Photo ABCs

Roseate Spoonbill

The Roseate Spoonbill is one of the more spectacular (and unusual) birds in North America.

While found in much of Mexico, Central and South America, in the United States it is found only in the gulf states and Florida.

Mottled Duck

A Mottled Duck takes aim at the camera!

Photographed at South Padre Island, Texas, in January of this year:

Northern Pintail

The always elegant male Northern Pintail, photographed at South Padre Island, in January of this year:

A female:

Osprey

An Osprey flies over South Padre Island, Texas, in January of this year:

Great Kiskadee

A Great Kiskadee, photographed in January of this year on South Padre Island, Texas:

Another:

And another, with a moth ready to go down the gullet!

Great-tailed Grackle

Great-tailed Grackles always have plenty to say!

Here is one at the World Birding Center on South Padre Island, Texas, in January of this year:

Mottled Duck

The Mottled Duck is found only on the gulf coast of the United States and Mexico as well as Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Here is one at on South Padre Island, photographed in January of this year:

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks

Who can't adore Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks?

Here is a group assembled on the lawn outside of the South Padre Island World Birding Center.

Photographed in Texas in January of this year.

Bird Karma: Least Grebe

When you've been birding long enough, you recognize certain habitats are suitable for certain birds.

So often I'll mention a bird to a birding companion, and sure enough, the bird appears! I like to think of this as "Bird Karma."

Of course, like lots of things, we remember our hits, and forget our misses, which greatly outnumber our hits!

Regardless, I was walking with my friend Tjie at the La Feria Nature Center (in South Texas), along one of the ponds there, and mentioned to him, "It's funny we haven't seen any Least Grebes yet on this trip."

Not five seconds later, we rounded a bend, and voila! There was a small flock of Least Grebes.

I'll count that as a hit!

Did you know?

The Least Grebe is found throughout much of Mexico, Central and South America and the Carribean, but in the United States can only be found in South Texas.

Northern Shoveler

A Northern Shoveler heads to its evening roost.

Photographed at sunset at the La Feria Nature Center outside the town of La Feria, Texas.