One Critical Thing These Three Share

Thursday, March 31, 2016

A good question to ask a class to begin a discussion might be: "Which of these species is not like the other two?"

The most obvious answer would be the turtles. But, among many other things, the Red-shouldered Hawk has a different way of catching its prey than the Red-eared Slider turtles and the Snowy Egret. So, there really isn't one simple answer to the question: which of these is not like the other two?

There is, however, one thing in particular that all three species share in common: the river. All three depend on the riparian habitat of the river for food, water, shelter and space: for survival.

These photos were taken along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River upstream from the upper Mission Road trailhead to just past the pavilion on Monday, March 14, 2016.

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

The Challenge of Distance and Camouflage

If I had not turned at just the right time to see this Red-shouldered Hawk fly into and perch on this tree, I would never have known it was there. The tree was several hundred feet upstream on the other side of the river. Even with the telephoto lens, the distance made it difficult to get a series of photos of the hawk:

This set of photographs was taken between Padre Park and Mission Park on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River on Friday, January 3, 2014.

River Raptors, Part 1 of 3

The three hawks I encountered along the Mission Reach a week and a half ago were by far the highlight of the day. This majestic Red-shouldered Hawk, perched on top of a light pole high above the trail, greeted me with its unmistakeable, piercing "Ke-yeeeear" cry as I crossed the pedestrian bridge at the San Pedro Creek confluence:

This set of photographs was taken a short distance upstream from the confluence with San Pedro Creek along the San Antonio River Mission Reach on Wednesday, December 4, 2013.

Red-shouldered Hawk Over the Medina

Thursday, March 7, 2013

This set of photos of a Red-shouldered Hawk was taken on my walk through the Medina River Natural Area yesterday afternoon (Wednesday, March 6, 2013). If I knew how to write the HTML code, I would embed the audio for the distinctive cry of the red-shouldered hawk so that it would automatically play when opening the post. Even without the audio, this hawk can speak for itself through the photos:

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.