Texas Now Magazine February 2014 | Page 30

and that was almost immediately confirmed. After two miles of cantering along with the Jack Flash, he dashed into the brush, found a recent kill he’d stashed and began enjoying lunch. photography. So they were on a mission aboard the Jack Flash spectacular photos of Whooping Cranes for Gary’s manuscript. Ok, it’s now just 10:00 am, however, given all that has transpired can we really turn back now? What else could happen? How about a “pod” of dolphins that have spent nearly half an hour cavorting around the Jack Flash! As our hour at the small pond concluded with the Crane family moving off to forage in the grasses, then flying away in a spectacular lift-off, Mike told the Clarks: “After this morning’s activities, your Whooping Crane photo shoots are downhill from here.” That was certainly easy to believe! Such grace, such access, such quietude is unique to jaunts on the Jack Flash. We were all impressed with Captain Sims’ expertise in handling the shallow draft boat as well as keeping it steady when barges with large wakes came by “eager to disrupt” its position. And he is no slouch in the photography department himself. We could happily have returned to the Sea Gun Marina in Lamar right then–– delighted with the time spent. However, suddenly emerging from the grasses to trot, then canter, along the shoreline was a stunningly beautiful coyote! (I have lived in Texas much of my life and have never seen a coyote here.) Red silken coat, sleek, well fed, he did not resemble in any way the coyotes in Big Bend which the Clarks visit often and write about. This one was certainly enjoying banquets somewhere–– 30 Well, if we must stay.....let’s! Finally, at 11:00 AM we decided to “call it a day.” What else could top this? We headed back, only to spot a Whooping Crane pair who just happened to be feeding in grasses with numerous Great White Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and Great Blue Herons. The latter three species were flying in and out - the Whoopers turned not a plume. Gary Clark exclaimed: “In fifty years of birding, I’ve never seen this scene - Whooping Cranes feeding with these other species.” We were all surprised and transfixed. Finally, we concluded it would truly be “downhill from this.” Totally whelmed, if not overwhelmed, we directed Captain Sims to head back to the marina. We were exhilarated by the bounty of our viewing, opportunity and photography. Enroute as Captain Sims approached a sand bar appeared covered with birds: Cormorants, Oyster Catchers, Pelicans, Skimmers, Gary Clark, with his honed keen birding eye, saw two terns next to one another: a Caspian Tern with red beak and the Royal Tern with orange. His comment was that this is “a good opportunity to compare the two terns”. Another viewing coup! As we motored back to shore, we sat in the cabin comparing notes. In a sense, the real workshop began. We had retired the photo equipment, the 500 mm lenses and the tripods. Captain Sims confided that he was always glad to have professional photographers aboard because they managed the tripods, the three levels of the Jack Flash, and the large lenses with grace. Kathy would simply state: “I’ve got it” as she went up and down the stairs and levels. Some of the notes compared were: “What do you do?” Mike’s “day job” is with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which sends him around the world. His passion is photography and he leads workshops in several regions. I write and photograph for Texas NOW Magazine. Kathy and Gary teach, photograph, write, and lead birding photo tours