05/17/13 ** Day 23 ** Exhausted today….got up at 4am and got ready to head out to the ranch. Saw it was overcast tho, so I took my time. Wanted to hit the area at what I call “Turkey Crossing” at the end of the roosting area on the river. But I took my time due to the overcast weather. I decided to hunt armadillo. On the way, I spotted a big white dog at the old Dinero store on 534 and Jones Road. I went, “NO, you can’t have it”, to myself and continued to the ranch.

I loaded up the “mule” and off I went. Drove thru the Cattle Pen field and got “cat-called” by Donald, the Donkey. No Armadillos!! Then drove around a bit and ended up at the “Turkey Crossing”, set up by 7:30 and waited. Actually I scared off the Green Heron cause I had to clean up the “trash” that was up against the log and the water level to the river had dropped. wow!! I waited till about 9:15a and called it. I had another turkey “fly” over me to land on the other side. That’s why I call it what I do!!!  Then the clouds started to look like it would clear, but it was on and off.

I drove on up to “Lions, Tigers & Bears” looked around and found “nada”. It was still a bit overcast and I said well, let’s head to the “Big Slue”. As I was driving up the wooded area away from “LTB”, I heard and felt this, sputter/gurgle coming from the “mule”. I went, “uh oh, that don’t sound good”. I turned off on the road headed to the “Big Slue” and the sputtering got worse, then the engine died. Hmmmmm, no gas!! Wish these things had a gas gauge. Anyways, I called one of the landowners and he was out of town. Then I called the 2^nd landowner a couple of times, finally got a hold of him and he came right over and filled up the tank. Good thing it was still overcast cause it was getting hot. I spotted a coyote while waiting tho, no photo, but it was neat to see. Had I not been able to find anyone, it was a good 2 mile walk to civilization!!! Folks, I’m in the boonies out there.

I finally made it to the “Big Slue” and drove around looking for the Armadillo. I ended up at the 2^nd river access area, got out of the “mule” and took my smaller camera with me, but saw some egret across the river and wanted my “big mama” for a better shot. Not for the contest but for me!! While I was getting the camera, a boat came thru and scared them off. Dratz!! I found some cool areas on the bank, but decided to hike along the upper bank and see what I could see! George had told me he’d spotted a Kingfisher last week, but I couldn’t find the area. As I was under the tree canopy, I saw an owl land in the tree ahead of me. I tried to get a photo it flew off. I said, I’ll get you laters!! I figured it was a “Barred Owl”.

I hiked almost to the property line and headed back into the “Big Slue” I had hiked probably a little over ¼ mile, so I had to head back another ¼ mile. Folks, it was getting warm out there….I then calsearched for the owl. I figured it was a Barred and I wasn’t disappointed. Two came to visit. Got one “decent” shot, but the trees were in the way. Here is one where I missed, but he didn’t. Aren’t they awesome birdies.

It got hot in this area, so I finally left about noon having driven all the way to the opposite end of the “Big Slue”, and wow, you’ve gotta keep your eyes open, there are some big ruts out there. This area was the upper most part of Lake Corpus Christi and use to be underwater, it’s immense.

I headed out and drove thru the portions of the ranch I’d never hit before and just had a great time finding my way out!! Finally left at 1:30pm ending a great morning session there, but noticing there were 2 pups, not just one, at the Dinero store that someone had “dumped” there. I’m hoping someone decides to take them in. A friend that lives in the area checked on them since I was almost home. I’d called her to see if there was a shelter that’d take them in, but no such luck. She said someone had left them water and food, so no telling who left them there. They weren’t there yesterday, so they had to have been dumped after I went by at 1pm 05/16/13….so sad!! God be with these young pups and I hope someone will take them in. ♥ s

