David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
December 31, 2007
Bulletin #24 – 2007 in review
Hello friends,
As 2007 winds down, I look back on the progress I have made in my photography this year. I am still a novice, having taken up this hobby only 2 years ago. However, with the internet resources available, I have learned a lot about nature photography, much faster than I could have ever learned on my own. Also, like any other endeavor – practice makes you better. I have taken thousands of pictures in 2 years and spent lots of time in the field.
I also want to express my thanks to all of you who choose to receive these bulletins. I try to capture the beauty in the natural world. I hope that you get some pleasure from the pictures and I also will try to educate by pointing out the features of the bird that allow for field identification.
There are several people who deserve special thanks.
First, the Alexanders and Amunys, whom I met at LaFitte’s Cove in Galveston, during spring migration. They asked if I would send them some of the bird photos I was taking that day. This was the beginning of the Bulletins idea. It has grown, so that now I have about 40 people across the USA, Canada and Ireland receiving them.
Jay and Bill are 2 other photographers. We met at Anahuac NWR one Saturday in the summer and spent the day shooting together and have swapped photos since. We have only managed to get together once since as we are all too busy with our day jobs. Thanks for your encouragement and critiques.
Special thanks to the superb guides I used this year who found lots of birds for me and were very patient, as I tried to get the right picture. I highly recommend them all.
· Rick Fournier in Monterey California. His email is RimBirding@aol.com
· Paul Bithorn in Miami, Florida. His email is pblifeisgood@hotmail.com
· Roy Rodriguez in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. His email is rjrodz@aol.com
The person who has helped me the most is Susan Billetdeaux. Susan is the webmaster of the Houston Audubon Society web site. She has critiqued my photos for almost 2 years, since I began submitting them for possible inclusion in the HAS bird gallery. It is an honor to have more than 30 photos in the gallery and to be included in the company of excellent photographers such as Alan Murphy, Wayne Nicholas and Joe Kennedy.
For anyone who might be interested in what equipment I use, web sites for information etc, I have put together a 2 page sheet in MS Word that I would be happy to send along. Please email me if you would like it.
I have now seen 1293 world species of birds with 28 lifers in 2007, the best year since I went outside the USA in 1997. Of these, 11 I found myself and the other 17 were with the guides listed above. I have photos of 350+ species, almost double the number I had at the beginning of 2007.
So for a summary of 2007, I’ll present my 10 favorite bird photos, my best butterfly and dragonfly photos and a non-wildlife photo. Some of these have been in previous bulletins, and some are shown for the first time. But, they all are special to me.
There are 3 reasons a photo might be special for me. The first is that rare time when a photo may transcend the snapshot and become a work of art. As these are all shot in the field and not staged, it doesn’t happen often. Usually I only appreciate it when I see it on the replay in camera or on the computer. Here are 3 that come close to ‘birds as art’ as Arthur Morris describes.
The Wandering Tattler in non-breeding plumage is a handsome gray bird with yellow legs. But what makes the photo special for me, is dark blue Pacific Ocean background.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109477898
The Vermilion Flycatcher is the most beautiful flycatcher in the ABA area. I photographed this male in the Rio Grande valley of Texas in October. This is a simple uncluttered photo with only 3 colors.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109480376
The third is this Burrowing Owl who spent last winter near Galveston. He became quite tame and approachable as many birders went to see him. I caught him here after an all day rain. He was sitting up in the sun to try and dry out. The background complements his big yellow eyes.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487303
The second reason a photo is special for me is just a beautiful bird or a rare bird that I discovered and was just excited to find the bird. The next 5 photos are in this category.
This juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper was a life bird for me. I found him poking around the washed up kelp on Carmel River beach in California. What was unusual was that this bird is a rarity in California, but common in Texas. Yet I had never seen it in 17 years in Texas.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109477217
Spring brings millions of songbirds through Texas on their way north to their breeding grounds. Many are very colorful – warblers, tanagers, orioles and finches. My favorite photo from this spring was this Indigo Bunting in a mulberry tree. He is as blue on the underside as on top!
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499850
Hummingbirds are a family of birds that I love. This fledgling Allen’s Hummingbird in California was still showing some downy feathers.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109464298
This Buff-bellied Hummingbird is famous, as he is on the Houston Audubon Society web site.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109483001
I was photographing some swallows perched on a low wire in Carmel, when the pair on Tree Swallows mated. This mating lasted only about 10 seconds, but because I was already on target, I captured the moment. I have never seen any other passerines mating before or since.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499851
The third reason a photograph is special is when the bird has allowed me to approach very closely. It is wonderful to gain the trust of a wild animal like this and to be allowed within its comfort zone.
