The Galveston County Daily News

One time on a long rowing trip, I was forced to remain on a small peninsula for three days because of high winds. During this time, I was able to observe a group of birds feeding each morning and evening on the beach outside my tent.

I could identify each bird by markings or size.

What surprised me was that each group never crossed an imaginary line in the sand, as though there were very specific territories laid out on this water’s edge for all to respect.

Each feeding time had the same birds in the same area. They had somehow come to terms with how to share this feeding ground in peace, and believe me, birds can get angry with one another and squawk, scream and chase each other off, even mildly attacking each other in the air.

I have witnessed this same type of union while lying in my tent at night and hearing crickets chirp. Each of four crickets in different locations chirping in order, never once crossing over the other. Cricket A sounding off close by, cricket B 10 feet further out next to sound, and so on, never breaking that order.

While crossing Matagorda Bay in my rowboat, I had a large group of dolphins traveling with me very close to my boat, seeming huge with respect to the small size of my 8-foot rowboat. They stayed alongside me in deep water for almost two hours until I changed direction toward shore — except for one.

This dolphin followed me all the way into shallow water and waited until I was on the beach before turning away.

I thought it odd that he would break away from the others and come into such shallow water. Perhaps he decided to feed alone and thought I was after something to eat, or maybe given their similar brain volume to ours, decided to make sure I made it into shore safely. Dolphins, like birds, seem to have intelligence deeper than just instinct.

Birds can be rather funny at times. I have seen long-legged birds fall off their perch or make bad judgments during flight, resulting in poor landings. Birds almost always have their heads facing into the wind, so as not to mess up their feathers, their beaks aiming at the direction the wind is coming out of. This is one more way of knowing which way the wind is blowing on another location — by checking a perched bird.

Osprey will carry the fish they catch with the fish head facing into the direction they are flying for better aerodynamics.

A secret to getting good bird photos is to avoid making eye contact for as long as possible. I have come arm’s length to perched birds by pretending to be a log and avoiding eye contact, while the bird is probably thinking, “If I just pretend to be a log all will be well.”

The very best time to photograph birds is at low tide or in shallow water areas. In the Galveston Bay area, I find winter to have the most diverse selection to photograph. The light in early morning and evening will capture the most dramatic color and shadows.

It is no secret that Texas is one of the best places to observe, catalog and photograph birds in the world. People from as far as Europe come to Texas to travel The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, and especially the upper Texas coast from the Louisiana border to just south of Freeport. Specific information and directions can be obtained from Texas Parks and Wildlife.

David Bean, an avid kayaker, is assistant ad production manager for The Daily News.