Pictured here are two species of migratory shorebirds that stopped in Fort Worth on their way north. The larger, brown birds are Long-billed Dowitchers and the smaller birds are Wilson’s Phalaropes.

In the second image, you can see that these two species can feed side by side in the same habitat yet not compete with each other for the same food. By virture of their longer beaks, the Dowitchers can feed deep in the mud whilst the Phalaropes eat from shallower parts of the mudflat.

I included this last image because I like the juxtaposition of the Dowitcher and its reflection. Moments like these are one of the reasons I enjoy photographing wildlife.

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Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca, are built on the sandpiper plan but their markings are less distinct. They are mottled grey and white above and their unstriped wings appear dark from below when they are in flight. In this picture, you can see the whitish tail and rump of the bird in flight which helps to distinguish them in the field. Their long narrow bill, long yellow legs, and their size makes them distinct from the other members of the Sandpiper family (Scolopacidae).

These medium sized shorebirds like to hunt for small fish, frogs, crustaceans, worms, insects, and other invertebrates in the marshes and other wetland environments they visit on their way north. Berries and seeds are also used to supplement their diet. You can see them in Texas during March through May and July through October as they migrate throughout the state.

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Butorides virescens, the green heron, is a small shore bird found throughout much of the eastern United States and parts of the west coast. They prefer wetland or marshy habitats where they can find fish and other foods they like to eat. They tend to be nocturnal but are sometimes seen during daytime. This bird is one of the smaller members of Ardeidae, the Heron and Bittern family.

This little fella was observed fishing along a stream that contained some large carp.

Here he is with what appears to be a small carp.

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This is a Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, and it belongs to the Ardeidae family which includes herons, egrets, and bitterns.  You can learn more about these beautiful birds at Audobon.org and All About Birds.org. Snowy egrets are smaller than the common egret and larger than the cattle egret. All three can be seen in some parts of their range. The black bill, black legs and yellow feet are the characters that identify this species in the field.  Snowy egrets are hunters in the shallow waters of fresh and marine environments. They wade and spear prey with their bill which can include fish, crustaceans, as well as insects, lizards and snakes, and even small rodents.

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