A Green Jay with a lime-green back, lemon-yellow belly, and blue-and-black head forages along the forest floor among fallen twigs and leaf litter at the National Butterfly Center.

A Green Jay for Earth Day: Treasures of the National Butterfly Center

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I spent five days around South Padre Island and Mission, Texas, last week. One place I wanted to visit was the National Butterfly Center. I was not sure what I would find, but knowing the Center is right on the … Read More

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) stands alert in shallow marsh water surrounded by aquatic vegetation, its gray plumage and distinctive yellow-and-black crown visible as it slowly advances toward better fishing ground.

Stalk, Strike, Swallow — Twenty Minutes with a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

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A few days ago, I headed out to Berry Springs Park & Preserve with a couple of friends to photograph birds and wildflowers. The wildflower blooms were a little sparse this trip, but the birds more than made up for … Read More

Silhouette of a great blue heron standing in shallow water against a shimmering golden surface, photographed from a distance at golden hour.

Standing in Gold: A Great Blue Heron Moment Worth Stopping For

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There are wildlife encounters that stop you in your tracks — and then there are the ones that make you forget to breathe. These two frames of a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) wading through golden, sunlit shallows are exactly … Read More

A Great Blue Heron stands upright on a muddy bank at the water's edge, its long neck extended and orange-yellow bill pointed forward, reflected in warm amber and gold autumn-toned water.

Too Hot to Handle: How Great Blue Herons Keep Their Cool

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When most people think of a Great Blue Heron, they picture a stoic figure standing at the water’s edge. But sometimes that stillness gives way to something unexpected: a wide-open bill aimed skyward, holding perfectly still. It looks like a … Read More

A Pyrrhuloxia perched on an Ocotillo branch, bathed in warm golden hour sunlight. The bird displays its distinctive gray-brown plumage with red accents on its wings and tail, prominent red face mask, and curved yellow bill, set against a soft blue sky background.

The Desert Cardinal: A Hidden Gem of the Chihuahuan Desert

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There’s something magical about the Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus)—often called the “Desert Cardinal”—that makes encountering one feel like discovering a well-kept secret of the American Southwest. For me, this was the first time seeing one. With the right camera settings, I … Read More

A male Green-winged Teal duck standing on a mossy rock in golden water, tucking its head into its feathers to preen.

Emerald Wings in Golden Water

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There’s a specific kind of magic that happens when the sun hits the water at just the right angle, turning a river into a basin of liquid gold. It’s in these quiet, shimmering moments that the Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) … Read More

The Falcon That Stands Still

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In mid-January 2025, I went hiking with a couple of friends at Williamson County’s largest park. River Ranch County Park opened to the public in July 2023. Its website says the park has “1,354 acres of meadowlands, woodlands, hills and … Read More

Bold Eyebrows

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The Travis Audubon Society has just named the Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) its 2026 Bird of the Year. This small and mighty backyard bird, weighing barely as much as two small, empty soda cans, shows a rich cinnamon plumage. Its … Read More

The Flying Zebra of the Forest

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Earlier this month, I spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) on an oak tree outside our bedroom window. A few days later, as I was finishing my morning meditation on the deck, another woodpecker stopped by again. I was able … Read More

Splish-Splash

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“Splish-splash, I was taking a bath.”Bobby Darin I keep our three bird baths filled with fresh water. I have seen wildlife using them for drinking and bathing. The morning I captured these images, I had heard the Blue Jays (Cyanocitta … Read More

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