2021-03-26 Sabal Palms Again

It was only a week ago I visited Sabal Palm Sanctuary. Just 5 miles from my camp in Brownsville (Texas), I paid a brief, 3+ hour visit to this nature reserve on a foggy, damp morning. I met Belted and Ringed Kingfishers last week, and I hoped to meet them again today. My kingfisher chase this day was not as productive as last week. The Ringed Kingfisher was on site, but it avoided any angle for me to capture an image.

When I reached the Resaca, the Least Grebes were sounding off in what I believe were courting or pair-bonding rituals. Both Gadwall and Blue-Winged Teals were still present. The literature I’ve read suggests some teals might remain here year round and even breed, but the Gadwall will head north soon.

The Ringed Kingfisher made several flights over the pond, vocalizing as it flew. The bird always found a perch that made it impossible for me to get a photo <sigh>. I might have visited longer, but clouds obscured the sun, and no other members of the kingfisher clan made their presence known.

The only other bi-pedal visitors I met on my tour were a father-son team whose interest was primarily in reptiles. I enjoyed their company, but I gathered the cool dark morning was no help in their quest to find lizards and snakes. While his son was chasing lizards around the resaca, his father had a close encounter with a young bobcat, and captured a clear photo.

I only photographed three species on this visit; Blue-Winged Teal, Gadwall, and Least Grebe. I could hear titmice, wrens, woodpeckers, chachalacas, in the thick woods, and several songs I did not recognise. All the usual suspects were on hand at the feeders (Green Jays, Northern Cardinals, Black-Crested Titmice, Long-Billed Thrashers), and the dozens of vultures (Black and Turkey).