Bird Brain Adventures

First day of the year Birding.  It’s COLD.   Heading down meadow pond trail, Hagermans National Wildlife Refuge  Hagermans NWR, Lake Texoma, Pottsboro, TX

 

 

This sweet little female Mountain Bluebird was found  just west of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge yesterday. Neva and I decided to run out this morning before work and see if we could locate her.  She was very cooperative!

  Two full days of birding in and around the city of Tulsa. Started with a quick look at Mill Creek Pond but most of the cool ducks were at the pond in the Heatheridge neighborhood around 95th and Sheridan. We then set out for Mohawk park.  We located the Long-tailed duck on Lake Yahola  and walked a short distance on one of the Oxley Nature Center trails before it started raining. Total of 54 species on day one.

  Mohawk Park.  Oxley Nature Center trails.  Great nature trails.  Now, if they could only enforce the NO PETS rule.   SHAME on this lady And SHAME on these two rude, rule breakers.  

Female Long-tailed Duck at lake Yahola. (iPhone through Nikon scope)

Palm Warbler This precious little Palm Warbler was found at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, here in Grayson County, Texas.  This is a very rare sighting for our area.  Photo credit to Bushtit team member, Neva Damron.

The goal is to reach 100 species within the first week of the year.  We had a beautiful warm, and sunny day with 85 different species on January 1st.  Wow!  What an amazing start.

Mom lead the nature walk at Hagerman's National Wildlife Refuge  this morning. We followed Haller's Haven Trail down to Dead Woman's Pond and had a look around. Yellow Crowned Night Heron Add caption The new Visitors Center at Hagerman's NWR 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo Green Jays Yellow Warbler Indigo Snake, 7 ft. long! Black Crested Titmouse Eastern Meadowlark View over the bay towards South Padre Island from the refuge Eastern Wood-pewee Bay-breasted Warbler We spent our last day birding the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. What a beautiful place and we found a few nice surprises. Other than being swarmed by honey bees, it was a great experience. Thank goodness my mother is a bee whisperer and was brave enough to get in our bee infested car and some how get them all out while I was in the parking lot running around in circles with a towel wrapped around my head. (sorry, no video) My mom...saved me from a Saint Bernard when I was a baby and saved me from death by bees when I am 45. Thanks Mommy :)

I didn't really like this area of the refuge...snakes every where! Canopy Trail It was nice of mom to go out first and make sure it was sturdy :) Olive Sparrows Napping Screech Owl Golden-fronted Woodpeckers Green Parakeet Mourning Warbler

Green Heron Can you find the 3 birds? Least Grebe Buff -bellied Hummingbird Yellow-crowned Night Heron We spent the Day at the Estero Llano Grande State Park which is one of the World Birding Centers. A cool front came through last night so it was really nice today. Hiked in the park until 5 pm then headed back to South Padre to see what birds had stopped over because of the north winds.