tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24750994462349078952024-02-18T18:09:14.898-08:00Texas NatureAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14923769433589159304noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-10389088707926881182014-03-20T09:09:00.002-07:002014-03-20T09:09:29.184-07:00The End and the Beginning.Well the it's the first day of spring! For many spring is a symbol of renewal, saying goodbye to the old drab cold of winter and hello to the warm new days ahead. So it is with Texas Nature Blog. In my last post I mentioned a couple of plans for the future and those plans have been completed. I said, I was working on a new website about enjoying nature in Texas and although there is still a lot to do, it is now online at <a href="http://www.texasnatureonline.com/">http://www.texasnatureonline.com/</a>. I also said that I was considering combining Texas Nature Blog with my Wildflowers of Texas Blog and moving them to there own domain. I have done that and my first official post was made today. You can view the new blog at <a href="http://texasnatureblog.com/">http://texasnatureblog.com/</a>. This will be my last official post on this site and I hope you will follow me to the new sites. I can be found at the following places on the web.<br />
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<a href="http://texasnatureblog.com/">http://texasnatureblog.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.texasnatureonline.com/">http://www.texasnatureonline.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/">http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Nature/141615839325905">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Nature/141615839325905</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://texasnature.tumblr.com/">http://texasnature.tumblr.com/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_616160228"><br /></a>
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/117998138410957723460">https://plus.google.com/u/0/117998138410957723460</a><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/TexasNature">https://twitter.com/TexasNature</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14923769433589159304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-86172243305863012992013-12-30T15:02:00.000-08:002013-12-30T15:02:24.424-08:00A Look Back. <div style="text-align: right;">
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Well, the year is almost gone and time to take a look back at Texas Nature for 2013. From an online perspective it has not been a great year.<br />
<ul>
<li>I have not posted nearly enough, and I hope to correct this in 2014.</li>
<li><a href="http://facebook.com/pages/Texas-Nature/141615839325905" target="_blank">My Facebook page</a> was one year old on December 29th, but has not had the traffic I had hoped for.</li>
<li>On a positive note, I began work on my Texas Nature Website, which I hope to have online in the next couple of months.</li>
</ul>
From an real life perspective it has been a good year. At first I started to say that it was not a great year, but when I looked back at all the trips I have made, I realize that I had a fairly active year. Here is a list of all the places I visited in 2013.<br />
<ul>
<li>Both Pitcher Plant Trail and Sundew Trail of The <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Thicket" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Big Thicket">Big Thicket National Preserve</a>.</li>
<li>Cattail Marsh in Beaumont, Texas</li>
<li>McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge</li>
<li>Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sancturary</li>
<li>Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Park</li>
<li>Tony Houseman State Park/Wildlife Management Area </li>
<li>Pleasure Island, Port Arthur, Texas</li>
<li>Shangri La Botanical Garden and Nature Center</li>
<li>Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge</li>
<li><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Rim_State_Park" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Sea Rim State Park">Sea Rim State Park</a></li>
</ul>
And these places I visited for the first time.<br />
<ul>
<li>Village Creek State Park</li>
<li>J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area</li>
<li>Both the Old River Unit and Nelda Stark Unite of The Lower Neches Wildlife Managemnet Area</li>
<li><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.abnc.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center">Armand Bayou Nature Center</a></li>
<li>Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge</li>
<li>Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge</li>
<li>Nature trail at San Jacinto Battleground State Park. </li>
</ul>
I also saw several wild animals for the first time, including -<br />
<ul>
<li><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_Vulture" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Turkey Vulture">Turkey Vulture</a></li>
<li><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracara_%28genus%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Caracara (genus)">Crested Caracara</a></li>
<li>Numerous other bird I still need to positive ID on</li>
<li>Broad-banded Water Snake </li>
<li>Feral Hogs</li>
<li>White-tail Deer</li>
<li>Bobcat which I would have to say was my favorite.</li>
</ul>
Overall it has been a good year and I have high hopes for 2014.<br />
My plans for the new year.<br />
<ul>
<li>Blog more consistently. </li>
<li>Update my social media page more.</li>
<li>Finish work on my Texas Nature Website</li>
<li>Possibly merge my <a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/wildflower-blog.html" target="_blank">Wildflowers of Texas Blog</a> and Texas Nature Blog and move to there own domain.</li>
</ul>
Goodbye until next year and please vistit my other sites.<br />
<a href="http://facebook.com/pages/Texas-Nature/141615839325905" target="_blank">Texas Nature on Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/117998138410957723460/posts" target="_blank">Texas Nature on Google + </a><br />
<a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/" target="_blank">Wildflowers of Texas</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14923769433589159304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-65758706135209305652013-12-26T18:42:00.000-08:002013-12-26T18:42:48.682-08:00Cattails and a Cat's Tails<div style="text-align: right;">
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Cattail Marsh in Beaumont, Texas is named after the abundant Cattail plants (<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typha" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Typha">Typha</a> sp.) that grow in the marsh. In addition to the Cattails and other plants, it is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, including Alligators and numerous species of birds. On this visit I would discover a resident, that I have never seen before in the wild.<br />
While walking along one of the roads that border the individual cells of the marsh, I notice a gray shape at the edge of the high grass. It looked like it might be an animal but I wasn't sure, so I pointed the camera and zoomed in. I was amazed to see a Bobcat ( <i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.1875px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobcat" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Bobcat">Lynx rufus</a> )</i>, laying in the grass, and watching me. When I began to try to move a little closer, it ducked down, trying to be a little less obvious. Eventually I got too close and it ran for cover, but I was thrilled to have seen my first wild Bobcat.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cattails at Cattail Marsh, Beaumont, Texas<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo76G24rnAiJMQ6Osda1AhT_MLwfU9YnlXSztn6IRqMz7CAbd9xvUE1lzND3yidSNfczfxSwotTLbgRpFrBMUC-go64VC4YdUGMOBhdFS-k06OlW0KqUkNX7u3T27Ypq8EEVhmNl98V3tf/s640/Bobcat+(5).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobcat keeping an eye on me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobcat - <i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.1875px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Lynx rufus</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BtlFtN2Pdk13SWuxQsy4if22PQpAEf_FDPpLU7b4th19aCVkXhZZqTrObCzim74Bhy3G9zjJrVvhHV83aN7hGM5JYgzs1Bpf0_d1CXyPsgXbg3f9bmECriJr9CLbQBMpYARWWaESwWzf/s1600/Bobcat+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BtlFtN2Pdk13SWuxQsy4if22PQpAEf_FDPpLU7b4th19aCVkXhZZqTrObCzim74Bhy3G9zjJrVvhHV83aN7hGM5JYgzs1Bpf0_d1CXyPsgXbg3f9bmECriJr9CLbQBMpYARWWaESwWzf/s640/Bobcat+%25289%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobcat attempting to hide.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobcat shows me a cat's tail. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14923769433589159304noreply@blogger.com0Beaumont, TX, USA30.007924274815931 -94.1425967216491730.00620527481593 -94.14511822164917 30.009643274815932 -94.14007522164917tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-84061894617484019722013-12-24T12:31:00.000-08:002013-12-24T12:31:09.536-08:00Merry Christmas!<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Merry Christmas from Texas Nature!</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnhTKzy5LvXCw69rYkL0PeZUbbVtYmTCvlXnLMuCQ5UXVZlM0uWP4WzGAHTP1E_lFx2dzSm5YT0b_1O-NpMVHyMm-f8pwCHvSzwp2qjYVl0C1V2Nk9LsM7oEFX6OKseqxYCQHX950JTWM/s1600/mini-Merry+Christmas+Gator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnhTKzy5LvXCw69rYkL0PeZUbbVtYmTCvlXnLMuCQ5UXVZlM0uWP4WzGAHTP1E_lFx2dzSm5YT0b_1O-NpMVHyMm-f8pwCHvSzwp2qjYVl0C1V2Nk9LsM7oEFX6OKseqxYCQHX950JTWM/s640/mini-Merry+Christmas+Gator.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14923769433589159304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-13287382750429646032013-03-19T23:42:00.000-07:002013-06-28T23:42:24.205-07:00Armand Bayou Nature Center Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I ended my last post about The <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armand_Bayou_Nature_Center" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center">Armand Bayou Nature Center</a> at the Interpretive Building. Entering this building you will find various reptiles and amphibians on display. On the outside you can choose from several paths to other areas of the nature center, that branch out from this central location. Next to the Interpretive Building is a bird blind, with feeders, fountain and bath. The trail heads for the three main hiking trails is located here also.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird Blind </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s2gKqumZW8wbRp6Yfpz-CZcVaoXuVsAqKb8u-tA3uu5wLUZTBiiwZ8Ci_weqM_hFuu2urP_bLZt1UrovdvFtweaQyrlKYghxiPDgrnATiryne_9bnhuK2Z4rXbG0kjgsq_ZlYnpLOxXT/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s2gKqumZW8wbRp6Yfpz-CZcVaoXuVsAqKb8u-tA3uu5wLUZTBiiwZ8Ci_weqM_hFuu2urP_bLZt1UrovdvFtweaQyrlKYghxiPDgrnATiryne_9bnhuK2Z4rXbG0kjgsq_ZlYnpLOxXT/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+202.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viewing wall of bird blind.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKlwiUfcqKqDtArX893tvNCitBqkDRx-3xbEqEc0cisKSNXD_JV34xm7vFVqi6QFtVU2SZo42a2PX3g-ykOiyR1j-WzMFT0Y4-6Lr3DroT8PphOuQ1AyRocaHFCSKiAt7s0MVph2L7Tn5/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKlwiUfcqKqDtArX893tvNCitBqkDRx-3xbEqEc0cisKSNXD_JV34xm7vFVqi6QFtVU2SZo42a2PX3g-ykOiyR1j-WzMFT0Y4-6Lr3DroT8PphOuQ1AyRocaHFCSKiAt7s0MVph2L7Tn5/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+203.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird blind interior viewing area.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_zmmKQULg_yfhBi1lYL7F5tL1z9PJUEk9xUvXAkkXAOdiPM4QFtoA_-4VuhdRWwS1DXB8ub-qXgLlsBt1ySPEjHDqmx2u5Uhs6Tzcmpu_FArK8DkBPakVYvkQou0zf76_hMTQNImRojP/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_zmmKQULg_yfhBi1lYL7F5tL1z9PJUEk9xUvXAkkXAOdiPM4QFtoA_-4VuhdRWwS1DXB8ub-qXgLlsBt1ySPEjHDqmx2u5Uhs6Tzcmpu_FArK8DkBPakVYvkQou0zf76_hMTQNImRojP/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+055.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountain and pond, viewed from bird blind.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eYHUqy9zRGlcC9wF5Zt3lK16jF5in9Ijkg8fqf7oUoqlHHOJDj_L8ZLyFpl8unIYwdLjwfP35O4VWh4rr33j2vXDdVv6Z-qHbcPgPkJcy1BmGr3hjrM1prBociazWcA_593QG0HdDa_J/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eYHUqy9zRGlcC9wF5Zt3lK16jF5in9Ijkg8fqf7oUoqlHHOJDj_L8ZLyFpl8unIYwdLjwfP35O4VWh4rr33j2vXDdVv6Z-qHbcPgPkJcy1BmGr3hjrM1prBociazWcA_593QG0HdDa_J/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+056.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail heads.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hsc5RKEtF2wjR2nYXhy131b6M6z9JrNlTv4ZJU4R-LJzehULfsTtb_5T6JMvVNz7ursUjqoMoh-qo4Tk9T1PfHhlynGO624FUC_BQFM32pL0n1KFHJTPF7gJr4JQZ7RhkzKcDDZu8b_Q/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Bayou Nature Center trail map." border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hsc5RKEtF2wjR2nYXhy131b6M6z9JrNlTv4ZJU4R-LJzehULfsTtb_5T6JMvVNz7ursUjqoMoh-qo4Tk9T1PfHhlynGO624FUC_BQFM32pL0n1KFHJTPF7gJr4JQZ7RhkzKcDDZu8b_Q/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+092.JPG" title="Trail Map" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Armand Bayou Nature Center trail map.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The three main trails are the 1.32 mile Martyn Trail, the 1.38 mile <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karankawa_people" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Karankawa people">Karankawa</a> Trail and the 1.5 mile Lady Bird Trail. On this visit I walked the Martyn and Lady Bird trails. Even though I am a novice hiker, I found both of these trails easy. On both the trail I walked were many downed and broken trees, that provide evidence of the damage done by <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ike" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Hurricane Ike">Hurricane Ike</a> in 2008.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Martyn Trail</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Martyn Trail is 1.32 miles in length</li>
<li>Loop Trail</li>
<li>Has a Scenic Bayou Overlook</li>
<li>Wildlife Viewing Platform</li>
<li>Access to the Boat House </li>
</ul>
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<ul>
</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEjXkAqWoPotflT8CmFJ6eccxDCCiOfZ1CTwO9HCm4D4GaUtgW6rUinpYlh1sMPjhwT46C6TX8tU9q5a-3cjwVxLXzyGYicGdM-oojkF7poqySEAVmlqQSS-IXpzcLNtfRGFfVb1O0y4I/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Uprooted tree at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEjXkAqWoPotflT8CmFJ6eccxDCCiOfZ1CTwO9HCm4D4GaUtgW6rUinpYlh1sMPjhwT46C6TX8tU9q5a-3cjwVxLXzyGYicGdM-oojkF7poqySEAVmlqQSS-IXpzcLNtfRGFfVb1O0y4I/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+064.JPG" title="Uprooted Tree" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree uprooted by Hurricane Ike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoT_ERCy8XoRn9QT_fqxaxpkU2HxlMNf-IwudBd4rZdn5DT2S-5V6kzf0Gel2wMhkqs_bhiGl3D473aPHBvpxJTedIDOvNDaCr73L-j85rgBTrtHG9JnxIYx0ZgZuAU5U6_eDmv6TdbjB9/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fallen trees at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoT_ERCy8XoRn9QT_fqxaxpkU2HxlMNf-IwudBd4rZdn5DT2S-5V6kzf0Gel2wMhkqs_bhiGl3D473aPHBvpxJTedIDOvNDaCr73L-j85rgBTrtHG9JnxIYx0ZgZuAU5U6_eDmv6TdbjB9/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+058.JPG" title="Fallen Trees" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen trees provide hiding places and homes for wildlife.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1fpL8dfeiJhF0zko17tlul0Jm4edGwnpWqpfGGIhbZXEzCBAdumfg6FUtYx4QjBFaoy9x_doRRZOnkphL_JnyesjNnBwye41fvMqhnh4ccM_hVrs1aErII4aTYHkQWjN0ETDtQQ0JF6w/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt=" Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1fpL8dfeiJhF0zko17tlul0Jm4edGwnpWqpfGGIhbZXEzCBAdumfg6FUtYx4QjBFaoy9x_doRRZOnkphL_JnyesjNnBwye41fvMqhnh4ccM_hVrs1aErII4aTYHkQWjN0ETDtQQ0JF6w/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+071.JPG" title="Downed trees" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decomposers like worm, bacteria and fungi will gradually break down these tree, where they will add important nutrients the the soil.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0Fyisu5EvJX9z4swus3QnfvoI4Yf-LSp6U5VkciFdkDVaUmBMHFdBkeHyeuF2a-udRzqGQ4Vs1XJAqM1-rs1sUDmdxj0upFk5IkJRiso5DwRxm0K2ksXbEU20NDydFBMm_GSfOfvkMc8/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Martyn Trail at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0Fyisu5EvJX9z4swus3QnfvoI4Yf-LSp6U5VkciFdkDVaUmBMHFdBkeHyeuF2a-udRzqGQ4Vs1XJAqM1-rs1sUDmdxj0upFk5IkJRiso5DwRxm0K2ksXbEU20NDydFBMm_GSfOfvkMc8/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+086.JPG" title="Martyn Trail " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View along Martyn Trail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBOYAWoGIbwW8egd2p1dEjXz3b25jXqc2OTomJG7hYIOhaI7LYOg-P1a7Kp3opk6gf2wwwoCH4QyOw5mpKUnGcLFxq_uG1C3f_8eWCin-Febh3OS7Uyo9ZKZSZ3e9NDatXdOb_EwoNWji/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Martyn Trail at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBOYAWoGIbwW8egd2p1dEjXz3b25jXqc2OTomJG7hYIOhaI7LYOg-P1a7Kp3opk6gf2wwwoCH4QyOw5mpKUnGcLFxq_uG1C3f_8eWCin-Febh3OS7Uyo9ZKZSZ3e9NDatXdOb_EwoNWji/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+069.JPG" title="Martyn Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martyn Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXZBDb9NxLZKFDHNhtCpD1tYI-Yx2eXXUyLXxzhoS5szXNr2Ma2ypj3unDW8zwunxreor_mMXI5mHZHF6g7q-Z0xnm1H_oncXAH1o6oLh4uR6Yb_Yx1bIdtwlK5TRILCKXiXVldvWWxK3/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Martyn Trail at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXZBDb9NxLZKFDHNhtCpD1tYI-Yx2eXXUyLXxzhoS5szXNr2Ma2ypj3unDW8zwunxreor_mMXI5mHZHF6g7q-Z0xnm1H_oncXAH1o6oLh4uR6Yb_Yx1bIdtwlK5TRILCKXiXVldvWWxK3/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+057.JPG" title="Martyn Trail" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martin Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiArjBpi4bG8l6PO9x9KDgLiwPM652BYgqP2DOb8g7m5YMzLAAyOfz9cjY5_c6M1FoFQY-Co2YbI_6PvMMDJWj3UnKw2Jq5fFbzL4hL-ce180eJgCPtCGd1D79iij-HE74KpzvfsZiAf5/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Overlook sign at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiArjBpi4bG8l6PO9x9KDgLiwPM652BYgqP2DOb8g7m5YMzLAAyOfz9cjY5_c6M1FoFQY-Co2YbI_6PvMMDJWj3UnKw2Jq5fFbzL4hL-ce180eJgCPtCGd1D79iij-HE74KpzvfsZiAf5/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+081.JPG" title="Overlook trail sign." