Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Bulletin #62 – 2008 in review

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
December 31, 2008


Bulletin #62 – 2008 in review

Hello friends,

2008 has been an exciting year for me in the field of photography. I have had the first show of my bird photos at the Houston Arboretum and 3 of the prints were selected to be included in their fundraising auction last April.

At the suggestion of the webmaster for the Houston Audubon Society, I got a Pbase website. I post the photos from the bulletins as well as other bird photos that I describe on Texbirds. This web site has generated over 80,000 hits this year! The power of the Internet is astounding. This web site provides daily totals of hits, and my maximum was over 5000 last July after I posted the photos from the South Padre Island pelagic trip that I went on.

Thanks to all of you who receive my reports and photos. I receive several comments after each bulletin is emailed and I appreciate that you take the time to comment.

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
· Darrell Vollert in Chappell Hill, TX. His email is
dvollert1967@yahoo.com
· Matt Brown in Patagonia AZ. His email is
mattbrownbirds@gmail.com


I have now seen 1328 world species of birds with 35 lifers in 2008. I have photos of 460 species, an increase of just over 100 in 2008. It required 3 California trips, trips to Arizona, Austin Texas and the Rio Grande valley of Texas and 2 pelagic (offshore) seabird trips as well as many local excursions. There are another 200 or so birds to photograph just in the USA and Canada, but they will require trips further afield. I will be busy in 2009 and hopefully will have many more photos to send along.

So for a summary of 2008, I’ll present my 10 favorite bird photos, and some others. 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 several 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. They all have uncluttered backgrounds that would detract from the subject.

The first is a male Wood Duck. This was taken in Hermann Park in downtown Houston. This city park has a large pond that attracts wintering ducks. Because of the people around constantly, one can get close to the birds and get good photos.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/92627965

The second is another photo from the park, the Ring-necked Duck.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/92928564

The last is a Western Grebe. This bird was photographed at Moss Landing harbor in California. This elegant looking black and white bird with a bright red eye against the dark blue makes it interesting for me.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/98312759

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 photos are in this category.

The famous endangered Spotted Owl is one of those rare birds that it is a pleasure to find and be able to photograph. Matt Brown, my guide in SE AZ had found where a pair of these birds were roosting in the mountains and we hiked up to the location. The birds were perhaps 50-60 feet away and filled the picture. I had to turn the camera vertically for this photo to get the whole bird in the frame. This was a life bird.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105787857

The next is a Blackburnian Warbler. The male of this species with his orange, black and white coloration is one of my favorite warblers. They are relatively uncommon in spring migration here compared to other warbler species. This was my third spring to attempt to get a good close-up and I succeeded at High Island TX. This photo was chosen to be on the cover of Houston Audubon Society 2008 annual report.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/96821649

I came across this majestic Sandhill Crane in Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge. He was perhaps 50 feet away when I saw him from the car. I stopped and got my camera out. Instead of flying off, he just started walking casually away from me, allowing the opportunity for this photo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/92929019

This Great Crested Flycatcher was photographed at High Island TX during spring migration. I like these interesting photos with some action such as eating a berry or bug. This bird had just plucked a large red mulberry to eat, when I saw him.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/97355693

Next is another flycatcher. The Black Phoebe is a western USA bird that is another favorite of mine. It is simply elegant with its black and white coloration. I found this bird along the shore at Monterey California. He was darting of this perch to catch bugs. He was 15’ away at eye level, the ideal height for a ‘professional’ wildlife photo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/94434845

The Least Bittern is the smallest and most secretive of all the heron family of birds in the USA. They nest in Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge outside of Houston, but even then are hard to see in the dense reeds, unless they venture to the edge of the vegetation. This bird was one of my targets birds last summer, so I spent 3 days at the refuge waiting and hoping. Finally I was rewarded when this bird actually flew up to the top of the reeds about 15 feet from me and allowed multiple pictures. This is my favorite. He is a beautiful bird, but even most birders have not seen him this well.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101423478

The last bird is the Nashville Warbler. This bird is quite uncommon on the Upper Texas coast, but is seen more commonly during fall migration. I had a poor photo from 2007, and was hoping to improve on it in 2008. During my trip to the Sierra Mountains in northern California, I spent about 2 hours trying to get a close-up photo of this bird without success. Then during fall migration, while having supper on our screened porch, I saw a pair of them land in the bird bath. I got my photo, and was rewarded when this photo was featured on the Houston Audubon Society web site as bird of the week.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103791682

Another nature photo that I liked from 2008 were these hibernating Monarch Butterflies in Pacific Grove CA.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/95354753

The 2nd is this head on photo of a Virginia Opossum. I like his pink nose and Mickey Mouse like black ears.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101742577

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 2008 David McDonald

Monday, December 22, 2008

Bulletin #61 – House Birds and a Mammal

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
December 22, 2008

Bulletin #61 – House Birds and a Mammal

Hello friends,

With the clean-up from hurricane Ike, I have had little opportunity to get into the field for the past 3 months and both my favorite places, LaFitte’s Cove in Galveston and Anahuac NWR sustained considerable damage. Anahuac just reopened 2 weeks ago. However, one can always check around in your own yard.

In late September, I found a pair of Nashville Warblers (Vermivora ruficapilla). I first noticed them in the bird bath, refound them in a tree and I waited patiently for them to return to the bird bath and was rewarded with my best photos ever of this species from 16 feet away. In California last June, I spent at least 2 hours trying, without success, for a good photo.

