Josey Ranch Birds – Part II
/There was finally another sunny day in Carrollton TX and I headed over to Josey Ranch Park again. I was lucky enough to arrive about the same time two women arrived with food for the birds. Two swans were at the boardwalk before the women could make their way from the parking lot to the boardwalk; the swans must recognize the signs of a forthcoming meal. The pigeons and seagulls flew in quickly.
After the crowd of birds gathered to enjoy the feast – the coots seemed to be arguing – chasing each other and churning the water. The northern shovelers in the background did not hurry over like the other birds.
How many birds can you identify in this picture? (see the bottom of this blog post for the most prominent ones). This is a good picture to see the relative size of the birds as well.
There are not very many mallards at the lake this time of year. The light changes the green coloring of their head; sometimes the feathers look black!
Lesser Scaups are more prevalent.
The Great Egret is there every time ago – must be a resident.
Pigeons are on the roof of the nearby senior center and library except with there is food! Iridescent neck feather and red eye – oh my!
The Northern Shovelers are not quite as numerous as the Lesser Scaups and they seem relatively used to people being about.
I managed to get a seagull taking off from the lake – watch the one to the center right.
Birds in the ID quiz picture: swan (partial) on the far left, Canada geese in the upper third, ducks with large bills and rust colored sides are male Northern Shovelers, ducks with light sides and brown heads (yellow eyes) are male Lesser Scaups, coot in lower right (black with pointy beak), pigeon (partial) on bottom margin, gull? Inflight in the upper left.
