Texas - Anahuac NWR - Saturday 28th May 2011

Anahuac NWR had the look of being a major birding location for the holiday and that's how it turned out. Bittern's are usually very hard to see but in the culverts of this NWR we saw a number of Least Bitterns:

I think this bird a juvenile as it isn't marked black on it's head or back. As well as the many birds the Refuge also hosted beasts, including this Alligator:

A large lock of White Ibis took flight as we made our way around:

An Eastern Kingbird perched alongside the driving trial:

As we neared the furthest point into the reserve we spotted another Least Bittern, this one an adult judging by its plumage:

Another new species loomed around the next corner, another much sought-after species, the King Rail:

A species we've only seen as a rare vagrant in the UK, the Pectoral Sandpiper:

And we even managed a photograph of a very flighty and nervous White Ibis:



The last bird of the day, of a species we've seen before, the Tricoloured Heron:

Anahuac really was good and rounded off the day well. We checked into our hotel in Webster after a day that included some nine hours of driving and got a well deserved pizza.