Florida doesn't have all the birds!

[drueter]

I finally found some great places in SE Texas to take bird photos that appear to me to be as productive as the Florida locations. The Anahuac NWR and High Island Sanctuaries are about 25 miles apart and about an hour east of Houston. Here are a few from this week at the rookery at Smith Oaks Sanctuary on High Island.

Proud Parent watching over the young

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Gathering nesting materials

View attachment 7907

My first Tricolor!!

View attachment 7908

Is this a bad hair day or am I just trying to look prettier?

View attachment 7909

Lots of Spoonbills too!

View attachment 7910

WARNING - Final picture is a Mating photo -- just wanted to warn anyone who doesn't want to see nature at work - or play?







Making Whoopie in the tree tops

View attachment 7911



Thanks for looking! I'll post some from Anahuac NWR soon.

 

[Backdoctor]

very nice series of shots. Well done.

 

[daodang]

Very good seris. Nicely done. I like the #1 and the last.

 

[drueter]

Harris:

Thanks for the kind comments! I can't believe it took me so long to find these great places here.

 

[greyflash]

Good show, you have thrown the gauntlet down to the boys from Florida. You have some good shots here and it would seem that the birds in Texas are just as pretty as the birds in Florida.

 

[drueter]

Dao Dang -- thanks for the nice comments. I also like the first one and wasn't sure how others would react to the last one.

 

[Leigh]

Very nice. So many places to shoot so close to you...I'm envious! Keep the great pictures coming.

 

[PhotoDawg]

Nice shots!!

 

[drueter]

Thanks Gordon! Yes, the birds in Texas are just as pretty!

 

[Steve S]

Nice shots, what rig did you use for these?

You captured some good shots, under what looks like some harsh lighting conditions.

 

[Flew]

Dang it....Are Patrick, Greg and I the only ones that don't have tons of exotic birdies to shoot in our back yards.... 8)

Great shots Don. As you can probably tell, I'm envious. :wink:

Frank

 

[drueter]

Thanks for all the comments. Yes, Steve, the lighting was very harsh - mid day under brilliant sunshine. Frank, there seem to be many who don't have nearby bird refuges like we have along the coasts, but your shots are always great! Look at it another way -- I don't have any pretty ducks or geese to shoot here - they all seem to have come your way.

 

[Gale]

Don,

Great job. Tough to say which one I like best. They are all best in the story they tell.

Excellent job for sure. Glad others have birdies to.

They are such a thrill to photograph.

Keep them coming.

Join us in Florida may 30 thru June 5. :>))

 

[HarryB]

Hey Don,

Pretty good shots for Texas. :lol: Seriously that was a good set for anywhere. If you keep it up we may make you an honoary Floridian.

Those egrets are very tough to expose for especially in harsh lighting. You had some blown out areas but you did very well considering the conditions.