The Last Day of Winter?

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Does this look like the last day of winter?

In South Texas, this weather is not all that surprising. A cold front came through last night just in time to remind us the time of year it really is. The front brought more rain and dropped temperatures somewhat below normal.

But this change in weather will be brief and not at all a problem for the Bluebonnets, Pink Evening Primrose, Mealy Blue Sage, Common Sunflower, Prairie Verbena, Seven-spotted Ladybug, Skipper butterfly and Gulf Fritillary butterfly, or any of the other flora and fauna flourishing now.

These photos were taken along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River upstream from the upper Mission Road trailhead to just past the pavilion on Monday, March 14, 2016.

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A Whole Lot of Green

St Patrick's Day, Thursday, March 17, 2016

With all the rain we have had recently, the vegetation is turning very green very quick:

And it makes for a perfect St Patrick's Day theme. Greenbrier (on Texas Persimmon), a Wafer Ash (Hop Tree) sapling, False Gromwell with its lantern like flowers, Yucca, Black Willow leaves (with golden catkins) and Texas Persimmon are just a small sample of all the green filling our natural areas this St Patrick's Day.

These photos were taken on a walk through the savanna restoration area by the Urban Ecology Center at Phil Hardberger Park on Wednesday, March 16, 2016.

Happy St Patrick's Day!

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Sometimes There Are the Surprises

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

While walking along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, there are countless plants and animals that one can expect to see almost all the time, such as the ubiquitous Snowy Egret:

Sometimes there are the surprises, like this pair of Hooded Mergansers:

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mission San Juan, Mission Reach loop trail on Wednesday, March 2, 2016.

Click on the first photo in a post to open the photos in a slideshow view.