For the last few weeks our Texas RBA has been reporting a Purple Sandpiper wintering on the jetties adjacent to Quintana and Surfside Beaches, near Freeport/Lake Jackson. This is about 60 miles south of Houston, so we went down last weekend to see if we could find it and we did! It was very co-operative, allowing us to get lots of photos. I've put 4 of the best (actually taken by my husband, as he had the Oly C700 that morning!) on my website: http://helensbirds.homestead.com/purplesandpiper.html
but I'll attach one here, too.
Cooperative???? Admit it, you paid him a posing fee... Great to see that you are out and about Helen.
All lovely shots Helen. I saw them for the first time earlier this year at South Gare and a couple of times since at Hartlepool. They are quite nice looking for a sea bird.