Barred Owl

05/16/13 ** Day 22 ** Another great day in the field!! Got to the ranch at 6:10am and set up at Pond 1 again, Jones’ part of the ranch. I put out fruit and corn hoping the birdies would find it. Was doing great until 8:24am, the deer feeder went off and it had food this time. So much for my perch. The birdies decided they wanted the corn from the feeder. I got to see lots of different birdies today. There were more Indigo Buntings and a female Indigo. I believe this is a Wilson’s Warbler that showed up for a dip!! The Yellow-breasted Chat came back, but can’t get a good photo of it. I saw rabbits at the deer feeder as I was breaking to go back to the area where the roadrunner hangs out. I decided to stay a bit longer and get a few shots. Ended up getting a good one of a White-tipped Dove. Those birdies are hard to shoot, they are skiddish.I headed back to the field north of the ranch house and set up for the roadrunner. I called him in and he finally answered. He came up a couple of times but couldn’t get a good shot of it. I worked him for about an hour. It was hot tho. I felt like I was in a sauna. About 11:30am I decided to call it a day, but as I was taking stuff down, a Bewick’s Wren came up to within 3 feet of me. I figured there must be a nest close by. I set up and started photographing it. Yepper, I found the nest too and got some great shots of this tinnie little birdie.

I finally left at 12:30pm. I had a great shoot despite the fact that the roadrunner was still “toying” with me. I’ll get him tho. It’ll just take a couple of more days, I hope!!

Have a great weekend folks. Remember to enjoy God’s beauty whenever you get a chance, sure will make a difference in your day!! s

Yellowbreasted Chat

05/14/14 ** Day 20 ** Another “1” for nature and “0” for Sylvia. I was told that the Armadillos are very active after 5pm. Well, I myself don’t like to leave the house after 5pm. I’ve usually put in a long day and I just don’t wanna go out. BUT, since there “might” be a possibility of finding one, I relented and went out at 5pm. I got to the ranch at 5:30pm and began my search, driving very slowly down the ranch road to the railroad tracks, then over to the cattle pen area. I looked around and found nothing but cows & calves. I did drive down into the field and found a young scissortail, photographing it, but nothing spectacular. The cows were following the Jeep all over the area I was driving around on, guess they were looking for a treat…funny, I didn’t see Donald, the donkey!!! Oh well, I went on down the ranch roads and continued to look, ending up at the Fishing Hole, nada!!! I came back towards the gate again driving slowly and I thought I spotted something and headed in that direction, finding a rabbit (finally) in the brush. I took a few photos, but again, nothing spectacular. I went thru the cattle pen field again, still not finding an armadillo and decided to head to the Jones part of the ranch. I drove thru the open gate into the back field and just took a drive thru there looking. I saw two doe in the field next to Pond 1, but nothing else. I went to the Horse Field and drove thru there, nothing, not even a rabbit. What an evening. Well, I’d promised I’d only be out there an hour, so I had to leave. As I was driving down Jones Road, a coyote ran out in front of me then made its way into the property. Such a cool place to be able to see nature this way. Wish everyone could!! God bless, I’ll find that armadillo, I just hope it will be before 06/01/13….  s

Cottontail

05/13/13    Day 20 ** Wow, what an awesome morning!! I went to Pond 1 at the Jones portion of the ranch getting there by 6:10a and setting up by 6:30am. Took too long, I need to be set up by 6am. Maybe tomorrow. It was quiet most of the morning, I almost dosed off when I noticed activity at the other side of the pond. A Cooper’s Hawk, wow, taking a morning bath. BUT, a mesquite limb was in the way….awwwww, dratz!! I got several shots, but the limb just wouldn’t move!!! Oh well, shoulda done something with it earlier in the contest. How depressing!!! The landowner’s son came by and I asked him if he had loppers, he said he didn’t, but he’d come back by with them. About 30 minutes later, he came over with 2 set and we proceeded to take down that offending limb!!!! It’s gone now. I was very appreciative to him for helping me with it, as it was over the water and hard to take down. He got it tho and proceeded on home!!! Yay!!

I photographed and Orchard Oriole, Lazuli Bunting (across the pond), Couches Kingbird, Painted Bunting, White-tipped Dove, Green Jays, Lady Painted Buntings, Yellow Warblers, and I saw several types of Doves and a Magnolia Warbler….so many types of birdies….even a squirrel came for a visit. I watched a ground hog pushing dirt out of its hole across from me, but it never came out. I stayed until about 1pm, then as I was working my way out, a Roadrunner ran out in front of the Jeep with food in its beak. I stopped and tried to call him, but he was fast!!! I got this photo that was too far out as he grabbed a grasshopper and popped it into his beak. Yepper, very fast. I finally left out at 1:45pm and headed home, thinking how I was gonna set up again in the morning!!! We will see what God blesses me with then!!! s

