Oh my god! Those are gorgeous! That second one is absolutely breathtaking. Great job for being there and seeing everything going on around you. You were amply rewarded, my friend.
Rexroths Daughter | Homepage | 10.07.05 - 9:43 pm | #

killer picture!!!!!
dread pirate roberts | Homepage | 10.07.05 - 9:44 pm | #

Thanks for the nice words about the photos. I was kind of surprised the in-flight one worked out. I am usually not so lucky.
Huitzil | Homepage | 10.07.05 - 11:19 pm | #

Some photos are beyond words! Congratulations on yours!!!
Ontario Wanderer | Homepage | 10.08.05 - 5:59 am | #

Those are just jaw-dropping photos, Huitzil! Beautiful bird, excellent photography. Thanks for posting them.
C. Corax | 10.08.05 - 8:35 am | #

Amazing photos!
KathyR | Homepage | 10.08.05 - 3:58 pm | #

Wow! Beautiful photographs.
John | Homepage | 10.08.05 - 4:47 pm | #

Excellent work. Fortunate timing and skill with a camera. I have neither, but I'm glad you do.
pablo | Homepage | 10.08.05 - 4:52 pm | #

That is a great photo of Flycatcher in flight.
Idyllopus | Homepage | 10.08.05 - 4:58 pm | #

Amazing photos!
Sonia | Homepage | 10.08.05 - 10:14 pm | #

Gee, thanks for the compliments on the photos. I wish I could take more like that.
Huitzil | Homepage | 10.08.05 - 11:03 pm | #

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful bird and spectacular photos!
soccer mom | 10.09.05 - 10:25 pm | #

Great photos of a beautiful bird! I've always wanted to see one of these birds with their amazingly long tails. I wonder what advantage there is to having such a long tail.
Beth | Homepage | 10.30.05 - 12:36 am | #

Wow! Wow, wow, wow.

We don't get to see those up here.
Gwyn | Homepage | 10.30.05 - 6:19 pm | #

Is it permissable to use one of your photographs in a publication?
John Womack | 01.26.06 - 1:01 pm | #

Sure. I'm guessing you are asking about the in-flight scissor-tail. What kind of publication? That photo may not have the resolution needed for some publications. It's already heavily cropped, and though I could send you a higher resolution jpeg than the one in the blog, it couldn't be pushed too far. At 300 dpi the crop I like the best is only about 3x 2 (approx) inches, though I made a perfectly satisfactory print about 8x6 inches on my wall. I dunno what the dpi of that was.

Let me know at my email address, mcculloch@mail.utexas.edu
Huitzil | Homepage | 01.26.06 - 5:41 pm | #

I would also like to use your scissor tail photos for publications. Can you contact me?
Thanks.
Kathy Haaga | 06.10.06 - 7:22 pm | #

Really nice shots of what has to be one of the most beautiful birds in North America. I follow them all around my north Texas area, but I found out that they can be just as elusive as they are present. What a nice catch!
Larry P. | 07.28.07 - 9:05 pm | #

That is SO cool you saw him and got those pictures. VERY neat! Thanks for sharing.
Cari | 05.28.08 - 8:53 am | #

I found this post by image searching scissor tails.

Since I have started working in the oilpatch, I see these beauties every day.

In the basin area, they build their nests with mesquite twigs. Then, they line the middle with grass. Their nests are often on top of the electrical enclosures I work in.
Big White Hat | Homepage | 07.17.08 - 10:18 pm | #