It feels like spring literally flew by! It can feel that way when we have an exciting spring bird migration with plenty of action as we had these past months. It seemed like we had waves of migratory birds land on the island at least once, sometimes twice a week as the birds met quite a bit of northern headwinds throughout the season. Despite the challenging winds, I didn’t see many totally exhausted birds this year, so I think most did well, which is always good to see.
Category: Blogs
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The annual City Nature Challenge is a great opportunity to explore. I love a BioBlitz. It’s a time to challenge myself. It’s an anything goes, exciting nature venture that’s ever-changing, whether because of human involvement of the land or from the elements of the great beyond. This year was especially interesting, possibly because of storms at sea sending a variety of treasures to the beach. The dry land also gave up a few secrets. I’ve captured some interesting observations in this story-trilogy.
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A spiky, ornate gem sat amid an expansive web projecting from the fence, arresting me in my tracks. I feel privileged whenever this decorative creature, the spinybacked orbweaver, sets up camp to ensnare tiny insects in my backyard.
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During April, the peak of spring migration in South Texas, one often spots a summer, scarlet, or, occasionally, a western tanager resting on one of our low branches—to the delight of photographers unable to convince fluttery warblers to strike a pose. We are indeed fortunate hosts. In much of their nesting and wintering grounds, tanagers dwell and hunt so high in the treetops that locals seldom see them.
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A cartoon animal springs to mind when I watch this round-headed, needle-billed, tuxedoed bird that, walking on pink stilts, rises above its fellow shorebirds probing the mud for edible treats.
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As the lakes and ponds up north begin to freeze over the birds that make their living in the water need to find open, ice-free water. Naturally, this sends them south looking for warm breezes and tropical water where they can spend a comfortable winter; a sort of Margaritaville for ducks.