{"id":2572,"date":"2017-01-07T10:29:06","date_gmt":"2017-01-07T16:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lostpineslife.com\/?p=2572"},"modified":"2017-01-07T18:41:25","modified_gmt":"2017-01-08T00:41:25","slug":"american-kestrel-song-sparrow-green-kingfisher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lostpineslife.com\/?p=2572","title":{"rendered":"Beautiful Birds of Winter: American Kestrel, Song Sparrow, Green Kingfisher"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beautiful Birds of Winter<\/h2>\n

As the landscape evolves from verdant to gray, summer birds quietly leave and winter birds<\/a> (not so quietly in the case of Robins and Cedar Waxwings) take their place. \u00a0We welcome them back with full feeders and delight. \u00a0In the past two weeks, an American Kestrel<\/a>, a Song Sparrow,<\/a> and a Green Kingfisher have made themselves at home at Little Piney.<\/p>\n

American Kestrel<\/h2>\n

On December 30, I went for a long drive along country roads and through Bastrop State Park birding and exploring–something I had been wanting to do all year. \u00a0I hoped to see a Red-headed Woodpecker–rare in Bastrop but seen at times in the park. \u00a0That bird didn’t appear, but I was happy to see a number of\u00a0American Kestrels, beautiful little falcons common here in the winter. \u00a0I wondered why I never see Kestrels at Little Piney and wished for one here. \u00a0Oddly enough, an American Kestrel appeared the next day, perched on the wire that carries electricity to our neighbor’s house.<\/p>\n

Even better, he has decided to stay awhile, giving me many “bird on a wire” photo opportunities. \u00a0The American Kestrel is a stunning bird, gray blue on head and wings, russet on back and breast, with bold black spots on his sides and dramatic black lines on his white face. \u00a0He perches\u00a0high up on the wire watching for prey in the field below, sometimes swaying in the wind and bobbing his tail. \u00a0He is tolerant of me, and doesn’t mind me moving closer for a photo.<\/p>\n

\"American <\/a>
American Kestrel <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"American <\/a>
American Kestrel <\/div> <\/div>
\"American <\/a>
American Kestrel, Bastrop TX <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"American <\/a>
American Kestrel <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"American <\/a>
American Kestrel <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Song Sparrow<\/h2>\n

Song Sparrows, another winter resident in Bastrop, are back as well. \u00a0I can hear their squeaky chips in the reedy bank \u00a0of the lake, but don’t often see them. \u00a0This sparrow was patient with me, lingering against a perfect background of dry grass and reeds.<\/p>\n

\"Song <\/a>
Song Sparrow <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Song <\/a>
Song Sparrow <\/div> <\/div>
\"Song <\/a>
Song Sparrow <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Song <\/a>
Song Sparrow <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Green Kingfisher<\/h2>\n

The most unusual birds here at Little Piney are Green Kingfishers. \u00a0The male made a welcome appearance on New Year’s Day for the Christmas Bird Count team, and the female appeared the day after. \u00a0Green Kingfishers are \u00a0more common to South Texas than our area, so I am delighted to have them here for the second winter. \u00a0I know a little Kingfisher is present when I hear the fast clicking call. \u00a0Tiny and speckled, the green bird can be difficult to spot. \u00a0I love to see them fly just a foot above the creek. following the curve, mirrored in the water.<\/p>\n

\"Green
Green Kingfisher, Female<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Green
Green Kingfisher, Female<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Green
Green Kingfisher, Female<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Green
Green Kingfisher, Male<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Happy New Year to everyone reading this post. \u00a0May you have a year of happy surprises\u00a0and natural wonders.<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beautiful Birds of Winter As the landscape evolves from verdant to gray, summer birds quietly leave and winter birds (not so quietly in the case of Robins and Cedar Waxwings) take their place. \u00a0We welcome them back with full feeders and delight. \u00a0In the past two weeks, an American Kestrel, a Song Sparrow, and aContinue reading<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[373,11,5,31,32,30,37,218,237,6,374,375],"class_list":["post-2572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bastrop-lost-pines-birds","tag-american-kestrel","tag-bastrop-birds","tag-bastrop-tx","tag-bastrop-tx-birds","tag-bastrop-tx-lost-pines","tag-bastrop-wildlife","tag-birding-bastrop-tx","tag-birds-of-bastrop-tx","tag-green-kingfisher","tag-lost-pines","tag-song-sparrow","tag-winter-birds-bastrop-tx"],"yoast_head":"\nBeautiful Birds of Winter: American Kestrel, Song Sparrow, Green Kingfisher - Lost Pines Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As the landscape evolves from verdant to gray summer birds quietly leave and winter birds take their place. 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