July 5

Best Blue Wading by Matt Kaplinksy

Hi JR-

So I keep my "good camera" at home for the most part, and my Canon SX130 in the car. Just as I am griping about "cant get no dang darn animals with my camera" I am driving past a cow pasture and lo, a blue bird in a temp pond of sorts. Pull over and this is what I got with my "car camera." Murphy's Law? Of course it was at full digital zoom, noisy, colors off from real life, etc., but at least I got the shot and never took a photo of one before....

Matt K

Grass is green. Little Blue Herons are just those exact colors. Digital zoom screws up the resolution, but not half bad. Just imagine how much better it could have been if you'd used your real camera.   ; j r

June 14

I Googled "Birds of the Rio Grande Valley" and your photos came up. Just wanted to say thank you for you posting them. Great photos, I wish my Pentax would be as sharp. We plan to be in Mission for the winter starting in late October (Bentsen Grove RV Resort) and I am trying to familiarize myself with the birdlife coming u. I think I am doing OK but the sandpiper-dowitcher bunch still has me pretty much confused. Anyway, thanks for posting and continued best wishes.

Ray Laakaniemi

May 21

I came across your site while searching for a Kestrel picture for my daughter. I love the "Male Kestrel flying low (2009) from
Are there prints for sale? Website? Price?

My granddaughter (just tuned one!) is named Jessica Kestrel. My daughter did most of her mini "big year" while pregnant (ranked 3rd in lower 48.) I would love to get something with a Kestrel for her and that photo is fantastic. I have great memories of birding trips with my daughter before the baby was born. She knew we wouldn't be able to bird or travel for a few years after, but Jessica has already been banding. Before she could talk, she signed bird when she saw or heard one! Mom is a hydrogeologist and dad is a biologist - they waited 11 years for her. Grandma is, happily, just a grandma...

Thanks so much,
Kate Robson

I'm terrible at the business side of bird photographing, although I do sell a few images, I don't have a large-image color printer, just a letter-size printer that I've never yet had to use. To make decent-sized prints I'd have to charge for my time and theirs, and that's pretty expensive, so it usually doesn't work out, unless the potential buyer is doggedly persistent. The Birrrrrddd Jourrrrrnnnnllll is my chosen medium of presentation. It's quick, easy (I've been using Photoshop since version one in 1990 or so), and practically free. Most people find me too expensive for prints, and that works to my peculiar advantage.   ; j r

May 7

I saw this new book at the visitor center at Anahuac and they also had it on the kiosk at High Island. It is a new format for bird ID books. I am trying to decide if I want to buy one or not. Next time you are at a book store you might check it out.

Richard Crossley video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IxJ4vIrP54&feature=related

April 12

I've been looking at your website for a couple of years (love it!) and finally decided to get into birding. I went out with a group this last Sunday morning and they found a red- shouldered hawk sitting on her nest in a tree behind the dam. I went back today and found her again. Have you seen this? The people leading the walk said this bird has been nesting there for a couple of years. If you would like to find her, I can meet with you and show you where she is. I would love to see some good pictures of her - my camera just isn't good enough for something like this.

Danita Frederick

I followed her precise instructions, shot, went back, shot again, then apparently forgot about it. Oof! stupid of me. ; j r

April 11

Thanks to you I'm able to identify the pictures of the Blue-Winged Teals I took Saturday. Yesterday I got pictures of Northern Black Bellied Whistling Ducks, which I had never seen.

I, too, have been worried about the lone pelican. When I photographed it in full wing span on Saturday, it was obvious what the problem is...at least 1/4 (if not a little more) of his left underwing feathers are missing; and you can see gaps in the remaining ones. Bless its heart, I doubt that it can fly very far, if at all. I know it's all part of the circle of life, but I still feel badly for it; especially when our scorching summer gets here.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share with you what I witnessed. Thanks again for all the great photos.

KJ

April 6

I just stumbled across your wonderful website tonight while looking for pictures of monk parakeets on Google Images. One link led to another, and suddenly, I was looking at your fantastic photos and birder's journal.

I'm taking three senior-ish friends to WR Lake this Sunday for Chris Runk's (Dallas Audubon Society) guided bird walk and am going to refer these friends to your web site, so they can get a preview of what to expect to see. I hope we will be able to see a pelican, tho' it sounds increasingly unlikely as the days pass.

