Blogging to Google+

Blogger posting are now integrated into Google+.    This post was created in blogger.com and automagically synced with my G+ account...   In theory...  Let's see how google+ handles HTML and multiple inline images of my newly yellow-rumped warblers...

Blogging is Obsolete?

Since #GooglePlus arrived in late July, blogging seems somewhat obsolete.   I have been averaging about 100 unique visitors on this blog weekly and 200 views to each posting.   Now I have 3100 followers on Google plus in only 2 months!    Each post on google plus has been resulting in 40-50 +1's and 10-20 comments which is amazing.  

For those who follow my blog, please join me on #GooglePlus for even more birding (and other) activity

First Kayak Bird Trip

Took my first kayak adventure on Horsepen Bayou out of Bay Area Park with my 300mm tightly stowed in a waterproof bag. 

After launching the new Kayak, I headed towards the back waters of Horsepen Bayou which turned out to be about a 20 minute paddle. As the shoreline narrowed, so did the critter activity with gators, and large alligator gars splashing up the water.  Tri-colors and Great White herons were actively feeding on passing shad. Deer were busy walking with their fawns along the dense shoreline.   A magical place so close to home.

I managed to slowly pull within 20 feet of this tri-colored heron for about 30 minutes. He was busy feeding and the shad, taking one ever minute or so.  Keeping still, several other Herons landed all around and fought for the best feeding positions among the fallen branches and stumps.

Welcome to 2011. Dentist have all the cool tools.

I walked in to the orthodontist this morning to get a braces xray evaluation for my daughter.    

I totally expected the usual black and white xray of the mouth, the one that you have a hard time making out one tooth from the other.

However....

My jaw literally hit the floor when the assistant fired up the xray viewing application within minutes after taking the xray.   3D images like I've never seen before on a 42 inch screen were the coolest images I have every seen.   And then assistant starting moving my daughters images in three dimensions including zooming in and out all at the tough of a mouse.

The assistant let us view the images for awhile and I quickly snapped several pics using my g2x's phone camera which turned out much better than the ones they emailed me...

The Dr came in an did a 5 minute eval and 5 minutes later I had a 20 month and $5k estimate to look at...  After insurance, I was looking at only $1800 which seemed like a bargain from the stories that I have heard

The 3D Xray sold their product, no doubt!   So much so I decided to signup to get MY MUG xrayed next week for a braces eval.

We live is some interesting times!   Welcome to the future, Wecome to 2011!

120 Miles Early Bird Late

As the sun rises, black skimmers are very active feeding in the shallow water runs in Quintana. After about 30 minutes, the show is all but over except for a few stragglers. Dang if I wasn't late this morning and only got about 5 minutes of activity before the day and light ended. After driving 120 miles round trip I was expecting the day to be a waste, but to my surprise a few shots hit their target.

Also found my first Immature Little Blue Heron along the Quintana levy. Bonus!

Black Skimmers of Quintana Texas

During sunrise and just before sunset, Black Skimmers can be seen skimming for mullet in the the shallow waters of Quintana.   While photographing these skimmers, I took several breaks from the camera just watch them as they float effortlessly above the still waters many times banking back and forth corralling their prey.   

Black Skimmers have a light graceful flight, with steady beats of their long wings. They feed usually in large flocks, flying low over the water surface with the lower mandible skimming the water for small fish, caught by touch by day or especially at night. They spend much time loafing gregariously on sandbars in the rivers, coasts and lagoons they frequent.

Quintana Waters and Drought and WILD Life

The drought of 2011 is having a major affect on waterbirds in Quintana, Tx.  This weekend almost all the shallow inland lakes that were full of water last year are now completely dry and the shorebirds have left the area. 

The canal that run along both sides of the end of Hwy 288 in Quintana is now only a shallow mud pit, however several waterbirds are still skimming the shallow water for small fish.  

If you are looking for an amazing place to photograph black skimmers, this is the place to do it just after sunrise.  The skimmers are spending a few hours after sunrise skimming the area which is only 20 yards wide and about a mile long.   Photographing skimmers is sport like no other bird.  They will glide without a flap for several hundred feed one inch above the water with just there lower beak skimming. Getting a great shot takes a fast frame DSLR and fast focus lens and the right light.   This location should be perfect for a few more weeks.

After spending an hour and 800 frames on skimmers(stay tuned for the black-skimmer pics), I turned to some other local shorebirds including this Tri-colored heron that allow me to photograph him feeding on mullet for 20 minutes at a distance of about 20 feet.   In order to get these shots I literally had lay my sholders in the mud with my feed 3 feet above resting on a large dainage culvert.  As I was shooting in the high grass, I noticed small crocodile pop his head out of the water about 60 feet away.  Not a great feeling when you have your head inches from the mud line.   

I was reminded of the story that a fellow bird photographer(with one leg) told about how he was photographing birds in Brazil.  While he was framing a bird next to a river, a gator snapped him up and drug him into the river.  His guides were able to pull him out, but not after loosing his leg.

While photographing this tri-colored, I kept smelling what smelled like rotting animal...   Well after getting up from the shoot I looked over across to the other side of the large culvert, and there lay a large crock almost complete decomposed.

I also took this coyote shot in the same location that I was photographing just an hour before.

Tri-colored Heron Feeding

IPAD flipboad square @pancamo to follow me

American Avocet

Tri-colored Heron with breakfest

Lone Coyote feeding

Black-necked Stilt