Refuge Photo Safari April 17

Slow your vehicle! Photographers crossing! Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge's third semi-annual Refuge Photo Safari is set for Saturday, April 17. Ten experienced leaders will be taking groups of three photographers each out to first see what they can see, and then photograph what they can see. The leaders will be familiar with the cameras used by those in their group, in order to help each person make the most of the safari experience.

Following the photo shoot on the Refuge, participants are invited to bring a brown bag lunch and stay for a discussion session in the Audio Visual Classroom.

Each photographer will have the opportunity to exhibit pictures from the event in a virtual gallery, to be shown at a later date. It will be interesting to see the Refuge through the vision of these photographers, so stay tuned for the date and time of the showing. Photos from previous safaris ranged from extreme close-ups of wildflowers to bird in flight to landscape vistas. Even photos of similar subjects had unique qualities.

Members of the Friends of Hagerman Nature Photo Club have organized the event, in conjunction with Refuge staff. The club meets bi-monthly, with the next meeting set for May 8. For more information, or to register for the Photo Safari (advance registration required), send your name and contact information, along with camera make and model, to fohphotoclub@gmail.com.

For more information about Hagerman NWR, see http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/hagerman/index.html. For more information about activities and programs at the Refuge see http://www.friendsofhagerman.com/.

Photo - Great Egret in Flight, by Pedro Alicea, taken at the Autumn Refuge Photo Safari, 2009.

Saturday Morning at Hagerman's Visitor Center

A gray chilly morning...wonder if we will have any visitors this morning...We did see two does in a field south of Refuge Road as we drove in, instantly making the whole effort worthwhile!

Then, shortly after we put out the "Open" flag, the first visitor arrived, out photographing wildlife. He showed us some of his pix on his camera view screen and voila, we saw that 18 American White Pelicans are now in at the Refuge.

Next a small group came in, members of Texoma Trails Alliance, gathering for a group hike. They were interested in the printed Refuge trail guides and looking at the various items in the nature exhibit area. Once everyone arrived, they walked the Harris Creek Trail and brought in some white goose feathers picked up on the trail before leaving for the day; they saw no geese but at least had "evidence" geese had been there!

Another photographer came in toting the largest lens we had ever seen! She was very excited about trying out this newest addition to her camera equipment, and received many admiring oohs and ahhs.

Among other visitors was a couple from New Mexico, who traveled to this area for a family celebration. They had recently been birding in Coast Rica and were awed by the birds seen there, but they also enjoyed watching birds at the Refuge feeder.

An Eagle Scout candidate came to check in before working on his project, replacement of benches along Harris Creek Trail.

Our last group for the morning was a youth group from West Sherman Baptist Church; they came to hike one of the trails. We were excited to see these young people interested in being outdoors and in learning about nature. Someday they will be the volunteers in the Vistor Center at Hagerman.

The Visitor Center hours are 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Saturday, and 1 - 4 p.m., Sunday. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day .

To download guides to each of the five trails at Hagerman NWR, go to http://www.friendsofhagerman.com/ - Click for NEWS and then About Hagerman. (Photo - American White Pelicans at Refuge, by Rick Cantu)

Get the Picture? Photography at Hagerman NWR

Hagerman NWR is a magnet for photographers – there is always something different to see and to photograph, depending on the season, the time of day, and the weather.

In addition to the wildlife and the landscape, the Refuge and the Friends of Hagerman offer a number of special activities for photographers. There are periodic programs on photography as part of the Second Saturday Nature Program Series. The Photographer of the Month program features an album of twelve photos taken at the Refuge, on the Friends of Hagerman website. Shown above are some photos by the November, 2009, Photographer of the Month, Chris Jennings.

Photographers who are on Facebook are invited to become fans of the Friends of Hagerman Facebook page and post photos taken at the Refuge, as well as comments on their visit.

The Refuge and the Friends have also sponsored two Photo Safaris this year. Small groups, led by experienced photographers have gone out to “shoot” and then turned in the resulting pix for inclusion in a power point “virtual gallery”. The most recent Photo Safari was held October 24, and the show will be presented at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, in the Audio Visual Classroom at the Refuge, 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, Texas.

Finally, entries in the first Annual Hagerman NWR Photo Contest will be accepted from January 3 – March 1, 2010. Rules and entry forms are available at the Visitor Center at the Refuge, or on-line at www.friendsofHagerman.com (see the NEWS page for Photography at Hagerman NWR).