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your sharing your photography & your observations of birds around White Rock. Some of your photos show an amazing amount of detail - more than I can ever remember seeing in pictures of some of these birds. As a pretty rank amateur birder, these images and your comments are really helpful.

IKeep up the great work!
Dan

March 9

Dear Mr. Compton, A friend here at the Lab of Ornithology just directed me to the fabulous photo posted on your site of the Red-tailed Hawk. Could I link to that from our Celebrate Urban Birds Facebook page today? We might have a little discussion about Red-tailed Hawk feathers and your photo shows what we’d be talking about perfectly. No worries if you don’t want us to link to you...I have other photos that might work also.

Sincerely,
Christianne White, project assistant

Celebrate Urban Birds, Citizen Science
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca NY 14850

I did. - ; j r

February 27

I LOVE your blog and it has inspired me to create my own. I was wondering how to put a copyright watermark on my pictures like you do on yours. I wasn't sure if it was something that was done from your camera or the computer. THANK YOU for your assistance.

KC Jones

i use Photoshop. There's probably other software that will allow you to combine text with pictures, but I use the full, expensive version of Photoshop.

February 17

A neighbor happen to catch sight and photo a bald eagle way up here in NJ. As we live in an amazingly beautiful and slightly hidden habitat, I’ve seen quite a varied slice of wildlife. Searching Google for juvenile photos of bald eagles (his photo was a quick phone cam shot of the eagle perched in his backyard) led me to your site.

Your site has some great photos which were a pleasure to scroll through. You have a really good eye for seeing the beauty all around us. Thanks for sharing!

Regards
Paul

February 16

Your Bird pictures are AMAZING!!! We are new to birding and the photopraphing of them. I was wondering what type of lens do you use when shooting birds?

Brendon & Deanna

The photographic equipment I use is now linked at the top of every Bird Journal page.    ; j r

January 24 2011

I just viewed your website and enjoyed it immensely.

My husband and I were out driving north of McAllen yesterday and saw many, many hawks, javelinas, turkey vultures, deer, etc. It was a wonderful day seeing all this wildlife.

We live in Harlingen, Texas and our backyard is on the Colorado Arroyo. I have pictures of the Bobcat, Armadillos, a multitude of birds and the Chachalacas every evening. Once you have heard them calling during mating time, you will never forget it.

We are lucky to have a nature reserve – Laguna Atascosa, just north of the town of Laguna Vista, (north of South Padre Island, Hwy 100). They have bird blinds to watch many many birds and also a drive along the Laguna Madre (ocean) where hawks are fishing and other animals go to the water to drink. It is a 14-mile drive in your car with viewing all along the route.

Thanks for making my morning even better being in the RGV.
Donna Crawford
 

while looking up the technical name of a pelican's goggy woggle I found your photo essay on the pelicans stretching.
It really made my year...so far. WOW what a great experience to see through amazing photos.

A. Karno
 

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed looking at the photographs on your “Birds of the Rio Grande” web page. We see many of the same birds here in southern California, and your shots were beautiful and educational. Thank you so much for sharing them!

I learned about birding from a man who believed that you should not carry a field guide in the field, ironically. Because he believed you could easily spend more time with your nose in the book and not on the birds. I carry on that tradition in his honor today.

Now that I have discovered your sites I feel a greater confidence when I make an ID in the field that I am not 100% positive on, and I use your pages regularly for the great shots, so often from different angles on the same bird to confirm my suspicion (or show it to be wrong all to often J)

Thanks again and best regards,
Brad Ervin
Oceanside California

January 19 2011

Morning JR, I just wanted to let you know I really enjoy your shots around White Rock. My morning commute to work is along West Lawther and the same coming home and I’ve snapped some good ones from time to time as well as when I’m fishing out of my inflatable raft (I’ve actually caught the WRL bass record ... love to brag about that). Amazing how many species of animal/ birds White Rock contains.

Keep up the great work.
Travis Stein

November 5 2010

Just wanted to say that I really like your bird pictures. I'm the one who told you about the monk parakeet — you're shot is really good. I love the one of the Canadian goose where you can see the color of its eyes and you also had some awesome captures of the hawk!

