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Little blue heron, white ibis, and several black-bellied whistling ducks beside Elm Lake in Brazos Bend State Park
This morning I attended a presentation by Doris Mager. She's a raptor specialist, educator and advocate and has rehabbed birds for over 50 years. It was quite enjoyable!
Brazos Bend State Park in SE Texas
At the junction of the Spillway Trail and the trail around 40 Acre Lake in Brazos Bend State Park, Texas
Birders use the term 'kettling' to refer to a large number of birds circling and riding on thermal updrafts, as it reminds them - some of them, at least - of water boiling in a kettle. These birds are wood storks, which migrate through the southeast Texas area and Brazos Bend State Park. They occasionally stay for a day or so in the park, and when they take off to continue on their migration they will form a kettle, waiting for all the members of their flock to join them, before traveling on. Their numbers have declined precipitously over the years, and their conservation status is listed as threatened.
I'm fascinated by this gator burrow. When I arrived in the cool morning, some of the little ones were swimming in the burrow while the mother stood guard. As the temperature rose, more little ones came into site and they eventually started climbing onto the bank. This burrow is visible to us because the drought dramatically lowered the lake level. In "normal' years, this area is under water.
Gulf fritillary and painted lady try to find sustenance on some wilted purple coneflowers in the butterfly garden at Brazos Bend State Park
The pileated woodpecker provided the template for the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker. I heard this one drumming on this dead tree, so I had to get a shot of it.
On our first night, Iris staked out her territory: the tent-within-a-tent, the green Cooshee Seat, and a particularly baby-friendly flashlight.
Colorful butterfly still in the area at the end of November beside the trail around what's left of 4 Acre Lake in Brazos Bend State Park
We took a brief break from camping life and picked up a few needed items in town. It was mostly an excuse to have a long-ish drive, so that Iris would finally take a nap.
Audrey and her friend (yes, they're the same age!) take a break from the hunt to mug for the camera.
Usually whenever I see a frog at Brazos Bend State Park, it's in the water, not on a log as with this one.
Iris kept putting Audrey's bag over her arm and saying "bye-bye," as if she were heading out with her purse for some retail therapy.
Inside the tent, the young miss tromped around doing various Very Important Things with her bear and other props. What she did very little of was standing still for photos.