It was really special being able to spend time with family and friends while hanging out in Florida for nearly six weeks, and I even got to celebrate an early Christmas with my beautiful grand-daughters. All good things must end, however, and I am back on the road again. Before leaving Florida, I took one more day to look for birds. It was a surprise to see one of my favorite spots for shore birds has been drastically changed by the construction of a biking/hiking trail. Those trails are always a good thing, but the birds must not like it and have moved on to other places. No shortage of water for them around St. Pete. I did find a few photo ops, so the day wasn't a total loss.
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| Northern Mockingbird |
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| Palm Warbler |
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| White Ibis & Tri-color Heron |
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| Snowy Egret |
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| Snowy Close-up |
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| Lesser Scaups |
When I left Florida, daily highs had been in the low 80s, but there was a cold front on the way. By the time I stopped for the night, temps had fallen quite a bit and there were strong winds. Then the rains came, and persisted all night and well into the next day. Shortly after noon, the rain turned to snow as I traveled along I-10 through Mississippi and into Louisiana. After, the snow stopped falling, I managed a few photos through the windshield of the RV. The SUV in the median was probably taking photos through his windshield.
The next day started out at 30F, but was clear and sunny. In fact, the next several days were gorgeous for driving to my present location, Harlingen, TX. I came to the Lower Rio Grande Valley because there are birds here that are found nowhere else in the US. Although I visited this area in 2001, it was not to look for birds. I've been wanting to get back ever since.
My first sunrise in Harlingen wasn't really special, but I thought it was nice.
Right after sunrise, I headed for the nearest nature park, named for a local man, Hugh Ramsey. I immediately started seeing birds I
had never seen before, lots of them all in one small area where feeders
had been set up. First were the green jays, very colorful and fun to watch.
Then there were some golden-fronted woodpeckers. I understand they are named for the gold spot over their beaks, not for the golden colored belly. Who cares? The red patch on the head means it is a male, a female would be gray in that spot.
I was getting a shot of the tufted titmouse when the first chacalaca came flying in and landed on the hanging feeder. About a dozen of its friends soon appeared. What a raucous group they were, running and flying all around my little spot in the woods. Many came right to my feet, too close for my lens to focus.
I decided to hike some of the trails in the park, but it proved to be less productive than the first fifty feet, where I had found all the birds. I did encounter a couple javelinas, some butterflies and a blue-gray gnatcatcher. The javelinas are like small pigs, rooting around in the dirt for bits of food.
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