Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Texas.....
I'm in the very early stages of planning a trip to Texas.. Here's my plan so far:
Feb 25th - talk at the bird study group meeting in Hamilton...
Feb 26th onwards - when ready, drive to Texas... Plan to do lots of in-car sleeping and at least 90-95% bird photography...
Sometime in March - drive home from Texas...
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Note how I'm lacking any actual destinations or specices specific plans... The general goal of my photography trips is to shoot species that we don't have (or a are very hard to photograph) around here..
Presumably I'll have the best luck in the Rio Grande area, so that's probably where I'll focus..
I went through ebird, and picked out some species that I'd really like to photograph (as examples)..
-- I'd probably limit my time with waterbirds, but I would NOT pass up the chance to get some really awesome species like Long-billed Curlew, Gull-billed Tern, etc
--- I'd LOVE to get some of the different raptors like White-tailed Kite, Zone-tailed and White-tailed Hawk etc
-- Plain Chachalaca
--- Unusual doves like Inca, White-tipped etc
-- Roadrunner
--- Green Kingfisher
-- Golden-fronted Woodpecker
--- Vermillion Flycatcher - very high - with other cool fly's like Scissor-tailed or Kiskadee
-- Green Jay
--- Verdin
-- Cactus Wren
-- Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrashers
--- Sprague's Pipit
-- Tropical Parula
--- Olive Sparrow
-- Other cool sparrows like Lark, Black-throated, Cassin's etc
--- Pyrrholuxia
-- Bronzed Cowbird
--- Hooded/Altimria/Audubon's Oriles (high on the wish list)
-- Lesser Goldfinch
Just some examples, but I figure if I chose some specific species as general targets, I'll photograph everything else around as well - and that should give me a pretty good haul...
The only species I'd probably specifically target (and really go out of my way to get) is Golden-cheeked Warbler...
So yeah.... Any tips??
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A lot of those birds are "feeder birds" at several places, so shouldnt be hard. Don't forget to track down Parauque as well...
ReplyDeleteOther things will require some more work/patience/research, i.e. the pipit and sparrows other than Olive.
Very much looking forward to seeing some pics.
ReplyDeleteOne spot i was considering incorporating into a Texas trip was Sandia Crest (New Mexico). more info at http://www.rosyfinch.com/
ReplyDeleteI would think Wormington might have some advice. I hear its like a whole 'nother country haha
ReplyDeleteSo how far west are you willing to go? Big Bend? Davis Mountains? El Paso? Texas is, of course, huge. I lived in west Texas and can give you pointers if you're heading that way.
ReplyDeleteAt Alan's suggestion, we camped in Palo Duro State Park, in the panhandle - great camping, & birds:
http://ebird.org/ebird/canada/view/checklist?subID=S8206308
The lower RGV isn't as safe as it once was. Make sure your gear is insured.
Have a great trip!
M
Yeah, all those species should be pretty easy to get. Yeah, from being there successively from 2007-2009 in the winter you could see the crazy stuff happening in Mexico...
ReplyDeleteLots of great spots to check tho...it'll blow ur mind.