Thanks for sharing your photos and comments.
Lucy Rogers

July 10 2010

Hi,
I am a photographer in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (4 hours from the Rocky Mountains). I came across your Website by accident; I'm glad I did. Your photos are absolutely stunning! More importantly, is your link to Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation. Good job! I am a volunteer for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton www.Wildlife-Edm.ca and I always love the experiences I encounter through this society.

All the best!
Barb Eglinski
Photographer

July 2 2010

Just wanted to send you a note to say I stumbled upon your website (while looking up photos of barn owls) and it’s a great site, it’s obvious you love life & love what you do.
Lara

June 30 2010

Today I got up early enough so I could to the White Rock spillway before work, what a wonderful sight to behold, the water is gushing over the rocks and I saw about 50 snowy egret, a couple of great blue herons, little blues, night herons, little white egrets having a fishing party there at the spillway.

Had to let you know still enjoying your pics.
Jennifer

June 26 2010

Juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron

I bumped into your website as I was searching to identify a bird I've photographed. I'm living on a sailboat in Ensenada, Mexico (just south of San Diego), and a group of 4-5 birds comes into the marina late every afternoon and hangs out all night, sitting on the boats' docklines and fishing. Their squawks are very loud, and they are active all night long. They generally disappear during the day.

I am trying to identify what they are, and I think I've narrowed it down to young yellow or black crowned night herons, and I'm leaning towards the black crowned, as they are pretty stocky and they hunch a lot. I was wondering if you could shed any light on my quest, as you seem to have photographed these herons and watched the juveniles quite a bit.
Thanks,
Emily Fagan

June 20 2010

Wow, I just had to tell you, that I am an artist and my next painting is going to have an egret or two in it, so I googled egret images just to get an idea of all what they look like, and I came across your BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS!!!! I can not believe how you can capture them so.

My website is www.nickib.net if you want to check it out and know that I am not a kook,lol. I wanted to know if you would be able to let me use a photo for a reference. I am just starting out my career after spending the last 32 years taking care of my family and now I am having a blast with my painting. You are definitely going to make a huge name for yourself. What talent!!!!!
My best,
Nicki Bernacchi

My usual charge to include one of my photographs in an artist's art is a smaller, at least 8.5 x 11-inch version of my photo's part in their art. But so far, only one little girl has paid that small price, and her painting of a baby mockingbird is on my office wall. Everybody else seems to think it's too much bother, which is fine with me. I'd much rather have my photographs continue as photographs than in someone else's works.

May 14 2010

I was delighted to find your lovely website! You look like the person who might be interested in helping me (perhaps).

Attached is a photo of a bird that fell out of a oak tree in front our house in southwest Houston (along with nest). Notice the beak - very interesting! It's not a baby - but it's surely not full grown. The beak is kind of large, wide light tan colored. I thought it might be some kind of mocking bird (no red)...I have tried to give it everything from earthworms, bits of strawberrys and kiwi to ground flax seed...and of course water. it must be eating something because he/she poohs. We are having a terrible thunderstorm - so it is safe and warm inside. It doesn't have a churp but a "shwiiiiiet" sound in low, soft tones.

The bird is predominantly gray with a broad white band of feathers (I think this is correct)when it opens it's wings on each side...seems quite gentle.

Tonight I found him/her sitting on top of the cardboard box and it stepped into my palm and stayed there quietly for about an hour. Periodically - I would gently pet its head with my forefinger.

I do have a 9 and 5 year old that find it quite fascinating. When the weather clears up and some more feathers grow - I will place it gently in the protected backyard under some foliage.
Thanks,
Bruce

As long-time readers have probably figured out by now, I'm really not very good at identifying birds. I am getting better and better at photographing them, but I.Ds still usually escape me so much I need expert help myself.

As usual, when people tell me about rescuing birds, I refer them to Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation's site and their Rescue Rules.

April 14 2010

Just ran across your site while looking for something else.
Great photos, inviting site! Keep at it! :)

kathy

Yeah, I keep atting it. Probably will continue even when nobody hits these pages anymore, I'll keep putting them up, I love photographing — and making the photographs of — birds.

April 13 2010

Love your work, spend lots of time just browsing through the bird pictures. Thanks for sharing,
Kathy

April 11 2010

I just want to thank you for sharing your beautiful photos with those of us "wanna-be" great photographers. When I stumbled on your site in January and saw that White Rock has white pelicans, I couldn't believe it. We go to Sanibel Island, Florida every year and that's the only place we've ever seen white ones.

