9-22-09

Observations from: Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, Texas:
I camped at the lake, and had a great day of observations. I was cloudy and cooler (70s), and the cove where I usually camp (a large cove with lots of old, dead trees in the water) was very lively. I should mention that I saw what was either a beaver, a muskrat, or a nutria a few days ago. I was swimming and looked too small for a beaver; I think it was a muskrat, but I never saw it's tail, so I couldn't be sure. I have seen both many time; when I lived in Oklahoma in the 70s and 80s, I used to fish a large private small lake/large pond complex where both lived.

Now on to bird observations. I finally saw a Snowy Egret for certain (a life bird). I thought I'd seen one several times out here, but they were too far away for certain id. This one reminded me of the upland sandpiper from the hilarious book The Verb 'to Bird'; he (or she) seemed to want to be sure I got the id. First, the egret walked the shoreline right in front of me, passing to within about 30 feet from me. It walked in a high-step severl times, so I could see the diagnostic "golden slippers"(yellow feet with black legs. Then it made another pass and ruffled it's neck ruff up so I could see it's head plumes. I got long, excellent looks at the legs/feet and the yellow nares/black bill. A Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron were entertaining as the Great Egret had something in it's bill (an oster, maybe? It wasn't a fish). The Great Blue kept moving in on the egret, apaprently in an attempt to take the cathc. The egret flew off and landed elsewhere several times, but the Great Blue would follow it, land nearby, and start towards it again each time. Also saw a Great.Blue Heron catch and eat a large perch, and Wild Turkeys foraging in a field on the way out of Holiday Park.