View allAll Photos Tagged brazosbend

This is the female of the GHO pair that has nested in a very public part of Brazos Bend State Park for the past several years. The nest attracts a lot of human attention. I think this pair has learned to use people as protection from predators. These bird know what they are doing nesting in the public square. Rangers roped the tree off to prevent viewers from getting too close.

 

The bird is stretched out over the nest (presumably on eggs). Her tail is visible on the right side of the frame.

 

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 2/2024.

This is from 2015, the first year I watched and photographed nesting owls at Brazos Bend. Each year since it's something I look forward to. The 2015 nest was in a different part of the park than the recent nests. For those who know the park, this was near the 40 Acre lake picnic area. I posted a wide shot of the area in the first comment.

 

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 3/2015.

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 3/2025

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 11/2022.

I'm posting a few more images of this guy to do him justice. My first post a few days ago had him in a rather silly pose. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 5/2025

In most of my wading bird picks the birds are tiptoeing in the muck. This bird is legitimately wading. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 1/2024

American basketflower beside the wildflower trail in Brazos Bend State Park

Red-eared slider turtle on a log in Elm Lake in Brazos Bend State Park

Overcast January afternoon at Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 1/2021.

This was shortly after the egret swallowed the big fish it had in its mouth in my previous post. In today's image, the swallowed fish is quite obvious and causing the egret’s throat to bulge. I’ve seen egrets and herons and anhinga and even grebes swallow large prey but still find it amazing.

 

I linked yesterday's post in comment 1 of this post.

 

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 8/2025

This little girl/guy gave me a few nice looks from the front seat of my Subaru. Early morning at Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 6/2022.

 

F6.3, 1/250, ISO 6400

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 6/2024

Little Blue Heron's start out white, then transition to blue. This one was still very white on a beautiful December morning at Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 12/2024

With the recent reprieve in upper 90-100 degree weather, I look forward to Fall, and the arrival of our winter birds. I'm hopeful we will receive sufficient rain in the Park to welcome our winter ducks.

 

Hoping for rain can be risky on the Gulf Coast. Drought to flood can happen very fast.

 

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 3/2022.

This is in the "spillway"at Brazos Bend. The spillway has little or no water much of the year, but rainy periods fill it with water. When there's water flowing, birds and other creatures come to feed.

 

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 6/2024

Growing beside the nature center in Brazos Bend State Park

 

These flowers grow in a small tree up to 25 feet (8 m) tall and bloom in the spring.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesculus_pavia

I find it incredible that this was designed and built by a spider. I never would have made it as a spider.

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 11/2022

Last spring I had the opportunity to photograph two owlets and their mother. I posted a few images at that time. My previous posts were of the birds looking at me. Today I'm sharing a few profiles of one of the owlets. I hope the opportunity arises again this year! Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 3/2019

www.texastargetbirds.com

 

_MG_8102-web

 

Anhinga anhinga

 

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 1/2021

Brazos Bend State Park - 6/2022

With little rain, the already shallow lakes in the park have been drying out. Herons and egrets gather to feed on remaining aquatic creatures.

 

Infrastructure over treetops strewn with Spanish Moss, in Brazos Bend State Park, Needville TX. No WiFi or cell phone service is available in the park, but there is electricity for the classrooms, bandshell, camping, and picnic areas.

For the Song Title theme,

😄 HaPpY CrAzY Tuesday 😄

As of 1/1/21, my #4 most interesting photo on Fluidr.

Pokeweed (phytolacca americana) is a perennial herbaceous plant that produces these dark purple - almost black - berries. After the berries ripen, the plant is toxic to mammals but not to birds. Some people use it as an ornamental.

 

In Brazos Bend State Park

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytolacca_americana

Great egret with a late afternoon snack in Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park

Last Sunday this bird landed right in front of me and I was able to get a few pics. Not great, but I am not complaining. Photographing this species has been a challenge for me. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 6/2025

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 1/2021

Swimming and foraging on a chilly January afternoon

I don't particularly like getting up early, but I'm usually happy that I did. Last Saturday started out pretty foggy. I'm glad I was up and out to see it. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 7/2018

These wildflowers are also called Mexican Hats (Ratibida columnifera) due to the shape of the crown. They grow across much of Texas and the Great Plains states.

Male and female golden silk spiders, a.k.a. banana spiders. The male is the smaller one, typical for most spider species.

 

They're called golden silk spiders because the spider silk looks golden in color when the light shines on it, as it does here. The male usually keeps on the opposite side of the web from the female because she would probably eat him if he didn't.

Brazos Bend State Park, SE Texas

This juvenile purple gallinule is starting to show some color. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 10/2025.

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas

This hawk let me walk right under it. That was a first for me.

 

Brazos Bend State Park

Texas

I've watched this nest for about a month and it's been a treat. This one is from last weekend.

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas

 

1/125, f8.0, ISO 800, Exposure Comp +1 1/3

 

Fellow member of the Flickr Bird Brigade

Activists for birds and wildlife

 

Brazos Bend was full of white ibis last weekend. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas -2/2025

When I first came across the little barred owls it was early morning, and pretty dark. I decided to make a short video. I didn't handle it as well technically as I wish I had, but I think it's still fun. If you have sound, it's worth turning it up.

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 5/2025

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 9/2025

Creekfield Lake is a small lake in Brazos Bend State Park. It has an ADA-accessible paved trail around the north end of the lake with a small footbridge crossing slightly above the waist of the lake. This view looks toward the south from the bridge. The southern end also has a trail around it, but it's not paved.

Wildflowers growing beside 40 Acre Lake in Brazos Bend State Park

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 10/2025

Dendrocygna autumnalis on the 40 Acre Lake in Brazos Bend State Park, Texas

Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas -11/2022

I was thrilled to learn the park has owlets again this year. I made one trip to photograph them, and hope I can work the time to make a few more visits. They have quite a few coot (I think) feathers up there with them, likely meal remnants. Light was little, so this is higher ISO than I like to use. For owlets, I push it! ISO 3200, 1/80, f6.3. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 3/2020

 

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