Friday, November 26, 2021

Last days at Mission, Texas

 

Green Jay

November is a great time for birds and butterflies in South Texas.  Here's what we have been seeing here and some other nearby areas.  The beauty of God's creation is all around us and we are very thankful at this time of Thanksgiving.








Bordered Patch

Theona Checkerspot

Phaon Crescent

Little Yellow

Gray Hairstreak

Southern Skipperling

Black Witch

White Peacock

Fiery Skipper

Variegated Fritillary

Queen Butterfly

Gulf Fritillary

Lincoln Sparrow

Orange-crowned Warbler

Plain Chachalaca

Now for something different - huge Cane Toad

California Carpenter Bee

White-tipped Dove

Pleco feeding, 2 feet long

Inca Dove

Olive Sparrow

Northern Cardinal male

Northern Cardinal female

Estero Llano Grande State Park

The camouflaged Common Pauraque

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Monk Parakeet colonial nest in Hildago

Monk Parakeet pair

Now for my closeup

Northern Bobwhite pair at Bentsen State Park

Bobcat on the prowl at Bentsen

Three Amigos -Plain Chachalacas

Flat Bug - amazing camo

Rio Grande Wild Turkey Tom

Paper Wasps

Water Lily

Least Grebes

Curve-billed Thrasher

Long-billed Thrasher

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

American Kestrel

Altamira Oriole

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann




Monday, November 1, 2021

Mission, Texas

 

For the last six weeks we have been volunteering at Bentsen Rio Grande Vallery State Park at the Hawk Tower counting migrating raptors.  We also see many other birds and animals from our high advantage point.  




Gray Hawk - adult, permanent resident

Gray Hawk calling in flight

Swainson's Hawk



Harris's Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk coming over in the thousands

Broad-winged Hawk

Peregrine Falcon - dark Tundra plumage

Blue-collared Spiny Lizard

McCall's race Eastern Screech Owl in Palm Tree

Giant Mesquite Bug on our screen

Great-tailed Grackle female

Great-tailed Grackle male

Gopher Tortoise 

Greater Roadrunner running 

Check out these eyelashes!

Anhinga stretching

Hundreds of Anhinga migrating

Walking Stick male

Bronzed Cowbird

Gecko

Claret Pond Hawk - very rare dragonfly

Black-bellied Whistling Duck below the Hawk Tower



Praying Mantis

Praying posture 

Coyote looking for the Roadrunner

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers

Altamira Oriole comes to visit us on the tower

Old Altamira Oriole nest - 20 inches long

Land Snail population continues to explode

Hook-billed Kite looking for their favorite food - land snails

Dark Morph Hook-billed Kite

Red-shouldered Hawk

Groove-billed Ani

Groove-billed Ani

Green Lacewing - note eye shape
increase size if you can.

We love seeing all the wonderful creatures that God has given for us to see and share.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann