Other than taking the opportunity to be 'playing in the water' on such a sunny day, Bud and I washed the car I drive, together....oops! Sorry Bud, I didn't mean to squirt you with the hose! The car really needed to be cleaned...bugs from driving the island highway and the salty sea air plays havoc with my tinted windows...they're already dark, and the salt makes it kinda dangerous driving around sunrise. Got that done. A much needed job of work.
BEFORE we washed the car, I drove to Mustang Island and decided to just walk and do some people watching....the birds are noted to be arriving for their Fall Migration [the early birds], but I haven't seen much of the new arrivals yet. Of course, I haven't been looking for them much either. Besides, along the boat channel [Packery Channel, not the Ship Channel at Port Aransas], the most frequent birds seen are brown pelicans, egrets, and terns. Once I get to the beach area, the sea gulls take over. On the beaches, we are privileged to have police and border patrol, PLUS in specific areas, Park Rangers, patrolling the sands...
...from the little village of Padre Island [don't confuse this with SOUTH Padre Island in Brownsville, Texas], just over JFK Causeway, you are nearly entering Mustang Island....and it covers a LOT of land area. Most of it is considered Mustang Island State Park. Well, if you happened to stop by my Bird Photo Blog this week, you know then that I FINALLY SPOTTED a rare falcon that I have searched for for nearly 12 years. I spotted a Juvenile perched on one of the many power lines along the highway. I was elated!! The very next morning I went back to the same area, and lo and behold I saw and ADULT falcon of the same species!! Well, the day I did some people watching, once I got back in the car I decided to drive the short distance to see if they were still there...I SAW FIVE!!! Three Juveniles and the two parents [adults]. If it wouldn't have been so darned hot, I coulda watched them for hours...the adults were teaching their young to hunt.
Here are the three [banded ID'd] juveniles. Look closely...this photo was taken from the highway - about 1500 yards or more away from the car window. I zoomed in on them once I was able to get out of the car...
Aplomado Falcons
Being Re-Introduced after near extinction [mainly 'cause of pesticides and habitat loss]