 One
day last week, Vicki and I spent a couple hours at the Bentsen State
Park south of Mission, TX. We had the good fortune of seeing a
greater variety of wildlife in those couple hours than we have in all
our preivious visits.
This bug was the first shot of the day.
I don't know what it is, but maybe my grandson, Xander, can help
me figure it out. The bug was clinging to the window of the
welcome center. |
 This is the first Altamira Oriole I had seen. He's sitting in an Ebony Tree over a feeder that was nearly empty.
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 This
one was sitting in another Ebony behind a photography blind set up by
the park personnel for use of bird watchers. He was about ten
yards away from me.
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 A Belted Kingfisher sits on a power line overlooking the Rio Grande River.
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 Cardinal on a thornbush
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 The
omnipresent Collared Peccary snorts in the dirt near a bird feeding
station. I don't know what they find to eat in dry, dusty
caliche, but it must be very tasty because this photo describes their
posture every time I've seen them here.
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 A crowded feeder hosts three Green Jays, an Altamira Oriole and a Grackle.
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 A female Redwing Blackbird looks for food while two males scrounge behind her.
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 She watches warily from a tree trying to decide whether we are hostile predators.
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 Golden
Fronted Woodpeckers weren't the least bit interested in the Grapefruit
halves mounted on the feeder. He was more interested in the
feeder itself.
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 Another
puzzle for Xander. I only got one shot of this little bird and
I'm not sure what it is. Perhaps it's a female Varied Bunting.
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 This is the male Varied Bunting.
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 White Tipped Doves are common in south Texas during winter.
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 The
Tufted Titmouse was difficult to photograph. He would flit to the
feeder snatch a seed and then quickly fly back to the thick bushes in
the background.
|
 While
all the Mesquite Trees share similar characteristics, many of them seem
to have a uniqueness that sets them apart. Some stand
nonchalantly, others look as if they are walking away in a huff.
Some are twisted, lying close to the ground and others stand
eloquently above the rest. You'll never see a Mesquite standing
with the grandeur of an ancient Maple, but in south Texas they seem to
be kings of the forest.
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 New leaves in February are the most beautiful green on the entire landscape. It's the first sign that spring is here.
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 New growth sprouts from an old log lying on the ground.
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 The
two straight logs in the background seem to be waiting for the time the
old Mesquite will need their physical support. For the time
being, they apart offering no assistance whatsoever.
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 Afternoon siesta signaled our departure.
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 Thes tiny blossoms grow in a flower bed next to the Ranger Station near the Park's entrance/exit.
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