Hagerman NWR

January 28 drive through

2012-01-29T14:51:00.002-06:00

January 15 2012 drive through

2012-01-29T14:46:00.000-06:00

Dining at the reserve 11-27-2011

2011-12-09T20:42:00.003-06:00

Quiet lunch at the Reserve

This Northern Harrier shows up looking for his lunch.

The Harrier dipped down towards the feeding ducks. Maybe he just wanted some company in the air.
He is on the right hand side of the main body of birds and even with the dark grass line that you see at the middle of the page

Another quick pass by the harrier through the flock of ducks sent them in every direction. The harrier made some very quick course changes while the ducks were in the escape and evasion mode. I'll try to have better shots just as soon as I can up grade from this 70~200.

Along came A pair out looking for food

Armadillo looking for food.

These birds are laying low while all those hawks are around

You are in the landing pattern

The Geese relocating from the lake to the field for a midday feed.

Got Food

2nd Sunday even shorter

2011-09-11T18:32:00.000-05:00

2nd Saturday short trip

2011-09-10T20:18:00.000-05:00

Late Post from last month

2011-04-14T19:54:00.000-05:00

Male Pileated being shy

Bathing th waxwings

A fast trip to the Hagerman

2011-02-19T20:23:00.004-06:00

Norther Harrier

Crested Caracara

Flushed

Kestrel

Red Shouldered Hawk (Thanks Erich)

A short quick trip to th' Hagerman

2011-01-23T17:41:00.006-06:00

As we drove up to the end of Egret Drive. Wife saw the splashdown so to speak of the Osprey. The Osprey was taking off from the waters surface as we grabbed the camera, stopped the car and stepped out for a better view. Bid O vectored around a swarm of gulls until there was only a couple still in the chase. The shots were a long way off. I cropped the pictures about 90%. There is only so much you can do with 200mm of glass.

The Osprey loaded with fish still maintains a safe distance to it's pursuers.

The Osprey flew into the trees to the West of the reserve for the snack.

Hair Do

In Crowd

Not just another sunset

The Beach Creature and the Heron

Neighborhood Watch

Second Saturday

2010-09-12T13:35:00.009-05:00

The Cat

We returned Saturday in hopes of finding the Bob cat that surprised us last week (last post). We were easing through some of the access roads for the pump jacks on the western side of the refuge when we found this cat. When we first spotted it, the cat blended with the back ground very well. He was setting pretty still till I rolled down the window. Then he started moving around.

We also stared up into the tree, thinking another cat would be there. I think the cat was just measuring the amount of energy required to git up the tree and the to git back down.

See the cat?

The Birds

I tried laying on the ground, I tried walking up to these birds, but they kept their distance

Refuge Woodlands

and

of course the Turtle

Another very necessary link in the food chain, Mr T appears without any worldly issues, kicked back and sunnin on a log

Short Holiday

2010-09-05T09:39:00.000-05:00

Friday night the temperature dipped into the 60s. Wow, for some of us, that was a great start to the holiday weekend. I'm sure the wildlife was glad, too. Everything seemed to be on the move.

It must be time for a nap.

Least Terns I think.

Here is more terns from down south

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NvhQakb96po/SxR3833klTI/AAAAAAAAA_w/L8gZXeq0ivE/s1600/4+turns.jpg

Three amigos...

We all gotta eat. A Turtle munching on a fish.

These three had been down to the lake for a drink.

This kitty surprised us. We had been shooting aperture priority in bright sunlight (f32) and when we drove into the heavy shadows, the Bobcat chose to appear on the road. There was a culvert that runs under the roadway to a pool of water. When I first saw the cat he was moving away from the water. I guess he was as surprised to see us as we were to see him. He ran back to the culvert and ran through to the other side of the road. Sorry , I only managed three rapid shots from the camera as he turned to run. This one was shot at 1/25sec and f32. I didn't even think about the aperture setting. Typically when shooting it stays at f8~f11. If given the opportunity I'll do better next time. It is proof that you need to go to the wildlife refuges and witness some life.

