Green Kingfisher

This is a small bird, about half the size of the Belted Kingfisher we have back in Minnesota. They have a beautiful iridescence, which I totally failed to capture.  I'm still working on this photography thing. I'll get back to you if I ever get the Kingfisher sheen right. Kingfishers spend a lot of the day looking at the surface of the water. I could see he was getting twitchy, but I still missed the splash completely. He only paused a few seconds with the minnow before he flew away with it up the shoreline, presumably to feed his nestlings.

Lorna's Blog

My wife, Lorna has started a new blog to share the photos of butterflies and birds that she has taken with her new camera. Note MY BLOG LIST on the sidebar.

Thank you.

God, I miss my bicycles and my Growlery. Amen.

Sunday Miscellaneous

Heron's Breeding Plumage, etc

Tech stuff: Nikon D3200 camera (24 mega-pix) with a Nikkor 55-300mm variable lens - no tripod. These would both be considered entry level by "real" camera buffs. I shoot at about F8, saved in a J-peg format. These photos are not Photoshopped, only cropped as required. I am probably eventually going to  a RAW format, but that opens another can of editing and I don't want to become a photographer looking at birds. I'm pretty happy being a birder lugging a camera around - up to a point. With my old eyes it's great to be able to take a picture and really see the bird back at home.

These were taken on Feb 21 on South Padre Island. While we were there we were finally able to see the Flammulated Owl, a single tiny owl which has been the star of the Lower Rio Grande Valley this year. It was deep enough in the shade thicket that I didn't even bother to attempt a picture. 

The various heron and egrets are starting to get their breeding trim. Check out the blue around the eye of this Great Blue Heron. He is magnificent - so often the beaks are dinged and spit. He's a perfect specimen.

Great Egret

Tri-color Heron

Little-blue Heron

Reddish Egret

Long-billed Curlew

Frisco Depot

by Mickey Newbury:

When you're cold there's nothing as welcome as sunshine
When you're dry there's nothing as welcome as rain
When you're alone there's nothing as slow as passin' time
When you're afoot Lord there's nothing as fast as a train

Folsom Prison Blues

City of New Orleans

Edinburg and Wine

We went to Edinburg yesterday morning. There is a covered deck centered in a small pond. It's a great place to linger and watch the pair of resident Green Kingfishers and the other small birds that come to drink and bathe. In the past I have thought it would be a great place for benchs. This time I fixed that problem with a stop to pick up chairs at the local Walmart. As well as the kingfishers and more more common birds, I saw a Blue-headed Vireo, a life first for me.

After sitting for a while, we walked the labyrinth of paths, looking for more birds and enjoying the butterflies. Lorna was able to see the Blue-headed Vireo and she identified a number of butterflies.

Later back at the Alamo Inn Wesco Apartments we decided to beat the heat by lingering with our new chairs and a little wine in the shadows of the south side overhang of the courtyard. It must have seemed like a good idea. People drifted down and eventually there were nine people gathered. (Thanks to Keith Hackland for fetching another box of wine glasses, and to all the people who brought more wine). About the time the party was breaking up, my daughter, Addy and her partner, Abby arrived from the Great Northland. We went out to eat with them and our Brit friends, Ian and Julie. Another fine day.

Bonkers for Butterflies?

Still birding and taking pictures, but not finding much time to post. Lorna has fallen hard for butterflies, of which there are 350 species locally. I am resisting learning the names of all the butterflies, but they are sneaking up on me.

Dinner and drinks with Ian and Julie, Steve and Sue at the Blue Onion last night. Thanks to Ian for most of these pictures.

Addy and Abby arrive today for a week and it should be warm again today. All is well.

For Ian

Nordeast Brew District