Category Archives: Texas

January 18, 2022 · 3:52 am

Funding Questions Arise Over Padre Island’s Sea Turtle Program

*Nacho-sized, sand-encrusted Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings heading out to the Gulf of Mexico at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas*

Back in 2017, I had the privilege of photographing up close and personal a release of endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings as they “swam” across the sandy beach of Padre Island National Seashore and into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to begin their life.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Donna Shaver, the expert in her field, and the head (at least, back then) of this national seashore’s sea turtle rescue program. Dr. Shaver has put her heart, soul, and smarts into the program to make it world-renown.

I find the article published in today’s edition of the National Parks Traveler very troubling. Like other aspects of life, nowadays, it would seem the non-experts are trying to force out the actual expert. I’m not the least bit impressed with the National Park Service’s superintendent for this national seashore and it makes me sad, angry, and disappointed over the muzzling of Dr. Shaver to keep her from doing the work which has made that program what it is.

To read the article, click on the image above.

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Filed under National Parks, national seashore, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Texas, Travel, Wildlife

Tagged as endangered species, Kemp's ridley, National Parks Traveler, national seashore, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, sea turtles, Texas

May 9, 2021 · 6:26 am

About The Size Of A Nacho Chip

*A close-up view of an endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling, Padre Island National Seashore (Texas)*

Today’s Feature Story in the National Parks Traveler uses a number of photos I captured during my June 2017 visit to Padre Island National Seashore, where I had the privilege of photographing a couple of endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling releases. There’s been quite a controversy over this hatchling program since the days of the trump administration, and the National Park Service is not looking so good in my eyes regarding this program. I read the article and came away feeling angry and sad.

To read this Special Report, click on the image above.

This image below is one I took while standing stock-still in the sand, surrounded by these nacho-sized little babies as they literally swam in the sand on the beach to reach the water of the Gulf of Mexico at this national seashore. The scientist in charge of this program had been gracious enough to allow me to be in the midst of this release and it was a joyful experience not only for me, but for the almost 1000 spectators who were up at 6:45 a.m. to watch these little guys head out to the sea.

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Filed under National Parks, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Texas, Travel

Tagged as endangered species, hatchling release, Kemp's ridley, National Parks Traveler, national seashore, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, sea turtle, sea turtles, Texas, where the trails take you

April 15, 2021 · 4:31 am

The Traveler’s Checklist for Big Bend National Park (Texas)

*Blooming Cholla Cactus, Big Bend National Park (Texas)*

It’s that time of year when the cactus should be in bloom in Big Bend National Park. It’s a glorious thing to see something so potentially painful to humans produce these saturated blossoms of magenta, orange, yellow, and red. If you are planning a trip to this national park for the first time, or re-visiting, then you should take a look at my Traveler’s Checklist for Big Bend, published in today’s edition of the National Parks Traveler.

To read the article, click on the image above.

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Filed under Big Bend National Park, National Parks, Photography, Texas, Travel, Travel and Photography, Traveler's Checklist

Tagged as Big Bend National Park, checklist, list, National Park, planning, Texas, travel, Traveler's Checklist

December 18, 2020 · 7:23 am

Fun Fact Friday: Big Bend Geology

It’s #FunFactFriday so I thought I’d write about the geology seen in Big Bend National Park (Texas). The Chisos Mountains (part of which you see in the image above) are volcanic in origin. One of those volcanic things you’ll see while driving the road through the park are intrusive dikes. Igneous means the rock is volcanic in origin. Dikes are igneous, and they are called “intrusive” because the magma intrudes upon and into the existing rock layers above it. You can see a long stretch of dikes exposed and sticking up out of the ground in this shot. The rocks around the dikes eroded away, leaving those flat-looking walls of rock, sort of like a zig-zaggy-edged rock fence running over the hillsides and up into the mountain flanks.

I’m looking through past Big Bend (as well as other parks) images to see if there are shots I have not edited, or – at the time – didn’t do as good a job of editing. I honestly can’t remember if I ever posted this image or not, back in 2013 (can it be 7 years ago??) captured during my December visit to this national park in southwest Texas. It was my first (out of four) trips there.

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Filed under Big Bend National Park, Fun Fact Friday, Geology, National Parks, Photography, Texas, Travel

Tagged as Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, Chisos Mountains, December, dike, Fun Fact Friday, geology, igneous, National Park, photography, Texas, travel, volcanic, where the trails take you, winter

May 21, 2020 · 9:29 am

A Kemp’s Ridley Hatchling Release

A highlight of my summer visit to Padre Island National Seashore a few years ago was the opportunity to photograph a public Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. If you are thinking of attending a public viewing of the releasing of these nacho-sized little guys, however, you’ll have to wait until 2021, as all public viewings have been canceled for this year due to the coronavirus. As you can see in the last photo, there is definitely NO social distancing of the 700 – 1200 participants who attend these viewings. On that particular day I took the photo, there ended up being 900 people.

https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2020/05/sea-turtle-releases-padre-island-national-seashore-summer-wont-be-public

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Filed under Canon, National Parks, National Parks Traveler, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Texas

Tagged as Gulf of Mexico, hatchling, hatchling release, Kemp's ridley, National Parks Traveler, national seashore, Padre Island, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, summer, Texas, travel, turtle, where the trails take you, wildlife, wildlife photography

April 7, 2020 · 9:18 am

It’s Trivia Tuesday 4/7/2020!

It’s Trivia Tuesday, folks! Did you know that the ocotillo, found all over the Chihuahuan Desert in Big Bend National Park in Texas is a shrub and not a cactus? Those spindly, evilly-thorny branches can grow up to 20 feet tall! In the spring, at the tips of each branch grow a cluster of little bright orange-red flowers, the nectar of which attracts carpenter ants and hummingbirds.

And now you know!

Click on each image to see where they go.

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Filed under Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, Canon, National Parks, Photography, Texas, Travel, Trivia Tuesday

Tagged as Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, Canon, Chihuahuan Desert, National Park, ocotillo, orange-red, photography, Texas, thorns, travel, Trivia Tuesday, where the trails take you

March 6, 2020 · 9:08 am

It’s Fun Fact Friday 3-6-2020!

The scissor-tail flycatcher, aka Texas bird-of-paradise, can hover with its tail spread and make abrupt turns in midair. It’s numbers have declined by about 31% between 1966 and 2014.

I found this flycatcher in October, sitting pretty on the barb-wire fence at the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge back in 2013.

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Filed under 1DX, birds, Brazoria NWR, Canon, Fun Fact Friday, nature, Photography, Texas, Wildlife Refuge

Tagged as 1DX, bird, birding, Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Canon, flycatcher, Fun Fact Friday, national wildlife refuge, NWR, October, photography, scissor-tail, Texas, where the trails take you

February 21, 2020 · 9:29 am

It’s Fun Fact Friday 2/21/2020!

The view along the Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park, in Texas

Hey folks, it’s Fun Fact Friday! Here are some interesting facts for you about Big Bend National Park, in Texas.

There are over 60 species of cactus, 450 species of birds, 1,200 plant species, and 3,600 insect species found in this national park.
The name Big Bend comes from a bend in the Rio Grande River, which runs along the park boundary.
In 2012, the park was named an International Dark Sky Park, which means it’s awesome for star gazing.

I first visited this national park in 2013 and made 4 more trips there before moving out of Texas. I visited during the winter and spring, when the temperatures were at their most ambient. Late spring was awesome for blooming cactus. And, speaking of visiting, Big Bend is entering it’s busy season, so if you are planning to travel there anytime soon, you’d probably better have alternate lodging plans in case you can’t find an available campsite, according to an article published in today’s edition of the National Parks Traveler.

To read more of that article, click on the image at the top of this post.

Strawberry Pitaya Bloom

A strawberry pitaya bloom, Big Bend National Park, in Texas

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Filed under Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, Canon, flowers, Fun Fact Friday, Landscape, National Parks, National Parks Traveler, Photography, Seasons, Spring, Texas, Travel, winter

Tagged as Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, cactus, Canon, Chihuahuan Desert, Chisos Mountains, desert, landscape, mountains, National Park, National Parks Traveler, spring, Texas, travel, winter

January 15, 2020 · 8:35 am

Climate Change And Big Bend National Park

Whether people want to believe it or not, climage change is a real thing and it’s being factored into many things, such as the water supply for the Chisos Mountains Lodge at Big Bend National Park in West Texas. There’s an article about this in today’s edition of the National Parks Traveler.

To read the article, click on the image above.

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Filed under Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, National Parks, National Parks Traveler, Photography, Texas, Travel

Tagged as Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, Canon, Chisos Mountains Lodge, climate change, National Park, National Parks Traveler, photography, where the trails take you

December 10, 2019 · 8:38 am

Favorite Spots For Pretty Pics

A pelican sunrise over Padre Island National Seashore, in Texas

We all have favorite spots for photos in the national parks we visit. We go there time and time again to see (and photograph) them.

Today’s edition of the National Parks Traveler has published my latest article in which I list some favorite spots and why I and my cameras like them so much.

To read the article, click on the image above.

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Filed under Acadia National Park, Arches National Park, Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, Maine, National Parks, National Parks Traveler, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Texas, Travel

Tagged as Acadia National Park, Arches National Park, Big Bend National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canon, National Park, National Parks Traveler, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, travel, where the trails take you