Redlands Ranch & Western Wildlife - A Hackberry Farm Nature Photography Workshop Field Report
- Russell Graves
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Driving across the Texas Rolling Plains, I explain to the group that the weather we’re seeing is an anomaly.
“It’s usually not this wet,” I say while the wipers slap rhythmically in a near-futile attempt to keep the windshield free from water.
“It’s usually pretty dry out this way.”
While spring is usually the wettest season at Redlands Ranch, the rain usually comes from itinerant thunderstorms that appear in the afternoon and are gone in the evening. Once they are past, the ground dries until the next round of rain falls. This rain is unusually persistent. For the past two or three weeks, it’s been a slow and steady rain. One that makes everything green and makes everything soggy.
It’s protocol, however, to not complain about the rain around here. Because when it’s gone, it’s gone for a while, and the landscape browns and wilts under a hot Texas sun. The weather, however, can’t be controlled and we persist. By evening, this round of rain is passed, and we prepare for the main attraction: time to commence this week's nature photography workshop in the ground blind at Redlands Ranch.
As everyone settles into their spot, the first birds appear mere feet before us. It’s a morning dove and a brown head cowbird. They are not the flashiest birds in the neighborhood, but they are beautiful nonetheless. The blind is spacious, so everyone has plenty of room to spread out multiple cameras. The shooting shelf is complemented by a lazy susan and bean bags to make this tripod-free experience. With the bean bags, you can shoot steadily, even down to the very last light.
The flexibility of slower shutter speeds was important because a thick layer of clouds persisted throughout the evening. However, while the weather is dreary, animals still have to eat and drink, so the action at the waterhole is swift. It’s a trend that continues for the rest of the time we’re here. Twenty species and a few rattlesnakes later, we’ve got a pretty good representation of birds and mammals from this part of Texas. Mule deer, whitetail, and feral pigs all pay a visit, along with dozens of birds.
The amazing part is that the photos were taken at eye level and from mere feet away.
The rain persisted for the first couple of days, but so did we. While the weather slowed us a bit, it certainly didn’t stop us.
By mid-trip, the weather cleared, and we were off to the nation’s oldest national wildlife refuge. Like Redlands Ranch, the action was constant. Bison, native longhorn cattle, and elk are all found in this refuge. This refuge, tucked away in one of the oldest mountain ranges on the continent, is comprised of vast grasslands and post oak woodlands that sustain dozens of species of wildlife. The area also has a unique and colorful history where Native American and Frontier cultures collide.
By the end of the week, we’d been blessed with plenty of close wildlife sightings. Despite the weather challenges earlier in the week, each photographer persevered to add intriguing images to their portfolios.
On the final evening, we pass by a big bachelor group of mature bison. These animals are huge, and they graze and groan across the prairie to their heart’s content. On the edge, two bulls are lively and begin to spar. From here, you can hear their skulls bump and their horns rake against each other. While the sparring is done with a good nature, it won’t be long before the prairie is alive with the bison rut, and then, the fights are for real. Seeing them lively and alive in perfect light is a good consolation for now.
It’s good to be in wild country in the spring.
We're putting together another excursion to Redlands Ranch this October. Be sure to check in with us for exclusive first access when we announce the dates.
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