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Rallidae
The Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata), formerly known as the Common Moorhen, now “split” or separated from that Eurasian species (C. chloropus). Unlike the somewhat similar American Coot (Fulica americana), this bird doesn’t have lobbed toes. Look at the long toes on this Sora Rail (Porzana carolina). All the better for walking through oozy marshes.We saw…
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National Butterfly Center
Southern Texas is home to the greatest diversity of butterflies in the U.S., and the National Butterfly Center, in Mission, is in the thick of the action down there. November is the time to visit, but we didn’t do too badly. As a bonus, we flushed a pair of Bobwhite. It was evidently emperor butterfly…
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Texas Birds II
Yellow-crowned Night-heron (Nyctanassa violacea).Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus).A single Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) amid a herd of Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis).Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus).Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum).Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris).Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaja ajaja).Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula).Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus). White-collared Seedeater (Sporophila torqueola).Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor).
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Butterbutts
One of our most common warblers is the Yellow-rumped (Dendroica coronata), whose sheer omnipresence this time of year almost makes them wallpaper. But it’s a stunning bird that always bears a longer look. The butter-yellow rump, sides, and just a touch on the poll, or head, contrast well with the gray, blue-gray, white, and black…
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Texas Birds I
Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis).Olive Sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus)Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus).Chihuahua Raven (Corvus cryptoleucus).White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) and Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina).Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona virdigenalis).Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus).Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata).Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway).
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For Roger Tory Peterson
“A golden bird of wooded swamps.” — RTP on the Prothonatary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea), photographed in the Ravine yesterday in Prospect Park.Yesterday was the 80th anniversary of the first publication of Roger Tory Peterson’s A Field Guide to the Birds. Now, I don’t doubt that humans have been watching birds since we’ve been humans, and…
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Basking Turtles
A pile-up of turtles. But not all of these are Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), which dominate the waters in Prospect Park. If you look closely, you’ll notice one of the shells is rather smoother than the others, and, although out of focus, its red highlights on the underside sing out “Painted Turtle” (Chrysemys picta).Here’s…
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Owl Ranch
San Migeulito Ranch is all owl, no cattle. A dozen miles from anywhere in Kenedy Co., and down a treacherously sandy road — we got stuck, as predicted, and needed a pickup to pull and five of us stout-hearted lads to push (this is when I think I picked up my tick and my chiggers,…
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The Rio Grande Valley
I had some odd preconceptions of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo del Norte. For one, I thought it would be wider. Here we are downstream of Falcon Dam, about 100 miles from the river’s mouth. That’s Mexico on the right.Now looking upstream, with the U.S. on the right. I also thought this indefinite border would be…
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Heron v. Fish
A Green Heron (Butorides virescens) was wrestling with a big fish it had caught today at the Upper Pool. I’ve seen other herons/egrets and cormorants working on big fish before. You hardly imagine they will be able to swallow their prey, but they almost always do. This must be enough food for the day.I saw…
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Backyard and Beyond 