§ Look Up in the Sky! Is It a Plane? A Bird? Nope....a Cloud! But, What a Cloud!!!!

First....I detest time change! As I type this up it's only 10 a.m. and lunch shoulda been served hours ago. I wish the government would get their thumbs out of their butts and set it one way or another and let people live without having to adjust their lives every 6 months. Just when our system gets settled we have to stop and rearrange our habits. It's been proven more lives are lost because of this...both human and animals. And we ARE NOT saving energy one bit; both physical and material energy. Every 6 months I write my congressmen and voice my opinion. Perhaps someday they'll listen?!!

_ _ _

Okay, I step down from the podium and begin my Sunday morning walk in the park post...

I got my chores done after breakfast [dishes, cleaning the kitchen counters, etc.] and decided it's been a while since I walked the curvy, hilly, pathways at Guth Park just off the interstate highway northwest of town. I drove there, but stopping at an area at the end of the ship channel's basin "turnstile" or turning circle [where ships hafta go to turn around to head back out of the port...dunno the nautical term].

Usually there are a lot of water birds hanging around in that spot. Yet, when I do go there, I make sure it's on a Sunday. This highway. Joe Fulton Corridor, is used mostly by heavy trucking traffic [18 wheelers] to the port of call to dock and unload/load cargo onto or from the tankers and cargo ships. Trust me when I say 'they own the road'...and don't slow down!! Sundays are usually pretty quiet if I go early enough.

On this particular day, the small number of birds along the mudflats and ponds was minimal. I didn't stay long...walking a short distance on both sides of the highway, up and down, snapping photos a few times, and sucking in my breath, hoping to not see an 18 wheeler barreling down my way at 65MPH so I could cross the road and get back in the car safely.

Once back in the car, I head to the park. This particular park has miles of paved paths, very hilly, and full of interests for everyone. Picnic tables, duck pond, benches galore, swimming pool, Disk Golf Course, playgrounds, senior center, and yep....birds! But, once again, migrants were not heard or seen. I am thinking that they had a different route to get to their wintering habitat because of the extreme drought through central USA. Anyway, I walked uphill, downhill, and up again. At one time, after the sun broke from the clouds the heat of the morning began to drain my energy. I sat on a bench and scanned the treetops for any birds.

I saw two vultures soaring above, cowbirds, grackles, sparrows and starlings. The sky and the trees were the highlight for now. In fact I saw one extraordinary cloud formation**!!! Got a photo!! [below] I walked to the duck pond....Up and down more hills, back to the car and left for home with the AC running full blast. Another hot day.

**This was the best 'bird' I've ever seen!!! Can you see it? At first what came to mind was the phoenix rising from the fire, but then after looking at it when I got home...more an eagle?!!

Maritime Glossary

§ Wecome to my World...

...Won't you come on in? As Eddy Arnold used to sing...where there is an abundance of wildlife; from coyotes, rabbits, opossum, the dreaded snakes, birds that are permanent residents and migrating, lizards and anoles, turtles, insects from the nasty fire ants to the more beautiful butterflies year 'round, and more...

Along some of our foot travels, here are some we meet.

[and no, the two tortoise images that show red shell...it's NOT naturally red!! ---it's the glow from the heat lamp [at the Botanical Gardens] ...

...added thought: finally, after a long three year drought of no Spring or Summer rains, this year it's getting back to the normal foggy morning, misty days, and rains of Spring once again. And that all makes for some wonderful colors around the city!! Spring rains bring wildflowers abundant!! I love the dew drops from the morning mist on the rose blossoms!! And the field of Texas State Flower, the bluebonnets, I just had to get out of the car and make use of the cellphone's camera showing you the multitude of blue in town. Bud stopped to get gas for our lawn mower and while he was pumping gas, I walked a few feet from the station to the field that is adjacent to a Stripes convenience/gas corner store----

---of course, birds. A favorite of mine is the Northern Cardinal! Lately, I've only spotted the male. Guess the female may be nesting? Dunno for sure what's up with her absence, I know they both build the nest. But she has been elusive here of late!!!

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§ Yea, though I walk....

You may find it odd that recently we've been heading out to the largest cemetery here in town.  Reason?  Of course...what else but birding.  On the hot spot list of places to go birding during the Spring [and Fall] migration seasons is the Rosehill Cemetery.  The area is vast in size...and loaded with such a variety of greenery, from small ornamental bushes to colossal oaks!  There are quiet streets meandering throughout all the sections, and they're lined with the cooler shadows of the overhanging branches.  Now, to be honest, we've gone there at different times of day, without seeing much difference in bird residents than what we have in our own back yard.  This past week, tho, I saw at least what I think I saw was a migratory Mississippi Kite.  I stalked it from tree to tree and section to section only to have it take off long before I was within camera range.  Eventually, the last tree it landed in by the time I got even half way near, I saw just the shadow of it flying overhead and far away from the cemetery grounds.  Another day, returning in hopes the Kite returned also, Bud and I scared out a Chuck Will's Widow from some low-lying bush.  I think it scared ME more than I scared it!  Seriously?  Yes...'cause another time we were there birding, a woman cleaning up a gravesite of her family member was stung by a scorpion...and at the time the 'Widow' flew out of the brush...I was just thinking to "make sure you watch  where you step, Anni"!!  Okay, so to make this a short story instead of turning into a long recitation, the camera wasn't used enough...no new birds...so, I aimed it at this beautiful headstone.  The dappled sunlight and shadows were very  humbling - I found myself in reverie; lost in thoughts of the 23rd Psalm:

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§ Sammy wants a cracker...

1]  ...Nope this isn't Polly the Parrot. This post is all about some of the caged exotic birds found on the Botanical Gardens ground here in Corpus Christi. And Sammy [the white cockatiel/cockatoos  shown in the first two photos] will dance for you...

2] ...and next on the viewing route is the orchid house. Now, I could just grab one of each and take it home with me. No can do?!! I'd be locked up for theft to be sure, but oh I can still dream. What could be finer than a house filled with chattering parrots and the tropical blossoms. And, a soft, faint breeze making the sheer curtains flow ever so gently to lull me.  A view of the turquoise water from beyond the sandy, palm tree covered beach?!!  Perhaps add a corner fountain beside the orchids with trickling water to round off the ambiance. {{{sigh}}}

3] So tell me, just where does all the dust come from when the house has been shut up tightly during our recent cold front and rain storms? I swear, I can write messages on the woodwork around the house. Bud's been helping me with a long handled dust mop, cleaning....he can reach the vaulted ceiling with it without getting out the ladder.

4] And speaking of the mysterious, continual recurrence of dust ---dandelions?!! More and more each Spring. We weed and feed the lawn, but they appear all the time. Spent a good hour yesterday, pulling them up. Y'all know what is said about the state of Texas..."Everything is bigger in Texas"?......that's true of dandelions too.

5] This is my last post for the week. It's pre-scheduled to post on Thursday 'cause we will have Erik with us over the weekend, arriving late Thursday since he has no classes to teach on Friday. He'll stay 'til Sunday. Won't be online at all during the time; at least to visit with anyone. I'll get back to you, hopefully, on Monday.  I DO have a new post coming up [also pre-scheduled] with my Bird Photo Blog which is linked on my sidebar "I'd Rather B Birdin'" to post on Saturday at noon Texas Central Daylight Time Zone.  Another unique bird rarely seen.

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