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail Sign</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXjOPNKHGrvAOqSl50p5KTUL4CoVSYLXJowpG7MUHfXS7Xy-vzjnWnOK9dP_ropC4dZhG4ROyafWNQXw2WPO8RIuQLGaP3iW15atPpMs-K8JYEEU23plWS2QoBwPhne1Gcgc9JbriRZic/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Overlook at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXjOPNKHGrvAOqSl50p5KTUL4CoVSYLXJowpG7MUHfXS7Xy-vzjnWnOK9dP_ropC4dZhG4ROyafWNQXw2WPO8RIuQLGaP3iW15atPpMs-K8JYEEU23plWS2QoBwPhne1Gcgc9JbriRZic/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+080.JPG" title="Overlook" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Bayou Overlook</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nF4551rRWbIq6FyxM8qcgJxHfE7Udf23zEe5vebuOqdAGIOCFFkMfVv5QykOsPOwLGPKC-M9g0wQUpsGDW0cWqfGSoDmRqcypfnWWyXJC_KgzrXEkIQddEe3pygjipBeAv28mIDajMRv/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Bayou Nature Center" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nF4551rRWbIq6FyxM8qcgJxHfE7Udf23zEe5vebuOqdAGIOCFFkMfVv5QykOsPOwLGPKC-M9g0wQUpsGDW0cWqfGSoDmRqcypfnWWyXJC_KgzrXEkIQddEe3pygjipBeAv28mIDajMRv/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+077.JPG" title="Armand Bayou " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cormorant seen from the Bayou Overlook</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBBY2kzx8Eg_UqbJzlijWpwHSYgaaAaKs2BCg7qTkn26IXNS8ObAi-OMOmn53WNvuF_KIA2qoZa_kFNybwee5CF9vdw0o4di-I4KIMsPax9KRrBPImT6q-yJJ-yxWWojxmx3Gix0tw8pJ/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Trail sign, Armand Bayou Nature Center" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBBY2kzx8Eg_UqbJzlijWpwHSYgaaAaKs2BCg7qTkn26IXNS8ObAi-OMOmn53WNvuF_KIA2qoZa_kFNybwee5CF9vdw0o4di-I4KIMsPax9KRrBPImT6q-yJJ-yxWWojxmx3Gix0tw8pJ/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+082.JPG" title="Trail Sign" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is a Wildlife Observation Platform along the Martyn Trail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpq4Yls0vkcY4pkuPwkoc-Dj3RrWq_tohJcXleQ4rUVAC4zwlStwfbhVcORRZR02vAGjQhaNt9EmicTrSZ0hrsQ2y3uBTHYg7OQ-3_kXx3HniuPgQXZZgu4Qk1-hKLlylb85GSGsYEZ3Jd/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Bayou Nature Center wildlife observation platform." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpq4Yls0vkcY4pkuPwkoc-Dj3RrWq_tohJcXleQ4rUVAC4zwlStwfbhVcORRZR02vAGjQhaNt9EmicTrSZ0hrsQ2y3uBTHYg7OQ-3_kXx3HniuPgQXZZgu4Qk1-hKLlylb85GSGsYEZ3Jd/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+084.JPG" title="Wildlife Observation Platform" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildlife Observation Platform, Martyn Trail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSckOhGg-v23D7wrUvWtpkCG8hS6uBssBMTqIKajGjDwAg2yc3S5ll-UQ-cWBt9r2ENo9NrF9CL_QW7lyPgU0N0lrkV8t6GFI68kLipaSi43KcYfYMM5kEuq_sTT1Ho2eGow-dn3TTWcs1/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Bayou Nature Center" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSckOhGg-v23D7wrUvWtpkCG8hS6uBssBMTqIKajGjDwAg2yc3S5ll-UQ-cWBt9r2ENo9NrF9CL_QW7lyPgU0N0lrkV8t6GFI68kLipaSi43KcYfYMM5kEuq_sTT1Ho2eGow-dn3TTWcs1/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+083.JPG" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from observation plantform.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-38571827065159337112013-03-18T18:15:00.000-07:002013-03-18T18:15:07.044-07:00Life BirdI went out this morning to see what new wildflowers I could find blooming. But instead of finding wildflowers I spotted a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracara_%28genus%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Caracara (genus)">Crested Caracara</a>, which is a <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/birdwatching-101-what-s-a-life-bird" target="_blank">life bird </a>for me. I rushed the shots trying to make sure I didn't miss, so there not that great, but at least I got it. Caracaras are do nest in the area, but are uncommon, so I was really excited to see it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBq2W8XA-qONOG7SfdtnoG4vhww0iFCTX77gGfHz7m4mE6HyQyqqoDGMYXOdfrDRwVhy0wMsFAhBhJshO6Wilp46gXC8edexmQAMPRYcwfjyi40SDrttzEcGK62jVvM1TDSBCbrORTXnac/s1600/mini-hilldebrant+road+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Crested Caracara" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBq2W8XA-qONOG7SfdtnoG4vhww0iFCTX77gGfHz7m4mE6HyQyqqoDGMYXOdfrDRwVhy0wMsFAhBhJshO6Wilp46gXC8edexmQAMPRYcwfjyi40SDrttzEcGK62jVvM1TDSBCbrORTXnac/s640/mini-hilldebrant+road+005.JPG" title="Crested Caracara" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHL7KYer5cMJWuxNrhE4CVWMRvF1b36DMyiKHdb0T5BbdOu5Cb-rnxODNRj7J0ewNtRNXTpr3jIJ4zOV1aAo9FPk_TEE-MZJUjcJ5sb3lPCa4u8cZE5CTtharjaUyHy2k25A2lWRDnaipw/s1600/mini-hilldebrant+road+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Crested Caracara" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHL7KYer5cMJWuxNrhE4CVWMRvF1b36DMyiKHdb0T5BbdOu5Cb-rnxODNRj7J0ewNtRNXTpr3jIJ4zOV1aAo9FPk_TEE-MZJUjcJ5sb3lPCa4u8cZE5CTtharjaUyHy2k25A2lWRDnaipw/s640/mini-hilldebrant+road+006.JPG" title="Crested Caracara" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKh_UnbrX7xb16xQfeaG7p8fcCkCE_UCMPEvq8Yy6UkXDW6pVMdbOWfbZSjivoRPocma7PKpR8OGMkKCQHTPiSu5GYA3bWJcGQiK_k045r9E480tUOGI1Jr7lSDZzUWhvReHVUmwNYn2tE/s1600/mini-hilldebrant+road+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Crested Caracara" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKh_UnbrX7xb16xQfeaG7p8fcCkCE_UCMPEvq8Yy6UkXDW6pVMdbOWfbZSjivoRPocma7PKpR8OGMkKCQHTPiSu5GYA3bWJcGQiK_k045r9E480tUOGI1Jr7lSDZzUWhvReHVUmwNYn2tE/s640/mini-hilldebrant+road+007.JPG" title="Crested Caracara" width="640" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-26325169315855243272013-03-16T16:44:00.001-07:002013-05-31T22:21:52.715-07:00Armand Bayou Nature Center Part 1<div style="text-align: right;">
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The next series of posts will be about my recent visit to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.abnc.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center">Armand Bayou Nature Center</a> in Pasadena, Texas. This was my first visit to Armand Bayou Nature Center, but it will not be my last. There are three main trails each a little over a mile long, with the longest at 1.5 miles.<br />
After paying, you begin by exiting the back of the admission building where you will see the Hawk display. From the hawk display follow the boardwalk as it twists it's way through the woods and over a pond. There is a covered deck at the pond, that allows viewing of wildlife, while protected from the sun. Following the boardwalk the it's end, you will come to the Education (Interpretive) Building that has live animal displays, such as turtles and snakes. The Education Building serves as a sort of cross-road to all the other activities found at Armand Bayou Nature Center. I will write more about my visit in the next posts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdw2ybcKqdHFbdmFAZArvFoYswTjRzPaIPvF7h1AsrYTrstIiMXf07eIz-wY0hLltm431_4gIXRhVSV34CVAgzVmFATMmt5vQ4REHEGGD3zZl5G-f9vMJd4BanrcGTyJtf2mtFf2R8kPRq/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Bayou Nature Center" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdw2ybcKqdHFbdmFAZArvFoYswTjRzPaIPvF7h1AsrYTrstIiMXf07eIz-wY0hLltm431_4gIXRhVSV34CVAgzVmFATMmt5vQ4REHEGGD3zZl5G-f9vMJd4BanrcGTyJtf2mtFf2R8kPRq/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+002.JPG" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpture at the entrance road. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD3V4-iElOMbVPN8lyKTqiKqcaSmDtTQlBOD0QKjfx5MRWCSAPWnGHXLvpwAjNkdiMO-mUPWnmrjJkCj93nm4E1NMC-NT4tEc0Vn8eiH_lL1RuJbf9bZ3DLF-rXcbpX2sJd3PEBCTtCsI/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Bayou Nature Center" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD3V4-iElOMbVPN8lyKTqiKqcaSmDtTQlBOD0QKjfx5MRWCSAPWnGHXLvpwAjNkdiMO-mUPWnmrjJkCj93nm4E1NMC-NT4tEc0Vn8eiH_lL1RuJbf9bZ3DLF-rXcbpX2sJd3PEBCTtCsI/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+003.JPG" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of Sculpture</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yv7cO4WmQQVIJ9UWBJhF5KH-IwIn40Z8kacUjuPh7hbdRQrVBylX6UnCTGuhGNei0yYlKHU1y_nXqavhm6-KEdt1YhH4OZdNeefGKe31lb7YkBRXfhd4c-lIkLPuLCLSmXZjkWHPg6sX/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Nature Center entrance " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yv7cO4WmQQVIJ9UWBJhF5KH-IwIn40Z8kacUjuPh7hbdRQrVBylX6UnCTGuhGNei0yYlKHU1y_nXqavhm6-KEdt1YhH4OZdNeefGKe31lb7YkBRXfhd4c-lIkLPuLCLSmXZjkWHPg6sX/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+032.JPG" title="Armand Nature Center entrance " width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Armand Bayou Nature Center</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67vFM7PkhW8iYiKO8bycaO-xIaZamCrE-OSEkjmD9J-UeKVgJr_0rnu87XJsSrPBFNMFVyha2GTBjsWvihdjq-OCcj03wvysp7OWvuok0kwvgDTYVcZX6Xn_5GXlQLyxTJxVh7hnLVPQ5/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armand Bayou Nature Center Map" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67vFM7PkhW8iYiKO8bycaO-xIaZamCrE-OSEkjmD9J-UeKVgJr_0rnu87XJsSrPBFNMFVyha2GTBjsWvihdjq-OCcj03wvysp7OWvuok0kwvgDTYVcZX6Xn_5GXlQLyxTJxVh7hnLVPQ5/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+033.JPG" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center Map" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map posted near the entrance to the nature center.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8Qs67J86feVnLcbC9vasCS7XbKggEWHXYFW-dvgpSoeHgKQz016lDC0TNphEjrI8pdHsP60wZiOrMNp3NyKUKyFsWQg9GZaCC5oOvN0wYhwcctGLAeISlRbfUgoavGegn4h1bFVARtku/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hawk House at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8Qs67J86feVnLcbC9vasCS7XbKggEWHXYFW-dvgpSoeHgKQz016lDC0TNphEjrI8pdHsP60wZiOrMNp3NyKUKyFsWQg9GZaCC5oOvN0wYhwcctGLAeISlRbfUgoavGegn4h1bFVARtku/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+035.JPG" title="Hawk House" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawk House, Admission Building in the background.