SW16: Mission Accomplished

Bird's Eye View

The sunsets are not as spectacular here, but the birds are. So I'll start with a favourite bird picture this time: “twin” Green Jays at Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park in Mission, Texas:

Day 32: March 8

We leave Falcon and head slightly south to Salineno, where Merle and Lorna (and this year Bob) tend feeders for Texas Fish and Wildlife, right on the Rio Grande. And to prove it, here's a shot with Mexico on the left, Texas on the right, and a Border Patrol boat in between!

The birds are still plentiful:

And we saw what we REALLY came for, Audubon Orioles:

We stayed for a couple of hours and enjoyed the comings and goings and Merle and company. Strangely, Bob relished firing pebbles near the Red-winged Blackbirds using his slingshot. Odd for a birder, but effective. It was a beautiful stop.

On we went to another “perennial” stop for us, The Chimney RV Park in Mission. Our “neighbours” for the past three years, now, Dan and Patty from Kansas, welcomed us back. It was HOT! We hung out in our site 39 ($21 Full Hookups-PA), enjoyed the air conditioner, and hoped we'd avoid the storms they were predicting.

Day 33: March 9

It was a crazy night. First a train went through, blowing its whistle LOUDLY around 11:30. Then the storm DID come around 3:30. Then a little later, there was a lot of commotion with cars and sirens either in or near the park (I was determined the last was to do with a very fit senior man I saw climb UP the levee wall yesterday and, when he got to the top, shifted his handgun from his pocket to his waistband-seriously).

And all that led to non-stop rain all day. We were housebound. I read, David tagged pictures, and Mandy slept.

I did get out for a short walk during one break in the weather and got this view from my chair:

Day 34: March 10

We've had such great weather every day until yesterday, so hoped this would all end. Despite overcast skies, we packed up and drove to Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park for some more birding.

It's a great biking and birding park, so it's made for us!

Here are some shots of birds and little beasts from two feeding stations and the Comfort Station:

...and a Roadrunner from the road (he posed for David in all his glory):

...and a group of Hawk lovers on the Hawk Tower that helped us see a Life Bird, a Hooked-billed Kite (only a speck in the binoculars, but confirmed all around).

We got back and, after lunch, decided to ride along the levee (and no, the Border Patrol wasn't following David):

We saw a turtle:

...and visited La Lomita Chapel:

...and rode through an amazing county park. Over my right shoulder is the park in Texas:

...and over my left, the sister park in Mexico!

This was a very busy day after the day of nothing yesterday!

SW16: Seminole Canyon to Falcon

Sunset View

This is the evening sky at Seminole Canyon State Park:

Day 29: March 5

Time to move towards the Rio Grande Valley and more birds (we hope). The weather is meant to be hot and sunny.

It was a fauna drive as we saw a Javelina on our way out of the park and an Elk herd farther down the road. This viewing was when we pulled in to view an Historical Marker (they're all over Texas) that noted remnants of a Mexican family's original ranch which was abandoned and taken over by The Texas Rangers who were stationed there “to rid the country of Indians and Bandits” (not MY words):

We stocked up in the cute town of Alpine and continued our drive through areas where the desert trees and shrubs are beginning to flower.

It's quite a barren stretch of land along Highway 90. There are cattle ranches, oil fields, fracking fields, Border Patrol track traps, and not much to see. Why anyone (after being rid of “Indians and Bandits”) would have wanted to settle here is beyond me!

But we did discover that the enchiladas at the Stripes gas stations are cheap and good!

The sky was overcast (the first time in 29 days), but the Yucca was in flower (and goats were EATING the Yucca). And it was 70F.

We stopped for another short visit in Langtry to the Judge Roy Bean Museum:

...and got to Seminole Canyon State Park (Site #27 E/W $20). It was too windy to ride the canyon trails, so we walked some and got some desert flower shots:

Here's the view from my chair (that's Mexico beyond the desert):

Day 30: March 6

It was still windy and overcast, so we decided to move on.

As we drove past miles of track traps and Border Patrol trucks, we wondered why we've never ever seen any Mexicans crossing into the US! Then we wondered if Donald Trump had ever driven these miles that we have. There is NO NEED for a wall! Just sayin'

We hit our first (favourite) H.E.B. Grocery store, AND we saw our first Blue Bonnets:

At the next Border Patrol Station, the officer spoke to me, and it was the first time anyone wanted to look inside (he had said he'd liked our MoHo, so I teased him that he just wanted a peek).

The oil towns were either declining (Carrizo Springs) or booming (Eagle's Pass). We didn't get my BBQ yet, but did get to Falcon State Park and got Site #128 ($16 E/W) and settled in for a hot (88F) and windy afternoon.

We set out oranges and our food and water feeders and saw this little guy:

...but not much else!

Here's the view from my chair:

Day 31: March 7

The night was noisy with wind and what we thought were Javelina eating leftover birdseed.

The morning brought us those Javelinas (seven in total!):

...and a few birds.

It was getting hot, so we rode around the park and didn't see much “new” and came back to the site. But, again, we noted the colour we've never seen here before:

We even put the air conditioner on “for Mandy” (got up to 90F).

We had some visitors to our “new” feeder (we abandoned the “Javelina Feeder” and retrieved one left behind by former campers). It was a great afternoon of reading and birdwatching. Here are some of my favourite pictures:

And here's the sunset view from my chair:

SW16: Hello again, Texas

Sunset View:

Relax; no snakes! Here's the sky, coloured by the setting sun at Davis Mountains State Park, TX:

Day 26: March 2

Here we are, back in Texas. The drive through El Paso was busy, but we survived. We got supplies in Van Horn and headed south on 118 to Fort Davis.

The Saguaros of Tucson gave way to the Prickly Pears of New Mexico, and now we have the Yuccas and Mesquite of west Texas.

We got to the park and decided to buy a $70 pass. That “saved” us $36 for three days park entry and $10 on our second night here, so we're happy! The woman at the office was amazed at how many Texas parks we have visited over the years!

We're in Site #32 ($20 E/W).

We added a lot of Life Birds to our list here over the years, but not any today. But between the old bird blind and the new one, we counted 21 birds our first day here (without really trying!):

Here's the view from my chair:

Day 27: March 3

We got up early and rode to the Primitive Camping area and “The Seep” which we had enjoyed before. Despite several attempts to find it, based on memory and a map, we never did see it. When we returned to the office, we were told that the viewing area had been washed away this fall in a flood. It would have been nice to know!

So, we continued to ride around and visited the bird blinds and “the trough” which we DID find. There we saw this harbinger of Spring:

After lunch, I walked the Montezuma Quail Trail (yikes what a trail) and felt good but quail-less (though not Muledeer-less):

We visited with Colorado neighbours (one set who had been camping in a teardrop trailer for the past TEN MONTHS!). And then David DID see three Montezuma Quail (no pictures). Now we had 27 birds this trip. Here are a few more campsite birds:

It was a 15,000 step and 7 mile ride/hike day!

Here's a view of our camping area from the top of the trail:

Day 28: March 4

After such a busy yesterday, we stayed quiet and enjoyed the coolness of the campsite. Later, I rode to the CCC Indian Lodge, a pretty place you could stay at in the park in the 1930's and today:

We visited the bird blinds and saw three more birds for a total of 30, This was a good tally. Oh, and no Campsite Bunny, just these Muledeer!

Here's a view of David in our campsite from across the wash: