CLOCK
To evolve from apes 7 hrs
Homo Sapiens so far 10mins
Human history 30secs
1000 years 3secs
I year 3msec
TRAVEL VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPHS TARGETS
Context from multiple views, 3D from motion parallax, visual surprises from point of view and hidden gems. Surprise reveal to create drama by looking for visually engaging views and then find a surprising transition in. Hide behind foreground and track side/vertical to interest, pan to interest.
iPhone 14
12MP Ultra Wide: 13 mm, ƒ/2.2 aperture and 120° field of view
48MP 1x Main: 24 mm 60 deg FOV 30 arcsecs optical resolution. 9 mm diagonal 1X1um pixel.
12MP 3x Telephoto: 77 mm 20 deg FOV, up to 15x with digital zoom = 400mm store RAW and denoise (soft), 25 asec l/s resolution with sharpening.
Video 9x max = 200mm. 20 asecs pitch resolution. HDTV pixel count.
Sony 7as 100mm 2 x better resolution.
For walking landscape track use cell pone + Hyperlapse 5x + Active track and move slowly.
Turntable side track use Activetrack to maintain orientation.
For forward, back or close side track use cell phone + full lock + Action mode 1x.
For telephoto up to 200mm, use cell phone 2x (50mm) lens w/o Hyperlapse, wave stabilize in PP, zoom and sharpen in PS.
Beyond 200mm, use NikonP1000 stepped frames with carefully alignment to target, in roughly 0.5degree increments to cover at least 10 deg, combine into movie and zoom in PS, stretch using 10% speed with Optical Force, wave stabilize in PP. 0.5 deg = 1 stride for every 100 m of distance from target, needs at least 20 frames.
For max realism in pan use fast follow, slow joystick and slow zoom.
Boat stationary -
Video with gimbal cell phone - No extra pixels to do image stab. Full lock gimbal - fast follow and Action mode up to 9x (200mm fl ) with post sharpening and stabilize. Camera on centerline of boat.
Still cell phone 15x (400mm fl) and 25 asec l/s resolution.
Nikon P1000 manual focus to deal with moving boat - resolution 5 asec l/s @ 400mm, 5x better than cell phone.
Boat driven - Action video handheld ,
Use 1x (24mm) for max stabilization
100mm for human perspective, so use 4x (100mm) lens on cell phone with gimbal.
Car
Cycle - Lock or Active track
Horse/Camel
Plane
Night view stills or time lapse -
cell phone Apple Night mode. Sony 7as 20mm or 100mm. Human ISO1 daylight, ISO800 low light.
Night view stills on boat - cell phone Mimo gimbal Lock, photo using Apple Night, or Procamera for RAW.
Moon, or eclipse sun, with foreground needs extreme depth of field using f16-f32 only on Sony 7as . 100mm lens at f32 has a 6m -inf DOF.
Planets - Nikon P1000 + Fornax stage, or Celestron SCT + Svbony +AVX stage
Galaxies - Celestron RASA + QHY RGB + AVX Stage
Nebula - Celestron RASA + QHY SHO + AVX or 100mm + QHY SHO + Fornax.
Milky Way - 20mm or 8mm + Sony7a, 100mm <5 secs exposure.
Wildlife -
P1000 still and video
Night wildlife still and video - Sony 7as no filter + f2 100mm + moon light or spot light. - 1/50 ISO12,800 --- Denoise (soft v.blurry), Autocolor, Hue to blue, Autocolor, Vib&Sat.
+ f6 400mm ---
C6 RASA f2 300mm - Sony 7as with USB to lap top running imaging edge.
Use spot light source as aiming aid, particularly for 400mm. An aiming light should be camera shoe mounted. Exposure light source needs to be 2 ft away from camera to create depth shadows. Using 3 stacked 10" brackets for 20" of distance. 1000lm focusable torch as light source, dim enough to not disturb animals and provide color images out at 20 meters and a 400mm lens.
Test - Dark corner 100mm S7as with IR filter ISO409k 2s S/N=1, 100mm QHY 183 = 230(35)mm -15C G30 0.5s. S/N = 10.
At home Celestron RASA +Svbony or Cooled QHY camera for real time. 100mm lens. shot noise ? Run night test.