I photographed this Common Loon (aka Great Northern Diver in Europe) 2 weeks ago at the Texas City dike. This large 32” bird was always a childhood favorite of mine growing up in Canada. Its haunting call at night can never be forgotten. Anyway, this bird was close to shore and allowed me to approach to within 20 feet. Thus the eye color and pupil was seen, as well as individual water droplets on his back. Normally, loons are seen at great distances of 40 – 50 yards or more.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499852
This Hermit Thrush was a winter resident of my yard last year. It was the first time I had seen this bird in Texas. He came to the bird bath every morning between 7:30 and 8:00 am. Then he would join the cardinals and doves on the ground under the feeders. I took many photos of him over several months, but this one had him right outside the kitchen window at eye level. I went outside and gradually moved to within 15 feet which is the closest I can use with the 500mm lens. He is also a famous HAS gallery bird.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499853
I started taking photos of butterflies and dragonflies when the birding slowed down during the summer months. This was a whole new challenge to capture these tiny creatures ‘on film’.
This is a Gulf Fritillary on a passion vine flower. Thanks to Chris LaChance for IDing the flower for me.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499855
The best dragonfly photo was the female Four-spotted Pennant. It was the only photo I got that showed all 3 pairs of legs holding onto the perch. It was a very windy day in Galveston when I took the photo.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109476121
However, the photograph this year that I liked the best, and received the most comments from observers was my Carmel Cross. It is sunrise at Carmel River beach. When people exclaim ‘You took this?’ or ‘It sends chills up my spine!’, I know that I have created something special. It is also the photograph that I get asked the most for prints.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109477909
I wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Bulletin #23 - Texas Hill Country #2
David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
December 17, 2007
Bulletin #23 – Texas Hill Country - part 2
Hello friends,
I was in the Hill Country, west of Austin for a weekend in early November. I visited Pedernales Falls State Park on a Friday morning. They have a very nice bird blind. They put out multiple feeders of all types as well as food on logs etc to attract as wide an assortment of birds as possible. They also have a bird bath and water drip. In addition there was a very nice couple of volunteers who live in the park over the winter and restock the feeders twice a day. The volunteers know all the birds and are happy to help the visitors with ID problems, as well as anecdotes etc.
The sun was directly behind the feeders in the morning when I was there, so it was difficult to get photos except when the birds got into the shadows of trees etc. Otherwise the birds were all backlit. Next time, I would go in the afternoon and hopefully the light would be better.
Here is the Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris).The male has the red crown, horizontal striped back and 2 narrow facial stripes.
http://www.pbase.com/image/10949976
The female is similar but without the red crown.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/10949977
The beautiful Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculates) was very shy. He would dart out from a brush pile to get some seed and then quickly return to the brush and out of sight. However, I eventually got a photo of him. This is the first time I have seen this bird outside California.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499772
Another member of the New World Sparrow family was the Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melanospiza lincolnii). He has a striped chest with caramel colored band across the chest. Here are 2 photos – on the ground and in the bird bath.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499773 click ‘next’ once
The only warbler that day was an Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata). This drab bird has almost no markings. There is a hint of an eyestripe, but no wing bars. It is gray to olive to a little yellow depending on subspecies. The most distinguishing feature is the slight streaking on the breast. It is another bird named for its field mark that is seldom seen. The volunteers stated that the orange crown is only visible when the bird is wet and the feathers on the head stand up a little. I have seen pictures in magazines that have demonstrated that feature, but I had never seen the orange crown. Fortunately with the bird bath, he eventually went in and played around in the water. In this case, the backlit sunlight actually was helpful, as the orange crown lit up from behind. The first photo shows the streaked breast and the second shows his orange crown.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499775 click ‘next’ once
Other birds seen that morning that I didn’t get good photos due to the lighting were Northern Cardinal, Common Ground Dove, Black-crested Titmouse, House Finch, Western Scrub-Jay and White-crowned Sparrow.
On the way out, I saw this butterfly. It is a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499777
I spent about 2 hours at the blind and it was birdy and most enjoyable. Another time, I would try and go in the afternoon when hopefully the sun would be in a better location. So if any of you are photographers and plan on visiting this site, you might keep that advice in mind.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Friendswood Texas
December 17, 2007
Bulletin #23 – Texas Hill Country - part 2
Hello friends,
I was in the Hill Country, west of Austin for a weekend in early November. I visited Pedernales Falls State Park on a Friday morning. They have a very nice bird blind. They put out multiple feeders of all types as well as food on logs etc to attract as wide an assortment of birds as possible. They also have a bird bath and water drip. In addition there was a very nice couple of volunteers who live in the park over the winter and restock the feeders twice a day. The volunteers know all the birds and are happy to help the visitors with ID problems, as well as anecdotes etc.
