The day in Balcones Canyonlands Wildlife Refuge started cold and and dark. In Texas, we don’t ever expect it to get that cold, though it does often enough. But with the prospect of getting pics of new and interesting birds, Shey and I pressed on, and it’s a good thing we did.
Moving through the trees and fields, we came to realize that the leaders were well-versed in sparrows. A rarity, since there are so many kinds and the differences are often minute. They spotted a new bird, for us. The Spotted Towhee. We’d never seen one, but the birds were too quick for us to get a pic or even a good look at it. We started to believe we wouldn’t get a pic of this colorful bird. While we searched, we got pics of other birds.
Mockingbird. My best pic of the day. This is the Texas state bird. I like this one’s pose.
Lincoln Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow (Note the yellow eyebrow, or supercilium)
Hours later we were cold and tired and hungry, and me with a pulled muscle in my leg. We separated from the main group and journeyed to a picnicking area where we’d seen Towhees before. We ate hard-boiled eggs, dried beef, and bananas. As hungry as we were, this felt like a feast! Afterwards, I could hardly walk with my injured leg, but we decided to search a short path to see if we could find Spotted Towhees. At last, we got lucky.
Spotted Towhee, our quarry, and my favorite pic of the day.
Lastly, here is Shey, elated after a Happy Bird Day.
Shey got the best pics between us. You can find them here: http://sheywicklundphotographs.com/2014/03/09/balcones-canyonlands-bird-walk/
EagleAye
Momus News 
I thot yr bird day was in May. Ahem. Gotta love the towhee!
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Hehe, That Towhee is really beautiful isn’t it? Thanks for stopping in!
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LOL, too funny Julie!
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Beautiful photos!! We had a nice bird day yesterday, too. Need to sort the photos… I love the spotted towhee. I have some in my backyards. They seem to be more shy than the others so I haven’t captured a decent photos yet. But I will… 🙂 Hope you feel better soon!
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Thanks! It’s hard to get a pic of them. They’re so quick! Keep trying. We did and it finally paid off. I’m looking forward to the pics of animals you do get anytime. Thanks so much. A little bed rest and my leg is already feeling better.
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Great collection EA! It was a great birding day for us.
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It sure was. Great finds and lucky ones too. 😉
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Wow – quite the wonderful and interesting group of images – certainly wonderful to make new discoveries that are nowhere near native to my area – so cheers! 🙂
Hope you’re better and not limping along now.
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Well, thank you, Pat! It’s interesting how animals that are unknown to us before become that much more fascinating and beautiful. Here, we see bright red Cardinals all the time and it’s no big deal to us, but for folks that never see them, they’re an object of fascination.
Leg is feeling much better now, thank you. 🙂
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Glad to hear that your leg is better – nothing quite like pain to slow you down.
Yes, Cardinals – well – they are very familiar to us too – well not quite in my area – but I grew up in the city and the suburbs where they are common – but I admit, I am still fascinated with those most familiar to me because for as much as we seem to know or understand about them – there is always something new to experience – wherein lies the wonder and beauty 🙂
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That’s awesome to hear. Shey and I still love our Cardinals. Our current project is to get a pic of one in the Ornamental Pear blossoms. If we can get that, it’ll be frameable art.
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I hope you succeed – that indeed would truly be an awesome image 🙂
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great series and wonderful variety of birds – and impressive ones at that; well done!
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Thank you much, Carole! 🙂
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Great Photos!
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Thank you!
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Hello Shey! Lovely series of birds. I love the cute sparrows and the towhee is another favorite of mine. Great shots!
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This is Eric. Shey is my wife. But thank you, Eileen! You can find a link to Shey’s pics towards the bottom of the post. Thanks for stopping in!
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Beautiful shots of the Towhee! Ours is a little different here in the East. I’ve had them visiting the feeders this week for the first time ever so I can understand your thrill.
Great shot of the Mockingbird! A nicely framed shot.
Hope the leg muscle is better.
I’m off to see Shey’s work…..
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Thanks Carletta! That would be awesome to see these birds at your feeder. What treat! Leg is feeling much better now, thank you. I’m think I’m ready to go a’birding again. 😉
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would love to see a towhee!
nice to ‘meet’ you, married-to-shey. 🙂
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They’re a lovely bird when you get the chance. Thanks for stopping in, and nice to meet you too. 🙂
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That spotted towhee certainly is a looker! What a great birding day.
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Yeah it is. A really beautiful bird. Thanks for stopping in and visiting! 🙂
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All pics are very nice lovely. Its a treat to watch.
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Thank you, Indira! 🙂
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