New Photos, plus some from the past.

We went birding on Sunday and decided to visit San Angelo State Park first. While we were at the blind a Cooper’s Hawk swooped in on a raid to try to snatch one of the smaller birds. As far as I know he was successful, but he decided to hang around for awhile. He never showed himself in an open pose, but I could see him peeking out from branches about one hundred feet away. I was able to get this shot.

Cooper’s Hawk

We then drove through the North section of the park, intent on seeing the Lewis’s Woodpecker again. Again, he was still in the area, but not high in some trees where he has been hanging around since early November. So we drove around looking for him, then when we were in another area. about 500 yards away from the original spot, we saw him in the distance. Too far for a photograph. Other than that, Sunday was mostly a bust as far as getting any good pictures.

On Tuesday, Ann and I drove out to the parks around Lake Nasworthy. Birds were again a little scarce but there were many Great Blue Herons. I had received my Tamron 150-600m lens back from the factory, where they had upgraded the firmware in it, and I was anxious to try it out.

Great Blue Heron

Also we stopped by the the beach at Mary Lee Park to see if there were any gulls besides the resident Ring-bills. Occasionally a Herring Gull or a Boneparte’s Gull will make an appearance, so I always check. No other gull species but we did see a Forster’s Tern in the distance, sitting on a buoy. This Ring-billed Gull was practicing his hand-stand.

Ring-billed Gull

Since I didn’t get many new bird photos for you, I decided to add some more from my archives. Here are a few that may be new to you.

Eastern Bluebird

Red-naped Sapsucker

Pine Sisken

I nearly identified this Hermit Thrush as a Swainson’s, as I thought the eye-ring was more ‘buffy’ in appearance and the spots were more triangular, consistent of a Swainson’s. But the coloring of the feathers really favor a Hermit Thrush.