Sunshine on my shoulder...

Friday, still cloudy and rain-drenched, we just had to get to the store!! By the time we arrived, just a couple miles' drive from home, we saw patches of blue in the sky!! As we reached the automatic doors to enter and pick out some groceries to refill our pantry...there was this really odd, bright, sphere casting light upon us all!!! THE SUN. Wowzers.

Okay, so we rushed around the store and behold...when leaving, the temperature outside was once again a balmy, tropical morning. One man, as he walked toward us mentioned "What is that in the sky?" Another man getting out of his car "The sun shines!!" We, apparently, were not the only ones in a gloomy state of mind/mood after nearly a week of drab days.

Guess what? Saturday and Sunday we didn't spend much time home after sunrise...at least during the daylight hours. Saturday, we went to the islands and spent most of the day walking along all the biking/hiking/birding trails. Went to the beach also. Just had a good ol' time in the sunshine and letting the birds' calls and songs brighten our day. Along the several treks, we saw so many different birds, it's a challenge to remember them all...shrikes, mockingbirds, pelicans, sea gulls, vultures, shoveler ducks, grebes, herons of all sorts [different species including, green, great blue, black crowned night herons and tri-colored], snowy and great egrets, redhead ducks, mallards, cormorants, falcons and hawks. A couple of white faced ibis [they're dark morph for winter, but a maroon red during breeding] flew above us. At another area, this time back in town in Corpus Christi, we went to the bay where there is a large observation deck for us...more pelicans and ducks, and skimmers. Saw two ospreys along the highway heading there also. While we were there, we picked up a conversation with another birder. He proudly showed off his photos on his iPhone...fabulous images. As we conversed with him, he told us of an area where the migratory Whooping Cranes [the largest North American bird!!] have been spotted. So.....

Sunday morning, you would have found us back in the car, traveling  to Rockport, Texas through thick fog, eventually crossing Capano Bay over to.... Lamar Peninsula on Goose Island. By that time, the fog was lifting and blue could be seen above us all around us. The other birder's directions from the previous day, so very accurate, that, once we got on the island, Bud spotted three Whooping Cranes [two adults and one immature; making up the family] almost immediately...Out came the camera!! As we finally parked at the boating ramp, we got out and walked the area along the peninsula, and enjoyed another bright, beautiful morning...seeing cranes of the Whooping and Sandhill kind, vultures, Muskovy ducks, tons of grackles, herons, moorhens, and egrets. One lone killdeer. Along the highway heading home, we spotted several hawks perched up on power lines searching for food scurrying around in the fields.

The following photos are from our many different walks along many different areas along the coast over the weekend. I will have my crane and heron photos mainly on my birding blog once I get them uploaded and readied for posting.

Oh yes, there were a few hours we spent at home once our outdoorsy adventures came to an end. I made home made spaghetti and whipped up a batch of garlic toast, tossed salad, and topped it off with red wine. In the other 'free hours of not traveling to birding areas' I did laundry and finished my sketch of my grandson. I took a photo of my sketch and texted it to Irene...for her approval. Her response, and I quote: "Ahhhhhh, this is precious. Awesome mom". So...once I got her approval of it actually looking like Clint, I decided that it will be framed. I bought a plain, simple maple frame and will have to have a custom made matting cut today. So, at first light, well...at least when the stores open around 9 or so, I'll be at the framing counter, ordering a mat. Dunno what color I'll choose tho. Will have to wait and see once I'm there. Once it's framed, I will share that here also. Stay tuned...

Today, Monday, it's gonna be another good day weather-wise so I imagine we'll not be home much again, then...Tuesday,  rain is predicted to return. Bah!!! :-(


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