The River Flowing Through Us

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Rivers flow not past, but through us; tingling, vibrating, exciting every cell and fiber in our bodies, making them sing and glide.  –  John Muir *

This set of photos was taken on my walk this past Wednesday along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River from the VFW Blvd trailhead to the water edge landing downstream from the Mission County Park pavilion.

The Mission Reach ecological restoration project is a generational process that will take about 75 years to fully mature, so this is just the initial phase of the restoration. As the restoration matures the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) will allow the river channel to evolve within the limits of its primary function of flood control.

The section of the river pictured above is an excellent example of the natural evolution of the river channel. Through time, the channel will find its own natural course. Alterations naturally occur through the processes of erosion and deposition. This process is explained by Lane's Balance which deals with the relationship between the size and quantity of sediment carried by a stream versus the slope and flow rate of the stream.

The science aside, this is what the river is supposed to look like; the river healing itself.

* This quote from John Muir is from SARA's 75th Anniversary Documentary film: Sustaining and Enriching Life in South Texas; The Story of the San Antonio River. 

A Stampede of Cattle Egrets

Cattle Egrets (Bulbucus ibis) are fairly recent arrivals to the Western Hemisphere. They first arrived in Florida from South America by way of the Caribbean Islands around 1953 and have rapidly spread north and west since then. Cattle Egrets are now well established year round residents in South Texas.

These birds are generally found in large flocks in upland areas particularly where cattle grazing is common as they have a commensal relationship with large, grazing herbivores of all kinds. It is not unusual, however, to find their breeding rookeries close to streams and lakes. With the ecological restoration beginning to take hold along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, flocks of Cattle Egrets are beginning to be sighted on and near the banks of the river:

There are at least three distinguishing characteristics that differentiate the Cattle Egret from the other two white egrets, the Great Egret and Snowy Egret, that are also commonly seen along the Mission Reach. Cattle Egrets have red-orange feathers on the top of their heads and the top of their backs. Cattle Egrets have yellow or orange beaks, yellow legs and yellow feet. And Cattle Egrets are almost always seen in large flocks while the other two egret species are generally solitary or in pairs. For comparison, here are a Great Egret on the rock to the left and a Snowy Egret just past the weir to the right:

I probably should note that in the photo of the pair flying close together, it appears as if their feet are black. This pair had just taken off from the muddy river bank, so their feet still have a thin coating of mud on them making them appear darker than they really are.

This set of photographs was taken on my walk along the Mission Reach on Wednesday, July 2, 2014 about a third of a mile or so north of the Loop 410 bridge. 

The Medina River Natural Area in June

Friday, June 13, 2014

As I mentioned at the beginning of the previous post, I have been very active so far this year. I have walked regularly preparing for and leading tours. I also found time on occasion to take an abundance of photos.

Today's post is a look back at the Medina River Natural Area in mid-June. This set of photos was taken along the El Camino and lower Rio Medina trails:

From top to bottom:
Photos 1, 2, 3, 4:  Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)
     (Turk's Cap is blooming profusely this summer.)
Photo 5:  Prickly Pear (Opuntia sp.)
Photo 6:  Alamo Vine (Merremea dissecta)
Photo 7:  Pearl Crescent butterfly (Phyciodes tharos)
     (I might publish another post later about the decline in pollinators. From what I have observed over the past year or so, there has been a dramatic reduction in the number of pollinator insects of all kinds here in Bexar County.)
Photo 8:  Mustang Grape leaves (Vitis mustangensis)
Photo 9:  Fragrant Flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus)

Half Past 2014, Floral Fireworks for the Fourth of July

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The first half of 2014 has been quite productive, just not when it comes to posting here on the blog. Now it is time to move forward with While on a Walk.

Today I walked from Mission San Juan to the west side of the Mission Reach then south about a mile toward Mission Espada. I should probably mention, the Yanaguana Nature Trail at Mission San Juan is currently closed as the National Park Service and the San Antonio River Authority are working to improve and expand the trail.

Wildflowers are blooming profusely with the rain we have had the last two months. Here are a set of "floral fireworks" for the 4th of July weekend:

From top to bottom:
Photo 1:  Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Photos 2, 3:  Old Man's Beard (Clematis drummondii) (The leaves are Mustang Grape.)
Photos 4, 5, 6:  Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata)
Photos 7, 8:  Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasiculata)
Photos 9, 10:  Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis rubra)
Photos 11, 12, 13, 14:  Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) (The grass in photo 11 is Canada Wild Rye)

When Bluebonnets (and Mountain Laurel) Bloom, 2014 Edition

I appreciate all the positive feedback and comments I have received regarding While on a Walk while I have been on something of a hiatus. I really haven't vanished off the face of this beautiful planet.

The weather here in South Texas since early January has not exactly been conducive to being out on the trail. Like much of the U.S., it has been rather cold. Granted not as cold as the northern states, cold is relative. When it goes below 60º (F) around here, it's cold.

One advantage to not being able to get out on the trail is I have had time to make major progress towards completing the manuscript for my book, The Song of the Cactus Flower; Images from a Land of Many Thorns. I have also realized there aren't enough hours in a day to complete a book manuscript and publish a blog at the same time. If all goes according to plan, I should be at a point to resume posting on a regular basis by early next month. I may manage a post now and then, like this one, in the meantime.

The Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) and Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) have begun to bloom signaling a return to Spring in South Texas. These two photos were taken in my yard with my cellphone camera, the Mountain Laurel on March 3rd and the Bluebonnet on March 8th.

Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora)

Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis)

The Bluebonnet, of course is the Official State Flower of Texas, but the Texas State Legislature rarely makes things simple. For the fascinating story of how the Bluebonnet became the state flower, click on this link (pdf) to the article, "All about Bluebonnets", written by Camelia Maier.