Roadrunner

05/11/2013 ** Oh what an incredibly awesome day for a parade!!!! I just couldn’t be more proud of my little town of Beeville. The show of support from our citizens for our veterans was overwhelming. I walked from my house to N. Washington street then made my way up N. Washington to W. Huntington, about a mile if not a bit more. I took photos along the way of folks showing their support as they waited for the parade to start. I made it to W. Huntington & N. Washington and photographed everything and everyone (I hope) that was in the parade. It was amazing. I don’t usually do parades anymore, but this one was special. My brother was in it carrying a photo of our  dad, Prudencio G. Garcia, a WWII Army Air Corp Veteran. It was awesome!!! My best bud’s husband Bob was also on one of the trailers, so I took photos of him. Then I walked/ran the distance back to downtown. I wanted to get a photo of the “last man” with the courthouse behind him. I sorta got it, but not exactly what I wanted he was walking fast, but it did come out okay. Thank you to my friends, family, neighbors and our awesome town for having made it to this fantastic parade!!! ♥ God bless our veterans!! They gave their all for our freedom!!! ♥ s

http://www.sylviagarcia-smith.com/gallery/v/051113_Vets_OL/

Honoring our Vietnam Vets!!!

05/09/13  Day 19 ** It was a great morning so I drove out to the ranch at 7:30am, didn’t wanna wake the residents cause I was gonna spend time close to the ranch house. I got there at 8am and set up by 8:20am. It was overcast and that helped a bit, but I tried using a flash unit set at -3 to help light up the subjects. Didn’t work. I didn’t use the flash bracket around the lens barrel, so that might have had something to do with it. Not sure, cause I did the same thing with some squirrel photos and had “red eye” there. Anyways, I got there and had to deal with the horses for a while. They wanted some treats and I couldn’t put out food for a while. They kept getting closer and I went and tried to “shoo” them away at one point. About 9am, they decided to walk out of the field, so I finally set up the oranges and seed I had. The birds came in, but no unusual ones showed up. Just the Yellow Warbler and a Painted Bunting. I called in a Roadrunner and he kept coming by, but he’d make a circuit behind me from one field to the next. He was being stubborn. I know where he lives now, so I’ll get him next time around!!! I worked him on and off for the 4 hours I was there. I got a few photos, but most had “steel eyes” so I can’t use those. I finally had to call it at noon due to having to go to the college at 2pm and take some exams I didn’t take in November before graduation. It was a better day today than it was on Tuesday. I just hope to see some different critters as this contest comes to an end!! Blessings all!!! ♥ s

Painted Bunting

05/07/13 ** Day 18 ** Went out today and spent the day at Jones Pond. Hadn’t worked this one, so wasn’t sure what I’d get. It was “bird central” but the birdies just wouldn’t pose right for me. I was facing south East, so I was getting too much back lighting. I had gone and found some perches to set up around the eastern portion of the pond and put down seed. I took down some more brush and raked up some leaves then set up my chair on the west side of the pond. The perches worked, but not how I wanted them to work, too much backlighting or shadows. It got pretty frustrating, so I will have to change things around next time. I finally decided to work dragonflies, which can either be easy or hard. Today, it was hard. Got a couple of “decent” shots, but nothing spectacular, gonna try again on Thursday morning if the weather holds up. I will move myself to a better position. The sun was beating down on me by 11:30am and I started getting dehydrated even tho I had water. I decided to call it about 1pm due to the heat and the problems I was having. I got a couple of “okay” shots, but I hope to do better. We have 3 weeks left, so I hope stuff starts to get better soon!!! God has blessed me tremendously, I know, just hoping I get another awesome shot along the way!! ♥ s  ** ps: This is a Yellow Warbler!!

