Spanish Moss does decorate the trees on Armand Bayou, but the main attraction is the Osprey that managed to sit still while I grabbed a fer shots of it. They are migratory and will be departing as soon as the weather gets too uncomfortable for them on the bayou. We have one stick around from time to time, but they usually don’t find the Texas heat to their liking. Photo was taken on Armand Bayou.
I spent the day on the bayou, but there were a few issues with the launch point which was rebuilt while I was away. An incredible new floating dock that you can no longer launch a canoe from. It took me some to figure out how to launch the canoe without running it over the rocks at the foot of the regular boat ramp. The water was so low that the rocks were exposed, and mud was everywhere.
I might also add that the freezing temps have been routed by the 78°F temps that we had today. Very windy as well this afternoon which is always a challenge. It may also take me a while to get to everyone’s comments, but I’ll get there.
AKA Sea Hawk, River Hawk and Fish Hawk
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Tags: WanaM3 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Armand Bayou bayou outdoors nature wildlife nature photography canoeing paddling trees sky branches Spanish Moss animal bird raptor Osprey Western Osprey Sea Hawk River Hawk Fish Hawk Pandion haliaetus
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We don’t see this particular bird regularly on the bayou, but the are a treat even though they are not a rare bird. The Common Moorhen was foraging in the water hyacinth that was still present on some parts of the bayou. The bird with the candy corn beak. At least that is how some people refer to this particular waterfowl. There were a pair staggering about in the hyacinth, but they head for the bank whenever I got close to them, but I did manage to get a couple of shots of them before I left. Common Moorhen is a species of the rail family and this one was photographed on Horsepen Bayou. Aka waterhen or swamp chicken.
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Tags: WanaM3 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horsepen Bayou bayou outdoors nature wildlife nature photography caneoing paddling water hyacinth bird moorhen Common Moorhen waterhen swamp chicken animal Gallinula chloropus
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These Rails are not the easiest birds to spot on the bayou and for the second time in less than a year, I have had yet another chance encounter with one. Me thinks that this is a Virginia Rail, but I know if I get it wrong that there are people out that will know what they are looking at. It was in a dark patch tucked back in the reeds and the backlighting was pretty intense and the foreground was pretty bright as well. Photo taken on Horsepen Bayou.
Thanks Robert. I just missed that page in my handbook.
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Tags: WanaM3 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horsepen Bayou bayou outdoors nature wildlife nature photography canoeing paddling shadows animal bird rail Virginia Rail Railus limicola
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This is not something that I normally photograph on the bayou, but this is my first shot of a Red-winged Blackbird that turned out decently. Captured in the reeds along the banks of Horsepen Bayou. This is actually what I was trying to capture when I spotted the Virginia Rail.
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Tags: WanaM3 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horsepen Bayou bayou nature outdoors wildlife nature photography animal bird blackbird Red-winged Blackgird canoeing paddling Agelaius phoeniceus
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I found a couple of these on the bayou on my last outing and they were not the least bit intimidated by my presence. They are always moving bobbing their tails up and down, but quite approachable. This is a first-time capture for me on this little visitor to Horsepen Bayou. Spotted Sandpiper searching for just that right snack on the bayou.
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Tags: WanaM3 Texas Pasadena Clear Lake City Horsepen Bayou bayou outdoors nature wildlife nature photography canoeing paddling animal bird sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper Actitis Macularius
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