Trip Reports | TX Hill Country

NOV 29 - DEC 1 : Nature Getaway package : tour, lodging and meals at Medina River Oaks Courts

DEC 7 : Planet Walk & Talk at Bandera Natural History and Art Museum

DEC 14 : Whooo's Wise About Owls, Trivia-based talk at Medina River Oaks Courts

10/15 | 10/01 | October Courts Garden | 09/22 | 09/21

10/15 : LOST MAPLES

Walked from bird blind to 2nd pond and found all the usual suspects (ie. resident birds). Highlight was a stealthy House Wren.
Radar reports says millions of migrants are passing through but all but Nashville Warblers are being Masters of Stealth.
Not the huge influx it was weeks ago but American Snouts are the dominate butterfly species on the landscape .. and windshields.

Uvalde 10/01

This desert town never disappoints. The trip was an odonatologist's dream with more damselflies than you can 'shake a stick at' ... why would I do that?, we don't know. A huge number and variety of dragonflies as well. Found most of the local specialty birds. Great Kiskadees laughed at us all day as they played hide and seek. Sparrows, maybe even sandhills and other winter residents should be arriving by our Nov 5 trip.

WOW!

The garden is currently an incredible explosion of color attracting butterflies of all sorts!

Monarchs are starting to show up a few at a time. White Peacocks and a Theona Checkerspot showed up at the end of Sept. There is an influx on American Snouts, Two-tailed Swallowtails and Western Giant Swallowtails. The usual cast of characters includes Queens, Pipevine Swallowtails, Tawny Emporers, Border Patches and assorted Blue and Sulphurs.

Right : White Peacock

Below : Monarch, Pipevine Swallowtail, Theona Checkerspot

Photos from end of Sept 2024

09/22 Love Creek Preserve Open House

Excellent tours, people, food and fun !

We had the honor of leading the inaugural hike on the new trail portion that begins at the shop and come down on the established trail that parallels the paved road. Also found a new-to-us species of milkweed as seen below.

Western Honeybee on climbing milkweed

'Follow the Leader'

Photo kindly provided by L & R Photography

Not nearly as hard a climb as it looks...really!

Photo kindly provided by L & R Photography

09/21 LOST MAPLES

Day Use Area to Grotto was eerily devoid of birds - except 4 Black Vultures - despite lots of berries and butterflies to eat.