Just This Side of Heaven

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Salado Creek Greenway, Lady Bird Johnson Park Trailhead
downstream on the natural surface trail along the east bank
and back on the paved trail along the west bank

Today's photos:

Off the top of my head, I can't remember walking anywhere else since beginning While on a Walk where I am more hesitant to publish photographs than I am from this location. The area where the spring seeps out of this cliff and is surrounded by the Maidenhair Fern is one of the most fragile and sensitive habitats I have photographed in Bexar County.

The rock formation around the spring has taken a very long time to form on the side of the cliff. The flora and fauna live in a delicate balance, nurtured by the water seeping out from the limestone.

The natural surface trail that parallels the base of the cliff is primarily used by joggers and cyclists who pass through without causing much harm. My concern is that enough people have hiked up the short, steep slope to get closer to this feature that they have left an obvious path. It would be fairly easy for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department to use natural barrier material to make close access much more difficult, but still leave the feature open to view from the trail below.

Having said that, I posted this set of photos because this trail is just this side of heaven for a nature hiker. All I ask of anyone seeing this post and then hiking the trail is to keep in mind how unique, precious and delicate the location really is.

• The first, second and third photos are a male Northern Cardinal. There was a fairly large flock of cardinals flying among the trees, but this was the only one that seemed to have any interest in sitting still long enough for a portrait.
• The fourth through the tenth photos are the spring with the Maidenhair Fern and moss growing around it. In the sixth photo there is a pair of Lesser Goldfinches. The male is fairly obvious. The female is sitting just inside the opening in the rock to the right of the male. The seventh photo is a closer view of the male goldfinch.
• The eleventh and twelfth photos are close ups of Hawthorn blossoms. This tree was recently planted. There are several species of hawthorn, so hopefully they planted the Texas Hawthorn. It was covered with the beautiful white flowers, but I can't tell one species from another from the flower.
• The thirteenth and fourteenth photos are close ups of Texas Mountain Laurel flowers. The flower buds are just beginning to open in the thirteenth photo.