High Island and Bolivar

I have been wanting to go to High Island for a while now. It is one of the premier sites in the US to see migratory birds, especially hawks in the fall and warblers in the spring. So when I knew I was going to be in the Houston area, I couldn't help a side trip. I didn't see any interesting birds there, I think I was a couple weeks too early for the big fall migration, but it was nice to look around, and I will definitely be going back in the spring.

Seen from the ferry between Galveston and Bolivar.

Swallow-tailed Kites

I heard reports of these birds nesting only 20 minutes from my house, so I drove out to check them out. They are very acrobatic, and seemed to enjoy the wind. I saw three total, as well as a couple of Red-shouldered hawks and several Mississippi Kites. A good day!

Mississippi Kites

I found out that some Mississippi Kites were nesting about 45 minutes away from my house, so I drove over to check them out. The juveniles still live in the nest, but venture out sometimes. They still don't hunt, and so rely on bugs brought back to the nest by their parents.

Here is one of the juveniles.

Here he is calling our for mom to bring food.

Once on a perch they are not very steady, so they flap a lot to stay balanced.

The mother/father bringing a cicada back to the nest.

Shorebirds

It's been way too hot to go birding lately, but I snuck out this morning to Village Creek. I didn't see many of the Green or Little Blue herons that I am used to seeing. All this heat has dried up much of the water, leaving behind lots of muddy pools for the shorebirds to feed in.

Village Creek

At the Lake

I went down to the lake early this morning before work because it had been too long since I had been out shooting, not to mention the temperature is a little nicer. First up I spied this Great Blue Heron out in the middle of the lake, just hanging out fishing. I didn't see him catch anything, but soon enough he took off and flew near me.

I was able to get a few decent shots as he flew past.

This Red-winged Blackbird kept landing on the light post near me.

These two chased each other for a while, I finally got them in focus long enough to snap this shot.

More from Village Creek

I went back to Village Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant for more good birding. There were at least 8 Mississippi Kites overhead when I first arrived. I didn't get any decent pictures of them because it was overcast and there was no contrast between the grey birds and the grey sky. By the time the sun came out most of the had disappeared. But there were plenty of other birds to be seen.

Black-bellied Whistling-ducks

A Little Blue Heron

A Great Blue Heron in silhouette.