbird is a year-round resident. This bird enjoyed the nectar offered in the camp where I spent April in Brownsville.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:25 18:36

**Location:**

Breeze Lake
Brownsville, Texas
United States
39.37 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800

**File Name:** BuffBelliedHummingbird_D507706-Breeze-Lake-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Long-Billed Thrasher - Toxostoma longirostre — **Long-Billed Thrasher**
*(Toxostoma longirostre)*

**Description:**
I was unsatisfied with the images I'd collected of this bird on my first two visits, and my mission for this day was to do better. This was my third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas, and I intended to pick up better images of some of the birds I came up short with on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds, and I stayed all day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:24 11:28

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
36.09 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250

**File Name:** LongBilledThrasher_D506190-Atascosa-NWR

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Plain Chachalaca - Ortalis vetula — **Plain Chachalaca**
*(Ortalis vetula)*

**Description:**
Chacalacas are brash and bold, and their loud and raucous calls can be heard from great distances. My third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas was intended to pickup images of a couple of the birds I came up short with on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds and I stayed all day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:24 11:54

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
36.09 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250

**File Name:** PlainChachalaca_D506657-Atascosa-NWR

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

Tweet

White-Tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi — **White-Tipped Dove**
*(Leptotila verreauxi)*

**Description:**
When first I heard the moaning call of these birds, I was confused about who the singer was. I found them the most numerous dove on the reserve. Atascosa NWR was a short drive from my camp in Brownsville, Texas, and remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, when many other nearby birding hotspots shut down.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:20 17:36

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
36.09 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800

**File Name:** WhiteTippedDove_D505603-Atascosa-NWR-1

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Bronzed Cowbird - Molothrus aeneus — **Bronzed Cowbird**
*(Molothrus aeneus)*

**Description:**
Bronzed Cowbirds are known for their thick-necked appearance, which results from their ability to raise the feathers on their necks. My third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas was intended to pickup images of a couple of the birds I came up short with on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds and I stayed all day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:24 10:13

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
36.09 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640

**File Name:** BronzedCowbird_D505820-Atascosa-NWR

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia — **Yellow Warbler**
*(Setophaga petechia)*

**Description:**
This warbler was busy foraging and preparing for the rest of his northbound migration. Atascosa NWR was a short drive from my camp in Brownsville, Texas, and remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, when many other nearby birding hotspots shut down.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:20 16:00

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
36.09 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400

**File Name:** YellowWarbler_D504890-Atascosa-NWR

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Black-Necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus — **Black-Necked Stilt**
*(Himantopus mexicanus)*

**Description:**
I met these nesting Black-Necked Stilts on my second to last day in Brownsville Texas, I spent the morning along the road to Port Isabel looking in vain for Least Grebes.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:05:06 12:17

**Location:**

Bahia Grande
Port Isabel, Texas
United States
0.00 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2500

**File Name:** BlackNeckedStilt_D503641-Bahia-Grande-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Magnolia Warbler - Setophaga magnolia — **Magnolia Warbler**
*(Setophaga magnolia)*

**Description:**
The Magnolia Warbler is a handsome bird. At a quick glance it might be mistaken for a Townsend’s Warbler, but the yellow extends low onto the belly of this bird. This meeting was during my second full day on South Padre Island, Texas. It was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:05:02 11:19

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250

**File Name:** MagnoliaWarbler_D502326-South-Padre

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Black-and-White Warbler - Mniotilta varia — **Black-and-White Warbler**
*(Mniotilta varia)*

**Description:**
Black-and-White Warblers forage like no other warblers. While most warblers look for insect prey among the leaves in trees, these birds probed crevices in the bark, like nuthatches. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:30 10:22

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250

**File Name:** BlackWhiteWarbler_D500434-South-Padre

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Chestnut-Sided Warbler - Setophaga pensylvanica — **Chestnut-Sided Warbler**
*(Setophaga pensylvanica)*

**Description:**
Chestnut-Sided Warblers are easiest found here in south Texas. They nest in the upper mid-west and into Canada. They choose deciduous and brushy habitats recovering from fire or logging for raising their young, seldom for more than a few years, before moving on after the vegetation matures. The Convention Centre on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:30 10:35

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200

**File Name:** ChestnutSidedWarbler_D500503-South-Padre

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Northern Bobwhite - Colinus virginianus — **Northern Bobwhite**
*(Colinus virginianus)*

**Description:**
I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand and found birds like these quail on the roadside.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:04:06 10:54

**Location:**

Highway-48
Port Isabel, Texas
United States
16.40 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600

**File Name:** BobWhite_D501827-PortIsabel-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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American White Ibis - Eudocimus albus — **American White Ibis**
*(Eudocimus albus)*

**Description:**
I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand, then I scouted the neighborhood and roadsides for birds.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:04:06 9:21

**Location:**

Various Locations
Port Isabel, Texas
United States
16.40 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 440 mm, f/8.0, 1/640

**File Name:** WhiteIbis-Juvenile_D500970-PortIsabel-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor — **Tricolored Heron**
*(Egretta tricolor)*

**Description:**
Tricolored Herons were a common sight in south Texas. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:05:02 16:16

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/4000

**File Name:** TricoloredHeron_D502913-South-Padre

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

Tweet

Reddish Egret - Egretta rufescens — **Reddish Egret**
*(Egretta rufescens)*

**Description:**
I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand and found birds like this egret on the roadside.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:06 11:08

**Location:**

Highway-48
Port Isabel, Texas
United States
16.40 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200

**File Name:** ReddishEgret_D501974-PortIsabel-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Great Egret - Ardea alba — **Great Egret**
*(Ardea alba)*

**Description:**
I watched this Great Egret foraging in Bahia Grande on my second to last day in Brownsville Texas. I spent the morning along the road to Port Isabel looking in vain for Least Grebes.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:05:06 11:46

**Location:**

Bahia Grande
Port Isabel, Texas
United States
0.00 ft below sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/8000

**File Name:** GreatEgret_D503604-Bahia-Grande-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Eastern Wood-Pewee - Contopus virens — **Eastern Wood-Pewee**
*(Contopus virens)*

**Description:**
The Eastern Wood-Pewee looks very much like its cousin the Western Wood-Pewee, but their ranges barely overlap. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:05:02 10:35

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250

**File Name:** EasternWoodPewee_D502222-South-Padre

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Eastern Meadowlark - Sturnella magna — **Eastern Meadowlark**
*(Sturnella magna)*

**Description:**
Eastern Meadowlarks are best distinguished from their western cousin by their softer song. A week prior to this day I discovered the birds at the site of the last Civil War battle, a place called Palmito Hill, Texas. I thought it might be a good idea to revisit it on this Sunday morning.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:05:03 8:38

**Location:**

Palmito Hill
Brownsville, Texas
United States
26.25 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200

**File Name:** EasternMeadowLark_D503092-Palmito-Hill-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus — **Eastern Kingbird**
*(Tyrannus tyrannus)*

**Description:**
Eastern Kingbirds pass through southern Texas on their migration from South America to much of North America. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:30 16:03

**Location:**

Convention Center
South Padre Island, Texas
United States
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250

**File Name:** EasternKingbird_D501128-South-Padre

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher - Tyrannus forficatus — **Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher**
*(Tyrannus forficatus)*

**Description:**
Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers are a compelling subject for me. I don’t think I could ever tire of watching and photographing them. A week prior to this day I discovered the birds at the site of the last Civil War battle, a place called Palmito Hill, Texas. I thought it might be a good idea to revisit it on this Sunday morning.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:05:03 8:24

**Location:**

Palmito Hill
Brownsville, Texas
United States
26.25 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200

**File Name:** ScissorTailedFlycatcher_D503059-Palmito-Hill-TX

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Click map markers to reveal further information

Green Jay

Cyanocorax yncas

Having collected many images of Green Jays on my first two visits to Atascosa, these birds were not a priority for my day's shooting, but I couldn't resist capturing this bird's grooming behaviour. This was my third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas and was intended to pickup images of a few birds I came up short with on my second visit, but then I started meeting new birds, so I stayed all day.

Purple Martin

Progne subis

Flight shots of these Purple Martins proved a challenge. Stationary shots were much easier to capture. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas.

Clay-Colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

The ID on this bird was tricky for me, and I struggled, but The Clay-Colored Thrush (or Robin) finally came clear to me. I found these birds at a well stocked feeder in camp where I stayed in Brownsville Texas.

Northern Waterthrush

Parkesia noveboracensis

Most Northern Waterthrushes spend winter in Mexico, Central America and northern South America, but breed in Canada and some northern tier USA locations. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.

Clay-Colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

Resaca de las Palmas in Brownsville, Texas opened to the public a few days before I left Texas on my 2020 expedition. Clay-Colored Thrushes proved rather camera-shy during this visit.

Northern Waterthrush

Parkesia noveboracensis

Northern Waterthrushes spend most of their foraging time on the ground. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds.

Hermit Thrush

Catharus guttatus

Hermit thrushes tend to stay near cover, but this bird found the food was better on the lawn. The morning was slow for bird meetings, but the afternoon was better.

Purple Martin

Progne subis

My "home base" in Brownsville Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border. I spent my mornings checking out the local birdlife.

Purple Martin

Progne subis

Purple Martins have a “condo” at my "home base" in Brownsville Texas, where a "Resaca" or Oxbow lake is on its southern border. I spent April Fools morning checking out the local bird life.

Purple Martin

Progne subis

During the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, I enjoyed Purple Martins at a “condo” on the Breeze Lake grounds, my "home base" in Brownsville Texas, where a "Resaca" or Oxbow lake is on its southern border. I spent April Fools morning checking out the local bird life.

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

I'd seen the Spotted Sandpipers at a distance from camp during my stay, but this bird took the time to forage along the camp's shoreline. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas.

Red-Crowned Parrot

Amazona viridigenalis

My "home base" in Brownsville Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border. I spent my mornings checking out the local birdlife.

Red-Crowned Parrot

Amazona viridigenalis

My "home base" in Brownsville Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border. I spent my mornings checking out the local birdlife.

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

Couch's and Tropical Kingbirds are so similar in appearance, they only distinguished in the field by voice. I was able to hear this bird. Both Kingbirds were present here. The camp where I spent April in Brownsville, Texas has a "Resaca" or Oxbow lake on its border, Several feeder stations, with tall trees and grassy areas.

Buff-Bellied Hummingbird

Amazilia yucatanensis

The southern Texas coast is one of the few places north of Mexico where the Buff-Bellied Hummingbird is a year-round resident. This bird enjoyed the nectar offered in the camp where I spent April in Brownsville.

Long-Billed Thrasher

Toxostoma longirostre

I was unsatisfied with the images I'd collected of this bird on my first two visits, and my mission for this day was to do better. This was my third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas, and I intended to pick up better images of some of the birds I came up short with on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds, and I stayed all day.

Plain Chachalaca

Ortalis vetula

Chacalacas are brash and bold, and their loud and raucous calls can be heard from great distances. My third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas was intended to pickup images of a couple of the birds I came up short with on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds and I stayed all day.

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

When first I heard the moaning call of these birds, I was confused about who the singer was. I found them the most numerous dove on the reserve. Atascosa NWR was a short drive from my camp in Brownsville, Texas, and remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, when many other nearby birding hotspots shut down.

Bronzed Cowbird

Molothrus aeneus

Bronzed Cowbirds are known for their thick-necked appearance, which results from their ability to raise the feathers on their necks. My third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas was intended to pickup images of a couple of the birds I came up short with on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds and I stayed all day.

Yellow Warbler

Setophaga petechia

This warbler was busy foraging and preparing for the rest of his northbound migration. Atascosa NWR was a short drive from my camp in Brownsville, Texas, and remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, when many other nearby birding hotspots shut down.

Black-Necked Stilt

Himantopus mexicanus

I met these nesting Black-Necked Stilts on my second to last day in Brownsville Texas, I spent the morning along the road to Port Isabel looking in vain for Least Grebes.

Magnolia Warbler

Setophaga magnolia

The Magnolia Warbler is a handsome bird. At a quick glance it might be mistaken for a Townsend’s Warbler, but the yellow extends low onto the belly of this bird. This meeting was during my second full day on South Padre Island, Texas. It was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds.

Black-and-White Warbler

Mniotilta varia

Black-and-White Warblers forage like no other warblers. While most warblers look for insect prey among the leaves in trees, these birds probed crevices in the bark, like nuthatches. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.

Chestnut-Sided Warbler

Setophaga pensylvanica

Chestnut-Sided Warblers are easiest found here in south Texas. They nest in the upper mid-west and into Canada. They choose deciduous and brushy habitats recovering from fire or logging for raising their young, seldom for more than a few years, before moving on after the vegetation matures. The Convention Centre on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.

Northern Bobwhite

Colinus virginianus

I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand and found birds like these quail on the roadside.

American White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand, then I scouted the neighborhood and roadsides for birds.

Tricolored Heron

Egretta tricolor

Tricolored Herons were a common sight in south Texas. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds.

Reddish Egret

Egretta rufescens

I drove to Port Isabel from Brownsville on an errand and found birds like this egret on the roadside.

Great Egret

Ardea alba

I watched this Great Egret foraging in Bahia Grande on my second to last day in Brownsville Texas. I spent the morning along the road to Port Isabel looking in vain for Least Grebes.

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens

The Eastern Wood-Pewee looks very much like its cousin the Western Wood-Pewee, but their ranges barely overlap. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds.

Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magna

Eastern Meadowlarks are best distinguished from their western cousin by their softer song. A week prior to this day I discovered the birds at the site of the last Civil War battle, a place called Palmito Hill, Texas. I thought it might be a good idea to revisit it on this Sunday morning.

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Eastern Kingbirds pass through southern Texas on their migration from South America to much of North America. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day.

Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers are a compelling subject for me. I don’t think I could ever tire of watching and photographing them. A week prior to this day I discovered the birds at the site of the last Civil War battle, a place called Palmito Hill, Texas. I thought it might be a good idea to revisit it on this Sunday morning.

Galleries

Birds I Have Known Butterfly and Moth Meetings Damsels & Dragons Eggs and Their Shapes Favorite Collections Mammals I have Known The Rocky Islands