Beaucoup de Birding

We have been going out birding a lot these past few days. The weather has been glorious - warm and breezy with brilliant sunshine. We see a lot of the 'usual suspects' but I can't not take pictures of them because I know in a month, I won't be able to.

Common Buckeye

Gulf Fritillary

Red Admiral

Red Admiral with wings closed

Monarch with wing damage

Spotted Sandpiper starting to show spots

Roseate Spoonbill

Sora

Pectoral Sandpiper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Osprey with forward-facing prey - very aerodynamic

'Horse-crippler' cactus

Fiery Skipper

Skip and I went to the Convention Center this morning.

Elusive Marsh Wren

Texas olive in bloom

Then went next door to the Birding Center to join the Bay Area Birders. In the parking lot was this 'Antique' 1978 VW pop-top Westfalia van, named 'Valentina', belonging to the Birding by Bus couple, Marc and Eliana. They left Miami last month and are on their way to Alaska. They have a staggering number of birds on their world life lists (1500 and 1508 respectively). They joined us for our walk around the boardwalk.

First thing we saw was a yellow-crowned night heron, out in the open.

I took a shot of our group, looking back towards the Birding Centre. The woman in front was only trying to crouch out of the way.

Up on the wire was the male Belted Kingfisher - no rust on the chest like the female.

Out on the flats was an American Golden Plover.

This was one of several Sora sightings today.

Across from the bird blind was a Green Heron.

All puffed up.

Then we saw the medium-sized gator.

Not sure what kind of eggs these are but some critter enjoyed their interiors.

We see lots of  blue crabs.

Another Sora sighting.

Lesser Yellowlegs - the bill is about the same length as the head and is straight.

Our third gator sighting by the last bird blind.

American Golden Plover in another location.

Back at the butterfly garden, this 'Horse Crippler' cactus (Echinocactus Texensis) has lots of blooms.

We have a pot luck dinner at the home of one or our birding couples. They back onto a little lake at the gold course so we hope to see some birds in the early evening.