Rain and Birds and a Coyote

Coyote is always out there waiting

and Coyote is always hungry. 

~ Navajo proverb

It's been raining off and on for a few weeks now. Today was mostly a light mist after some gully-washers.* It seemed like a good time to check the water levels at Witter Lane.

I didn't expect too much as it can take the creatures a while to come back. Here are the photos from a "quick drive-by." [You know there will be more trips this week.]

These wet-weather ponds have been gone for months. I saw no birds here.

Even when the light is all wrong I take the photo - someone will know the bird. [And they did. This little tree was FULL of House Finches]

There are always doves here. Today - just this Mourning Dove.

My eye immediately went to this large Great Egret at the far pond. This is with the good camera folks so you can imagine how far that pond is from the road. Still - I could get the yellow beak.

While trying to identify the birds at the far pond I saw some movement in the tall grass. A coyote patrolled the area near the creek. It saw me too and moved out smartly.

As the coyote disappeared through the fence-line I was reminded of what DH often says to me - "They always show you their backside."

While not quite clear enough for a "good" ID, this bird moved around very like a Snowy Egret (they are not smooth and graceful) and flew as I watched the coyote).

Not a good image of either creature.

I watched this bird for a long time. It's a White-faced Ibis. That was my guess anyway, confirmed by a "real" birder. It is out of range (ie. not supposed to be here), but I've seen them here before and the way this rain has come in from the coast makes it less unusual, I guess.

After making the turn I heard a beautiful song and started looking for the singer. It was perched on the fencing and continued its song while I flipped on the flashers and angled the car across the road to get a good view out an open window. I had tried to take one through the windshield, but was getting garbage (raindrops interfering with auto-focus).

I've seen flocks of meadowlarks here and I always have to say "meadowlarks" when reporting because I never get a "song." Today it sang for me. Eastern Meadowlark!

One slider in the turtle pond. There is never a crowd unless it is a sunny day.

NOTES:

*If you haven't heard about flooding all over Texas, well, you can Google it. Local reservoirs are at over 100% capacity. https://www.yahoo.com/gma/flooding-concerns-stretch-another-day-central-texas-112706364--abc-news-topstories.html