These are my outings to find and photograph birds. Sometimes I throw in flowers. Occasionally I’ve included tidbits I’ve learned about photography… but beware, I’m a complete novice with both birds and cameras, so let me know if you find an error.
A Limpkin at Brazos Bend State Park ~ A new family had moved into the neighborhood, and it was time for me to get acquainted.
May 22nd, 2022 ~ [Read More]
City Park with a Wild Soul ~ Unassuming Cullinan City Park has several micro-habitats worth exploring.
April 24-25, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Spring Show-Offs ~ Everyone feels frisky in the spring, and birds are no exception!
April 23rd, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Quintessential Quintana ~ This tiny sanctuary is special in so many ways.
April 19th, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Always Something New ~ It had been just over a month since my last visit to the rookery, and I was eager to see what had changed.
April 4th, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Saturday Morning Walk ~ What better way to enjoy a warm Saturday morning than walking in the park with friends and watching birds.
March 26th, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Egrets at Smith Oaks Rookery ~ The Smith Oaks Rookery offers an incredible opportunity for up-close bird watching.
February 22, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Whoop for Joy ~ Aransas National Wildlife Refuge provided some unique vistas, and some special birds worth celebrating.
February 9, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Sunlight or Clouds ~ My 5-day photography trip gave me ample opportunity to see the effects of sunlight versus clouds for admiring Great Blue Herons.
February 7, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Bent Oaks Rookery at Rockport ~ Great Blue Herons mate and nest earlier than the other herons, and they have a special home at the Bent Oaks Rookery in Rockport, Texas.
February 10, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Scolded by an Expert ~ Among the birds wintering at San Bernard NWR were two which are experts at scolding.
January 18, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Enjoying Old Friends ~ On a chill January day I had the opportunity to renew some old friendships.
January 11, 2022 ~ [Read More]
Golden Fall Evening ~ I rambled west, and found a new place to see birds.
November 13, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Mud, Glorious Mud! ~ The tide was out, and the wading birds were having a field day!
November 9, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Fall in Galveston Island State Park ~ This park presented an opportunity to see one of the prettiest birds passing through our coastal prairie.
October 27, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Pelicans at Texas City Dike ~ On a heavily overcast day, I spent time with a few pelicans along the Texas City Dike.
October 14, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Return of the Hummers ~ Hummingbirds migrating south for the winter create their own fall festival.
September 25, 2021 ~ [Read More]
An Evening for Night Herons ~ As shadows descend, at least one species is still hard at work hunting.
August 3, 2021 ~ [Read More]
A Green Summer Afternoon ~ The intense green of summer is still with us, and this juvenile fits right in.
July 22, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Endearing In-Betweens ~ That awkward age, all feet and elbows, tugs at my heartstrings.
July 12, 2021 ~ [Read More]
A Day with Yellow-crowned Night-herons ~ I saw at least five of these quiet herons in various settings at Brazos Bend State Park.
June 22, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Fourth of July Boomers~ I celebrated America’s independence on the Fourth of July by hearing some reverberating booms.
July 4, 2021 ~ [Read More]
3500 Mile Adventure – Lake Texoma ~ This is the last of five posts covering our continuing 3500-mile trip; this time we visit Lake Texoma, along the Red River on the Texas-Oklahoma border.
May 28, 29 and 30, 2021 ~ [Read More]
3500 Mile Adventure – Far Western Nebraska ~ This is the fourth of five posts covering our continuing 3500-mile trip through Colorado, Nebraska and Oklahoma; this time we visit far western Nebraska.
May 24 and 25, 2021 ~ [Read More]
3500 Mile Adventure – San Luis Valley, CO ~ This is part 3 of 5 covering our trip; this time we visit the San Luis Valley, in Colorado.
May 19, 20 and 21, 2021 ~ [Read More]
3500 Mile Adventure – North Sterling Reservoir, CO ~ This is part 2 of 5 covering our continuing 3500-mile trip through Colorado, Nebraska and Oklahoma; this time we visit North Sterling Reservoir.
May 17 and 18, 2021 ~ [Read More]
3500 Mile Adventure – Lathrop State Park, CO ~ This part 1 of 5 begins the tale of our 3500-mile trip through Colorado, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
May 12 and 13, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Jewels at the Emporium ~ What better way to spend the day than surrounded by brilliant color and fresh air. This garden is just the ticket.
May 7, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Sunny San Bernard NWR ~ Intense pure unfiltered sunlight makes bird photography difficult, but the day was too gorgeous to spend indoors.
May 5, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Visiting Two Rookeries ~ A rookery is a great place to observe birds interacting, since they are restricted by the needs of their nests to a small area. On this day I visited two!
April 27, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Spring Migration Happiness ~ Cold temperatures and winds from the north combined to create a fall-out of migratory birds. I saw them in Quintana, Texas.
April 20 and 22, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Downy Détente ~ The peaceful calm of a spring day was punctuated by a silent battle for territory.
April 6, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Discovering Shorebirds – and More ~ My photo tour with a bird guide continued through the afternoon, and I was surprised many times over.
March 29, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Songbirds of Spring ~ Warblers and other songbirds are singing their hearts out; it is definitely spring along the upper Texas Gulf Coast.
March 29, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Spectacular Spoonies ~ These wonderful birds bring a welcome splash of color to our gray pre-spring days.