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeHY-0uRtTO2ekg1F4VCon7zQp9QrlFWecNhau9WnatNz6dNj0T5NOgDkFLFTaM5cK965LbQTKijrJQtMxS4zGN78j6szgCz5S1nip1milBxhBmKqKKFYNSJqjLE7znRPtvqi9XNgYdW1/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hawks at Armand Bayou Nature Center" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeHY-0uRtTO2ekg1F4VCon7zQp9QrlFWecNhau9WnatNz6dNj0T5NOgDkFLFTaM5cK965LbQTKijrJQtMxS4zGN78j6szgCz5S1nip1milBxhBmKqKKFYNSJqjLE7znRPtvqi9XNgYdW1/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+034.JPG" title="Hawks" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfn1tQ-I9uVt1KhWuVN1ItSuV0ewgeTkX9bvkPh9xwYHqN3o6IM9nTK-JNfyJrFmKvwtDaN3HheRjbw6krTp-z3pCp2EpgfjamnF_R0esnqECQh_59K8m4UuliDWOHeyD_QdKqFxnMdYF/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Boardwalk at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfn1tQ-I9uVt1KhWuVN1ItSuV0ewgeTkX9bvkPh9xwYHqN3o6IM9nTK-JNfyJrFmKvwtDaN3HheRjbw6krTp-z3pCp2EpgfjamnF_R0esnqECQh_59K8m4UuliDWOHeyD_QdKqFxnMdYF/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+036.JPG" title="Armand Bayou Nature Center Boardwalk" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boardwalk leading from the Admission Building to the Interpretive Building. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCsKnrQ7eYtzU80eyenvt5nshwOEe6kiwSuTQGcN3RdtIk8ON2pFVcg4kMfeyWWcQQ-GiR0g6vnhrB7toctfxzMOHAXvnqQdOL3MOGZZJ5LykbW0NcgD-WuSaDpvdBWkkdWI6QMGcbU9q/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Marsh Rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris " border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCsKnrQ7eYtzU80eyenvt5nshwOEe6kiwSuTQGcN3RdtIk8ON2pFVcg4kMfeyWWcQQ-GiR0g6vnhrB7toctfxzMOHAXvnqQdOL3MOGZZJ5LykbW0NcgD-WuSaDpvdBWkkdWI6QMGcbU9q/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+039.JPG" title="Marsh Rabbit " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Marsh Rabbit, (<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsh_rabbit" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Marsh rabbit">Sylvilagus palustris</a>) ran from under the boardwalk as I was going by.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZO1nQZwroMQd1DonC-xZYc4vle2YFr_OuHZwV2x0Jcm_BGIaUoe5tTMBlywYYruTYFYP99WM2XBCrqk6SI6Zw3nbSKyR99KpwlllNRxKlnNtHEKoCWt4WvCgt9NYhK20mZxIw9M0T7qS/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pond ant Armand Bayou Nature Center" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZO1nQZwroMQd1DonC-xZYc4vle2YFr_OuHZwV2x0Jcm_BGIaUoe5tTMBlywYYruTYFYP99WM2XBCrqk6SI6Zw3nbSKyR99KpwlllNRxKlnNtHEKoCWt4WvCgt9NYhK20mZxIw9M0T7qS/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+045.JPG" title="Nature Center Pond" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pond along boardwalk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGtdgH4X-zvrQpBERU-xVsEM9kb2GUw0QJjs_j45GyAfiUFyMO5EiWWwfITKyaIrmE9TY4V9fYFx0y0KKiAtWKgTKvG1IMJ6JX2w5hbfk5D-1dDEdyJ8I71v4nHjZaBo9JKLVJl8Loofg/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pond and boardwalk at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGtdgH4X-zvrQpBERU-xVsEM9kb2GUw0QJjs_j45GyAfiUFyMO5EiWWwfITKyaIrmE9TY4V9fYFx0y0KKiAtWKgTKvG1IMJ6JX2w5hbfk5D-1dDEdyJ8I71v4nHjZaBo9JKLVJl8Loofg/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+046.JPG" title="Pond " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pond and Boardwalk.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFfbRRWrFri-5wutAfIsOIJHJbmIec9aRUgVG-G3lY_-EK41N-rQ4_ZLf3KrGRAo82MyfdnIQ7zS0Mee6Hsb3mu8Kc9y3hq2fySoVQTMf75KvzxYf3oI4OQw3tOBWpqlDjsapFMqhQIk0/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Covered observation deck at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFfbRRWrFri-5wutAfIsOIJHJbmIec9aRUgVG-G3lY_-EK41N-rQ4_ZLf3KrGRAo82MyfdnIQ7zS0Mee6Hsb3mu8Kc9y3hq2fySoVQTMf75KvzxYf3oI4OQw3tOBWpqlDjsapFMqhQIk0/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+049.JPG" title="Nature Center Pond" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Covered observation deck overlooking the pond. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUYzuJkO2GcrjhJBWVHkfvPLCrRXkHodPp7bDSqbCFZrmUbSW-3xJ0Dd_1XmgFTWzp2zZbetrvONKCszAS8ZmoOh6Gx6rhkJvhxj2Gcu8QK8Jf6D0R2Y4EwACaI2HWaICkoxhJisKX8aF/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Irises at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUYzuJkO2GcrjhJBWVHkfvPLCrRXkHodPp7bDSqbCFZrmUbSW-3xJ0Dd_1XmgFTWzp2zZbetrvONKCszAS8ZmoOh6Gx6rhkJvhxj2Gcu8QK8Jf6D0R2Y4EwACaI2HWaICkoxhJisKX8aF/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+043.JPG" title="Irises" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iris growing at the pond's edge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkhHBT5kptQmngArzXM6Fe-QPLFc80wAvD6OBdIc4xPb-t01cNM0epnoDl6nyA5QjVW9phif46FYlDwoojpgLdKF6CFUHToew69zHR3cGTx52XHSQanqnEThaDL9B8EEjrrb-VsxcGGHq/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Spanish Moss covered Oak Trees at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkhHBT5kptQmngArzXM6Fe-QPLFc80wAvD6OBdIc4xPb-t01cNM0epnoDl6nyA5QjVW9phif46FYlDwoojpgLdKF6CFUHToew69zHR3cGTx52XHSQanqnEThaDL9B8EEjrrb-VsxcGGHq/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+051.JPG" title="Spanish Moss" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spanish Moss clinging to oak trees.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMIx95ROfHkfmcMGZunqMgdN7C5FXj1O4CU0X5fGbEjiAtLrMoSPMRrcnF2XojWLoart4fNsBDNTKRrMNZhyr8BmsP2CSNY-DR2Iga5ey4AqJHBsCHt51A6anr8j6mmy44Suw0vFAtjWp/s1600/mini-Armand+Bayou+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Interpretive Building at Armand Bayou Nature Center." border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMIx95ROfHkfmcMGZunqMgdN7C5FXj1O4CU0X5fGbEjiAtLrMoSPMRrcnF2XojWLoart4fNsBDNTKRrMNZhyr8BmsP2CSNY-DR2Iga5ey4AqJHBsCHt51A6anr8j6mmy44Suw0vFAtjWp/s640/mini-Armand+Bayou+052.JPG" title="Educational Building" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interpretive Building at the end of the boardwalk trail.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Armand Bayou Nature Center, 8500 Bay Area Boulevard, Pasadena, Texas, TX 77507, USA29.598386753568256 -95.07465362548828129.591483253568256 -95.084738625488285 29.605290253568256 -95.064568625488278tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-84103910655684365832013-03-03T19:58:00.000-08:002013-03-03T19:58:36.020-08:00Parking Lot Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I think about going out to photograph nature, I am usually thinking about going down to the coast, a local marsh, or perhaps a wooded nature trail. I sometimes forget that even though we are surrounded by all the trappings of civilization, nature is all around us. One of the things I notice everyday is the birds. Many birds like the ones in this blog have adapted well to city life. The bird that probably comes to mind most often is the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Pigeon" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Rock Pigeon">Rock Pigeon</a> (Columba livia<span style="background-color: #fff7ea; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.285714149475098px; font-style: italic; line-height: 19.598215103149414px;">). </span>Around here the pigeons seem to be a bit more shy that the ones you see hanging around park benches of larger cities.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidr4QgId2UJ-iVJb2iMe8kYlPC1E6bSeTpYUQKyuHaLqbSLBhvvAjb3hXEy_UV3OKBORt-6oXiNUZHhjt85DTkoGr9JPzmmz2VEgFvfsr9ArnXpGXsGF15W-73OfGXLmk3cv3HsOMZJYXq/s1600/mini-Parking+lot+birds+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rock Pigeon, Columb livia" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidr4QgId2UJ-iVJb2iMe8kYlPC1E6bSeTpYUQKyuHaLqbSLBhvvAjb3hXEy_UV3OKBORt-6oXiNUZHhjt85DTkoGr9JPzmmz2VEgFvfsr9ArnXpGXsGF15W-73OfGXLmk3cv3HsOMZJYXq/s640/mini-Parking+lot+birds+001.JPG" title="Rock Pigeon" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Pigeon</td></tr>
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Even though I live about 20 miles from the coast I still see quite a few <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gull" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Gull">seagulls</a>. You can find them hanging around on just about any day, but they seem to be most plentiful on windy overcast days. Some days I arrive at work early with some stale bread to feed the grackles that are plentiful, and there will be no gulls in site. But as soon as I throw out some bread, I will be surrounded by dozens of gulls. <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring-billed_Gull" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Ring-billed Gull">Ring-billed Gulls</a> are usually the most common, along with a few Laughing Gulls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIYYKUHUrOCOhpc24geDSfc172DZyRz6ZnKIooeI91H0zFZ9YKrIK1Jbb49AYgDSol53FLKPZ-tKaIVqqEyqzQJ-sKTM_Pgr0POnEKqRcEviLgcOHLU1NK55pbsXssX-iDVFBhfTSCpme/s1600/mini-Parking+Lot+Birds+001+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Laughing Gull, Seagull, birds" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIYYKUHUrOCOhpc24geDSfc172DZyRz6ZnKIooeI91H0zFZ9YKrIK1Jbb49AYgDSol53FLKPZ-tKaIVqqEyqzQJ-sKTM_Pgr0POnEKqRcEviLgcOHLU1NK55pbsXssX-iDVFBhfTSCpme/s640/mini-Parking+Lot+Birds+001+%25282%2529.JPG" title="Laughing Gulls" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Gulls</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEw6WgvQtZ5J0MpFcGe3kuSsqY0p3x9SM47nsodpXtyWkkkTeyxE-rb6acHD7DHP1tYCjVG8isCutaG7u8ZNgG8Y45750nMKVEA7WMokdBexQLJ-hDDjKmYG_LUpsUCVJWWrJ51jlGhzz/s1600/mini-Parking+Lot+Birds+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="seagulls, laughing gull, ring-billed gull, birds" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEw6WgvQtZ5J0MpFcGe3kuSsqY0p3x9SM47nsodpXtyWkkkTeyxE-rb6acHD7DHP1tYCjVG8isCutaG7u8ZNgG8Y45750nMKVEA7WMokdBexQLJ-hDDjKmYG_LUpsUCVJWWrJ51jlGhzz/s640/mini-Parking+Lot+Birds+003.JPG" title="Seagulls" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ring-billed Gulls and one <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughing_Gull" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Laughing Gull">Laughing Gull</a></td></tr>
