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TD Wildlife Photography

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TD Wildlife Photography

Exploring Birds and other wildlife one photo at a time!

06/03/2026

Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)

From my perch high in the pecans bordering Mustang Creek, a flash of movement amidst the dense canopy betrays a nest of yellow-crowned night herons. I launch forward, my short, rounded wings beating a furious rhythm before folding tight to my body as I weave flawlessly through the tangled labyrinth of branches like a grey-brown missile.

The humid Texas air rushes past my ears, and my fierce crimson eyes lock onto a lone, downy hatchling left momentarily exposed in the twiggy platform. In a heartbeat, I am upon the nest, braking hard with a sudden, deafening flare of my long, striped tail as I thrust my talons forward, instantly securing the prey in my iron grip. With a powerful downward stroke of my wings, I pivot sharply away from the scene and swoop upward onto a massive, low-hanging branch of a nearby live oak. Safe within the deep shadows, I pin the hatchling to the bark beneath my feet, mantle my wings to hide my prize, and begin to tear into my well-earned meal.

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/28/2026

American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

The American bullfrog is the largest frog in North America, known for its deep, resonant "jug-o-rum" call that can carry for more than a quarter-mile. These absolute powerhouses are apex predators in their aquatic realms, sporting a voracious, indiscriminate appetite. They use a sit-and-wait ambush strategy to swallow anything they can overpower—including insects, fish, mice, birds, snakes, and even other bullfrogs. Their incredible legs allow them to leap up to 6 feet, making them highly effective hunters both on land and at the water's edge.

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/27/2026

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)

We are so lucky to have these Kites nesting in the tree right across the street from us! To get to see them up close like this and even swooping right above us as we are outside is truly amazing!

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/25/2026

Pond sliders (Trachemys scripta)

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/24/2026

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Strip away the snow-white feathers and look closely at the great egret—you’re looking at a living, breathing theropod dinosaur. Belonging to the lineage that survived the K-Pg extinction 66 million years ago, this wetland raptor is a masterpiece of prehistoric engineering. From its bipedal, digitigrade stride that leaves behind classic three-toed tracks, to the hollow, pneumatized bones it shares with T. rex, its Mesozoic heritage is written directly into its anatomy.

Nowhere is this ancient design more terrifyingly obvious than in its hunting strategy. Utilizing a specialized, spring-loaded S-neck that fires like a pneumatic piston, it strikes down prey with a dagger-like, diapsid skull at speeds that defy human reaction time. The next time you see this apex stalker frozen in the shallows, don't just see a bird—see a lineage that looked at the asteroid, survived the fire, and spent millions of years perfecting the art of the ambush.

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/23/2026

Summer blooms are in full swing and the pollinators are hard at work! In this sea of color, life is thriving. The butterflies are dancing from plant to plant and honey bees are buzzing about, bringing on a whole new world to explore on the macro level! Sometimes its nice to just slow down and notice the little things right in front of us.

Species shown:

Fiery Skipper butterfly (Hylephila phyleus)
Western Honey bee (Apis mellifera)

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)
Bee Balm (Monarda citriodora)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Summer lilac (Buddleja davidii)
Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
Sulphur Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus)

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/18/2026

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

A day in the life of a Yellow-crowned Night Heron hatchling is a waiting game played high above the swampy waters. Safe within a sturdy nest of twigs, the tiny, down-covered chick spends its morning eagerly watching the sky for its parents, who take turns foraging for food. Because these herons are primarily nocturnal, the daytime is mostly for sleeping, keeping cool under a parent's shading wings, and occasionally preening its fuzzy feathers. The real excitement happens during parental hand-offs, when the hungry hatchling begs with soft clicks and rasps to be fed a rich, regurgitated meal of mashed crabs and crayfish. As dusk falls and the shadows lengthen, the chick tucks itself safely back into the nest bowl, listening to the sounds of the wetlands while waiting for the next midnight delivery.

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/17/2026

Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)

Todays lesson: Coopers Hawk hunting tactics (seriously long version)

The Cooper’s Hawk is the ultimate avian stealth fighter. Unlike open-country hawks (like the Red-tailed Hawk) that soar high in the sky looking for movement, the Cooper’s Hawk is a specialized woodland stalker. Their entire body is engineered for high-speed, maneuverable ambushes in dense cover.

The Ambush:

-They perch quietly inside the dense canopy of a tree, completely hidden by foliage, using their incredible eyesight to scan for local songbirds or small mammals.

-Once they spot a target, they don't just fly straight at it. They map out a approach vector that uses backyard fences, bushes, or tree trunks to stay out of the prey's line of sight until the absolute last second.

The Pursuit:

-They have relatively short, rounded wings and a very long, rudder-like tail. This specific build allows them to fly at top speeds through incredibly tight spaces—weaving between thick branches, dodging fence posts, and tearing through dense brush without losing momentum.

-They rely heavily on the element of surprise. They will drop low to the ground, flying just inches above the grass or hugging a tree line, before suddenly popping over an obstacle to ambush an unsuspecting bird feeder or foraging flock.

-If the initial ambush fails and the prey takes flight, the Cooper's Hawk is fully capable of an aerial dogfight. They are incredibly persistent. They will match the twists and turns of a fleeing bird step-for-step, sometimes even turning completely upside down or crashing directly into thick bushes to grab their prey.

The Kill:

Unlike falcons, which typically kill their prey mid-air with a powerful blow or a bite to the neck, Cooper’s Hawks use their feet.

-They have exceptionally long, powerful legs and sharp talons.

-They catch their prey in mid-air or pin it to the ground, killing it by repeatedly squeezing it.

-Interestingly, Cooper's Hawks have also been documented holding their prey underwater in puddles or birdbaths until it drowns—a brutal but highly effective tactic.

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/14/2026

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

05/13/2026

Some wildlife around town lately.

Green Heron
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Northern Mockingbird
Eatsern Cottontail
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-eared Slider

Camera: EOS Rebel T3i

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