Another Zoo Trip - Yellow Tree Boa

Wish I'd focused on the droplets right in front of the snake in the second shot, but this was in the children's area and there were distractions.  Still a good series, though...

Another Zoo Trip - Regular Tree Boa

Something about the water beads on this species that catches the camera's eye...see this post from not too long ago.

Another Zoo Trip - Emerald Tree Boa

This and tomorrow's posts are both tree boas - this one is emerald.  Next will be just a plain tree boa, I suppose...

Another Zoo Trip - Leopard

Captured this on my way to the reptile house...

Another Zoo Trip - Gorilla Friend

This would be our friend from this post a while back.  A few steps to the right reveals that he's trying to peek around the tree...

Another Zoo Trip - See No Evil

Another Zoo Trip - Chimp Food Cigar

Wait long enough around these guys and they won't disappoint...

Another Zoo Visit - Chimp in Tree

Another Zoo Trip - Chimp with Blanket #2

After shooting the previous series I waited for this guy to do something.  After a long while, the only nibble I got was when he extended his hand to be sure it wasn't raining any more before emerging into the sunlight:

Another Zoo Trip - Chimp with Blanket #1

It was cool (by Houston standards) and rainy on this winter day, and they had blankets out for use by the chimps.  I was amazed at how casually they utilized these tools, throwing them over their shoulders as naturally as you'd see any person doing the same thing.  Also, it was clear that they had their favorites, and would fight over possession, especially when they were needed in the cold or rain.

This guy took me by surprise.  When it started raining a little harder he bolted for cover while wrapped in his favorite blanket.  I had a slow lens and knew they'd turn out blurry, but tracked him anyway and used slow burst (which is the way I always have the camera set) to snap away at five frames per second.  The pic above is the best I could muster in post-capture, which turned out a little better than I thought it would.

Pictured below is the rock outcropping that was used for his cover.  He very patiently waited out the rain.  THEN...

When the sun came out he emerged to join his friends, with blanket still in tow...

Another Zoo Trip - Thinking Chimp #2

Another Zoo Trip - Thinking Chimp with Card

As expressive as these guys are, you know there's something going on behind those eyes...

Another Zoo Trip - Bamboo Leaves

Originating photo below:

Another Zoo Trip - Rhino Dinner

Saw the most incredible documentary on ROKU/PBS about a family in South Africa, in the 1960's, that took in an orphaned black rhino when he was just a few days old.  It grew into a loving family pet, playing and cavorting just as any dog would around the yard and in the house.  Turns out they are affectionate creatures when young.  But alas, it grew too big and dangerous for the kids, so they had to give it up and release it to live with other rhinos in another part of the country.  Sadly, it died from a broken heart because of the separation from the family that it obviously counted as its own. (No kidding...the documentary would convince you of that.)

Another Zoo Trip - Giraffe Couple

Another Zoo Trip - Giraffe Snuggling

Another Zoo Trip - Giraffe Reaching

Another Zoo Trip - Ostrich Head Shot for Card

In yet another demonstration of the awesome performance and power of the D850, these three cards were created by cropping in just the head from yesterday's post.  (As stated before, just practicing...)

Another Zoo Trip - Ostrich Shot #2

Here's your iconic stance for one of these birds, glaring right into the lens of the Bigger Cahoona.

Not totally satisfied, but settled with the card below for now, with the neck feathers used as the pattern for the lettering:

Another Zoo Trip - Ostrich Shot #1

Ostriches are fun to shoot (with a camera); they are relatively slow, funny looking, inquisitive, and unafraid of us humans with these strange objects in our hands.

Found this shot reminiscent of this photo, captured in Arlington some years back...

Another Zoo Trip - Crane Through Trees

Made another trip to the zoo on January 20 (2018).  As this was winter, did not pass up some shots of things through things...

Houston Zoo - Lake Scene

Houston Zoo - Bird Silhouettes

Houston Zoo - Nearby Building

Houston Zoo - Red Berries

Houston Zoo - Flamingo Backs

Getting a shot like this with the Bigger Cahoona is the same as capturing a panorama with a lesser camera.  This is all one shot, fairly cropped in.

Houston Zoo - Green Tree Boa

Finally made it into the zoo - after a hike from the Centennial Gardens - but didn't have much time so made a beeline to some exhibits that I wanted to improve upon, picture-wise.  This guy moved around to another location within his cage, but was still able to focus on the eye.

McGovern Centennial Gardens - Outside Looking In

...and this is outside the gate looking in once I left the park.

McGovern Centennial Gardens - Wispy Reeds

This was captured just inside the gate on the way out...

McGovern Centennial Garden - Building through Tree with Birds

McGovern Centennial Gardens - Apartments