Hardberger Park, Oak Loop Trail

Today completes my first month walking the nature trails. The photos for today:

This past month has been an awesome experience for me and judging from the feedback I have received, this blog has made a positive impact. I greatly appreciate the response. Please continue to share the link to the blog with your friends.

Rooted in the Rock

In most areas of the hill country, soil is shallow and rock outcroppings are common. I have always been amazed with how plants, especially trees, grow their roots around and into the rock.

Hardberger Park, Borrow Pit:

Eisenhower Park, Shady Creek:

Hardberger Park, Geology Loop Trail

With a possible exception here and there, I think from now on I am going to routinely post the photos first, then the commentary. So here are today's photos:

My original plan had been to do all three of my walks this week at Eisenhower Park, but curiosity got the better of me. I am still in somewhat of a shock at the drought condition of Eisenhower Park. Even the Ashe Juniper (a.k.a. Mountain Cedar) are showing signs of severe drought stress even though they are one of the most drought resistant trees in South Texas.

Hardberger Park is about five miles south-southeast of Eisenhower Park, or as we say in Texas, just down the road a piece. It is about two-hundred fifty feet lower in elevation. In years with normal precipitation, it has a few intermittent flowing streams. There is also a greater diversity of vegetation with predominantly hardwood trees.

So, I was curious to see how Hardberger Park, San Antonio's newest park and natural area, was responding to the drought in comparison to Eisenhower Park. The drought stress is evident in both parks, especially in the ground cover, but the trees seem to be doing just a bit better at Hardberger Park.

The drought is adding a degree of difficulty in terms of deciding what to photograph, but even under severe stress, nature provides infinite possibilities.

I am writing too much. Once again, the photos tell the story.

South Salado Creek Greenway, Experiencing Presence

When I left the car last Wednesday and began walking the greenway trail, I felt more than a bit discouraged. Covington and Comanche Parks are not exactly wildlife areas. For the most part, the land along both the creek and trail is traditional manicured park land with picnic and recreation areas.

I was seriously wondering if I would find anything at all to photograph. As I came around the first bend in the trail approaching the quarter mile mark, I happened across a young night heron. With my telephoto lens, I was able to stay far enough away from him so as not to cause any alarm. He took slow steps along the bank of the creek. There was probably much more for him to eat than I was aware of, but no food source appeared immediately obvious.

If these were the only photos I had from that morning, I would have been quite satisfied. Just having had the opportunity to experience these few moments really did make my day:

Eisenhower Park, The Hill Country Enduring an Exceptional Drought

Eisenhower Park is one of five San Antonio parks designated as a natural area. It is in the hill country area of northwestern Bexar County. Two words currently describe it: exceptional drought. Its extremely dry condition is a startling contrast to the area around South Salado Creek where small springs are still flowing.