Lens-Artists Challenge #349: The First Thing I Thought Of… I did a double-take when I first saw this scene at the Leonabell Turnbull Birding Center (Port Aransas, Texas). Does the duck think no one sees it? Well, maybe so, as I … Read More

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center created the National Wildflower Week back in 1987. It is the first whole week of May celebrating “the beauty and importance of native wildflowers across the United States,” as the Center writes. Although several … Read More

The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) is a bird in the thrush family. That brilliant royal blue and red-brown or rusty chest form a beautiful color palette present in the male. The female still exhibits some blue, but it is paler … Read More

The Texas Gayfeather (Liatris punctata var. mucronata) is one of those flowers that brings striking beauty to the vibrant colors of Texas wildflowers. They are also known as Texas Blazing Star or Narrow-leaf Gayfeather. It is a perennial wildflower native … Read More

Last Saturday, my master naturalist class visited Berry Springs Park and Preserve to observe birds. Although there had been storms the previous night, the rain had stopped by mid-morning. When we started walking around the park, this beautiful barred owl … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #343 – Seen on my Last Outing I had already picked what would have been my post for this latest Lens-Artists challenge. After having had a mild flu case two weeks ago, I was ready to get out … Read More

No matter how often I have posted landscape views at this location, I usually find a different view in my photo catalog. To date, I believe I have posted a half-dozen views captured here. This is Skyline Drive at the … Read More

After seeing this nature trail many times on my way to a grocery store, I decided to visit it one day. Wow, what I’d been missing! The Copperfield Nature Trail is a small trail (about 4 miles or 6.5 km … Read More

Springtime in Texas means one thing: wildflowers cover the state! In a recent Big Bend Ranch SP trip, we were lucky to see wildflowers everywhere. From tall Bluebonnets to Yuccas and Creosote, the Chihuahuan Desert was eye-popping. This view above … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #338 – Pick a Word Incoming fast! That was my first impression when I caught this Familiar Bluet (also known as Civil Bluet) damselfly approaching a reed in a small puddle on top of the pink granite dome … Read More