Capture Time

(October 20th) Having a good idea of what locations were best in south Texas, it was time to go out and make some images. The morning stop was Santa Ana NWR. It started out great with a Harris's Hawk that watched over the marsh and me in the early light.

The morning continued with some more great birds - a mockingbird in wonderful light, a chattering house wren, several duck species, and some dynamo least grebes (a bird I'm definitely going to have to come back for since none of my shots did it justice). I also saw the endangered Mexican Spiny Lizard. While not as unusual, this Rosebelly Lizard looked a bit dejected having lost its tail - perhaps to avoid some predator.

In the afternoon I headed back to Laguna Atascosa NWR for what would wind up being some of my best photography of the trip. As I entered the park I got a great view of a pair of Crested Caracaras, one of which you see here. These birds have such a regal presence.

I have some of my fondest childhood bird memories of Northern Mockingbirds. While they are fairly common in much of the country, they have some amazing behaviors and songs. I had a wonderful time admiring this common, but intriguing bird which posed for me in some great light.

The refuge had a large number of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, many of which were raising their young. Here is a shot of one of the adults in the wetlands.

I saw some more incredible animals - a loggerhead shrike, the endangered Texas Tortoise, a lame Black-necked Stilt, and some graceful Roseate Spoonbills. To top it all off, there was another great Texas sunset as I left the refuge.