As I write this episode, I’ve been so involved taking pictures this past week that I buried myself under a ton of work to prepare them for my stories. I also had to honor a request to deliver images for a published report from the amazing February 2017, nineteen day science expedition I took aboard the Shogun to the remote Revillagigedo Islands off the coast of Colima Mexico.
This morning (Saturday the 21st) I’m finally ready to share my experiences here on the Central Texas coast. The CV-19 drama has got people crazy here, but probably not as crazy as back home in California. I plan to split the accounts of this past week into six parts: Day One at Aransas, Day Two at Aransas, Day Two in Rockport, Day Three on the Skimmer, Day Three in Rockport, and My Last Day in Corpus Christi.
Following is the first episode:

I spent most of Friday the thirteenth driving from Crystal City to Corpus Christi Texas. Saturday and most of Sunday I hunkered down to process the images and spin the yarns from my stay at the Triple R (see my last blog). Sunday afternoon I drove the 83 miles north from Corpus Christi to the Visitor Center at Aransas, and I stopped on the way at Rockport, to visit the shore at Fulton Beach. I didn’t know it at the time, but I would come back three days later to board the Skimmer, a first rate birding tour boat. It was late in the day when I arrived at Aransas NWR, and I opted for a Clark Griswold visit that afternoon and drove out to look for a place to get gas and stay for the night. I ended up in Victoria Texas, 50 miles away. The drive gave me a chance to see a little more of this part of Texas.
Sunday I got up early and returned to Aransas. I drove through the reserve on what is called the Two Way Road, stopping to investigate each sideroad and pullout I could. The road ended at “Big Tree”, where an impressive tower has been erected that provides commanding views of the surrounding area, and where sometimes you can see Whooping Cranes, but this was not my day to have a good meeting with the cranes.
Near to the visitor center is a location called Heron Flats, where I spent most of my time while at Aransas. It is a short walk from the parking area to a raised platform with a view of a wide lush marsh that stretches out a half mile straight out to the seaway, and as far as the eye could see up and down the coast of Black-Jack Peninsula, where the reserve is located.
Next to the trail from the parking area was a deep quiet pond. Besides the resident alligators here, I found coots, gallinules, grebes, and Green Herons. Each of these made for interesting subjects for my camera, but the Green Heron for me, was the most compelling and cooperative.
Out on the marsh, mostly too distant for image captures, were hundreds of Blue-Winged Teal. The dozens of Yellowlegs I saw were mostly “Greater”, but I believe I saw one in the distance with a bill length equal to its head width (which would make it a “Lesser”).
I saw the ducks were courting and I enjoyed watching as a single hen with four suitors in tow, flew in and landed in front of me. The four males were attending the hen’s every move, and when she moved, so moved the drakes.

Herons of all kinds could be seen in the distance. I saw Great Blue, Little Blue, and Tricolored Herons. The egrets I could see were Great, Reddish, and Snowy. Perhaps the biggest treat for me was a pair of juvenile Roseate Spoonbills that wandered close enough for reasonable images.
Two miles to my left, as I gazed over the marsh, and standing taller than the ten or so Great Egrets in their company, were two taller white birds I knew to be Whooping Cranes. Try as I might, I could not “will them” to fly in my direction. Pictures would be useless from here. In 20 million pixels, I might claim “See those six pixels? Those are cranes!” <sigh>
I left Aransas late in the day and drove to Austwell, just outside the reserve and found free parking provided by the city. This put me close enough to the reserve that I could get an early start the next morning and try my luck again with the cranes. (Spoiler Alert: I did better!)
I met a few other species this day, but the creatures I photographed here were Common Gallinule, Green Heron, Black Vulture, Gadwall, Redhead, American Alligator, Pied-Billed Grebe, Roseate Spoonbill, Northern Harrier, Blue-Winged Teal, White Ibis, Greater Yellowlegs, Red-Winged Blackbird, Turkey Vulture, Red-Tailed Hawk, White-Tailed Deer, Couch’s Kingbird, Great Egret, Song Sparrow.

