Michael’s Wild Side

Texas Birders: Stop Taking ID Shots and Start Capturing Character & Personalities

Texas Birders: Stop Taking ID Shots and Start Capturing Character & Personalities

There is nothing wrong with a field guide shot. It is clean. It is sharp. It proves, beyond a reasonable doubt, that yes, that was in fact a Yellow-rumped Warbler and not “some kind of little brown job.” But if every bird photo we take looks like it belongs on page 47 of a laminated reference book, we are documenting feathers, not personality. And birds, despite their modest brains and questionable life choices during migration, absolutely have character. If we want to create bird photos that show their character rather than a clinical ID portrait, we must move from documentation…
Read More
Gone Birding (Bring a Raft): Snorkeling for Warblers at Cooper Lake

Gone Birding (Bring a Raft): Snorkeling for Warblers at Cooper Lake

Cooper Lake: Now With More Water… and None of It in the Lake Where It BelongsThe location: Sweet Jane HQ, Cooper Lake State Park So I roll into Cooper Lake State Park full of hope, new binoculars polished like fine crystal, field guide riding shotgun, Nikon Z8 with a fresh battery and ready for action. It was my second outing with my new Vortex binoculars. My mission? Spot a few warblers willing to strut their stuff. I had dreams—warbler dreams. The kind that makes you whisper “please be a lifer” every time a leaf twitches. And you know what? Day…
Read More