Tag Archives: Padre Island National Seashore

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 20, 2021 · 6:12 am

The Yin And Yang Of A Composition

*Sunsets afterglow at Kalaloch Beach, Olympic National Park (Washington)*

My latest photography column has been published in the National Parks Traveler. It’s about the yin and yang of a composition, Click the image above if you would like to read the article.

*Sunrise at the seashore, Padre Island National Seashore (Texas)*

My latest Traveler’s Checklist has also been published, and it has a beach theme like the image above, because it’s all about Padre Island National Seashore. To read that article, click on the image above.

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Filed under National Parks, National Parks Traveler, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Photography In The National Parks, Traveler's Checklist

Tagged as beach, Composition, Kalaloch beach, light, National Park, national parks, National Parks Traveler, Olympic National Park, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, seashore, sunrise, sunset, Texas, Washington, Washington State, yin yang

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

December 29, 2019 · 8:38 am

Sunrise Sunday

Sunrise over Padre Island National Seashore in Texas

Here’s to sunrise on the last Sunday of 2019. I wonder what the next decade will bring. Hopefully more national park and national seashore sunrises to photograph.

Speaking of national parks and seashores, the National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 46 talks about looking back on 2019 in the National Park System.

To listen to the podcast, click on the image above.

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Filed under National Parks, National Parks Traveler, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Podcast

Tagged as Canon, landscape, landscape photography, National Park, national parks, National Parks Traveler, national seashore, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, Podcast, sunrise, 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

November 16, 2019 · 9:00 am

Dawn Along The Seashore

How about a nice, peaceful, beach scene colored by the blush of “rosy-fingered dawn” to start your weekend? I have a feeling dawn won’t be as pretty where I live – it’s been overcast with a low cloud ceiling for the past few days.

Padre Island National Seashore in Texas is a great place to watch the sun rise. I got there at dark-thirty a.m. and just watched the play of colors over the sky and Gulf of Mexico, as the shore birds pattered along the water’s edge looking for breakfast.

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Filed under 1DX, birds, Canon, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, Canon Lens, National Parks, nature, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Seasons, Spring, sunrise, Texas, Travel

Tagged as 100-400mm, 1DX, April, beach, Canon, Canon 1DX, dawn, morning, national seashore, Padre Island, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, pink, rosy, shore bird, spring, springtime, sunrise, telephoto, telephoto landscape, Texas, where the trails take you

January 17, 2018 · 5:18 am

Photography In The National Parks: My Five Faves From 2017

Happy New Year! The National Parks Traveler published my first article of the New Year regarding photography in our national parks. This first article deals with my five favorite images captured in 2017.

To read more, click on the photo to be taken to the article.

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Filed under 1DX, 5DS, 5DSR, Canon, Equipment, Glacier National Park MT, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, National Parks Traveler, nature, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography, Travel

Tagged as Canon, Glacier National Park, Hawai'i Volcanoes, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, Montana, Mount Rainier National Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, National Park, national parks, National Parks Traveler, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, Rebecca Latson Photography, rebeccalatsonphotography, Texas, Washington

July 26, 2017 · 11:39 am

Hatch And Release At Padre Island National Seashore

I’m a little slow about getting back into the swing of things these past couple of weeks. I was in Washington State where I spent a week visiting my sister and her family and then a week in Mount Rainier National Park. While this was going on, the National Parks Traveler published a photo story I wrote about my experience photographing a Kemp’s ridley hatchling release up close and in person, during a few days spent at Padre Island National Seashore back in early June. It was a wonderful, uplifting event and I want to share it here with you readers. Click on the photo to be taken to the article.

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Filed under Events, National Parks Traveler, Padre Island National Seashore, Photography

Tagged as babies, baby, Canon, hatchling, June, Kemp's ridley, National Park, National Parks Traveler, national seashore, Padre Island National Seashore, Rebecca Latson Photography, rebeccalatsonphotography, summer, Texas, turtle, TX, wildlife

June 27, 2017 · 6:40 am

Early Summer at Padre Island National Seashore

My latest photography article has been published to the National Parks Traveler site. It’s a summer visit version of my April visit to Padre Island National Seashore in Texas.

Click on the photo to be taken to the article.

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

Tagged as Canon, National Park, National Parks Traveler, national seashore, Padre Island, Padre Island National Seashore, photography, Rebecca Latson Photography, rebeccalatsonphotography, summer, Texas, texas coast, travel