The sun was directly behind the feeders in the morning when I was there, so it was difficult to get photos except when the birds got into the shadows of trees etc. Otherwise the birds were all backlit. Next time, I would go in the afternoon and hopefully the light would be better.
Here is the Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris).The male has the red crown, horizontal striped back and 2 narrow facial stripes.
http://www.pbase.com/image/10949976
The female is similar but without the red crown.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/10949977
The beautiful Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculates) was very shy. He would dart out from a brush pile to get some seed and then quickly return to the brush and out of sight. However, I eventually got a photo of him. This is the first time I have seen this bird outside California.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499772
Another member of the New World Sparrow family was the Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melanospiza lincolnii). He has a striped chest with caramel colored band across the chest. Here are 2 photos – on the ground and in the bird bath.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499773 click ‘next’ once
The only warbler that day was an Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata). This drab bird has almost no markings. There is a hint of an eyestripe, but no wing bars. It is gray to olive to a little yellow depending on subspecies. The most distinguishing feature is the slight streaking on the breast. It is another bird named for its field mark that is seldom seen. The volunteers stated that the orange crown is only visible when the bird is wet and the feathers on the head stand up a little. I have seen pictures in magazines that have demonstrated that feature, but I had never seen the orange crown. Fortunately with the bird bath, he eventually went in and played around in the water. In this case, the backlit sunlight actually was helpful, as the orange crown lit up from behind. The first photo shows the streaked breast and the second shows his orange crown.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499775 click ‘next’ once
Other birds seen that morning that I didn’t get good photos due to the lighting were Northern Cardinal, Common Ground Dove, Black-crested Titmouse, House Finch, Western Scrub-Jay and White-crowned Sparrow.
On the way out, I saw this butterfly. It is a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499777
I spent about 2 hours at the blind and it was birdy and most enjoyable. Another time, I would try and go in the afternoon when hopefully the sun would be in a better location. So if any of you are photographers and plan on visiting this site, you might keep that advice in mind.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Bulletin #22 - Texas Hill Country #1
David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
December 9, 2007
Bulletin #22 – Texas Hill Country - part 1
Hello friends,
I was in the Hill Country, west of Austin for a weekend in early November. I have birded there numerous times in the last 5 years and I never expect to see a new life bird, but this trip I did.
The only wren in the ABA area that I had not seen is the Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus). I found the bird sitting on a low rock wall along a creek that I had birded at least 10 times previously. As these birds are non-migratory, I guess I just missed him all those other trips. The bird is 5.75” long with long bill, white throat and breast, chestnut belly, and spotted back. The sexes are similar coloration. To me, it is the prettiest of the wrens and so distinctive that when I saw him, I knew exactly what he was and started snapping photos.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499406 click ‘next’ once
There are 9 species of wrens in the ABA area. The same morning I found the Canyon Wren, I saw 3 other wren species along the same 50 yard stretch of the creek. These photos were taken previously.
The next is Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludivicianus). This is the common wren in the southeastern USA. The bright eye stripe and rufous breast and belly are diagnostic.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499408
The Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) is more common in central USA. This photo was also taken in the Texas Hill Country. It also has a bright eye stripe, but gray underside.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499410
And the 4th wren I saw there was the House Wren (Troglodytes aedon). This bird breeds in northern USA and Canada, but winters in Texas. It is drab brown with some barring on belly.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499411 click ‘next’ once
The day was hot for November (low 80’s). There were a number of birds bathing in pools along the creek. I captured this male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) trying to cool off.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499413
Driving along the back roads, you always come across some roadkill. And where there are dead animals, there are vultures. A pair of Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) were sitting on power poles and stayed still while I unpacked my camera and set up to get these close-ups.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499414 click ‘next’ once
Lastly, I saw this beautiful white and orange butterfly along the same creek as the wrens. I took the photo, and after buying a butterfly field guide, I was able to ID it as a Common Mestra (Mestra amymone). This Mexican species extends its range into south Texas.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499416
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Notice – photos with name preceded with an asterisk (*) were updated for this blog and the text was edited accordingly
Friendswood Texas
December 9, 2007
Bulletin #22 – Texas Hill Country - part 1
Hello friends,
I was in the Hill Country, west of Austin for a weekend in early November. I have birded there numerous times in the last 5 years and I never expect to see a new life bird, but this trip I did.
The only wren in the ABA area that I had not seen is the Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus). I found the bird sitting on a low rock wall along a creek that I had birded at least 10 times previously. As these birds are non-migratory, I guess I just missed him all those other trips. The bird is 5.75” long with long bill, white throat and breast, chestnut belly, and spotted back. The sexes are similar coloration. To me, it is the prettiest of the wrens and so distinctive that when I saw him, I knew exactly what he was and started snapping photos.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499406 click ‘next’ once
There are 9 species of wrens in the ABA area. The same morning I found the Canyon Wren, I saw 3 other wren species along the same 50 yard stretch of the creek. These photos were taken previously.
