BBB Day 14

March 9

Hiked 4.5 miles

Today was a day of coots (human and bird), history, agriculture, birds, birds, birds, and a few reptiles (officially a warning to snake-a-phobes). It was a good one.

The morning began with a multi person viewing of a Toyota SUV, outside our window. Very intriguing. Then the FULL shuffleboard court as we headed out for the day. I am not casting aspersions on the people here, but it’s a new thing for us, these Winter Texans.

We drove to the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge. It was flooded in 2010, so the only way to get around was hiking (not today) or on the tram, so we took the tram. The volunteer was excellent, teaching us about the trees and shrubs around, the history of farming in the area, the stages of reclaiming land as a refuge, and of the birds and animals in the refuge.

Here are some of our pictures (well, a lot):

…me on a suspension bridge and David on a higher tower (that was very brave of me!):

…a big surprise: a Great Horned Owl chick nesting in an abandoned Falcon’s nest:

…the resilient Prickly Pear that was essentially wiped out in the flood:

…the beautiful cemetery of the family that originally ranched this property:

…the onion and dill crops (the tall stuff is sorghum that farmers plant alongside the dill to keep it “clean” from the dust and a cabbage fielf:

…the levee that carries water from the Rio Grande:

…and, at the Visitors Centre, a rarely seen Texas Indigo Snake:

This was a good stop, and the Volunteer gave us some good advice about next birding stops. We had lunch and headed to the Estero Llano Grande State Park and had an amazing afternoon.

Just outside the Visitors Centre is a pond filled with Coots and other ducks like Mr. and Mrs. Northern Shoveler:

…Green-winged Teals:

…and the tiniest, appropriately named, Least Sandpiper:

Further along the trails we saw more interesting things.

…Duck, Duck, Turtle:

…two little lizards:

…and two BIG ones:

…a new Life Bird, the Pauraque (can you see him?):

…some tropicals (for a break from our nerdy birdwatching):

…and a Great and Little Blue (immature or morph) Egret:

…at least 13 Black-crowned Night and Yellow-crowned Night Herons (look like Penguins to me):

…and Mickey Mouse:

Enough! We were so impressed by these two stops, especially the latter.

We headed back to the park, and my evening stroll to the dumpster (usually done in couples or on golf carts) led me by the packed pool hall (a full parking lot of golf carts) and 50 people playing Bingo in the Rec Hall. And some people were jamming into the night (I heard an accordion).

Here’s yesterday’s and today’s view from my chair: