§ Chilled to the Bone!

I left around 8 a.m., the temp was 44° and the winds were calm. By the time I got to the park I had planned on walking, it had dropped two degrees and the winds picked up considerably! I parked the car, got out [wearing sweat pants and a sweat shirt, no layers as I assumed when I left home, it'd be warming up and I'd get too hot]. The cold immediately cut through me. And, I never got warmed up, even walking!! At this park it was a bit miserable, but I kept going. The early morning sky was an intense shade of blue, and I spied many many aircraft contrails [passenger jets; empty due to covid or filled?]. The sun was brilliant, the green park lawns had been recently mowed and looked manicured.  The windmill you see is not always visible from the road.  During the summer months, the trees along the riverbank hide it from sight.  Only to see it during the winter when the trees are bare...

...but the open fields, are browned by winter kill. Very few waterfowl were seen on the lakes. Too cold for them, too? Or too early? I'd like to think they were nestled out away from the cold wind, waiting for the day to warm up a bit.  Normally, on a good day, when weather is decent, there can be a lot of joggers, walkers, birders, bikers [pedal bikes, not motorcycles], boaters and fishermen. On this day, during the time I was there, I saw two vehicles along the park road and not one outdoors, walking, or having anyone being active. If you look at the photo with the bright chartreuse arrow, it's directing you to one of the vehicles...it stopped, so from where I was [clear on the other side of the park], I zoomed in on the driver!] He kinda reminded me of Yukon Cornelius!

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I left this park eventually and headed back toward Corpus only to stop at another park. I was hoping by the time I arrived there, the sun would have warmed up the countryside. At least the wind was no longer a factor. Taking the first right turn after entering thru the park's gate, I drove by one of the many senior centers here in town. Passing that, the road drops down into a valley. This is what I saw going downhill...literally hundreds of Monk Parakeets! They were on the park road, in the trees, on the lawn, and even more across the street! And the duck/goose pond, all the waterfowl were snuggled in the water, not swimming much..the cormorants were sitting in the sun. It WAS cold for wildlife too

§ Go West Young Man...West Guth Park

As I mentioned in my previous post, the day began partly cloudy and I was elated to see the sunshine and blue sky [it's been overcast, and rainy for months on end!]. Anyway, the sunlight didn't last long before the clouds moved in and the temperature dropped from a balmy 77 degrees at mid morning, to 45 degrees overnight!!! Another cold front blanketed our tropical setting. I left Blucher Park and headed up the interstate to Rand Morgan exit to Up River Road and pulled into a vast, hilly, park. West Guth Park. Here, there are paved walkways, paved roads, a swimming pool, many picnic areas with BBQ pits, and a disc golf course. There is also a large senior center within the park's grounds. Plus an oak tree shaded man-made pond for ducks and waterfowl.

By the way there are 190 parks within Corpus Christi...source, here.  West Guth is one of the largest.

When I parked the car on the pull-out along the park road, I got out and was preparing to don my camera, pocket my phone, and grab my lensball and glass mounting....the ruckus from the trees over my shoulder alerted me to the area right off...the high pitched squawking was coming from Monk Parakeets. I walked up the hill and snapped some photos. I will share the 'distant photos' here, and in time will resize the other, close-up photos I took, and share at my bird photo blog.

I must add that all over the state of Texas, Texas Pride shows up everywhere!! And, tho this was a startling discovery nearby where the parakeets were...I could only say to myself..."Anni, you're in Texas...this shouldn't surprise you in the least!"  It, being "Texan" and for the birds...[no pun intended].  After all, Corpus has been voted the birdiest city in America for many years straight... A drip system/birdbath in the shape of the state itself. Plus, look closer....the Texas Longhorns are embossed along the bowl's edges!!!  Original, I'll grant them that, but really....Texas?  I must admit tho, that this is better than the porta-pottys with Texas Throne on the door!!!!!!  [yes, they're here...Ive seen 'em]

Okay, I got that out of my system, moving on. Near the duck pond...




...to conclude, I looked thru the lensball, my world, again, is turned upside down [the duck pond]

§ Polly Wants a Cracker Condo...

I mentioned going to a couple of cemeteries to check for a particular Monk Parakeet; I was told through the birding grapevine that the parakeets were getting ready to nest.  Walking the perimeter of the grounds, I found their spot.  easily enough [they're very vocal]! Watching them, I took photos for my bird photo blog. I also took a few other photos of what was once a palm tree...and what is left of it from the damage done by woodpeckers!! The photo in this paragraph is one of the Golden Fronted Woodpeckers seen in abundance in and around South Texas. I'm sure the past generations of this species are the culprits of this damaged palm you see below!! And perhaps it's still of some use; who knows?!! There were some fresh wood chippings on the ground surrounding the tree's base, but no woodpeckers nearby...I could hear them calling, but from a far away distant area.

