Another Delay in Texas Photos

The recent weather has allowed some birding for the past couple of days and I've obtained some photos that are too good not to post, so I'm again delaying the postings of some of my Texas birds. 

I don't often run across Bushtits, and when I do they are difficult to photograph due to their constant movement and their habit of traveling through the brush/trees and not lingering too long in any one area.  I managed to 'pish' a pair out of the bushes at one of my favorite stops just off Fir Island. 

This is one of the most successful 'birds in flight' photos I've taken and I think it was because I had my shutter set at a high speed prior to encountering this Great Blue heron.  It's a very common bird in Skagit County but the birds are usually quite wary and take off at the slightest sign of a vehicle slowing. 

Meadowlarks are another species of bird that are difficult to photograph, being somewhat shy and often in a large field.  I found this one 'hiding' behind some tree branches in the LaConner area near farm fields.  I had to manouver my vehicle back and forth as the bird moved to try to get a clear path for a photo.  After a while the meadowlark even started singing!  I obtained a couple of photos with the bird singing but it had a considerable number of intervening branches. 

The Prize for the Day goes to this American Bittern which was in a field adjacent to the Rawlings Road access.  While not in it's 'reed-imitation posture' in this photo, the bird did spend most of its time with it's beak pointing into the air.  I guess it finally realized that there was a disconnect between that behavior and the grass in which it was standing!  This is the first bittern I've encountered in the county. 

Also noteworthy on my outing yesterday was a Yellow-rumped warbler (Audubon's race) in full breeding plumage.  I just missed getting a photo of the bird but I think I've discovered a potential spot for some warbler and flycatcher photos later this spring.