I spy a roseate spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill, left, and friend.

My first bird count excursion was a three-hour tromp beginning at 7 a.m along the trails at Baytown Nature Center. That night my shoulders and neck were stiff from looking at treetops with binoculars.

My bird count buddies were veterans, David H., who takes fabu nature photos and Chuck. They spotted 45 species.

I can't saw I saw that many. I didn't see the baby Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks swimming in a pond because I was too short to see over the brush in front of the bird blind. Bummer.

However watching and hearing the yellow Orchard Oriole was a treat. The guys also considered the Belted Kingfisher and Osprey good sightings for the area.

My goal this summer is learn to identify the big shorebirds. The only one I can name with any confidence is the Roseate Spoonbill. They are pink and pretty obvious. -- Lana b

Bird count    
10  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
1    Mallard
4    Mottled Duck
2    Pied-billed Grebe
3    Neotropic Cormorant
1    Double-crested Cormorant
15  Brown Pelican
7    Great Blue Heron
8    Great Egret
14  Snowy Egret
7    Little Blue Heron
10  Tricolored Heron
5    Cattle Egret
2    Green Heron
4    Black-crowned Night-Heron
14  Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
9    White Ibis
3    Roseate Spoonbill
1    Osprey
11  Killdeer
4    Black-necked Stilt
16  Laughing Gull
2    Least Tern
40  White-winged Dove
15   Mourning Dove
4    Common Nighthawk
8    Chimney Swift
1    Belted Kingfisher
5    Red-bellied Woodpecker
1    Downy Woodpecker
3    Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
1    Loggerhead Shrike
3    Blue Jay
6    Purple Martin
2    Tree Swallow
16  Barn Swallow
1    Swallow sp.
11  Carolina Wren
19  Northern Mockingbird
25  European Starling
7    Northern Cardinal
7    Common Grackle
4    Great-tailed Grackle
6    Brown-headed Cowbird
2    Orchard Oriole
6    House Sparrow