Artist's Favorites

'Wetland Forest Elder'

Old growth Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum). Growing up to 120 feet tall with a trunk 3 to 6 feet in diameter, bald cypresses are frequently referred to as giants. They are native to the southeastern United States and Gulf Coast, being well-adapted to wet conditions along riverbanks and swamps. This particular tree is hundreds of years old and is several feet in diameter.

'Knee' of Bald Cypress. This feature with what bald cypresses are really known for. The technical term is Pneumatophore, which means 'air-bearing', and is a special kind of root. Pneumatophores grow from horizontal roots just below the surface and protrude upward from the ground or water. Bald cypresses often grow in swampy conditions, and it

A Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) stands at the edge of the Lake Woodlands spillway which flows into Panther Branch below. The genus name 'Actitis' is from Ancient Greek aktites, "coast-dweller". This bird species is common to the U.S. Gulf Coast and can be found not only along coastal shores, but several miles inland. They are commonly seen scurrying about picking up small insects and other bits of food along the shallow waters edge.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) with bright blue breeding plumage. The demand for the feathers of snowy egrets, white ibises, and great blue herons in the late 19th and early 20th centuries made these birds a target. By 1886, more than 5 million birds were being massacred yearly to satisfy the North American millinery trade.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) stands in the shallow waters along the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, Texas. The demand for the feathers of snowy egrets, white ibises, and great blue herons in the late 19th and early 20th centuries made these birds a target. By 1886, more than 5 million birds were being massacred yearly to satisfy the North American millinery trade.

A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) stands in a shallow area along the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. Normally though of as coasta birds, Herons are commonly seen far inland in the Texas Hill Country along lakes and rivers. The demand for the feathers of snowy egrets, white ibises, and great blue herons in the late 19th and early 20th centuries made these birds a target. By 1886, more than 5 million birds were being massacred yearly to satisfy the North American millinery trade.

Great Egret (Ardea alba) and Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) in the early morning fog in The Woodlands, Texas.

Male Bald Eagle watching over nest at Hughes Landing in The Woodlands, Texas

A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) attempts to swallow a large Rainbow Trout on the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, Texas. Herons are stealthy hunters and can be ambitious at times with the prey they choose to swallow whole. This heron was photographed while it stalked a trout in the shallow rapids. After a few minutes of attempting to hoist the fish upwards, throw back its head, and swallow the fish whole, the heron gave up and released the fish to float downstream. Sometimes your eyes can be bigger than your stomach.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) among the early morning fog in The Woodlands Texas.

'Blue Guadalupe'

Guadalupe River - New Braunfels, Texas

High Plains of New Mexico. The High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains mostly in the Western United States. From east to west, the High Plains rise in elevation from around 1,800 feet (550 m) to over 7,000 feet (2,100 m). Due to low moisture and high elevation, the High Plains commonly experiences wide ranges and extremes in temperature. This area is also home to the fastest land mammal in North America, the Pronghorn.

A flock of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) at the Beaver Pond on the Spring Creek Nature Trail.

'Along Came a Spider'

An Orb-Wearver spider (Genus Eriophora) on its web at night. Eriophora is a genus of orb-weaver spiders found in the Americas, Australasia, and Africa. The name is derived from Ancient Greek roots, and means "wool bearing".

American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) resting in water along the Spring Creek Greenway. Once on the verge of extinction, American Alligators have made a comeback over the past 30 years due to protection and conservation efforts.

This Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera). A native wildflower to the Texas region. The colors and patterns give of an almost painted affect in the photography. Native wildflower are a great addition to your landscape and a good way to help reduce your dependence on a landscapes water needs.

Narrowleaf Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida). Notice the Fibonacci sequence that makes up the cone of this flower. The Fibonacci patterns are found throughout nature and is expressed as one of the most famous formulas in mathematics.

Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)

A Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) sits on a rock in the Guadalupe River in the early morning.

A Great Egret (Ardea alba) stands among the wetland grasses in The Woodlands, Texas. Egrets are stealthy aquatic hunters eating everything from frogs, to snakes, to fish.

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) mainly eats fish and hunts by swimming and diving. Its feathers, like those of all cormorants, are not waterproof and thus spends time drying them out after spending time in the water. Once threatened by the use of DDT, the banning of this chemical has helped to increase numbers of this species. But traces of DDT still remain in U.S. waterways, even after several decades since it was banned.

The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is a small heron found in North and Central America. They are commonly seen along the waters edge, standing very still, stalking unsuspecting prey beneath the surface. They have a wide variety in their diet ranging from small fish, amphibians, and insects. Even small snakes and lizards are fair game. Like most herons, they are an interesting species to watch as they move slowly and methodically to position themselves to catch their prey.

Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) ducks on a shallow pond in The Woodlands, Texas. Proving natural open spaces and water bodies is important to these and other migratory birds who vist the Houston and Gulf Coast region in the fall and winter months.

Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) in the early morning lake fog on the Spring Creek Nature Trail.

Great Egret (Ardea alba) and White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) feeding among the reeds and shallow waters along the Spring Creek Nature Trail.