judy myers

My husband and I make road trips almost every weekend to take pictures. We live in South Texas near Houston and our main photography interest is wildlife. We have been to Brazos Bend several times, and the NWR's at San Bernard, Brazoria and Anahuac.

Does anyone have any recommendations for parks or refuges within a weekend trip range that offer good opportunities for photographing wild life?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Judy

copuswalker

I cannot remember the name of the State Park (day use) north of Kingwood. Lake Sheldon???? I have heard good things about it. I may remember if I drink a beer later.

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jeff parker

Aransas NWR although the species will be pretty much the same as Brazos Bend, you might get lucky with a Whooping Crane. Choke Canyon SP is good for whitetails and turkey.

ploddinTod

Although the place I'm about to describe is not in a state park, it's close to Huntsville SP. There is a primitive 8 to 10 mile loop off of the Lone Star Hiking Trail that had the most wildlife I've seen on any hiking trail. It is called the Four Notch Loop.
I saw a yellow tail hawk, spooked a wild turkey (or did he spook me :rolleyes: ), almost stepped on a coral snake and was stared down by a family of feral hogs. That was scary; I kid you not that one of 'em took a step or two in my direction.

judy myers

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I have had the flu or a cold for the past week (brought on when down at the beach when a norther hit, the waves and spray were beautiful, so idiot that I am, I stood in the rain for an hour taking pictures) and have not been doing much of anything for the past week but blowing my nose so have not checked the site until today.

Thanks again

Judy

Shannon

You too, Judy? Justin brought home the flu right before Thanksgiving, and just when he'd been nursed back to relative health (he still has a bit of a cough), I started heading downhill. Whatever I got wasn't the flu, since I was put on a preventative flu prescription when Justin got sick. There's just too many darn bugs, virii and allergens out there!

Hope you feel better soon. We spent an afternoon at the coast last weekend, but we flew in (Justin took my father and I down there for some sightseeing and aerial photography). On that visit, temperatures were back to the normal "winter" high of the low to mid-80s. :-)

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gkipbrumble

The opportunities for birding and breath taking natural surroundings are as good at Caddo Lake in North East Texas as any where I have ever visited ANYWHERE !!

Shannon

Caddo's one (of many) locales Justin and I have yet to visit. Of course, we've seen photos and such of the area. Gorgeous, ethereal stuff -- those towering bald cypress, the Spanish moss, the water, and so much I'm leaving out... gotta love this state!

My personal motto is any place I haven't been yet is a perfect place for photography... of course, the follow-on to that statement is that nearly any park I've visited in the past is worth of return visit, AS WELL. It's really hard to go wrong... getting out and changing one's perspective, really seeing the world instead of allowing oneself to be pushed blindly along by it, that's the great magic and mystery of the outdoors, to me.

Sorry, getting all philosophical there. I'm just reminded of how beautiful even the most "ordinary" setting is, when viewed with "different eyes". It's why I love flying with Justin so much. Seeing even everyday sights, like a rock quarry or highway interchange, from above (ergo, with "different eyes") brings out the beauty and symmetry we so often miss in daily life. I do prefer natural sights to man-made ones, but use the example to illustrate the beauty that is bound up in all things and just waiting for us to see it.

(Methinks I've seen too much Lord of the Rings: Return of the King... I'm talking like an elf or druid!)

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Your Host @ WildTexas.com
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gkipbrumble

I grinned a the way through your reply. If you get up this way please check out our B&B. We would love to meet you. My wife and I are in love with Caddo. We spend as much time as we can soaking in the boundless beauty. We also go to the hill country and have a trip to the big bend country planned.

God Bless

Batlise

Corpus has been almost a mecca lately for brown pelicans. I've gotten some great shots .....

Bats (Batlise)