Early morning birding and birding in November and some other notes

So next week we at TCC and many other educational institutes get a week off and I got my geology quizzes done for this week and my week just got a small extension. Early this morning I made myself my grandmother's famous special milk drink which is just milk mixed with some sugar with some added vanilla for flavor. I normally drink this blend around this time of year for it reminds me of her and it just makes me feel better after a stressful time. She passed away in 2018 so it has been hard on all of around this time of year. She loved Thanksgiving and Christmas time and loved taking out winter trips. Aside from all of that. It seemed like a good idea to destress even more. I went out to the garage and got my gear. My camera and my tripod. At first I set up my rig at the kitchen window but then I decided to head out to the back porch. I fixed up my tripod so I could sit in my favorite lawn chair that has a bit of a recline and just sat back and watched the fun unfold.

As I watched I got to see the Dark-eyed Juncos come back to my yard, I also saw my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the season. I got too see a few Cardinals, one Blue Jays, and some other birds. It was a pretty chilly morning so I was pretty bundled up wearing my black sock cap, my 4th Doctor Scarf from Doctor Who, my thicker regular jacket that was plaid and a pair of black sweats and my rubbers. Hey like I have been taught as a Master Naturalist we are no in this to win a beauty contest. I looked like someone who had just stepped of the pier. It was quite funny but I kind of like the sailor look at times. I do after all like the ocean, the wildlife around it, the history. I am not a stranger from listening to old sea shanties of the days of sail and what not.

Still the winter birds in the yard are officially coming back for the wintertime. I spent a little time in my backyard and then I went to the front yard for a little bit. I did see some Cedar Waxwings but was not able to get a photograph of them. I attempted too but a flock of Robins decided to ruin my shot but still I was able to get one of them in my tree in the front yard. It is very nice to get back into the swing of birding. In the spring and summer I do easily get thrown off track when I am out in nature for there is so much to see like birds, insects, arachnids, reptiles and what not. In the winter time it is a lot easier for me to focus on the one thing that truly lead me down the naturalist path and that was birding. I always try to rekindle my love for birding when I can. I have seen quite a few species so far. I have been hanging around Village Creek Drying Beds for a while now. I have seen a Northern Harrier out there along with the American Kestrel, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Eastern Bluebird, White-crowned Sparrow, and several other birds. I mean it has been cool this year for when the first cold front came in I was already on the scene and got in earlier than I have in previous years. It has been really neat to really see all the stuff coming in.

At my house in the early evening just as the sun sinks I will often stand in my front yard and listen to the sounds of nature. At some points I have heard and seen big flocks of American Wigeons flying over my house. There is a true magic of this time of year for it is the transition of not just species migrating or hibernating it is also a time for a transition in weather patterns and also the transition of color. For me the birds do kind of signal the return of fall but I think the cold fronts are the true herringers of fall. The weather does signal the change. I just love this time of year when you can really see the movement and change of nature. I mean all season bring change but not so much as Spring and Fall. They are the two seasons that signal the most change and movement in the year.

Birding this month has been very good. I have seen some Franklin's Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls, tons of Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teals, Ruddy Ducks, Gadwalls, Northern Pintails, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, I did see a Common Gallinule early on at the Drying Beds which was pretty cool. I don't get to see those unless I am at the coast even then I don't get to see them too often. I also have seen a few Blue-winged Teals, some Wood Ducks, a Harris Sparrow, and some other things. This year has been a great year for birding. Last year and this year I have had a blast birding. I have gotten to go out to a few new locations in the last couple of years and have had a big boost in my birding numbers since I have gone to Colorado, down in the piney woods and hills of Texas, Arizona, and even Arkansas and Louisiana and Oklahoma. I have got to see a ton of different things in the last couple of years. I have seen a lot of birds so far. In more recent days I have not added any new lifers to my list but I have had some very uncommon things show up. So that is really nice to document some of those things. I am doing very well to get all the species as they transition to the best of my ability. My observations count has really sky rocketed. I am almost to 4000 observations for 2020 alone which is not shabby at all considering all of what has gone down.

I am just so glad the holidays are here and coming up around the bend. I sure hope I get to take a few day trips and what not. I am also compiling my Christmas list for this year. I have found some good and inexpensive things that I want to add on to my camera. I have been working with a bunch of folks and will be working with a bunch of folks on various projects. A lot of what they ask of me is to take photos and what not. I have found a cool Macro lens I am looking at, a light ring flash system, and a few things for my GoPro adventure camera. I am also working on some side projects and keeping my Facebook and Instagram updated and of course gotta keep my iNaturalist files updated as well. I am wanting to make an educational YouTube channel that caters to all and to show case some of the things I have found and also have some virtual hikes and things. I have been planning to do some stuff with that on top of other things. I am currently working on a big research project out at the Fort Worth Nature Center with a couple of folks and I am taking photos of all we find. It is on hiatus until the spring and summer but I am still trying to make some more plans and what not. I am also trying to get some other stuff lined up. So even though I am just doing a lot of volunteer work it is still kind of a "job" in a way. I am still in school and what not and have been asked to help with a few things so I am currently working on lots of projects and things. Hey gotta do something might as well do nature work.

Still I am hoping to get out and do some day trips and what not depending. I am just so glad that the year is almost over. I am so ready to turn the page. But so far birding and nature watching and all the stuff I do in nature is all good. I have been out to a few places and may get out tomorrow and do some stuff. I am not sure but I need to get back out in the field I have not been out in a couple of days except to look around my house for things. Still all in all it is a pretty good time just to enjoy the nice weather, take some joy in the season, spending time with family and loved ones, just to enjoy the nice weather and to enjoy nature. It is a great time to watch animals and things. I know a lot of folks who don't really think the winter is good for wildlife but I tell them they be dead wrong. Winter may look pretty bleak but to some you can find some pretty neat stuff if you look high and low and very carefully. I will be doing a lot of stuff over the winter break. I wish all of you a very safe Thanksgiving and may all your days be merry and bright. It has not really been the most ideal of situations but we will get past this conundrum one way or another. It is just a very hard row to hoe right now. I wish you all the best. Keep the faith get out and explore nature and like always folks take it easy.

Posted on 20 November, 2020 05:58 by galactic_bug_man