The dog days of summer are done and it’s cooling off a bit…from 103 to around 97 degrees. The birds are molting like crazy, so forget photographing them unless you are into naked birds. On the other hand, some of the south Texas mammals look pretty good in their short fur, so some of us have been braving the heat in hopes of getting javelina, deer, bobcats, rabbits and ground squirrels. I did miss photographing through most of July and August because my equipment was in the shop or inoperative.
There was a little mishap in July that resulted in the dunking of my Canon 1D Mark III and Canon 50 D plus the 100-400 mm and 16-35 mm lenses that were attached. After the hurricane and heavy rains across south Texas and northern Mexico in June, the International Boundary and Water Commission was forced to release mountains of water from Amistad and Falcon Dams into the Rio Grande above us. The floodways filled and the river flowed over its banks for weeks. Several of us scientist, environmentalist, and journalist types decided to take a little canoe/kayak ride into Santa Ana Refuge to document the affects of flooding and, of course, I took along my photo equipment to capture what we saw. You guessed it, my canoe partner lost his hat over the deepest place in the refuge, reached to get it, and before we could say ”oh scat”, we were treading water in a deep, swift current. The boat filled with water and the cameras were in the bottom of the boat.
My gear was insured and the company was helpful and responsive. Canon is repairing the Mark III and 16-35 mm lens (both should arrive here by Fed Ex this afternoon). I replaced the irrepairable 50 D (with a 7D) and 100-400 mm lens and have been using them for about a week now. Sad to say, my canoeing partner’s equipment wasn’t insured so he lost a pocket camera and binoculars. After we tipped, he was able to grab a tree and I swam ( Ican swim like a duck…ask Greg Lasley if you don’t believe me. Anyway, things are getting back to normal and I am eager to begin photographing the bird migration, some landscapes, and maybe even a few rutting pronghorns in the next few weeks.
If any of you are in the Uvalde, Texas area on Friday, September 24, drop by the First State Bank of Uvalde and check my a photo exhibit and sale. I’d be thrilled to see you.
There is one other important note for all of you who like to attend workshops and photo tours. I am slashing rates to make it easier for more of you to attend. Take a look at the Photo Tour schedule at www.larryditto.com. Note that I’ve added south Texas ranches to the list and you will great rates. By this time tomorrow, I am preparing the writeup for a workshop near Ozona, Texas for April, so keep a watch on the tour schedule. Again, you will note that the rates are the best ever.
Here are a few late summer shots from the Santa Clara Photography Ranch west of Edinburg. Click in the upper right of a photo to open in large format.
Paddle Faster...I think I hear banjos. Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge during the July flood event.
The canoeing photo was done, free handed, using Canon 1D Mark III and 16-35 mm lens with polarizer. For this kind of photography, one has to keep the cameras ready to fire…not in a waterproof bag. Of course, the bag would have saved the camera from getting wet when we tipped our canoe. You will have to decide which will work best for you when over water.
Paper Wasp flying from ranch pond during a hot, uneventful mid-afternoon sit in a photo blind.
When you are sitting in a blind on a 103 degree day and the animals aren’t moving yet, there are always wasps watering at the pond. This shot was done with my old, very slow Canon 20D camera, 500 mm lens, 2X teleconverter and 25 mm extension tube. I never got the shot with one facing me and just over the water.
Just before sunrise, the javelinas arrive hoping to find some corn around the photography blind.
All was quiet at the photo blind pond when this molting ground-dove approached for a drink.
Testing the auto focus capabilities of my new Canon 7D with a running cottontail.
A nervous doe white-tailed deer backing away from the pond when my camera shutter begins to click.
A vociferous Great Kiskadee appeared at the photo blind pond one afternoon, but was too cautious to come down for a drink.
This Greater Roadrunner kept its wings spread and bill open to stay cool on a hot August afternoon.
One always hears the vocalizing Groove-billed Anis long before they arrive at the photo blind pond for a drink and bath. Those big bills are perfect tools for separating legs and wings from juicy grasshoppers.
Hispid Cottonrats are common around bird feeders on south Texas ranches. Sometimes, their predators are, too. Last week, a big diamondback was lurking under the nearby bushes hoping to grab an unsuspecting rodent.
When the birds are molting, I prefer not to place perches around the water hole. This keeps the banks free of distracting objects as mammals and birds approach the water.
In a wet year like this one, Northern Bobwhites may produce more than one brood. These chicks are probably hatch number two.
They (the chicks) are adorable…..I hope I get something like this sometime. I’m still working on finding a ranch to partner with on the contest…..hope to get this good someday….thanks for sharing your awesome photos….sylvia