Seagulls fight over a tender morsel as we watched from a second floor balcony.
One finally gave up, the others kept at it for quite a while!
Early morning light on a laughing gull contemplating its breakfast in a clump of sargasso seaweed. Sargasso weed is plentiful during certain seasons of the year, and is piled high to anchor the dunes.
Daybreak on the beach.
Birds and humans share the beach.
Immature brown pelican and royal terns.
Mature brown pelican in breeding plumage and laughing gulls.
Pelicans with royal terns (long reddish beak) and sandwich terns (yellow tipped beak).
Looking across Shamrock Island, masses of birds as far as you could see!
A juvenile brown pelican with royal terns (long reddish beak) and sandwich terns (yellow tipped beak).
No one is allowed on the Island, such a good thing!
Royal terns, the name is very fitting!
Snowy egret, a mid-size heron, in breeding plumage.
A flock of white ibis flew overhead.
The great egret also finds Shamrock Island to be a safe place to nest.
The reddish egret is classified as "threatened" in Texas and receives special protection.
Francie Stoutamire Photography
