Photography, wildlife

Vibrant Pink Beauty

by Ingrid

When traveling by RV, weather always plays an import role, and flexibility is the name of the game.  After all, the number one priority is arriving at our next destination safely.roseate spoonbill

We pulled out of Rockport, Texas, early Sunday morning and arrived at the Elks Lodge in San Antonio, Texas, three hours later.  The original plan was to spend only one night here, and continue our trek toward Phoenix, Arizona, but with high wind predictions in west Texas along Interstate 10, we’ve decided to sit tight for another night or two.  bird photography

We’ve been to San Antonio several times and really enjoy the city, but we probably won’t be venturing out and about too much which has given me the perfect opportunity to go through my hundreds (more like thousands) of photographs I took over the past month.Birding

I don’t think I’ll ever get bored running into the vibrant pink of the roseate spoonbill.  I don’t know what it is about these birds that is so intriguing.  Could it be those gorgeous pink feathers?  Or maybe it’s their entertaining personality.Birding

I’ve been lucky to have enjoyed some rather close encounters with these pink beauties and I swear they like being photographed.  Or at least, they don’t mind my presence.Bird photography

Hope you enjoy these photographs of this vibrant and vivacious bird as much as I do.Birding

Birding

Birding

Roseate Spoonbill

Birding2 247

84 thoughts on “Vibrant Pink Beauty”

  4. I’m with you, Ingrid, I can NEVER get enough of the roseate spoonbill. This post gave me a luscious fill of them, to be sure. Your photos here are exquisite, and you did a fantastic job of highlighting this extraordinary bird. I liked the ibis in there too. But then your last photo that has the spoonbill and two whooping cranes is so unique it’s crazy!

    Like

    1. That last shot was such a fluke. I was so excited to see the spoonbill fly over the whoopers that I thought the photo would be a big blur… thrilled that it wasn’t. The birding wasn’t the best this year, but I have no complaints 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. There may not be any pink birds in the desert, but in a few weeks we’ll be seeing plenty of pink blooms on the cactus. I’ll return to the desert just in time for her to show her beauty.

      Like

  8. Really great shots of these gorgeous birds, Ingrid. I love the first on especially. She looks so ‘frilly’. I suppose both male and female are pink, but I always think of them as being female. 🙂

    Like

    1. He does look frilly fluffing his feathers. The guys (like this one) are a deeper pink and since nesting season is approaching, he has some deeper pink markings on the side. All necessary to attract a pale pink beauty 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I know…I love it when their wings are open. The pink is out of this world gorgeous. Pretty hard to capture since they fail to let me know when they decide to open their wings 😆

      Like

  10. Fantastic pictures, Ingrid. Thanks for sharing. Are you still in SA because of the high winds. Here in Fredericksburg it seems to be the windiest day so far.
    Have a safe trip, whenever you’ll be back on the roads,
    Pit

    Like

    1. Thanks Pit. Yes, we’re still sitting tight and will hit the road tomorrow morning as I think the winds are suppose to let up. The winds kicked up here in SA last night and are still going strong. Not the worst place to hang out though 🙂

      Like

    1. That pink is vibrant, not doubt. No I haven’t found any feathers on the ground and I’m not sure, but I think it’s illegal to pick up any of their feathers. These birds were once endangered.

      Like

  12. Good plan to avoid the bad weather – we did the same coming home from Louisiana. I’m always amazed at the colors mother nature is capable of producing and as always your shots of that color are very good.

    Like

    1. Whenever I spot that pink in the distance, even when driving down the road, I have to stop and get out the camera. Yes, making adjustments to avoid inclement weather is always a good idea. That’s why my schedules have lots of flexibility built in.

      Like

    1. And trust me when I say, the camera doesn’t capture their true beauty and personality, but I’ll continue to snap away in hopes of getting that rare shot 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  14. When I saw the title, I was so hoping you were talking about the roseate spoonbill:) Your photos have me smiling my way through your post. Loved every photo:)

    Like

    1. Thanks Pam and I was thinking of you while reviewing all of my spoonbill photos. That’s when I realized Rosie needed her own post 🙂

      Like

    1. With that new camera, you’ll need to spend some time along the coast for a little bird hunting 😉 After reading and viewing all of Graham’s info, I was able to use the FZ200’s to its full capability (with the exception of shooting RAW which I haven’t done yet). I rarely set the camera on auto any more unless I want to utilize that 1200mm optical zoom. Keep me posted on what you think.

      Like

  16. Well, the Roseate Spoonbills obviously have a big fan club! They’ve always been one of my favorites, as well. You do a spectacular job of capturing their elegant and somewhat comical beauty, Ingrid.

    Like

    1. They are comical, aren’t they? It’s as if that face and body some how don’t go together. It’s hard not to be drawn to their unique beauty and become a favorite.

      Like

    1. Thanks Debbie. As I’ve been following everyone in the desert via blogs and Facebook, I’ve noted the comments on the winds. Those winds are scary when parked let alone driving. Thus, we’ll sit tight and travel on Wednesday when things look a lot calmer.

      Like

    1. Don’t you love that pink? At the turn of the century their feathers were harvested for hats/fashion and almost wiped out their population. So glad they’ve been able to repopulate and entertain us.

      Like

  19. Such great photos! From the responses, don’t ever think you are boring us! Such amazing photography! These are gorgeous birds!

    Like

  20. Ingrid, again you perfectly captured the essience of this beautiful species with outstanding photographs to prove it.. What a difference between Texas and the Salton Sea, so much water and greenery! We saw these colorful birds in southern Mexico back in the mid 70’s and they have been our favorites since. Thanks for sharing your passion with us.

    Like

    1. The roseate spoonbill seems to be a favorite amongst many. Gosh, with that beautiful pink how can they not be? From the lush Texas Gulf Coast to the sparse Salton Sea, it’s amazing how a species of bird like the white pelican can adapt to such diverse environments.

      Like

    1. Thank you. Spoonbills are so much fun to photograph. There are worse places than San Antonio to hang out while waiting for weather to clear up.

      Like

  24. Glad you stayed put! Those crosswinds are horrible on 10 !
    I can’t even imagine how many folders you have of the Rockport Feathered friends! But don’t stop sharing… Your photos are amazing!

    Like

    1. Not wanting to bore every one with all my photos, I’m trying real hard to narrow down which pics to post. You know first hand how those winds can kick up on I-10. We’re implementing Plan B 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  26. I never tire of seeing Roseate Duckbills. Their plumage is striking & their bill shape unique. I still remember the first time I saw them, it was at the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, March 2003. Obviously they made quite an impression on me too.

    Like

    1. Do you see the roseate spoonbills near your RV Park in AL? I’ve heard great things about Ding Darling NWR. Might have to add that to my list.

      Like

  27. Oh yeah, give it to me baby! Im with you, I will never get tired of those pink beauties and may still have hundreds of their photos. You are in essence giving me my bird fix, thank you, my birder of a feather 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Love it, “birder of a feather”. Glad I could provide you with a coastal bird fix. Hopefully you’re capturing some hummingbirds and keeping those legs in good hiking shape.

      Like

  29. We stayed at the Elks on our way through last year as well, mostly for the same reasons….just to get off the road for a while. The bird shots are beautiful.

    Like

    1. They improved the property from our last stop here a year ago. Down time is always nice and very much needed. I enjoyed a great alone day shopping at the beautiful mall within walking distance, but no birds to photograph 😦

      Like

    1. There are so many beautiful coastal birds, that I don’t think I can pick a favorite. But the spoonbill remains a fave to photograph 🙂

      Like

    1. Thanks Cindy and he’s a roseate spoonbill. I know it’s a “he” because of his deep pink coloring and the deeper pink markings on the sides. They are so unique!

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Sounds like a good plan to sit tight for a bit. It was supposed to hit here already today, but so far, nothing yet. I absolutely love all of your photos. Those birds are so strikingly beautiful! 🙂 I would be headed to eat at La Margarita right about now if I was in SA. Gosh, love that place and the bakery next door so much!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That pink makes the roseate spoonbill such a joy to photograph. We’re leaving the truck and 5th wheel hooked up so we’ll walk over to the Shops at La Canterra for lunch tomorrow and then hit the road for Ft. Stockton or Van Horn on Wednesday. Hopefully those Texas winds will ease up 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. You are so right…. they are a ton of fun to see in person. Their personality is as addictive as that pink. We always have a Plan B and I like to implement “a gal can always change her mind” so I’ve rearranged our schedule and stops thanks to the Texas winds 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Ingrid… the third from the last… the profile with the reflection…. it is worth a spread in a beautiful book. Do you know… blurb.com? Terrific subject… beautifully captured. What is your longest lens… and do you have a “doubler”? Gene

    Like

    1. Thank you so much Gene. The last two photos were taken with the Panasonic FZ200 – 600mm. The rest (including 3rd from last) were taken with the Canon SL1 75-300 kit lens. I did not get a teleconverter yet. I was concerned it would slow the lens too much and I needed to practice first as is.
      I am familiar with blurb and would like to put something together for my children, but I’m having too much fun running around 😆

      Like

  39. Amazing pictures Ingrid! Smart move to stay put for a few days, the wind was really rocking our RV yesterday and it’s suppose to continue today, although so far it’s not as strong.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you S. Supposedly that weather is moving east and we sure don’t want to be caught in it. We’re keeping an eye on the winds before pulling out of San Antonio, but researching stops uncase we need to pull off sooner than we’d like.

      Like

Comments are closed.