< Previous10 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2024 A re we doing the upper Texas coast and its people justice? Are we properly showcasing the beauty that surrounds us? I ask myself that each time we prepare to publish this magazine. So far, through the years, as I’ve seen the images our staffers, correspondents and readers contribute, I’ve been able to say with absolute confidence that we are. Aside from the fascinating people and design, among the magical ingredients that make this maga- zine stand out is the photography. One of our most popular features is Shutterbugs, pho- tographs submitted by readers who’ve captured a tanger- ine sunset, a blood moon, a dew-kissed hibiscus, a shrimp boat in action or people or pets at play on the beach. But Coast Monthly also has become known for show- casing some of the most beautiful bird photography around. We’re quite proud of that. It doesn’t hurt that there’s no lack of subject matter for bird photographers. From March through early June, an estimated 3 billion birds will migrate from their wintering grounds in Central and South America to their summer nesting grounds in the northern United States and Canada. Many millions of them will pass over Galveston on their way, according to Visit Galveston. And anyone who stalks birds with a camera knows it can be one of the most aggravating yet rewarding forms of photography. This month, in our annual issue celebrating nature and wildlife in these parts, we turned the lens toward some of those very talented photographers, hoping to learn some of their tricks of the trade. Plus, we showcase their work, which, we think you’ll agree, is breathtaking. Are you a novice bird photographer wanting to learn more about the art? Consider attend- ing FeatherFest, a fun four days of excellent birding and nature photography field trips, which this year is April 18–21. Who knows, you might be a future winner of the festi- val’s photo contest, which you can read more about in these pages. This issue also celebrates all that is wild and beautiful on the upper Texas coast and the efforts to keep it that way. We wish you a beautiful spring and happy birding or any outdoor hobby you pursue. LAURA ELDER Coast Monthly Editor FROM THE EDITOR BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERIS YOUR HOME MISBEHAVING? Perform a Forensic Review Mold | Moisture | Warped flooring | High humidity | HVAC failures | Odd smells Indoor health concerns | Contaminates | Staining | Water damage | Comfort issues Swollen trim | Building defects | Bad workmanship | Poor design | Mysteries "We had moisture and construction issues that NO one could solve or address - but Toner Home Matters DID. After diagnosing our issue, we followed the "prescription" we needed. We would venture to say that Toner Home Matters SAVED our home." SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WWW.TONERHOMEMATTERS.COM Actual Google Review Find out what's wrong, why it happens, and what to do about it12 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2024 SHORELINES The return of monarch butterflies and hummingbirds. Eric Tucker Seeing the amazing birds migrating back! Gaylynn Wall Naiser More late afternoon golf! Jerry Jones Golf at Galveston Country Club, the oldest country club in the State of Texas. Our 1898 beginning celebrated 125 years last year! Fairways and greens! Bob Senter Gentle breezes and the warmth of the sun while overlooking the beautiful bay of Galveston. Darla Jordan Goolishian Being able to sit outside either at home or at a restaurant patio enjoy- ing a cocktail! Denise Laine Beene Waiting for the bluebonnets to bloom in the “top secret” location here in Galveston. As a wildlife photographer, I love the new life the spring brings. I also listen for my hummingbirds to return. Daphne Watkins Bluebonnets, wildflowers and migrating birds. Sharron Fehrle Paddleboarding, surfing and lazy days at the beach. Chris Kimble Coffee with the birds. Kathy Whatley Beach days. Jackie Austin Come on spring! I can’t wait for the warm Texas sun to turn all the grass green again. I also miss shorts, flip- flops and swimming in the pool. Karen Giusti Stripling Spring flowers and beach time. Mayna Premo Patio dining, beach days, concerts, festivals! Shari Forrester Flip-flops and shorts. Barbie Schwalm Miller Getting to wear shorts and flip- flops! Lisa Balusek My frozen hibiscus coming back to life, hopefully. Dagmar Anderson Climo Flowers! Robin Crain Not having to wear a jacket and pants. Richard Austin Crabbing spots for families. Rosalind Pipes Fields of yellow flowers, Indian paint brushes and bluebonnets. Jules Lauve The jasmine blooming and covering the pergola at MOD Coffeehouse with its gorgeous flowers and lovely spirit-lifting fragrance. Holly Hopkins The smell of my lemon tree blossoms. Helen Saldivar The warm Gulf breeze caressing me. Cindy Snipes My purple martins singing and flying all around. Gladys Haak Picnics, fresh food and sunsets with family and friends. Denise Arango With living on the island, there are really too many to list! But I’m most excitedly looking forward to sitting on my porch and watching my flowers bloom! Rozita Nelson Zone 9 spring garden. Alisha Webb Listening to the waves on the warm beach! Martha Stockslager Womac Taking Pitstop (our bunny) to the beach, and porch time! Thelma Hoover West Driving with the top down! Larry Edrozo Early morning sunrise walks, long, warm beach days and beautiful sun- sets in the evening! The best things that Galveston has to offer! Le May Yellow flowers blanketing the ceme- tery on Broadway. Connie DeRome WE ASKED ON FACEBOOK: What are you looking forward to most about spring on the upper Texas coast? 