Northern Wheatear

What an amazing bird, and so soon after the Bare-throated Tiger-Heron! It was very good timing that I heard about the wheatear that is in Bee County (TX) just before my husband and I were due to travel north from Rockport to Fort Worth today. While not directly on the route, the Amish farm where the wheatear had been found wasn't too far off the path. Unfortunately the bird vanished right before I got there, and it took awhile for it to return. When it did, however, the wheatear calmly went back to hopping about on the bricks where it had been previously seen, and allowed me a few photos before I needed to leave. This morning was also great with astounding views of Le Conte's and Grasshopper Sparrows on the Rockport CBC, birds that were up and visible without any tape playing or pishing or tromping through the grasses. So now I'm home, doing laundry and getting ready to go to Oklahoma tomorrow to participate in the Arnett Christmas Bird Count on Monday, the way I've decided to begin my exploratory year in OK.