Palms at Dawn

The sunrises along the Texas coast are among the most beautiful I have ever seen.  The abundant palm trees in the Rio Grande Valley provide a perfect foreground for yet another awesome sunrise near the Lower Laguna Madre in South Texas.

Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is one of the largest of the North American herons and egrets, standing four feet tall and with a wingspan of six feet.  It ranges from Alaska to Nova Scotia and southward across the continent to Mexico and the West Indies.  In Texas, the Great Blue Heron is most common along the coast, but it can also be seen beside streams, ponds and lakes throughout the state.  Herons are wading birds and their long legs, neck and bill are perfect for stalking food in shallow water.  They primarily feed on fish, but also eat insects, turtles, frogs, snakes and rodents.  Unlike the Night Heron, the great blue uses his bill to stab or grab his prey.

Dawn at the Coast

A Great Blue Heron greets a beautiful sunrise along the waters of the Arroyo Colorado in south Texas.

Black-crowned Night Heron

The Black-crowned Night Heron is the most widespread Heron in the world, with a range that spans five continents.  It is most active at dusk and at night, feeding in the same areas that other Heron species frequent during the day.  It grasps its prey with its sharp talons rather than stabbing it with its bill.  This guy was sitting on the upper level of a dock surveying the waters of the Arroyo Colorado for his next meal.

Wilson’s Plover

The Wilson’s Plover is named for early ornithologist Alexander Wilson (no relation), who collected the specimen in May, 1813 at Cape May, New Jersey, where this species is (and was) only a rare visitor.  Its summer range is along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Virginia southward to Central America.  It winters from Florida and Texas southward.  The plover’s of south Texas can be seen scurrying along the beach at South Padre Island or on the docks and seawalls of the Arroyo Colorado.

Sandhill Cranes

I managed to catch part of a flock of Sandhill Cranes as they flew directly over me while I was visiting the south Texas coast last weekend.  There were hundreds of the birds in each flock and we saw at least 7 or 8 flocks heading for the marshes surrounding the Lower Laguna Madre bay system.  The Sandhills migrate from Canada and Alaska this time of year to winter in the rice fields west of Houston and the marsh lands of the southern Texas coast. These beautiful birds not only eat aquatic life, but also dine on small animals, insects, grain, green shoots and berries.  They stand four feet high and have a wingspread of nearly 7 feet.  They are sometimes mistaken for the Blue Heron, but the bare red skin on the crown and bustle of fluffy feathers distinguish it from the Heron. I feel very fortunate to have been at the coast to witness their annual migration.

Walking On Water

This seagull image was captured as the graceful seabird was taking off from the waters of the Arroyo Colorado in deep South Texas.  It appears as though he is literally walking on the surface of the water.