The Earth at Night series uses full moon light and a Canon ME20 camera $20K !. Featuring an astonishing 4M ISO rating 0.0005lux , the Canon ME20F-SH Multi-Purpose Camera captures video at up to 1920 x 1080p 60 and supports both NTSC and PAL broadcast frame rates. The camera incorporates a full frame 35mm-sized sensor with approximately 2.26 million pixels. This results in a pixel that is about 19 microns, 3 x larger than the pixels on Sony 7as Full-frame DSLR cameras, 10x more sensitive reflected in the 10x higher ISO maximum. Used large f 100mm, and a large catadioptric lens f8 1000mm full frame.
People - Nikon P1000 or Cell phone + ProCamera stabilized. Collect RAW, denoise and sharpen for best results, avoid source jpeg.
Underwater snorkle - need a GoPro 11, 27 Mpix, 8mm diagonal chip, 10 bit color, better stabilization using crop.
GoPro Hero 11 FOV focal length lens (SuperView) FOV (16mm DSLR) 170 degrees. Linear FOV (19mm – 39mm DSLR) - no fisheye. 90 degrees using 2.5x digital crop. Only reason to use GoPro is waterproofing, is 10 bit RAW just for underwater for Gopro 11 worth it probably yes !
+ Movo dual light long 12" each side bracket. Use baffles to create a dark region in front of camera out to target, to minimize backscatter.
Underwater from boat, when swimming not an option - Gopro attached to selfie stick -. SANDMARC Pole - Metal Edition: 15-50" Waterproof Extension Stick (Pole) for GoPro Hero 11,
Rely on clear water to see targets. Tilt down makes screen visible. Use a 45 degree mirror or bucket view to see through surface. https://www.westmarine.com/marine-sports-underwater-viewer-bucket-2001931.html
Other action - running, biking, rowing, kyacking, white water. For Kyacking use head mount and safety.
Building stills, verticals need to be Y aligned. Use wide angle lens and keep camera level. For more resolution, use iPhone panorama in portrait mode,
Overhead view - need a drone.
Example scenarios;
Start with Sphinx dominating scene and then track showing the pyramids behind.
Use a window start with side view and then reveal what is through window. Walls, lintles and pillars all act as blocks.
Walk into room using door as block and panorama around.
Start low horizontal hold and move to max reach- about 3 meters.
Look for a tower view point track up over edge and out and then rotate down to overhead view.
Track down to low view of vegetation or water fall.
Transition between 2 views - , to avoid people use camera overhead. Start with view1 side track, pan or joystick to view2, zoom and front track towards new target. Best Activetrack pointing and side track best using slow follow, Best handle pan & tilt use fast follow. Use blocks for transitions, pillars, walls, traffic etc.
Story telling; travelogue, highlights, theme. For instance - Botswana travelogue, wildlife, White water, boating.
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Ringtail - Photo in CO and Tuson A
Here in Colorado ringtails are most often found in desert areas, especially in the southwest and western slope; however, a few have been recorded in the Front Range foothills, Cañon City Burger King! E of Pueblo.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/colorado-front-range-ringtails
Bobcats - common - try Point Reyes
Armadillos - 1 type in N America, 9 in S America. Primarily Nocturnal., try full moon nights at Hornsby Bend.
Anteaters - in S Americas
Mountain goats - Mt. Evans, Grays Peak, Torreys Mountain, the Gore Range near Dillon, the Collegiate Mountain Range, and the Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan Mountains.
Owls King Ranch AND Montana
Beavers in Eastern WA, Teichert Ponds in Chico, California North of Sacramento
Puma in Chile
Tigers in Jim Corbett NP in foothills from Delhi OR Rathambore from Jaipur
Migration in Europe
Walrus
Polar Bear
Giant Panda
Bobcats
https://www.pointreyessafaris.com/safari
Full Day Safaris (10 hours): $795 for 1 person
https://amwestphoto.com/Safari%20Galleries/Images/Bobcat%20Safari/BobcatSafaris.htm
We meet at 7am at the Harris Ranch Intersection Chevron Station, or at the hotel lobby you are at the night before - located at the intersection of Highway 198 and Interstate 5 in Visalia.