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Last but not least the ubiquitous Great-tailed Grackle. A year round resident of Texas, it is often seen around parking lots, lined-up on power lines, and filling trees.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3dxsg1dY7zEZbVQVZ40XmuXtqzRzRkXZWHPgY8kSfkbiy-NecfMdRxXTfI-Cd0McTLwjudpnt6ED13LwT0MlVybg5x3ifzE-oEkDWdCz_Wfpfe0IuQ5BT_vpkBdtqolKYTOsfvPTCM4K/s1600/mini-Parking+lot+birds+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great-tailed Grackle" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3dxsg1dY7zEZbVQVZ40XmuXtqzRzRkXZWHPgY8kSfkbiy-NecfMdRxXTfI-Cd0McTLwjudpnt6ED13LwT0MlVybg5x3ifzE-oEkDWdCz_Wfpfe0IuQ5BT_vpkBdtqolKYTOsfvPTCM4K/s640/mini-Parking+lot+birds+014.JPG" title="Great-tailed Grackle" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two male Great-tailed Grackles in the foreground.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMUE1QM5d-rlshyH8-_5F-4mgQFtCR8MqA_vLOFPdzdvN_qUfEExyDbrchSC_J90AQsqwAKagKw-tns2EBb1qZpImhE7cDMfYAYG7MQdNGQkYm1uhwxd97DmivfZhqrio5QoAlAN3J9u1/s1600/mini-Parking+Lot+Birds+004+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great-tailed Grackle" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMUE1QM5d-rlshyH8-_5F-4mgQFtCR8MqA_vLOFPdzdvN_qUfEExyDbrchSC_J90AQsqwAKagKw-tns2EBb1qZpImhE7cDMfYAYG7MQdNGQkYm1uhwxd97DmivfZhqrio5QoAlAN3J9u1/s640/mini-Parking+Lot+Birds+004+(2).JPG" title="Great-tailed Grackle" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group of female Great-tailed Grackles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlHDjl5_c4mdKrUfBYj7xtcYulI3rEsjC-CjPEGyTqWVEuo4s4rzZ_ExQmf8xIo-72JWCwo65nhUwtG6IcoDy5L8I2RS346QccWYObtoZ1-i8xaNeDLa0UIolOyFbgxB0je3Rqrl-nFr2/s1600/mini-Parking+lot+birds+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great-tailed Grackle" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlHDjl5_c4mdKrUfBYj7xtcYulI3rEsjC-CjPEGyTqWVEuo4s4rzZ_ExQmf8xIo-72JWCwo65nhUwtG6IcoDy5L8I2RS346QccWYObtoZ1-i8xaNeDLa0UIolOyFbgxB0je3Rqrl-nFr2/s640/mini-Parking+lot+birds+017.JPG" title="Great-tailed Grackle" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling the trees.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-10441855594902785732012-03-29T19:50:00.001-07:002012-03-29T19:50:40.573-07:00Great Blue Heron CamIn the<a href="http://texas-nature.blogspot.com/2012/03/hawk-cam.html" target="_blank"> last post</a> I talked about the <a href="http://www.livestream.com/cornellhawks" target="_blank">Hawk Cam </a> that <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_University" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Cornell University">Cornell University</a> has online, now they have a </span><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2433" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Great Blue Heron Cam</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> posted. In 2009 Great Blue Herons started building a nest at this site and early this year the university put up a couple of cameras which are online now. The herons returned about 10 days ago and the female layed her first egg just yesterday. Even though the Hawk Cam operates 24/7 it is hard to see what is going on after nightfall. With the Heron Cam one of the cameras takes good night video, so you can check at any hour and still see good pictures. To Check out the Heron Cam follow this link. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2433" target="_blank">Heron Cam</a></span></span><br />
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Below are a couple a pictures of the nest. The video is much better than the screen captures below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUSZXdYF6N6d_vnIlvgQCpXOubZnkrFsgrMMAafshPkM-MfAqcekp0HvJQZioXdNi5LOGnwxu4dkHZDNuHw1wN_6VpiO9MjahlIwm7gvOIfdUDpKzpEfV5DDtCpOtHoFleMEJ0pVS86qv/s1600/Great+Blue+Heron+Cam+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Blue Heron on it's nest." border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUSZXdYF6N6d_vnIlvgQCpXOubZnkrFsgrMMAafshPkM-MfAqcekp0HvJQZioXdNi5LOGnwxu4dkHZDNuHw1wN_6VpiO9MjahlIwm7gvOIfdUDpKzpEfV5DDtCpOtHoFleMEJ0pVS86qv/s640/Great+Blue+Heron+Cam+2.gif" title="Great Blue Heron and egg." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Blue Heron on nest. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsce6ikyGzFTg-5oEMmUd4xyIRUISIj31Y6X29dGr-YqSZjSVH_jQFoNRTOdNW3Aq151HKRFne30Ot7bYWsZOlSFxImR3eeEyk0DAbpopz6022ZFtQ23POr5wfrN-VIFfBIz8uUEJ7ZOND/s1600/Great+Blue+Heron+Cam+1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Night shot of Great Blue Heron on nest. " border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsce6ikyGzFTg-5oEMmUd4xyIRUISIj31Y6X29dGr-YqSZjSVH_jQFoNRTOdNW3Aq151HKRFne30Ot7bYWsZOlSFxImR3eeEyk0DAbpopz6022ZFtQ23POr5wfrN-VIFfBIz8uUEJ7ZOND/s640/Great+Blue+Heron+Cam+1.gif" title="Great Blue Heron and egg." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night shot of Great Blue Heron on nest. </td></tr>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=ec781d31-2517-47f0-b11e-c4b066d4b7ae" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-88994539665470918382012-03-27T14:42:00.000-07:002012-08-30T23:13:15.627-07:00Pitcher Plants<div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> There are 6 different genera of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plant" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Carnivorous plant">carnivorous plants</a> with a total of 45 species in the United States. These carnivorous plants can be categorized into 5 basic types, flytraps, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utricularia" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Utricularia">bladderworts</a>, butterworts, sundews and pitcher plants. Of these five basic type only the the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Flytrap" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Venus Flytrap">Venus Flytrap</a> is not found in the Big Thicket of Texas. On a recent trip to a couple of units of the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Thicket" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Big Thicket">Big Thicket National Preserve</a> I was able to photograph some pitcher plants. The species of pitcher plant that grows in this area is <a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/sarracenia-alata.html" target="_blank">Sarracenia alata</a>, commonly known as Yellow Trumpets or Pale Pitcher. Unlike the other types mentioned pitcher plants are passive since they do not use movement in the capture and digestion of insects. Pitcher plants capture insects by luring them to the mouth of the trap color, nectar, and sent. Once they land on the lip and venture into the mouth, the insects slip on the waxy inner surface. As the insects slide down the funnel they are further impeded by downward pointing hairs lining the lower portion. Eventually ending up in the bottom of the pitcher where they drown in fluid the contains digestive enzymes. The digestive enzymes decompose the body so it can be absorbed, leaving only the exoskeleton.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutpje6if6EejAhAlnsv4Y9b4xYv2khrNajgKu1y5W1cfQBH1gzy1w4sK-pt4gdSmx8x5DpkaRPm4TuxIVTIbpydcHaDFkVbVvldx4_mE0Uf8KPHMzrgGxq3sYHBDT0qrL936_Ja_bx6hc/s1600/Sarracenia+alata+14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sarracenia alata" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutpje6if6EejAhAlnsv4Y9b4xYv2khrNajgKu1y5W1cfQBH1gzy1w4sK-pt4gdSmx8x5DpkaRPm4TuxIVTIbpydcHaDFkVbVvldx4_mE0Uf8KPHMzrgGxq3sYHBDT0qrL936_Ja_bx6hc/s640/Sarracenia+alata+14.JPG" title="Sarracenia alata" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarracenia alata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfc5_zGNran1PHwXROlfE5LYq-AV0-hdIFLaieyis1oTT4ALBc9a3sUaOlG7Qe31867jmB8-TijFu_ttQC2ZBjjCizHqpY12MoKlpLFIC-nXwnqSOPEWek69xXajqdwW0_x2c8fN6IACg/s1600/Sarracenia+alata+15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sarracenia alata" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfc5_zGNran1PHwXROlfE5LYq-AV0-hdIFLaieyis1oTT4ALBc9a3sUaOlG7Qe31867jmB8-TijFu_ttQC2ZBjjCizHqpY12MoKlpLFIC-nXwnqSOPEWek69xXajqdwW0_x2c8fN6IACg/s640/Sarracenia+alata+15.JPG" title="Sarracenia alata" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking inside the funnel of Sarracenia alata</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1O2N-WZkxoF11YZ-_-_4X_nbUTcXEteqa6V8CMLpgRGXtfZSXkcL6gFfUO1KBgsp76pZGaCwCjll0JZSrm8Cw626J9f0E5FndxGmULQ40pAoBm7gw5VFL7AMCzszcNdZATeY-cm925Hg/s1600/Sarracenia+alata+08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sarracenia alata" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1O2N-WZkxoF11YZ-_-_4X_nbUTcXEteqa6V8CMLpgRGXtfZSXkcL6gFfUO1KBgsp76pZGaCwCjll0JZSrm8Cw626J9f0E5FndxGmULQ40pAoBm7gw5VFL7AMCzszcNdZATeY-cm925Hg/s640/Sarracenia+alata+08.JPG" title="Sarracenia alata" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Immature leaf of Sarracenia alata. </td></tr></tbody></table>The bug eating pitchers are not the only unusuall part of Sarracenia alata. The Pale Pitcher plant has a large greenish-yellow, downward hanging flower. The flower has five large sepals that form an umbrella over the flower and the five petals droop between the spaces of the style. The style forms a sort of upside-down umbrella that catches the pollen, which is scattered by the wings of bug that enter. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmSdKJlQ46KxEXa4Es4u_5msdXZtxFqAEjaj3Xad54dx2QEnpiUKJvnx8DUti75TttJtFfj0w8GIcqxvZ1qzNckK8tzPLxLs2raBeJYT9_l9rU4Netb-GO_Ao56AJ9VgrY-rnE5JBr4xM/s1600/Sarracenia+alata+04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Sarracenia alata flower" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmSdKJlQ46KxEXa4Es4u_5msdXZtxFqAEjaj3Xad54dx2QEnpiUKJvnx8DUti75TttJtFfj0w8GIcqxvZ1qzNckK8tzPLxLs2raBeJYT9_l9rU4Netb-GO_Ao56AJ9VgrY-rnE5JBr4xM/s640/Sarracenia+alata+04.JPG" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 640px;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVDH8lKN7maJdz_94J0q_YpJg9ShwKs82J9qdArj1Yhf_c4J6rpUj-nmLInBULOhkQAWD719WPIT2ue26zvV1ReGsEthhmgsI4MLzwAl0yhP5YFH0LYW9Hs8Y-IOnsRbjN_Vbup8ikCuT/s1600/Sarracenia+alata+03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Sarracenia alata flower" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVDH8lKN7maJdz_94J0q_YpJg9ShwKs82J9qdArj1Yhf_c4J6rpUj-nmLInBULOhkQAWD719WPIT2ue26zvV1ReGsEthhmgsI4MLzwAl0yhP5YFH0LYW9Hs8Y-IOnsRbjN_Vbup8ikCuT/s640/Sarracenia+alata+03.JPG" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 640px;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator zemanta-img" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2JB8SYL0VPP9fIeAmDhTdrRn0gJ6EuQL7q7ocGb7ZltOy7zvmqorGSuRhqrPIBWp-Mo3aEO-oJJRQX__-VEchc9q7X4YAIAnBR225ECbepZoIHj4dyOrJuONj9Q6abrKHSGf4OTY4sPD/s1600/Sarracenia+alata+02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2JB8SYL0VPP9fIeAmDhTdrRn0gJ6EuQL7q7ocGb7ZltOy7zvmqorGSuRhqrPIBWp-Mo3aEO-oJJRQX__-VEchc9q7X4YAIAnBR225ECbepZoIHj4dyOrJuONj9Q6abrKHSGf4OTY4sPD/s640/Sarracenia+alata+02.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sarracenia_flower_notitles.svg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Sarracenia flower, cutaway view, with english ..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="480" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Sarracenia_flower_notitles.svg/300px-Sarracenia_flower_notitles.svg.png" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-size: 0.8em;" width="640" /></a></div></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Sarracenia flower, cutaway view, with english labels of anatomical parts (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sarracenia_flower_notitles.svg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /> <div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=a2f03845-992a-425a-8443-7faf3052129c" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0County Road 4850, TX 77664, USA30.582195272958035 -94.33574795722961430.554855772958035 -94.375229957229621 30.609534772958035 -94.296265957229608tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-37086236507390498582012-03-23T20:47:00.000-07:002012-08-30T23:13:15.622-07:00Wildflowers of Texas VideoA short video of some of my wildflower photos. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZU4-GNmfVIY?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-22074751434685010182012-03-21T20:37:00.000-07:002012-03-21T20:37:47.553-07:00Hawk CamThere is a pair of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-tailed_Hawk" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Red-tailed Hawk">Red-tailed Hawks</a> that have had a nest above <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_University" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Cornell University">Cornell University's</a> athletic fields<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> and the university has installed a live web cam over the nest. As I write this there are 2 eggs in the nest. You will be able to watch live stream as the hawks take turns incubating the eggs and raise their chicks. There is also a chat for watchers to discuss what is going on in the nest as it happens. Below is a screen shot that I captured this afternoon. To check-out the birds go to <a href="http://www.livestream.com/cornellhawks" target="_blank">http://www.livestream.com/cornellhawks</a>. The camera operates 24/7, although there is not much to see at night.</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KnMh-Uiqj3UThejORjONXMrjp28FmP9f2VMFdGvB_QkNdqoLgCrbDkIPwKXmzLZMubGj9-WBAXvmG5cDkd9YUTFQ_qHnNv4iwY2wByIEl2JK7S7sB_Y_s3wyRVNi5PXkTG7EvTQgSOwB/s1600/Nesting+Red-tailed+Hawk.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KnMh-Uiqj3UThejORjONXMrjp28FmP9f2VMFdGvB_QkNdqoLgCrbDkIPwKXmzLZMubGj9-WBAXvmG5cDkd9YUTFQ_qHnNv4iwY2wByIEl2JK7S7sB_Y_s3wyRVNi5PXkTG7EvTQgSOwB/s640/Nesting+Red-tailed+Hawk.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nesting Red-tailed Hawk at Cornell Universtiy</td></tr>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=f05201c2-a6b4-4208-aaef-a64fa5b8797d" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-30748340403378962162012-03-21T07:25:00.000-07:002012-08-30T23:13:15.621-07:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HYpvZuSuoOtECcd7JCwum5wblsKtBye0V9WWPuwT_SPKn7zfcvSmWCdCBykDtLRJ45_eM3pnagS1Yqj2nfVyIGgEOBCiKDpCALGzamnv4QgnQ_VJ0xceoktaO3ToAaSFn-Qlc1Mooe-J/s1600/mini-101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HYpvZuSuoOtECcd7JCwum5wblsKtBye0V9WWPuwT_SPKn7zfcvSmWCdCBykDtLRJ45_eM3pnagS1Yqj2nfVyIGgEOBCiKDpCALGzamnv4QgnQ_VJ0xceoktaO3ToAaSFn-Qlc1Mooe-J/s640/mini-101.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-55241707180593662312012-03-18T17:01:00.000-07:002012-08-30T23:13:15.624-07:00Spring Wildflowers<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img"><div class="zemanta-img"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58667023@N04/5905684431" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Indian Paintbrushes and Texas Bluebonnets - Bl..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5078/5905684431_0215203737_m.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-size: 0.8em;" /></a></div></div><div class=""><br /></div></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center;">Indian Paintbrushes and Texas Bluebonnets - Bluebonnet Season 2011 (Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58667023@N04/5905684431" target="_blank">Texas Bluebonnet Sightings</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"></div><br />Well it's that time of year again. Spring is only a couple of days away and people will be traveling to Texas from all over to view the beautiful display of spring wildflowers. With the drought we have been having the display last year was a bit disappointing. Fortunately we have been having a good bit of rain over much of the state this winter and temperatures have been mild. Hopefully this year will be much improved over last year. Weather you are from Texas or out of state you might want to plan ahead to find out where the best displays are. Here are a few websites to help you plan your trip.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://texaswildflowerpictures.com/update.htm">http://texaswildflowerpictures.com/update.htm</a><br /><a href="http://www.lone-star.net/wildflowers/sightings.htm">http://www.lone-star.net/wildflowers/sightings.htm</a><br /><a href="http://www.texasbluebonnetsightings.com/">http://www.texasbluebonnetsightings.com/</a><br /><div class="zemanta-related" style="margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><h4 class="zemanta-related-title"> Related articles</h4><ul class="zemanta-article-ul zemanta-article-ul-image" style="margin-left: 0; padding: 0;"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="display: block; float: left; height: 240px; list-style: none; margin: 10px 20px 20px 0px; overflow: hidden; width: 100px;"><a href="http://firedoglake.com/2012/03/03/pull-up-a-chair-282/" style="border: 0; display: block; float: left; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/78420253.jpg" style="border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;" width="100" /></a><a href="http://firedoglake.com/2012/03/03/pull-up-a-chair-282/" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; width: 100px;" target="_blank">Pull Up a Chair</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="display: block; float: left; height: 240px; list-style: none; margin: 10px 20px 20px 0px; overflow: hidden; width: 100px;"><a href="http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/02/07/rain-warm-temperatures-helping-texas-wildflowers/" style="border: 0; display: block; float: left; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/74308151.jpg" style="border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;" width="100" /></a><a href="http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/02/07/rain-warm-temperatures-helping-texas-wildflowers/" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; width: 100px;" target="_blank">Rain & Warm Temperatures Helping Texas Wildflowers</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li-image zemanta-article-ul-li" style="display: block; float: left; height: 240px; list-style: none; margin: 10px 20px 20px 0px; overflow: hidden; width: 100px;"><a href="http://pitstexasexpatblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/spring-is-here/" style="border: 0; display: block; float: left; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.zemanta.com/80324243.jpg" style="border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;" width="100" /></a><a href="http://pitstexasexpatblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/spring-is-here/" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; width: 100px;" target="_blank">Spring Is Here</a></li></ul><ul class="zemanta-article-ul" style="clear: left;"></ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=a1da81ed-790f-49ab-a7c5-345970cf1c5c" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-5820150776958956792012-03-18T15:59:00.000-07:002012-03-21T20:50:27.949-07:00Pleasure Island Part 4<br />