This bird is IDed by the gray head, eye-ring, and yellow throat. The male also has a rufous cap (as the scientific name suggests), although I am sure most birders never see it. In fact, most birds of the genus, vermivora, also have a similar orange or rufous cap. The second photo shows the bird leaning forward and the rufous feathers can be seen. The first photo was the bird-of-the-week on the Houston Audubon web site in October.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103791682

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103791522

The Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) is a common migrant spring and fall and it winters in the Houston area. The blue-gray head with white spectacles, hooked vireo beak, and wing bars ID this bird. Because of the yellow underparts and green back, vireos are often confused with warblers. Look at the beak. It is thicker and the upper has a hooked tip.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/104723222 click ‘next’ once

You may remember some photos of a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperi) that was on my driveway in August and shown in Bulletin #52. Here is the link to the photo.

http://www.pbase.com/image/102077339

Well as luck would have it, in late October, I looked out my kitchen window one morning, and there was an adult Cooper’s Hawk in my birdbath. I took the photos through the window to prevent disturbing the bird. How cool is that to have such a big bird drinking from the birdbath. The adult has a black cap, gray back and rusty striped belly.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105201977 click ‘next’ once

The last bird is in my yard now, a Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis). This hummingbird is normally a resident in northern Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Occasionally in winter, some of these birds are vagrants to the upper Texas coast. I had one in my yard for 20 weeks over the winter of 1995-6. It is worth while to persist in keeping your hummingbird feeder filled after fall migration in the Houston area, as you might get lucky and have this bird or a western USA hummingbird spend the winter with you. I first saw this bird on December 11. I finally IDed him on the 13th and he has been here daily since. What a nice winter treat. The field marks on this bird are the green throat, red bill, buffy belly and rufous tail.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/107059536 click ‘next’ once

I have also had a number of mammals at my house over the last 10 years. I live in a wooded area on an 1.5 acre lot. Mammals I have seen in my yard include Eastern Gray Squirrel, Eastern Fox Squirrel, Nine-banded Armadillo, Raccoon, Coyote, Virginia Opossum, and Eastern Cottontail Rabbit. There are also some bats in the summer and of course mice etc, but I don’t know the species.

Recently my dog caught a Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and brought it to the back door. For those of you who are unfamiliar with these marsupials, one form of defense is to play dead (playing possum). The opossum curls into a ball. The dog can then pick it up and carry it. It doesn’t hurt the possum. Well I took some pictures of the opossum, before I took it to the back to let it go. Here are 2 photos. The second is a close up showing the large teeth. With these teeth, it is a wonder it needs to play possum.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/107355926 click ‘next’ once

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Bulletin #60 – Austin TX #2

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
December 16, 2008

Bulletin #60 – Austin Texas area #2

Hello friends,

Some of these photos were taken in the Dripping Springs area west of Austin and some at Pedernales Falls State Park. The park is a great place for birders and bird photographers, as they have a nice blind and feed the birds up close to the blind. There are a couple of volunteers (Don and Joan Felch) who keep the feeders stocked and can ID the birds for those who have trouble.

Here is a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) that landed on a branch just below me. The field marks are a brown spotted thrush with reddish tail.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105868718

The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is also a member of the thrush family.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105868721

The Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculates) is a member of the sparrow family. It is unmistakable. The male has a black hood and spread his tail showing the white spots on the tail. The female in the second photo is similar except her hood is gray.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948173 click ‘next’ once

This beautiful White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) has a black and white striped head, yellow eyebrow spots and a bright white throat - an unmistakable sparrow.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948169

Another sparrow family member that isn’t called a sparrow is the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis). This bird has several color variations. The slate-colored form occurs in the eastern half of North America. Here is a female. The male is darker gray.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948171

An interesting bird at the blind, in the park, was this female Northern Cardinal with a partially white face. This phenomenon is called leucistic. This is the first bird I have seen like this, although it is not uncommon as 1 or 2 reports of such birds are posted to Texbirds each year.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948200

Lastly, a life mammal came to eat sunflower seeds at the blind in Pedernales Falls State Park. This 6” fat little rodent is a Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus). Thanks to the volunteers Joan and Don Felch for identifying it for me.

http://www.pbase.com/image/107162494

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Bulletin #59 – Austin TX #1

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
December 9, 2008

Bulletin #59 – Austin Texas #1
Hello friends,

Some of these photos were taken in the Dripping Springs area west of Austin and some at Pedernales Falls State Park. The park is a great place for birders and bird photographers, as they have a nice blind and feed the birds up close to the blind. There are a couple of volunteers (Don and Joan Felch) who keep the feeders stocked and can ID the birds for those who have trouble.

I always enjoy watching wrens. These little brown active birds are great singers and seem to have the loudest songs relative to size of any of my back yard birds.

Here is my local wren, the Carolina Wren (Thyrothorus ludovicianus). The photo was taken in the park. The ID is the bright white stripe over the eye and rufous underparts.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948193

The Bewicks’s Wren (Thyromanes bewickii) is a duller brown wren of the western USA. The underparts are gray. This photo was also in the park.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948196

The third wren is the Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus). I think that this spotted wren is the prettiest in the USA. Both back and breast are spotted brown.

http://www.pbase.com/image/105868666

2 species of goldfinch were in the area. I had not been able to get any good photos of the Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria). The male is black above with white wing patches and yellow below. Interestingly, they do not molt to a dull plumage in the winter.

Here are 2 photos of the male. Of note, in the western part of their range, the males have a black head and green back.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105868703 click ‘next’ once

The female Lesser Goldfinch is mostly greenish above and yellow below.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105868707

The Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) is a brown streaked bird with just some yellow on the wings. Here are 2 photos from the park.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948202 click ‘next’ once

Working in the photo blind in the park allows some extreme close-up photos of birds that are easily spooked.

Here are the male and female Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris). The male has white spots on his red head.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948175 click ‘next’ once

This Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) is a dull olive colored warbler with no obvious distinguishing marks. His breast has some faint streaking on it, but this feature isn’t shown in the photo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948154

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Bulletin #58 – Southeast Arizona #3

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
November 27, 2008

Bulletin #58 – Southeast Arizona #3

Happy Thanksgiving,

Southeast Arizona is one of those unique birding areas in the USA where Mexican species extend their range into the USA. I had birded there once before on my own, but I went back to take photographs of the birds and hired a guide to maximize my time.