2-day Safaris $800
Oct 8-9, Oct 29-30, Nov 4-5, Nov 25-26
Dec 3-4, Jan 7-8, Feb 19-20, March 3-4
https://www.pumapix.com/bobcat-photography-tour/
In Marin $1495 for December 13th-16th = 3 days
La Lomita Photo Ranch in Uvalde
2025
Hawaii Jan 20 -Feb3
LA - Joshua Tree Fan palm oases, and water impoundments are good places to search for birds. The Oasis of Mara, including the 29 Palms Inn at the west end, is a good bird viewing area. Cottonwood Spring has both cottonwood trees and fan palms to provide vegetation and shelter for a number of birds. When in the high desert areas of the park take a walk or two in the Queen and Lost Horse valleys and look for ladder-backed woodpecker, red-tailed hawk, oak titmouse, bushtit, black-tailed and blue-gray gnatcatchers, black-throated sparrow, and sage sparrow.
Mt Wilson Viewpoint 1hr from Pasadena
Pudingstone reservoir, San Dimas
Upper Newport Bay Preserve , Newport Beach
Oahu - Turtle Canyon tour from Waikiki, or Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve in E Honolulu.
Banzai Pipeline, located at Ehukai Beach on N shore.
Kawaii tour Lehua Crater (a Hawaii State Wildlife Sanctuary) and the mysterious Ni’ihau Island. Newell’s shearwater and the red-footed booby.
Travelogue - Joshua Tree, Birding, Oahu - Coast, Turtles, Kauai - Snorkle, Coast, Mountains.
Manitoba Owl Photography Late Feb early Mar
https://www.eagle-eye.com/tour/manitoba-owls-birding-tour/
3 days 4 nights $1175 in and out of Winnipeg MB. Typical temp 32F
United or Delta 1 stop
Manitoba Owls - Mar 8, 2025 to Mar 12, 2025
Owl videos with trapped stills
Iceland - June for long days 10 night trip - 2 spots a day or 1 spot and drive.
https://guidetoiceland.is/nature-info/what-to-do-in-iceland
Rekjavik 3 nights
Gullfoss Waterfall
Raufarhólshellir - 1.3km lava tube
Thingvellir NP - plate boundary -
Option - snorkelling https://www.viator.com/tours/Reykjavik/Silfra-Snorkeling-Tour-Self-Drive/d905-39217P7
Akureyri 2 nights - 4 hrs from Rekjavik
Grjotagia cave - plate boundary, North East iceland near lake
Godafoss waterfall north leg of Golden circle 4 hrs to drive.
Tjornes Penninula puffins
Hofn 3 nights 6.5 hrs
Dettifoss Waterfall, the Asbyrgi Canyon, and Husavik Village
Klifbrekkufossar at the head of Mjóifjörður - mulagljufur-1
Ingolfshofdi Cape - puffins
Viki Myrdal 2 night
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Puffins at Dyrholaey Arch in south Iceland.
Rekjyavik 1 night
Travelogue - plate boundaries
PORTUGAL 10 nights mid June
Lisbon Setúbal Peninsula - 3 nights - Sammie lives in Lisbon.
Sintra Moorish castle.
Naval Museum
The Sado Estuary, decent amount of wildlife and some dolphin residents. Comporta has some really nice places to stay and lots of hiking around there too, dune ecosystems, etc.
In Lisbon proper there are some castle ruins (São Jorge) and an old monastery (Geronimo) that are worth the visit, also the tile museum.
Alentejo on way to Algarve some very historic towns and lots of wine/cheese if you're into that.
Algarve 3 night
We stay in Quinta do lago at the Four Seasons Fairways. ( the Ria Formosa) with mud flats and good walks nearby, lots of waders in particular. Head for Parking Av. Andre Jourdan to park. There is also a bird hide at Sao Lourenco. There are guided day excursions by boat from Faro into the estuary and a very nice stop at Restaurante Estamine for fresh oysters and fish at lunch time! The guide will talk about the ecology and birds to be seen. Further afield, Silves is worth a visit, storks on the rooves and authentic local atmosphere. If you can face the drive, heading west to the Atlantic coast is worth the trip, very large seas at times! And can be windy! There are also salt pans at Castro Marin and Santa Luzia which are well known birding spots. Head inland towards the mountains anywhere and the towns are less developed and more truly local. One speciality is suckling pig!
