Red-headed Crossbill?

... Or "Wicked-billed Woodpecker" — I just couldn't decide.

First let me just say, July in Houston is just plain hot. And muggy. And while I used to do "hot" without any problem, I've become spoiled in my dotage. I like air conditioning much more than I like sweating. So I really haven't done much in the way of birding in a while.

But one day last week, I dropped by the neighborhood park where I often spend my autumn, winter and spring lunch breaks — just to see if the usual Texas-summering birds had come to their senses and left for cooler climes. I expected to find the place pretty quiet right in the heat of the day but boy, was I wrong.

As I pulled up in the parking lot, I immediately spotted the brilliant scarlet streak of a Red-headed Woodpecker flitting between the trees in front of me. I watched from the driver's seat as it zipped back and forth, busily catching grubs and insects to feed a youngster who was following it around, apparently "learning the ropes" (trying to copy the parent but not having any luck catching food on its own). This industrious fellow was presenting a veritable feast for his young fledgling, who gulped down every morsel that was offered.

But when I pulled out my binoculars and took a closer look, I discovered something even more interesting than the action itself. The adult woodpecker was "handicapped" with a deformed bill which appeared to be at least twice the size of a normal RHWO bill, thinner than normal and curved to the extent that it must cross the tips in order to close its bill.


Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

I was amazed at how adept the adult woodpecker was at catching food even with its "handicap." It definitely appears to have adapted to the deformity quite well.

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera in the car that day; when I returned a couple of days later and got these shots, the juvenile was nowhere to be seen and the adult was just hanging out, taking a break from its hunting. However, I have been back once more since and once again spotted this distinct adult, so I assume it is at least a temporary resident of the area.

Here are a few more shots I snapped of this unique bird. Click on any of the thumbnails to see the full-sized image.

   

   

I hope to get back over there early next week to see if the woodpecker is still around, and hopefully to spot and get some pictures of the juvenile as well.

Fishin's Over, Time to Get Back to Blogging!

When a friend asked me the other day when I was going to "come back from that fishing trip," I honestly had no idea what he was talking about. Turns out that my last post here bore the somewhat prophetic title of "Gone Fishin'." The prophetic part — I haven't posted a single time in the five months since. Ack!

As a matter of fact, I have hardly even done any birding since last September. About that time we started going into overdrive mode on a big project at work, with pretty much all "off time" (including lunchtime, evenings, late nights, weekends, etc.) being spent in bishok mode (butt in seat, hands on keyboard). Before I knew it, Christmas was here with choir programs and family in town and everything else that entails. Then the kids' school was starting back up, our project was going into final testing and then production, everyone got sick, the autotrophs began to cool, Neanderthals developed tools, we built a wall (we built a pyramid), math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries that all started with the... well, you get the idea. Busy.

Now here it is February already and suddenly I'm realizing — I need to get outside and live again! So yesterday I headed over to the little neighborhood park where I used to go so often on my lunchbreaks and WOW, I'd forgotten how wonderful it was to sneak away from the office in the middle of the day and just walk.

It was pretty cool and extremely windy, but as usual there was plenty of avian life to see. Twenty some-odd white ibis waded through the marsh and mud across the field, looking for their own lunches. A couple of red-shouldered hawks soared in the winds above the treetops. The resident kingfisher skimmed over the surface of the bayou, his rattling call echoing through the area. And almost a dozen cormorants were busy swimming and diving in the smaller pond.


Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)

Yup, it's past time I take down the "Gone Fishin'" sign and got back to birding!

SkyWatch: Hawks and Kites

I've had a couple of really nice raptor encounters this week over at the neighborhood park where I often spend my lunch break. The first happened on Monday, when I sat and watched several Red-tailed Hawks wheeling lazily around the sky and in and out of the treetops. The skies were blue and cloudless, and the day seemed perfect as these noble birds celebrated the warmth and beauty of spring.


(Click any image to enlarge)
Yesterday, I returned to the park just as the storm clouds began moving in for the weekend. After a half hour of watching egrets and herons wading about in the pond and swallows performing their aerial acrobatics all around me, I happened to notice a small group of large birds flying high above.

I pushed my zoom lens to its maximum length and grabbed a few quick shots as they passed straight above me. Even though the picture quality is pretty dismal due to the distance and the bright glare of the overcast sky, I had to share these shots of the newest addition to my life list:




Mississippi Kites (Ictinia mississippiensis)
nearing the end of their spring migratory flight from South America
You just never know what wonders you might find waiting for you in these vast, rich Texas skies!


For more intriguing images of the skies above our world, check out the SkyWatch Friday home page.

SkyWatch Friday #40

I headed out for a walk at lunch today with camera in hand and a pack slung over my shoulder. Besides a few mediocre shots of hawks, herons and egrets, I brought back some views of the Houston skies to share today.

The blue skies of morning are quickly being overtaken as storms move in for the weekend. This was the view looking off to the west of my position:


...while turning around to the eastern skies revealed a bit more foretelling of what's in store for the next few days:



For more intriguing images of the skies above our world, check out the SkyWatch Friday home page.

