Well, Ann and I decided not to dwell on last year anymore, but get back in the saddle and head off into the new year. Birding -wise, we got off to a great start yesterday. The temp only reached the mid 40s, but with not much wind it wasn’t all that unpleasant to be out.
We spent a little less than three hours and we saw a total of 37 species. With a goal of reaching the 200-plus figure for the year, that is always a nice psychological beginning. I also got a couple of nice images, including one of my best Belted Kingfisher photos to date. I like it even though the tip of the bill is close to being nipped off.
Belted Kingfisher
I followed that up with this image of a Greater Yellowlegs. I am always amazed with the Canon 7D and the Canon 500mm F4 lens and 1.4 TC set-up. This bird was across the river about 150 yards away or more, and showed up as just a tiny spot in the viewfinder. I had figured there was no way that I was going to get a good usuable photo. The camera, with it’s 18MP, gave me a great file to work with. I was able to crop it and still have this sharp image.
Greater Yellowlegs
Click on either image to see an enlargement.
If you are interested in the total species we saw, here is a complete list. By the way, we only saw 194 species during 2012. I had thought that surely we could have made the 200 mark. Maybe this year…… We have a bit more experience now, and hopefully we plan to visit some east Texas areas that are teeming with new birds.
- Black-bellied Whistling Duck
- Gadwall
- American Wigeon
- Mallard
- Northern Shoveler
- Ring-necked Duck
- Bufflehead
- Mute Swan
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Northern Harrier
- Red-tailed Hawk
- American Kestrel
- Merlin
- American Coot
- Killdeer
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Ring-billed Gull
- White-winged Dove
- Belted Kingfisher
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker
- Ladder-backed Woodpecker
- Eastern Phoebe
- Black-crested Titmouse
- Bewick’s Wren
- Eastern Bluebird
- Northern Mockingbird
- European Starling
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Northern Cardinal
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Western Meadowlark
- Great-tailed Grackle
- House Finch
- House Sparrow
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 
What a list! Great work!
Thanks so much, Sheila.
Great photos as always, Bob! What a list of bird sightings! I have no doubt you will make it to 200 this year. Happy New Year to you and Ann!
Thanks so much, Karen. I like your encouragement. Happy New Year to you, also.
Hi Bob, I have nominated you for: ! Blog of the Year 2012 Award !
Please check the link for more details.
http://photographyartplus.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/blog-of-the-year-2012/
Congratulations!!! Regards, Marcela !
Thank you very much, Marcela, but I must respectively decline from following up with the required rules.
Sounds like a great start to the year, Bob. There are fewer birds here but the robins are singing in the morning, long before sunrise too.
Thanks, Jo. It is psychological, as it is easy to start a new list the first of the year. Every you see gets listed. It is a feel-good thing. Now it will start to get harder – and funner. 🙂
That is an impressive list of birds on your short outing. You truly do live in the mecca of birding. BTW, do you use a monopod for that 500mm? I just got one and trying to figure out the best way to walk around with it. Thanks!
Thank you, Bella. I use the window sill of my car when I am doing most of my wildlife photography. Otherwise, I use a tripod. It is too heavy to walk around with it. I understand the new updated version, at 10,000 dollars, is a bit lighter.
It is a little lighter, but not by a whole lot. It’s still a huge beast. 🙂
Love the bad hair day Belted Kingfisher..too funny..and the yellow legs are always so unique. We were 1 above zero today..so really cold..long johns the dress for the day..Off to the studio to do Dahl Mountain Sheep..good day for painting them with snow on the ground..Thanks ever so much for your blogs and wonderful photos..
Thanks, Syl, for the comment. It is in the mid-40s here for highs. Maybe the 50s this weekend.
Great start bob, you can fix that bill if you want to, email me if you want the particulars, MJ
Thanks, MJ. I know I can fix it if I want, but thanks for the offer. 🙂
Congrats on a good start to the year, I’m sure that you’ll get to 200 this year. Let us know your running score, if it looks like you’re going to come up short, I’ll try to talk a few of the birds around here into paying you a visit. 😉
I may have to give you a holler, Jerry. We’ll see later in the year. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Great list for January 1st. 200 is a great goal and that is the same number I shoot for each year.
37 is a great start. But as you know, Dave, it will get tougher as the weeks go by.
Hm…I wonder what Bob would look like in a kingfisher punker hair-do. And I’m quite certain that these “east Texas areas” will bring you at least the 6 more species you need to rock your 2013 numbers. I gotta play some serious catch-up…
PS — Bluebirds were in my birdbath yesterday. A first in 6 years! They were fight the yellow-rumps and phoebes for hot tub seating. Alas, no pictures.
Well, first I need a little more hair. 🙂 Re your comment about my 2012 list. In addition to our life lists, we try to see how many we can see in one year. Also how many in a month, etc. And the game goes on……. I’m glad you are seeing some more bluebirds.