You never know what’s lurking in the swamp

This guy is a white ibis, and I had never seen a wild one this close. I was able to confirm my identification with a picture they had at the swamp's nature center. I also saw a green heron, a few songbirds, and a broad head skink (those guys get pretty big). I visited the swamp today, on my way to work. I usually get to see some critters on Sundays… they open at noon, so I get to the trails before other visitors have frightened the wildlife. Weekdays, in the summer, there is youth programming… day camps. By the time I get there, in the afternoon, the animals have usually had all the excitement they can stand and are in hiding. The swamp will host a couple of night hikes next month, and I think I might like to join them if time permits.

A little work, a little play... glad to escape the city

Well, I had to come back to town… even part- time work interferes with my fun. It’s been a busy few days in the woods; I played some, got some things accomplished, and greatly appreciated being away from the city. I got my weedfield mowed with a big tractor and that saved me the sweat and toil of marching behind my little one over all that rough ground. I was glad to get that mowing done to enhance the wildlife habitat, and I need to plow a piece of it too. Unfortunately, I still have to leave a wide swath of the frontage grown up with weeds, to avoid all those good citizens poaching deer from the road. There are multiple shift changes… all day and all night, so a lot of trashy people pass on that road. I am continuing to work on developing a hedgerow across the front; progress is slow and it is slow- growing. I think I have stopped the power company from continuously destroying it, but I am beginning to doubt whether I can live long enough to complete it.

I continued my fence repairs at the old family cemetery, and have most of that completed, now. Wow, that’s a hot job and I’m not accustomed to such. Working short stretches, early morning and late afternoon, and drinking lots of water, I have made good headway. I probably would never be able to repeat that project, but I hope the repairs will last until after I have claimed my own plot there. I was working there on my Dad’s birthday (he would have been 86), but was too busy and too hot to do more than merely acknowledge it. I had never spent long periods at the cemetery, and was amazed how much traffic there was. Lots of people visited while I was there and everyone felt the need to interrupt my work… I won’t go back on a weekend. An interesting side note: next weekend, the annual hummingbird gathering will be held at the Rogillio property, which surrounds the cemetery. I must work, but maybe next year… They will capture, band, and record biometric statistics on the hummers, and enthusiasts come from all over.

I had some first- rate critter encounters on this trip. Lots of birds were flitting around and singing. After an afternoon shower, two armadillos came charging through the woods. They were of adult size, and I don’t know whether this was a matter of foreplay, or some kind of territorial dispute. Then a rabbit came nibbling things around the yard, eventually hopping off toward my garden spot. Just as daylight was fading, a young ‘coon, about half- grown, came prowling around. Soon after dark, I heard a deer snorting nearby. So, it was quite an interesting wildlife parade, that day.

The next day, I drove into the yard, returning from my cemetery project, and a deer bounded away. She seemed to have been under the pear tree, probably feeding on fallen fruit that those pesky squirrels have been knocking down. A rabbit passed my window the next evening, too; I think he was smaller than the previous one. Maybe the whole family is over there, gobbling up my young plantings. When I walked over to check the cutover field, there was a coyote poking around. He was successful at finding food… I saw him catch something and give it a shake… maybe a mouse or bug of some sort. After watching him for a while and taking a few pictures, I stepped out into the open. He soon spotted me and loped off to the woods.

At church, Cousin was telling me that I should come fishing at their new pond. It was reworked and stocked about a year or two ago. It was a pond Uncle had built years ago; I had fished it a number of times, but it’s been a long while… I recall some nice bass.

I really needed to get back to the fence- work after lunch, Monday, but first I wanted to check for ATV tracks in the creek… those kids get out of hand and tear up the land if you don’t stay on top of it. On impulse, I kicked off my boots and went wading up the creek, squishing the sand between my toes… I hadn’t done that in a while, either. I didn’t find a fishing hole or even a spot for skinny- dipping, but I had a nostalgic time. I was relieved to find no ATV tracks, even in Panther Creek, but erosion damage from the recent rains was obvious on the neighboring property.

So I shorted my Monday afternoon fence- work. After my sunshower (by the way, 98- degree water is not warm enough in a breeze), I headed over to try fishing the pond. . When I arrived they were talking about the hogs rooting up the pastures. I happened to have my bow along for some practice shooting, so I dragged it from behind my truck seat and went for a hike. Sure enough, there were a number of rooted- up spots. I saw no hogs, but the sun was still high; I probably should go back and try to help with that hog problem, dontchathink? Barbecue? It was a great walk! I went all the way to the farthest pasture. I saw a hen turkey along the way. The coyotes were howling all around. Their sounds carry farther and longer in those open pastures, than they do in the tight coverts of my place. On my way out, the two donkeys caught my attention. I was walking along, watching the donkeys and something fluttered away right beside me—brrrp—scared the wits out of me. I didn’t see it; had to be a quail.

