January and February in South Texas might not be as exciting for birds as spring or fall but there is still plenty to see and photograph. Lots of wintering birds take advantage of the fish, crustaceans, and other small creatures that live in the lagoons and wetlands along the coast. With that in mind, last weekend, I paid a visit to Bahia Grande to see what I could find.
A big flock of shorebirds takes to the air at Bahia Grande.
Situated between Brownsville and Port Isabel, Bahia Grande often plays host to large numbers of gulls, terns, and shorebirds.
Sanderlings fly over gulls at Bahia Grande.
They take advantage of tidal surges that bring food into a couple of channels and inlets.
A small part of the feeding frenzy I witnessed.
Although the majority of the birds are Laughing Gulls, a close look also reveals other species and with so many birds present, there’s always the chance that some rarity may show up.
Laughing Gulls forage for fish and shrimp at Bahia Grande.
Checking the wetlands in the area also turned up some other bird species and nice looks at an American Alligator.
A close look at an American Alligator.
I also took advantage of the good lighting to showcase the brights yellow in the plumage of an Eastern Meadowlark.
An Eastern Meadowlark sings at sunset.
A nice, prolonged look at a Great Horned Owl on a nest rounded out a fine day of birding and wildlife observation in South Texas.
Great Horned Owl on eggs.