Bear Creek Park

Finally, I'm done with the older posts and working on the newish ones.  I may never be completely current.

On September 28, I chased a bird closer to home.  Just because it was spotted in the Houston area doesn't mean I didn't drive an hour and a half each way, though.

Bear Creek Park is on the northwest side of the city.  My information was that a rare bird was spotted near restroom number 9.  I wasn't familiar with the park and the first restrooms I saw had no numbers.  How do you know if it's number nine?              

I found quite a large group of Black Vultures at the pond near the War Memorial.  

I found these beside the same pond.  My first thought was did a whistling duck hook up with an ugly domestic muscovy?  They need to stop that...  I was able to identify it as an Egyptian Goose by looking through my field guides.  These are imported as ornamentals and some of them escape.

They brought it here on purpose?  Why?  Our native species are much more attractive.

I worked my way around the park, past the zoo area, past the ballfields, around to the picnic pavilions.  Here is where I found Eastern Bluebirds, Pine Warblers, House Finches, and Titmice.  I thought maybe I found my special bird, but I wasn't positive.  

I continued further into the park and finally found the wooded area with the numbered restrooms.  The special bird wasn't here, but I found plenty more bluebirds, chickadees, and titmice.  I got my first ever good photograph of a Tufted Titmouse.

I went home, uploaded my photos, and confirmed...  

...it was him by the pavilions!  He's got the longer tail, slender crest, pale lower mandible, and blended underparts that identify him as the Greater Pewee.  What's more interesting than the fact that he is supposed to be found in the western U.S. and Mexico is that he's not lost.  This is believed to be his third winter here in Bear Creek Park.

I wonder where he spends his summers?  If someone were to tag him, would he avoid returning next year?        

I'm linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday.

UTC097
September 2014
Midday
Sunny
Upper 80's
Species Identified(14):  Great Egret, Black Vulture, Egyptian Goose, Graylag Goose - domestic, Muscovy Duck - domestic variety, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Eastern Bluebird, House Finch, Greater Pewee, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Pine Warbler