Mucking about in the muck. One of my nemesis birds on the bayou, but far more approachable at Brazos Bend State Park. The Pied-billed Grebe can be quite elusive when it needs to be and can disappear in a minute if they have to. That is what they usually do on the bayou and I have precious few captures of them.
These photos were taken at a nearby state park which is a nice experience where the wildlife can be observed very easily. Because of all of the foot traffic, most of the animals have become quite accustomed to people and are very approachable. Lots of walking but well worth the effort.
I have to add that Brazos Bend State Park has been in drought conditions for several years and the water levels are very low. Not as many birds there, but still a nice variety that you can observe from the banks of the lakes that make up the park.
This photo was taken with the new Nikon and the 200-500mm lens and I have to say that it’s adequate, but can’t compare to old Sony that I consigned to Davy Jones’ Locker on Horsepen Bayou. Just my own personal observations.
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Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7500 Texas Needville Fort Bend County Brazos Bend State Park park outdoors nature wildlife nature photography lake animal Grebe Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps nemesis bird
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I guess they partied too long the night before as most of them were sleeping. My first capture of this species and my apologies for their heads being on backward. I’ll try to do better the next time.
Fulvous Whistling Duck at rest just north of 40 Acre Lake at Brazos Bend State Park.
Also want to add a bit of a disclaimer about the blue water. That blue water that you see is merely a reflection of the sky off of some water that is DEFINITELY not clear. This area is not too far from Houston but has experienced a severe drought for the past few years and there was almost no water last year. A bit more water this year but still about 4 to 5 feet low. Let’s hope that it recovers soon.
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Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7500 Nikon 200-500mm lens Texas Needville Brazos Bend State Park park water wildlife nature outdoors nature photography animal bird duck Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Fort Bend County
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This is Misses Owl perched high up in a tree across the road from where the youngsters were located. At least someone said it was Misses Owl, but you couldn’t prove it by me. Great Horned Owl photographed near the entrance of Brazos Bend State Park.
She was set back in the branches quite a way but a bit of Paintshop Pro magic helped my shed a bit more light on her. I might add that she was quite the sleepyhead as well.
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Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7500 Texas Needville Brazos Bend State Park park outdoors nature wildlife nature photography trees branches moss spanish moss animal bird Owl Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
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Just want to say that this is only my 3rd visit to Brazos Bend State Park, but it is a place that I highly recommend to those visiting the Houston area because of the heavy concentration of wildlife that one can find in the park. I went strictly to do a walk around with the new equipment and because the winds that week were too high for canoeing and taking photos.
I did my walk around of the lakes first and then returned to Owl location later in the day. Sort of like dessert for me. After all this would be my first encounter with an Owl since I started taking photos in so very long ago. I should have made the visit when I first arrived because the light would have been better in morning. The area is roped and people are only allowed to get so close to the tree. This is the best I could manage of the two Owlets that were snuggled together in the tree. Mom was nearby, but someone had to point her out to me. I don’t think I would have ever found her. You’ll see her later. Not the best shots in the world, but this is indeed a lifer for me. You’ll get to me mum tomorrow.
Great Horned Owlets nesting in a tree at Brazos Bend State Park.
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Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7500 Texas Needville Brazos Bend State Park park outdoors wildlife nature nature photography animal bird Owl Owlets tree branches Spanish Moss Bubo virginianus Great Horned Owl
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There are a lot of unanswered questions in this shot and a lot that I can’t explain. There is one thing that I do know. If you are visiting Houston and you want to see an Alligator there is likely no better place to go than Brazos Bend State Park. It is a combination of “coastal prairie, bottomland forest, a wide range of wetlands including open and semi-open lakes and transitional marshland” according to Wikipedia. The lakes are difficult to explain because there are a series of islands within the lakes and wildlife congregate on and around these islands to feed and rest. Walkways are provided around the lakes and it very easy to observe the wildlife in action.
I saw this alligator on one of the islands sunning itself some 100 to 120 feet from the main pathway and it was just laying there sunning itself on the bank. I moved on to photograph a Great Blue Heron and suddenly noticed something out of the corner of my eye. The gator began moving toward the water and then turned and grabbed something on the bank which turned out to be a rather large fish…well over 2 feet in length. I have no idea how the fish got on the bank to begin with, but it was not going to make it back to the water alive. The alligator pounced on the fish and the dinner preparations for the day were complete. The gator was in no hurry to consume the fish and just laid there with it for the longest. I switched several times between photographing the heron and the alligator before the gator finally dispatched the fish and made its way back to the water’s edge to sun itself. This alligator was between 9 and 10 feet long. I also have no idea what type of fish this is or was.
A bit of a footnote about Brazos Bend State Park. It is a natural habitat and even though the area is managed by the state, nature takes its course and it is a natural one. Man does not interfere with the natural order of things as far as what happens to the park and the animals.
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Tags: WanaM3 Nikon D7500 Texas Needville Brazos Bend State Park park Elm Lake lake nature wildlife outdoors nature photography island animal fish alligator gator reptile lizard lumpy lizard predator apex predator Alligator mississippiensis
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