Birds

Rufous-backed Thrush

(Turdus rufopalliatus) 14 February 2025 South Llano River State Park, Kimble County, Texas, USA

If I had begun any portion of the oral defense of my graduate work with “Well, I heard that (insert conjecture, rumor, hearsay, myth, conspiracy theory, latest youtube prophet)…” I would have been shot down with no hesitation, metaphorically speaking. I was greeting the morning yesterday at a large reservoir in my county of residence,Continue reading ““Well, I heard…..””

“Who are you really, wanderer?”

“Who are you really, [W]anderer?”—and the answer you have to giveno matter how dark and coldthe world around you is:“Maybe I’m a king.” – from A Story That Could Be True, William Stafford Harris’s Hawk, also known as Bay-winged Hawk, is a handsome raptor of the southwestern United States down to South America. In Texas,Continue reading ““Who are you really, wanderer?””

The Harvest is upon us

A pleasant happening, if a good bit early, in the cane breaks of a plowed, fallow field at dawn. Two adults (pictured), and one juvenile. How far will they be going and winter residing?

Mediators and Messagers

Long distance migrants

For survival. Twice a calendar year. We are never the only ones. I had the pleasure of scoping a species I don’t get to see too often. They were somewhat distant, and mostly backlit. Birds are not obligated to present us with good photo opportunities. They are not court jesters. However, on the first ofContinue reading “Long distance migrants”

Always a stunner

Seeing movement in the juniper, raising binoculars, only to have this guy fill the field of view; it reminds me of reasons I still do this. At times, I wonder if it is some form manifestation of obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Other times I believe it to be one thing that still makes sense to me inContinue reading “Always a stunner”

Nothing stops

As I went into work yesterday (I work alone, outside..typically), I was reminded the world moves on. I knew this really; I just saw it all over again. Rain falls, mud is wet, grass grows. Species of this earth have faced much. They always did, and found a balance, struggled again and balanced reached. RemainingContinue reading “Nothing stops”

Goldfinch, none-the-Lesser

Lesser Goldfinch reminds me of many places. My time and work in South Texas. My time and work in parts of the Hill County of central and south-central Texas. Work, play, Life, in the mountains of the trans-Pecos of Texas. Work and play in the American Southwest. Life, jobs, hardships, and letting go, in theContinue reading “Goldfinch, none-the-Lesser”

Old World Species (!)

Those three words have echoed in the distance at certain pre-meaningful moments in this one life. Old. World. Species. I miss those moments, those places, those few people per, those wayward individual youngsters that brought us to those Whens and Wheres. Old World Species. chase.. Glances at European and Asian fieldguides seem to suggest fromContinue reading “Old World Species (!)”