The next is Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludivicianus). This is the common wren in the southeastern USA. The bright eye stripe and rufous breast and belly are diagnostic.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499408
The Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) is more common in central USA. This photo was also taken in the Texas Hill Country. It also has a bright eye stripe, but gray underside.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499410
And the 4th wren I saw there was the House Wren (Troglodytes aedon). This bird breeds in northern USA and Canada, but winters in Texas. It is drab brown with some barring on belly.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499411 click ‘next’ once
The day was hot for November (low 80’s). There were a number of birds bathing in pools along the creek. I captured this male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) trying to cool off.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499413
Driving along the back roads, you always come across some roadkill. And where there are dead animals, there are vultures. A pair of Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) were sitting on power poles and stayed still while I unpacked my camera and set up to get these close-ups.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109499414 click ‘next’ once
Lastly, I saw this beautiful white and orange butterfly along the same creek as the wrens. I took the photo, and after buying a butterfly field guide, I was able to ID it as a Common Mestra (Mestra amymone). This Mexican species extends its range into south Texas.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109499416
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Notice – photos with name preceded with an asterisk (*) were updated for this blog and the text was edited accordingly
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Bulletin #21 - Upper TX coast #3
David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
Nov 22, 2007
Bulletin #21 – Upper Texas Coast – Fall 2007 – part 3
Hello friends,
Happy Thanksgiving!
Fall migration along the upper Texas coast is another exciting time as there are several species of birds that are more numerous than during spring migration. Also, many birds are in non-breeding plumage which can make for difficult identification problems.
I went to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge on a Saturday when they had an open hose for the public and many demonstrations. One of them was a wildlife rehabilitation lady who brought 4 owl species for display.
These 4 owls are year round residents of the Houston area.
The smallest is the Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus aiso). It is 8.5 inches in length and has small ears tufts. There are several color variations – red, brown and gray. The only one I have seen is the gray phase like the one here and in the previous photo from the Rio Grande Valley trip.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109487287
The Barred Owl (Strix varia) is the owl popularly known in the southeast USA as the hoot owl. It is closely related to the endangered Spotted Owl of the northwest USA. It is the only dark owl in our area with dark eyes. It has vertical barring on the breast. It is a big bird at 21 inches in length.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487292
And here is a face close-up.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487293
The next owl is the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). This bird lives all through the Americas – from Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego at the extreme southern tip of South America. It is another large owl at 22 inches. It has large ear tufts or ‘horns’. According to the handler, their favorite prey is skunks!
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487295 click ‘next’ once
The above 3 owls are called typical owls. The other family of owls is the barn owls of which there is only one in the USA. It is appropriately called the Barn Owl (Tyto alba). If you see a large beige bird flying at dawn or dusk, it is likely this bird. The face is the heart shaped disk including the mouth of the bird. It is a medium sized owl at 16 inches. It also has no ear tufts.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487299 click ‘next’ once
There are several other species of owls that occasionally winter along in the Houston area. A Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) spent the winter near Galveston and I was able to get his photo. This is one of my favorite photos ever. It was after a very rainy day and his feathers were soaked. The sun had come out and he was trying to dry out. He looks ‘like a drowned rat’. The very long legs are characteristic of this owl that lives in burrows in the ground. He is a small owl at 9.5 inches in length. This bird became quite tame and was approachable to within 20 feet!
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487303
Here is another photo of this bird on a dry day. This photo is on the Houston Audubon web site under their bird gallery.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487305
Texbirds is a web service devoted to birds and birders in Texas. Several photographers post pictures of local birds and I have learned much on difficult bird identification, but also that some birds occur locally that I wasn’t aware of.
One of these is the Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritis). This was another life bird for me this week. But it was only because of posted photos, that I was able to correctly identify the bird as it closely resembles the Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) in the non-breeding plumage. There are 4 Horned Grebes currently along the Texas City dike. So here are the 2 birds for comparison in non-breeding plumage.
The Horned Grebe has all white below the eye, white neck anteriorly, and white tip on the bill. Lastly, the peak of the head is well behind the eye. This photo was taken yesterday.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487308
The Eared Grebe also occurs on the upper Texas coast, although I have not seen it here. This photo was taken in California. Notice the dark face extends well below and behind the eye and the anterior aspect of the neck is dark. The tip of the bill is dark. The peak of the head is right above the eye.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487310
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Friendswood Texas
Nov 22, 2007
Bulletin #21 – Upper Texas Coast – Fall 2007 – part 3
Hello friends,
Happy Thanksgiving!
