I learned a new word recently: “Documentarian”. The Oxford Dictionary’s first definition is “a photographer specializing in producing a factual record.” I believe it perfectly describes the goals I set for myself as I wander this amazing continent in search of experiences in the natural world. Sometimes the images I capture are lovely, and sometimes … Read more
My friend Mary caught up with me while I was exploring the Sheepshead Bird Sanctuary Friday morning. She told me she found both a Prairie and a Prothonotary Warbler there Thursday afternoon. By the time she arrived this Friday morning, I’d already enjoyed the company of the bright yellow Prothonotary Warbler male. The Prothonotary Warbler … Read more
I couldn’t think of leaving Texas without seeing my friends at the National Butterfly Center (NBC) one more time. My planned route carried me through Mission anyway, so it was a natural choice to swing by for a visit. It was scorching hot (over 100°F) when I arrived mid-morning on Sunday, so I sheltered in … Read more
I spent Sunday at South Padre Island (Texas) and couldn’t resist shooting flycatchers. For most of us interested in learning to identify birds, small flycatchers are among the most difficult groups of birds to identify in the field by sight alone. I enjoy the entire flycatcher family, but as we meet more of them, we … Read more
Sunday’s Big Sit event at the National Butterfly Center was such fun. As part of the Great Texas Birding Classic put on each year by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, teams count bird species they can see or hear, while confined in a 50 foot diameter circle. The talents held by some folks on the … Read more
If you are passionate about birds, I believe there is no better place to hang out than South Padre Island during spring migration. As a kid growing up near the Southern California coast, eastern birds seemed out of reach for me. But here in south Texas, most of these unreachable species pass through as they … Read more
I first visited Estero Llano Grande State Park this year in January (2021-01-22). On that visit, I walked on my explorations, so I could only get to a few of its many trails and attractions. At 230 acres, it may not be the largest of the parks in the World Birding Center network, but there … Read more
I tried to visit the National Butterfly Center last week, but the big freeze and the power outage at the time mandated they close, so I had to turn around and try my luck elsewhere. Given this location’s excellent reputation for meeting birds and butterflies, and its proximity only two miles from my camp in … Read more
I wanted to wait for my bicycle to finish up in the shop before I attempted more explorations of Bentsen Rio Grande State Park. South Texas has been hard hit with weather related dilemmas of late. The unusual cold we’ve been experiencing has degraded to cold with power outages. We lost power Saturday night, and … Read more
Friday morning I launched out of my campsite on a mission to explore one of the crown jewels of birding in south Texas; Estero Llano Grande State Park, south of Weslaco. It was a little over an hour’s drive via the Military Road, which follows the Mexican border. I drove through a drizzling overcast sky, … Read more
