Tag Archive: photography

West Texas Birding

  Chipping Sparrow   For all those people who think Texas is flat, you need to see see the Davis Mountains in West Texas. (Visit them before you go to Big Bend National Park, where those mountains… Continue reading

Wild courting

The first thing you’ll notice in West Texas is that the trees look thirsty. This is the desert and at Rattlesnake Springs–a preserve adjacent to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico–there were plenty of towering Cottonwood trees… Continue reading

Looking for Whooping Cranes

Back in the 1930s the numbers of Whooping Cranes had declined significantly as a result of over hunting and encroachment on their habitat—so much that there were only 15 in existence.

Being saved at Sabal Palm Sanctuary

The fan-like leaves of the sabal palms fluttered in the light breeze as if held in the well-manicured hands of a dainty southern lady seeking relief on a hot, humid day. I looked… Continue reading

The ecstasy and irony of finally getting that special lifer: the Swainson’s Warbler

The following is a guest post, written by my husband, Stephen Hannington.  I have been a keen bird watcher since I was six years old when a cousin introduced me to the world… Continue reading

Chasing Parakeets and Parrots

They don’t necessarily roost in the same corner every night–they move around. At this point we had created a bit of a birder traffic jam in the neighborhood.

Finding Refuge

First of all, let’s get this out of the way: We were able to shower this morning. Good news all around. It’s our second day at the Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival in… Continue reading

Partly cloudy with no chance of showers

HOLY CRAP! THE ALARM DIDN’T GO OFF! We fly out of bed. There’s no time to shower. (Sorry all you people we had to sit next to on the bus.) Thank goodness I… Continue reading

Looking for the White Wise Spirit

The milky white of the owl was startling and her yellow eyes locked on us with appropriate caution and concern. I had to remind myself to breathe.

Choices, warnings and surprises: All in a day of birding

I wasn’t expecting the Eastern Phoebe, but there he was, a juvenile, swooping for insects and returning to his same branch.