Driving down Mission Parkway at the posted speed of 10MPH. When I had to pull off the road to observer 3 ospreys. One carry a fish, 2nd osprey looked to be escorting and dive bombing a 3rd. Which I called the bandit.
“Going to need a big birdbath”!
Above 100F days and drought bring in the hawk to the birdbath.
"Do not Bug- I'm looking for bugs"
Warbler hiding in Cedar Elm
Short Nature walk at McAllister Park
GTWT AAL site HOTE 090
Nature walk at San Juan Mission in San Antonio -for the 2021 Texas Pollinator Bioblitz.
Project GTWT -Site# HOTE 102
GTWT AAL Project : Packery Channel
Site Number: CTC 062
On the away to town via the FM117.
Day 4 of CNC San Antonio Area 2022
@ Southside Lions Park
GTWT Site HOTE 099
Short nature walk after running an errand in the South end of SA. Temps - in the 90Fs
Queens on Gregg's Mistflower (Conoclinium greggi) growing in the Demo garden. Thanks to AAMN volunteers.
Nature walk at San Juan Mission in San Antonio -for the 2021 Texas Pollinator Bioblitz.
Project GTWT -Site# HOTE 102
2021 Texas Pollinator BioBlitz - Day1 at Prospect Forest.
City Nature Challenge 2021 - Bioblitz
Also contribute to GTWT AAL Project - Site HOTE 099
In Seguin for MG - training. Nature walk after training on trails next to the Guadalupe River and Walnut creek confluence.
I can use this shot when making presentation.... "That's it in a nut shell or was that a mouth full?"
Seen this hawk once before on the same tree.
This time I think - it was a "stick up"?
Nectar plant :
Flame Acanthus
Female - at hummer feeder #2
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute visit.
GTWT AAL Project FWTX 021
GTWT - AAL Project FWTX 013
Humming bird feeding on a sotol plant .
Observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88219777
Late at night, found this Mestra in the workshop next to the dog’s water bowel. Area by the bowel was damp. My thoughts earlier in the day, the little butterfly may have been attracted inside for a drink. The mestra was gently released back into dark night on to a leaf of an american beauty berry bush. “Sweet dream little one, may you dreams of other mestras and not monsters”.
The next day was I glad to see several mastras flying around in the landscape. More than normal. 😀
CNC-2021 Day 4 bioblitz
Chased it around a pecan tree - twice before the lizard came to a stand still.
One of my favorite finds of CNC.
At 16th BSA Annual Wilderness Survivlal Campout at a private ranch " Hacienda de los Consuelos"- Mountain Home, Texas.
Lunch at Headwaters at Incarnate Word and a walk round the loop.
Picture taken with the aid of my spotter my spouse. We noticed that a hawk landed on the ground ahead of us. We stop to watch. As I focus in my spotter - advise me that 2 walkers were coming up the trail -close to the hawk. Switched settings on camera and got ready for flight shots (Picture 1)
First of all - Big Thanks and shout out to : Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation- Ralph who rescued this Owl with a broke Right Wing!
Found injured owl on the property while doing some yard work. At first - I thought it caught a squirrel or something. As I ran back for my camera an returned - it dawn on me, when I return it and owl did not move from its spot. Dropped everything and called my Audubon friend @becca. who directed me to WRR folks. Lucky - Ralph a certified Wildlife team member lived minutes away, was able to rescue and rush to San Antonio Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation location for an eval. Will know more in couple of days.
COVID-19 – Social Distancing Day 60 something:
All prep up with masks / alcohol wipes to make an errand run into town for prescription meds at CVS-Floresville. On the way back we decided to take the scenic route home via Country Roads and a short stop at Helton Nature Park to judge the crowd on a week day. Although the park closed to traffic, it had 2 parked cars near the entrance. On the turnaround out near the San Antonio River, we spotted the Painted Bunting flying to a very small patch of grass. Lucky for the bird it was not touch by the park’s weed-eater and zero turn lawn mower. Lucky for us – we did not scare the bunting way. That bunting was too busy feasting to its heart’s content on fresh spring grass seeds. THANK GOD – cause it made our DAY to see such a beautiful bird up close.
FYI… First – picture animated, will not play on smart device.
See animation via inaturalist.org or directly https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/45336237
Note to self: (to do)
what was the grass?
Release – MP4 observation- when available.
Found 2 green anoles fighting while working in the potting area oif the garden. There fight was on upside pot that made it prefect fighting ring for these 2 dudes.
Sorry - had to make a social distancing comment on the photo #1
instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uzYbRJCF6/
(Note to self: pending video)
Working in the garden until dusk, 2 sphinx moths hovering around the blueberry bush flowers.
AKA - hummingbird moth
Nectar plant - Blueberry
Found in insect traps in Harrison Co., May 2016. First to be found in Texas.
Nature walk - on mission reach. Shrike on the hunt.
Cardinal feeding on berries -
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
See related observations on
American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana
Running an errand into San Antonio via the back roads. Stop at roadside with extra shoulder overlooking a creek. There was heavy overcast and car temperate read 45F outside.
I could see the shadow of a big bird coming in the horizon. Earlier 2 c.aracaras had passed by as I step out my car. My thoughts it was another c.aracara coming my way. So I braced myself and made like a tripod. The shadow did get any better thru the camera view finder. As I click away, strangely in the back of my mind this bird did not fly like a c.aracara but rather it soar thru the cold air with great dominance and with little effort.
Lizard coming out of its sand hole.
2 Gray foxes walked thru the property- Prospect Forest. It was a sight to see in the afternoon. It rain last night until the morning, with a clouding afternoon. My thoughts due to the rain they were forced to hunt in the day.
Growing wild on property. Deep sandy area.
Nature walk thru Mission Reach area.
2 Bucks in the brush at end of my walk. Earlier in the walk on the other side of the park, I saw 2 white-tailed Does.
iNat walk at Phil Hardberger Park after a Alamo Area Master Naturalist Training Team Meeting. (Great meeting about status on new AAMN class 43 starting soon.)
Over Packery Channel ... Gull pick up in-flight food over the water. Looks like a ribbon fish cause it was flat looking? Related to observation : https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14606236
Other reason - why you do not feed the gulls ... mother nature provides.
Morning walk around Balli Park and Beach area - North Padre Island.
On Nature walk at Acequia Park on San Antonio River Mission Reach
Nature walk on the San Antonio River near Pear
Nature walk around Confluence Park and San Antonio River -Mission Reach Area. Tree cricket captured by the Wasp.
Nature walk around Confluence Park and San Antonio River -Mission Reach Area. Wasp captured a tree cricket. Did not see the tree cricket until I re looked at the picture before the upload.
Padre National Seashore - early morning walk ... about less than a mile from the visitor center. Awesome to be the first ones on the beach and see the sunrise. Great day.
Nature walk - near Packery Channel
Early morning walk on North Padre Island National Seashore walk - on the edge of sand dunes.
Nature walk at Packery Channel.
Nature walk at Packery Channel - turtles were eating seaweed on the channel rocks.