New Area to call Home!

I know you are thinking where are new posts? I must confess life has been busy and as I get older I realize not as much happens in a day...  We have re-located to the beautiful hill country of Texas.   We are in close proximity to Austin as well as San Antonio. We are still designing and creating our bird and wildlife sanctuary. We have 3.4 acres and love every inch of it.  We have enjoyed several Gray Fox, many deer and an abundance of birds.  Wild hogs have also passed through wrecking havoc in the yards of ourselves as well as neighbors.  There is also a nature trail close by with access to the Guadalupe River and Canyon Lake.  I can honestly say a new adventure has begun and I am loving the fun of exploration and learning the area.  At this time in April we have Lesser Goldfinch, a couple of American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrows, Field Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Lincoln Sparrow and White Crowned Sparrows visiting the water. We have the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-chinned and Ruby- throated Hummingbirds. We enjoy the White-winged, Mourning and Inca Dove.  We have the Orange-crowned Warbler visiting the water drip.  The Bewick's Wren has been nesting in the yard in one of the bird houses and we also see the Carolina Wren on our cedar branch pile. There has been a Scrub Jay visiting the yard. I thought it was a Western Scrub Jay but a person seeing my photo thought it to be a Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay. I have since researched and found that in 2016 it was decided  that the Western Scrub-Jay would go away and now we have the California Scrub-Jay and the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay.  You can certainly read more about this online if interested. I will share photos of this beautiful Jay I have forgotten to name some of our current residents, the Northern Cardinal, Black-crested Titmouse and the Carolina Chickadee.   Blessings!

Our Yard

 Hill Country Wildflowers

Natural Grasses of the Area

Cute Young Goats

Belted Kingfisher

Field Sparrow

Lark Sparrow

Lincoln Sparrow

Lincoln

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Woodhouse's

White-winged Dove

Lesser Goldfinch

After Christmas, before New Year!

Whooping Cranes

Roseate Spoonbills

Caracara, Crested, juv.

Sandhill  Cranes

Roseate Spoonbill

Sandhill

Northern Shoveler, male

Northern Shoveler, female

Tricolored Heron

Tricolored

Pied billed Grebe

American White Pelican

Least Bittern

American Bittern

American Bittern

Swamp Sparrow

Wilson's Snipe

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Whooping Crane

My husband and "birding buddy" decided to take a trip to the Rockport, Texas area for a few days. We always pack a few clothes more than we need. You just never know, you may find a place you want to explore a bit longer. Our days in Rockport were wonderful. We saw our beloved Whooping Cranes and enjoyed the Sandhill Cranes. We visited the Leona Turnbull Birding Center in Port Aransas. Our day there was filled with many birds, the American Bittern, Least Bittern, Wilson's Snipe, Northern Harrier, White Pelicans, Northern Shovelers, Tricolored Heron, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and Swamp Sparrow. I am sure there were others I do not remember.  I did have a serious accident with my camera and lens which shook me a bit. A very nice photographer, Louis and my hubby saved the day for me.  My husband loaned me a lens and I was up and shooting once more.  We then decided to travel to Mission Texas and check out the Rio Grande Valley. I will share some photos of Rockport with more to follow from Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park and other amazing Birding sites offered by this diverse Texas area. Blessings!

Always Looking Forward!

The Beautyberry in the yard remain full of purple-pink berries. The Sassafras trees are beginning to change color and drop a few leaves.  We are enjoying beautiful Swallowtail and Sulphur butterflies  They spend long periods of time gracefully moving about our landscape.  Ruby-throated and Rufous Hummingbirds are competing for nectar, along with honey bees, at our three feeders.  The White-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Cardinals, Tufted Titmouse, and Carolina Chickadees are seen each day.  The boisterous Blue-jays sound their warnings as the enter and exit the yard.  These birds love to show their no fear attitude toward other birds in the area.  Oh, I failed to mention the lovely male and female Summer Tanagers that arrive promptly each day around 5:00 p.m. I am feeling excited thinking of the winter birds returning soon and the fun of seeing migrants stopping for a drink or bath. Summer is surely fading and fall is just around the corner.  Pumpkin recipes are sounding tasty, Blessings!

Wilson's Phalarope

Our visit to Rockport,Texas this spring provided new experiences as well as new life birds. On this first day of April we were visiting The Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center in Port Aransas.  I want to encourage you to visit this center if you are in the area. I have visited several times in my life and have never been disappointed.  During migration opportunities abound for viewing species passing across the Texas Coast.  There is a raised boardwalk and observation tower halfway down the boardwalk.  The boardwalk provides a panoramic view of the pond and surrounding flats.  This day, a fellow birder shared a sight he had witnessed as he drove the road toward the center.  A large water filled flat on the right side of the road driving toward the center proved to be an awesome sight for him and for us. The birder believed he had seen the Red-necked Phalarope.  We quickly drove down to check this out.  The birds were actually Wilson's Phalarope.  These were life birds for us.   My heart smiles as I remember watching the Phalarope spinning like tops. The wind was so strong that day. I found it very difficult to keep the camera still.  I was determined to capture these moments and I did. The Phalarope create small whirlpools as they spin.  The whirlpools pull food to the surface where they can pick it up with their long slender bills.  Once again, I am reminded that the natural world may present some new sight for our eyes and senses at any given moment. Blessings to You!