Two for the Price of One

 

I found these two birds at the Lake Waco Wetlands where they have built a couple of new blinds that were designed by the Central Texas Audubon Society.  There cannot be enough said in appreciation of wetlands and the good people and entities that care for them.  My hats off to the good people of the City of Waco for building these blinds.

I spied this Little Blue in eclipse through my binoculars but did not have a scope with me that day.  However, I was able to take this picture with my camera.  I am fascinated by the Little Blues in eclipse and that was the subject of the photograph I struck.  It was only upon processing the photograph that I realized I had captured the second bird in the lower right hand corner.  So, two for the price of one.

The Blinds at Lake Waco Wetlands

American Woodcock at Lake Waco Wetlands

November 17, 2008, Monday, 8:00 AM—10:30 AM; Lake Waco Wetlands; Sunny, very light winds, no clouds, 44F—66F.

The best bird of the day came as the last bird sighted. Walking up the trail from the tree berm toward the road, I came within 45 feet of an American Woodcock which was sitting underneath a cedar. It startled from that place flying low to the ground (approximately 3 feet off the ground) in a NNW direction rounding a bend in the trail and into more dense brush. It was burnt orange on the belly and rump, fat bodied, short pointed wings and mottled back. 30 species total.

Great Egret 2
Great Blue Heron 5
American Coot 25
Red Winged Blackbirds 26
Red Tailed Hawks, imm, 2
Blue Jay 2
Carolina Chickadee, numerous
Tufted Titmouse 7
Northern Cardinal 17
Bewick’s Wren 1
Osprey 1
Double Crested Cormorant 15
Mallards 60
Northern Pintail 20
Green Wing Teal 75
Northern Shoveler 10
White Throated Sparrows 4
Spotted Towhee 3
Belted Kingfisher 2, h
Ruby Crowned Kinglet, numerous
Song Sparrow 1
Eastern Phoebe 6
Carolina Wren 5
Loggerhead Shrike 1
Black Crowned Night Heron, imm, 1
Turkey Vulture 46
Northern Mockingbird 5
Killdeer 3
American Crow 5
American Woodcock 1