Birding in March & April in West Houston

Ibis foraging in a wet field in Barker Reservoir 

Great White Egret at Lake off S Barker Cypress Road in
George Bush Park 

Great White Egret at Detention Pond off Westpark at Hwy 6 

The red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 

Black-bellied whistling ducks lined up in a row 

Grackle on a Wetlands sign in Spring-time meadow
at lake near Beltway 

A pair of black-bellied whistling ducks in profile 

Bevy of coots and a pelican, with water tower 

A trio of ibises 

Ibises at the storm water detention pond between Eldridge and Highway 6
at West Park 

Lone blackbird on tree at North Dairy Ashford 

Black vultures perching high up in trees near Westlake 

Egret taking off from a pine tree 

Black-bellied whistling ducks are gregarious 

 .. and these ducks are also a lot of fun to watch 

There is always a lot of action, if not commotion.

Duck pond adjoining playground at Memorial Drive segment
of Terry Hershey Park 

Black vultures and ducks flocking at Harris County road-maintenance facility 
in Bear Creek Park 

Snowy Egret

Deer at sunset in the woods: Where is the deer?

There are plenty of deer in George Bush Park (Barker Reservoir) and in Cullen Park (Addicks Reservoir) North of I-10. You can even watch them from the respective dam roads. These are large areas -- large by suburban standards -- that are basically left to nature running its course and no hunting or even carrying of firearms is allowed in these parks (except for the shooting center on Westheimer Parkway).

Find the deer in this landscape

The white-tailed deer enjoy quasi-protected status, and they are easy to encounter, much easier than, say, the feral hogs, that also roam the grounds along the meandering bayou. But they typically emerge at dusk, and shooting them with the camera is quite a challenge. They freeze alright and stare in your direction, but they don't let you get very close, so you need a powerful zoom or telelens; but you also need a longer exposure because of the dim light conditions. If the animal moves, your image of it will get blurred. At best usable for special effect, if you are lucky enough to have a whole group in front if you and some move while others stand still and gaze at the camera.

Apparently got to close for comfort - this one is taking off;
it almost looks like a kanguruh

Wrong pose ... and tail is not even white, at least not
when in the "down" position

These two look okay as small versions on  the screen, at ISO-800 and 1/50 shutter speed, 

with a little editing and cropping on the computer upon return from the woods

I accentuated the colors a little bit on this one with the photo-editing software.
The natural lighting was quite good actually better than during the warm season
because there is no foliage to interfere  with the illumination by the setting sun.

Another abortive foray to watch deer: The live specimen on display, and happily grazing -- at Bear Creek Pioneers' Park do not quite match the interpretive sign providing background info on the White Tailed Deer. It's educational all the same. You will just have to enjoy the ponies and donkeys and leave the deer-watching for another day in another place: perhaps the nearby woods.

 Farm animals at Bear Creek Pioneers Park

at other times of the year when the grass is greener

Eerie Spanish Moss Scenery

Clematis - Purple bell-shaped swamp flower

Closeup of clematis bloom in wooded area inside Barker Reservoir

White Spiderlily spotted in Barker Reservoir

Came across the first spider lily of the year on Noble Road Trail in George Bush Park yesterday, March 5. Same place as last year.  Even had a spider on it -- one with translucent legs. See third picture (macro shot from underneath the flower against the sky) below.    

 White Spider Lily (Amaryllidaceae family)

This plant likes the wetlands (marshes and ditches) and is a pretty rare wildflower in our area, though native. I have seen one North of Patterson Rd in Addicks Reservoir too. Scientific name: Hymenocallis floridana (Raf.) Morton (Florida spiderlily).

Spiderlily with spider on it

 Noble Road Trail in George Bush Park in early March

Dirt road to oil well site in Barker Reservoir in winter

The Tim Miles Trail in Barker Reservoir

This is a side trail branching off from Noble Road Trail inside Barker Reservoir, running first south on the edge of the wetlands restoration area that was devastated by a wild fire in 2011, then turns West and ends at a fenced oil well site with a number of large tanks. This dirt road does not have a name; so I am identifying it by the name of the Oil Lease (Tim Miles) to which it leads. Unlike Noble Road Trail, which crosses the park and links up with the Barker-Clodine Road bike-hike trial, the Tim Miles Trail is a cul-de-sac that does not get much foot or bicycle traffic. The West Houston sunsets from the North-South section of the trail can be pretty awesome, though, rivaling the scenic sunsets on the lake right behind the Dam. While there is no water here most of the year, and thus no reflection of the setting sun, the charred tree trunks limbs make for a ghastly silhouette against the blue and orange evening sky. The wildfire raged here in the Fall of 2012 and effects are very much still present, especially in the winter when the greenery is gone.   

Views of bayous and creeks from the foot bridge

View from Jake Hershey pedestrian/bike bridge on Terry Hershey Trail

Vantage point: Footbridge

Langham creek water-course on its way to confluence with Buffalo Bayou

Foot bridge over Langham Creek, which flows into Buffalo Bayou from Addicks Reservoir

Soaring high

Vulture in the air above the woods and fields