A Brief Glimpse into the Not Too Distant Future

Thursday, May 26, 2016

While on a Walk is going on an extended Memorial Day holiday vacation and will return to posting toward the end of June, but first, here is a glimpse of great things to come, sooner rather than later.

Three years ago, when the Westside Creeks Restoration Project was in the intense planning phase, it felt like the project was an eternity away, but much has been and is happening to bring the project to fruition.

The project includes ecological restoration of the Westside Creeks: San Pedro Creek and its tributaries, Apache, Alazán, and Martínez Creeks, all of which are tributaries of the San Antonio River. It also includes a major renovation of Elmendorf Lake Park and an extensive hike and bike trail system connecting to the Mission Reach of the river.

Construction of various sections of the hike and bike trail system have begun and eventually will all be connected. In these photos, the (not yet open) trail going off to the left of the pedestrian bridge over the San Antonio River is the beginning of the lower San Pedro Creek trail which is already well passed the Probant Street bridge over San Pedro Creek:

All of these projects in San Antonio: The Howard Peak Greenway trails, the Museum and Mission Reach of the San Antonio River and now the Westside Creeks project, not only help restore the environment and get people outside recreating, they are bringing the community together as never before.

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River between Concepción and Confluence Parks on Thursday, May 26, 2016

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

An Adolescent Out for a Stroll

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Little Blue Heron juveniles are white for their first year. Then adolescence happens:

This is the closest a Little Blue Heron has allowed me to approach before flying off. I know they are fairly large birds, about two feet long from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail, but their size is even more impressive when they are up close and personal.

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River downstream from VFW Blvd on both the west and east bank trails on Monday, May 16, 2016.

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

On the Bright Side of the Rain

Saturday, May 21, 2016

The riparian meadow at the Mission County Park portal to the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River is very colorful thanks to all the rain so far this year:

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River downstream from VFW Blvd on both the west and east bank trails on Monday, May 16, 2016.

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

Question Mark?

Thursday, May 19, 2016

One of the most common riparian woodland butterflies in much of the eastern part of the United States, including South Texas, will typically be found flying low above the ground and landing amid the fallen leaves:

With its wings folded closed, it is very well camouflaged amid the leaf debris:

But the question remains: how did this butterfly get its rather questionable name? On the underside of the hind wings are two very small, silverly white marks, one comma shaped and next to that a dot, that together appear to be a Question Mark:

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mud Creek trail in McAllister Park on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

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

"With a Radiance From Within, The Cactus Flower..."

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Prickly Pear flowers can range from neon yellow to flaming red-orange. And when the sunlight embraces them just right...

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mud Creek trail in McAllister Park on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

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

The Bucks Stopped Here

Saturday, May 14, 2016

I don't know if there have been any formal studies, but I suspect the highest white-tailed deer population density in San Antonio's natural areas and green spaces is at McAllister Park:

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mud Creek trail in McAllister Park on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

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

A Lush Riparian Habitat

Thursday, May 12, 2016

It has been a couple years since I've walked at McAllister Park. Not much has changed, except the vegetation is far more lush now with all the rain the past year:

These photos were taken on a walk along the Mud Creek trail in McAllister Park on Tuesday, May 10, 2016.

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