Fall migration along the upper Texas coast is another exciting time as there are several species of birds that are more numerous than during spring migration. Also, many birds are in non-breeding plumage which can make for difficult identification problems.
I went to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge on a Saturday when they had an open hose for the public and many demonstrations. One of them was a wildlife rehabilitation lady who brought 4 owl species for display.
These 4 owls are year round residents of the Houston area.
The smallest is the Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus aiso). It is 8.5 inches in length and has small ears tufts. There are several color variations – red, brown and gray. The only one I have seen is the gray phase like the one here and in the previous photo from the Rio Grande Valley trip.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109487287
The Barred Owl (Strix varia) is the owl popularly known in the southeast USA as the hoot owl. It is closely related to the endangered Spotted Owl of the northwest USA. It is the only dark owl in our area with dark eyes. It has vertical barring on the breast. It is a big bird at 21 inches in length.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487292
And here is a face close-up.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487293
The next owl is the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). This bird lives all through the Americas – from Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego at the extreme southern tip of South America. It is another large owl at 22 inches. It has large ear tufts or ‘horns’. According to the handler, their favorite prey is skunks!
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487295 click ‘next’ once
The above 3 owls are called typical owls. The other family of owls is the barn owls of which there is only one in the USA. It is appropriately called the Barn Owl (Tyto alba). If you see a large beige bird flying at dawn or dusk, it is likely this bird. The face is the heart shaped disk including the mouth of the bird. It is a medium sized owl at 16 inches. It also has no ear tufts.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487299 click ‘next’ once
There are several other species of owls that occasionally winter along in the Houston area. A Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) spent the winter near Galveston and I was able to get his photo. This is one of my favorite photos ever. It was after a very rainy day and his feathers were soaked. The sun had come out and he was trying to dry out. He looks ‘like a drowned rat’. The very long legs are characteristic of this owl that lives in burrows in the ground. He is a small owl at 9.5 inches in length. This bird became quite tame and was approachable to within 20 feet!
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487303
Here is another photo of this bird on a dry day. This photo is on the Houston Audubon web site under their bird gallery.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487305
Texbirds is a web service devoted to birds and birders in Texas. Several photographers post pictures of local birds and I have learned much on difficult bird identification, but also that some birds occur locally that I wasn’t aware of.
One of these is the Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritis). This was another life bird for me this week. But it was only because of posted photos, that I was able to correctly identify the bird as it closely resembles the Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) in the non-breeding plumage. There are 4 Horned Grebes currently along the Texas City dike. So here are the 2 birds for comparison in non-breeding plumage.
The Horned Grebe has all white below the eye, white neck anteriorly, and white tip on the bill. Lastly, the peak of the head is well behind the eye. This photo was taken yesterday.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487308
The Eared Grebe also occurs on the upper Texas coast, although I have not seen it here. This photo was taken in California. Notice the dark face extends well below and behind the eye and the anterior aspect of the neck is dark. The tip of the bill is dark. The peak of the head is right above the eye.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109487310
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Bulletin #20 - Upper TX coast #2
David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
Nov 15, 2007
Bulletin #20 – Upper Texas Coast – Fall 2007 – part 2
Hello friends,
Fall migration along the upper Texas coast is another exciting time as there are several species of birds that are more numerous than during spring migration. Also, many birds are in non-breeding plumage which can make for difficult identification problems.
The first bird is the Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia). Here is the juvenile with a large orange beak with black tip, as well as extensive brownish feathers. The Caspian Tern is the largest USA tern at 21” long.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109486290
The Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) is a distinctive relative of gulls and terns with its lower mandible longer than the upper. I have seen this bird many times, but in Sibley they show a picture of the bird lying flat on the ground with its bill outstretched. I had not seen this posture previously, so I took his picture.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486293
Fall migration brings a huge number of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) through the upper Texas coast as all the birds in eastern North America migrate around the gulf into Mexico and beyond.
