Scaled Quail

Scaled Quail

Callipepla squamata

The 2012 Texas quail season starts tomorrow so I thought it was good timing to post this recent picture of a scaled quail that I took near Coyanosa, Texas.  Texas is home to four species of quail - Montezuma, Bobwhite, Gambel's, and Scaled.  While most quail hunters are familiar with Bobwhites, west Texas hunters chase scaled quail.  Texans call them blue quail, probably because of their blue-gray breast.  They are generally found in the western portion of the state with some range overlap with Bobwhites.  The bird pictured is a male; the buff-colored throat distinguishes it from the female's streaked throat.  Quail populations have plummeted in recent years due to a variety of factors, including habitat loss, drought, and predators. If you are interested in learning more about the biology and management of this quail, Texas Parks & Wildlife has an excellent publication titled Scaled Quail in Texas.  True to their preference to run instead of flying, this one grew tired of being a model and flew to the ground and simply ran off into the mesquite. 

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier

Circus cyaneus

I was sure I had never seen a Northern Harrier before but I was in North Dakota and saw a hawk that I didn't recognize.  It had a long tail and what looked like a small head for a large bird.  I did not have a camera so I made a mental note of its features and looked it up in Sibley's when I got home - aha!  a Northern Harrier.  I photographed this Northern Harrier far west of the Texas hill country in the Pecos area.  I saw several over the course of a week flying low over the scrub brush in search of a meal.  I was watching a small playa full of killdeer, teal, and gadwall when everything suddenly scattered.  This female (males are gray and have a white underbelly) swooped low over the mesquite surrounding the playa looking to grab one of these flying morsels but without luck.  The picture above is the harrier as it gracefully glided over the small trees looking for one of the killdeer that might have been unaware of its presence. The facial disk gives it an owl-like appearance and this is one of the distinguishing features that helps me identify them.  The other is the very conspicuous white rump with a long tail.  Raptors are interesting and beautiful birds and Texas is fortunate to have many, including Northern Harriers, wander through during the fall migration period. 

This picture of the Northern Harrier provides a good view of the distinctive white rump, longer tail than most hawks, and the facial disk line that gives it an owl-like appearance, especially when viewed head on.

This view of the Northern Harrier shows the white rump, barred secondary feathers on the wings and the brown streaking over a buffy colored body.  The facial disk can also be seen. The next time you see a hawk like bird gliding low over a marsh or field, it might just be a Northern Harrier.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Scissor-tailed flycatchers are common throughout Texas but seem to be more prevalent in areas with open fields and meadows.  This male was photographed at Lyndon B. Johnson State Park in an open field. If you look closely, you will see a small bug that was able to go unnoticed as the flycatcher looked the other way.  They are often seen sitting on barbed-wire fences, fence posts or powerlines waiting on an opportunity to catch an insect.  These flycatchers are quite acrobatic in catching insects on the fly using their tails for balancing and maneuvering in mid-air.  I watched one male make continuous catches of grasshoppers and then impale them on barbed-wire, presumably to eat or share later.  They are quite striking when they hover over a soon-to-be victim with their wings and forked tail outstretched.  One of my personal photo challenges is to capture an image of a flycatcher in this pose. 

Osprey

 

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

 

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

This Osprey is the same as the one below but I took this picture on Monday (Nov 19th) a month and a half later.  The fishing must be good at this spot on the Pedernales!  It hunts from a dead tree overlooking the river and from a powerline stretching across.  Although the Osprey did hover over a spot like it was going in for a fish, it changed its mind, so still no luck of a photo of it catching a fish. The challenge continues.

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

I came across this Osprey hunting over the Pedernales River near Johnson City, TX and was lucky enough to get a few shots of it flying away.  Ospreys migrate from the far north and winter in Texas and deep into South America.  I've seen them along the Texas gulf coast and on inland lakes like Buchanan.  They perch above the water on old tree stumps or pilings where they have a good view for finding a fish dinner.  When they see a fish, they hover above it, kind of like a seagull does, and then drop feet first into the water to grab it.  For comparison, Bald Eagles don't plunge feet-first to grab a fish but instead snatch it from the water's surface as they fly by.  The Osprey is easy to distinguish from a Bald Eagle by their smaller size, all white breast, and the dark bar running through their yellow eye. Unlike other raptors, the Osprey and owls have a toe that can be turned backwards.  This aids the Osprey in grasping a fish and the toe can be turned forward to perch.  Along with Bald Eagles, Ospreys were one of the poster birds for the decline of certain birds due to DDT use.  I hope to see more Ospreys this fall and winter with the challenge of photographing one catching a fish.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (male)

Picoides scalaris

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (male)

Piocoides scalaris

 Ladder-backed Woodpecker (female)
Piocoides scalaris

There are some common bird names that make me wonder how in the world they came up with it but with the Ladder-backed Woodpecker it is easy to see how it got both it's common name and Latin name (scalaris=ladder).  Check out the "ladder" pattern on its back.  This pattern is very distinct and makes it easy to identify these woodpeckers which are a common sight in the Texas hill country.  A similar species with a "ladder-back" is the Nuttall's Woodpecker but it's unlikely you'll see one in the hill country as they are mainly found in California. The male ladder-backed has a red cap while the females have a black cap.  These woodpeckers were photographed at one of my favorite camping and birding spots, Pedernales Falls State Park.