Friday, March 8, 2013
San Antonio River, Mission Reach, Confluence Park Trailhead downstream
Today's photos:
I was anticipating Spring while I was on this walk. I suspect nature was anticipating the impending change in the weather with another approaching cold front. There had already been enough sprinkles to get things damp earlier in the day. The forecast was for heavier rain later in the weekend.
- Photo one is a Texas Thistle.
- Photos two and three are Pink Evening Primrose with a few rain drops remaining on their petals from the sprinkles earlier in the day.
- Photos four and five are Huisache flowers.
- Photo six is a Mealy Blue Sage.
- Photo seven is a Little Blue Heron flying upstream, apparently with somewhere to go. It will reappear momentarily.
- Photos eight through eleven are a Loggerhead Shrike. It was keeping a watch over the river and finding lots of flying insects to eat.
- Photos twelve and thirteen are two Red-winged Blackbirds perched in a Sycamore tree. The sycamores are beginning to set their leaves.
- Photos fourteen through sixteen are The Three Amigos: (l. to r.) a Great Blue Heron, a Snowy Egret and the Little Blue Heron. These birds are typically very competitive when it comes to territory, so I was surprised to see them standing this close together.
- Photo seventeen is a close up of the Great Blue Heron.
- Photos eighteen through twenty are a Killdeer. He was on a rock not very far downstream from the three amigos, but far enough away that it didn't appear to be part of the group.
- Photo twenty-one is a White Prickly Poppy.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Leon Creek Greenway, Between Mainland Trailhead and Leon Vista Trailhead
Today's photos:
The total rainfall in San Antonio in all of April was 0.03 inches, barely enough to moisten the bottom of a bucket. It appeared the weather pattern was reverting to the same as during last year's exceptional drought. Vegetation was beginning to dry out along with the soil.
Finally, early Sunday morning the clouds opened up dropping 1.73 inches of rain, more or less, across Bexar County. Another storm rolled through this evening as I was preparing this post for publication with an additional 0.61 inches of rain with considerably more on the west and south sides of the county. This week is forecast to continue with more rain.
On my walk today, all of nature was celebrating the return of the rain. There was so much to photograph, this is the first of a three part series.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Hardberger Park, Water Loop Trail, Geology Loop Trail
Today's photos:
There are a myriad of small wonders to be seen when walking nature trails. Experiencing them is no less important than experiencing the vast wonders which do not take a great deal of effort to see. As a matter of fact, I would say that witnessing the small wonders is what makes the entire experience worthwhile.
