Michael Mathews

52 Posts
May
17
2025
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By Michael Mathews
How to Customize Your Nikon Z9/Z8 for Bird-in-Flight Shots

How to Customize Your Nikon Z9/Z8 for Bird-in-Flight Shots

Photography
So Good They Might Get Their Own Audubon Article Welcome back, feather fanatics! You’ve spent hours watching the sky, waiting for that perfect moment when a bird takes flight like a feathery missile. Then you fire off a burst… and the camera locks onto the background tree, or worse—nothing at all. We’ve all been there. But with a properly customized Nikon Z9 or Z8, you can transform into the kind of birder whose flight shots make other photographers mutter, “How the heck…?” Let’s break it down step-by-step so your next airborne egret or jet-powered swallow doesn't escape your focus—or your…
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May
16
2025
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By Michael Mathews
Where to Bird in Northeast Texas: Pines, Prairies, and a Whole Lotta Warblers

Where to Bird in Northeast Texas: Pines, Prairies, and a Whole Lotta Warblers

Birding Locations,
Before you grab your binocs and chase that next lifer, just a quick note: this list highlights some of the most popular birding locations in the region, with only the basics to get you started. Think of it as a beginner’s guide for your next birdy road trip. We’re working on adding even more locations, juicy details, seasonal tips, and probably a few “you had to be there” birder stories. And hey—if you’re out exploring Texas, keep an eye out for Michael in the Texas Birder camper. He’s crisscrossing the state one birding hotspot at a time, likely parked under…
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May
14
2025
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By Michael Mathews
Where to Bird Near Austin: Hill Country Highlights, City Surprises & Feathered Funk

Where to Bird Near Austin: Hill Country Highlights, City Surprises & Feathered Funk

Birding, Birding Locations,
Before you grab your binocs and chase that next lifer, just a quick note: this list highlights some of the most popular birding locations in the region, with only the basics to get you started. Think of it as a beginner’s guide for your next birdy road trip. We’re working on adding even more locations, juicy details, seasonal tips, and probably a few “you had to be there” birder stories. And hey—if you’re out exploring Texas, keep an eye out for Michael in the Texas Birder camper. He’s crisscrossing the state one birding hotspot at a time, likely parked under…
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May
13
2025
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By Michael Mathews
How to Set Back Button Focus – Nikon Z9 and Z8

How to Set Back Button Focus – Nikon Z9 and Z8

Photography
Because Your Thumb Deserves the Spotlight Back Button Focus on the Nikon Z9 and Z8 – Because Your Thumb Deserves the Spotlight Birders of Texas, lend me your ears—and more importantly, your thumbs. Today’s tutorial is all about giving your autofocus game an upgrade, specifically with the mighty Nikon Z9 and Z8. If you're still focusing by half-pressing the shutter button, you're basically living in the birding Stone Age (bless your heart). It’s time to join the modern bird photographer’s club with Back Button Focus (BBF)—a technique so elegant, you’ll wonder why Nikon doesn’t ship cameras with it turned on…
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May
07
2025
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By Michael Mathews
Where to Bird in South Texas: Tropics, Tangles, and Life Birds Around Every Bend

Where to Bird in South Texas: Tropics, Tangles, and Life Birds Around Every Bend

Birding Locations,
Before you grab your binocs and chase that next lifer, just a quick note: this list highlights some of the most popular birding locations in the region, with only the basics to get you started. Think of it as a beginner’s guide for your next birdy road trip. We’re working on adding even more locations, juicy details, seasonal tips, and probably a few “you had to be there” birder stories. And hey—if you’re out exploring Texas, keep an eye out for Michael in the Texas Birder camper. He’s crisscrossing the state one birding hotspot at a time, likely parked under…
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May
01
2025
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By Michael Mathews
How to Set Back Button Focus – Canon R5

How to Set Back Button Focus – Canon R5

Photography,
How to Set Up Back Button Focus (BBF) on Canon EOS R5 for Bird Photography Why Use Back Button Focus for Bird Photography? Because birds are not models. They don’t pose, they don’t wait, and they certainly don’t care if your autofocus is thinking about it. Back Button Focus gives you the power to decide when to lock in. When a bird lands perfectly on that branch — lock it. When it takes off like it’s late for a meeting — track it smoothly. By moving focus to a dedicated button, you avoid the classic “oops, it refocused on that…
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Apr
28
2025
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By Michael Mathews
Where to Bird in Southeast Texas: Swamps, Shorebirds & Slightly Sweaty Joy

Where to Bird in Southeast Texas: Swamps, Shorebirds & Slightly Sweaty Joy

Birding Locations,
Before you grab your binocs and chase that next lifer, just a quick note: this list highlights some of the most popular birding locations in the region, with only the basics to get you started. Think of it as a beginner’s guide for your next birdy road trip. We’re working on adding even more locations, juicy details, seasonal tips, and probably a few “you had to be there” birder stories. And hey—if you’re out exploring Texas, keep an eye out for Michael in the Texas Birder camper. He’s crisscrossing the state one birding hotspot at a time, likely parked under…
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Apr
20
2025
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By Michael Mathews
Cranky Birders and Happy Warblers: A Spring Migration Story

Cranky Birders and Happy Warblers: A Spring Migration Story

Birding, Michael's Wild Side, , ,
When the birds are cheerful, but the humans need a snack. Spring Migration at High Island and Sabine Woods: Where the Birds Are Plentiful and the Crankiness Occasional Ah, spring migration in Texas — that magical time when warblers, vireos, buntings, and thrushes descend on our coastal sanctuaries like feathery confetti from the sky. Nowhere is that birdy abundance more spectacular than High Island and Sabine Woods — the crown jewels of Texas coast birding. Every April, these oak mottes along the Gulf fill up with exhausted, brightly colored migrants and equally colorful birders, some wearing camo vests with more…
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Apr
19
2025
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By Michael Mathews
Where Birds Fly and Families Bond: The Magic of Spring Migration on the Texas Coast

Where Birds Fly and Families Bond: The Magic of Spring Migration on the Texas Coast

Birding, Bloggers, Michael's Wild Side, ,
(Header photo is a Prothonotary Warbler at Sabine Woods) Every spring, like clockwork and magic combined, the Texas Gulf Coast transforms into a living tapestry of feathers, song, and spectacle. For those of us lucky enough to find ourselves at High Island or Sabine Woods during peak migration, it’s more than just birding — it’s a front-row seat to one of nature’s greatest performances. At places like Boy Scout Woods, Hooks Woods, and Smith Oaks on High Island — and the almost mythical Sabine Woods just a bit further east — the trees seem to hum with energy. One moment…
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Apr
10
2025
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By Michael Mathews
Winging It Across Texas: The Texas Birder Camper Takes Flight (Sorta)

Winging It Across Texas: The Texas Birder Camper Takes Flight (Sorta)

Michael's Wild Side,
If You See This Camper, There’s a Birder Inside (And Maybe Snacks) Texas Birder is hitting the road.Soon, I’ll again be out on the backroads and birding trails of Texas, not just chasing birds but spreading the word about Texas Birder—a growing online hub built just for folks like you who brake for hawks and rearrange weekend plans for warblers.The Texas Birder website is packed with helpful resources for birders of all levels: from ID guides and gear reviews to birding events, photo galleries, and even the occasional bird-themed joke (because yes, we believe birding should be fun and educational).…
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