I have a comfortable backlog of photos now, but please keep sending them in. Good ones, please. They don’t have to be professional quality (some readers think they have to match the very best photos that have appeared on this site), but they should be appealing and well composed–and in focus! Please add the Latin binomial of any species you send. Thanks!
Reader Damon sent us a variety of photos; his notes and IDs are indented. And there’s a bobcat!
Attached are some photos of wildlife from South Texas that I took over the summer.
This the best photo of a Bobcat (Lynx rufus) that I’ve taken so far. The cat was focused on a cottontail rabbit on the opposite side of wire fence. The bobcat was so focused on that rabbit that I was able to observe him and take photos for about 10 minutes before the bobcat noticed me. This is the last photo that I took. The bobcat retreated into the brush once it noticed me. I’ve wondered if the cat would have actually charged the rabbit. Perhaps it wasn’t able to visually perceive the fencing?
A male Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus):
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja):
Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris):
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus):
Two photos of a male Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus). My impression is that this brood parasite is now more common in South Texas than its relative the Brown-headed Cowbird (M. ater):
Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis aka Cnemidophorus gularis). These lizards are abundant on the university campus where I work. The whiptails are not tame but they are also not very fearful of humans.
Black Caterpillar Hunter (Calosoma sayi):
Beautiful! That bobcat is especially an handsome specimen. Been a long time since I had seen a caterpillar hunter. I used to see a lot of these in my olde haunts.
All are fine shots, Damon. All carefully composed.
Great pics Damon. Love the bobcat and the Ani!
Heading to S Texas soon. Thanks for the great preview.
South Texas has some amazing birds. Great shot of the bobcat. I’ve seen them around here, but have never had a camera handy when I do. How big is the caterpillar hunter; I’ve never seen one of those.
That is a very unusual looking Bobcat. very slender face and no “cheeks”. I wonder….