Additions to a Collection: Galveston Island Birds

Posted by Chris Cunningham

“To a man, ornithologists are tall, slender, and bearded so that they can stand motionless for hours, imitating kindly trees, as they watch for birds.”–Gore Vidal

Galveston Island has been a central focus for our birding activities during spring migration 2013. Over the past week I have been quietly adding images to my Galveston Island Birds Collection. Please take a look.

Common Nighthawk Portrait at Lafitte's Cove, Galveston Island, Texas
Portrait: Common Nighthawk. As a child in Minnesota I watched nighthawks feeding on insects high in the air. I never dreamed I would get such a close look. Lafitte’s Cove, natural light.

Soon I will be trying to acclimate to the broiling Gulf Coast summer–and dreaming of staking out coastal migrant traps during fall migration 2013. It’s not that far off . . . the earliest crop of migrants should start showing up in late July! Can’t wait!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Lafitte's Cove, Galveston Island, Texas
Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Lafitte’s Cove, Galveston Island, Texas. Shots like this showing specular reflection and structural color sparked some reading on the optics of avian color–and may have hatched an area of research regarding those hard to identify female and juvenile hummingbirds. High-speed synchronized flash.

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