Boat-tailed Grackles at Sunset

The first thing we notice when we get off the plane in Harlingen is the melodious song of boat-tailed and great-tailed grackles.  We’re  immediately in a different and exotic world. The Lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas is something else and we love to introduce photographers to the mixture of tropical birds, and harsh habitats outside the busy metro areas.

Cattle Egrets at Roost

South Texas sunsets can have a soft pastel pallet, very different from the high altitude sunsets we’re used to photographing in Colorado. The silhouettes of cattle egrets at their night roost are accented by soft pink and hazy sun.

Preening Snowy Egret

So finally settling into a blind and taking advantage of the beautiful south Texas light is very exciting. There are so many opportunities to blend into the landscape and see and photograph extraordinary wildlife.

Our May, 2010, photo workshop to Texas’  Lower Rio Grande Valley generated memorable experiences and beautiful photos. We explored private ranches, three World Birding Centers and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, discovering some of the distinctive wildlife south Texas is known for – – caracara, chachalaca, green jays, painted buntings, kiskadee, pyrrhuloxia — WOW! Here are a few favorites taken by our intrepid workshop participants:

Green Jay and Reflection

Scissortail Flycatcher Mobbing Caracara

Cardinal Bathing

Rio Grande Turkey

Blue Grosbeak

Caracara Portrait