First bird trip after watching the amazing documentary Listers,
a must watch if you love birds. We did a quick trip to Brazos Bend State Park and
after getting 5 birds, I made my first eBird entry.
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Adults are white with a bit of black on the wingtips. Red decurved bill and pinkish-red legs. Bright blue eyes. Immatures are half brown, half white. Forages in saltmarshes and shallow wetlands, often in flocks. In flight, flaps quickly and then glides on bowed wings. Accustomed to people in some parts of its range. It is commonly seen on lawns and in parking lots scavenging for food scraps.
USA . Brazos Bend . 2025
Long-necked “snake bird” found in wooded swamps, marshes, and ponds. Males are black with white on wing; females similar but with brownish neck and head. Dives underwater and spears fish with dagger-like bill. Often swims with only head and neck out of water. Like cormorants, perches out in the open to spread wings and dry feathers. Similar shape to cormorants but even longer-tailed with a more sharply pointed bill. Occasionally soars.
USA . Brazos Bend . 2025
Small white heron with black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. Lores (between eye and bill) are usually bright yellow, but flush reddish in the breeding season. Also note lacy plumes on head, breast, and back during breeding season. Immatures have duller yellow lores and more yellow extending up the legs than adults. Fairly common and widespread in North and South America; often most common along the coast. Found in a variety of wetland habitats, especially shallow marshy pools and mudflats. Forages fairly actively in shallow water, often darting after small fish. Compare with immature Little Blue Heron, which usually has more greenish legs and lores, and note Snowy’s more active feeding style.
USA . Brazos Bend . 2025
Large raptor. Uniform black with silvery patches on undersides of wingtips. In flight, broad, rounded wings with distinct "fingers" are held flat like a board. Notice very short tail and small black head. Soars in flocks, often with other vultures and hawks. Flight style is distinctive; bat-like, strong snappy wingbeats followed by short glides. Look for them along highways eating roadkill, or picking through dumpsters.
USA . Brazos Bend . 2025
Fairly large songbird with round body, long legs, and longish tail. Gray above with warm orange underparts and blackish head. Hops across lawns and stands erect with its bill often tilted upward. In fall and winter, forms large flocks and gathers in trees to roost or eat berries. Common across North America in gardens, parks, yards, golf courses, fields, pastures, and many other wooded habitats.
USA . Brazos Bend . 2025