March 24, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Great Egrets Begin Nest Building ~ The day was cloudy with occasional light drizzles, perfect for photographing white birds. And boy, did I see some white birds!
March 5, 2021 ~ [Read More]
The Joys of Cullinan Park ~ I had a great visit to little Cullinan Park, in Sugarland Texas.
February 23, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Little Birds ~ Little birds provide an extra photographic challenge – you have to get close, and you have to be quick!
February 9, 2021 ~ [Read More]
Two Herons at Brazos Bend ~ Gray winter days are always wonderful, when you can see two different species of colorful herons.
January 28, 2021 ~ [Read More]
The Elusive Northern Harrier ~ The Northern Harrier is notoriously difficult to photograph, but I got to see one up close at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.
January 16, 2021 ~ [Read More]
One Bright and Shining Day ~ A chilly day of sunshine made both me and the birds happy, out at Brazos Bend State Park.
January 10, 2021 ~ [Read More]
A Unique Hunter – The Osprey ~ A warm, sunny and breezy day found me back out at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, where I was introduced to a unique member of the bird world. [Read More]
Cormorants Consider Nesting ~ We think of the early spring being the breeding season, but Neotropical Cormorants have their own ideas. I went to Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary at High Island, Texas to see what all the fuss was about. [Read More]
A Bald Eagle Soars Over Anahuac ~ It was a thrill to see this majestic, iconic bird hunting over the open ponds. [Read More]
Trip to the Rockies – Embudo, New Mexico ~ The last leg of our 3-week road trip through the Rocky Mountains included a stay in the tiny community of Embudo, New Mexico. Enjoying the antics of birds around water is always fun. [Read More]
Trip to the Rockies – Escalante Canyon ~ We found some amazing animals! This is post 3 of 4, covering our exploration of the Escalante National Conservation Area in western Colorado. [Read More]
Trip to the Rockies – Western Colorado ~ This continues our 2600-mile road trip. This post is Part 2 of 4, covering explorations on the western side of Colorado. [Read More]
Trip to the Rockies – Eastern Colorado ~ We are off on a 2600-mile road trip! This post is Part 1 of 4, covering our time on the prairies of eastern Colorado. [Read More]
Quick Trip to Quintana ~ With a hurricane building in the Gulf, Quintana and Surfside Texas offered quick opportunities to dash out and see birds close up. [Read More]
So Much to See at Elm Lake ~ a tiny cool front blew in, and it seemed time to really explore Elm Lake. [Read More]
Scissor-tails of Summer ~ These graceful and beautifully colored birds are welcome visitors during the heat of summer. [Read more]
Drooling Over a New Lens ~ Though you can’t always “blame the racket”, sometimes better tools can bring better results. [Read more]
The Surprising Green Heron ~ This small and shy member of the heron family has a big secret. [Read more]
White-faced Ibis – Birds of a Different Feather ~ Some birds have distinctly different plumage during breeding season, and the White-faced Ibis is a great example. [Read more]
The Patience of a Red-tailed Hawk ~ A Red-tailed Hawk has visited for several days. He is an exciting and welcome guest… but not everyone thinks he is the perfect neighbor. [Read more]
A Fine Kettle of… Hawks ~ Identification of hawks can be tricky, even when they arrive two at a time! [Read more]
A Bronze Heron – The American Bittern ~ The handsome plumage of this bird provides the perfect camouflage. [Read more]
Great Horned Owlets at Six Weeks ~ The owlets are growing, and walking up and down the spreading branches of the oak. [Read more]
Great Horned Owlets at Four Weeks – A family of owls is nesting at Brazos Bend State Park. [Read more]
I Brought You a Stick– Tiny Resoft County Park, in Alvin Texas, offers a wonderful experience watching Great Egrets build their nests. [Read more]
Almost Spring at Brazos Bend State Park ~ The first signs of spring are snoozing, calling, flitting and strutting in Brazos Bend State Park. [Read more]
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – Following these slow and deliberate hunters made for a special afternoon on a high overcast day in Surfside TX. [Read more]
Cropping is an Essential Hack – Sometimes the birds are too close… or too far away… or not standing in the right spot. What’s an amateur photographer to do? [Read more]
A summer with Little Blue Herons ~ Looking back on a summer of Little Blue Herons, at Brazos Bend State Park and Sheldon Lake State Park. Can birds be embarrassed? [Read more]
Smiling Black-bellied Whistling Duck ~ When is a duck not a duck? When it’s a Whistling Duck. I just can’t resist their happy faces. [Read more]
The American Coot ~ A long drive out to Shoveler Pond in Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge let me get acquainted with the American Coot, a bird with a surprising feature. [Read more]
White-faced Ibis (Maybe) ~ The non-breeding plumage of these birds makes their identification a little challenging, but I think I’ve got it. [Read more]
Chasing the Moon ~ Occasionally, the International Space Station is briefly visible in front of the sun or moon, from specific locations on Earth. I had fun trying to capture one of these transits. [Read more]
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds ~ Seeing them on their favorite food plants in Katy and Fulshear, Texas was a real treat. [Read more]
Sandhill cranes ~ Sandhill Cranes winter in the open fields of the Gulf Coast, but in all my 40 years in Texas, I’d never seen them. I found them in Galveston. [Read more]
S a m . R a p p e n 