Then yesterday when I opened your site (the first site I go to every day) and saw Anhingas, my heart leapt because they're one of my favorite birds and had only seen them in Florida as well. So I'm planning on locating the rookery next weekend and was wondering if there's a specific place that is the best to see them?

I only have a little Fuji FinePix digital with a 12X zoom, so I know I could never take pictures like yours, but I'm bringing my binoculars in hopes of at least watching them.

I've taken pictures for years but can't afford the kind of camera I need to take the kind of pictures I want, but still I've been able to capture some pretty amazing creatures even with my little camera. After viewing your site, I'm toying with the idea of starting a web site so I can share my pictures, too, but I don't have a clue as to how to do that and at my age (58) learning the computer has been a challenge!

I work at a school so I'm gonna ask one of our computer techs if they can help me so with me luck.

Thank you again, Mr. Compton, and I hope your leg heals soon.

Before I got my Nikon D200 I used to photograph birds with a Sony f707 with its built-in 5:1 zoom. Photographing birds with Point & Shoot cameras can be a challenge, but it's possible and can be worthwile.

March 31 2010

My name is Taylor Cotten and I was first introduced to your web page by my parents W.T. and Lorrie Cotten and was overwhelmed with your ability to capture details and the beautiful colors of the birds you were photographing. I studied wildlife throughout my undergrad and graduate school and began snapping photos about three years ago.

I have mostly taken macro images of amphibians and reptiles since they had been the focus of my studies in school. However, over the past year or two I have become more interested in birds (as I learned more about them) and would love to be able to try to broaden my extremely limited skill as a wildlife photographer.

I have enjoyed photographing with other people, but I rarely know more than a few hours ahead of time when I will go to the lake, so it would be difficult to plan ahead.

March 18 2010

Beautiful egret photos. I'd say you're already an expert in the field. Thanks for the site. Forwarded to a few friends as well. Onward and upward.
Mary H. Montreal,
Québec, Canada.

February 23 2010

I loved your photos you took of the Cedar Waxwings in the berry tree the other day, then when I returned home there was a flock of Waxwings in our neighborhood feeding on a berry bush then what a treat they were our backyard for a while, they move so fast and don’t like humans too close, the photos you took of them are amazing one can see all the detail of the lovely plumage. Glad you are still able to get about a bit and do some photos.
Jennifer

February 15 2010

Hi JR

I visited your website at the weekend and enjoyed your photos of the guy leaping and the snowmen how creative people are! Also what a treat Cedar waxwings came to visit your place. We had some one day. Every day we have a flock of juncos (snowbirds) and Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal come to eat sunflower seed we put out. I am glad you were able to get out and enjoy the rare treat of a snowy day in Texas.

Jennifer

January 23 2010

Hi J R,

I was looking at your birder's journal, and was really captivated by Sunset Bay. I wonder if you would tell me how to get closest by car. I know how to drive down Emerald to Winfrey Point. I have a foot problem that makes long walks difficult. But I love White Rock and trees and pelicans.

So I would sincerely appreciate directions to the closest place to park to reach Sunset Bay. BTW, I have a 20 year old car, too.
Thanks,
Gail

I linked her to my now-annotated White Rock Lake Map that is now linked atop recent Amateur Birder Journal pages and gave her more precise instructions beyond that.

January 20 2010

Hi J R:

I enjoyed your photos from yesterday at the Fitchery area. My other half and I walked along the dam by the old red brick pump house some time back. Is the Fitchery near there off West Lawther drive? I can’t figure how to get there but would like to.

I couldn;’t believe the YAHOOS in the canoe that scared the birds in Sunset Bay Sunday and even laughing while they did that UNBELIEVABLE!! And we are so fortunate that the pelicans and other precious wildlife choose to live near us.

Jennifer Ludeman

Anna started calling The Old Fish Hatchery Area "The Fitchery," and I've gone along with the shortening of that long name, so it won't be on any map but maybe mine. The Fitchery is directly down the long, deep hill behind the long, tall portion of the dam from the Spillway down that long, straight, concrete line toward The Old Boat House.

When it was a Fish Hatchery, its rectangular pans were fed by water directly from the dam. Now, it's a lush area that holds water and birds all through the year.

December 12 2009

Hi J.R.

