§ DASHER AND VIXEN...

Well, this is as close as I could come to reindeer.




May all your days be Merry and Bright!
See you in 2023.

§ Ranch land...

Bud and I decided to take a short trip to Chapman's Ranch southwest of the city. Of course it was a drive to see if we could find hawks. They are known to frequent the fields before the crops are plowed under for the season. For the most part we were too late in the year. 90% of the fields where our car took us were barren. Not much food for the raptors then. Anyway...I also noticed that a lot of the county/country roads were in dire need of mowing. Drainage ditches had grass as high as five feet or more!! Of course, it's county that does the upkeep I'm sure. Ever since covid hit, the work ethics just went downhill. No one wants a job that pays...the people expect more money, better wages, stay at home jobs, and given 'free money' with family tax credits and stimulus checks! It's a shame as far as I can see. If we EVER recover.

We did see one hawk finally, and I believe it is either a dark morph or a juvenile...which makes them difficult to ID. I am hoping some birder expert will help me as I posted the photo of it on my Bird Photo Blog [scheduled to be posted Saturday]. Other birds seen were kestrels, doves, egrets, caracaras and more.

There is one area we always stop the car, get out, and listen for birds in the scrub, along the rutted tire trails, the mesquite trees, fence lines, and power poles. On this day, nothing. As I got out of the car tho, up a short incline in the road, in the middle of the road, I spied a couple of wild animals. Always a treat. We watched them for several minutes before we left them to their day...

Most all commentors asked for more details and close ups of my witches. I promise, soon, to get some photos posted. I have them, resizing them, and will get 'em up when I'm done! I'm glad most of you are enjoying the fun I have collecting witches for the season! :-)

§ Sometimes....

....it's not all about birds and birding. I do take photos of other critters, I just don't post them often. But, today since I have nothing of importance to share, I thought I'd put up some of my "other passions" besided flowers and birds. Ready? Set? Go.......One morning, walking the jetty in Port Aransas, I had to ask the two gentlemen fishermen just what this species of fish was. I had never seen a fish with yellow tail and fins. They gladly informed me it was a "Jack Fish"...Crevalle jack. I guess - once I got home, and researched them, they must be good to eat. Lucky Catch!!!

Here....lizard, lizard, lizard! Actually, it was teasing Isaiah. If the patio door glass wasn't in his way he'd consumed some lizard sushi no doubt. And I'd be cleaning up gato vomito!!

Next up was a drive along the dunes to reach Padre Island National Seashore Federal Park. When I arrived at the park's cotillion and parking lot, several deer were foraging for their morning meal. A couple stopped to watch me watch them!! So much beauty and tranquility early in the morning with these special critters and the nearby sea.

Of course, I'm on the look-out for birds during all this "other photography". At a pond, in search of waterfowl, in nearby Flour Bluff Texas [a suburb of Corpus], a couple of cattle were vying for the rights of territory or perhaps a female closeby? I really don't know. I focused on the two rivals mostly! After minutes of jousting the superiorities they both gave up and went back to grazing like nothing out of the ordinary just ocurred. It was like T-t-t-t-h-at's ALL folks.

...to be continued

§ Park Deer

Early one morning before rush hour traffic built up, I left in a light fog, heading to Calallen Texas and my favorite park along the river. In hopes of seeing some wildlife. Not only birds, but perhaps some white tailed deer if I got there early enough. And sure enough, just before reaching the gates to enter the park, a hawk was perched on a power pole, but flew off before I got some really good photos. [I will share one photo on my bird blog this Saturday]. No sooner had I entered through the open gates to the park, two white tailed deer were grazing on the grass. But this time they had company! A solo javelina [ha vah LEEN ah]. Once they noticed I had stopped the vehicle, they all ran for shelter in the wooded area behind them. I had only time to take photos with my cellphone.

I spent some time walking and driving along the riverbank, around the circular drive to the ponds, climbing down to the observation deck on the larger pond, and up the hill to the hawkwatch platform. The fog lifted, but it remained gray and overcast. The temp was a mild 66 degrees. All the time while I was walking and climbing I started watching a green kingfisher [I took many many photos of it fishing and will share the string of action photos at another time] that was on the pond diving for its breakfast, I could hear the beautiful calling of a Carolina Wren...which I finally found and also took a photo. Of course, all my bird photos [including the kingfisher next week -not this weekend, but next week] will be shared on my other blog "I'd Rather B Birdin'". By the way on the other side of the river, the trees were lined with vultures. And one area, along the picnic area, so too were dozens of vultures!! Here are a few photos of nature calling to me. As you notice, our "Autumn foliage" happens in the dead of Winter.  The very last photo is a long distance shot of the kingfisher; see it?...

