2021-03-24 At Estero Llano, Even Slow Days Are Good

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19 Photos

American Alligator - Alligator mississippiensis — **American Alligator**
*(Alligator mississippiensis)*

**Description:**
My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and baby alligators, a foot and a half long, lined the shores of the pond. Their parents were not far away. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 10:34

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000

**File Name:** AmericanAlligator_D5X5204-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pin It — **American Alligator**
*(Alligator mississippiensis)*

**Description:**
My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and baby alligators, a foot and a half long, lined the shores of the pond. Their parents were not far away. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 10:34

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000

**File Name:** AmericanAlligator_D5X5204-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Common Pauraque - Nyctidromus albicollis — **Common Pauraque**
*(Nyctidromus albicollis)*

**Description:**
If not for the kindness of strangers pointing them out, I would have missed seeing these highly cryptic birds roosting in the leaf litter. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 15:42

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800

**File Name:** CommonPauraque_D5X5264-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Golden-Fronted Woodpecker - Melanerpes aurifrons — **Golden-Fronted Woodpecker**
*(Melanerpes aurifrons)*

**Description:**
While both Ladder-Backed and Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers could be heard around the park, only this Golden-Fronted gave me an image to capture. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 11:32

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800

**File Name:** GoldenFrontedWoodpecker_D5X5233-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Eastern Screech-Owl - Megascops asio mccallii — **Eastern Screech-Owl**
*(Megascops asio mccallii)*

**Description:**
Another gift offered by kind strangers (staff member “Huck” actually) was this McCall’s Eastern Screech Owl roosting in a tall stump in the middle of a wooded thicket. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 17:00

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500

**File Name:** McCallsEasternScreechOwl_D5X5358-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Red-Winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus — **Red-Winged Blackbird**
*(Agelaius phoeniceus)*

**Description:**
Blackbirds in the park were splitting time between setting up territories and gathering food. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 11:39

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000

**File Name:** RedWingedBlackbird_D5X5246-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Ruby-Throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris — **Ruby-Throated Hummingbird**
*(Archilochus colubris)*

**Description:**
Still a bit early for the long-distance migrants, this female most likely spent the winter here. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 11:35

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000

**File Name:** RubyThroatedHummingbird_D5X5236-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Texas Spotted Whiptail - Aspidoscelis gularis — **Texas Spotted Whiptail**
*(Aspidoscelis gularis)*

**Description:**
I resisted the temptation to photograph lizards on this tour until I saw this one. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 13:34

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000

**File Name:** TexasSpottedWhiptailLizard_D5X5258-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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

**Description:**
I heard the low, monotonous cooing from these birds throughout the park. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 11:38

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000

**File Name:** WhiteTippedDove_D5X5240-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron - Nyctanassa violacea — **Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron**
*(Nyctanassa violacea)*

**Description:**
My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and Night-Herons were there to greet me. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.
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**Date Taken:** 2021:03:24 9:46

**Location:**

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco, Texas
United States
78.74 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000

**File Name:** YellowCrownedNightHeron_D5X5027-Estero_Llano

© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Click map markers to reveal further information

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and baby alligators, a foot and a half long, lined the shores of the pond. Their parents were not far away. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Common Pauraque

Nyctidromus albicollis

If not for the kindness of strangers pointing them out, I would have missed seeing these highly cryptic birds roosting in the leaf litter. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Common Pauraque

Nyctidromus albicollis

Common Pauraque

Nyctidromus albicollis

Common Pauraque

Nyctidromus albicollis

Golden-Fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes aurifrons

While both Ladder-Backed and Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers could be heard around the park, only this Golden-Fronted gave me an image to capture. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Eastern Screech-Owl

Megascops asio mccallii

Another gift offered by kind strangers (staff member “Huck” actually) was this McCall’s Eastern Screech Owl roosting in a tall stump in the middle of a wooded thicket. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Eastern Screech-Owl

Megascops asio mccallii

Red-Winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Blackbirds in the park were splitting time between setting up territories and gathering food. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Still a bit early for the long-distance migrants, this female most likely spent the winter here. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Texas Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis gularis

I resisted the temptation to photograph lizards on this tour until I saw this one. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

I heard the low, monotonous cooing from these birds throughout the park. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and Night-Herons were there to greet me. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Juvenile. My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and Night-Herons were there to greet me. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Galleries

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