Here are a couple of photos of females this year. The first is the only time I have been able to completely freeze the wings of a hummingbird, so that every feather is visible and clear.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486296
The next shows the white tips on the tail feathers of the adult female.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486298
Next is the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). I had missed this bird in California where it lives, both in May and September this year. Yet a few of them migrate and winter along the upper Texas coast. Thanks to Chris (one of the subscribers) this beautiful male was visiting some flowers at her workplace only 7 miles from my house. I went over and got photos of this bird. Go figure – I travel 1500 miles to see it and miss it twice and later it shows up 7 miles away from home. This bird is only 3.75” long.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486301 click ‘next’ once
I found this American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates) sitting quietly on a rock just offshore at the Texas City dike. As the tide was out, I was able to get within 25 feet of the bird and he didn’t move. Here is a close up of this bird.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486305
However, the reason he didn’t move was because his right foot was tangled in fishing line and he was only standing on his left foot. I never did see him put his right foot down. The fishing line is clearly visible against a grackle, behind the oystercatcher. Many birds are maimed or killed by careless fishermen who discard pieces of monofilament line into the water. I hope this beautiful bird survives.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486307
Adjacent to the oystercatcher was this juvenile Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus). It is a semipalmated by the dark back. The juvenile is distinguished by the scaly appearance of the head and back as the feathers are all edged with cream. Semipalmated means partially webbed feet. The partial webbing between the toes is easily seen on the right foot.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486308
Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) pass through here in the fall. The juvenile has a yellowish beak as opposed to the adult with a black beak.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486310
And here is a group of 2 juveniles and 1 adult aloft. Notice the necks outstretched and the black on the wings.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486311
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Friendswood Texas
Nov 15, 2007
Bulletin #20 – Upper Texas Coast – Fall 2007 – part 2
Hello friends,
Fall migration along the upper Texas coast is another exciting time as there are several species of birds that are more numerous than during spring migration. Also, many birds are in non-breeding plumage which can make for difficult identification problems.
The first bird is the Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia). Here is the juvenile with a large orange beak with black tip, as well as extensive brownish feathers. The Caspian Tern is the largest USA tern at 21” long.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109486290
The Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) is a distinctive relative of gulls and terns with its lower mandible longer than the upper. I have seen this bird many times, but in Sibley they show a picture of the bird lying flat on the ground with its bill outstretched. I had not seen this posture previously, so I took his picture.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486293
Fall migration brings a huge number of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) through the upper Texas coast as all the birds in eastern North America migrate around the gulf into Mexico and beyond.
Here are a couple of photos of females this year. The first is the only time I have been able to completely freeze the wings of a hummingbird, so that every feather is visible and clear.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486296
The next shows the white tips on the tail feathers of the adult female.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486298
Next is the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). I had missed this bird in California where it lives, both in May and September this year. Yet a few of them migrate and winter along the upper Texas coast. Thanks to Chris (one of the subscribers) this beautiful male was visiting some flowers at her workplace only 7 miles from my house. I went over and got photos of this bird. Go figure – I travel 1500 miles to see it and miss it twice and later it shows up 7 miles away from home. This bird is only 3.75” long.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486301 click ‘next’ once
I found this American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates) sitting quietly on a rock just offshore at the Texas City dike. As the tide was out, I was able to get within 25 feet of the bird and he didn’t move. Here is a close up of this bird.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486305
However, the reason he didn’t move was because his right foot was tangled in fishing line and he was only standing on his left foot. I never did see him put his right foot down. The fishing line is clearly visible against a grackle, behind the oystercatcher. Many birds are maimed or killed by careless fishermen who discard pieces of monofilament line into the water. I hope this beautiful bird survives.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486307
Adjacent to the oystercatcher was this juvenile Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus). It is a semipalmated by the dark back. The juvenile is distinguished by the scaly appearance of the head and back as the feathers are all edged with cream. Semipalmated means partially webbed feet. The partial webbing between the toes is easily seen on the right foot.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486308
Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) pass through here in the fall. The juvenile has a yellowish beak as opposed to the adult with a black beak.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486310
And here is a group of 2 juveniles and 1 adult aloft. Notice the necks outstretched and the black on the wings.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109486311
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Bulletin #19 - Upper TX coast #1
David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
Nov 8, 2007
Bulletin #19 – Upper Texas Coast – Fall 2007 – part 1
Hello friends,
Fall migration along the upper Texas coast is another exciting time as there are several species of birds that are more numerous than during spring migration. Also, many birds are in non-breeding plumage which can make for difficult identification problems.
I obtained a number of new species photos along with several improved photos of other species. The most memorable however, was Nov 4th when I got a life bird. It has been a long time since I had a lifer in my home territory and this one was only 15 miles from the house!
So, I’ll start with the lifer. Franklin’s Gull (Larus pipixican) is a smallish black-headed gull that breeds in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well as the extreme northern plains states. It winters in Central America. I had heard of occasional sightings along the upper Texas coast. I assumed that it would be indistinguishable from the common Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla). However, this year on Texbirds, a photographer posted many pictures of Franklin’s Gull from Galveston, Texas City etc and showed the differences from the Laughing Gull. The first chance I had to look for them was 3 days ago and bingo – success, even though they hadn’t been reported for 2 weeks.
The main differences are smaller size 14.5” vs 16.5” for the Laughing Gull. Because it is smaller, the legs are thinner and the bird sits closer to the ground. Of course relative size is tough if there is only one bird type present. The main feature is the more prominent black hood on the Franklin’s Gull that extends below the level of the eye onto the neck.