I took my fly rod, walked over the hill to the pond, and caught a fish on my second cast. The pond had been stocked with fast- growing hybrid brim, and this one was bigger than my hand, heavy and thick through the body… beautiful fish. They were aggressive and gullible, and put up quite a fight… I’ve got to bring my boy. I made only about 9 casts and missed 3 strikes, but I caught and released 4 big brim and was quite impressed with the pond.

High water in the swamp chases the critters out of the flood- plain. This little skink was still smiling, but perhaps a forced smile. Bunnies were grazing around the parking lot, risking the people- threat to gain higher ground.

Swamp's fillin' up

I had a quick rainy- day jaunt in the swamp, yesterday. The water was rising, but had not yet covered the boardwalks. It was cool and the birds were singing happily. The wood ducks sailed through the woods, squealing; they didn't seem to mind the weather. The ground is already saturated and this wet stuff is likely to continue for a while.

Maypops

I have always been impressed by these... some call them passionflowers. They are so showy and exotic- looking! Maypop vines are quite common in my neck of the woods, growing in clearings and along field edges. The fruits are about egg- sized and they turn yellow as they mature. They are said to be sweet; I know they are full of seeds and make a "pop" when squeezed. But, like some of the other wild fruits, I never seem to get a sample because the critters like them so much. Maybe I could cultivate some of these and keep them out of reach. I bet they would make jelly or wine.

Swamp Creature

I met this weird moth yesterday,on a trail in the Bluebonnet Swamp. It [she?] was running toward me rather quickly, was impressively large, and had only vestigial wings. The moth was nearly the size of my finger. She was about the same size as that water oak leaf which is also in the picture. While I was stopped with the camera in hand, she climbed on my shoe. When she headed up my leg, enough was enough! I went on about my business and left her to her's.

Friends said it may be a luna moth; that had been one of my guesses, too. I finally matched a picture of it on this website.

First Thursday

After the daily monsoon, I got away for a quick Tramp through the Bluebonnet Swamp trails. The rain left it very cool and the air was washed clean. Not many critters moving, but the flora looked fresh and sparkly. While I was there, the director helped me with some map questions about BREC facilities. I am on a determined search to find a variety of convenient fishing spots.

Thursday night’s meeting of the hiking club included an interesting discussion of gear; and I was especially pleased that Little Sister joined me for the meeting. She seemed genuinely enthused and observed that “those people are really serious about hiking”. Little Sister is emphatic that she is a day hiker and “not going to sleep in the woods”.

And I won a door prize, a fine pair of Smartwool hiking socks. I had been admiring those in the catalogs and they get good reviews, but I never could justify the expense to test- drive a pair. Up- close and personal, they look really good. I’m washing them right now, and will try them this weekend.

Nature Deficit Disorder

I have always suffered from this malady, knew the symptoms, and knew what was needed to cope with it. However, until I saw the term in Backpacker Magazine, I did not know it had a name and was not aware that fellow- sufferers were out there. Although I have more free time nowadays, work and domestic demands continue to keep it cut up into awkward chunks. Frustrated by inefficiencies of time use and today’s high cost of rambling, I have been seeking outdoor opportunities that are nearby, convenient, and cost- efficient in terms of time use and travel expense. I have found some interesting hiking options in the local parks; those are much more to my liking than pounding streets or sidewalks, and I would stay in bed rather than go to a shopping mall. Along these lines, I have been pondering and researching local park options for fishing spots. Today’s cross- town trip was to the Blackwater Conservation Area, and I was very pleased to find such a lovely park site. This is a reclamation project by the Corps of Engineers and managed by BREC, of former gravel pits located along the Comite River, and the site is dedicated to casualties of the September 11th attack. There are lakes, river access, gravel- paved trails, and woods. I saw bunnies and birds and not- too- many people. Bank- fishing was difficult, with willows and brush along the shores and water- weeds extending out into the shallows. I only managed to catch a few small brim, but there were bass swirling and I saw some larger brim. I’m going back soon, with my canoe to access better spots and at a better time of day. Wish me luck!