'Shoot the Bird' 2021

The kids stayed at home and we brought our friend, Mary, to the coast for our 7th annual Shoot the Bird at Thanksgiving . We began at Anahuac NWR's Chenier Plains Visitor's Center where I was able to ID a new species of Aster: Drummond's. It was relatively quiet, but the spiders were out beyond the boardwalk to be shot with the long lens in low lighting ... never a great combo. Did the best I could with what I had! Shot 'em all.

Turning off to head toward the refuge, we witnessed from the car a red-tailed hawk and adult bald eagle engage in an in-flight kerfuffle. Something to see indeed, but by the time I got out of the car with the camera, the fight was all but over. Shot both guys for good measure as they flew away.

Next we spent several hours exploring the refuge which was relatively free from the non-feathered two-legged species (aka people). All to ourselves! A couple huge flocks of birds flew over: snow geese and white pelican. I ignored the second as I was focused instead on the beautiful juvenile bald eagle flying overhead, begging to shot, I shot him!

We tripped over a sunning cottonmouth. Thankfully, we were looking DOWN and not ups, so no one was bothered by the encounter. The 600mm long lens really comes in handy. I shot him!

Out on the jetties of the auto tour loop, highlights were watching many harriers hunt and flush creatures from the reeds. Fulvous whistling ducks and rosette spoonbills were in great numbers, more than we usually witness. Shot what we could.

We finished up first at Smith Oaks Rookery where we saw some gawd-awful ugly little cormorant babes in many nests there. Had no idea these birds raised families so late in the year. Didn't shoot any, though. Onward to the Boliar Flats Sanctuary because we just couldn't finish the day without shooting all the pretty shorebirds. Looked and looked for Snowy and Piping Plover, but alas, we not only didn't see any, I didn't get to shoot them either.

You're welcome, Mr. Turkey, for keeping your life as yours. Because it is just so unnecessary to exploit and kill another just for a day of gratitude and pleasure. DISCLAIMER: No animals were exploited or killed in our Shoot the Bird Thanksgiving Day outing.

Posted on 25 November, 2021 16:16 by dirtnkids dirtnkids

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Drummond's Aster (Symphyotrichum drummondii)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 08:29 AM CST

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What

Sunflowers and Allies (Tribe Heliantheae)

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dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 08:32 AM CST

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Golden Silk Spider (Trichonephila clavipes)

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dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 08:36 AM CST

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What

Common Reed (Phragmites australis)

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dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 09:05 AM CST

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No photos or sounds

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Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 09:09 AM CST

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No photos or sounds

What

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 09:09 AM CST

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No photos or sounds

What

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 09:09 AM CST

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What

Michaelmas-Daisies (Genus Symphyotrichum)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 09:29 AM CST

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What

Yellow Passionflower (Passiflora lutea)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 09:30 AM CST

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What

American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 09:32 AM CST

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What

Obscure Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca obscura)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 08:52 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

No photos or sounds

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Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:28 AM CST

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What

Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:37 AM CST

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What

Wild Cowpea (Vigna luteola)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 11:00 AM CST

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Red-marked Pachodynerus Wasp (Pachodynerus erynnis)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 12:20 PM CST

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What

Oyster Mushrooms (Genus Pleurotus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 02:08 PM CST

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Date

November 24, 2021 02:10 PM CST

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What

Blushing Bracket (Daedaleopsis confragosa)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 02:10 PM CST

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dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 02:12 PM CST

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What

Artist's Brackets, Reishi, and Allies (Genus Ganoderma)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 02:20 PM CST

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What

Daldinia Childiae Group (Complex Daldinia childiae)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 02:23 PM CST

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What

Pale Oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius)

Observer

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Date

November 24, 2021 02:25 PM CST

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Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:10 AM CST

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What

Golden Silk Spider (Trichonephila clavipes)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:11 AM CST

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What

Red-femured Spotted Orbweaver (Neoscona domiciliorum)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:24 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Long-jawed Orbweavers (Family Tetragnathidae)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:28 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Artist's Brackets, Reishi, and Allies (Genus Ganoderma)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:29 AM CST

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Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:34 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 10:42 AM CST

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What

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 11:05 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 2021

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

What

White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 11:13 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 11:32 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 2021

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

What

White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 11:45 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Burnsius oileus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 11:50 AM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 12:06 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 2021

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

What

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 12:24 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 12:33 PM CST

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What

American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 12:41 PM CST

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What

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 12:47 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 12:58 PM CST

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What

Tri-coloured Heron (Egretta tricolor)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:00 PM CST

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What

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:09 PM CST

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What

Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:42 PM CST

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What

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:40 PM CST

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What

Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:43 PM CST

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What

Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:21 PM CST

Tags

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What

Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:22 PM CST

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What

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 01:51 PM CST

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What

Obscure Skipper (Panoquina panoquinoides)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 03:23 PM CST

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What

Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)

Observer

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Date

November 24, 2021 03:30 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly (Eristalis stipator)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 03:46 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:02 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:04 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:06 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:06 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Dowitchers (Genus Limnodromus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:08 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:10 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:08 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:11 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:12 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:17 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:19 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:21 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:20 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:24 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)

Observer

dirtnkids

Date

November 24, 2021 04:26 PM CST

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