jerome_smith

For the past two winters my friend and I have headed to the Texas coast for winter bird photography. The entire coast is loaded with birds, but like any other place photos in the wild are on a catch-as catch can basis. What makes the coast special in the winter is the abundance of feeders, most notably at all of the refuges you mentioned. Other places, like Bentson St. Park, attract "snowbirds"...mobile homers who come down and stay the winter. Amongst them there seems to be a competition as to who can put up the most feeders/attract the most birds. Lots of birds, including Mexican species. Depending upon the weather, you may have to use flash at many of these locations. Also, several of the blind/feeder stations are under a tree canopy. Definite recommendatios include Sabal Palm in Brownsville (feeders) for White-Tipped Dove and Buff-Bellied Hummers; Laguna Atascosa (terrific blind and feeders) for Chachalaca, Green Jay, Golden Fronted Woodpeckers, et al; Santa Ana for Harris Hawks (at the blind/feeder, waiting), Chachalaca, Owls; Bentsen St. Park for everything, including Blue Bunting. Heading towards the Falcon Dam there is a tiny town on the Rio Grande called Salineno (Sp?) After you pass thru the town (1 block) heading towards the River, shortly before the River there is a very small mobile home

park where a couple of really nice families welcome birders and photographers. They have nice habitat and lots of feeders, and you could spend a couple of days right there. Also, a short walk of 50 yards down to the Rio Grande can yield some good photos of Kingfisher (3 varieties), Kisskadee, Dipper, Killdeer, Peeps.

 

<p>

 

As you drive around, there certainly will be many non-blind/feeder opportunities, so keep your camera and a beanbag handy.

 

<p>

 

Some additional tips: If you go in winter, make it after Jan. 1, because the "snowbirds" don't drive down until after the holidays.

Visit the zoo in Brownville--there are lots of fly-ins. Also, notwithstanding the size of the town, the zoo itself is extensive and well maintained. Consider staying in McAllen, which is about 1/2 way between Brownsville and Falcon Dam, and has the most facilities. (Visit the McAllen sewage ponds, which is one big feeder station. Be warned, however, that when the wind changes you're like to croak from the aroma.)

 

<p>

 

Good luck, good shooting. You'll get lots of stuff.

If you get as far as Huntington Beach, as suggested above, continue a little further south on Hwy#1 to Back Bay, at Newport Beach. Good bird photography. Back Bay and Bolsa Chica should be about an hour drive from mid-Wilshire area.

Good Shooting

Timna (Sp?) Park, just north of Eilat, is very reminiscent of the red rock country in No. Arizona/So. Utah. Great shots at sunrise/sunset. Check it out.

 

<p>

 

(It would be nice if a certain party who feels compelled to answer every question, and who contributes nothing more than stupid, feeble attemps at humor, would spare us.)

There are some great "smaller" attractions along the Arizona/Utah border. Places like Coral Pink Sand Dunes St. Park near Kenab, and other slots like Waterholes and Willis Creek don't attract the crowds but nevertheless represent super shooting opportunities. Try getting some of the Photo Traveler guides on Arizona, Utah, Slot Canyons, etc. They are extremely informative: (http://www.phototravel@phototravel.com/)

 

<p>

 

You mentioned landscapes, so I'm not sure that you do any wildlife. But, just in case, check out the Phoenix Zoo, particularly the feeders in the Arizona Trails exhibit, and the pond. Both places attract wild fly ins, and you can get close-ups of a lot of resident and migrant species.

Just for the record, their site address is:

 

<p>

 

http://www.aandi.com/default.html

I use a Maxxum system with a data chip that records the aperture, speed, comp. etc. for recall later. I became addicted to recalling the data; periodically I would stop shooting to write down everything and clear the chip for more. I wound up missing a lot of good shots during the down time. Several years ago, I went on a VanOs trip to Churchill for summer nesting birds. The leader was Rod Planck. After observing me clicking camera buttons and writing periodically during the day, and after dinner, he inquired about what I was doing. I explained, and added that I was taking lessons from the published pros--they always seem to have their data on their pictures. He laughed. "We make it up." he said. "I don't know anyone...Rue, Shaw, McDonald, anyone, who records data in the field." He qualified it by pointing out that after years of experience he can look at one of his pictures and pretty much ballpark what the exposure was. He would be hard pressed, however, to distinguish between 250@f5.6 vs. 125@f8. Suffice it to say, I'm not so hung up on recording data anymore, unless it's an unusual shoot and I want to learn what I did right or wrong.