Block Creek Natural Area and Last Chance Forever

Both the Red and Gray Morph of the Eastern Screech Owl

I have just returned from a log weekend in the hill country of Texas.  We stayed and birded at a great place, Block Creek Natural Area-Turkey Hollow.  Almost all of photography took place at block Creek, plus we stayed right there.  The accommodations and food were excellent.  Sharron and Larry Jay have set up the area for nature photography for all skill levels..  When you stay there you become part of the family, everyone eats together.  There are multiple blind set up in many different areas of the property and the number of black-throated hummingbirds that are present is unbelievable.  The Jays can be reached at Sharron@BlockCreek.net or 830-995-4174, for further information.

I attended a three day instructional photo tour, it was not a workshop, but a chance to photograph with a professional nature photographer, Larry Ditto , who I consider my friend..  We photographed from Thursday afternoon until Sunday at lunch time.

I did run into a problem, flying out of Dallas-Fort Worth to San Antonio plane was completely full and there was no room in the overhead for my camera equipment.  Because of this I gate checked my bag and was told it would be at the baggage claim.  However, and maybe not to my surprise my camera bag did not arrive.  After checking with the baggage agent, the bag never was placed on the plane.  Not only my bag before other people did not get their bags.  I gave the the baggage agent, all my information will was going to be.  I was told that they have a flight to San Antonio every hour from Dallas-Fort Worth.  My bag should be on the next plane and they would send it to me.  I finally received my camera bag, just prior to starting the Photoshoot.  Thank God!

The plan for the first afternoon of shooting, was to photograph raptors.  Arrangements were made with "Last Chance Forever."  The Bird of Prey Conservatory located near San Antonio.  The primary mission At the Last Chance Forever is to rehabilitate and release back into the wild, injured, sick, or often birds of prey.  From the information sheet since 1978.  They have provided care for 240 to 300 raptors every year.  These birds got expert veterinary care, physical therapy, nursing exercise and their ultimate gift, release.  For more than 30 years.  They have successfully returned 65 to 80% of the birds to the natural home – the wild.

We had a chance to photograph a pair of screech owls, red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, and the Harris Hawk.  The Harris Hawk gave us a chance to get flight shots and watch it capture a lure.

Red-tailed Hawk Fluffing Its Feathers

Red-Tailed Hawk, Showing How It Got Its Name

Gray Morph Eastern Screech Owl

Red Morph Eastern Screech Owl

Great Horned Owl, with Its Mouth Open

Harris Hawk Flying Right into Your Face

Harris Hawk on Its Back Going to Catch a Lure.  This Is a Composite Picture

Last Chance Forever is a nonprofit agency that receives no federal or state funds in the all the funding come from public donations.  One of their supporters is Don Henley, one of the founding members of the musical group, The Eagles.  All donations are tax deductible, and more information can be found at their website www.lastchanceforever.org.






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Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary

Thursday morning my birding calling Doug and I decided to try a new place to bird. Since we are both involved with Allens Pond Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary which now manages the Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Wareham Massachusetts that is the location we decided to visit.
Here is a description of the sanctuary taken from the Massachusetts Audubon Society webpage:
"Located in Wareham, Great Neck is truly a sanctuary for wildlife. Here you might spot an Eastern box turtle ambling along the trail or an osprey hovering over Bass Cove. The open forest provides shelter for ovenbirds and great horned owls while the salt marsh feeds wading herons and egrets. And, nearly the entire property is designated as priority habitat of state-listed rare species.
The 2.5 miles of trails follow old carriage roads and deer paths. As you walk along them, you’ll encounter native plants including blueberry, huckleberry and sassafras trees; pass by stone walls built by hand by the early settlers; and discover a large glacial erratic (a massive boulder deposited here by glaciers in the distant past) once used for quarrying.
Great Neck is more than an ecological treasure; it’s testimony of successful land conservation partnerships. Public and private conservation organizations, as well as private land owners, worked together to ensure that this special place will remain a wildlife sanctuary for all to enjoy. Members of this effective collaborative to protect the land include the Wareham Land Trust, Department of Conservation and Recreation, town of Wareham, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Mass Audubon"


The area is as described, a juvenile great horned owl allowed us nice views of it.







An ovenbird kept jumping around over our heads with a caterpillar in its mouth. We had other numerous birds sightings however we could not walk all the trails because a rain and thunderstorms came upon us and we made it back to the car just prior to the very heavy rains. A return trip is planned so we can finish seeing the entire property.

Ameran Crow



Directions to the property are:From Exit 21 off Rt 195, go southeast on Rt 28. Stay right before light onto Tremont Road and follow as it merges with Main Street, curves right, and becomes Rt 6 through downtown. Stay left on Rt 6 over bridge to light. Turn right onto Narrows Road. Take 3rd right onto Indian Neck Road, which becomes RD Stillman Memorial Drive. At T, turn right onto Great Neck Road and follow for 1.4 miles. Turn right onto Stockton Shortcut (becomes unpaved after Little Harbor Country Club) to parking lot on right.

If you use a GPS in your car, enter the intersection of Great Neck Road and Stockton Shortcut especially if you are coming from the North or West of Wareham.