View allAll Photos Tagged brazosbendstatepark
We have owlets at the Brazos Bend great-horned owl nest. This little one must have been just a few days old when photographed. I cropped more than I like, but think it was needed. The mother's feathers can be seen in the left background.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 2/2023.
This is from last Sunday, another morning without much light (ISO 3200, 1/30, f6.3). Sometimes these challenging conditions can be fun. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 3/15/2020
In this and the next image, I had the benefit of a little pretty light on my owlet buddy. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 3/2019
The GBH is our largest wading bird, and pretty much has the run of the wetlands. They will eat anything they can (literally) stuff down their throats. I was told this bird had eaten a siren (an eel-like amphibian) shortly before I arrived. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 3/2023.
I found if I patiently sat behind my camera, the chicks would come pretty close.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 5/2023
The Brazos Bend Owlets are getting big and moving around the tree. This is the back of the nest tree, 180 degrees from where they have been in my previous pics. They will soon be fledging.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas 3/2023
With 15-20 young alligators this mother has her hands full. These two taking advantage of the warming sun and the protective barrier mom provides. Brazos Bend State Park near Needville, Texas USA.
This goes back to 2017. I remember arriving in complete darkness, and watching the sun rise on feeding egrets and ibis. This image was made as the first light touched the egret, while the bg remained mostly dark. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 1/2017.
This morning I returned to Brazos Bend to search (unsuccessfully) for eagles. Regardless, fog made for a very interesting morning. SE Texas. 11/2019
This is one of the parents at the Brazos Bend owl nest. I don't know what the prey actually was. A close crop is posted in comment #1, but I don't think it helps. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas 3/2022,
ƒ/6.3, 1/250, ISO3200
This is the same green heron pictured in my previous post. He/she let me watch for quite awhile as they went about their business. The bird was initially far out in the water, and then moved quite close to me. The current image was made during a brief overcast period. Adding light to properly expose the heron in the overcast light resulted in a whitish bg. I thought this pano crop complimented the bird's pose. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 5/2020.
I took several pics of this bird in overcast conditions. Then the sun came through the clouds, allowing a couple sun lit images against the dark sky. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 11/2020
I don't remember seeing many nesting stilts at Brazos Bend before last summer, when they were abundant.
Last summer we had plenty of rain, and optimal conditions for breeding birds. In contrast, this summer is hot, and dry, and downright harsh. I hope this little one makes it.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 7/2022
This spring we were again fortunate to have nesting great-horned owls at Brazos Bend State Park. For the past several years, this pair (I assume it is the same birds) has nested in a very public part of the Park. This year's nest was in a large live oak on the park HQ grounds. The tree was out in the open, where many could observe and photograph the birds. This pair has, in a way, appointed themselves as ambassador owls.
The birds know they are in a people-rich area, and don't seem to mind. The Park has a lot of areas where people don't go, but the birds choose this spot to nest. My thought is these birds have learned to use people as protection from predators. Once the owlets were born, the tree had near continuous human guards. The nest tree was roped off to keep visitors from getting too close.
This image shows the male (I think) on a dark February morning. The huge pupils testify to the lack of light. This bird was a few hundred feet away from the nest tree, where it's partner was incubating eggs.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 2/2022.
ƒ/5.6, 1/125, ISO 12800 (Yikes)
As we get into fall, I look forward to seeing bitterns. So far, I have had only a few distant sitings this season. Todays image is from last spring. In the spring they are preparing to travel, and seem to care only about feeding. This bird came very close to me before the morning was over. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 4/2021.
Hale Lake reflections in the morning sunlight. Brazos Bend State Park.
As always, your comments and faves are appreciated. Constructive criticism and suggestions are especially welcome as I believe they help to make me a better photographer. Thank you for taking the time to look at my photos.
Best viewed on black, so please press "L" to view large in Lightbox mode and "F" to fave.
This is from back in March, at the Brazos Bend owl nest. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 3/2022
During last summer's drought this pond (Pilant Lake for those familiar) dried out and filled with plants. When rain restored the wetland, clumps of dried foliage became perches for ibis, egrets, and coots. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 12/2022.
Here's a colorful break from owls. Roseate Spoonbill at Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 4/2022.
In early August, I took a day off work to spend with the stilts and their chicks. The sun was a no show, but the birds were great. I came back a few days later and had great light, but the stilts were a no show. I haven't seen them since. I'm glad I had this dark August morning with them.
This bird caught a bug of some sort, and appears to have it by one leg. I think the brown (rather than jet black) identifies this bird as a female.
In the spillway at Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 8/2021.
This is an adult male stilt with three chicks. I assume he is the father. One chick is in the open out in front of the male, and the other two are underneath him. You can see four legs coming out from under the male. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 5/2023.
This is one of two great-horned owlets we have been observing this spring. The image was made almost three weeks ago, so they are now a lot bigger, and close to fledging. I think the second owlet was out of site on the back of the branch when I took this picture.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 3/2020
Brazos Bend State Park.
As always, your comments and faves are appreciated. Constructive criticism and suggestions are especially welcome as I believe they help to make me a better photographer. Thank you for taking the time to look at my photos.
Best viewed on black, so please press "L" to view large in Lightbox mode and "F" to fave.
I was looking for stilts, but this guy landed right in front of me and went to work. I watched this busy bird for about 30 min. It didn't seem to mind me. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 3/2023
Was a cool start to the day recently and this baby gator was finally able to exit the water and soak in some radiant hets with the comfort and protection of mom.
American Bitterns winter in SE Texas, and about this time of year prepare to head north to the breeding ground. Before they travel, they focus on finding calories for the trip. This bird paid me little attention, as it prowled the swamp for prey.
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 4/2022
Late spring/early summer we had several least bitterns at Brazos Bend. The birds fed in the shallow water, and made themselves available to birders and photographers. Most of my previous experiences with this species were from a distance. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 6/2022.
We saw our first spoonbills about a year after we moved to Texas (1994). During a walk at Brazos Bend, we were amazed to come across a tree full of pink birds.
The spoonbill and the purple gallinule made us feel like we had moved to the tropics.
From Cornell University's All About Birds: " Roseate Spoonbills get their pink coloration from the foods they eat. Crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates contain pigments called carotenoids that help turn their feathers pink."
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 4/2022.
Like most of my bittern images, this one has a very messy background, but I like the view of the feathers on the bird's back. I would have preferred if the bird had turned his head a bit, and if i had rotated my lens for a vertical. Neither happened before the bird slid off into the weeds. I'm glad I got what I did. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 12/2019
When I seen this beautiful monarch butterfly flitting around the flowers at Brazos Bend State Park, I had to follow it ,carefully stepping around the other flowers, while snapping as many pictures as possible. I have many beautiful photos, but this pose captured my eye!
This summer we were fortunate to have several stilts at Brazos Bend. This adult was in the spillway just after sunrise on 8/1. Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas - 8/2021.
Mom owl staying nearby two owlets who have now left the nest, and are getting into all sorts of trouble...at Brazos Bend State Park, also known as the Hoot Owl or the Tiger Owl.
American Alligators are famous for their mothering skills, staying near the young for months, year, insuring no predators have an easy time. She had well over 15 near her here on a cool day, this one decided to stay very close to momma...taken Brazos Bend State Park near Needville, TX USA.
One afternoon last week I took off work to enjoy what I knew would be beautiful evening light. Sure enough I had plenty of pretty light, but didn't find a single bird photography situation. When this little guy popped out of the brush, I was thrilled to make a few images. He saved the day! Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas. 5/2020.
ƒ/8.0, 840.0 mm, 1/400, ISO 800