Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count 2016-12-17

This year I was again fortunate to be able to participate in the Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count, and covered a section of the Nueces River Delta Preserve. I was not alone this time but got to bird with state-wide CBC compiler Brent Ortego. We covered a different section of the preserve than I covered last year, and a wetter year meant lots of walking. I could not keep up with Brent, physically across the marsh or with bird identification. My only contribution was keeping the list!

But it was a beautiful morning and I learned a lot from Brent. Highlights included Sandhill Cranes flying across a pre-dawn orange sky, a beautiful sunrise, Eastern Meadowlarks singing all morning, and hiking across a railroad track bridge hoping the train wouldn't come!

Sandhill Cranes in Pre-dawn Light

Sunrise over Nueces River Delta Preserve

American White Pelicans and Windmills

Brent Ortego Scoping Mud Flats - 2

Here are a few more photos on Flickr.

Here's our complete bird list.

And attached are a few iNaturalist observations.

Posted on December 20, 2016 10:25 PM by mikaelb mikaelb

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

December 17, 2016 09:41 AM CST

Description

Taken during the Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count on the Nueces River Delta Preserve with Brent Ortego.

Photos / Sounds

What

Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

December 17, 2016 08:23 AM CST

Description

Taken during the Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count on the Nueces River Delta Preserve with Brent Ortego.

Photos / Sounds

What

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

December 17, 2016 08:42 AM CST

Description

Taken during the Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count on the Nueces River Delta Preserve with Brent Ortego.

Photos / Sounds

What

White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

December 17, 2016 12:20 PM CST

Description

Taken during the Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count on the Nueces River Delta Preserve with Brent Ortego.

Photos / Sounds

What

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

December 17, 2016 07:17 AM CST

Description

Taken during the Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count on the Nueces River Delta Preserve with Brent Ortego.

Photos / Sounds

What

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

December 17, 2016 08:10 AM CST

Description

Taken during the Corpus Christi Christmas Bird Count on the Nueces River Delta Preserve with Brent Ortego.

Comments

Nice photos! And sounds like a great experience.

Posted by billdodd over 7 years ago

Add a Comment

Sign In or Sign Up to add comments