Springing Back to Life

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Walker Ranch Historic Landmark Natural Area, Panther Spring Creek Trails

Today's photos:

The South Texas landscape never goes completely dormant during winter, but this time of year as the Spring equinox approaches, new plant growth becomes vividly apparent and the fauna become more active.

• The first photo appears to me to be an Eastern Phoebe. This isn't the best angle and lighting for identifying birds and I really didn't get a much better look at this one when I was taking the photos, but from what I can see, I can't think of a more likely possibility of what it could be.
• The second photo is a Black-crested Titmouse.
• The third photo is a Lesser Goldfinch.
• The fourth photo is Scarlet Sage, also known as tropical sage.
• The fifth photo is the top of a Cedar Elm (also known as fall elm) that is setting new leaves.
• The sixth photo is Huisache. There were so many huisache blooming, the fragrance from the flowers filled the air along the trail. An extract from these flowers is a common ingredient in perfume.
• The seventh and eighth photos are Prairie Verbena. These verbena are blooming here and there, but aren't yet as abundant as they were last year.
• The ninth photo is the top of another Cedar Elm tree.
• The tenth and eleventh photos are close up views of one of the branches of the cedar elm in photo nine. These two photos show a better view of the emerging leaves.
• The twelfth photo is an overview of the vegetation along Panther Spring Creek. The large tree on the opposite side of the creek is a Cedar Elm. The most common trees in this area are the cedar elm, the live oak and the Texas red oak.
• The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth photos are Tasajillo, also known as Christmas cactus.
• The sixteenth photo is a female Northern Cardinal.
• The seventeenth and eighteenth photos are close ups of newly emergent Cedar Elm leaves.

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.

A November Entry in the Salado Creek Chronicles, Part 2

Thursday, November 29, 2012

This is a continuation of my post from my walk yesterday along the Salado Creek Greenway. The light of the afternoon sun continues to cast its enchanting spell "as warm and serene and golden as on a bank-side in autumn (Thoreau, Walking)":

Without the light, there would be nothing.

Beginning, Middle And End

Monday, June 11, 2012

Salado Creek Greenway, Lady Bird Johnson Park Trailhead, south,
(dirt to paved trail loop*)

Today's photos:

It is said every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end. The story of today's walk begins and ends with butterflies, but don't be fooled. To the casual observer, the three butterflies at the beginning appear to be the same kind as the two at the end. Take a closer look. Butterflies can be deceiving.

The first three are Queen Butterflies. The last two are Viceroy Butterflies. Both could easily be mistaken for Monarch Butterflies.

But then there's the middle. I could go on writing about any number of the creatures that appear in the middle: the turks cap flower, the elm trees, the black-backed lesser goldfinch, the black vulture, the killdeer, the snowy egret, the buckeye butterfly behind the white flowers beside the creek… . It would take forever to get this post online.

What is more important is to view the photos as the expression of a continuous experience. While the walk began and ended at the trailhead, the middle was indeed a continuum.

* Today I began my walk going south along the dirt trail at the base of the cliff on the east bank of the creek and then returned north along the paved trail on the west bank of the creek. The dirt path ends at the paved trail where the paved trail crosses from the west to the east side of the creek, thus creating a loop from the trailhead.