February 4th is National Heart Awareness Day...wear RED!

§ The Buck Stops HERE...

Sunise through the trees

I left just before sunrise. Arrived at a park in Calallen as the sun was just coming over the tops of the trees. I thought I'd take a blog break from everything Halloween and share what I saw...the reason I left so early. I was hoping to see some white tailed deer in the field by the riverside. They didn't disappoint me! Four young does and two bucks. Tho, one buck took off to higher ground and hidden before I got a photo of HIM. Something scared him, while the others just kept on munching. As I entered the park, two yearlings were seen behind the fence [there is a golf course on the other side of the park road that butts up ONTO the road]. I backed up and took two pics before they too sauntered off dashing over the 8th hole fairway. I was too close for comfort. After driving around the park, I stopped the car and got out and walked. A gentle breeze and the early morning hour made for a pleasant walk-about...in other words, I "walked about" an hour and a half so I could later stop at the Dollar Store when it opened and then stop and get bananas and search for Christmas Tree decorations.  Cheap stuff and unbreakable because of Isaiah the Cat!  Our local news had a segment on how sparse all things Christmas will be this year on the shelves because of the shipping industry and lack of truck drivers. My sister will be here for a couple of weeks for the holidays [as will Erik maybe], so I want to do a different theme for our tree. I decided on green and gold. Last year it was all peppermint and candy canes, snow and ice. I hoped the Dollar Store had some gold deer ornaments. They did, but not enough...it's a huge tree. Will plan on going to another store and get more. Oh, while walking I sighted in on a tree full of cattle egrets still roosting for the night, grackles, green jays, blue winged teals, sparrows, cardinals, flycatchers and mockingbirds. The doves were singing their mournful cry. Anyway, back to the deer...

§ 2020 in Review...Part V

This is the last of the series. Most of these images is of the unreal, the odd, or the creepy. Of course, there's sometimes beauty in what I see too and I can't help but stop and admire what nature can dish out, taking my breath away and I ogle in silence. For instance, deer. But, I can very easily get the jitters with other subjects. Why? Just 'cause. When I'm out walking, I can come across something that freaks me out too, startles me to a stand-still. And then, of course picture time; if I am not running away that is. So, here are examples of beauty AND the beasts of 2020...

You can't escape the alligators of Texas swamp lands! The first image is of the alligator as it is gesturing a 'snout lift'! This is more typical of the female...males bellow deep from within and mostly submerged. Trust me, both critters are really not that close to me, I opt to use the high powered zoom lens at this time.

This next one in the series will probably be a tinge on the bizarre. Hey, I have a feet fetish when it comes to birds. Their talons, their shape, their use, their size, some...webbed while others are built for walking on swamp grass without sinking, etc. I tend to check out the feet. This also helps with IDing, color, shape, size, etc...

Curious? This is a Great Blue Heron

As I walked a trail on the Oso Bay Wetlands once, I stepped up on the platform to walk the edges for the Paraque ...didn't find it. But the creepy crunchy looking critter at my feet, jumping somewhat like a cricket gave me goose flesh at first sight!! It was about the size of a paper dollar from its antenna to its hind legs!! Dang. Heebie Jeebies! I then regained composure and before it leaped off the deck, I snapped a photo. Took a few days for me searching when time was free of anything else, and found out it was indeed related to the cricket...a huge Camel Cricket. All I can say it was a good thing it wasn't a centipede. I'd still be running for my life.

...two for one!

Lastly, beauty is not always a beast. Take a look at this intricate pattern on this tree fungus. I thought it was gorgeous.

That concludes my 2020 in Review. I coulda done more I guess. I have thousands of photos still to be shared. But, enough already. It's January 1st 2021!! Time to move on and leave 2020 behind. Happy New Year.

Part I [Lensball photography]
Part II [heart shapes in Nature]
Part III [Flowers around my World]
2020 Review - Part IV [Beach Life]

§ ...Foggy Morning, Continued...

All the shared photos below are still of the foggy Thursday morning walk at the park along the river bank and in the wooded area. It shows quite a lot of color change on some leaves [which we don't see often here]. I thought it was exceptionally pretty with the misty atmosphere, the quiet gray-green current of the river, and a favorite of mine...the Spanish Moss!  Along the trail I also went into a dense area that has a viewing  platform nestled in the woods on the large pond shoreline and sighted a Green Kingfisher, silent in the murky air.  So, we continue with the woods, the fall colors, the deer, and even a dew-laden web...

If you missed part one, click HERE



...and a few more critters: