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Writer's pictureRussell Graves

Redlands Ranch and Western Wildlife - A Hackberry Farm Nature Photography Workshop Field Report

"It's not supposed to be this hot in mid-October," I tell myself while standing next to the blind window, waiting for the slightest puff of wind to blow. The heat, while warm, isn't stifling.


However, the warm weather plays into our favor because seven mule deer appear from the brush before long and make a beeline to the waterhole. The deer's nonchalant body language proves they're relaxed as they saunter toward the water hole.


Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
A mule deer fawn drinking from the waterhole.

One mature doe walks in and lowers her head to drink. We are so close you can hear her sucking water from the pond. She raises her head, and each drop of water that drips from her mouth dollops into the pond, and the sound splashes so distinctly that it's as if we are right next to her.


That's because we are.


You won't find many places where you can experience mule deer and other wildlife merely feet away and at eye level with the camera. But you can do that at the Redlands Ranch and Western Wildlife Nature Photography Workshop.


Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Bird on sliver bluestem.

All evening, a steady stream of animals comes to and from the waterhole. I stopped counting at 19 different species we've seen so far this evening. It's been mostly the usual subjects, like whitetail and mule deer. We've also caught glimpses of the cottontails and roadrunners that frequent the waterhole.


Mostly, it's an ornithological who's who for this part of Texas. Kingbirds, beautifully iridescent grackles, flickers, blue jays, and a host of other birds make their appearance. It's the bobwhite quail that gets the most attention, however. For a bird that sports the otherwise bland colors of brown, black, and white, they sure are beautiful. This imperiled grassland bird survives this tough environment that's conspired to extirpate it for millennia. The bobwhite is too tough to die, so they abide.


Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Bobwhite Quail

Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Bobwhite quail

A typical sit in the blind lasts about three hours. While the time may seem long, it goes by quickly as the action is nonstop. Each day, the sightings unfold at a different pace, with different animals coming in to feed and water. There are migrant birds, residents, and an exotic that comes to pay a visit, but each day, their movements and the nuances in their behavior are different enough to keep things interesting.


Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Whitetail fawn

Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Roadrunner

When it came time to move on from Redlands, we drifted northeast to one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the county. This land was the savior for the American buffalo, the Texas Longhorn, and the elk. Today, all three species are abundant at the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge.


The heat, however, conspired against us and drove the elk into areas where they could find cooler temperatures.


Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Bison on the range.

The bison, strong and regal, powered through. The animals are legendary around here. This refuge and these bison are a part of the collective blood memory of this area's mountains, plains, and indigenous peoples. It's from the bowels of Mount Scott that the Comanche (who called themselves The People) believed that Mother Earth sprang forth the bison from her earthly womb. The bison, they believe, came spilling out from the base of the mountain to populate the plains and provide sustenance for The People and the many other Plains Indian tribes who relied on the immense mammal for food, clothing, and commerce.


We spend a full day exploring the refuge and photographing all sorts of wildlife. Our diligence pays off when we finally see an elk right at sundown. Cameras click, and the guests take magnificent silhouettes.


Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Northern Flicker on a mesquite stump.

As the sun goes down, my phone buzzes. It's a space weather alert. A huge coronal mass ejection erupted from the sun and reached the Earth, and the aurora was predicted to be visible shortly after dark. Social media sites were abuzz with the activity of folks as far south as Florida seeing the light show.


As soon as it's dark, we set up near Lake Quanah Parker, an 89-acre body of water named after the last war chief of the Comanches. It's got a great view to the north as soon as the glow of the aurora begins. We've got a surreal image of the aurora lighting up the sky above the clouds and the mountains, and it's all reflected in the water before us.


In the distance, I hear the plaintive sound of a bull elk bugling. The elk's sound (along with a southeasterly breeze) is a great soundtrack to an amazing evening.



Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Sunset over the Wichitas

Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Aurora over the Wichitas

Hackberry Farm Photography Workshop
Parallel Forest

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