We pulled over on the road approaching the lock and dam. View is fro the car and through the trees. The three of us agreed "100s". It was stunning. In among the mergansers is a large eagle sitting on the ice.

This bird was in my backyard this morning. Initially thought it was yellow-shafted but it had a bright red underwing in flight and closer inspection revealed a red undertail. Had to get pics because this is pretty rare here. I am pretty confident this is a female red-shafted flicker but would like further input, as a hybrid is also possible.

While my mother was being interred, this eagle flew over, perched, chirped for a bit, then sat in the treetop the whole time, a good 35 minutes or so. She loved the story a priest told her some years ago about attending a funeral for a Native American, and his counterpart told him now we wait for the eagle, and sure enough, one appeared and flew overhead. Would have loved to hear her reaction to receiving the same honor. :)

Sept 28 @ 8:42 am. Flying North.
At this time, Floridians are tracking Hurricane Ian, the center of which will make landfall later this day as a strong Category 4, along the Gulf Coast near Cayo Costa, at 3:05 pm eastern.

Saw a hawk eating a newly caught pigeon. It was sitting on the lawn outside my building, right out in the open by the sidewalk. He didn't seemed perturbed by the cars or pedestrians walking by as he ate.

Jabiru
Corpus Christi, Texas
7 Sep 1981

I'm posting this 31 year old record just for the historical value. This was the 5th Texas and United States record of a Jabiru. There are now (2012) 10 records in Texas. These shots were taken against the dawn light and are essentially silhouettes but that is all I have of this bird. The first image is cropped to the bird to show its unique bill and head shape. The 2nd shot shows the overall scene as visible at the time through a 400mm lens. The Texas records of this species are posted below:

JABIRU (Jabiru mycteria)

Accepted (10)

11 Aug-8 Sep 1971 Escondido Lake, KLE (TPRF 22) (AB 26:85; Haucke and Kiel 1973; Oberholser 1974)
Sep 1972 La Sal Vieja, HID (*UT Pan Am) (FN 52:479)
26-27 Jul 1973 HAS (*TCWC 9524) (Arnold 1978a)
29 Oct 1979 (2) Encino, BRO (TBRC 1989-137; TPRF 763)
6-18 Sep 1981 Oso Bay, Corpus Christi, NUE (TBRC 1981-6; TPRF 251; WWF ph 44) (AB 36:195; Clark 1982; ph on cover of Birding 14(1), 1982)
5-8 Aug 1985 near Bentsen SP, HID (TPRF 356) (AB 40:138)
11 Aug 1997 Laguna Atascosa NWR, CAM (TBRC 1997-138; TPRF 1656) (FN 52:88)
10-22 Aug 2008 near Raymondville, WIY (TBRC 2008-75; TPRF 2600)
10 Jun 2009 Nueces Delta Preserve, SAP (TBRC 2009-56; TPRF 2731)
20 Sep 2009 San Benito, CAM (TBRC 2009-81)