Birds of Texas

I wish I'd spent a little more time focusing during my Avian ecology class.  I think I'd have a much easier time identifying all of the interesting birds I've come across recently.   As things stand, I need hours, days, and other people's insights before I can identify any bird.

Below is a family of black bellied whistling ducks that we found in our backyard.  I'm not sure how they got into my yard, but they sure had a heck of a time getting out.  None of those little duckies could fly, so they were seemingly trapped.

The parents hopped atop our fence to find an escape, but to no avail.  Eventually, I opened the two large doors of our car port and ushered them along.

Below is a female painted vireo that Leslie and I watched crash into the window of our cabin.  We thought at first that it was dead, though it was only stunned.  In time it regained its strength and flew away.  Either that, or it was eaten by something--I'm not sure.  I was lucky enough to see the male painted vireo fly by as well.  What a beautiful bird!

And here is a summer tanager.  This little fella made it his job to wake me each morning by flying again and again into my bedroom window.