Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge – September 2023 (1)
/It was a very hot day when I made the road trip from Missouri to Texas in September. It was over 90 degrees when I made the exit to go to Hagerman – thinking that maybe the government would shut down before I headed home, and I wasn’t sure if the refuge would be accessible then.
There were a few migrants at the refuge that I hadn’t seen since last spring: White-faced Ibis,
Neotropic Cormorants (evidently this bird is expanding its range), and
I didn’t see any of the migratory ducks…maybe they will be there next month,
There were the usual egrets and herons. A snowy egret strutted in the shallows.
Several of the great blue herons looked like juveniles.
Some of the egrets (great and snowy) and a great blue heron were enjoying feeding in grassy areas that had been flooded.
I saw a snag with at least 8 white birds in it.
I zoomed in to take as many pictures as I could of individual birds. There were snowy egrets,
Cattle egrets, and
A juvenile little blue heron!
A great blue heron and great egret were on a snag in the water – the heron had just gotten a fish….the egret looks on.
Hagerman was ready for more birds that were probably coming soon in increasing numbers…and some will stay for the winter. Hopefully I will see more of them when I go in October.
Tomorrow’s post will focus on the non-bird sightings at Hagerman in September.
