Day 65-Wed, 4 Mar 09-S.Padre Island

Photos: 1. Western Meadowlark. 2. Northern Mockingbird. 3. Blue Bunting. 4. Brown Thrasher. 5. Green Jay. 6. Chachalaca. (Big time help from Field Guide and Atascosa staff)

It was a glorious day on South Padre Island. I was up at 6 am and left the house at 7 am to drive the 55 miles to the Laguna Atascosa Nat'l Wildlife Refuge. We had visited there a couple of weeks ago but got there later in the day and didn't see much wildlife.

According to the BWs, early morning is best to see birds...and any other wildlife...as they are all hungry and like to feed early, before the sun gets too hot. All that to say, I was there shortly after 8 am and wasn't disappointed in the variety and activity in the area.

This wildlife refuge is home to the majority of the remaining ocelots in the U.S. and is the national center for ocelot conservation and recovery. The first ocelot den in North America was discovered here and there are lots of photos in the welcome center, taken with trip-wire cameras...they are pretty elusive.

Right outside the welcome center is a feeding station and I think in a previous block, after our first visit, I posted some photos of Havelin's (wild pigs), with Green Jays perched on their backs picking up the seed the other birds had dropped on the pigs' backs. They were there again this morning and as much as I tried to get photos of the Green Jays in flight, it was impossible...they are just too fast. Their tail feathers are glorious...bright yellow in the middle with green and deep blue feathers on each side.

At the blind there were lots of different birds and because I was so close to them, I was able to get some great shots. Surprisingly, there were Norther Cardinals and I took lots of photos of them even though we have them at home...I just can't get as close to them.

As I was walking towards one of the shorter trails and looking in the trees to see if I could see any birds, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. When I turned my head, I saw the last 2/3 of a Bobcat crossing the path into the brush. There was no way I could get a photo but when I was writing the sighting in the book inside the center, I notice someone had seen one earlier, not too far from where I did so no doubt it was the same one.

The big find of the day was a Blue Bunting...kin to the Indigo Bunting. It was a beauty and the color was gorgeous. It sat on the branch for quite awhile while I took pictures and while I got some good shots, it was partially blocked by other branches. Such is this kind of photography.

Wayne went to the gym and the beach and kept himself busy until I got home about 2 pm. I think I will probably make another trip there, perhaps next week. I do know that I have to start going through all these photos and moving them in to sub-folders as well as doing some serious editing.

I suspect I'll be in bed early tonight. By 9 pm last night I was sound asleep but I half expected I'd be going out early this morning and it was just fortunate I was really tired. We are down to our last 10 days here...where did the time go...and will start doing some of those things that we've been saying we'll do 'next week' and still haven't. We certainly haven't been bored, I know that.

Until next time, love and hugs to all. xx