Yellow Warbler

05/05/13 ** Day 17 ** Wow!! What an incredibly awesome morning this morning. I had this tremendous urge to go to the ranch. Had planned just to go out this evening an do star trails, but I just had to drive out there this morning. George was already there, but I showed up at 7:15am and “obtained” the mule and headed to the River!!! It was cold, about 50°, but when I got close to the railroad tracks, I spooked about 50 Mississippi Kite and they all flew towards where George was at. He was happy!!! ☺ Then at the gate into the cattle area, I saw 3 of them in the mesquite to my left. Got “big mama” out, set up on the tripod and started shooting. I walked into the gated area and the kites just let me walk up to photograph them!! Wow!! Got several shots of one of them perching. Then I left the area and found a roadrunner that I worked, nothing grand, but I got it. I proceeded to the river, spooking turkey and deer at the Turkey Grove roost, then down to the slue and the river. I was set up by 8:15am and ready. I did go into the river to clear the tree I wanted to clear from the log, climbing the log even to get what I wanted done. Talk about precarious. Someone woulda had some good snaps of me on the log, that’s for sure, but it’s ready for photo ops!!! I got a turtle and even a snake came up. Then a jet skier came by and spooked my turtle. But the fun part was to happen about 2 hours later. This turkey is across the river. Aren’t they just “regal” looking, this one and several others “flew” across the river to my side a little later and I got several in flight as they passed the middle of the river!! Wow, It was grand and I went, YES, YES, thank YOU God for this awesome blessing. That was it, I got what I wanted (praying hard for it) and then I packed up and moved on. Donald, the donkey came up to say goodbye and I got a couple of shots of him. But he was “snooty” cause I didn’t have a treat for him, but oh well!! Folks, sometimes my days might not have much, but I’m truly grateful for what our Heavenly Father blesses us with. I hope we can capture some winners during this session,George & I, hope you like the photo “rejects” that I’ve been posting and my adventures to boot!!! God continue to bless you all, I know He has me!!! ♥ s

Turkey

05/04/13 Day 16 ** Whata day!!! Got up “late” cause of the residual pain in my hip kept me up half the night, but I got to the ranch at 7:30am (cold!!! 48°) I sprayed myself down with bug spary, then loaded up the “mule” and went to the River by way of Turkey’s Roost!! I scared off about 10 deer as I drove into the “Roost”, wow!! Anyways, I got set up and got ready at what river bank I could muster and I was about 2 minutes too late, I missed a Green Heron as it was eyeing the perches I had to work with. Oh well, I did get some critters come up, so it wasn’t a wasted day. Took this of a Little Blue Heron after it had escaped my “shutter”!!  I moved from the river and headed down to the “Lions, Tigers & Bears” path. More deer there, but just made a swing thru and drove then thru the Little Slue “literally”. I made some paths today with that awesome “mule”. I got back to the Jones part of the ranch at 12:45pm and had to load up the Jeep quick. Got a text that the family shoot I was to do at 5:30pm needed to be moved up to 2pm. Wow!!  I got back home at 1:15pm, got out of my gear and took a quick shower, just in case I picked up “chiggers” again, then dressed and met the folks at the Courthouse. That was the best area due to the high and harsh sunlight. The shoot was great. 19 people all together, all a Mother’s day gift. Mom loved it, she participated. Had a great time with the group. Everyone had fun, I think, a couple of  “younger” members weren’t so sure!!! Have a blessed weekend my friends!! ♥ s

Little Blue Heron

04/27/13  Day 15

Another great day at the ranch, seems like every time I go out there it’s awesome, even when it’s overcast. I’m not very fond of overcast days, but they do have their purpose. I went into the Jones portion of the ranch via another route and saw a bunch of Gray Hawk (juveniles) in the Horse Field, dratz!!! I tried photographing them, but they were too far out.

I made it to Pond 1 at 7:45a and set up for photos. It was very overcast and looked like rain. I got all I needed and waited. I did put out bird seed on the feeding station. But had to go in and adjust the station since something had climbed on it and loosened it up. It took awhile, but birds showed up. Lots of different types, a Louisiana Water thrush, several White-tipped doves (I was surrounded by them), a couple of Yellowbreasted Chats and a Common Yellowthroat, along with cardinals, green jays, Curve billed-thrashers, all sorts of critters, but no fur!! Oh well, I will take what God gives me. Hopefully the days will be clearer next week. I was there until noon and finally took up my stuff. I did get a roadrunner to come in, but he wouldn’t come too close. It was hilarious to see his head popup over the berm and go back down. Cute!!

I checked the ranch house and was greeted with a chorus of howling from all the dogs. They are so cute. I didn’t see any hummers, but I’ll be ready the next time I go out there.

As I was leaving, I spotted a young Gray Hawk in the Horse field and spent some time taking photos. Then I did the fence line and cactus flowers, but since it was overcast, the photos look drab. The sprinkling continued on and off and I finally left at 2pm. I thank God for the sprinkles, it’s better than nothing!!! God bless my friends!! ♥ s

Yellowbreasted Chat