I just wanted to post a few images I got last week on a resaca (oxbow) near Brownsville. It seems there is always something good to photograph, even in the hottest part of the summer. I was surprised that none of these birds showed serious signs of molting.
Remember, you can click on an image to enlarge and sharpen it. Clicking on the right edge of a photo will show you how to advance to the next image.
Black-bellied Whistling Duck in flightBlack-bellied Whistling Duck perched in tree
Ducks like to perch and remain motionless for long periods but photographer patience will pay off. The ducks have to stretch or fly every little while.
Green Kingfisher watching for avian predators.
I waited two hours for a green kingfisher to fly on to this perch. The nice head tilt came while she was looking upward for avian predators.
Pied-billed Grebe with minnowPied-billed Grebe stretching
Grebes have to stretch, shake off excess water, and move around. They don’t seem to have the patience for sitting and resting. That great background color is sunset light bouncing off the resaca.
My annual Instructional Photo Tour to the Big Bend National Park during late March and early April this year was the best ever. Because of exceptional rainfall winter rains, the park was abloom and flush with color. Many who have visited or worked in the park agree that this spring bloom was a once-in-10-years event.
Take a look at the photos which follow and note the color explosion which we haven’t seen in past trips. Don’t forget to click on the right edge of a photograph to increase the size and sharpness for better viewing.
Claret Cup Cactus above the Pecos River, Texas
The scene above greeted us as we prepared to cross the Pecos River at the upper end of Amistad Reservoir. After stopping at the overlook for a leg stretch, I spotted red cactus blooms along the cliff below. One hour later, after thoroughly photographing the landscape, we were back in the car and headed west.
Big Bend National Park in bloom; bluebonnets and prickly pear cactus
I decided to add a touch of “canvas” to the background on this image. The Photoshop filters offer some exciting options to get the most from a print. This image was a little north of Castolon Store in Big Bend Natl. Park.
Prickly pear cactus in bloom with “mule ears” formation in the background at Big Bend National Park, Texas
I think I was sitting in some dead dog cactus while shooting this photo at nearly ground level. Sometimes I get caught up in the moment and forget to inspect the ground closely before getting in close to the subject.
Wildflowers on Dog Canyon Trail, Big Bend National Park, Texas
It’s a 5 mile round trip from the highway to Dog Canyon in the northern part of the park. The photography group loved the hike, the wildflowers and the cliffs.
Tourist watching the sun set through “the window” in the Chisos Mts. in Big Bend National Park
The Chisos Basin “window” is always our first planned photo stop in the park. When clouds are present, the window is always exceptional during sunset.
Bluebonnets added a lot of nice color this view of ruins near Cottonwood Campground looking north to the Chisos Mountains.
Rio Grande near Boquillas Canyon in Big Bend National Park, Texas
One of my favorite views of the Rio Grande as it turns toward the Boquillas rim at sunset.
Stars and light painting on the hot springs bath house by the Rio Grande at Big Bend National Park, Texas.Big Bend National Park at sunrise in Santa Elena Canyon.Historic Terlingua Cemetery, Terlingua, TexasGrave marker in the Terlingua Cemetery
One of the big favorites on every Big Bend photo trip is trying to capture a “starburst” at sunrise or sunset.Wildflowers and Chisos Mountains at Big Bend National Park.
We just had to stop for one (or was it 50) more wildflower photo before exiting the park after 4 fantastic days. The sun was just coming up as we unlimbered the tripods near Panther Junction and the Chisos Mountains.
Finally, I got time to sit down and look through this season’s images from the Block Creek Natural Area during late April. They had a lot of rain this year, so the timing of bird nesting and things like that were a little off. Nevertheless, we had a great week with two groups of photographers, back to back. I’ve got a bunch of images to show you a sample of what the group got, so let’s get to it.
Don’t forget, clicking on an image will give you the enlarged and sharpened view.
Red barn at Block Creek Bed and Breakfast
The first things I noticed when I arrived the day before our photographers was that the barn had been painted and the entrance road had a new surface. The big oaks in the back yard provided the perfect frame for the barn.
Orange clouds at sunset with windmill and freshly surfaced road to the house.Block Creek Natural Area green house.
Larry and Sharron Jay had lots of fresh flowers in the greenhouse and throughout the grounds.
Parking and flowers at Block Creek B&BEastern Screech Owl; both color morphs.
The Last Chance Forever folks brought a variety of owls and hawks to the Block Creek Natural Area to educate our photographers and to use as subjects for a morning photography session.
Great Horned Owl eyesserious face of the red-tailed hawkHarris’s Hawk in flight
Luckenbach Store jazzed up with a little HDR toning. I like it!
I was experimenting with the HDR Toning component of Photoshop and discovered that it can help make some photos much more fun to see than when they are processed “normally”. The rooster below was one of the most colorful birds I’d ever seen so I couldn’t help but boost the colors into another level.
Rooster on stage at Luckenbach, Texas post office and store
Tiger Swallowtail on thistle bloomBlack Swallowtail female on thistle bloom.Wild turkey gobbler strutting in front of our small bird photography blind.wild turkey gobbler enjoying the seeds and insects available in a Block Creek Natural Area meadow.Ladder-backed Woodpecker hammering on oak limb
This woodpecker was hanging upside down while working on this dead oak branch. I thought the shot would make more sense if rotated to a vertical pose.
male Eastern Bluebird perched on lichen-covered branch.
Almost everyone in our group got shots of this beautiful male eastern bluebird.
male Painted Bunting on weedmale black-chinned hummingbird feeding at yucca flowers.
So, we saw a lot and photographed most of it. I did leave out some historic buildings we worked with just down the highway from Block Creek NA. The area has a lot to offer outdoor photographers.
