Well, it’s been a great ten days of shooting in So Texas. In all we had over 40 different species of birds, several mammals and reptiles and are heading home with hard drives full of images and hearts full of wonderful memories. The temps were hot and so was the photography. So Texas is one of my favorite bird photography locations with consistent, great shooting. Our hosts at the ranches we visited were wonderful. I can’t wait until next year!

Western Diamondback

Long-billed Thrasher

And I finally got my lens on a Painted Bunting

Images captured with Nikon D3, AF-S 600mm VR, TC-14E on Lexar Digital Media

Here are a couple of images from the participants of the raptor extension

Painted Bunting Russ Gifford

Crested Caracara Russ Gifford

Harris Hawk Edmund Prescatano

Western Diamondback Edmund PRescatano

This ends the first week of my So Texas safari and I have to say that it was an outstanding week with more birds than I have been able to count so far. Some new to my files and some opportunities to add new and improved images of birds I already had to my files. The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is without a doubt one of my favorites and it gave me many opportunities to photograph it. I even broke the spell and got one where it is just taking off.

Images captured with Nikon D3, AF-S 600mm VR, TC-14E or TC-17E on Lexar Digital Media

Thursday found us at our fourth ranch, Dos Venadas owned by Steve Bentsen where we had an outstanding day of photography. As the temps rose, so did visitation to the water holes and more subjects filled our viewfinders.

Long-biller Thrasher in take-off mode.

Female Painted Bunting

Eastern Cottontail

Images captured with Nikon D3, AF-S 600mm, TC-14E on Lexar Digital Medai

Day three of my safari has us with over thirty birds from three ranches in our files. We spent the day at the Martin’s other ranch, the Javelina

.

Blue Grosbeak

We were thrilled when a couple of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers stopped by.

And, we all got to practice our panning techniques when this guy came racing by.

Images captured with Nikon D3, AF-S 600mm VR (Grosbeak with TC-14E) on Lexar Digital Media

Tuesday found us at the Martin’s Ranch, The Homestead where we had a chance to photograph some new birds along with some we had already seen and enjoyed in a new environment. The shooting was great!

Plain Chachalaca

Great Kiskadee

Cactus Wren

Images captured with Nikon D3, AF-S 600mm and AF-S 300mm on Lexar Digital media