Late Fall Texas Coastal Birding: Cool Weather, Cool Light

Black Skimmers in Flight at East Beach, Galveston Island, Texas.
Black Skimmers in Flight at East Beach, Galveston Island, Texas. Surely one of the most otherworldly creatures in Texas. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

By late fall, most traces of punishing summer have gone, and the bird photographer can think more about birds and light and less about heat, mosquitos, chiggers, and biting flies.

Great Egret in Flight at Dos Vacas Muertas, Galveston Island, Texas.
Great Egret in Flight at Dos Vacas Muertas, Galveston Island, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

On some seasonal days, cold weather high altitude cirrus clouds–diaphanous veils of ice crystals–act like natural diffusers, reducing glare without sacrificing vibrance of color. This cool winter light is perfect for shorebird colors: black, white, and shades of gray. Even on dreary cumulonimbus days, when light is not optimal, chill breezes keep land and sea fresh and invigorated, and this glory shall persist until . . . March.

Sanderling showdown at East Beach, Galveston Island, Texas
Sanderling Showdown at East Beach, Galveston Island, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/500mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

 Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.–Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds

©2013 Christopher R. Cunningham. All rights reserved. No text or images may be duplicated or distributed without permission.