Yep, He was there too! Maybe a little out of my camera's range. No Maybe to it...

Three out of four said this was a good fishing spot.

90 degrees in the Sun

2010-06-07T19:45:00.000-05:00

The Southerly breeze made photographing the butterflies and moths a bit tricky.

Hanging at the refuge

It is hard to believe that this was under water a few months ago

Tiger Swallowtail

A stroll (swim) in the park

30 Degrees in the Sun

2010-01-09T22:05:00.000-06:00

It is always a pleasure to drive up to the Hagerman.
The drive was prompted by the bright sunshine with only a slight breeze.

There was very little open water .
Food for the wildlife was hard to find .

I think this picture says it all. This Heron was
stalking and pecking at food under the ice.

This Heron flew out a hundred yards, then flew
back to original position. I kept waiting for the
Herons to land on the ice.

Red was at the Refuge Office eating.

more ice. After two or three days below
freezing , with temps in the low teens
the past two nights help create this giant ice rink

It was getting late, so I shot this with a flash
giving all the birds 'red eye'.

Food is where you find it.

Evening flights out to roost or parts unknown.

Wave action, wind, and temperature

Hagerman's Ice Hockey Team. There was

another group of birds to the East that had

a small amount of liquid to land in.

Cold cuts, little crunchy

Ice fishing buddies

Says it all.

Normally shy, this Blue allowed my approach

to get this close up.

As soon as the Sun went down the temperature dropped two degrees.

28degrees....

2010-01-02T21:49:00.000-06:00

Snow Geese

The 'into the sun' shots are from the New Viewing Stand

Northern Harrier

The Birds were leaving the feeding
area headed to the roosting.
Note: the backlit wings

Red Tailed Hawk

Barred Owl at the bridge

West of Egret Drive

Green Winged Teel

Heron and Minnow

Heron caught in the middle of

the swallow of a fine minnow.

A pair on Northern Shovelers

I think this is a Gadwall

Northern Pintail

Green Winged Teels

Sky full of Geese headed out.

Another shot from the new viewing stand

on Heron drive

Ducks getting the last bite

Geese Headed to the Roost...It was getting a little cool,

so I'll bid you good day and see you all next time.

Good Day!

2009-11-08T20:19:00.000-06:00

Some time ago I started taking pictures

here at Hagerman and generally I'd

post for you. There have been a few

times that I was driving through

and the pictures would be downloaded

and catalogued and never posted.

Might be a Senior moment. Well,

I found some of these shots tonight and

thought I'd post them here with the

latest catch.

I hope where ever you are, you are

having a wonderful season of

Thanks, of Giving and the start of a

New Year .

I just can't seem to pass up a Dragon Fly
even if the light was wrong

Not far from th' office

I have the audio, but have not figured

how to add it to the picture. They were

noisy.

I watched this Egret eat

several katydids. Evidently

the fishing was bad that day.

This one did OK.

2009-10-31T23:08:00.000-05:00

10-31-2009

2009-10-31T20:26:00.000-05:00

When you leave the sprinklers on too long.

A little fall color .

First Eagle

2009-01-04T19:46:00.000-06:00

My first Eagle ever....
This was one of my goals for last year.
The Horney Toad was the other.

Kingfisher ...fishing

Answers to 'Spike'

Heron out on a limb.

Redtail near the refuge

casual observer

Never park in the flight pattern of big birds...messy

Now you know why Bird watchers wear raincoats.

A Cardinal hiding from me.

Wouldn't sign a photo release either...

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

2008-07-05T22:57:00.000-05:00

Today I drove through Hagerman NWR. It is at Texoma Lake. Texoma Lake separates a portion of Texas and Oklahoma. There are roughly eleven thousand acres in the reserve. I will make a return visit when it gets a little cooler. Here is the link. I will try to post more pictures in the near future. http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/hagerman/