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Birds, after all, don’t pose and rarely stand still for long. Getting that perfect shot takes skill, the right shutter speed and, most of all, patience — all while navigating tough environmental conditions. But the bird photographers featured in these pages, many self-taught, will tell you it’s also one of the most reward- ing forms of photography, offering a chance to take in the natural environment of the upper Texas Coast and capture breath-taking images of the many birds found here. ALIA BENAVIDES Tell us a little about yourself. I moved to Galveston in 2016 from Houston. It was always a dream of mine to live on the island, but I had no idea at the time how much it would change my life for the better. I always loved birds and photography, but I had never really considered myself a bird photographer until I met my best friend Bruce Shollmier, who passed last year. He would take me all around the Gulf Coast to differ- ent wildlife refuges, and through the years, my love for nature, birds and photography kept growing. Do you have a favorite bird to photograph? The reddish egret. I just love capturing them “dancing” for food. They often run back and forth using their wings to create a shadow to attract prey. It is a very dynamic bird and also the bird of Galveston. What have you found to be the best location(s) and times of day/ year for photographing birds? The morning and just before sunset for me is always the best time. The Gulf Coast can easily get in the triple digits and the birds get hot, too, and usually take refuge from the sun during the day. I usually shoot off the 8 Mile Road area, Lafitte’s Cove Nature Pre- serve and along the fence line of the Coastal Heritage Preserve on Sette- gast Road while in Galveston. Bolivar Peninsula, High Island and Anahuac Wild Life Refuge all are hotspots for photographing birds. Are there specific birds you seek out or are you coming across them as you go? I always say it does not matter what bird you capture, what matters is what you capture them doing. Most people who follow me on Facebook know I love to capture birds eating different things and differ- ent wildlife behavior. What’s your most memorable sighting? The time I caught spoon- bills fighting. I mean, they were really going at it! One had another spoon- bill’s neck in its mouth! I called the series “Spoonbills Gone Wild.” It’s on my website if anyone wants to check it out (https://alia-benavides.smug mug.com). Which image are you most proud of and why? I am proud of every single image that I am able to show the true beauty and uniqueness of each species. That’s what I love to do — take the best picture I can and share it with the community. That real- ly brings me joy! Do you keep a bird life list? Any subjects on the top of the wish list? I don’t. I just like to let nature unfold to me as it chooses. What makes birds so appealing to you? They bring me joy! Life can be very stressful at times, but when I am out in nature spending time with them, nothing exists at all but that moment. So, I guess you can say it’s my form of meditation. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2024 15 Have you had any missed op- portunities, such as a bird taking off just as you were about to press the shutter release? Oh yes, all the time! But I have learned to be patient because I know another op- portunity will come my way. What’s meant to be will be. What’s your favorite camera or other equipment for bird photog- raphy? After my best friend’s passing, his family graciously gave me his equipment. I only use that equipment now, so I can feel that we are still out shooting together and he is still with me. It is a Mirrorless Canon R7, Canon Lens RF 100-500mm. Any advice to someone starting out with or wanting to improve their bird photography? Yes, even if you don’t have the best equipment, a sunny day with great light makes all the difference. Watch YouTube videos — they have a lot of free tutorials and the most important thing is have fun! PHOTOS: COU r TESY ALIA BENAVIDES (Clockwise from top left) Cooper’s hawk, reddish egret, cattle egret and a hummingbird.16 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2024 FEATURE STAN BRAVENEC Tell us a little about yourself. I have enjoyed outdoor activities since an early age while camping and hiking as a Boy Scout and later during my Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences de- gree at Texas A&M University. I started bird photography about 10 years ago when I first attended the annual Gal- veston FeatherFest. I was hooked! Do you have a favorite bird to photograph? Lately, I have been interested in photographing hum- mingbirds and owls, and trying to get a glimpse of the flamingos that were pushed to the Texas coast during a hurricane. My latest favorite was pho- tographing snowy owls in Canada this January, with temperatures at minus 40 degrees; a little bit cooler than Galveston! What have you found to be the best location(s) and times of day/ year for photographing birds? Some of the more productive bird- ing and photography locations for me have been the state and national parks and, of course, the Gulf Coast during the spring and fall migrations. Galveston happens to be on the cen- tral flyway. One of my favorites is the Audubon Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanc- tuary (sometimes laying in the mud waiting for birds to come close at eye level), or the observation platforms at High Island Smith Oaks Rookery. Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge has a nice driving road through the salt marsh to catch multiple species such as rails, gallinules, owls and hawks. Usually, the mornings and evenings provide the best soft lighting condi- tions, which result in a warm glow that really brings out the colors in our feathered friends. Are there specific birds you seek out or are you coming across them as you go? Many times, we will go to specific coastal locations looking for shorebirds, or back in the woods for warblers and other birds. Sometimes, we just see what shows up. Other times, if a rare bird shows up that is way out of its natural range, we might go “chase” it to see if we can snap a few photos. One time, we learned that a “fall-out” may occur at Sabine Woods (a Texas Or- nithological Society bird sanctuary), where multiple species of warblers were arriving after the long flight over the Gulf of Mexico from South America. We (a few friends and I) made the journey from Houston and were able to photograph warblers falling from the sky into the woods, exhausted from their long journey. This continued all day long! What’s your most memorable sighting? The most memorable sightings were a spotted rail at Choke Canyon State Park, which are native of Central and South America, that had made it to Texas. Also, we found a golden-crowned warbler in Browns- ville that is usually only in Mexico. Which image are you most proud of and why? The image of a motionless reddish egret at Bolivar Flats, its wings stretched over the wa- ter creating a shadow for small fish to hide in. It’s highly entertaining watch- ing them dancing through the shallow water, then stopping perfectly still and catching a fish. The website Galves- ton.com picked up the picture when Galveston became a Bird City-certified Texas community and named the red- dish egret as the city’s official bird. Do you keep a bird life list? Any subjects on the top of the wish list? I, unlike many, do not keep a running list of birds I have seen in my lifetime. I’ve started one several times but never continued it. Snowy owls had been on my wish list for a while, which I recently accomplished. Puffins are also on the top of the list. What makes birds so appealing to you? Birding and bird photography is such a great all-around outdoor na- ture activity. It’s challenging to locate and properly identify many species and even more difficult to get good pictures of them. The birds rarely pose for the camera! Have you had any missed op- portunities, such as a bird taking off just as you were about to press the shutter release? Many times, especially the small fast-moving ones. I do have a neat picture of a yel- low-rumped warbler flying away and half out of the frame though. What’s your favorite camera or other equipment for bird photog- raphy? Currently, my most used cam- era is a Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera and a 200-500mm zoom lens. The fast frame rate on the Z8 helps capture the bird in the most aesthetic wing positions. Any advice to someone starting out with or wanting to improve their bird photography? Attending FeatherFest in Galveston is a great start. The lectures and field trips with the professional photographers help immensely; and you will have a great time doing it with fellow birders and photographers. Get out in the field and shoot! COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2024 17 PHOTOS: COU r TESY STAN B r AVENEC (From top left) White pelican, ring-necked duck, reddish egret, painted bunting and ruby-throated hummingbird.Exquisite Homes Laffite’s Cove, Galveston TX 3422 Eckert | $2,950,000 3502 Muscatee | $3,700,000 21907 Guadalupe | $800,000 6 Compass Circle | $785,000 For Sale For Sale For Sale For Sale 281.773.3477 bjennings@greenwoodking.com Chase Jennings, Associate chasejennings@greenwoodking.com BET JENNINGS 2022 & 2023 Real Trends America’s Best Real Estate Pros in Galveston & TexasNext >