...Just a short distance from the parakeet condo and damaged palm, a Great Kiskadee was busy building or keeping vigil on its nesting area....another broken, battered palm tree. From the top there must be a cavity of some kind 'cause the kiskadee disappeared; dropping down into the tree's outer form. Plus, this particular tree, last year, was being used by Starlings for nesting and I saw starling fledglings peeking out from the holes along the outer 'walls' of the fibrous bark, obviously from previous woodpecker dwellers. I guess it is subleased by other qualified renters...or maybe the tree is property of some kind of bird world squatters' rights...

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Now, a bit of the Monk Parakeets. On the first day I went in search for them, the lighting for getting any good photos was nearly nil. When I got home and showed Bud the photos he said "Don't delete these even if they are dark and blurred...the photos show their character!"   They are monogamous [one lifetime mate],  the only bird in the parrot family that builds nests of tree limbs and up to 20 cavities, like apartments in a complex for several families, and the pre-mating ritual is grooming, loving---very sweet,   These particular parakeets can live up to 20 years in the wild [30 in captivity]

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I did a little tweaking on my blog here...Instead of having my book report on my sidebar, taking up a lot of space, I decided to put the reviews on a blog for that purpose only. There is no guarantee that I'll keep it up to date, but I will work on it here and there to kinda get some of the best books I've read recently up and posted.   As of now, I will add some of the books read in the past year or so, then go from there.  The new blog is

Anni's Book Critiques. 

My most recent book I'm reading is another non-fiction. Bud and I are interested in the subject; Jack the Ripper. While at Barnes and Nobel the other day, I went over to the True Crime section and found a book entitled The Autobiography of Jack the Ripper. I came home and ordered it from Amazon through a  London used-book seller at a much cheaper price. It arrived a few days ago. This book, according to Ripperoligists [Jack the Ripper experts], was at first thought to be a hoax, but now with further investigation the experts believe that this diary found could possibly be the real thing!!..I am a bit skeptic 'cause there are SO MANY books on the subject and to this day investigating into the horrific crime of the 1880s continues.  Some believable, some....not so much.  I will read it, and then get back to you on it.

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§ Hot, Hot, HOT...and Birding for a NEW bird

As I type this...

There's a fine mist falling from the clouds and the temperature is a blistering 90 degrees with a heat factor of 97!! I did go out for a short time early in the morning, but the heat index kept me from walking much. Besides, my outing had a specific purpose...Monk Parakeets are nesting. And ironically they've been reported found busy building their communal nests in palm trees....ON CATHOLIC PROPERTY!! Imagine that. Do they know something that we can only wonder about?  I had to see for myself if I could also locate them.

Fr. James Kelleher, SOLT, founding president of Our Lady of Corpus Christi, was given the inspiration to build a world class perpetual adoration chapel. The chapel would be built in the shape of a cross, with a 75 foot blue dome adorned with gold stars
from the history of the chapel

Anyway, as I said, it was a short time out and about. The heat and humidity at the time of day was way too intense. The particular place is within the property boundaries of a beautiful blue domed church. Our Lady of Corpus Christi. Not only a wonderful church, but also a retreat for people [men and woman who have religious issues/health issues/ in need of strengthening their devotions, etc.], and a campus for degrees in theology I assume. As I walked the grounds and drove through the winding narrow roads throughout, searching for the nesting birds, I stopped and walked around the church, taking pictures...

...the main entrance




- and on the wooden doors there are four bronze plates depicting Christ's life -birth to resurection

...around the sacred grounds, from stain glass, another view of the blue dome from afar, the darkened candle room for silent prayer, and to the illumination of the alcove I thought was inspiring

...side entry, one bell tower, Our Lady in Stain Glass, and the candle room



...statue of Jesus Christ and the statue above the vast fountain

...as I walked back to the car so I could drive around more in search of the parakeets, I walked up to the bookstore/gift shop and snapped this photo near the entrance

The chapel you just visited can be seen as you come from the bayfront, or from Padre Island Drive, OR from either direction on Interstate 37. It's an awe inspiring sight to behold. And, oftentimes I find myself very thankful, knowing I'll be home safe soon since it's only about ten minutes from our house. I got back in the car and cranked up the air conditioner while the car was idling to cool the interior. Then, as I backed out, I left through the shaded narrow road that meanders through the grounds, putting my windows down and listening for the tell-tale uproar and commotion parakeets are known for. I ended up hitting the way out, and as I slowed for a speed bump near the exit gate, the ruckus was heard! I slowed down, found a shady area to pull over and got out of my vehicle and walked a bit, following the furor of the winged beauties. I found 'em. A LOT of THEM. As the mosquitoes gnawed at my ankles, I took pictures. The Monk Parakeet, introduced to the USA in 1960 from South America, is a new species photographed by me. I tried to find them about three or four years ago from a tip of a friend...but by the time I got there, they were gone. On this sweltering morning in June...I was elated!!

PS...I have a post already pre-scheduled that IS NOT the parakeets for Saturday's I'd Rather B Birdin' so, NEXT week, I will share the photos of the birds I got on that blog!!