I have a few dozen older blogs from the old East Texas Naturalists site that I will slowly bring over to this one. These are not from the newer site but rather the one from a few years ago. They will also soon appear in print. . . maybe.
Also, do you blog about birding in East Texas or would you like to do so? If so, contact me.
Michael’s Journal
Photography Blogs
Field Notes
A Bald Eagle Sighting Warrants an Elbow in the Ribs
I'm in my normal morning spot sitting by the lake camera in hand, coffee cooling quickly on the table beside me. This is like so many mornings that I have sat here. Various species of birds keep flying past. The sun is rising and has lit the entire lake now. Off in...
Finding More Than Just a Pretty Bird in the Woods
Obviously, most of the people who are in these birding groups find joy in seeing and learning more about birds and birding. When I say "these groups", I mean the Tyler Audubon Society, Birds of East Texas, Birds of Lake O the Pines, and Bald Eagles on Lake of the...
Wrapping Your Hands Around Spring
We had a big storm blow through the Lake O' the Pines area last night. For a while the winds were rather fierce accompanied by a drumming rain that brought a bit of hail and just a touch of thunder and lightening. It was "interesting" for a little while, but nothing...
Birds That Let Everyone But Me Take Their Pictures But Me
Almost everyone who regularly photographs birds or other subjects in nature have something that just will not cooperate. For me, there are two species of birds that seem to give me fits. One of them, the belted Kingfisher, I have actually gotten some fairly decent...
Can You Be a Birder Without a Degree in Accounting?
Just as I started to type the first sentence of this blog a pair of Wood Ducks flew past. As usual in the mornings, I am sitting outside by the lake and watching the birds and listening to all their songs. Bird calls are echoing from almost every direction excepting...
How to Learn Bird Calls & Songs – Taking the Mystery Out of Bird Calls
When the Merlin app first came out to assist birders in identifying the birds that were seen, it was really a big advancement. The ease of use was amazing, and its accuracy was at least fairly good. Of course, some of the users, especially those who were not very...
I Found a Baby Bird! What Should I Do?
HELP! I Found a Baby Bird! What Do I Do? Every Spring I start getting calls, texts, and posts in my Facebook groups from people who have found a baby bird. Almost all of them fall under the category of "OMG! What do I do?" For the most part, the answer is pretty...
A Bald Eagle Sighting Warrants an Elbow in the Ribs
I'm in my normal morning spot sitting by the lake camera in hand, coffee cooling quickly on the table beside me. This is like so many mornings that I have sat here. Various species of birds keep flying past. The sun is rising and has lit the entire lake now. Off in...
I Found a Baby Bird! What Should I Do?
HELP! I Found a Baby Bird! What Do I Do? Every Spring I start getting calls, texts, and posts in my Facebook groups from people who have found a baby bird. Almost all of them fall under the category of "OMG! What do I do?" For the most part, the answer is pretty...
I Saw the Greatest Nature Show Ever (And Not on TV)
I have always been a big fan of nature shows on TV. My DVR records them daily. This morning I got to see the greatest nature show that I've ever seen. My DVR didn't record this one, but it is recorded where it will never be forgotten. Many of my mornings start...
Spring in the Lost and Found Box
We had a big storm blow through the Lake O' the Pines area last night. For a while, the winds were rather fierce accompanied by a drumming rain that brought a bit of hail and just a touch of thunder and lightning. It was "interesting" for a little while, but nothing...
Appreciating Spring Can’t be Done on the Computer
With the arrival of Spring, even after not much of a winter, my life changes. I am not crazy about being inside all the time anyway, but with Spring, it is all I can do to spend any time inside. After all, how many Springs do we have in our lifetimes? Maybe 70 good...