American Alligator(Alligator mississippiensis) |
Description: I met my first 'wild' aligators at Aransas. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:00 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 280 mm, f/7.1, 1/500 |
File Name: AmericanAlligator_D500213-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Nine-Banded Armadillo(Dasypus novemcinctus) |
Description: This Armadillo was my first as I was leaving early in the evening. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 18:00 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/500 |
File Name: Armadillo_D501519-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 17:20 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/6400 |
File Name: BlackVulture_D501243-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Blue-Winged Teal(Spatula discors) |
Description: The only ducks I saw my first day at Heron Flats were Blue-Winged Teals. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 15:03 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: BlueWingedTeal_D500746-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Blue-Winged Teal(Spatula discors) |
Description: I called this group of Blue-Winged Teals "The Suitors". One hen with four drakes in tow, wherever she went, they were quick to follow. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 15:03 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: BlueWingedTeal_D500758-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Blue-Winged Teal(Spatula discors) |
Description: I called this group of Blue-Winged Teals "The Suitors". One hen with four drakes in tow, wherever she went, they were quick to follow. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 15:04 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlueWingedTeal_D500766-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Blue-Winged Teal(Spatula discors) |
Description: I called this group of Blue-Winged Teals "The Suitors". One hen with four drakes in tow, wherever she went, they were quick to follow. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 15:04 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: BlueWingedTeal_D500775-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Common Gallinule(Gallinula galeata) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 10:48 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/400 |
File Name: CommonGallinule_D500036-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Common Gallinule(Gallinula galeata) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 17:25 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: CommonGallinule_D501293-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Couch's Kingbird(Tyrannus couchii) |
Description: If I saw any kingbirds in South Texas, it was most likely these birds. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 9:32 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: CouchsKingbird_D509835-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Greater Yellowlegs(Tringa melanoleuca) |
Description: There were many dozens of Yellowlegs on the marsh, most were "Greater". I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 15:52 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 |
File Name: GreaterYellowLegs_D501027-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Green Heron(Butorides virescens) |
Description: One of my favirite encounters this day was this bird. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 10:54 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 420 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: GreenHeron_D500068-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Green Heron(Butorides virescens) |
Description: One of my favirite encounters this day was this bird. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 10:59 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 440 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: GreenHeron_D500113-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Green Heron(Butorides virescens) |
Description: One of my favirite encounters this day was this bird. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 17:28 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: GreenHeron_D501354-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Northern Harrier(Circus hudsonius) |
Description: At Aransas NWR I fell in love with Heron Flats, where I met birds such as this Northern Harrier performing lazy soaring moves and pouncing on any prey it could find. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 14:42 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: NorthernHarrier_D500657-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:22 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500271-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: This image is one of my favorites from this day. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:25 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500333-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:25 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500345-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:25 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500353-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 10:40 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D509964-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Red-Winged Blackbird(Agelaius phoeniceus) |
Description: All the RWBB's I saw at the marsh here, were females. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 16:56 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: RedWingedBlackBird_D501215-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Red-Winged Blackbird(Agelaius phoeniceus) |
Description: All the RWBB's I saw at the marsh here, were females. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 16:07 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: RedWingedBlackBirds_D501089-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Roseate Spoonbill(Platalea ajaja) |
Description: These immature spoonbills approached briefly close enough for decent images. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 14:37 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: RoseateSpoonbill_D500362-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Roseate Spoonbill(Platalea ajaja) |
Description: These immature spoonbills approached briefly close enough for decent images. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 14:38 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: RoseateSpoonbill_D500473-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Roseate Spoonbill(Platalea ajaja) |
Description: These immature spoonbills approached briefly close enough for decent images. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 14:39 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 |
File Name: RoseateSpoonbill_D500524-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Roseate Spoonbill(Platalea ajaja) |
Description: These immature spoonbills approached briefly close enough for decent images. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 14:40 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 |
File Name: RoseateSpoonbill_D500548-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Scenery From The Big Tree Tower(Scenery) |
Description: The forty foot high East Bird Observation Tower provides a commanding view of the marsh at Big Tree Trail. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 12:27 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 7, 24 mm, f/11.0, 1/400 |
File Name: Scenery-FromBigTreeTower_Z7X1203-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Turkey Vulture(Cathartes aura) |
Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 17:45 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 390 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 |
File Name: TurkeyVulture_D501428-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


White-Tailed Deer(Odocoileus virginianus) |
Description: I saw White-Tailed Deer on all three of my visits to Aransas. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 8:50 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 390 mm, f/7.1, 1/640 |
File Name: WhiteTailedDeer_D509813-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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