Back to familiar pastures

I had a post-work walk around La Presa, my local patch in Tequisquiapan. It was nice to be back among familiar birds. The shot below gives an idea of the vast swathes of Northern Shoveler that are wintering on the lake. It was also good to see some Blue-winged Teals in breeding plumage and a handful of Green-winted Teals as well. Ruddy Ducks, a couple of Eared Grebes and American Coots were also on the water. I didn't get far enough around to get a proper count in though.

Wader numbers are down from the fall-migration peaks of September, but there are still good numbers of Black-necked Stilts, as well as the odd Lesser Yellowlegs and Baird's Sandpiper.

La Presa always throws up a raptor or two, and this trip was no different. A fine Peregrine circled with a more languid Turkey Vulture.

Clay-coloured Sparrows are now in good numbers, like their close relative, the Lark Sparrow. Both form flocks of up to 100 and are hard to miss in the lakeside scrub. Cassin's Kingbirds, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and Vermillion Flycatchers are equally common, but some birds aren't as showy. House Wren and Ruby-crowned Kinglet were both new patch ticks for me, and took a bit of digging out.