My name is Colin, and I have really enjoyed your photographt over the years, frequently checking it for your latest
shots and so forth. Thanks for the hours of enjoyment.

I have become a big fan of the white pelican flock over the years. Today ( Dec 12th) I happened to drive over to the Trinity River Audobon park off Loop 12, and somehow came across a LARGE flock of pelicans (I estimated 80-90) at a pond nearby at Rochester Park. Are you familiar with that flock or ever photographed them? Just curious if you had any history with pelicans further to the south of White Rock.

Have a great holiday season, and thanks for all the entertainment the last few years!

Colin

I've seen as many as 150 American White Pelicans at White Rock, but only for one night — only about 70 seem to stay at the lake each year, so I knew others use White Rock to stay overnight then go off to whatever lake or pond they spend their autumn and winters at, than go back north on Tax Day.

There are probably many places they do that. I have seen large arrays of American White Pelicans in Arlington and Dennison. I'm sure there are many others.

October 12 2009

Thought I'd ask if you have seen the kettling of hawks over our White Rock area. I live south of the lake and yesterday counted 22 broadwing hawks "kettling" almost over my house! Thrilling sight and seems to happen each Sept. when they are migrating South.

I enjoy your bird watching photos so much. Stunning pictures! Thank you for doing all of that and putting it where people like myself who are limited in what they can do somewhat can see.
Regards,
Jeanette Crumpler

I asked what part of the lake she'd seen the hawks over.

It was not over the lake but over my house on LaVista Drive which is south of the spillway about 10 blocks. But the pathways they seem to take this year was on the west side of the lake then when they were kettling they would swoop up and form almost a funnel, fly a few dozen yards then kettle again, seemingly to gather more together. I think these are broadwing hawks not the red-tailed ones that usually stay in our Dallas area all year. They definitely weren't buzzards or larger hawks. My friend who had a farm near Quinlan said owls also did this. And she had also seen hawks do this.

I've only seen this twice but I'm thinking it goes on all of this time of year but we just don't see them.
I went on Google and put in "kettling hawks" then also clicked on images and they were pictured and written about. Just fascinating. Wish I had been quick enough to photograph them even with my phone!

Hope you can someday capture that. Thanks again so very much for your excellent photos of the birds & critters at White Rock. I've told everyone I know about your web site.
Regards,
Jeanette Crumpler
 

We are spending a month in Key West, Florida and have wondered what we were seeing as we tool around the canals and shallow areas. Your website is so helpful to our understanding – most notably, that we are unlikely to ever understand but that is ok.

Thank you so much for putting so much information about the different varieties in one place.
Warm regards,
Jan Edelstein and Bruce Reed

April 5 2009

I really enjoy your photos of WRL a lot. I go to the Hatchery a lot to bird watch (snakes,coyotes, raccoons, beaver and so on) and appreciated the YCNH you snapped recently. He has been in that pond (I can tell which pond it is by the water vegetation) along with a Little Blue Heron for over a week. I got the same type photos of him yesterday. I got him fishing, going in and pulling out a crayfish and gulping it down. If only I had your lens. I have a Nikon 70-300mm and it's just not quite long enough.

I was glad to see you post Stumpy. a couple of weeks before that, I picked him up. I couldn't figure what he wanted. He seemed to really like me and I screwed up my courage and picked him up. What a great goose!

April 1 2009

I am a teacher, and we are working with a kindergarten class on an owl inquiry project. I would like to use your owl pictures and experiences for the kids to read and analyze. We would keep your name attached, and not post the pictures anywhere. However, I would like to put part of your blog in a word document because the rest of it would confuse the kids with their fledgling attempts to research. The picture you have of the owl’s wing is perfect for an experiment the kids could do with combs to recreate the silent wings. Would this use be acceptable to you?

Thanks,
Lynne Ursenbach
AISI Learning Leader
Calgary Board of Education
Calgary, Alberta
Canada

Permission granted immediately. I like the idea.

February 20 2009

Just happened on your website while looking up Egrets What a beautiful site and sight! Thanks so much for it. I too am an amateur bird watcher, feeder and obsessed bird person. I live in W. Covina, Ca. in a hilly area with a big pond/reservoir below me. Through the years I've been privileged to observe so many migrating duck, beautiful Great White Egret, Great blue Herons, turtles and my regulars that seem to sort-of live there. This year I was lucky enough to get a small flock of escapees at my feeder. After much investigation, I found out they were beautiful Spice Finches!!! Lucky me!

