Embroidered Christmas Stockings

 This fall, I made 2 Christmas stocking that were gifted to the son-in-law & daughter-in law in the family of my heart. They were a hit!

SPI ~ Shorebirds

The past 2 days have been great for getting good close looks of some of the shorebirds.  The falling tides made the area mostly mudflats with little water for the ducks to float on which is prime area for shorebirds to feed.

American Oystercatcher

Marbled Godwit ~ a bird I've seen in CA

 

Marbled Godwit

Black-bellied Plover

Black Skimmers

Black Skimmer

Black Skimmer

Cameron County ~ La Madre Nature Trail

This morning at SPI's Convention Center, I walked the La Madre Nature Trail. I saw a Tri-colored Heron and thought, "it's just another Tricolored" but then, I glanced down to see a Clapper Rail in the reeds next to him. Been a long time since I've seen a Clapper Rail (07/2016 in NJ). Just after that a Green Kingfisher flies in for a few moments before a Bufflehead floated by. All this before I even got out to where the shorebirds and ducks were hanging out.

Tri-colored Heron & Clapper Rail

Clapper Rail

Clapper Rail

Green Kingfisher

Green Kingfisher

Bufflehead

Cameron County ~ Some Cool Bugs from My Travels

Some interesting finds ~ Squirrel Treefrog which is about 1" by 1.5" in size. Then, I believe, a Tamaulipan Toothpick Grasshopper plus 3 different Tan Wall Jumping Spiders.

Squirrel Treefrog The space you see is between 2 boards on a boardwalk ~ perhaps a 1/4" in space

Tamaulipan Toothpick Grasshopper

 

Tan Wall Jumping Spiders

Tan Wall Jumping Spiders

Tan Wall Jumping Spiders

SPI Birding & Nature Center ~ Dancing Reddish Egret

 It's been so much fun to go almost daily to see the birds along the boardwalk over the marshes at the SPIU Birding & Nature Center.  I can happily spend hours there enjoying nature  and the outdoors.  There's so many species of birds, alligators, turtles, dragonflies and all types of nature along with like minded individuals with whom to chat.  It's a win-win for me.  When we leave next week I will miss it.

He caught lunch!

Cameron County ~ Hawk's, Falcon's and Crested Carcaras

Bernie & I had fun driving the back byways of the Cameron County today where we came across quite a number of hawks, falcons & Crested Caracara's.

2 Harris's Hawks

White-tailed Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

Crested Caracara

White-tailed Kite

American Kestrel

Northern Harrier

Harris's Hawk

Crested Caracara

SPI Convention Center ~ Dark-eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Junco's are uncommon here

This Dark-eyed Junco has been hanging with a White-crowned Sparrow.