Porto 2 nights "Historic Centre of Porto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar".
Madrid 4 nights - Segovia and its Roman Aqueduct.
Paella cooking Class in Madrid with Bottomless Wine Pairing! By The Cooking Clubhouse
Best April - September for the migrating birds.
Travelogue - RIng road, Lisbon, Algarve, Porto,,Madrid.
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2026
San Francisco
See Zavoli, Owen, Scott
Point Reyes - Bobcats and Owls.
Pygmy Owls in King Ranch March
Costa Rica (or Belize)
July to October is turtle nesting season. Jan in 2024
Ridly Turtles nesting.
-
Nancite Beach is one of two sites in Costa Rica where the mass annual arribadas of olive ridley sea turtles take place. In early October, thousands of olive ridleys come to shore to nest in the thousands. Nancite Beach is remote. It will require some hiking to get to, and permission from the ranger station.
-
Ostinal beaches Aug-Nov - a few days before new moon.
https://costaricaexperts.com/costa-rica-sea-turtle-nesting-where-to-go-when
Leatherback Turtles - in 2024 Tortuguero canals
-
May 18 - 24 (full)
-
June 1 - 7 (new date!)
Summer
Wilderness travel - midsummer here, midwinter in S Africa.
Madagascar off the beaten track 15 days $7695 - Lemurs. Andasibe NP / Lemur Island NP/Antananarivo, Kirindy, Anja/Isalo
Madagascar private journey 9 days $7000. Andasibe NP / Lemur Island NP/Antananarivo
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for Gorillas It is important to note that among the gorilla trekking national parks, Bwindi is the most ideal for the elderly. Why? Because it is situated in less mountainous areas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is not part of the Virunga ranges of mountains like the other three national parks. It sits on lower altitude and the trails are relatively flat compared to Mgahinga and the Volcanoes National Park.
https://www.silverbackgorillatours.com/gorilla/gorilla-trekking-for-the-elderly-old-and-disabled
Mission Africa Safaris (silverback gorilla tours) seems to be focused on gorilla tours for the elderly.
Arrive from Kigali Rwanda instead of Entebbe in Uganda. The driving time and distance from Kigali to Bwindi impenetrable forest is shorter. Driving from Entebbe to Bwindi can take 8 hours or more. From Kigali, it takes only 3 hours to reach Bwindi forest.
5 day tour $3700 inc. passes. $400 for sedan chair
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Kibale - chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park
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Visiting the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary
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QE park
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Gorilla tracking in Bwindi
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Fly back to Entebbe
The best time of the year when you should go for gorilla trekking in Uganda is June, July, August and September. If that is not possible, January and February should be relatively okay.
Silverback Gorilla Expeditions have the best 8 day itinerary $5200 inclusive.
WT seems fuzzy on coping with oldies - $1500 for sedan ? Not enough local knowledge.
Linda Carradi - went in Jan 2024.
Hi Mike! I hope you and Renee are both doing well. The gorilla treks were incredible. We did 2, one was pretty easy and one was what I would call difficult. The first one we had to hike a very short distance in the jungle. It took maybe 10 mins to get to the gorillas. There was a little walk to the jungle, but it wasn’t bad. We happened to be with a woman who needed to be “carried,” which they will do for an extra $300. They put you on a stretcher (will send a pic) and carry you through the jungle. She was able to walk the first part. The second day was a different story. We hiked for 2 hrs up through the jungle, altho the beginning part was through a bamboo forest and not too terrible. You had to put on a raincoat and rain pants in the jungle to keep off the stinging thistle plants. So it got a bit hot. We had an hour with the gorillas. We did have to walk a bit once we were near to them, and that was also a bit tricky. Everyone had their own porter to help them climb and to carry our backpacks. I don’t know the cost of the porter, but we did tip $20 per person. The first day our drive was quite short, the second was about 90 mins, I believe the furthest point. You have two rangers, several trackers and a guy with a gun and one or two guys with machetes to clear your path. I never felt unsafe. It was an incredible adventure and I would highly recommend doing it. You have to reserve spots pretty far in advance. They only allow 100 ppl per day to go. We were in Rwanda. You can also do it in Uganda (and a third country - Congo?). The Rwandan people were incredible. Lmk if you want any more information. xo
We did a private tour with wilderness travel, so they arranged everything. We took our daughters and boyfriends with us. We had a gentleman named Martin as a guide in Rwanda. He was more of a driver than a guide. He was very nice but not much more. The guide in Tanzania was outstanding. I can tell you the hotels we stayed in while in Rwanda. We were there for 5 days, but had to extend bc the airline cancelled our flights (which we knew far in advance) - so we did a golden monkey tour the next day. I was sick so did t get to go, but the kids like it. Not strenuous at all.
