It’s Totally Up to the Birds I have to confess, on my first few “birding walks” led by expert birders, I asked myself “Are they making this up?” Most of the time, I never saw the bird they pointed out. When I did, I saw a gray silhouette against the morning sky while the guideContinue reading
Tag: Bastrop Tx birds
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When I’m Birding It’s Totally Up to the Birds
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Painting Birds at Little Piney
Painting Birds After painting yet another landscape in June, I felt restless to try something new. I wanted to paint in a looser style, and I wanted to paint some birds! I pulled out my pastels for a change of pace and some favorite photos for references and got started. I collected some old acrylicContinue reading
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Yellow Warblers and Central Texans Singin’ in the Rain
Relief from Triple Digits Came with Rain! Just when we thought we couldn’t take it anymore, rain and cooler air both moved in over the weekend! What a relief. I spent much of the weekend outside on the porch or out in the rain with my rubber boots on. As the rain arrived, so didContinue reading
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Special Moments in Nature–A Lucky Witness
Special Moments in Nature I pull out onto the highway from a dirt road. In front of me, a single black crow feather spirals slowly down from the sky. The suspended feather spins like a tiny dirt devil as I leave it behind. I step outside to watch for a late delivery truck.Continue reading
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Leucistic Northern Cardinal and More Winter Birds
Leucistic Northern Cardinal I saw a light-colored bird drop down into the woodpile in brush behind the Hummingbird garden–one I couldn’t immediately identify. I thought it might be a female Cardinal but it was unmistakably gray and white, not a hint of creamy buff. Maybe a pale Pyrrhuloxia? When the the shy bird ventured outContinue reading
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Mixed Flocks at Little Piney
Mixed Flocks Return Cool weather brings a return of “mixed flocks” to Little Piney. Fast moving, noisy, and often in the treetops, a mixed flock is a real challenge to identify and count. When a cloud of dark silhouettes descends on bare branches, chipping and flitting from branch to branch I’d better have myContinue reading
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The Gray Palette of Winter
The Gray Palette of Winter at Little Piney As the golden tones of autumn fade, the gray palette of winter is pleasingly rich and textured. Here is a collection of photos highlighting both warm and cool shades of winter gray.
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Winter Birds are Back at Little Piney
Winter Birds are Back at Little Piney Winter birds are back at Little Piney! I had a wonderful morning birding with friends, one a frequent birding partner, and the other a new friend–an expert birder who seems to hear and see everything at once! She spotted a new bird for my Little Piney listContinue reading
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Knock-Knock–Who’s There?
Pileated Woodpecker We always know when the Pileated Woodpecker is hungry. His distinct and resonant hammering sound is the loudest of the wood-pecking birds at Little Piney. No matter how many times I see a Pileated Woodpecker, it’s always a thrill. At 15-19 inches tall, with a brilliant red crest, shiny black back, pure whiteContinue reading
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Birds! Bald Eagles! Lake’s Fall Look
Backyard Birds So many birds were hanging out with us at Little Piney this weekend, I could scarcely let go of my camera and binoculars. The birds below were all photographed while visiting the feeders or within view of the feeders in the back yard on Saturday. In addition, a noisy group of Cedar WaxwingsContinue reading