Yesterday Ann and I made a return trip to the water treatment ponds down at Eldorado, Texas. Our purpose was to try to get a look at the Black Scoter that was seen there for a few days. This time we did get a chance to see it. But as we watched, and as I was preparing to photograph it, it flew off. Since the ponds cover several acres, and there are five seperate areas we didn’t see it again amidst the hundred of duck species that were there. So a photograph will have to wait for another time. It was a lifer for both Ann and I.
However, the juvenile Cattle Egret was still there. I got a few images of it feeding in the reeds, but my prize was this photo of it in flight.
Cattle Egret in flight
Esposure was with my Canon 7D with a Canon 100-400mm lens. 1/500 sec. @ f8, ISO 250. Spot metering and aperture priority.
We also saw a Greater Roadrunner running with a captured Red-winged Blackbird in it’s beak. No photo. Running too fast for me. Total species for the two hours again was 27.
- Ruddy Duck
- Black Scoter
- Bufflehead
- Northern Shoveler
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Eastern Phoebe
- Greater Yellowlegs
- American Coot
- Lesser Scaup
- Gadwall
- Ring-necked Duck
- Eared Grebe
- Redhead
- Greater Roadrunner
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Canvasback
- Northern Pintail
- Wilson’s Snipe
- Meadowlark
- Egyptian Goose
- Cattle Egret
- Mockingbird
- Great Blue Heron
- Savannah Sparrow
- Vermilion Flycatcher
- Rock Wren
- Song Sparrow
We also saw one that we can’t identify. Here are two images of it. If there are any expert birders out there, tell me what you think.
I hope you enjoyed the photos. Click on any of them for an enlargement.
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 