Kayaking and Birding

I went kayaking this morning with a couple of young men that are kind enough to let me hang out with them. While they weren’t really all that interested in the birds they were quite tolerant and waited patiently and quietly while I took photos. I really enjoy taking photos of birds from a kayak.…

American Avocet

Here is an American Avocet foraging in the shallow water and mud on the east end of the Stillin’ Basin at Lake Meredith’s Spring Canyon. Avocets are odd looking birds with their upturned bills, bright blue legs, black and white bodies and wings, and rusty heads and necks. This solitary bird is a bit unusual,…

May Birds

May in the Texas Panhandle is a great time for birders. The summer residents are arriving and there are still a lot of migrants passing through. Here’s a few photos of some of the birds I came across around Hutchinson County last Month. Burrowing Owl Red=winged Blackbird male and female Wilson’s Phalarope Three American Avocets…

Photo Dump

I finally got around to editing the photos from the last 3 months and so, here ya go.  All the photos were taken at Lake Meredith unless otherwise noted. American Avocets. These are among my favorite birds. How can you not love a bird with blue legs and a snooty bill? American Pipit. These aren’t…

Misty Morning on the Lake

I took the kayak out onto Meredith yesterday morning and paddled around for a couple of hours. It was cool and there was a little fog and no wind. Here’s a few photos from the lake. The little Clark’s Grebes chicks are nearly grown. I took these photos before the fog had lifted near Martin…

Palo Duro Lake

I haven’t been to Palo Duro Lake in a couple of months, so I decided to drive up there Wednesday morning.  Turns out it was a good idea-no lifers but several FOS birds to add to this years lists. Most exciting for me was a Baltimore Oriole, the first I’ve seen in the panhandle. Also…

Miscellany

Here’s yet another post to try to catch up a little. I go  birding almost daily, missing 2 or 3 days a week because of work and I usually take pictures. I’m not a very good photographer and rely mostly on luck and take hundreds of pictures each day, hoping that there will be a…

April’s Parting Shots

Here’s a few photos from April that I just never got around to posting. Curve-billed Thrasher at Palo Duro Canyon Chihuahuan Ravens at McBride Canyon, Lake Meredith Northern Rough-winged Swallow at Spring Canyon, Lake Meredith Morning Dove, Spring Canyon Savannah Sparrow, Spring Canyon Yellow-headed Blackbirds Spring Canyon   American Avocets coming in for a landing.…

Misc.

Here’s a few photos from the first week of fall. The photographs are from Lake Meredith National Recreation area unless otherwise noted. Red-tailed Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Wild Turkey at Palo Duro Reservoir Say’s Phoebe Brown Thrasher at PDR Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets and American Coots American Coots American Coots and…

American Avocet

I saw these American Avocets this morning while kayaking at Lake Meredith. I highly recommend buying a kayak if you want to take photographs of water fowl and shorebirds, it changes your perspective 180 degrees and gets you down on the level of the birds on the water.  The birds are a little skittish when…