Photos

Photos along the White Oak Bayou

2019 Fish-Off in conjunction with FWP Happy Trails and Hot Dogs

2018 Fish-Off in conjunction with FWP Happy Trails and Hot Dogs

2017 Fish-Off - Resurrected Photo Slideshow

2005 Deja Va Fish Off
Photo Slideshow

Bob Lee's White Oak Bayou Photo Slideshow

Wendy Wright's not so recent photos

Great Blue Heron fluffed against the chill of a January morning

Northern Cardinal waiting on the first buds of spring

Cedar Waxwing feeding right side up…

and upside down

Pine Warbler eating a lizard – extremely unusual behavior for a bird whose diet is generally limited to insects and seeds

Belted Kingfisher fishing from a perch on a cypress tree

Eastern Phoebe (juvenile)

Loggerhead Shrike

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (juvenile)

Eagle in pursuit of Ospey's lunch near UH Downtown

Osprey along the White Oak Bayou hike/bike path

An Osprey who had either come in from the coast or is among the first wave of fall migrants

Bald Eagle high above the White Oak Bayou

A four or five-year-old Bald Eagle at sunrise on a cloudy, wintry day

American Kestrel on its hunting perch along a freeway overpass

Red-shouldered Hawk lit by the setting sun

Red-tailed Hawk

Osprey

Snowy Egret surprised by an approaching train

Green Heron (juvenile)

American Avocet on migration to the coast

Two juvenile White Ibis from a group of six who were feeding along the banks

Black-crowned Night Heron in its :butler" pose

Double-crested Cormorants, which will be returning soon on their fall migration

Anhinga standing on a piece of the old cypress tree that used to stand by UHD

Our Bayou Birds

Recent Bird Photos by Wendy Wright from her walks along the White Oak Bayou

2019

A Snowy Egret feeding among the beer and soda cans that are washed into the White Oak Bayou by every storm. These cans will remain intact in our bayous, bays and oceans into the 23rd century.

This Red Phalarope was most likely blown more than 1,000 miles off course by Pacific Storm fronts. It is the first of its species to be sighted in Harris County. The bird breeds in the high arctic and spends most of its life out at sea.

"Wet bottom" detention basins along the White Oak Bayou help to reduce flooding and provide important habitat for birds and other wildlife. A Red Phalarope spent several days refueling at the Jersey Meadows Stormwater Detention Basin in June 2019.

Bridges over the White Oak Bayou serve as excellent nesting sites for various types of swallows. This is a Barn Swallow, whose long forked tail is hidden by the railing.

Recently hatched Great Horned Owls peer over the edge of a nest in a tree bordering the Little White Oak Bayou.

The edges of the bayou are oddly quiet now, with the sandpipers - including this Least Sandpiper - having recently moved north to their breeding grounds.

A lucky sighting of a Solitary Sandpiper, with these elegant birds not often spotted inside of the 610 Loop. This bird was traveling to breeding grounds in Canada.

Green Herons are small and often go unnoticed. They are among only a few species of birds known to use objects as lures while fishing.

A Snowy Egret looking unusually serious. Herons and egrets have s-shaped necks that can be extended or folded back into their breasts.

A White-throated Sparrow who probably hatched in Canada spends the winter in tangles of weeds and brush, finding food and shelter from predators.

A Great Horned Owl hidden in a daytime roost speaks to the value of protecting riparian habitat along the White Oak Bayou.

Red-shouldered Hawks, which mate for life, renew their pair bonds in winter in preparation for the labor-intensive period of nesting.

2018

The Least Sandpiper is the smallest shorebird in the world. They are migrating through the region now on their way to breeding grounds in the Arctic.

Snowy Egret – while a few herons and egrets will remain with us through the spring, most have headed off to breeding colonies along the coast

American Kestrel – this male was here for the winter, posing for a good shot before heading north for the summer

Osprey - taking a break from fishing at the end of the day

Red-shouldered Hawk - the male from a pair who are rebuilding the nest where they raised three chicks in each of the past two years

Roseate Spoonbills - uncommon visitors to the Inner Loop - feeding along the hike/bike trail

Northern Pintail ducks – uncommon visitors to the Inner Loop

Belted Kingfisher (female), ready to engage in plunge-dive fishing from a culvert leading into the bayou

Members of a flock of American White Pelicans heading south for winter – their 9’ wingspan makes them the second largest bird in the Americas

Red-vented Bulbul – Caged birds brought to Houston from India, Tibet and Burma have established feral colonies inside the 610 Loop

Red-shouldered Hawk – these beautiful hawks look extra gorgeous when lit up by the rising sun

Osprey – carrying a half-eaten fish

Northern Cardinal – Females are shy and don’t often pose as nicely as this one

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks – they whistle as they fly and can often be heard before they are seen

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks – the adults make great parents

Cooper’s Hawk (juvenile) – these small hawks help keep populations of dove and pigeons in check

Double-crested Cormorant – one of a very small group of birds who have blue-green eyes

Green Heron (juvenile) – these small herons are among a very small group of birds who have learned to use tools – this one is using a piece of plastic as a lure to attract fish