A new week, a new day……

I am sitting here at my computer pondering the day, and wondering what I am going to write about.  I sometimes never decide until I am actually here with my fingers on the keyboard.  Ann and I had a pretty nice weekend, but now it’s time to get after it.  “It” being doing something constructive.

On Friday we decided to make a birding run through our local parks in the Lake Nasworthy area.  We actually came away with seeing 43 species in about three hours time.  I didn’t get any photos that were in an award-winning fashion, but here are a few images from the morning.

Eared Grebe

The Eared Grebe was the first we had seen this year, and we were fortunate to do so, as they usually have all left by this date except for a few hangers-on.

Blue-winged Teal

The Blue-winged Teal was feeding pretty near the grebe, as was the Great Egret pictured below.

Great Egret

Sparrows are difficult to photograph, because of the small size and also because it is hard to catch them still enough when they are in the grass.  I got lucky with this Savannah Sparrow.

Savannah Sparrow

So photographically the day wasn’t a complete waste.  I have to admit, though,  that sometimes I get caught up with the birding aspect, and sub-conciously forget the cameras.  Then I have a ‘V-eight’ moment, slam myself in the forehead about possibly missing a great shot.

Speaking of great birding here is a list of our sightings, which included our first Bullock’s Oriole of the year.

1. Blue Jay   1
2. White-winged Dove   7
3. House Finch   9
4. Great-tailed Grackle   11
5. House Sparrow   5
6. Mourning Dove   3
7. Neotropic Cormorant   15
8. American Coot   25
9. Gadwall   5
10. Pied-billed Grebe   3
11. European Starling
12. Killdeer   1
13. Turkey Vulture   5
14. Eastern Bluebird   3
15. Red-winged Blackbird   7
16. Northern Shoveler   1
17. Golden-fronted Woodpecker   4
18. Bewick’s Wren    1
19. Northern Cardinal   5
20. Ash-throated Flycatcher   2
21. Eared Grebe   1
22. Blue-winged Teal
23. Common Grackle   7
24. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
25. Brown-headed Cowbird   1
26. Chipping Sparrow   7
27. Vermilion Flycatcher   2
28. Lark Sparrow   7
29. Black-bellied Whistling Duck   25
30. Barn Swallow   5
31. Great Blue Heron   4
32. Savannah Sparrow   3
33. Great Egret   1
34. Black-crested Titmouse
35. Yellow-rumped Warbler   3
36. Ladder-backed Woodpecker   1
37. Bullock’s Oriole   2
38. White-crowned Sparrow   3
39. Wild Turkey   1
40. Belted Kingfisher
41. Cinnamon Teal   1
42. Rock Pigeon   1
43. Northern Mockingbird   7

I hope you enjoyed the images.  Click on any of them to see enlargements.