Bird Photography Weekly: Double-crested Cormorants

I have written several times over the past months about a small neighborhood park near my office where I have taken quite a few quick but birdy lunch breaks. There are several things that make this location — which is only a few miles from the Galleria / "Uptown" area of Houston — ideal for birding.

While the neighborhood is only a few blocks off one of Houston's major freeways, the park itself is tucked into the farthest corner of that subdivision. Two edges of this small playground and shaded area are bordered by several acres of trees and heavy undergrowth, and the back side of the park runs up against White Oaks Bayou. Directly across the bayou from the park is another small wooded area where I have seen several hawks and kestrels roost from time to time. Next to this stand of trees and connected to the bayou is an enormous flood control area where, during rainier seasons, a large number of egrets can often be found; however, since the flood area is shallower than the bayou at this point, it does not hold standing water except after heavy rains.

I got a little more adventurous one day last week, and for the first walked down the bayou from the park for a half mile or so. Much to my surprise, I discovered a second flood control area hidden away back here, completely closed off from the surrounding roads and neighborhoods by small forested tracts. This section has a small standing "lake," complete with a small island and a number of large nesting trees right near the water's edge.

And while most of the Houston area is bone dry at the moment, this sheltered little paradise is thriving. I encountered a handful of Red-shouldered Hawks patrolling the surrounding trees, a Belted Kingfisher (who on three occasions moved from his cover in trees near the lake to soar down a long length of the adjacent bayou and back), several Snowy Egrets and — biggest surprise, to me anyways — four Double-crested Cormorants. I have never before seen cormorants this close to highly populated areas.


Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)




You can be sure that I will be returning to this hideaway habitat on a fairly regular basis, whenever the time allows.


For more great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #28.

Bird Photography Weekly: Red-bellied Woodpecker

I was back at the park last week, looking for the local resident woodpeckers, and they did not disappoint. After waiting only a few minutes, this little lady put in an appearance.


Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
She quickly began putting on a show, flitting from one tree to another and energetically bouncing along the branches, enjoying the sunshine and cool breezes of the day.


♪ When the woodpeck-pecker goes hop-hop-hopping along... ♫
Suddenly I heard an explosion of activity and the sound of jays in the wooded area off to my left, quickly followed by the sharp call of a hawk. I glanced over to try to spot the goings on, but they were out of sight within the tree line.

When I turned back to follow the little red-bellied female, she was nowhere to be seen. She had been spooked — though whether by the commotion or by the hawk's call, I don't know — and had taken cover. It was several minutes before I finally spotted a small flash of red as she finally raised her head to warily look around.


Hunkered down in the crook of the branches, she blended in with the bark so well that she was very well hidden until she began moving again.

Click on the last image above to see a nice close-up of the woodpecker in her hiding place. The deep ruby coloring of her eye is nothing short of gorgeous.


For more great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #27.

A Tail of Three Rumps

Yesterday was another one of those days when I just couldn't stay cooped up inside any longer than I had to, so I snuck out at lunch and headed for my favorite near-the-office neighborhood park.

I had hoped to spot the local Downy Woodpecker around the nest, but alas the park really wasn't very birdy at all until I crossed over to the opposite side of the bayou.


Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)
I did finally encounter a small group of Yellow-rumped Warblers right at the treeline, and watched them flit around scolding each other (or me?) for a bit. But when I got back and took a look at the handful of pictures I had snapped, I noticed something interesting.

Of the three warblers that I happened to get underside shots of, the markings of each were very distinguishable. (I'm sure that's nothing new to most of you, but this is a new insight to me.)


(Click any image to enlarge)
I have no idea whether the tail markings or the amount of yellow or streaking on the breast identifies either gender or age, but I was just intrigued by the amount of difference between birds. Next step: start reading and see what the various markings can tell me.

Unclear on the Concept

Red-bellied Woodpecker. Wood pecker. Seems simple enough, doesn't it?

But this fellow seemed a little unclear on the concept.


I came across this feisty little woodpecker at a local park the other day. As I walked from my car, I heard a strange sequence of sounds coming from the nearby tennis court. Moving in that direction, I spotted him perched on the side of a metal pole, alternately rapping on the hard surface and stopping to listen. After a moment, he hopped up to the top of the chain link fence and peered down as if to inspect the problem from a different angle. Then he chittered loudly and flew along the fence to the next pole.


Where are all the bugs? There ought to be bugs!
After repeating this on at least four poles, each followed with what seemed to be increasingly frustrated chattering, the little woodpecker finally reached the end of the fence. With a final loud chirp, as if to say, "I give up!" he flew off toward a stand of nearby trees.

I might have just imagined it, but I thought I heard a small, satisfied squeak as I walked on. Perhaps he finally found what he was looking for.

Wood.

A Nested Question

First day out birding last week after I finally found my Canon battery charger (which at least partially explains the lack of new pictures for the past couple of weeks), I came across this busy little fellow at my favorite near-the-office neighborhood park.


Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

He stayed in one tight little area the entire time I watched, and with the abundance of waving branches and leaves between us I had a hard time getting any decent shots of him. It wasn't until I got the pictures downloaded to my computer that I saw the hole that was keeping him so busy.


In one (rather blurry) shot, it looks like his entire head and upper body are plunged inside this cavity.

So as I'm still pretty new to all this, I don't feel too stupid asking the question. Is this a nest under construction, or is this guy just really getting ambitious in grub-hunting? Is there an easy way to tell?


For some great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #20.

Bird Photography Weekly #17

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)


Click any image to enlarge


For more great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #17.

Rainy Days on Tuesdays

"...always get me down." I had high hopes of heading back over to the park at lunch today, to see if I could spot yesterday's kestrel or heron again. Unfortunately, the warm drizzle of the morning turned into a gully washer just as lunchtime rolled around, so I abandoned those plans. Instead, I'll share a few of the other shots I took on Monday's brief (but profitable, birdwise) excursion.


American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
You can go here for yesterday's post to see a couple more shots of the kestrel, who did several flyovers of the bayou while I was there. He moved back and forth between the telephone cable, directly over the water, and the trees opposite where I sat on the bank of the bayou watching a Great Blue Heron downstream.


Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Looking back the other way, I also had a great view of this egret in the distance. Unfortunately, a truck rumbling down a nearby road spooked him after I got only this one decent shot of him.


Great Egret (Ardea alba)
I also got a nice long look at this shrike, who brought some tasty little tidbit up to the top of the footbridge and then stayed for a minute or two to take in the scenery.


Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Throw in a handful of doves, a blue jay and a mockingbird, and as I said before, "Not bad for a 45-minute lunchbreak!"

Bird on a Wire

From a brief lunchtime excursion at a neighborhood park near my office.


American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)



The outing also included sightings (and pictures) of a Great Blue Heron, Loggerhead Shrike and a couple of egrets. Not bad for a 45-minute lunchbreak!


For some great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #15.

Non-Birding Photos

Pulling some more "old" photos out of my hat, this time from last week's lunchtime trip to Woodland Trails West Park.

All the good birding shots made it into last week's post. Here are some of the "rest of the trip" captures.

(Click on any image to enlarge for more detail.)

Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
And an action shot...


I was also able to capture a couple of cool autumn-colored dragonflies. (I'm going to have to invest in a decent insect guide to help in identifying dragonflies and such.)



That last one has to be my favorite of the batch.

UPDATE: That second dragonfly has been identified as a Carolina Saddlebag (Tramea carolina). Thanks for the help, Susan!

One Downy, Two to Go, and a CFW

I tried to come up with a catchy title for this post that would describe my lunch outing today — I briefly considered a birder's alternative for the old "Three Martini Lunch," but "A Three-Pecker Lunch" just sounded a little too risqué. But whatever I call it, it was definitely worth skipping the greasy burgers the guys tried to talk me into.

The weather is nice and I really needed to get away from the office for a few minutes, so I headed over to nearby Woodland Trails West Park at lunch today. It's a neighborhood park bordered on one side by a large wooded area, and it backs up to a bayou and sunken field used as a run-off area after hard rains.

It was high noon when I headed over, so I didn't really expect to see much in the way of birds. But for a quick fifteen minute excursion, I certainly can't complain with the results.

(Click any image to enlarge)

My arrival at the park was announced to the world by this Blue Jay, not that my presence seemed to bother him in the least. Once I'd been promptly and soundly told off, the disapproving jay dropped down to the grass a mere twenty feet away and started hunting for his lunch.


I had only been there for a minute or two when I spotted my first woodpecker of the day, this male Downy Woodpecker. (The little red cap on the back of his crown identifies him as a male.)


I followed the downy for a bit, then veered off for what turned out to be a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.


As I moved slowly toward the rear of the park, another flash of red caught my attention. After angling in to get a better view, I spotted my third woodpecker of the day: a male Red-bellied Woodpecker.


Watching this bright red-capped fellow, I discovered a second red-bellied woodpecker following in his wake, pausing near each place he had stopped. The white crown on this one distinguished her as female — possibly his mate?


Walking through the park, I heard but never spotted at least two mockingbirds and a dove. I also followed two little yellowish-greenish birds that flitted from branch to branch so quickly I could barely keep up. These are the best two images I could capture — they were just too fast for me.


(Click either image to enlarge, although the quality doesn't improve with size)

I assume from the size and coloring that these were warblers of some kind ("confusing fall warblers," as labeled by Mr. Peterson), but that's as far as my inexperience can get me. And I can't even guarantee they are warblers. Kinglets, perhaps? I dunno.

UPDATE: Ruby-crowned Kinglets, identification courtesy of KatDoc and Christopher. Thanks, y'all!

When I got to the bayou, I accidentally spooked this Great Egret into flight.


Taking that as my cue to leave (plus the fact that programming bugs still awaited my attention back at the office), I headed out. But I have to admit, I was in a much better frame of mind after that twenty minute birding excursion than when I started.

All in all, not a bad catch for a spur-of-the-moment lunchtime getaway.