Springing Up Along the River

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

This is just a small assortment of wildflowers springing up along the river:

The American Basketflower with a bud that looks like a basket is just beginning to set flower buds. The Texas Yellowstar, False Dayflower, Baby Blue-eyes, Pink Evening Primrose, Southern Dewberry and Bluebonnets are in full bloom.

And a Common Buckeye butterfly was fluttering along the trail. Hopefully with an abundance of wildflowers this Spring, the butterflies will also flourish.

(A side note for gardeners who haven't quite caught on to how nature works, no caterpillars equals no butterflies. Please don't use insecticides on flower gardens. Any leaves caterpillars eat will grow back when the caterpillars have finished feasting.)

These photos were taken on a walk on the Acequia Park loop trail along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

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

Riparians

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Apparently, the soft-shelled and Red-eared Slider turtles came together for an afternoon convention on the top of Espada Dam this particular afternoon. I can only imagine what topic they discussed. It may have had something to do with the current state of the river, or perhaps the state of the river current. Who knows what turtles think about and silently discuss as they bask in the warmth of the early Spring sun?

Meanwhile, the Creeping Opposite-leaf Spotflower is flourishing along one portion of the river bank and the Great Egret, living a territorial solitary life, isn't about to become involved in any turtle conference:

These photos were taken on a walk on the Acequia Park loop trail along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

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

Dandelions Are Not All Created Equal

Thursday, March 24, 2016

There are dandelions and then there is the native Texas Dandelion (Pyrrhopappus paucifloras):

The winter rain has begun to work its magic. Wildflowers are blooming in abundance throughout South Texas. Among the more well known Bluebonnets and Pink Evening Primrose, Texas Dandelion standout because of their bright, almost neon, yellow color.

I find it particularly interesting that when this very bright yellow Texas Dandelion is used to make a natural dye for wool and many other fibers, it typically produces a University of Texas burnt orange dye.

These photos were taken on a walk on the Acequia Park loop trail along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

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

Earth Day Along the Acequia de San Juan

Monday, April 22, 2013

San Antonio River, Mission Reach, Mission San Juan Trailhead
upstream along the Acequia de San Juan to Acequia Park

Today's photos:

The recently opened section of greenway trails along the San Antonio River Mission Reach includes a trail located between the Acequia de San Juan on the east and the San Antonio River on the west side of the trail. The Acequia de San Juan and the Acequia de Espada to the west of the River are historic acequias built in the mid-1700s to supply water for irrigating the farmland that supplied the food for Mission San Juan and Mission Espada. These acequias are being restored in conjunction with the Mission Reach restoration project. 

This section of the trail was a perfect location for a hike to celebrate Earth Day:

• The first photo is a pair of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.
• The second photo is a Red-shouldered Hawk.
• The third photo is a White Prickly Poppy.
• The fourth photo is a Common Streaky-Skipper butterfly on a Blackfoot Daisy.
• The fifth photo is a ripening Dewberry.
• The sixth and seventh photos are overviews of the vegetation on either side of the trail. The Acequia de San Juan is just out of sight behind the the fallen tree in the sixth photo. The flowers in the foreground of the seventh photo are Firewheel.
• The eighth photo is a Bordered Patch butterfly on a Firewheel.
• The ninth photo is a cluster of Prickly Pear Cactus. It is a bit difficult to see in the photo, but there are Scarlet Sage growing among the cactus.
• The tenth photo is a Checkered White butterfly. It is enjoying the nectar from a tiny white flower I have yet to identify.
• The eleventh and twelfth photos are a small Red-eared Slider Turtle on a post that has fallen into the acequia.
• The thirteenth photo is looking upstream along the San Antonio River. The Espada Dam and Mission Parkway crossing are near the horizon.
• The fourteenth photo is looking downstream along the River from the Mission Pkwy crossing.
• The fifteenth photo is an overview of the vegetation growing along the Acequia de Espada to the west of the River. The yellow flowers in this photo are Coreopsis sp.
• The sixteenth photo is a Red-winged Blackbird.