Flash by Z

BABIES!!! – Northern Cardinal

E. Zabinsky — Sat, 04 May 2013 19:44:27 +0000

This youngster split its time between hollering for mom and falling asleep. Never once moved. We kept a respectful distance. Mom was off catching food while daddy sit up above keeping a close watch. Palo Pinto, Texas.

Young Cardinal

Spotted Sandpiper behavior

E. Zabinsky — Fri, 03 May 2013 03:52:17 +0000

Spotted Sanpiper behavior is pretty peculiar. Take a quick look at the video.

Spotted Sandpiper

Feed Me – European Starling

E. Zabinsky — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:30:42 +0000

European Starling fledgling

European Starling

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Bird habitat additions

E. Zabinsky — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:00:27 +0000

Our Mineral Wells yard has been adorned with new feeders, pond, stork and fountain. All the construction has drawn feathery attention. Hopefully we will draw in a few more species as well the summer. Today’s count totaled nine species. Not great but not bad for a typical in-town yard.

The highlight bird this week had to be the Nashville Warbler. We are hoping to draw in a few Hummingbirds this year with our new feeders.

Desi’s rabbit bird feeder – Chickadees empty it daily

House Sparrow hitting new construction

Humminbird feeders added

Chickadee air mail service.

New feeders added to habitat.

Work in progress. New fountain surrounded by Desi’s fossil collection.

New features – Stork added to pond.

Cardinal checking out new feeders

White-winged Dove

Nashville Warbler

House Finch practicing yoga

Feeders galore

It was that kind of day – Cliff Swallow

E. Zabinsky — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:17:47 +0000

It was a beautiful day in Mineral Wells (North Central Texas) and I am thoroughly enjoying the change in scenery. Foliage has made my bird outings a bit tougher but it does cough up some nice things that are often overlooked… pretty weeds. This Cliff Swallow on the other hand made my life easy. Pulling the truck off to the shoulder for a quick snap. Made me wish they were all that easy.

Wild Flower

Dandelion

Cliff Swallow

Three Amigos

E. Zabinsky — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 04:11:58 +0000

American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin and a House Finch all sharing a single feeder. It is a Three Amigos moment.

Three Amigos

Common Nighthawk

E. Zabinsky — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 03:28:24 +0000

Desi and I were birding around Mineral Wells state park and the nearby base when discovered a strange “bird” roosting. Nearly perfect camouflage! At first we thought it was a Chuck Will’s Widow. We heard several of them calling the night before. Upon closer inspection we saw the white markings and realized we had our first Nighthawk. What a great day!!!

Common Nighthawk

Fun day off birding

E. Zabinsky — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:02:32 +0000

Birding fun around my yard in Mineral Wells. Also made a quick jaunt out to Oaks Crossing on the Brazos River. Quiet day.

Blue-winged Teal

Nashville Warbler

Snowy Egret and Little Blue Heron

Killdeer

Cardinal

Wilson’s Snipe

White-crowned Sparrow

Spotted Sandpiper

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Chickadee

House Sparrow

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Birding in town – Rock Pigeon

E. Zabinsky — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:02:59 +0000

When birding in town; sometimes you take what you can get. Rock Pigeons included.

Rock Pigeon

Bank Swallows

E. Zabinsky — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 03:40:15 +0000

Bank Swallow

Bank Swallows located at the bridge below Possum Kingdom Dam!

Brown-headed Cowbird

E. Zabinsky — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:38:16 +0000

Brown-headed Cowbird

A semi-large flock (25) of Brown-headed Cowbirds in a bush dead center of the Village Creek Dry Beds off Green Oaks in Arlington, Texas.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

E. Zabinsky — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:25:38 +0000

Blue-gray gnatcatcher

Another Find at Palo Pinto Mt. State Park. Located close to Lake Tucker just west of Strawn, Texas.

One of these waterfowl is not like the other

E. Zabinsky — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 16:26:16 +0000

Waterfowl can be very confusing. Both of these photos were taken a couple of hours apart. Two different locations. Fledgling birders like myself can be easily mislead into thinking they are the same bird. Luckily we had our handy Sibley and a camera. When compared side by side… the differences are easily spotted. Seasons and age can be obstacles but when viewed side by side… these two species have night and day differences.

Ringed-neck Duck

Lesser Scaup

The Ringed-neck duck we first spotted on Holland lake in Weatherford, Texas last year. A solitary juvenile duck. As of yesterday, there were six or seven on the same lake.

On March 16th of this year we discovered a solitary Lesser Scaup at Village Creek Dry Bed in Arlington, Texas. Watching him dive was a thrill. Trying to figure him out was something different. He was my first Scaup. Yesterday, there were quite a few Scaup at this same location.

Black-necked Stilt

E. Zabinsky — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 15:53:25 +0000

Fantastic migratory find. The Black-necked Stilt is currently at the Village Creek Dry Beds in Arlington, Texas. The baby blue herons were fun but this guy was my ace of the day. Very long red legs flowing behind him as he flapped past us. He got our attention. The lighting and distance cannot always be perfect for photography… we did manage to get solid enough shots for identification purposes.

Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked Stilt in flight

Barred Owl sitting on us

E. Zabinsky — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 15:11:00 +0000

Barred Owl

What a shadow! Look up… grab camera… holding breath. A tree is blocking part of the head… still. SNAP! A Barred Owl landed directly over us while in Cedar Hill. A thrilling moment and breath-taking. First owl of the year.

On our way home, Desi took us through Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas. Low and behold our second owl… Great Horned Owl less then 20 yards. We both got an excellent view of him before he took to the sky in search of prey.