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The fourth part of my series on Pleasure Island takes us to the North Levee. So far this area has been the least productive in my trips to Pleasure Island. Although it has not been as good as the other areas, it still provides plenty of opportunities to view and photograph nature. I suspect that part of the reason for it being less productive is that the levee road is surrounded by water on both sides with very little land to attract wildlife or grow plants. On the southeast side is <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabine_Lake" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Sabine Lake">Sabine Lake</a>, where the road is protected by a rock barrier. You will see various shore birds walking on the rocks or floating on the lake.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjon84_iLV-Q2vrYb86geDnkvS34khlfP5k_pcKsQ-GGQyBYIFwwyHpCxj-53eCiGH2JTyGdzc7sdssBi2WcqolCRxvc-M9un7z0vX70ojhlKVrwnhZE7ipy9B4ohAc4n3hNu5WCuPBWKj8/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjon84_iLV-Q2vrYb86geDnkvS34khlfP5k_pcKsQ-GGQyBYIFwwyHpCxj-53eCiGH2JTyGdzc7sdssBi2WcqolCRxvc-M9un7z0vX70ojhlKVrwnhZE7ipy9B4ohAc4n3hNu5WCuPBWKj8/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+258.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Sabine Lake along north levee. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_p7Ku6WttoTr1Rt3TnGY15o8FA3LI-idtBxW09jUxcMRQRM3aPUdRIe3GHp3XK15zZIWy5hgNXhAUqonmEY3xnt5HWHOsmurPtIg0F5qK6mfjB4iyK1Q2_gkA4sa-eATgfnhylp6XwFW/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Willets along the north levee of Pleasure Island" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_p7Ku6WttoTr1Rt3TnGY15o8FA3LI-idtBxW09jUxcMRQRM3aPUdRIe3GHp3XK15zZIWy5hgNXhAUqonmEY3xnt5HWHOsmurPtIg0F5qK6mfjB4iyK1Q2_gkA4sa-eATgfnhylp6XwFW/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+248.JPG" title="Willets" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willets along the north levee of Pleasure Island<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQDUAChFX88pEiB2PdctA2KucVakmwl9gOaCVdQ32crig1eBE0_Th11vB89LdiPFeyDmF05bPvvH9NujIqSHQ1AoP6qDNi1ZzrfT_4nOXdapM76-uYeJolvVkcFL3YNKlWm6RHb8DXeTQ/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+263+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Blue Heron " border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQDUAChFX88pEiB2PdctA2KucVakmwl9gOaCVdQ32crig1eBE0_Th11vB89LdiPFeyDmF05bPvvH9NujIqSHQ1AoP6qDNi1ZzrfT_4nOXdapM76-uYeJolvVkcFL3YNKlWm6RHb8DXeTQ/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+263+(2).JPG" title="Great Blue Heron " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Blue Heron </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0P11WvRrX0emxIBBDfwszDKpy3BrUkS8crogpwV2fnAJi2doszqYMdd_B9mvRV5_N3vm0_iTH8aOAuy9KJN-SjJTdrUYaO0-cVH7wSAvjDoSDhfrFa2gItSYqk74dJ3LSF9hyphenhyphenyb3Ct0U/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Little Blue Heron" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0P11WvRrX0emxIBBDfwszDKpy3BrUkS8crogpwV2fnAJi2doszqYMdd_B9mvRV5_N3vm0_iTH8aOAuy9KJN-SjJTdrUYaO0-cVH7wSAvjDoSDhfrFa2gItSYqk74dJ3LSF9hyphenhyphenyb3Ct0U/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+271.JPG" title="Little Blue Heron" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Blue Heron</td></tr>
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The northwest side of the levee road is also bounded by water. There are narrow channels on either end of the road with a much wider area of water in the middle section. Unlike the lake side, the is a strip of land the can support a variety of plant life, including trees and shrub. In addition to shore and water birds this area should attract a variety other birds and wildlife that use the plants for food and shelter. Also this area should be of interest to those of us interested in wildflowers. I hope to have some photos of the wildflowers of this area in future post. For those interested in Texas wildflowers you can view some of my photos on my other blog and website at
<a href="http://wildflowersoftexas.blogspot.com/">http://wildflowersoftexas.blogspot.com/</a> and
<a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/">http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/</a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnIJe2RgtmbCRlIOg1ZFlTB-0LJ0_NNDCsg9ehBOvvfCthPx4Brpph_j5CFMmwPzbECP2OS_bgC6I_mgEzYrFEtFGZCOQ3bjZHrafAmtuAW6f4JN0Da8prwm7Yb2kxQNLbpHH49u0i_0Y/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnIJe2RgtmbCRlIOg1ZFlTB-0LJ0_NNDCsg9ehBOvvfCthPx4Brpph_j5CFMmwPzbECP2OS_bgC6I_mgEzYrFEtFGZCOQ3bjZHrafAmtuAW6f4JN0Da8prwm7Yb2kxQNLbpHH49u0i_0Y/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+244.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the channels on the northwest side of the levee road.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaJul7xaarRV32u2Y3Z0hYhgC53HbZZGvz4DxoVXnik3A14nu6qW7MBDBL91zwyO-eNqZIGEiVIi48m-5Xr98gr3b9vAAcOv0YnVaaWND5Yc0LC7GSfR2j33qTs0__fKA567I1LWHb3Kl/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaJul7xaarRV32u2Y3Z0hYhgC53HbZZGvz4DxoVXnik3A14nu6qW7MBDBL91zwyO-eNqZIGEiVIi48m-5Xr98gr3b9vAAcOv0YnVaaWND5Yc0LC7GSfR2j33qTs0__fKA567I1LWHb3Kl/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+255.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large body of water in the middle section of the levee road.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTnQkpSP2IeiSWAZtSAHEGv2RP1iivYpVmvg5PeaoYWelI-4hvKp2QsJvovcPaytbk8NwOladQD7D_EScY2PDfM7SbojXaPic4voVrczJY41zNnPhB2_Q-DDRtwlzhxhyn-HB6ZERMFub/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTnQkpSP2IeiSWAZtSAHEGv2RP1iivYpVmvg5PeaoYWelI-4hvKp2QsJvovcPaytbk8NwOladQD7D_EScY2PDfM7SbojXaPic4voVrczJY41zNnPhB2_Q-DDRtwlzhxhyn-HB6ZERMFub/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+256.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northwest side of levee road. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHcE6qoaBdpLbMKW9cJZCnO2jrgMBACetJdVcxF5SAKh8QeVjuZZrhO7OANb_kSMSCthBdQ-eR6R7MIfiftBynHV5wsdO-jyNZmVBO5vnILJsTi0wNuhKsVSU7xGTFbuoLt_nCcmMMrrw/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+258+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Egret standing in the road." border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHcE6qoaBdpLbMKW9cJZCnO2jrgMBACetJdVcxF5SAKh8QeVjuZZrhO7OANb_kSMSCthBdQ-eR6R7MIfiftBynHV5wsdO-jyNZmVBO5vnILJsTi0wNuhKsVSU7xGTFbuoLt_nCcmMMrrw/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+258+(2).JPG" title="Great Egret " width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Egret standing in the road.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrLzXyiw9NMTlGMaoIOn8npfYscXttINpZQ9BTPYVG4kfvm2pcBQxWXBfU1x2wnKyfE6Ie5NWF3RcJNLM608lvfiC2UunxtKNvhgVcL1Ff7b7HtjPoEWjSUrrZFMTn7vX3t4bHFZBtmsR/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+261+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Egret" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrLzXyiw9NMTlGMaoIOn8npfYscXttINpZQ9BTPYVG4kfvm2pcBQxWXBfU1x2wnKyfE6Ie5NWF3RcJNLM608lvfiC2UunxtKNvhgVcL1Ff7b7HtjPoEWjSUrrZFMTn7vX3t4bHFZBtmsR/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+261+(2).JPG" title="Great Egret" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Egret</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiOU7fiZt8pb8MKCfbZtRWzVFvq85RDr6QEq4KEZg4GYF2uuf7AI6RonZaTugeBwsYSy5mpecMDuiK4E0X9qd5uWRWVQHNFxLAYqTk7t7WBioa9RoY7n2A1Ym-gPXyFOuS2FnSUnj-Yk-/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+270+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red-breasted Merganser" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiOU7fiZt8pb8MKCfbZtRWzVFvq85RDr6QEq4KEZg4GYF2uuf7AI6RonZaTugeBwsYSy5mpecMDuiK4E0X9qd5uWRWVQHNFxLAYqTk7t7WBioa9RoY7n2A1Ym-gPXyFOuS2FnSUnj-Yk-/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+270+(2).JPG" title="Red-breasted Merganser" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-breasted Merganser</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVFgusHJKU8FdeCqDhy_9UcNH_gSv6Uj4_wvSVVNULkygoqsqox_k1UwqFf3rrrosfuI3Td4l2vwbDkU9yqhOvDc5AvFWzKDiTb-LWc40rDISIvLiX9Ag4kiu39PKugz4SkDTWC5PuBuS/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Laughing Gulls" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVFgusHJKU8FdeCqDhy_9UcNH_gSv6Uj4_wvSVVNULkygoqsqox_k1UwqFf3rrrosfuI3Td4l2vwbDkU9yqhOvDc5AvFWzKDiTb-LWc40rDISIvLiX9Ag4kiu39PKugz4SkDTWC5PuBuS/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+266.JPG" title="Laughing Gulls" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Gulls</td></tr>
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<div class="zemanta-related" style="margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;">
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://texas-nature.blogspot.com/2012/01/pleasure-island-part-1.html" target="_blank">Pleasure Island Part 1</a> (texas-nature.blogspot.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://texas-nature.blogspot.com/2012/02/pleasure-island-part-2.html" target="_blank">Pleasure Island Part 2</a> (texas-nature.blogspot.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://texas-nature.blogspot.com/2012/02/pleasure-island-part-3.html" target="_blank">Pleasure Island Part 3</a> (texas-nature.blogspot.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://wildflowersoftexas.blogspot.com/2012/01/pleasure-island.html" target="_blank">Pleasure Island</a> (wildflowersoftexas.blogspot.com)</li>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=f05201c2-a6b4-4208-aaef-a64fa5b8797d" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2Unnamed Rd, Port Arthur, TX 77642, USA29.879871672851326 -93.908557891845729.866103672851327 -93.9282988918457 29.893639672851325 -93.8888168918457tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-91823688527611571372012-03-16T12:09:00.001-07:002012-03-16T21:00:03.895-07:00Great Backyard Bird Count 2012<br />
