Bone cold

I still haven't thawed out after we went to Balmorhea Lake and birded in 20° weather. Our target was a Black-legged Kittiwake, which would have been a lifer for some of us, but it wasn't there. Nevertheless, the lake was gorgeous and had more birds on it than I had ever seen. Calm, cool, and collected, with the emphasis on the cool. (Photo taken with my iphone.)

Only a kittiwake, or such, could have inspired me to overcome the cold and take a bunch of photos, but I did half-heartedly snap a Bonaparte's Gull as it winged past.

Years ago I made a trip to the lake for the purpose of seeing my first Bonaparte's Gull. I didn't have a camera in those days, so it seemed fitting to photograph one today. And I really enjoyed the company (Kelly Bryan, Matt York, Heidi Trudell, and Julie Oesper). And the food (Bear's Den Restaurant).

Tomorrow we're going to band hummingbirds and then go to Big Bend National Park to try to observe and photograph a myiarchus flycatcher that might possibly be a Nutting's. It'll be warm there. I have a fire going but it takes a long time to warm up the house once it gets cold, so I'm heading for my electric blanket now.