John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

Hi All,

I have been hiding out at home near West Yellowstone photographing birds in my yard. I had a few common redpolls, one hairy woodpecker that like to "remodel" my wood home, and huge flocks of black-capped and mountain chickadees. I begin two weeks of leading photo tours in Yellowstone and then I am going to Texas for a couple of months. (They tell me there is less snow in south Texas-sounds good to me after enduring it for three months already).

I have never photographed along the Texas coastline, so I would appreciate hearing about any sites where there are lots of birds that can be approached with full-frame 840mm range. I do know of some of them. I am teaching bird photography at Laguna Seca and know about Smith Oaks Rookery, Bolivar Flats, Brazos Bend State Park, Anahuac NWR, Leona Turnbull Birding Center, Paradise Pond, Estero Llano Grande State Park, Bentsen Rio Grande State Park, and South Padre Island Birding Center. Can anyone offer more sites where lots of birds can be photographed well in Texas? Thanks for anything you can offer.

By the way, I bought the Canon R5 in October and used it for all the photos you see here. Indeed, I have only used the R5 since I got it, and my Canon 1DX Mark III is patiently waiting to be used again-not sure that will happen. Also, I am selling all of my shorter Canon zoom lenses as I have replaced them with the Canon RF lenses that now cover everything from 15mm to 500mm. You can probably tell what I think of the R5-it is a huge game-changer!!!!!! And when the rumoured R1 comes out sometime this year---whoa! Again, thanks for any help you can offer on Texas. I have a need to photograph far more birds in warmer weather-and Texas sounds like the spot to do that!

Common Redpoll

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Common Redpoll

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Mountain Chickadee

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Female Hairy Woodpecker

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Pilot

Virtually anywhere along the Texas Gulf Coast. Google - Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail.

ecunnar

Matagorda County typically has one of the highest counts of different type birds every year!

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Great set but I can see why you would want to leave for a little while. I'm sure you will get plenty of recommendations and suggestions.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Great set, John, you have hundreds of miles of Texas coastline to choose from, take your pick.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A beautiful set, John. I have photographed at Smith Oaks and Bolivar many times and they are awesome during the breeding season. There are some good spots on Galveston Island, too. The areas you have listed are all great sites. Anywhere along the Texas/Louisiana coast will be worth your time.

df61743 Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

John,

Don't overlook the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

Also near Lamar and Goose Island State Park, you may have many birding opportunities, including Whooping Cranes. They may be found this time of the year anywhere between the two red arrows.

In Fulton, you can join a boat trip on The Skimmer which may get you near them, as well.

https://www.whoopingcranetour.com/tours/

Dick

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rgarces

Here are some places you did not mention around the Corpus Christi area: Tule Lake, Pollwog Pond, and Hazel Bazemore Park. I'd be happy to go along with you if you would like.

John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

Thanks for the offer. I may well take you up on it! Local knowledge is always the best!

John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

Hi folks,

I have recently posted a detailed article about how I shoot sharp wildlife photos, both still and in flight. I have 25 key points I make in the article, and I still need to add a few more..... Here is the link. I hope it works for you. By the way, I especially enjoy BIFs and find it very easy. I know why it is easy for me. About 50 years ago, okay okay, a half century ago as a teenager I was a competition skeet shooter. I was poor so I soon discovered shooting clay targets cost plenty of money. But competitions were common then and if I won I got to shoot for free, so I won a lot. Though only a teenager, another shooter usually had to shoot a perfect score so I could beat them in the shoot-off. It is far more difficult to shoot four perfect consecutive rounds for 100 straight, than to photograph a flying bird. Heck, with a camera you don't even have to lead them. Little did I know that the rife and shotgun shooting skills I learned decades ago would help me so much today with wildlife photography. I don't shoot guns anymore, eyesight not so good, so I have upgraded to shooting a CANON!

https://e667cabb-944b-4267-84ff-4c28a716d036.filesusr.com/ugd/71c73d_672403725db64ffdb243e3f8daa619ec.pdf

John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

Thanks so much for the maps. It seems south Texas and the coastline is loaded with birds. I suspect it is the perfect place for me to wait out the six months of snow at my home. Of course, my summers are tremendous!

Clicker2014 Loc: Canada

You are going to have a fabulous and exciting time in Texas. My husband and I spent 5 winters down in Mission Texas and it is where I learned how to photograph birds. I am, I guess what you would call an enthusiastic photographer from S/W Ontario. (A great birding spot in the spring and fall migrations which you likely know. While in Texas, I joined the TexNEP - Texas Nature and Environmental Photographers https://www.facebook.com/groups/540476705992033 You may have already spoken to members there. If not I highly recommend you contact the Admins. Hector D. Astorgo and Ruth Hoyt. I would class them as likely the top photographers in S. Texas and beyond. I am sure they would be glad to give ideas of where to go in Texas and likely some contact names. I wish you luck and will be checking out the link you posted. Truly appreciate you attaching it. Good Luck!

Sharon

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

https://www.naturescapes.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=238857

https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/explore/regions/southwest/texas/top-texas-birding-spots.php#:~:text=Birding%20Hot%20Spots%20in%20Texas&text=The%20birds%20are%20too%20many,Hill%20Country%20and%20Big%20Bend.

http://www.hforcier.com/articles/texas.htm

tcthome Loc: NJ

Nic eset.

tcthome Loc: NJ