The local guide was Matt Brown in Patagonia AZ. His web site is
http://www.actwin.com/toaph/lifebirds/index.html
I highly recommend Matt if you need a guide out there, as he knows the birds and where to locate them.

I got photos of 3 birds with ‘lark’ in their name.

The first is the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris). This distinctive bird occurs throughout North America. The black and yellow facial pattern are the ID mark. The horns are just tufts that are only seen if a breeze makes then stand out. The photo is of a male. The female has a less boldly patterned face.

http://www.pbase.com/image/106418421

There were several members of the sparrow family – 2 of which were shown in the previous bulletin.

The Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) has only a black spot on his breast – no streaking. His boldly patterned face is the other field mark.This is a 1st winter bird. The pattern is more muted than the adult. There is buff color in the stripe above and behind the eye. The adult would have the stripe all white.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418424

The Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) is a large (7”) sparrow. The breeding male is unique as he is all black with large white wing patches. In winter the male is a dark streaked sparrow with black and white stripes on the wing. Even with his head turned away, you can ID this bird in the first photo. The second shows a first winter male. He has a patterned face resembling the Lark Sparrow above, but has a large bill, and has black on his wings with buff rather than white.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418426 click ‘next’ once

The Canyon Towhee (Pipilo fuscus) was a life bird. It is a plain gay brown sparrow with rufous cap and undertail and central black breast spot.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418438 click ‘next’ once

We saw several warbler species including this female Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dendroica nigrescens). This was only me second sighting of this bird. The male has a black throat but in the female it is grayer. The unusual marking is the little yellow spot on the face. It can be seen in the first photo. But in the second she has turned to face the camera and the sun caught the 2 spots and lit them up like headlights.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418432 click ‘next’ once

I was also lucky to get a photo of this Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) perched in a bare tree at the side of the road. I got out of the car and just took the photos with the camera resting on the car for support, so as not to frighten the bird.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418447

One of the more inspiring sights was the large number of wintering Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis). At first, there were several groups flying around in the typical V flock.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418454

A short time later, something must have spooked the birds in the valley as literally thousands of cranes rose into the air.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418463

Some of them flew directly over where we were standing.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418469

I also photographed the 2 local squirrel species.

The Arizona Gray Squirrel (Scurius arizonensis) looks like the other Gray squirrels in the USA and lives in trees.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418477

The Rock Squirrel (Spermophilus variegates) is a ground dwelling squirrel that lives in tunnels in the ground. Occasionallly they will climb low trees. I had tried to photo several on the ground, but they always ran out of sight before I could get the caera ready. Well fortunately, we found one in a small bare tree beside the road as we were driving and I got this photo. He has a mottled pattern on his back.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106418495

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Bulletin #57 – Southeast Arizona #2

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
November 18, 2008

Bulletin #57 – Southeast Arizona #2

Hello friends,

Southeast Arizona is one of those unique birding areas in the USA where Mexican species extend their range into the USA. I had birded there once before on my own, but I went back to take photographs of the birds and hired a guide to maximize my time.

The local guide was Matt Brown in Patagonia AZ. His web site is
http://www.actwin.com/toaph/lifebirds/index.html
I highly recommend Matt if you need a guide out there, as he knows the birds and where to locate them.

John Cassin (1813-1868) was a scientist and ornithologist. He was appointed honorary curator at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences in 1842 where he studied the world’s largest collection of bird skins from the USA and around the world. As he was considered the foremost expert at the time, he also received specimens from the Smithsonian for identification. He described almost 200 new species. He only collected a single new species in the field (Philadelphia Vireo), but did all his work on the preserved skins. 5 western USA species have been named for him. Cassin’s Sparrow, Finch, Kingbird, Vireo and Auklet. The Cassin’s Vireo he initially described, but it was lumped into the Solitary Vireo complex, until about a decade ago, it was split and received full species status.

I had not seen any of the 5 species until 1 year ago when I started traveling to photograph the birds. In Oct 2007, I found the Cassin’s Sparrow in the south Texas. In June 2008, I saw the Cassin’s Finch in the Sierra Mountains of California, and on this trip to Arizona, I found the kingbird and vireo.

Cassin’s Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans) is similar to Western and Tropical Kingbirds, but the gray of the throat and chest is much darker. Because the gray is so dark, they show a white malar patch on the face. They are easy to see as they sit on wires etc in the open.

http://www.pbase.com/image/106100212

The Cassin’s Vireo (Vireo cassinii) is a small (5.5”) greenish backed vireo with gray head and the white spectacles that are characteristic of the old ‘Solitary’ Vireo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100215

I also found another vireo species, Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo huttoni). This is a tiny (5”) drab greenish-gray bird that occurs in 2 separate populations – Pacific coast and Mexican that extends into SE Arizona. The hooked beak ID it as a vireo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100218

The Mexican Jay (Aphelocoma ultramarine) is similar to the scrub jay but a paler blue color. The adult in the first photo has a black bill. The juvenile in the second photo has a yellow bill.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100220 click ‘next’ once

We encountered several raptor species.

The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) is a large (24”) buteo of the arid southwest USA. It has reddish back and wings, with a white chest and abdomen. The legs are reddish as well. Here are a couple of photos of the same bird on a power pole. I n the second photo, you can see a little of his reddish legs.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100244 click ‘next’ once

The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) occurs all across the USA and southern Canada. This rufous morph color variety has dark brown back and red-brown underparts.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100264

The last raptor was a female American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). This small falcon (9”) has rufous back and wings and 2 facial black lines. In the male, the wings are gray.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100276

There were also a number of sparrow species including juncos and buntings.

