Every year, endangered Whooping Cranes fly south from Canada to spend their winter along the Texas Gulf Coast at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Sometimes some of the cranes can be seen in open fields near Goose Island State Park in Rockport.
Several years ago we spent a few days at Goose Island State Park in hopes of seeing some of these endangered Whooping Cranes. Every day we went out in search of these beautiful birds and every day we saw them. I posted about our experience at Magnificent Endangered Whooping Cranes.
I searched through my archives for birds with black feathers and came up with birds I saw in Alaska, Texas, Colorado, and close to home in Georgia. The photo above is a Hooded Merganser at Inks Lake in Texas.
Oystercatcher in AlaskaPuffins on the Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez, AlaskaWhooping Cranes in TexasBlack Billed Magpie, ColoradoWood Stork on nest in Georgia
I have to admit I spend a lot of time in my backyard watching and photographing the birds. Here are a few of my favorites.
Red-bellied woodpeckerTufted TitmouseHouse SparrowCardinal in winterThis great egret landed in our yard one dayMale Painted Bunting on twisted vinesMale Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
We also are lucky to see wading birds in the salt marsh behind our house. I’ll often run grab my camera to capture them when they land on one of the docks.
From the Audubon Field Guide: “A long-necked, long-tailed swimmer of southeastern swamps. Often seen perched on a snag above the water, with its wings half-spread to dry. Can vary its buoyancy in water, sometimes swimming with only head and neck above water (earning it the nickname of “Snakebird”). Often solitary when feeding, it roosts in groups and nests in colonies. Looks rather like a cormorant when perched, but not in flight, when the long tail may be spread wide as the Anhinga soars high on outstretched wings. Anhingas are silent at most times, but around nesting colonies they make various croaking and clicking sounds.”
For me, getting a closeup of a bird is usually a real challenge. Most of the time, the bird is too far away or it flies away if I get too close. Occasionally, I’ll luck out and come across a bird who is not interested in me and I can get the shot I want.
The Bald Eagle in the above photo was sitting in a low branch of a tree in Chilcoot Lake State Park in Haines, Alaska. As I set up my tripod and aimed the camera at him I kept my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t fly off. He ignored me and I was a happy photographer.
Great Blue Heron, Florida
Most Great Blue Herons I have seen are spooked by humans and will not let me get too near them. This one was hanging around the fishing pier at Ft. Pickens National Seashore in Florida. He was much more interested in getting an easy meal than he was in me.
Nice catch!
This Anhinga was right beside the path in Shark Valley in Everglades National Park. We watched for a while as he struggled to swallow his fish. We didn’t stay around long enough to see if he succeeded in eating it.
Cormorant, Everglades National Park, Florida
This Cormorant was next the trail and didn’t move when I stopped to take his picture.
Wandering Dawgs 