Uganda private journey 8 days $6995 + $1500 flights and park fees - Chimps and Gorillas. Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi IR
Use Nairobi as the hub and travel via Europe. (Bots + Zimb = 17 days total) 22h total 9 hr to London, 9 hrs to Nairobi. Use AA. JFK to Nairobi on Kenya Airlines 15h. Nairobi - Madagascar 3hrs.
GABON
Lope National Park Gabon is one of the only parks in Africa where you can see the Mandrills. No other park in Central Africa is considered more vital for primates than Lopé National Park, the oldest and one of the most astounding biospheres on the African continent. Lope National Park Gabon is home to over 1400 endangered mandrills as well as 420 bird species, the national park is equally a stronghold for western gorillas, sun-tailed guenon, black colobus,
MADAGASCAR
Andasibe National Park / Lemur Island NP
Ankarana / Antananarivo
Berenty Reserve / Antananarivo
wilderness do an extension to Queen Elizabeth & local chimps.
At higher altitudes, the cool, dry months, from May to October, are best for hiking.
Lowland gorillas eastern in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Congo on the great rift valley near Goma, western in Congo
RWANDA
Nyungwe Forest NP - very diverse inc. chimps and colobus monkey, accessible forest 5 hrs from Kigali. contains Mt Karonje.
Volcanoes NP for mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
3 day trip to see chimps etc. https://www.nyungweforestnationalpark.org/chimpanzee-trekking-nyungwe-forest-national-par/
OR
TANZANIA
Gombe Stream National Park - Jane Goodall chimps
OR
UGANDA
Queen Elizabeth NP - Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge. v popular park.
Kibale NP was easy access to see Chimps - Use Imagine Travel or Natural World Safaris. The footage of the so-called Ngogo chimps, which live in a remote region of Uganda's Kibale National Park, comes from an upcoming Netflix documentary series Chimp Empire. It premieres on April 19, 2023.
OR
CONGO
Kahuzi-Beiga NP - lowland gorillas
OR
GABON
Loango NP - lowland gorillas.
SOUTH AFRICA
Cape Town
OR
NAMIBIA
Fish River Canyon just over SA border
Skeleton Coast
Sossusvlei Sand Dunes
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2027
GREECE
Athens
Santorini - Akrotiri - Beaches - edge of caldera - tour of crater.
Crete - Knossos
Thessaloniki - Monasteries
Verginia nr. Thessaloniki and the Place of Aigai where Alexander the Great was started.
TURKEY
Istambul - Agia Sofia,
Epheysus - Roman ruins
Cappodocia - Ancient dwelling.
IRELAND
Switzerland
Shilthorn
Eiger
Geneva
North Canada
Newfoundland - Twillingate or Iceberg alley in June.
NF to Labrador and Greenland cruise with WT.
North west passage cruise.
Yukon
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2028
China
https://www.chinatours.com/china-tours-reviews/
https://www.chinatours.com/tour/11-days-beauty-of-china/
This 11 days tour takes you to the ancient and modern capitals of China, as well as cruising you through some of China’s most iconic and beautiful natural landscapes. Visit Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai, and cruise along the Li River mid-tour. You’ll marvel at the incredible history and be equally astounded by breathtaking pace of modern China. Fascinating Beijing, with its contemporary and past glories, includes the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Summer Palace. Catch a high speed train across country to Xi’an, where you’ll enjoy the spirited energy and exquisite food of this city before traveling to Guilin and then Yangshuo, cruising the Li River on the way. Make a final stop in Shanghai, Pearl of the Orient, with its sophisticated culture and colonial past, evident in Yuyuan Garden, The Bund, and Shikumen Museum. Bringing together ancient history, natural landscapes, and modern China, this tour includes all in country transfers, 10 nights hotel accommodation, daily buffet breakfast, half day Li River cruise, high speed train travel, fully guided tour with driver transport, airport transfers, and more!