The Rufous-winged Sparrow (Aimophila carpalis) is a SE Arizona specialty. It has a rufous crown and small rufous shoulder patch. The face has 2 black stripes.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100283

Another SE Arizona specialty bird is the Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus). It is a gray bird with reddish back, black facial mask and bright yellow eye. Here are 2 photos, with the second a close-up head on. The bird looks almost comical with the bright yellow eye.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/106100284 click ‘next’ once

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Monday, November 10, 2008

Bulletin #56 – Southeast Arizona #1

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
November 10, 2008

Bulletin #56 – Southeast Arizona #1

Hello friends,

Southeast Arizona is one of those unique birding areas in the USA where Mexican species extend their range into the USA. I had birded there once before on my own, but I went back to take photographs of the birds and hired a guide to maximize my time.

The local guide was Matt Brown in Patagonia AZ. His web site is
http://www.actwin.com/toaph/lifebirds/index.html
I highly recommend Matt if you need a guide out there, as he knows the birds and where to locate them.

There are 3 species of woodpeckers that are almost unique to Arizona. One doesn’t occur in the Patagonia area (Gilded Flicker). We didn’t find the Arizona Woodpecker despite diligent searching high in the mountains, but we easily located the Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis). It has the typical zebra-backed stripes like the Red-bellied Woodpecker. The male has only a small round red skull cap like patch on his head and the female has no red at all. They also have a bright yellow belly – a field mark not shown in the books, but very noticeable. Here are a photo of the male and the then the female in a hackberry tree.

http://www.pbase.com/image/105787838 click ‘next’ once

We located 2 birds in the chickadee family. Both are very local to the area and both were life birds for me.

The Mexican Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) lives only in the Chiricahua Mountains of SE Arizona along the New Mexico border. As they are not migratory, you have to go there to find them. It is like most chickadees with a black cap and throat. What is different about this bird is the throat patch extends down onto the chest and the flanks are gray.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105787840

The Bridled Titmouse (Baeolophus wollweberi) has a unique black and white striped facial pattern – unmistakable.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105787841

The only wren that I had not photographed was the Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) and we found it easily. It is a rather drab gray wren.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105787847

Lastly, what made the trip memorable was looking for owls. I had specifically asked the guide to help me photograph some owls. We succeeded in spades. All 3 owls photographed were life birds.

The most exciting was finding the endangered Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) in daylight, as Matt had located a pair in a canyon that required only a ¼ mile hike from the end of the road.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105787857

The other 2 were smaller screech owls. The Whiskered Screech-Owl (Otus trichopsis) is a small (7.25”) Mexican species that just barely makes its range into the mountains of southeast Arizona. He has vertical black stripes with some horizontal cross hatches on the breast. Compare this to the other owl below.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105787866

The last one was the slightly larger (8.5”) Western Screech-Owl (Otus kennicottii). This owl occurs all across western North America. He perched nicely on a bare branch for his photo. Notice he just has faint vertical stripes but no cross hatching.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105787870

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Bulletin #55 – Wisconsin birds

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
October 25, 2008

Bulletin #55 – Wisconsin birds

Hello friends,

I spent a weekend at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in early October. This was my first time in that state. I birded at a Nature Conservancy preserve on the north shore of the lake and it is a beautiful location with several habitats (marsh, prairie, and woods) and well maintained trails and boardwalks throughout.

The only new bird I got to photograph was a Black-capped Chickadee (Peocile atricapilla). This was the chickadee I was familiar with growing up in Canada. It is very similar to the Carolina Chickadee of the southeastern USA, but a little larger and it has white shoulders (upper wing).

http://www.pbase.com/image/105018957

There were numerous Downy Woodpeckers ( Picoides pubescens) and I got my best photos of this species. It is a small woodpecker at 6.75 inches. It has a white vack and spotting on the wings. The male has a red patch on the back of the head. Here are 2 photos of male and female.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018958 click ‘next’ once

I saw this bird facing me with the white breast He was preening himself first thing in the morning. I saw the cap and white under the tail, but was unsure what species it was other than I was sure it was a warbler.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018962

There turned out to be a pair of them in the bush and after preening, they started to move around. This one perched in the open. Of course now with the yellow rump and undertail, the ID is obvious. It is a Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum).

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018964

In this photo, he has caught a rather large insect.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018965

There was a large flock of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum). I had already good photos of adults, so I wanted to get the juvenile plumage, if possible. Here are a couple of photos. Notice the breast is whitish with brown streaks, and the black mask extends only to just behind the eye. The second photo also has a House Finch.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018966 click ‘next’ once


The next bird is a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). Nuthatches have the unusual habit of climbing head first down the tree trunk looking for insects in the bark. The ID of this bird is gray with white breast and white face. The male shown here has a black head and neck. The female differs in that the top of her head and neck is gray rather then black.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018969 click ‘next’ once

The small (5.25”) Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) is the only North American member of this family. Unlike the nuthatches, it starts at the bottom of the tree and climbs upwards looking for insects in the bark. It is a cryptic brown color with spotted back and curved bill. The first photo shows him in profile. Notice how he uses his tail as a prop against the tree just as woodpeckers do. The second photo has him against the tree and he is almost invisible.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018980 click ‘next’ once

There were many White-throated Sparrows ( Zonotrichia albicollis) in the woods. This bird is identified by the striped head, white throat patch and yellow in front of the eye. Mostly, the stripes on the head are pure white, but sometimes as in the 3rd photo may be tan color. The first photo shows him relieving himself! I didn’t notice this until I got back and looked at the photos on the computer.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105018997 click ‘next’ twice

The last bird is a female Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) I had photos of the male, but found this female perched in the open. I didn’t know what the ID on the bird was when taking the photos. I thought at first it was a sparrow, but on seeing the beak size, I realized it wasn’t a sparrow. After going through the field guide, I came to the correct ID and had it confirmed by an expert. The face is striped and the tail is very notched in the second photo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105019001 click ‘next’ once

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Bulletin #54 – Houston summer/fall birds #3

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
October 18, 2008

Bulletin #54 –Misc UTC summer/fall birds #3

Hello friends,

I went to Chappell Hill, Texas, about 50 miles west of Houston, to bird with guide Darrell Vollert on Labor Day weekend. I have used Darrell several times previously. Darrell's website is
http://www.darrellvollertnaturetours.com/

