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This bird seemed half asleep. Perhaps night herons don't wake up until the sun is a little lower in the sky.........
It was foggy when I left the house and the fog got denser as I drove to the Park. I decided to leave the big lens in the car and go out with a tripod-mounted short zoom. I was so peaceful out there!
Brazos Bend State Park, SE Texas
This yellow-crowned night heron looks a little worse for wear beside Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State Park
Somewhat easy to mistake for a monarch butterfly, particularly if you don't see it up close
Taken during the annual butterfly count at Brazos Bend State Park, Texas
Though it looks as though these two alligators were about to get into a fight, they weren't. The one on the right most likely had its mouth open for thermal regulation. They stayed this near each other for quite some time, enough to make me think that one was male, the other female. February is close to the time they begin to pair off before mating season starts, and we don't normally see them in such close proximity otherwise.
Last Sunday morning I was pleasantly surprised to come across a pair (I assume) of bald eagles at Brazos Bend State Park. It was early, and I was alone on the trail. What a thrill it was to watch the sun rise on these birds, Later in the morning, they returned and gave several people good looks. 11/2019
A bit early for the leaves to start turning, especially in this part of Texas - however, sometimes the summer heat will do that.
Great egret in an uncharacteristic pose in Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State Park
The water here is not particularly deep, and it surprised me to see this bird so low in the water. Standing on its long legs would hoist its belly above the water surface, so I wondered if it had an injury.
These critters often appear to be grinning.
From a safe distance at Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 3/2018
On this particular trip, we spotted 10 of these well camouflaged birds. It's easy to look right at them but not see them.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 2/2017
This heron took forever to get the fish down. As you can see by the condition of the fish in image 2, it was pretty hacked up before it was swallowed. It was a bit nasty to watch.
Very typical pose for a great blue heron, as it watches the water, waiting for an unexpecting fish or other water dweller to swim by. When it spots one, its head darts into the water like the strike of a snake, allowing it to grab its prey and satisfy its hunger for just a little longer.
And everyone's in love.
But this is not a lazy river. The water is Elm Lake in Brazos Bend State Park. The lake is steadily drying up due to evaporation and the lack of rain due to the ongoing drought of 2022.
Adult Little Blue in the spillway at Brazos Bend State Park. The rushing water carries fish and crustaceans which make easy meals for wading birds and gators. This was a few weeks ago. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 02/2024.
Alligator - probably a female, as there was another, larger, gator hanging out nearby - sprawled across a hiking trail at Brazos Bend State Park
I have probably seen these ducks before, but this is the first time I've ever identified one in Brazos Bend State Park.
Yesterday morning I got a very brief look at a bobcat at Brazos Bend State Park. I was pretty far away and the time was short, but I was able to get a few shots off. Not great photography, but a lot of fun. 10/18/2016
It was cloudy until just before the sun set. The western sky cleared and the low sun lit everything up. It bounced off of the clouds in the eastern sky and created a very interesting glow for a few moments. Then it got dark. Somewhere in there I shot a few frames.
Female Golden Silk Spider (aka banana spider) and a smaller male. These spiders usually appear about this time (mid June) in Brazos Bend State Park and can hang around until late November or early December.
Young osprey taking off from a perch. There were several hundred black-bellied whistling ducks on the water below this tree and they panicked when the osprey took off.
Brazos Bend State Park
Texas
Here's one the gators that I shot. Both granddaughters got lots of photos from the outing and Gene did too. FYI - The alligators at Brazos Bend are not enclosed behind fencing. They, and all the other inhabitants of the Texas State Park, roam free. When you visit it is strictly at your own risk so you know to keep your distance; however, it's fairly easy to get reasonably close to the gators. They're generally not interested in human tasting but with the drought and dry conditions it's good to adhere to "don't go near the water" if there is any.
FYI - we stayed at least 15 ft. from the gators; farther away from most of them than that. There were plenty of waterfowl on the banks - much easier target that humans.