Side profile of a Crested Caracara walking through a green field, showing its hooked bill with an orange base and pale blue-gray tip, black crest, pale barred neck and breast, dark brown wings and long tail, and bright yellow legs.

Carcará in Texas: Meeting the Crested Caracara

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During a recent walk at Berry Springs Park & Preserve in Georgetown, Texas, one of my friends pointed out this Crested Caracara in a distant field. That was a lifer for me. I had heard about this bird of prey … Read More

Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) perched on a bare branch against a pale sky, showing rufous wing and tail feathers, buffy underparts, and raised crest — National Butterfly Center, Mission, Texas.

A Flash of Yellow in the Canopy

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“It’s not what you look at that matters,it’s what you see.” — Henry David Thoreau Spring migration through South Texas brings surprises, and this Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) was one of the first birds to greet me during my … Read More

A thin waterfall spills down a moss- and lichen-covered limestone cliff into the cypress-lined pool at Krause Springs on a calm winter afternoon.

A Hush in the Hill Country: Krause Springs in Winter

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Considered by many to be the best swimming hole in Texas, Krause Springs sits in Spicewood, about 30 miles (48 km) west of Austin. Thirty-two springs feed its pools and waterfalls, all held inside a 115-acre (about 47-hectare) property listed … Read More

A Pearl Crescent butterfly clings to a slender green grass blade with wings folded together, revealing the warm orange and black-veined underside lit by late-afternoon sun along Katy Crossing trail at San Gabriel Park, Georgetown, Texas.

Pearls in the Prairie

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Some treasures travel light. Along the Katy Crossing trail at San Gabriel Park, the Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) carries its namesake quietly — a small, milk-pale crescent tucked beneath the hindwing, visible only when the butterfly closes its sail. Late … Read More

A wild bobcat, Lynx rufus, crouches low among rocks and green vegetation along Brushy Creek Trail East in Round Rock, Texas. The image has a textured, painterly quality revealing the animal's spotted tawny coat as it moves cautiously along the limestone ground.

The Bobcat Who Stayed

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Some mornings on the creek, the water tells you everything. The clarity, the flow, the temperature — data points that paint a picture of a living system. But on this particular morning at Brushy Creek Trail East, just below the … Read More

Soft, impressionistic reflection of bare trees and a wooden footbridge mirrored on the calm green-blue surface of the San Gabriel River, with grasses along the bank.

The River’s Quiet Garden

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Although I enjoy biking at San Gabriel Park in Georgetown, Texas, lately I’ve spent more time walking one particular trail there — Katy Crossing. It’s a beloved route for mountain bikers, but what keeps drawing me back, besides the riding, … Read More

Close-up of a male Red-Winged Blackbird perched beside a green wire suet feeder at Garey Park in Georgetown, Texas, his glossy black body filling the frame and a flash of red and yellow showing on his folded shoulder.

Wings of Fire: A Red-Winged Blackbird in Full Display

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Since I first spotted a Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) many years ago, I have always wanted to see one with its wings thrown wide — shoulders flared, the scarlet epaulets blazing in the sun. It was not until last month, … Read More

A Tricolored Heron stands in shallow water with its slate-blue wings fully outstretched overhead, forming a shadowy canopy on the surface as it hunts for fish below.

Where Words Meet Wings

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Lens-Artists Challenge #396: Pick a Favourite Quote and Illustrate It. “Stillness is what creates love. Movement is what creates life.” — Rumi The Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) hunts using a remarkable technique called canopy feeding: it stretches its wings overhead and … Read More

A cluster of pickerelweed plants along the edge of a calm pond, violet flower spikes scattered among bright green heart-shaped leaves and tall reeds, with the water reflecting the morning light.

Pickerel-What? Weed by Name, Wonder by Nature.

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Last year, I revisited a friend’s ranch just outside Caldwell, Texas, for a refresher on macro photography of bees and odonates in flight. After an early morning session photographing bees, I found myself gravitating toward other treats on his property. … Read More

A male Golden-Fronted Woodpecker perched on a mossy mesquite branch, body turned upward and beak tilted toward the sky, showing its bright golden-yellow forehead, buff-colored breast, and finely barred black-and-white back, framed by feathery green leaves.

Wearing the Sun: Meeting the Golden-Fronted Woodpecker

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My visit to South Texas continues to be a source of never-ending pleasures. Whether photographing the flora or fauna, there were plenty — and I mean plenty! — of observations to use. So much of what I captured was first-time … Read More

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