Sorry to ramble, but I get excited about this stuff. Thank you again for a pleasant visit to your lovely website. Great job and beautiful photographs.

Pat Scurti

February 19 2009

This morning around 7:45, I was walking down by White Rock Creek, about a half mile down from the Spillway. I live at the Enclave. Anyways, there were a lot of birds feeding in the creek. I spied a large black bird gliding in from the east. At first, I thought it was a vulture, but then noticed it had a white head and yellow beak. I thought I was seeing things, but when I got to work I looked up the NCTexas Birds web page and saw your pictures.

There was no way to contact anyone on that page, so I came over here. On the Dallas Audubon chat page, I noticed someone else had sighted a Bald Eagle at the Spillway around the end of January, so maybe I am not losing my mind

Gary Sommerfelt

I walked up and down the creek there several times, but never saw that eagle again. Sometimes when the weather is fog soup, I think maybe I'll come upon it again, and this time I'll get to see its face. But not yet.

February 16 2009

For my money, anyone who photographs birds and keeps an online journal qualifies for birder status. But then, I'm just a casual observer and probably don't even qualify for birdwatcher status. So my vote may not count. Thanks for doing this, though. I check your page everyday and really enjoy it.

Imagine Possibilities
Gretchen K. Riehl, Ph.D.

December 28 2008

Thanks for your excellent website. I stumbled on it when I was trying to explain to my wife the difference between egrets and herons.

I wanted to share with you my favorite bird pictures. Yours are excellent, mine are OK.....Mine were taken with my Sigma 150 macro.

I too love taking pictures of birds, and luckily here in Florida, we have no shortage of subjects. I just have a shortage of time since I'm a busy pediatrician. We've gone on several trips this year including a cruise to South America where we stopped in the Falkland Islands. That day of observing penguins was the best! I'm sending you a few of my favorites from the Falklands.

I always say, however, that even though we've traveled thousands of miles away to some interesting places, some of my favorite pictures are from right down the street from where we live in Palm Beach County, Florida. I'm sending you a few of my favorites of a young green heron and a few others. (They're coming my gmail.com.)

If you're ever in Florida, let me know. I'll show you some good places.

Dan Kraft

December 16 2008

Good morning,

I stumbled upon your website while researching what chicken legs look like and got tripped off on your birds. Now, about half an hour in, I am filled with a strange peace. Endorphins flood my system. Visions of soaring wings, curved necked egrets, adjutants in still water - the parade is endless. Sigh of pleasure knowing I can look forward to spending more of my mornings with these wonderful images. Thank you for generosity in posting these for everyone to see and enjoy.

I will now continue on my day's work. I am building a Baba Yaga's hut in the form of a giant lantern for Sunday's solstice and now full of bird, I shall sail through it with ease.

Thank you again for a wonderful journey.

Memi

December 12 2008

I wrote you many months ago, saying that your site is the best free entertainment on the web. Well, thank you again. The wood duck jumped out at me while my son was in the room, and all I could say was: "That's why I watch what he is doing." He was stunned.

I absolutely love the idea that you put up a lot of everything; in focus, out of focus, with light failing, etc. Your comment on the focal length was very useful too. I think you really do a nice job of never forgetting that the birds are the important part of the equation. You site has me asking for a camera for Christmas (thank you Jesus!). I used to voraciously use my Canon A-1, but have needed to move on into the digital format. Not sure yet where I will put it into use, but I know interesting subject matter is never far away-just got to look for it.

You have a great holiday, and thanks again

November 17 2008

Greetings!
I just found your page on egrets through googling images and would like to thank you for such exquisite shots of these amazing birds. Keep up the great work!

God bless!
Kathleen
(I'm with you on answering the phone ~ it's highly overrated!)

November 10 2008

J. R. Compton, found you tonight on google, lost two hours reviewing your bird work and then found your trees in the mist. My God! You are astonishing! Don't ever stop!

Ferol Humphrey

October 9 2008

Hi
What a wonderful life you lead.... with those birds amd stuff... Loved your photos. I made a few wildlife films but am too ill thse days... So I was trying to imagine how lovely to spend a life with the birds in the wild....

