The Light of the Winter Solstice Sky

Friday, December 21, 2012

Salado Creek Greenway, Oakwell Trailhead downstream

Today's photos:

If sunflowers are an effective symbol of the summer solstice, then bare tree limbs are probably as effective a symbol for the winter solstice that one will encounter in South Texas. With that in mind, I drove to the Oakwell Trailhead on the Salado Creek Greenway knowing I would find an abundance of photogenic bare trees.

As I began to walk along the trail, the winter sky quickly attracted my attention. It drew me ever deeper into its embrace, guiding me along as I slowly began to realize where it was leading me.

A mourning dove, a red-shouldered hawk and a crested caracara (a.k.a. Mexican eagle) watched intently as the sky tightened its grip on my attention.

I was astonished to find, in the end, the sky had drawn me all the way to the moon…

Greeted by an Osprey

Thursday, December 20, 2012

One of the osprey greeted me when I arrived at the River yesterday. It only circled once before flying off upstream, so I was only able to get a few photos of it. Numerous slider turtles* were out on the rocks basking in the warmth of the sun. Slider turtles seem to be social in nature, as they do tend to gather in groups when they are sunning themselves. And a couple of snowy egrets were finding plenty to eat at the top of a riffle:

* There are at least three species of slider turtles. I have read that all red-eared slider turtles have the red streak on their head. That is what defines the species. Quite a few of the slider turtles in Bexar County do not have the red streak, but otherwise appear to be red-eared sliders. One of the species is a yellow slider, but they apparently don't live this far west. When I get an opportunity to discuss this with a herpetologist, perhaps I'll be able to clarify exactly what the turtles without the red streak are.

Yes, This Is South Texas

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

San Antonio River, Mission Reach, Concepcíon Park Trailhead upstream

Today's photos:

It's December in South Texas… with dragonflies and butterflies… and scouringrush horsetail.

As I mentioned in my post last Thursday (December 13), "… here in South Texas, summer rarely completely gives way to winter. Summer may go into hiding for a few days or even a couple of weeks, but it is never far away."

We had two nights below freezing last week. Yesterday and today we set record high temperatures for the two days, 81º (F) and 82 respectively. As I am typing this tonight, a Pacific cold front has blown in that will bring temperatures back to seasonal norms. We are supposed to be close to, if not below, freezing for the morning of the first day of Winter Friday.

Yes, this is South Texas and that's how it goes around here.

The butterflies in this series of photos in the order of first appearance are: common buckeye, ceraunus blue and dainty sulphur. As with all my walks along the San Antonio River, there are a slew more photos to publish in future posts.

Birds of Crescent Bend, Part 1

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

While I was walking at Crescent Bend Nature Park yesterday, birds of numerous species were very active. There were so many, it will require two or three posts to present all the photos.

This series begins with a black vulture. I have yet to positively identify the second bird in the series (photos four and five)*. I have a feeling it should be fairly easy to come up with a positive id, but I'm not comfortable saying what I think it is at this point. The third bird in the series is a northern flicker. After the flicker are two northern mockingbirds (the state bird of Texas):

* Update: Wednesday, December 19, 2012

With a little help from a friend and some more research, I am now confident enough to say that the bird in the fourth and fifth photo is a female yellow-rumped warbler. The illustrations in the two bird field guides I use left me doubting the id, but after comparing it to numerous photos online, I have little doubt that's what this bird is.

Field guides have there limitations because there is always more variation in nature than they can illustrate.