Easy birding excursion

Hazy skies due to the park's fire

Today I resolved to get to Post Park near Marathon early this morning in order to get a photo of a Yellow-green Vireo reported from there yesterday afternoon. One was there last September but I was unsuccessful in getting anything other than a quick glimpse of it. (See post from 9-6-18)

As it turned out, I heard it singing when I got out of my car, and quickly located it.

Only then did I realize that my sister-in-law, Dale Ohl, and I had seen and heard one singing in the same tree many years ago when we were still fledgling birders. As I recall, we couldn't identify it. I don't think we carried cameras in those days, perhaps 20-25 years ago. I asked her about it and she doesn't remember, but if she had been there today I think it would have jogged her memory, like it did mine. I have seen the species in E TX before, so it wasn't a lifer. Just didn't have documentation of it in the Big Bend. And now I do. Normally I just photograph butterflies, odes, and flowers these days so don't mind not being able to take sharp photos of distant birds with my Lumix, but today is one of those days it would have been nice to have my Canon.

I wanted to look for odes and butterflies while I was there, but it was too early. Nothing was flying.

Stopped by Gage Gardens. Enjoyed the beauty, but too early there too.