Windy Day at the Lake 04-29-2023
I got to accompany AAMN training class #48 on their birding field trip to Mitchell Lake with Tom and Patsy Inglet. They are the couple that got me into birding back when I was a trainee. It was a beautiful, but extremely windy, day. I actually used the chin strap on my hat for the first time ever. We saw lots of birds, 36 species, I believe. Of course, I don't have pictures of all of them. But, as usual, I saw a lot of things that nobody else did.
 These beautiful native wild sunflowers had totally taken the gardens over. I had thought about putting some in my Wildzone, but people warned me that they would do this. |
 They are really pretty. |
 This Northern Cardinal was in the trees near the opening presentation singing his heart out. |
 I saw lots of hummingbirds perched around the visitor's center. This is the only photo I got with a glint of light in the eye. The profile shots were too dark. |
 Can you spot my little friend on the petal? |
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 This is Retama (Palo Verde). The wind was blowing and making the leaves wave like a flag. There's a better example of that down below. |
 This is one of the hackberry Emperors. |
 American Avocet |
 Blue-winged Teal You can't see the blue unless the wings are a little bit more opened. |
 Sandpiper |
 Variegated Meadowhawk |
 wasp nest |
 Rambur's Forktail |
 Snowy Egret |
 Tawny Emperor |
 Hackberry Emperor |
 White-lined Sphinx caterpillar |
 Spiny Softshell |
 Checkered White |
 Sandpiper |
 Spiny Softshell |
 This turtle was MASSIVE. This is zoomed in from across the lake. He must have had a shell about 2 feet long! I believe it is a Texas Coot. |
 Emperror |
 Heart Leaf Hibiscus |
 iNaturalist says this is a Cactus Coreid Bug, but none of the samples in the app have these bright red legs. |
 Checkered White on Indian Blanket |
 Kern's Flower Scarab |
 Cactus Coreid Bug nymph |
 Cactus Coreid Bug nymph |
 Cactus Coreid Bug nymphs |
 Cactus Coreid Bug nymphs |
 Cactus Coreid Bug nymph |
 Cactus Coreid Bugs |
 Red Admiral |
 iNaturalist says this is an orchid bush. It is not an orchid bush. |
 Anacahuita |
 Bordered Patch |
 Two Bordered Patches making whoopee! |
 Sweat Bee |
 Checkered White |
 Sunflower Chimney Bee on Texas Thistle |
 White Prickly Poppy |
 Out of the thousands of wild sunflowers, this was the only one with flowers so light that they almost looked white. |
 Honey bee on sunflower |