I was particularly interested in the small flycatchers known as 'empids', a contraction of the genus name empidonax. There are 11 different empids in ABA area. They are all very similar and best IDed by voice. So Darrell was my expert to find these birds as they migrated through the area. The smallest of these birds (5.25") is appropriately named the Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus). They all have 2 wing bars and an eye-ring. This one is mostly grayish.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/102395724

The other one we found was the Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens). This bird does nest across the southeast USA. It has a more greenish back. The wing bars on this bird are buffy that may indicate a 1st year bird.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/102395713 click 'next' once

A third empid, that I photographed in Galveston the week before, is the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris). It also has a greenish back, but considerable yellow on the abdomen.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/102077291 click 'next' once

Another bird Darrell found for me was a migrating Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni). These hawks breed in the western USA and migrate all the way to Argentina for the winter. They can be found moving through the upper Texas coast in late summer. This is the lighter color phase. The overhead view is unusual as the wings are white and the trailing edge is dark. This is the reverse pattern of many raptors. He also has a dark chest.


http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/104704531

Galveston before the hurricane hit on Sept 13th also provided some good photos. The Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) resembles a female Mallard, but is a resident breeder along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I found several in the pond at LaFitte's Cove. Here is a pair swimming side-by-side. The male is in the foreground with the yellow bill. The female behind has a dull orange bill. The second photo shows a male with the blue wing patch.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/104706917 click 'next' once

The most exciting bird of the last several months was a European sandpiper that was found in Galveston. This bird, I think, is unique in that the sexes have different names. The male is called a Ruff. The female is called a Reeve. The scientific name is Philomachus pugnax.Interestingly, it was found by a Norwegian birder. The bird had been missed by all the local birders, as it is so rare. In fact, this is only the second time in 18 years that I have seen it. It is a female in non-breeding plumage and quite indistinct. I certainly would not have known it was something rare. Here are 2 photos.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/102495698 click 'next' once

This female Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrine) posed beautifully for her portrait. The white under the tail is a characteristic of this species and is clearly visible.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/102077216

Also, this Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) flew to an open branch and provided my best photo ever of this species. The yellow belly, gray throat, and rufous on the wings is characteristic of this genus. This is the only species of this genus that occurs here.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/102077288

Lastly, on a visit to LaFitte's Cove at dawn on an overcast drizzly day, I found both an Armadillo and an Opossum. I have been unable to find these mammals in the past 18 months since I got my larger lens and they were both here 10 minutes apart and at the same location!

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101742366 click 'next' once

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Monday, October 6, 2008

Bulletin #53 – Houston summer/fall birds #2

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
October 6, 2008

Bulletin #53 – Houston summer/fall birds #2

Hello friends,

I haven’t been to Anahuac NWR since hurricane Ike, but I assume it is in disarray as much of the debris from The Bolivar peninsula would have washed across Galveston Bay and piled up on the shore at Anahuac. Also, it was probably inundated for the storm surge.

However, I did make several trips in August and got some good photos.

The Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) is a common sandpiper over the northern 2/3 USA and all of southern and central Canada. In fact, as a child growing up in canada, it was the only shorebird I ever identified. In breeding plumage, the spotted breast and bobbing gait is distinctive. This bird winters all across the southern USA and seldom is seen with the spotted plumage. It loses the spots in winter. The first weekend of August, I found one bird that had not molted yet. There were a pair together – one with spots and one without. Here is the breeding plumage bird.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101102075

And here is his companion without spots. This bird is IDed in this plumage by the yellowish legs and the white shoulder spot. Here are 2 photos of the same bird.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101102094 click ‘next’ once

Also, I found a juvenile Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus). The juvenile has a more gray-looking back and pale pink legs.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101102121

Rails are always difficult birds to find, but on 2 successive weekend visits to Anahuac NWR, I found and adult and juvenile King Rail (Rallus elegans). This large rail (14.5”) nests at Anahuac and uses fresh water marshes. It is a warm brown color with a long bill. These were the best views I ever had of this bird. I have probably only seen it 5-6 times in 20 years. Rails are very thin side to side to allow then to walk between the reeds in the marsh. This was the source of the expression ‘thin as a rail’.

Here is the adult – 2 views.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101102117 click ‘next’ once

The juvenile has a spotted breast rather than the warm brown of the adult.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101423670

The Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) is our only breeding sparrow in the Houston area (excepting the House Sparrow which is an old world bird from a different family). This sparrow, as it name implies, lives along the sea coast from New England to Texas. It is quite an attractive sparrow in the spring, but by late summer before it molts, becomes drab or as described ‘worn’.

The yellow line above the eye is an important ID mark. Here are 2 photos of a ‘worn adult’ bird as described in Sibley. Look closely at the tail of the bird in the second photo, and you can see the feathers are very ragged.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101102126 click ‘next’ once

This Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) is also showing wear and needs to molt a new set of feathers. The handsome bird with gray back and white breast looks like he has formal wear on. The distinguishing mark is a terminal white band on his tail. This bird has almost no white left on the tip of his tail.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101423739

The Tricolored Heron (Egrettea tricolor) in my opinion is more beautiful as a juvenile than the adult plumage. The juvenile has reddish stripes on the neck and reddish spots on the blue-gray wings and back.

This is the same bird in 2 photos. The first is the complete bird, and the second a close up of the head and neck.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101423594 click ‘next’ once

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Bulletin #52 – Houston summer/fall birds #1

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
September 28, 2008

Bulletin #52 – Houston summer/fall birds

Hello friends,

We are now 2 weeks post Hurricane Ike. I hope that all of you who were affected are safe, along with your families. I presume most of you have your power back as well and have sustained minimal damage other than downed trees and fences etc.

I just got the last 5 trees removed yesterday. Now, the putting back together begins – waiting on trash pickup, fences put back up, and replacement of kitchen ceiling sheetrock and painting.

