Check, check!

Canyon Wren

(Catherpes mexicanus)

During my camping trip to Guadalupe River State Park,

I was fortunate to observe several Canyon Wrens (check).

This little fellow is a life bird for me!

I felt pretty honored,

as I realize that my location

was on the very fringes  of their range,

and I never expected to see one,

let alone so many.

But it was their preferred habitat of

cliffs and rock ledges.

Another life bird for me was this

Ladder-backed Woodpecker, (Picoides scalaris) (check).

It was my first day at the park, and I had stopped a couple,

who were obviously birders, to pick their brains

about what I might look forward to seeing.

I had just commented that I was in hopes of seeing
a Ladder-backed Woodpecker,
and as if on cue, in he flew.

Other life birds I observed during my stay at the state park were the

Bewick Wren, (Thryomanes bewickii)(check); House Wren, (Troglodytes aedon)(check),

and the Carolina Chickadee, (Poecile carolinensis)(check).



I also observed a White-throated Sparrow,  (Zonotrichia albicollis)  

and can take it

off of my 'auditory only' list!

Not a life bird, but a delightful, comical resident of the park

was the Black-crested Titmouse, Baeolophus atricristatus

(also known as the Mexican Titmouse).

There was a bevy of birds to keep me busy

during the week.