Shubhadarshini in New Delhi, India

August 5 2005

Dear JR

I found your web site whilst I was looking for pictures of blackbirds and starlings to try and differentiate between the two. You have taken some really fab photos of birds – thank you – what started out as a 10 min quick search, turned into about half an hour of wonder as I looked through your other photos.

Jo

July 29 2008

Hello,
I'm a researcher in fluid mechanics working at the university of Genova, Italy.
I'm about to publish a work on the aerodynamical properties of birds' feathers and I would like to add one of your photo (in attached file) to a scientific article that will be published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics (http://www.jfm.damtp.cam.ac.uk/).
Could you please tell me if it's possible?
Thanks in advance,

Julien Favier
Post-doc Flubio Marie Curie
University of Genova

Julien sent me a web image of the article but no hard copy. I would so have liked a hard copy.

July 28 2008

Thank you for posting your beautiful photographs. Few people here in VA appreciate the attractiveness of grackles or their behavior, so I am often alone in my admiration for them.

You made reference to people stealing your pics without permission. What would be required to get permission? There is a photograph of a mother duck and ten ducklings that would make a great pattern for a counted cross-stitch. The mother and all the ducklings except one are swimming one direction, while one duckling paddles the other way. I don’t work for a company that makes and sells cross-stitch patterns commercially; I would be asking permission to use the image personally. (At times I have taken photographs and used them as patterns, but my photos are not so striking as yours.)

If it would be unacceptable (or excessively expensive), then that’s OK too. Just an idea I’m tossing around.

Jennifer

I suggested she make a counted cross-stich of the pic for me in payment, but I never saw it.

May 5 2007

J R
You have discovered a hen - a Rhode Island Red in fact - at White Rock. It is a she by the looks of her short red top. She is a beauty too. Your photos of birds are delightful and I was happy to spend some time just slowing down and looking. You are right; I have been busy.  You are a master with the bird shots. Thank you for sharing and thank you for capturing these beautiful feathered forms!

Marty

April 25 2007

I came across your site this morning when Googling South Texas birds. My husband and I were in Edinburg/McAllen area recently and also visited the Quinta Mazatlan in the middle of the day. It was great but I wondered how wonderful it would be in the early morning or late afternoon. It was the first time I had ever seen (or heard of) the Chachalaca.

We have 2 hummingbird feeders and 3 bird feeders in the back yard. I sometimes just stand at the backdoor and watch the wrens, cardinals, grackles, hummers, etc ... and the cats crouching in the shadows. I've thought that someday I might be a "birder."

My husband and I were glad to get the id on the Great Kiskadee. We saw it, even got a fairly decent picture in McAllen but had no idea what it was.

One comment. What you identified as a bird nest — isn't that lichen? A type of fungus. The reason I say that is that it grows on some lines in Lockhart and someone wrote an article for the newspaper a few years ago identifying it. It's kindof like moss.

Keep up the good work or journaling and posting pictures.

the Parsons

I don't call it Amateur for nothing. I may not be able to tell lichen from a bird's nest.

January 24 2007

JR,

I'm no expert, but I think that you have seen a reddish egret.

The little blue mystery bird and the photograph above it are both juvenile reddish egrets. I base this on the straightness of the beak and the high contrast black tip of the beak. Also, the reddish hue on the neck extends over the entire head. Size is also a good clue. If it seems a bit on the big side, it's a reddish.

When I'm not sure, they are pretty easy to identify in the water. The reddish egret is quite clumsy and splashes about, while the great blue is a stealthy stalker. Another giveaway is that the reddish egret is the only one that shade feeds.

Great site, and some stunning photographs, keep up the good work.

Ken

July 5 2006

J.R. It was fun to see you yesterday — and meet Anna.

I looked around your websites, including all the birds. You have some great shots. Were all those herons in one place or did you digitallly multiply them for matting season? You really do have some great bird pictures.

I also enjoyed your movie reviews. You say so much with so little words.

Debora

July 8, 2006

I just brought a Nikon D50 and I have two lenses — a 18-70 lens, and a 70-300 lens. I do not get pictures anywhere as clear as yours and maybe you could give me some tips.

I saw the Black-crowned Night Heron for the first time today on the spillway at White Rock Lake. Took some pictures when I came back near 1/2 hour before sunset. They did not come out very good, maybe it was the light, but your excellent picture did confirm what bird I saw.

You had a great shot. What are your settings?

Great web site.
George Norwood