Crested Caracaras (56K warning)

Maestro

I have just returned from my yearly jaunt to the Lower Rio Grande Valley. I visited two ranches while I was there looking for some wildlife. The two ranches did not disappoint.

Here are but a few of the crested caracara images I obtained.

dlplumer

Wow Stephen. You did very well. These are superb. Very sharp and high quality.

Maestro

Thanks so much Dan. I will be working through photos for weeks.

Ric Grupe

All winners!

I particularly like the third one.

Well done, Stephen!!!

raptorcaptor

Excellent set Stephen! Particularly like the last shot!

Marcy

Those are great - I will be down in the Rockport area in Sept - do you know if there are any of these guys in that area?

Maestro

Marcy wrote:

Those are great - I will be down in the Rockport area in Sept - do you know if there are any of these guys in that area?

Yes, you should see some. I was down there in both December and January and saw them both times. Especially look off the side of the highways where they like to sit on the ground searching for roadkill.

Maestro

Ric Grupe wrote:

All winners!

I particularly like the third one.

Well done, Stephen!!!

Thanks Ric. I liked that one too.

BBiggs

Very nice set!!! thumb

Bud1880

Excellent Stephen, all of them. I really like the poses by the two in that second shot and the 'landing' in that last shot. Perfect!!thumb

Bud

kdog

Splendid captures of an amazing bird! How excellent that you were able to get that close, Stephen.

Cheers,
-joel

Maestro

raptorcaptor wrote:

Excellent set Stephen! Particularly like the last shot!

Thanks Glenn. If you are ever back in Texas you'll need to track some of these down.

Maestro

BBiggs wrote:

Very nice set!!! thumb

Thanks Brenton.

Maestro

Bud1880 wrote:

Excellent Stephen, all of them. I really like the poses by the two in that second shot and the 'landing' in that last shot. Perfect!!thumb

Bud

Thanks Bud. Next time you schedule a trip to Texas you need to try to get down to the Valley. You are about 5 hours away when you visit.

Maestro

kdog wrote:

Splendid captures of an amazing bird! How excellent that you were able to get that close, Stephen.

Cheers,
-joel

I felt fortunate for sure Joel. The birds are definitely not habituated to humans but as long as you stay in the blinds and do not make much noise or move around a lot, they will approach quite closely.

NorthernFocus

Really nice set, Stephen. Beautiful birds expertly captured

Every Miles A Memory

I really like that last shot where its flying right towards the camera

dnie

awesome shots! I am so glad to see these. I had no idea just how impressive a bird it was!
We had a pair just east of town this year, (we are a bit far up for it) but we could never get a good shot in. They were just too far off the road and atop a power pole. Had to check with our experts to make sure we weren't crazy or seeing things.

Gale

Very good images

I love those birds.
Have lots of pics from Viera wetlands.
They look just like Harry's...lolol

PeterD-2009

What a great series of images Stephen . I think that #2 would be the one that would look lovely framed and hung on the wall.

Mark Edell

Too cool! You know, I did not even know these things existed until a year or so ago lol. Very well done!

Maestro

Mark Edell wrote:

Too cool! You know, I did not even know these things existed until a year or so ago lol. Very well done!

Neither did I until I started visiting this place some 3 or 4 years ago and saw all of Harry's posts with them. Then ironically enough, I found out that Texas has an even larger population of these guys. Heck I have since seen them in my hometown in North Texas now. Who'd a thunk it?