Vermilion Flycatcher and more

First I want to thank all of the well wishers that commented about my surgery last week.  It is nice to know that I have so many loyal followers out there.  So, having said that, on Monday morning after a week of re-cooperating, Ann and I ventured out to do a bit of birding, and maybe get some photo ops.

We first stopped at the San  Angelo State Park, where we haven’t been for several weeks.  There was almost no activity around the bird blind there, so after a quick drive around we headed to Middle Concho and Spring Creek parks.  Never a problem there, when it comes to seeing birds.  Of course, getting some decent photographs is another thing.  I wasn’t very successful in that department.  The highlight was getting this photo of a Vermilion Flycatcher.  If you follow me on Facebook, you probably have already seen it, as I was anxious to show it off yesterday.  I believe it is my best photo of the species to date.

Vermilion Flycatcher

After getting that shot, I figured that would be a hard act to follow.  As usual at those parks, I had another opportunity to photograph a Great Blue Heron.  This one was wading in the Middle Concho River.

Great Blue Heron

Earlier in the day, while we were still out at San Angelo State Park, Ann had to make a pit stop at one of the restrooms.  While I waited in the car, I watched this American Kestrel flying around about 125 yards away.  It would go from one tree to another.  As it finally lit on this fence post for a few seconds, I was able to photograph it with my Canon EOS 7D and 500mm lens and 1.4 tele-converter, from my car window.

American Kestrel on fence post.

I hope you enjoyed these photos.  Click on any of them to see enlargements.  The birding total talley for the morning was 34.  Here is the total list if you are interested.  This includes birds from the parks mentioned above, plus a little pond in The Bluffs residential area.

1. American Coot
2. Ring-necked Duck
3. Gadwall
4. Pied-billed Grebe
5. American Wigeon
6. Northern Mockingbird
7. Hooded Merganzer
8. Golden-fronted Woodpecker
9. House Sparrow
10. House Finch
11. Mourning Dove
12. Northern Cardinal
13. Red-winged Blackbird
14. American Kestrel
15. European Starling
16. Killdeer
17. Belted Kingfisher
18. Double-crested Cormorant
19. Northern Shoveler
20. Great Blue Heron
21. Yellow-rumped Warbler
22. Eastern Bluebird
23. Eastern Phoebe
24. White-winged Dove
25. Ladder-backed Woodpecker
26. Cedar Waxwing
27. Vermilion Flycatcher
28. Western Meadowlark
29. Mute Swan
30. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
31. Red-tailed Hawk
32. Wild Turkey
33. Black Vulture
34. Ring-billed Gulls