This was a large storm over a wide area, but fortunately only a category 2 with winds 105 mph. The power was out over an area the size of the state on New York. The mountains of broken trees and limbs is estimated at 5-10 million cubic yards just in the Houston area alone. It will take months to haul it all off.

I was supposed to go on vacation on Sept 12th, the day before the storm, but the airports were closed and I wasn’t going to leave in the face of a hurricane anyway. This had to be my worst vacation ever, as I worked ½ days in the office and spent the afternoons cleaning up around the house.

So here are some birds that I photographed in August and September at home and around the Houston area.

I actually have had some good hawk photos at my house. I always keep my camera in the laundry room of the kitchen, so I can grab it at a moments notice if I see something interesting.

The first was a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk (Accipter cooperii). I happened to look out the kitchen window on 8-23-08 and saw this bird sitting on the driveway. Accipters are short winged, long tailed hawks that pursue other smaller birds and take them on the wing. The juvenile has dark streaks on the breast along with a buffy orange head. It has a rounded tail with terminal white band. It is similar to the smaller Sharp-shinned Hawk, but the latter has a square tail. This was the best look I have ever had of this bird. The photos were taken out the kitchen window so as not to disturb the bird. What a ferocious looking bird!

http://www.pbase.com/image/102077339

I have several bird feeders in the area and I assume that he had caught and lost something and landed to look for it, as he proceeded to look all around and under a small shrub.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/102077348

The last photo shows the rounded tail.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103770050

And here he was in a tree on Sept 1st. I had seen him about 5 times in 2 weeks at the end of August, but haven’t seen him since the hurricane. I hope he is still around.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103770099

The resident hawk at my house is the Red-shouldered Hawk RSH(Buteo lineatus). Here is an adult who was sitting 10 feet off the ground across the driveway from my garage. I took this photo from inside the garage.

This bird is somewhat unusual as eastern RSH are supposed to have the horizontal orange stripes all the way down the breast and belly. This individual has a solid orange breast with stripes on the belly. This is characteristic of California birds, but they also have orange heads.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103770321

The last individual hawk was a juvenile RSH taken 3 days ago when he landed on my lawn and caught a lizard. As he tried to manipulate the lizard, the lizard bit him on the tongue, and the hawk dropped his meal and took off.

Here is the post with the sequence of photos that I uploaded to Texbirds. The post says salamander, but someone ID’ed it as a Ground Skink – a lizard, not a salamander.

I saw this juvie RS Hawk 2 days ago in a tree in my yard and grabbed the camera for some photos.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704249

He then flew down on the lawn beside my patio and captured what looks like a salamander. He has it in the middle as legs can be seen on both sides of his mouth.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704257

3 frames later, he grabs the salamander with his right foot and changes it's position.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704278

4 frames later, all four legs can be seen hanging out the near side of the birds mouth.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704318

2 frames later the bird suddenly opens his mouth wide. The salamander can be seen in its entirety with the head inside the birds beak.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704319

And a close up suggests that the salamander has a hold of the hawk's tongue.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704328

A second later, the hawk has his mouth closed and no salamander is to be seen. Presumably the salamander let go of his grip and dropped to the ground.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704349

Several seconds later, the hawk flew off revealing underwing pattern.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103704352

Photography is so much fun, as I didn't see this process in action as I was taking the pictures.

Some other birds seen in August and September include the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger). This unmistakable bird has the lower mandible longer than upper mandible. In breeding plumage shown here, the nape of neck is black, continuous with head and back. In basic plumage, the nape of neck is white.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/103770427

I showed some photos of the Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) in Bulletin #48. I obtained better photos of this elusive bird in 2 visits to Anahuac NWR in August.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101423478 click ‘next’ twice

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Bulletin #51 – South Padre Island TX pelagic trip

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
September 7, 2008

Bulletin #51 – South Padre Island TX pelagic trip

Hello friends,

This was my second pelagic trip this year. This one was into the western Gulf of Mexico departing from extreme south Texas. I enjoy pelagics as one gets to see marine mammals along with birds and occasionally some neat fish, sea turtles etc. I so far have been immune from seasickness which is a hazard on these boat trips.

The first interesting bird we found was on an offshore platform soon after departure. The male Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is all black with a red throat pouch. Frigatebirds are seabirds that steal food from gulls and terns by bombing them and harassing them until they drop their catch. The frigatebird then swoops down and catches the meal before it hits the water.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531367

The next bird was a Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra). This is a huge seabird (32” with 5 foot wingspan) that dives into the water to catch fish. This adult flew up to the boat and then followed right above the stern of the boat about 10 feet up. I was taking the photos right under the bird. It is white with a black mask and black on the wings and tail. Here are 2 photos.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531369 click ‘next’ once

The next bird seen was a Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro). These small (9”) seabirds are purely oceanic, coming ashore only to breed on remote islands and at night.They are dark brown, with a white band above its tail. This bird flew across in front of the boat at about 25 yards distance when I got these photos. Prior to this it was about 50 yards away and really out of photographic range for such a small bird.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531833 click ‘next’ once

We also found 2 shearwaters. The first was the Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis). This bird is 18” in length and had a mostly white head and neck, but with a sharp black cap and dark bill. This was a life bird for me.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531410

And the other was a Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedia). This bird is also 18” long but has a dusky gray head and yellow bill. Here are 2 photos.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531503 click ‘next’ once

The last bird seen was a Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus). Jeagers are gull like seabirds that also harass gulls and terns to steal their food.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531454

I admit, these seabirds are dull colored, but the ability to live offshore almost completely is rather interesting. And most people have never seen these birds at all!

We also came across 2 mammal species.

