Monthly Archives: May 2014

All the Old Haunts

For the last two weeks, I’ve visited several of the my old haunts here in south Texas, including Santa Clara Ranch, Laguna Seca Ranch, and South Padre Island.  It’s May and all the critters are doing two things, looking for water and mating…not necessarily in that order.  So, it was the right time to head for the country and stir up a few photos.

When you are viewing today’s photos, don’t forget to click on the image to enlarge it and make it sharper.  The right and left margins have hidden arrows for advancing and going to the previous photo.

Cottontail rabbits playing.
Cottontail rabbits playing.

 

The photo above was shot at blind #2 just after sunrise.  The two cottontails seemed to be playing tag…one would dash in and the other would leap over it.  In the past, I tried to get these shots with the super telephoto, but switching to the 100-400 mm lens allowed me to widen the view for catching a rabbit 3 feet in the air.

Mexican Ground-Squirrel with a water droplet on his chin.
Mexican Ground-Squirrel with a water droplet on his chin.

 

Pyrrhuloxia male fluttering wings as it approaches a group of feeding birds.
Pyrrhuloxia male fluttering wings as it approaches a group of feeding birds.

 

Brown-headed Cowbirds vying for a spot at the feeding post.
Brown-headed Cowbirds vying for a spot at the feeding post.
Northern mockingbird feed on agarita berries.
Northern mockingbird feed on agarita berries.

When agarita is fruiting, it is very attractive to birds and humans for food.  This limb was brought to south Texas by another photographer to set up a colorful perch for hungry, fruit-eating birds.

Migrating male yellow warbler bathing just before sunset.
Migrating male yellow warbler bathing just before sunset.

Yellow warblers, like this one at Laguna Seca Ranch, are always among the late spring migrant songbirds in south Texas.

Black-throated Green Warbler foraging for caterpillars among the leaves of a tepeguaje tree on South Padre Island during the spring migration.
Black-throated Green Warbler foraging for caterpillars among the leaves of a tepeguaje tree on South Padre Island during the spring migration.

 

Least terns feeding their young on a bar near the Laguna Madre.
Least terns feeding their young on a bar near the Laguna Madre.
Some black-bellied plovers are well into their summer plumage by the time they reach South Padre Island in the spring.
Some black-bellied plovers are well into their summer plumage by the time they reach South Padre Island in the spring.
Least Tern diving for fish in the surf along the Gulf of Mexico at South Padre Island.
Least Tern diving for fish in the surf along the Gulf of Mexico at South Padre Island.
When sargassum is carried ashore by the tides, sanderlings are there to find any sea creatures living in the plant's leafy segments and air bladders.
When sargassum is carried ashore by the tides, sanderlings are there to find any sea creatures living in the plant’s leafy segments and air bladders.
Piping plover leaping out of the surf after a quick bath.
Piping plover leaping out of the surf after a quick bath.

 

This piping plover photo is one of my favorites.  I used the 500 mm lens and 1.4 X teleconverter on a Canon 1D Mark IV to get this capture from the car window.  It was shot at 1/3200 sec. , f 6.3 on ISO 640.

This is just a little of what I’ve seen in my neck of the woods  in May.  It makes me all the more eager for June’s arrival.

Larry

 

Block Creek Birds and More

Last week, I was at the Block Creek Natural Area near Comfort, Texas to lead an instructional photo tour with three other photographers and our hosts Sharron and Larry Jay.  It was a fun four days with good company, great food and lots of wildlife.

During the week, John Karger, Director of “Last Chance Forever” brought several of his hawks and owls to the ranch.  It was educational and gave us an opportunity to photograph the birds at close range.

The following group of images should give you a pretty good idea of the beauty and wildlife diversity we enjoyed.  Be sure to click on the right side of each image to enlarge and sharpen it and to find the “next” arrow to take you through the images.

The Block Creek Natural Area Bed & Breakfast on a cool, clear night with crescent moon.
The Block Creek Natural Area Bed & Breakfast on a cool, clear night with crescent moon.

During the photo tour, we experienced unbelievably great weather with cool days and chilly, clear nights.

Star trails behind the old windmill right outside the front door.
Star trails behind the old windmill right outside the front door.

The painted bunting was number one on everybody’s priority list for this shoot.  No one was disappointed.

Male painted bunting and butterfly milkweed at an evening blind.
Male painted bunting and butterfly milkweed at an evening blind.

Each of us tried to hold our camera settings at 1/2000th second to stop flight action and head motion.  During the sunrise and sunset hours, we had to settle for something slower, but we never stopped looking for behavior and action shots.  The bunting was at 1/640th second and f4; the goldfinch was 1/400th second and f4.  Except for the hawks and owls where I used a wide angle lens or small zoom on the Canon 7D,  my bird captures were made with the 500 mm IS lens and Feisol carbon-fiber tripod with Wimberley head.

Lesser goldfinch launching from perch at an evening blind.
Lesser goldfinch launching from perch at an evening blind.
the reddish phase eastern screech was the first I'd seen or photographed.
The reddish phase eastern screech was the first I’d seen or photographed.

 

Harris's Hawk in a dive.
Harris’s Hawk in a dive.
Harris's Hawk landing.
Harris’s Hawk landing.

This hawk passed within two feet of my head and 24 mm lens while landing.

Male black-chinned hummingbird feeding at lantana blooms near a photo blind.
Male black-chinned hummingbird feeding at lantana blooms near a photo blind.
Black-chinned hummingbirds, male and female, feeding at a thistle flower with grass as a background and natural light.
Black-chinned hummingbirds, male and female, feeding at a thistle flower with grass as a background and natural light.
Fox squirrels and wild turkey visited several photo blinds each day.
Fox squirrels and wild turkey visited several photo blinds each day.
Black-crested titmice were at every blind.
Black-crested titmice were at every blind.
Male house finch is colorful plumage.
Male house finch in colorful, spring plumage.
Chipping sparrows were common around the photography blinds at Block Creek Natural Area.
Chipping sparrows were common around the photography blinds at Block Creek Natural Area.
Male vermilion flycatcher on thistle.
Male vermilion flycatcher on thistle.

Having saved the best for last, we photographed this male vermilion flycatcher on Sunday morning in a meadow in front of the ranch house.

I hope to lead another photo tour at the Block Creek Natural Area next spring during the first week of May.  Plan to join me if you like colorful birds, starry skies and good food.

Larry