First time to see these...

[Shannon Graham]

I saw three Cedar Waxwings in an oak tree today in Austin. I don't recall ever seeing any of these before. (This image is from Flickr.) My blackberry images didn't come out so clear... Pretty wild looking with the mask and mohawk-looking feathers on the head.



Shannon

[Shannon Graham]

We have Painted Buntings coming into our back yard from time to time. I think they're breeding with the sparrows as we see a lot of sparrows with red heads, some with green breasts and a few with yellow undersides.



Shannon

[Shannon Graham]

And lastly, I saw one of these for the first time near Kendalia, Texas while returning home from an artifact outing in Bandera. It's a Crested Caracara. (Yes, there is an artifact named Caracara also.)

Was on a small county road and saw this thing flying over. Pulled over to watch it for a bit. Looked kind of awkward flying and lunging about. That's probably because I'm so used to seeing the Turkey Vultures/Buzzards soaring effortlessly overhead, that this creature just looked so out of place. It was an unexpected site at the end of a great day. Wish there were more artifacts to show instead of bird pics but oh well.

This image is linked from Bill Schmoker's great site. Check it out.

Shannon

[drdave514]

I see these woodpeckers quite often lately after having not seen one in awhile.

[drdave514]

Not to be cofused with these elusive woodpeckers.

[Mojave]

Caracara...

[Mojave]

More "tree humor"

[rmartin]

Great post Shannon. And hey, the humor is great too. Ray.

[jhaberer]

Shannon,

Growing up in the Temple area, the Cedar Waxwings would come by the hundreds with the really cold notherns. I have never seen them in those numbers in this area. Maybe a little south of their normal migration.

jh