The first was Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus) This is a blunt nosed gray dolphin that with age, develops whitish streaks on its body. They live in deep water (600’) off the continental shelf. Here are 3 photos.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531371 click ‘next’ twice

The other was a Short-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus). We came upon a pod of about a dozen of these 15 foot whales.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100531374

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Friday, August 22, 2008

Bulletin #50 - RGV TX #2

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
August 22, 2008

Bulletin #50 – Rio Grande Valley (RGV), TX birds #2

Hello friends,

I feel like I have reached a milestone of sorts as this is the 50th bulletin I have sent out since I started in May 2007. Thank you to all the subscribers, as without your support and comments it would not be worthwhile to do.

I again hired a guide, Darrell Vollert, of Chappell Hill Texas. He also guides in the ‘valley’

Darrell’s website is
http://www.darrellvollertnaturetours.com/

Several bird species, which are native to Mexico, just cross over into the USA in the RGV or Arizona. So in order to see these birds, one must travel to those locations.

In bulletin #49 last week, I neglected to mention that I visited a private ranch north of Harlingen to take some of the photos. The Harris’s Hawk and the Golden-fronted Woodpecker reproduced below were taken there. It is the San Miguelito Ranch and the owner is Leticia Tijerina. It is a premier destination to find the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl in the spring as they nest on the property. Unfortunately for me, I was a couple of weeks late, but I do intend to return next spring to photo this owl. Their web site is
http://www.sanmiguelitoranch.com/

I got photos of 3 species of Tyrant Flycatchers. All these birds just extend their range into south Texas and/or southwestern USA.

The Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) is a large (10”), noisy, & colorful flycatcher. It is unmistakable with the striped head and lemon yellow breast.

http://www.pbase.com/image/100629756 click ‘next’ once

The Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus) has a brown back and wings with gray throat and pale yellow breast. It is similar to several other flycatchers and best distinguished by voice.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629757 click ‘next’ once

The third is the Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrucephalus rubinus). The male is beautiful and unmistakable. I always take photos of this bird when I find it.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100648311

The Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis) is another Mexican species that just crosses the border at Brownsville. It is similar to Red-eyed Vireo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629921

The Audubon’s Oriole (Icterus graduacauda) is one of 2 orioles in the USA that is black and yellow instead of the usual black and orange plumage. It is found only along the Rio Grande near Falcon Dam. Here is the male. This was a lifer for me.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629895 click ‘next’ once

The Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) is a small cute gray bird with a yellow head and red shoulder patches.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629890

Another tiny bird is the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura). Gnatcatchers are gray birds with long tails. This species has a black tail as its distinguishing characteristic. Normally they are difficult to photograph as they are so active. However, this bird responded to the tape and perched up, calling back to the tape.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/101799702

I finally found a male Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus). This is a member of the cardinal family but is gray and red rather than all red.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629850 click ‘next’ once

Lastly, when we were along the Rio Grande at the hamlet of Salineno, we saw a Ringed Kingfisher flying across the river. This is the largest kingfisher in the new world at 16” in length.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629823

Also, across the river was a heavily armed contingent of the Mexican army patrolling for drug and human smuggling. It reinforces the sense of danger that exists in this rural area along the Texas-Mexico border.
http://www.pbase.com/image/109528224

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Bulletin #49 - RGV TX #1

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
August 16, 2008

Bulletin #49 – Rio Grande Valley (RGV), TX birds

Hello friends,

I again hired a guide, Darrell Vollert, of Chappell Hill Texas. He also guides in the ‘valley’

Darrell’s website is
http://www.darrellvollertnaturetours.com/

This was my second birding trip to the ‘valley’ since I started doing photography. I had missed a number of birds on the trip last October and there was also a pelagic trip from South Padre Island that was part of the trip.

Several bird species, which are native to Mexico, just cross over into the USA in the RGV or Arizona. So in order to see these birds, one must travel to those locations.

Here is a Harris’s Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus). It is a distinctive dark brown color with rufous shoulder patches. It occurs from Texas to Arizona.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629748

The next bird is the Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons). This is a central Texas bird. The gold patches on the head are the ID mark. This is the female. She has no red on the top of her head.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629750

The next 2 birds were found bathing in the pond at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge north of Brownsville TX. The Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas) is the most colorful of the jays in the USA with yellow, green and blue. However, here he is rather disheveled with his wet feathers.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629752

This male Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) also enjoyed a bath on the hot dry day. He is IDed with the red eye.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629753

I also found 3 species of sparrow to photograph. The Olive Sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) is a south Texas specialty bird. As its name implies, it has olive colored feathers on the wings.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629755

The Botteri’s Sparrow (Aimophila botterii) is a widely distributed Mexican species that just extends its range into extreme SE Texas and also into SE Arizona. I had missed it last fall, as it had migrated south when I visited the valley. It is a non-descript brown bird best IDed by voice and my guide was able to find it. It tends to be a skulker in the grass, but we managed to tape this bird up and he landed on a barb wire fence and sat there for his portrait.

Here are 2 photos of this bird. It was a lifer for me.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100629945 click ‘next’ once

The last sparrow is the Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata). It is one of the more attractive sparrows with its striped face and black throat patch. I had photographed this bird before, but if another opportunity presents itself, I will take new photos in case I can get a better photo.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100648320

All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Friday, August 1, 2008

Bulletin #48 - Houston summer birds #2

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
August 1, 2008

Bulletin #48 – Houston TX area summer birds #2

Hello friends,

I hired a guide, Darrell Vollert, of Chappell Hill Texas. This town is about 1 hour west of Houston. I went specifically to find some of the migrants that I had missed in the spring. Some of the birds nest in that area.

