Friday 16 December 2016

Santa Ana

11am until 5.30pm
 
A relaxed "no rush" day, just seeing what came my way...ahhhhhhhh!
 
I started at the feeders around the back of the visitor centre. I was disappointed to find no oranges present as I was hoping to see an Oriole? I did eventually get a brief visit from a Buff-bellied Hummingbird...
 
 
First bird of note in the still lifting mist was a stunning if distant White-tailed Kite...
 
 
We enjoyed a good 2 hours just walking the reserve in a pleasant 70F. I showed Louise the Pauraque...but she had to find it first...
 
 
She did...with a few clues...
 
 
Time to leave it be...
 
 
I was also able to point out Olive Sparrow further along the track...
 
 
Pleased with this one in the heavy shade. A difficult bird to see never mind photograph...he says modestly!
 
The sun had broken through by mid-afternoon and the temperature had risen! I was still hoping for an Oriole sighting, as 3 species had been reported on eBird the day before...namely Altamira, Audubon and Hooded.
 
The reserve looked well...
 
 
I stood in some cover and scanned across the pool into the sun...
 
 
Was it a mirage? No, it was an Oriole on steroids...Altamira!! Trouble was it was at least 100 yards away across the water...and it was hot...and I can't run...cue violins.
 
You get there as quick as you can, right?
 
I made my way around the edge of the pool trying to figure out where the tree I'd seen it in was, whilst trying not to fall over. I had another brief sighting but the bird flew off. The only plus was that the bird looked like an orange beacon in the bright sunlight. Then I looked up above the path and there sat preening about 30 feet up was this...
 
 
Overjoyed to find one but frustrated with the view through the vegetation. I tried to get a better position but it was impossible, so I settled for what I had. Then, another! The two birds sat preening for a good couple of minutes before flying of strongly when harassed by a Kiskadee...
 
Not the best BUT illustrates the point I think
Before they left...
 
 
I personally love capturing images like this. Much more of a challenge than the picture postcard type...and that COLOUR!!! A tremendous experience with an iconic species.
 
On my return I spotted another favourite surveying it's domain...
 
 
It looked magnificent in the full sun...
 
 
Just love this bird!
 
My final stop was on the levee to wait for a hoped for Hooded/Audubon's Oriole. The eBird report was from this location. It was gone 5pm by now and the sun was sinking fast. Plenty of Kiskadees present but nothing else. I just checked my app (big mistake) to check some info', I looked up and there in a tree for a brief moment was the male Hooded Oriole! Of course by the time I'd lifted my camera the Kiskadees had chased it off. ill I never learn? Probably not!
 
Still a great day...in a great place.

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Today (Thursday) we drove 4 hours North to New Braunfels to try for Clyde. No luck this afternoon but I'm back again at dawn for another try.

Stay tuned...
 

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