Roadside Portrait

Another case of "drive-by birding."

As I was driving along Bolivar Peninsula one day, I saw a fairly large shorebird fly up from a nearby field and alight on a fence post just ahead of me. I carefully slowed to pull alongside the post and snapped a couple of quick shots before moving on.

The Willet didn't seem the least bit concerned at the truck pulling up next to him. I was rather pleased with the portrait I ended up with:


Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)

Lift Off

Blue-winged Teal female in flight (Anas discors)

Taken at the Greens Bayou Wetlands Mitigation Bank in northern Harris County.

On the Wing

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Taken at the Smith Oaks sanctuary in High Island, Texas.


As always, you can click on the image to see a larger version. Also, check out World Bird Wednesday for more great bird photos from around the world.

Soaring High

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Taken on Tri-City Beach Rd in Baytown, Texas.

The Daily Bird: Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Wednesday Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)

Nesting at the Rookery

We are counting down the days until spring migration and nesting season hit the Texas Gulf Coast.






nesting Great Egrets (Ardea alba)
Taken last spring at the rookery at Smith Oaks sanctuary in High Island, Texas.


As always, you can click on any image to see a larger version. Also, check out Bird Photography Weekly #128 and World Bird Wednesday XII for more great bird photos from around the world.

World Bird Wednesday: Prothonotary Warbler

Here is another bird I am looking forward to seeing again when spring migration wings its way through the Texas Gulf Coast in a couple of months. I spotted this pretty little female Prothonotary Warbler last spring at High Island.


Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
As so often is the case in the world of birds, the male Prothonotary far outshines the female in terms of pure color and audacity. Unfortunately, the best shot I have yet to get of a male of the species pales in comparison to the image above. This one is from the year before, down at Brazos Bend State Park:


With a little luck (and a whole lot of time and patience), I hope to get some better views of this radiant warbler once April rolls around again.



As always, you can click on any image to see a larger version.

For some great bird photos from around the world, check out this week's installment of World Bird Wednesday.