Darrell’s website is
http://www.darrellvollertnaturetours.com/

We found most of the target birds including Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons). This bird somewhat resembles the White-eyed Vireo except for the yellow throat.

http://www.pbase.com/image/97977487 click ‘next’ once

The next was the Swainson’s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii). They nest in the area and we were able to tape in a bird, who finally perched up and allowed some photos. I had photographed this bird on the ground during migration, but the light was horrible. This is one of the more difficult warblers to locate. It is brownish with white eye stripe, bright brown cap and long bill.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/97977405 click ‘next’ once

The Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) was readily located on some power lines in the middle of town. The dark tail with lateral white margins is the ID mark to separate this bird from other similar kingbirds.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/97977549

The one bird we saw, but were unable to photograph was the Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis). Luckily for me, several weeks later Ed and Bernice Jackson, who live just northeast of Houston, reported a nest of the birds on Texbirds. They were kind enough to show me the birds and nest with chick. Kites are graceful hawks of the tropical regions. The Mississippi Kite is a fairly common bird, but I had seen it only 3 times before. Here is the adult perched, and the nest with a chick.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/99715731 click ‘next’ once

Ed also offered to take me in his boat on the Trinity River to find the Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus). We made the trip a week later and found several of these graceful birds soaring over the river. This bird is unmistakable. Thanks a million Ed and Bernice for showing me those birds.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100068246

The Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) is the smallest and most secretive of the herons in USA. It is confined to the southeast and perhaps the best place to see it is at Anahuac NWR just east of Houston. To photograph them is a struggle. Jay Mangum and I went to Anahuac on July 4th and we both managed to get some respectable photos of this bird. The way we finally did it, was to just sit in the car for 15-20 minutes and wait for the bird to come out of the weeds to feed. The birds are brown with vertical stripes on the breast and dark top of head and back. The male has black on the head and the female has dark brown. Here are the male and female.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/99695475 click ‘next’ once

Bolivar Flats along the coast on July 4th had a large flock of Reddish Egrets (Egretta rufescens). This heron is strictly confined to salt water and marsh areas. As it was just after breeding season, they still had the bushy neck feathers and plumes extending beyond the tail. Here is a close-up of this bird and a second photo of him scratching his head.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/99695469 click ‘next’ once

This bird also exists in an all white plumage variant and I saw my first ever white Reddish Egret in the same flock of birds. This bird photo is now posted on the Houston Audubon Society web site.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/99695471

There were some nice shorebirds on Bolivar flats as well. Here is a Long-billed Curlew with his wings raised to show the brown underwing color.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/99695447

The Willet is a dull gray shorebird with exceptionally marked wings in flight. This is the best photo I have taken of this bird in flight. It also made the Huston Audubon web site.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/99696246

Here is a Barn Swallow and nest with 3 babies. There are 2 more photos of the babies in nest, so to see them click ‘next’ twice.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/99695544

Lastly is a neat looking dragonfly, the Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina). I assume it is named for the orange and black wings. I had seen pictures of it in books, so when I found one at Brazoria NWR, I knew exactly what it was. This is a male.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100981408


All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Bulletin #47 – Houston TX summer birds #1

David McDonald Photography
Friendswood Texas
July 27, 2008

Bulletin #47 – Houston TX area summer birds #1
Hello friends,

The summers here are very hot. The birding is not as exciting as spring or fall migration. However, with young birds, nesting etc, it can still be rewarding to head out to the field. This summer, I tried to photograph some birds that I missed in migration as well as some permanent residents that I had been unable to find on previous excursions.

Rails tend to be secretive birds that hide out in marshes etc. In Texas, we have the resident Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) in the salt marshes. On a trip I found this bird walking out into the wide open mud flat and he proceeded to bathe in a puddle, completely oblivious to me and several other birders watching him from 50 feet away. The second photo shows him having a great time bathing.

http://www.pbase.com/image/100783868 click ‘next’ once

Related to the Clapper Rail is the beautiful Purple Gallinule (Porphyria martinica). One weekend I found the downy chick with parents at Brazoria NWR. The baby is black and nowhere in any field guide is it illustrated. The following weekend at Anahuac, I found the juveniles. They are tan colored with bluish wash on the wings. So here the chick, a second photo with a chick between the legs of the parent and then the a pair of juveniles.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100783896 click ‘next’ twice

This next bird is an endangered woodpecker. No it isn’t the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (I wish – that would be a $1 million photo!). It is the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis). This bird is resident in pine forests of the southeastern USA. It is IDed by the ladder back striping and white cheek. The male has a small red feather above the ear area that is never seen in the wild.

This has been one of the more difficult birds for me to find. There is a sanctuary for them north of Houston about 1.5 hours drive from my house. I went twice in the 90’s and didn’t see the birds. Last year in Florida I drove to a refuge for them and missed them again. So finally on my 4th trip and expending probably more than 24 hours total time, I found the bird (a lifer) and managed some photos.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100783900 click ‘next’ once

Their nest is easy to find as they drill holes around the opening so sap runs down the tree. This is supposed to prevent snakes from attacking the young in the nest cavity. Here is a photo of a nest.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100783903

There are 3 species of these ladder-backed picoides woodpeckers in the USA. All occur in the southern states. From east to west, they are the Red-cockaded (Florida to east Texas), Ladder-backed (Texas to Arizona) and Nuttall’s (California). Interestingly, the face has more black and less white as we progress for east to west. Here are the 3 birds from east to west. (Red-cockaded, Ladder-backed and Nuttall’s)

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100783900

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/105948175

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/98261532

Least Terns (Sterna antillarum) are the smallest species of terns in the world. They nest along the Texas coast by just scraping a small depression in the sand on the beach. Well of course, the beaches on the upper Texas coast are heavily used by humans as Houston with a population of 5 million is only 30 miles form the coast. Several areas are set aside for them, but some birds insist on nesting on heavily trafficked areas, so ropes are put up to keep people and vehicles away from the eggs.

Here is a parent bird bringing a fish back for a baby and the second is a nest with 2 eggs just laid on the beach.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100783904 click ‘next’ once

I also got photos of 2 other juvenile terns. The Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) is a large (20”) bird. The adult has a bright orange beak, but the juvenile has a yellow beak and interesting black spotted plumage.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100783907

The juvenile Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri) is smaller (13”) and he has brownish spots for the first couple of months of life.

http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/100783911


All comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald
davidkmcd@comcast.net

photos copyright 2006 - 2008 David McDonald