CORPUS CHRISTI, FALL 2024

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Narraganset Bay and a stunning sunrise, from nearly 20,000 feet.

Canon EOS R5 | EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
Hali J Sowle

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Sunrise from 20,000 feet, just over Narragansett Bay

Canon EOS R5 | EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
Hali J Sowle

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Willet at sunset finding a bite to eat as the day comes to a close at Whitecap Beach

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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I liked this image of a Willet because of the way that the late afternoon light was coloring only part of the water in the image.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Mike getting ready to photograph another beautiful sunrise, Whitecap Beach.

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Sunset ICM, Whitecap Beach.

Canon EOS R5 | EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
Hali J Sowle

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Sometimes a cloudless sky is not what you want. This nearly cloudless sunrise was beautiful anyway.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
JM Sowle

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A little blue heron that we spotted along the causeway (yes, sometimes they are white).

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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This is just a little blue heron, but I love the light on the bird and the color of the vegetation in the background.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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A marbled godwit fluffing it's feathers (piloerection) during a morning walk along the causeway waters. The spot of mud on the beak shows you that this bird is wiling to dig down to find food.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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This Willet shot was taken along Texas 361, just North of Tortuga Dunes (Zahn Rd).

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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We went to the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center a few times. Part of the path down to the water is smothered in these yellow flowers that one local called 'Sunflowers'.

iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro back triple camera 5.7mm f/1.5
JM Sowle

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I believe that this is a female common grackle. We spotted this one sitting on a marine piling.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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American White Pelicans at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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A roseate spoonbill

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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White Ibis have the most amazing blue eyes!

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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For the fast moving Sanderlings, the hunt for sand crabs is never ending!

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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One of many Sanderlings that we spotted running around in the surf in the afternoon light.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Even the super energetic Sanderlings have to rest once in a while. Here, two of them take a quick break in last of the late afternoon sun.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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This brown pelican was sitting in nice afternoon light at the marina on the causeway. It's just a pelican, but I'm a sucker for anything in good light!

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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A great blue heron overlooking the water from the marina on the causeway.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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American Oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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We saw this cool mural in the Island Bakery, on West Avenue G in Port Aransas. Note the fish swimming with a plastic shopping bag on it's head. The same artist did a cool shark mural outside a nearby surf shop.

iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro back triple camera 1.57mm f/1.8
JM Sowle

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This was near the Rockport Center for the Arts. We always knew Hali had wings!

iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro back triple camera 5.7mm f/1.5
JM Sowle

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If you enjoy bird watching, then you really need to watch a Reddish Egret canopy feeding. They dance and hop around while using their wings to shadow the water -- it's really fun to watch. And they are very successful hunters!

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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A Snowy Egret hunting in the beach surf at sunset and catching a lot of fish!

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Sanderling all puffed up at sunset on Whitecap Beach.

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Sanderling searching for a last bite at Whitecap Beach as the sun goes down benind us

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Mike photographing the sunrise on Whitecap Beach.

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Marbled Godwit in morning light at Sunset Lake Park.

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Tricolored Heron, Egretta tricolor

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Great Egret, Ardea alba

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Tricolored Heron waiting and watching on a washed up pail, Corpus Christi Bay.

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Multiple Exposure/ICM of grasses at the Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlies Pasture

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Another great blue heron

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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A brown pelican, diving for fish from the causeway out to North Padre Island.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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The rising sun glistens like gold on the sand of Whtiecap Beach, contrasting with the blue of sky reflecting in the sand.

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Beautiful sunrise light on the gulf waters at Whitecap beach. ICM

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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Hali was chassing a double rainbow in Mustang Island State Park (you can barely see the second rainbow in this image).

iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro back triple camera 1.57mm f/1.8
JM Sowle

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A tricolored heron with a multi-colored (rainbow) background.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Great Blue Heron sits on a post oblivious to the beautiful rainbow behind it.

Canon EOS R5 | RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Hali J Sowle

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We often stop in at a local surf shop or two when we are visiting a beach area. This one had a board with a crazy custom paint job. BoardHouse Surf and Skate, in Port Aransas.

iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro back triple camera 5.7mm f/1.5
JM Sowle

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This was a large mural outside of the surf shop in Port Aransas.

iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro back triple camera 5.7mm f/1.5
JM Sowle

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Great Blue Heron

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Tricolored piloerection

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
JM Sowle

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Sunrise on our second-to-last morning at the beach...

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
JM Sowle

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Our last sunset together (for this trip)

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
JM Sowle

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Our last morning at the beach was a wonderful sunrise -- a great end to a wonderful trip!

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
JM Sowle

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This image was the result of Mike playing around with some sunrise images. This is an HDR using 3 images, and then doing some 'digital psuedo-ICM'.

NIKON Z 8 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
JM Sowle