So here is a 1st winter Franklin’s Gull with still a considerable black hood in November. It also has white wing tips.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109485243
By contrast, here is the 1st winter Laughing Gull. Notice there is no white on the wing tips at all. There is also a lot of grey on the breast
.http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485245
The adult Franklin’s Gull has more residual black hood and larger white spots on the wing tips than the laughing Gull.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485247
So OK how did I know this was a Franklin’s Gull? Here is the whole photo with both birds side by side. Notice how much smaller the Franklin’s on the left is and how thin are its legs! Also, notice how much further down the neck, the hood extends.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485248
After I took the gull photos I drove along the shore and found a cooperative Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). Notice there is no eye-ring and no wing bars.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485250
The next bird is a Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). Notice the hooked beak. This common bird is often confused with Northern Mockingbirds as their coloration is similar.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485252
The Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla) is seen more commonly during the fall migration. The male has a gray hood but with a yellow throat, and eye-ring.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485253
The Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) is a common winter resident of the Texas coast. This bird at Anahuac NWR allowed me to approach him to within 15’, the closest that my camera and 500mm lens can focus. The field marks are pink bill, streaked breast and bit of yellow above the eye.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485255
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Notice – photos with name preceded with an asterisk (*) were updated for this blog and the text was edited accordingly
Friendswood Texas
Nov 8, 2007
Bulletin #19 – Upper Texas Coast – Fall 2007 – part 1
Hello friends,
Fall migration along the upper Texas coast is another exciting time as there are several species of birds that are more numerous than during spring migration. Also, many birds are in non-breeding plumage which can make for difficult identification problems.
I obtained a number of new species photos along with several improved photos of other species. The most memorable however, was Nov 4th when I got a life bird. It has been a long time since I had a lifer in my home territory and this one was only 15 miles from the house!
So, I’ll start with the lifer. Franklin’s Gull (Larus pipixican) is a smallish black-headed gull that breeds in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well as the extreme northern plains states. It winters in Central America. I had heard of occasional sightings along the upper Texas coast. I assumed that it would be indistinguishable from the common Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla). However, this year on Texbirds, a photographer posted many pictures of Franklin’s Gull from Galveston, Texas City etc and showed the differences from the Laughing Gull. The first chance I had to look for them was 3 days ago and bingo – success, even though they hadn’t been reported for 2 weeks.
The main differences are smaller size 14.5” vs 16.5” for the Laughing Gull. Because it is smaller, the legs are thinner and the bird sits closer to the ground. Of course relative size is tough if there is only one bird type present. The main feature is the more prominent black hood on the Franklin’s Gull that extends below the level of the eye onto the neck.
So here is a 1st winter Franklin’s Gull with still a considerable black hood in November. It also has white wing tips.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109485243
By contrast, here is the 1st winter Laughing Gull. Notice there is no white on the wing tips at all. There is also a lot of grey on the breast
.http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485245
The adult Franklin’s Gull has more residual black hood and larger white spots on the wing tips than the laughing Gull.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485247
So OK how did I know this was a Franklin’s Gull? Here is the whole photo with both birds side by side. Notice how much smaller the Franklin’s on the left is and how thin are its legs! Also, notice how much further down the neck, the hood extends.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485248
After I took the gull photos I drove along the shore and found a cooperative Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). Notice there is no eye-ring and no wing bars.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485250
The next bird is a Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). Notice the hooked beak. This common bird is often confused with Northern Mockingbirds as their coloration is similar.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485252
The Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla) is seen more commonly during the fall migration. The male has a gray hood but with a yellow throat, and eye-ring.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485253
The Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) is a common winter resident of the Texas coast. This bird at Anahuac NWR allowed me to approach him to within 15’, the closest that my camera and 500mm lens can focus. The field marks are pink bill, streaked breast and bit of yellow above the eye.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109485255
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Notice – photos with name preceded with an asterisk (*) were updated for this blog and the text was edited accordingly
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Bulletin #18 - RGV TX #3
David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
Nov 1, 2007
Bulletin #18 – Rio Grande Valley Oct 5-7, 2007 – part 3
Hello friends,
I had a quick weekend trip to the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas the first weekend in October. This is a unique location in the ABA birding area as it contains several Mexican species that just cross over the border into the USA.
I hired a guide to show me around and locate the birds for me to photograph. My guide was Roy Rodriguez, who was extremely knowledgeable for all the wildlife and plants. Roy can be reached on his cell phone at 956-221-1340.
There are 2 parrot species to be found in the RGV. The first of these is the Red-crowned Parrot which I had already photographed in Miami, so I omitted that bird as a target for this RGV trip.
