Black Headed Grosbeak, Juvenile male

These pictures were taken on Febraury 12th, 2009 at bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission, Texas. The male shares equally in incubating eggs and raising the young. The females song is a simplistic shorter version of the males song, but sometimes the female will sing the same song as the male in an attempt to induce the male to spend more time close to the nest.

Altamira Oriole

This picture was taken on February 12th, 2009 at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission, Texas. They are solitary nesters and will nest at least 1/4 of a mile from other Orioles even though they don't seem to fight over territories. There nest is a basket style nest that is sometimes up to 25" deep.

Great Kiskadee

These pictures were taken on February 12th, 2009 at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission, Texas. Although it's a flycatcher, it will also eat berries, lizards and will even plunge into water for small fish or tadpoles.

Green Jay

These pictures were taken on February 12th, 2009 at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission Texas.

Black Crested Titmouse

These pictures were taken on February 6th, 2009 at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Tx. These cute little guys are hard to photograph because they move so quickly and so often. When you get lucky and get a nice shot though, it's worth the effort.

Long Billed Thrasher

These photos were taken on February 6th, 2009 at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Tx.

Common Pauraque

This picture was taken on February 7th, 2009 at Estero Lana Grande State Park, Tx. Pauraque's are nocturnal and eat bugs at night. Their legs are so short that it's almost impossible to see them, yet they can jump about 20 inches high to catch a flying insect.

Eastern Meadowlark

These pictures were taken on February 5th, 2009 at Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort, Mission Tx.

Tropical Kingbird

These pictures were taken on February 7th, 2009 at Estero Lana Grande State Park, Tx. These guys are extremely similar to the Couch's Kingbird and the only certain way to tell them apart is that they have different songs. They are a unique flycatcher in that they dine only on larger flying insects.

Green Jay

These pictures were taken on February 6th, 2009 at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Tx. An interesting fact about these guys is that last years litter stay with their parents and help defend the nest. Once the new brood have left the nest, last years offspring are basically kicked out of the family group.

Least Grebe

These pictures were taken on February 6th, 2009 at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Tx. Note the fiery eyes of this little guy. If he is being stocked, he can stay underwater for long periods with only the tip of his beak protuding from the water.

Vermilion Flycatcher

These pictures were taken on February 7th, 2009 at Estero Lana Grande State Park, Tx. An interesting thing about their mating habits is that when the male wants to copulate, it will bring the female a showy butterfly or some other showy bug. I guess that's similar to a man wining and dining a lady in hopes of getting lucky later that night.

American Coot

This picture was taken at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Tx, On February 6th, 2009.