Nanjing close to Shanghai is the traditional Ming capital.
Suzhou - Prefecture-level city in Jiangsu, China, former capital of the kingdom of Wu. Silks and city. also just outside Shanghai.
Japan extension
Hokaido
Nara
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N America
Nova Scotia
Newfoundland
Montana NP's
La to SF coast road
New Orleans
Great Lakes
Meteor Crater AZ
Wildlife Rehab Scottsdale AZ
Salt Lake City
Washington DC
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan
Silk road tour with WT - 25 days $11k reveal a rich historical and ethnic canvas, filled with dazzling scenery and a multitude of architectural wonders. From the blue-domed Silk Road oasis of Samarkand, where Tamerlane once held sway, to Issyk-Kul, a vast alpine lake surrounded by the forested peaks of the Tien Shan,
MOROCCO / TUNISIA
SCOTLAND
Edinburgh
Glen Coe
Skye - Lewis
Norway
Fyords
Bergen
Costa Rica - wildlife similar to Amazon
Wilderness Travel
San Jose Museo de Oro in San Jose ?
Corcovado. Tiskita Jungle Lodge Set on a verdant hillside between Pavones and Punta Banco,
Tortuguero on Carabean
Arenal
South America
Falklands and South Georgia Photo cruise with WT
Chile - with Justin . Torres Del Paine - Mountain Lions.
Pantanal in South Brazil towards Paraguay. close to Iguwara Falls.
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Thailand
Khao Sok NP good for animals in wetter season.
Phang Nga - Karst scenery
Cambodia
Ankor Wat
Myanmar
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Italy
Rome
Pompeii
Sicely
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HISTORY OF IDEAS
See history page. Egypt, Greece, France, Spain, UK.
Pharoses, Greek Enlightenment, Crusading monarchs, Renaissance, Secular democracy.
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Scenic
Palo Duro Canyon - lighthouse rock. just south of Amarillo
Monument Rock, Oakely KS om I70 close to CO border.
Underwater Targets
coral, turtles, whales, fish, birds.
Turtle nesting on South Padre Is
Grebe mating Clear Lake, Lake County, California, USA https://www.jstor.org/stable/26428102. end of Feb early March
Klamath Falls - near Crater Lake
Balmoreha, at turn off for Fort Davis. Note: Google Maps directions are incorrect and will take you to a private road. Instead, drive into the center of town and turn left (east) on Houston Street. Then continue straight until at the lake.
The 5 main spots to bird are: https://birdinglocations.com/balmorhea-lake/
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Entrance road
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Lake Dam
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South Shore
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Desert Shrub
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Southwest Overlook
Osprey fishing
Owls - LBWC entry way
Hummer nest
Gold Cheeked Warbler - South Llano River State Park & Lost Maples
Nocturnal animals best during full moon.
https://birdinglocations.com/texas-owl-species/
Locations to see Elf Owls in Texas:
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Bentsen Rio Grande State Park – hole in a telephone pole just before La Familia Nature Center
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Kickapoo Caverns State Park – around the campsites
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Fort Pena Colorado Park (Marathon, TX) or Camp Pena Colorado Post Park. (southbound Avenue D, aka Post Road,
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Davis Mountains State Park
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Big Bend National Park – Dugout Wells, Chisos Mnts. Basin, Rio Grande Village, Cottonwood Campground
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These tiny owls are migratory and breed in Texas during the spring and summer, but then fly south in the fall. So be sure to look and listen for these guys in the warmer months, starting in late April.
Wait until evening at last light when they begin poking their heads out of tree cavities can start vocalizing.
Locations to see Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl in Texas:
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King Ranch (Norrias Division) – requires a paid birding tour. The King Ranch is the go-to place for these owls. The Norrias Division of the ranch hosts the largest known population of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl in the United States. It’s private property, but they offer day-long birding tours where a guide will take you right to the owls. The cost for the 9 hour tour is $170. https://king-ranch.com/visit/our-tours/nature-tours/ (361) 592-8055. Trips start in March W/F/Sa. No overnights in 2024.
