Quality of Life, A Sunday Special Edition

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Quality of Life

"Joy is to fun what the deep sea is to a puddle. It's a feeling inside that can hardly be contained."  -  Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32)

A healthy urban wildlife habitat is also a healthy human habitat. This should be self-evident but it has actually been a lesson we humans seem to have been slow to learn. Study after study is verifying that a healthy urban wildlife habitat reduces the heat island effect common to most metropolitan areas, thus reducing energy costs. They also reduce both air and water pollution reducing the harmful effects the pollution causes in the health of urban populations. They increase infiltration of rain water into the water table reducing the amount of runoff that leads to flooding and increasing the valuable ground water supply. The list goes on, but this makes my point.

A healthy urban wildlife habitat also leads to a higher quality of life, reducing the stress of urban life. It is a joy to live in such a habitat. Much work remains to be done to bring San Antonio and Bexar County to its full potential in terms of having a healthy urban wildlife habitat, but compared to many, if not most, metropolitan areas of similar size, we have made much progress here. In fact, the 1997 City of San Antonio Master Plan Policies include the goal to "integrate environmental quality protection into all phases of local planning and policy implementation."* Many benefits of this goal are now being realized.

Of course, there are always going to be individuals, corporate entities and government agencies that are going to do things on the cheap to "save money." Almost always, the savings are short term and contain hidden long term mitigation costs. And, perhaps even more destructive, are those with no long term vested interest in the community that want to make a quick profit at the expense of the long term quality of life in the community. It is imperative that we remain vigilant regarding this sort of activity and work to keep it from occurring.

The point is we have already proven that in working together as a community with cooperation between the private and public sectors, and between government agencies at all levels, we can preserve and, where necessary, restore a high quality habitat for both people and wildlife. We can have a sustainable high quality of life that abounds in opportunities for experiencing a deep and abiding joy.

The photos in this post were taken on my walk along the San Antonio River this past Friday:

• The first photo is the Anacacho Orchid Tree in full bloom.
• The second and third photos are a Fiery Skipper butterfly enjoying the nectar of the Anacacho Orchid Tree's flowers.
• The fourth photo is the adult American Coot with one of its offspring.
• The fifth and sixth photo are a Spotted Sandpiper still retaining its spotless winter plumage. Some of these birds have begun to return to their summer spotted plumage, but most appear to be retaining the winter plumage for now.
• The seventh photo is a Northern Shoveler.

* Management Practices for Natural Waterways (pdf file)  (The quote is on pdf page 12 of this document.)

Beginning With the River

Friday, March 1, 2013

San Antonio River, Roosevelt Park Trailhead, upstream along the Eagleland Reach

Today's: photos:

I began While on a Walk with a walk along the San Antonio River. It got the blog off to a very good start. I really couldn't think of a better location to begin the journey through the next 500 posts.

The Eagleland Reach from S Alamo St  to Lone Star Blvd was the "proving ground" for the Mission Reach restoration project downstream. This is where the initial feasibility studies were done to prove that the reconfiguration of the fluvial geomorphology of the river could be successfully accomplished within the constraints of the flood control channel. So this is where the entire River Restoration Project began.

• The first photo is a Cowpen Daisy. At least that's what I think it is. The yellow asters can be notoriously difficult to distinguish one from another. Not to mention, I really like the name "Cowpen Daisy." (Update, March 2, 2013, 11:15 PM: My go to person for plant identification tells me this flower is NOT Cowpen Daisy. He assures me this is actually (more than likely?) Slender Greenthread, Thelesperma simplicifolium Grey. I had a hunch when I took this photo I was about to learn a little more about plant identification. Though, I still really like the name "Cowpen Daisy." )
• The second and third photos are Guadalupe Spiny Softshell Turtles. It was a very good day to be out enjoying the sun.
• The fourth photo is a Pied-billed Grebe. (Update, March 24, 2013, 5:05 PM: I'm not sure how I missed this one when I originally posted this, but I had mistakenly identified this grebe as a juvenile American coot.)
• The fifth photo is an American Coot.
• The sixth and seventh photos are a Great Blue Heron.
• The eighth photo is an overview of the river channel as the river comes out of a bend. The low rock wall along the river bank on the outside of the curve is an example of one restoration technique that was used along the Eagleland reach. This wall minimizes erosion on the cut bank side of the river. Its design and use of material compliment the surrounding landscape architecture while fulfilling a specific hydrologic function.
• The ninth photo is a damselfly. There were numerous damselflies of a wide range of species active along the river. I have a lot to learn about identifying damselflies and dragonflies, but this appears to me to be a female Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis). I may not have the species correct, but I am reasonably certain this one is in the Genus, Argia.
• The tenth and eleventh photos are my friend, the Red-shouldered Hawk keeping an eye on me from a perch in a Bald Cypress on the opposite side of the river.

Continuous Adaptation, Celebrating the 500th Post, Featuring The Red-tailed Hawk at Elmendorf Lake

Thursday, February 28, 2013

One year, nine months and two weeks after beginning While on a Walk, this blog has reached its 500th post. I gather from my blogging friends this is something of a major accomplishment. It has certainly been a test of endurance and persistence.

I had know idea when I began the blog on May 15, 2011 how long it would last or where it would take me. Where it has taken me is on one of the most incredible journeys I could have ever imagined. As far as I can see now, the journey will continue for quite some time.

There is no "are we there yet?" The journey is about process, not destination. One thing I can say with relative certainty is that, as with life itself, the process is one of continuous adaptation.

While on a Walk originated from my simple need to remain active, physically and mentally, following retirement. As it has turned out, I am far more active now than I ever was when I was working. The blog has actually become something of a supplement to all those other activities. In this regard, it has also become a way for me to document the flora and fauna I encounter living in Bexar County.

More importantly, While on a Walk has been and will continue to be a celebration of life through a love of nature and the wildlife living here. If Austinites want to "Keep Austin Weird" that's fine with me. I would much prefer to "Keep San Antonio Wild".

I probably should have given more thought as to which photos to include in this 500th post, but I have to admit, it rather snuck up on me. I was thinking I would reach 500 early next week, but here I am already. Fortunately, I do have any number of series of photographs from previous walks that I have yet to publish.

Among all these photos are three or four more series of birds at Elmendorf Lake. Given my love of the raptors and especially my identification with red-shouldered and red-tailed hawks, I decided it would be particularly relevant to feature in this post the juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk* I photographed on my walk around the lake on Monday, January 7, 2013:

* Correction, May 27, 2016: In the original post this bird was incorrectly identified as a Red-tailed Hawk. The two species are very similar and, at times, easily confused with each other.

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.

Widely Scattered Flowers

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The very high wind yesterday was powered by another very powerful cold front. It brought blizzard conditions to the Texas Panhandle and points east, but all we got here was the wind and a return to seasonally normal temperatures. Our seasonally normal temperatures are pleasantly mild by much of the rest of the country's standards. It was a reminder that winter isn't quite ready to completely relinquish its grip.

As I have pointed out in several recent posts, the late winter, early spring wildflowers are beginning to appear along the trails. They are still widely scattered. Generally, one must specifically search for them.

This set of photos was taken on my walk along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River yesterday (Monday, February 25, 2013). I would venture a guess that the cyclists riding by along the trail would not have seen any of these flowers:

If we don't have a widespread, soaking rain by the end of March, my forecast is for widely scattered flowers to continue through Spring.

• The first photo is a Mealy Blue Sage.
• The second and third photos are Scrambled Eggs. For real; that is one of its common names. It is also known as Curvepod and Golden Smoke.
• The fourth, fifth and sixth photos are Pink Evening Primrose.
• The seventh and eighth photos are another two flower heads on a Mealy Blue Sage.
• The ninth and tenth photos* are Shepherd's Purse. This is a weed originally from Eurasia. From my perspective, it is beautifully photogenic with its long, curvaceous branches.
• The eleventh through the fourteenth photos are Texas Bluebonnets, the State Flower of Texas.

* Updated February 27, 2013 at 1:34 PM. Shepherd's purse is a distant cousin of Peppergrass as I had identified this plant in the original post.  I didn't think the leaves looked quite right to be peppergrass, but I couldn't find an alternative match in any of my field guides. A special note of thanks goes to Floyd Waller for the correct identification.