San Antonio River, Mission Reach, Concepcíon Park Trailhead upstream
Today's photos:
Saturday, August 18, 2012
On a Bright, Sunshiny Day
Friday, August 17, 2012
San Antonio River, Mission Reach, Concepcíon Park Trailhead upstream
Today's photos:
Today was another beautiful, if still somewhat hot, day. There are changes coming in the weather here in Bexar County with cooler temperatures and more potential for rain on the way. I sensed a feeling of anticipation along the river.
San Antonio River, Mission Reach, Concepcíon Park Trailhead upstream
Today's photos:
Friday, August 17, 2012
Mexican Free-tailed Bats
Thursday, August 16, 2012
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I specifically walked the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River to try to photograph the Mexican free-tailed bats as they emerged from under the IH-35 bridge over the river at sunset. This was the first time I have tried to photograph bats and I knew it presented a number of challenges: the relatively dim light, the fact that bats fly fairly fast and I'm not familiar enough with their habits to anticipate their movement.
I consider my initial attempt something of a success, but know I can improve on it in future attempts. The goal of this series of photos is to convey the best I can, the awe of watching thousands of bats emerge into the darkening sky:
Here are a few interesting facts about Mexican free-tailed bats:
- The bats spend the winter from mid-October to early spring living in caves in Mexico and Central America. This is their mating season.
- In the spring the bats migrate north into the Southwestern United States, especially Texas and Oklahoma with the largest population concentrated in Texas.
- When they form their colonies after arriving at their northern destination, they separate into all male bachelor colonies and maternity colonies where the females give birth and raise their pups. Males are not involved at all in the rearing of the young bats.
- The IH-35 bridge colony is a bachelor colony with an estimated 20,000 bats.
- Bracken Cave in Comal County north of San Antonio is home to the largest maternity colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in the world. It is estimated that 20 million bats live in Bracken Cave during the summer.
- The 100 million bats living in Central Texas are estimated to eat 1,000 tons of insects per night. Most of the insects they consume are agricultural pests.
- The Mexican free-tailed bats are called "free-tailed" because, unlike other bats, about a third of their tail extends beyond the tail membrane.
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I specifically walked the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River to try to photograph the Mexican free-tailed bats as they emerged from under the IH-35 bridge over the river at sunset. This was the first time I have tried to photograph bats and I knew it presented a number of challenges: the relatively dim light, the fact that bats fly fairly fast and I'm not familiar enough with their habits to anticipate their movement.
I consider my initial attempt something of a success, but know I can improve on it in future attempts. The goal of this series of photos is to convey the best I can, the awe of watching thousands of bats emerge into the darkening sky:
- The bats spend the winter from mid-October to early spring living in caves in Mexico and Central America. This is their mating season.
- In the spring the bats migrate north into the Southwestern United States, especially Texas and Oklahoma with the largest population concentrated in Texas.
- When they form their colonies after arriving at their northern destination, they separate into all male bachelor colonies and maternity colonies where the females give birth and raise their pups. Males are not involved at all in the rearing of the young bats.
- The IH-35 bridge colony is a bachelor colony with an estimated 20,000 bats.
- Bracken Cave in Comal County north of San Antonio is home to the largest maternity colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in the world. It is estimated that 20 million bats live in Bracken Cave during the summer.
- The 100 million bats living in Central Texas are estimated to eat 1,000 tons of insects per night. Most of the insects they consume are agricultural pests.
- The Mexican free-tailed bats are called "free-tailed" because, unlike other bats, about a third of their tail extends beyond the tail membrane.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Back to the Beginning
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
San Antonio River, Museum Reach, The Pearl Complex Trailhead
downstream to the San Antonio Museum of Art and back
Today's photos:
Fifteen months ago While on a Walk began with "The Inspiration" on the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River. This evening I returned to the Museum Reach not long before sunset. The light at dusk adds to the challenge of taking nature photographs, but also gives them a specific soft, warm toned visual characteristic.
Typically when I have gone on a walk this late in the evening heading into sunset, it is because my schedule during the day left me few other options. Today I had a specific goal in mind, photographing Mexican free-tailed bats. I have never tried photographing them before this evening.
Between April and October, there is a colony of approximately 20,000 male Mexican free-tailed bats living under the IH-35 bridge over the river. In the hot dry midsummer, the bats emerge from under the bridge at about sunset to begin a night of feasting on insects.
For my first attempt, I might have had a few successful photos similar to the one above. If I did, I will post them tomorrow.
San Antonio River, Museum Reach, The Pearl Complex Trailhead
downstream to the San Antonio Museum of Art and back
Today's photos:
Typically when I have gone on a walk this late in the evening heading into sunset, it is because my schedule during the day left me few other options. Today I had a specific goal in mind, photographing Mexican free-tailed bats. I have never tried photographing them before this evening.
Between April and October, there is a colony of approximately 20,000 male Mexican free-tailed bats living under the IH-35 bridge over the river. In the hot dry midsummer, the bats emerge from under the bridge at about sunset to begin a night of feasting on insects.
For my first attempt, I might have had a few successful photos similar to the one above. If I did, I will post them tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
A Little Blue Heron on the Rocks
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I am always delighted to happen across a little blue heron when I walk along the San Antonio River. These photos were taken on my walk yesterday, Monday, August 13.
As I mentioned in my post, "The Little Blue Heron," on Thursday, June 30, 2011, "little" is a relative term. Little blue herons are fairly large as birds tend to go, but they are smaller than great blue herons. They are, generally, just a little bit bigger than the snowy egrets.
I am always delighted to happen across a little blue heron when I walk along the San Antonio River. These photos were taken on my walk yesterday, Monday, August 13.
As I mentioned in my post, "The Little Blue Heron," on Thursday, June 30, 2011, "little" is a relative term. Little blue herons are fairly large as birds tend to go, but they are smaller than great blue herons. They are, generally, just a little bit bigger than the snowy egrets.
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