The other is the Green Parakeet (Aratinga holochlora). This species lives in Northeast Mexico, but in the last dozen years has moved into south Texas in large numbers. They are easily found in large communal roosts along power lines in several of the cities. These photos were taken about 6 pm in McAllen along a main street. Certainly the easiest parrots to see, as usually you are looking for a green bird in a green tree. This was a lifer for me as well.
The first is a pair on a palm frond. They look like a pair of love birds.
The second photo shows them squabbling for a spot on the wire. They have yellow under their wings, and a few orange spots on neck and wing.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109483984 click ‘next’ once
There are several orioles in the RGV. The only one we found was the Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis). At 10” in length, this is the largest oriole in the ABA area. It was another lifer for me. The adults are similar plumage. This bird has an orange streak on the upper wing and white wing bars below.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109483997 click ‘next’ once
This bird builds a typical oriole long hanging nest. Here is a photo of the Altamira Oriole nest.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484003
We spent Saturday evening and early Sunday morning looking for owls. This is my first successful night photo of an owl. Here is an Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio).
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484006
The next bird is the Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus). This is the largest wren in the ABA area (8.5”). The first photos are an adult. Notice the spots on the breast coalesce into almost a large black spot on the chest and throat. Here are 2 photos of the same bird. The curved bill, white eye stripe and brown coloration are typical of all wrens.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484010 click ‘next’ once
Next we have a juvenile. The spots are quite distinct and not as dark as the adult.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484016 click ‘next’ once
The last bird is the Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons). This bird has a black & white striped back with yellow on the face. The male also has a red patch on crown of head. Here is the male. The yellow patch above the bill is just visible.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484022
The female has no red but notice she also has a yellow belly! Compare with the upper Texas coast Red-bellied Woodpecker.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484025
The last photo is of a Javelina or Collared Peccary (Tayassu tajacu). This mammal is a close relative of the pig family and is a common native of the southwestern region of the USA. Notice the white collar and a tusk is just showing.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484027
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
Friendswood Texas
Nov 1, 2007
Bulletin #18 – Rio Grande Valley Oct 5-7, 2007 – part 3
Hello friends,
I had a quick weekend trip to the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas the first weekend in October. This is a unique location in the ABA birding area as it contains several Mexican species that just cross over the border into the USA.
I hired a guide to show me around and locate the birds for me to photograph. My guide was Roy Rodriguez, who was extremely knowledgeable for all the wildlife and plants. Roy can be reached on his cell phone at 956-221-1340.
There are 2 parrot species to be found in the RGV. The first of these is the Red-crowned Parrot which I had already photographed in Miami, so I omitted that bird as a target for this RGV trip.
The other is the Green Parakeet (Aratinga holochlora). This species lives in Northeast Mexico, but in the last dozen years has moved into south Texas in large numbers. They are easily found in large communal roosts along power lines in several of the cities. These photos were taken about 6 pm in McAllen along a main street. Certainly the easiest parrots to see, as usually you are looking for a green bird in a green tree. This was a lifer for me as well.
The first is a pair on a palm frond. They look like a pair of love birds.
The second photo shows them squabbling for a spot on the wire. They have yellow under their wings, and a few orange spots on neck and wing.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109483984 click ‘next’ once
There are several orioles in the RGV. The only one we found was the Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis). At 10” in length, this is the largest oriole in the ABA area. It was another lifer for me. The adults are similar plumage. This bird has an orange streak on the upper wing and white wing bars below.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109483997 click ‘next’ once
This bird builds a typical oriole long hanging nest. Here is a photo of the Altamira Oriole nest.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484003
We spent Saturday evening and early Sunday morning looking for owls. This is my first successful night photo of an owl. Here is an Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio).
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484006
The next bird is the Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus). This is the largest wren in the ABA area (8.5”). The first photos are an adult. Notice the spots on the breast coalesce into almost a large black spot on the chest and throat. Here are 2 photos of the same bird. The curved bill, white eye stripe and brown coloration are typical of all wrens.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484010 click ‘next’ once
Next we have a juvenile. The spots are quite distinct and not as dark as the adult.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484016 click ‘next’ once
The last bird is the Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons). This bird has a black & white striped back with yellow on the face. The male also has a red patch on crown of head. Here is the male. The yellow patch above the bill is just visible.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484022
The female has no red but notice she also has a yellow belly! Compare with the upper Texas coast Red-bellied Woodpecker.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484025
The last photo is of a Javelina or Collared Peccary (Tayassu tajacu). This mammal is a close relative of the pig family and is a common native of the southwestern region of the USA. Notice the white collar and a tusk is just showing.
http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/109484027
All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
Happy Birding,
David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net
photos copyright 2007 David McDonald
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