Mexican Ground Squirrel drinking, south-Texas. NANPA Showcase Winner ~ by Jeff Parker.

I’m happy to announce the above image placed as a NANPA Showcase Winner. That is to say, in the top 100 in the North American Nature Photography Association’s Showcase competition.

It will be one of the images shown during the “Nature and Music ~ Jacksonville Symphony Celebrates Nature Photography” performance on Thursday Feb. 27, 2013 in Jacksonville, Florida.

This image was taken in May of 2012 on one of the two ranches to which I’ll be returning during my Focus on South Texas Birds tour. Their photo blinds are built especially for nature photographers and provide great perspective just above ground-level, which allows us to capture intimate images like these.