My Little Birdwatcher in the Making

This afternoon the kids and I headed to the park for a nature walk.  We admired a Tufted Titmouse and Blue Jay while only getting a glimpse at an Orange Sulfur and Monarch, and of course we always catch the squirrels.  Lexi, my 1 year old, grasping tightly to her bird identification book was walking ahead of me.  (Sadly she doesn't like to share the bird book with her siblings.)  She stopped, looked, pointed then softly whispered, "bird," as she pointed in its direction.  I walked over to her and looked and sure enough there it was.  Anytime we are outside she always has a ear for them and will look up to locate them.  It is so fun to share a love for birds with my littlest.

Brazos Bend

Wednesday morning we decided last minute to pack a picnic and head over to Brazos Bend for a nature walk.  We started out at the nature center.  I could not tear Lexi away from the birding area and  Micah really enjoyed the snakes. 

Lauren and Micah checking out the difference between an alligator and a crocodile.  We learned that a when a crocodile closes his mouth his teeth interlace where an alligator's does not.

Hannah petting a tarantula.

Dragonfly resting on Hannah's hand.

Green Heron

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

An adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron

White Ibis

 

Alligator

I think this is a Palamedes Swallowtail

After walking around Elm Lake and the 40 Acre Lake we headed over to the playground for the kids to play.  I love this time a year, observing and learning.  I wish we had a travel trailer and could travel to a state park once a month for a week.  We could take our school along working on it in the morning, then use the afternoons to explore all that the parks have to teach us.

On Observing

by Samuel Johnson

The world is not yet exhausted;

let me see something tomorrow

which I never saw before.

Goose Island Camping

DAY ONE

Had my friend Kim J. in mind when we chose the pink bait shop.  Guess we can blame her for no fish.

This one is for you Kim J.

Hannah found this lizard.

Lexi in the Bluebonnets.

 

Micah fishing. 

Lauren set her pole down and the fish jerked it into the water.  Daddy to the rescue, he reeled in her pole and a Flounder. 

Oystercatcher

Gulls

DAY TWO

Turkey vulture

I learned how to tell the difference between a Turkey vulture and a Black vulture.  The Turkey vultures have white along the entire under wingspan of their wings, where Black vultures have white only on the tips.

Daddy and Lauren playing in the sand.

My feet are getting dirty.

Micah and Mommy playing tag,

An Inca Dove

The Brown Thrasher

DAY THREE

The Gray Catbird

The rump of the Gray Catbird is a rust color.

The female Hooded Warbler

The White-eyed Vireo

Carolina Wren

American Goldfinch

I'm hoping Lexi will have a love for birds.  She watched the birds with me for hours at a time.  She loved their songs. 

Hannah hanging out on the tree.

Lexi climbing a tree.

Red-winged Blackbird

Daddy and Micah chasing each other with buckets of water.

Daddy pulling the kids while they sat in the inner tube.

DAY FOUR

From the left: Dennis, myself, Judy and Larry

Dennis, Judy and Larry were the Bird Hosts.  I really enjoyed birding with them.  They had such a wealth of information and were wonderful educators.  Their love for birding was contagious. 

 

These squirrels were a hoot to watch.  I am not sure if they were mating or wrestling.


We camped a week earlier this year than we did last year because of this I didn't get to see nearly the variety as last year.  However, I had the blessing of meeting some wonderful people and begin new friendships.

My bird list for this year
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Inca Dove
Eurasian Dove
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Carolina Wren
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
White-eyed Vireo
Orange-crowned Warbler
Lincoln's Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Black-crested Titmouse
Northern Parula
Brown Thrasher

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Hermit Thrush

Hooded Warbler

Indigo Bunting

House Sparrow

American Goldfinch
American Oystercatcher

Interesting Facts

• The Cowbird lay their eggs in other peching birds (passerines) nest for them to care for their young.  They do this so they can follow grazing animals.  The cowbirds eat the insects that follow these larger animals.
• The ovenbird build their nest on the ground.  They have a side entrance like an oven. 

Goose Island Camping Trip

We camped on Warbler Way, camp site #132

A Mesquite Tree

The leaves are feathery like

I think this is a Gulf Coast Ribbon

Lauren was the only one to catch fish. She caught 2 Black Drum.

Micah with the butterfly net.

Taking a break on the swings.

This park had great climbing trees.

Not sure the type of plant, but I loved the leaves. They had a curly, wavy type appearance.

This flower looked like a butterfly to me.

The Big Tree

1,000 yr old tree

Retrieving our letterbox. It was a kitty cat stamp.

Micah caught a stingray.

The girls fishing.

If you enjoy birding, this is a great place. Some of the birds we saw were: Titmouse, Brown Thrasher, Worm eating Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Gray Catbird, Black and White Warbler, Northern Cardinal (male and female), Indigo Bunting, White Wing Dove, Mourning Dove, Hummingbird, American Redstart, House Sparrow, Yellow Warbler, Redwing Blackbird, Chipping Sparrow.

I have decided to make birding notebooks for the kids. Every bird they see we will print a picture of it and they can cut it out, paste it in their notebook, and label it with it's name and the date they saw it. Each Spring I hope for us to add many more birds. I hope through this we will gain a knowledge of birds, learn to pay close attention to detail, admire the beauty of God's creation, and build many 'together' moments.