Springing Up in the Basin, Part 1

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Hondondo Creek Trails (Judson Nature Trails), Olmos Basin in Alamo Heights

Today's photos:

About three years ago, the City of Alamo Heights began consideration of ways to improve and expand the nature trails along Hondondo and Olmos Creeks. These trails have been maintained by the San Antonio Audubon Society as the Jack Judson Nature Trails. The non-profit organization, The Friends of Hondondo Creek Trails was formed soon after Alamo Heights began the planning process. In conjunction with the San Antonio Audubon Society, they have begun initial work on improving the trail system.

• The first photo is a Huisache tree in full bloom near the entrance to the trail system.
• The second through fourth photos are close ups of the flowers on a Rough-leaf Dogwood tree.
• The fifth photo is a Honey Bee on a Baby Blue-eyes flower.
• The sixth and seventh photos are a Fox Squirrel that seemed to be as interested in what I was doing as I was interested in photographing it.
• The eighth photo is a Scarlet Sage.
• The ninth photo is of newly set Sugar Hackberry leaves brilliantly illuminated by the sun.
• The tenth photo is a Pearl Crescent butterfly. The two small yellow flowers  are Straggler Daisies. This tiny daisy is a very common native ground cover. They are frequently considered lawn weeds, but actually make an excellent drought and shade tolerant ground cover that rarely require supplemental watering.
• The eleventh through the fourteenth photos are close ups of Mexican Buckeye flowers and newly set leaves.
• The fifteenth and sixteenth photos are Baby Blue-eyes. These native flowers also do very well growing in the shade. They are typically found as ground cover in wooded areas.

This series of photos is continued in part 2.