Acorn Woodpecker
I've seen them in many places in the West, and I also discovered an
incredible 'granary tree' above the Elkhorn Slough in California. The most memorable
encounter with these birds was in the Davis Mountains of west Texas, where I
stumbled upon a 'family group' of 12-16 individuals in the midst of gathering and
storing acorns. I sat and watched and listened for at least 4 hours and the
dinner bell was the only thing that could force me to leave. What a show it
was! The sights and sounds were amazing.
American Avocet
When I lived in Houston, a regular stop on my way to Louisiana (the long way
home) was the Bolivar Flats, just across the Houston Ship Channel from
Galveston. On a midwinter drive, I was treated to an avocet 'ballet' when the high
tide forced as many as 30,000 individuals close to shore and provided an
excellent opportunity to observe their unique feeding habits . Again, another
fantastic show!

Joe Meche
Bellingham