9-25-09

Observations from: Holiday Park, Benbrook Lake, Texas:
Not much new today, but I saw two things I had never seen before. There were several Great Egrets, Great Blue herons, Turkey Vultures, and Black Vultures around, and I heard some Kildeer. A female Eastern Bluebird landed on a dead tree near me (I was fishing and sitting in a camp chair near the water), and I got a long, excellent look at her. I saw one small egret (about the size of a Snowy Egret) that seemed to have greenish or dark yellowish legs, and a dark/black bill. Never got a close enough look to be absolutely sure of the leg color. Not sure what it was; don't think it was a cattle egret, which I've seen plenty of (they used to follow our cows around when I was growing up in OK). But the two things that were new were: 1: a Kingfisher! I heard a harsh rattling call I didn't recognize, and saw it alight on a branch 100 feet or so form shore. I got a quick look through the binoculars, enough to see the unmistakable profile, and then it flew. I haven't decided whether to count it or not as a life bird; range would indicate it should be a Belted Kingfisher, but I'll wait for a better look. Also I saw a cormorant from a distance. It flew in and landed on the water. Too far out for any hope of a species id, but still cool- I've never seen one before.