East End Galveston: June 2017

After a very successful stop at the Smith Oaks Sanctuary and a short trip on the Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry (We pulled right on to the ferry and were the last car to load before it departed. I wouldn't realize until the next day what a special treat that was.) there was still plenty of daylight left to do some more shooting before grabbing some dinner and checking in to our hotel.  Since we were already on the east end of the island, a drive down Boddeker Road seemed like the best choice.

It didn't take long for my decision to be rewarded.  Two dark blobs on an old telephone pole revealed themselves as we approached to be a pair of Crested Caracaras!

I startled Taryn a bit by making a u-turn then pulling off the road and grabbing my camera.  I'd seen one of these beautiful birds for the first time on a fence post near Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge last year, but it flew off before I could get a picture of it.  I didn't want that to happen again!

Fortunately, I was able to get a shot of the two together.  The one on top of the pole signaled it was about to take off in a way I've seen before in raptors -- by pooping.  Needless to say based on their relative position, the one beneath it seemed somewhat surprised and displeased by its decision.

Sure enough, the first flew off.  But to my delight the second took its place atop the pole and stayed.  I slowly walked closer, noticing even more excrement on its head plumage and an expression of continued disbelief.

My past experience shooting raptors is that they tend to be fairly skittish, even atop tall poles where I can't possibly be a threat to them.  But this bird seemed unperturbed.  Projecting human emotions like we do, it now looked somewhat embarrassed that I had been a witness to the unfortunate pooping incident.

I was caught off guard by the sudden return of the pooper!  The bird I'd been shooting abruptly flew off, only to be replaced by its partner.  I didn't get anything usable of the takeoff or arrival.  But once atop the pole, the bird stayed nice and still for me.

More than satisfied with what I'd gotten from the Caracaras, I returned to the car and we drove to the park at the end of the road.  There was a charge for parking that I didn't feel like paying, so we decided to just head back.  But not before I caught a nonbreeding Laughing Gull splashing about a bit in a large puddle.

As all nature photographers can attest, there's always time for one more stop!  So we pulled into the parking area for Fort San Jacinto Historic Point to walk the shore a bit.  First sighting -- a breeding Laughing Gull in some nice light.

I watched this Reddish Egret for a while.  It seemed pretty relaxed, perched there on one leg.  I'm really not sure what it decided to squawk at on the ground.

Close the beak, turn the head, and you get a very different vibe from this shot.  Much more tranquil and serene.  The pink color on the water?  A fisherman standing off camera.

It wasn't quite magic hour when we decided to finally be truly done, but the sun was still low enough in the sky to provide some terrific light on this Brown Pelican.

A great end to our first day on the coast!