I spent two nights at Fort Clark in Brackettville Texas. It was my base camp during my tour of Kickapoo Caverns State Park, about 30 miles away. In the spring of 2021, I tried visiting Kickapoo Caverns on my way out of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, but my timing was bad. My visit was … Read more
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
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
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
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
My time in Brownsville is winding down, so I wanted to visit a location that I enjoyed very much during my spring visit last year. Laguna Atascosa NWR was one of the few birding venues that remained open during the pandemic, and it saved me from missing out on meeting the birds I drove several … Read more
On 2021-01-18, it was a foggy morning in south Texas at the Sabal Palm Sanctuary, and when I walked into the grove, it added an eerie, mystical quality to my experience. Long tentacles of Spanish or Ball Moss draped the trees, adding a sense of wonder to the morning. I came hoping to meet my first Least Grebes, but I experienced so much more.
Less than two miles south from the small town of Quemado Texas, is a roadside rest stop, or picnic area, as Texas calls them. I found this location while on my first birding adventure in Texas. I met my first Carolina Wren and my first White-Eyed Vireo here in March 2020. The site is located … Read more