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Brush Line Road – north of Edinburg. North side of Hwy 186.
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Hwy 186 – east of Raymondville, along the road between San Perlita and Port Mansfield.
Good areas in Texas to search for Barn Owl include:
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Katy Prairie Conservancy – Northwest Houston
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Granger Lake – roads along the open fields in this area.
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Rio Grande Valley – especially around Bentsen State Park, Estero State Park, and Laguna Atascosa.
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Lubbock Area – County roads outside city limits, especially early before 6:30am.
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Far West Texas – Marathon (Gage Gardens), Dell City agricultural fields, around Balmorhea after dark.
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Greater Corpus Christi Area- back roads from Kingsville, to Three Rivers, and over to Goliad.
El Sauz Ranch - Ocelots
Puffins - Alaska Seward , Iceland.
Armadillo -
Otter - Granger Lake and Barn Owl
Golden Cheeked Warbler in April- May Pecan Springs Karst Reserve 5 miles North of Jarrell. info@hillcountryconservancy.org 512 328 2481.
Beavers - common in TX in burrows in river banks such as Rio Grande in Big Bend, lodges and dams are typical of colder climes.
ttps://landmarkwildlife.com/otters-and-beavers-in-texas-yes-texas
Ringtail Texas - Hill Country - Enchanted Rock a good target - nocturnal ... try a moonlite night. they prefer rocky areas such as rock piles, stone fences, canyon walls, and talus slopes. Ringtails are expert climbers, capable of climbing vertical walls to find the most protected crevices, crannies, and hollows in which to build their dens. Insects and small mammals such as rabbits, mice, rats and ground squirrels. Ringtails in walls
Pedernales - golden cheeked warblers April- May.
Big bend - ringtails, mountain lion, elf owl in March at dusk in Cottonwood Campground, beavers ?
N Mexico; bears, sheep etc. https://gobigbend.com/ 432 386-5635
Barrier island - Assateague Island is the Delaware barrier island. - part of visit to Washington. Native wild horses.
Mountain Lions in Patagonia, and US Rockies Dec-April.
https://bodhiexpeditions.wordpress.com/ 970.901.6516 in CO, out of business in 2023.
https://www.southwestwildlife.org/resident-animals/mountain-lion.html
Tigers in India and Huai Kha Khaeng Sanctuary near Bangcok in Thailand.
https://www.wfft.org/projects/tiger-rescue-centre/# south of Bangcok.
Primates; Gorillas, Chimps, Orangutan, Colobus, Mander
Bolivia
The dinosaur track site at Cal Orck’o in Bolivia (Nestled on the outskirts of Sucre, Bolivia) is one of the most extraordinary paleontological discoveries in the world. Located near the city of Sucre, this site features a nearly vertical limestone wall that stretches over 1.5 kilometers and rises about 80 meters high, known as the “Dinosaur Dancefloor.” This wall is etched with more than 5,000 individual footprints made by at least eight different species of dinosaurs that roamed the area approximately 68 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period.
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Evolution of landscapes
Erosion
Rivers - R. Zambezi,
Valleys - Grand Canyon
Glaciers - Rocky ice caps,
Deposition
Beaches - Devon, CA
Sand dunes - Sand Dune NP
Drift
3D map
Build up
Uplifted mountains - Rockies, Seirras,
Volcanoes - Mt Hood/St Helens, Hawaii, Crater lake,
Landscapes
Water Eroded fractured sandstones & limestones
Grand Canyon
Zambezi canyon - Victoria Falls
Petra
Zion
Moab
Grand Staircase
Monument Valley
Ice Eroded sandstones & limestones
Aliaka
Rockies - ice caps
Mt Assinaboine
Re-deposits
Barrier islands
Devon beaches
Okavambo Delta
Amazon
Volcanic hot spot islands
Hawaii
Galapagos
Iceland
Craters
Mt St Helens
Crater Lake
Yellowstone
Santorini
Volcanic drift zones
Mt Hood
La Veta fissures
Uplift Igneous & metamorphic
Sierra Nevada - Metamorphic with huge igneous volcanic inclusions such as Yosimite.
Tetons - igneous east, sandstone west
Denali - igneous
Skye - basalt and gabbro igneous rock.