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<a href="http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/" target="_blank">The Great Backyard Bird Count</a> took place on February 17 - 20. This is the first year the I participated in the count and had a great time. I only had one day off during the count but I also made a quick count during my lunch break on another day. I chose Cattail Marsh and Beaumont Botanical Gardens for my count locations. Both are located in Tyrell Park in Beaumont. I had a total of 308 birds and 19 species. I also added 5 life birds to my list, bringing that to a total of 53 birds. Below are photos of the 5 life birds that I spotted during the count.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9Pk9DVj-ehLzgsVU27JFLADs6q7fKyUuCaoCxWGRtShYqNbu0VDLKRLglpH1yUnjtYFbs0njkFFLTcyw6eLtqrJOH5sHdxR9ITzFKFUwuYwdQe7r2AuRYSEbZlbbkQVNXlSOOYaThWO4/s1600/mini-Cattail+Marsh+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9Pk9DVj-ehLzgsVU27JFLADs6q7fKyUuCaoCxWGRtShYqNbu0VDLKRLglpH1yUnjtYFbs0njkFFLTcyw6eLtqrJOH5sHdxR9ITzFKFUwuYwdQe7r2AuRYSEbZlbbkQVNXlSOOYaThWO4/s640/mini-Cattail+Marsh+068.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Wigeon on the right.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cSizlocuiF06trD0zJj6v0LlcE5esECjaeGrjyNoPAFpA9ZYyTh55WueiKGM8d4X67-8_cH-YKWZVU8bBOUgPoWZbiJUn55MVicx4sC2Il12A760IiPVs82RUabplKgm6QoPC4muKnM0/s1600/mini-Cattail+Marsh+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cSizlocuiF06trD0zJj6v0LlcE5esECjaeGrjyNoPAFpA9ZYyTh55WueiKGM8d4X67-8_cH-YKWZVU8bBOUgPoWZbiJUn55MVicx4sC2Il12A760IiPVs82RUabplKgm6QoPC4muKnM0/s640/mini-Cattail+Marsh+071.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-winged Teal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaTBYU6oDWvYL1M9OAGvN8M8zt0kOgLxMHVaIgkraxNH7jQZf5VgyhaxJAth55ARGKdPvxwdRJ4JkbcyVxlBVkXTBifNVfs5GjOmPtYZOQR2GYcRpan_OPcnbUSbFQF9ZiPOfZ26KoUN5/s1600/mini-Cattail+Marsh+111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaTBYU6oDWvYL1M9OAGvN8M8zt0kOgLxMHVaIgkraxNH7jQZf5VgyhaxJAth55ARGKdPvxwdRJ4JkbcyVxlBVkXTBifNVfs5GjOmPtYZOQR2GYcRpan_OPcnbUSbFQF9ZiPOfZ26KoUN5/s640/mini-Cattail+Marsh+111.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-crowned Night Heron</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VY4ID3ilLIfuR9cUMfEmm3GLZLIJUNTftZFmvP_cnfdTOToQtA6uOfKqaii3Y0o0VwoekrXJU2DDwghiXdjx5dOykpL7wiAc8Pkz_Kz_MrKnYDtoRvBhqJQP9TIt0B0Bwic73LDC0xhm/s1600/mini-Cattail+Marsh+188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VY4ID3ilLIfuR9cUMfEmm3GLZLIJUNTftZFmvP_cnfdTOToQtA6uOfKqaii3Y0o0VwoekrXJU2DDwghiXdjx5dOykpL7wiAc8Pkz_Kz_MrKnYDtoRvBhqJQP9TIt0B0Bwic73LDC0xhm/s640/mini-Cattail+Marsh+188.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Shoveler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBqTNqH1rhRMVjdayxQ7d0-ny002N3Vt70REZNLpQoX7aB1IaChyUK-ivyKCQXunXbS8anKRgwwTUDIzG5ZeDQ7NbDTWGGTgHqwZViU_xtYi7XNV8cMUXnTk4acuk8cuR8MueqyoIhRv0/s1600/mini-Cattail+Marsh+296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBqTNqH1rhRMVjdayxQ7d0-ny002N3Vt70REZNLpQoX7aB1IaChyUK-ivyKCQXunXbS8anKRgwwTUDIzG5ZeDQ7NbDTWGGTgHqwZViU_xtYi7XNV8cMUXnTk4acuk8cuR8MueqyoIhRv0/s640/mini-Cattail+Marsh+296.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-Shouldered Hawk</td></tr>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Babe Zaharias Dr, Beaumont, TX 77705, USA30.007571227490171 -94.14236068725585929.98007172749017 -94.181842687255866 30.035070727490172 -94.102878687255853tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-84496659654814678122012-02-28T14:58:00.000-08:002012-03-18T19:11:26.002-07:00Pleasure Island Part 3<div style="text-align: right;">
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Continuing south along T. B. Ellison/Martin Luther King Jr. Drive you find photo opportunities on both sides of the road. The left side of the road away from the ship channel is mostly high reeds and some areas of stand water. The photo below was taken in this area.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9YeFBETrwEtm8NjgngMiN6gl8J8OfGFemtnSI3tULFsQNerrC1WNTOIOURmW3r8xkelriq-Z3EUkCnFSjdiKo-RThwLW8yqdnn7ZEFDmsu3MuBNKwkxoZaNh8HMwVfsiBtsO4ryiLlAS/s1600/mini-sabine+2+229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9YeFBETrwEtm8NjgngMiN6gl8J8OfGFemtnSI3tULFsQNerrC1WNTOIOURmW3r8xkelriq-Z3EUkCnFSjdiKo-RThwLW8yqdnn7ZEFDmsu3MuBNKwkxoZaNh8HMwVfsiBtsO4ryiLlAS/s640/mini-sabine+2+229.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_Egret" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Snowy Egret">Snowy Egret</a> and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Gallinule" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Common Gallinule">Common Gallinule</a> hiding behind it. </td></tr>
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For about a mile and a half, past the hurricane damaged road mentioned in the last post ( see <a href="http://texas-nature.blogspot.com/2012/02/pleasure-island-part-2.html" target="_blank">Pleasure Island Part 2</a> ) the road moves away from the ship channel. Then it parallels the channel all the way to the Causeway Bridge. The pilings, barricades, rocks and mud flats attract shore birds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5VLCn1VyftQ3qXI77mbi3useupDt-IjaB0CEUUoU44ZS1PNyeptWuNL8ljlMafaLOiOlGFLVJ7ZqwTYWsLN1mNHlEdO5fJ9gpMYSEJlxHyPlenoK1XNK_WvzqcQPTiGfoQi_ZhkZvlFQ/s1600/mini-sabine+2+235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5VLCn1VyftQ3qXI77mbi3useupDt-IjaB0CEUUoU44ZS1PNyeptWuNL8ljlMafaLOiOlGFLVJ7ZqwTYWsLN1mNHlEdO5fJ9gpMYSEJlxHyPlenoK1XNK_WvzqcQPTiGfoQi_ZhkZvlFQ/s640/mini-sabine+2+235.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barricades to prevent erosion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0MI4IUCVZsrwseEb70VaKVUX5blZXTVptiNsF-VcfitAktoMPygKNbDCCcYIsTVLVcWe1Q_-FYLWMs9SZCMLfF5ZQYnsNKCWA7Bb4xTyh0APlz-7GkatpjnwsSLoYvvr1NsYj4kOLon2/s1600/mini-sabine+2+269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0MI4IUCVZsrwseEb70VaKVUX5blZXTVptiNsF-VcfitAktoMPygKNbDCCcYIsTVLVcWe1Q_-FYLWMs9SZCMLfF5ZQYnsNKCWA7Bb4xTyh0APlz-7GkatpjnwsSLoYvvr1NsYj4kOLon2/s640/mini-sabine+2+269.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ships travelling in the channel produces powerful wakes, which pound the shore line. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qwQrlwylq9pUlP2hPqnrQlmytH84bvPLM1uASU799ZeWt7JFDunC9r28Vha6kYIXtEhlZoMn5mtjW3XKf2oKdYRCMu8ys3WylJ6drPFBZ0h7lLKwsJsFis2Izjd481KXODUKG7KqeaeJ/s1600/mini-sabine+2+261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qwQrlwylq9pUlP2hPqnrQlmytH84bvPLM1uASU799ZeWt7JFDunC9r28Vha6kYIXtEhlZoMn5mtjW3XKf2oKdYRCMu8ys3WylJ6drPFBZ0h7lLKwsJsFis2Izjd481KXODUKG7KqeaeJ/s640/mini-sabine+2+261.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Snowy Egret in the path of destruction.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UgKEPJ9M6IakyppdX3VIiSmTx_kQOyWN2fK9-QnIkCjeCRkJJdjYyzlxD3Y2ADBrHo9I7H4IZ50XW6oso8i-6CwHdHG7Zbp4uzn-jDZ2OGnGWFrUt3CWLKRLhyphenhyphenxQr29qc_gSPblYnyi9/s1600/mini-sabine+2+232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UgKEPJ9M6IakyppdX3VIiSmTx_kQOyWN2fK9-QnIkCjeCRkJJdjYyzlxD3Y2ADBrHo9I7H4IZ50XW6oso8i-6CwHdHG7Zbp4uzn-jDZ2OGnGWFrUt3CWLKRLhyphenhyphenxQr29qc_gSPblYnyi9/s640/mini-sabine+2+232.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neotropic_Cormorant" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Neotropic Cormorant">Neotropic Cormorant</a> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE82yoKI9dOKe0csldMqPyKZ3vQ4KtDPOrepF9M3C_8k66Lrvz2UByK5U0qp1xqB5Z9ddRLLmab7VsIH4hQ3nbK5MDDMuO7T3X1j4bwaojSobhECeEd8LB0jUDElsdXaKlkmdgUb_1PwyQ/s1600/mini-sabine+2+244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE82yoKI9dOKe0csldMqPyKZ3vQ4KtDPOrepF9M3C_8k66Lrvz2UByK5U0qp1xqB5Z9ddRLLmab7VsIH4hQ3nbK5MDDMuO7T3X1j4bwaojSobhECeEd8LB0jUDElsdXaKlkmdgUb_1PwyQ/s640/mini-sabine+2+244.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herring Gulls on pilings. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AXM280QR5PQbu4DPdc_q2JnNPC6AOPAV23yEsaKWrncFojYWv5ovmXyIYpeNB_3c4ueCGlRfOFVrKJUi9fGropjQ3C5-Lwd0Av_f762uRo2IALcdhiKVCesFKIR7dMwWR6nnbwmFTtfC/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AXM280QR5PQbu4DPdc_q2JnNPC6AOPAV23yEsaKWrncFojYWv5ovmXyIYpeNB_3c4ueCGlRfOFVrKJUi9fGropjQ3C5-Lwd0Av_f762uRo2IALcdhiKVCesFKIR7dMwWR6nnbwmFTtfC/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+134.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Variety of Gulls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=ee2b52a9-db3d-42b7-b0b4-6ad2ab528c93" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Port Arthur, TX 77640, USA29.810188951865879 -93.95379066467285229.803299951865878 -93.963661164672857 29.81707795186588 -93.943920164672846tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-52824959751367850652012-02-28T00:58:00.003-08:002012-03-18T19:09:55.374-07:00Pleasure Island Part 2Another area of interest is the shoreline on the channel side of the island. T. B. Ellison Pkwy/Martin Luther King Jr. Drive parallels the ship channel for approximately 9 miles between the causeway bridge and just north of South Levee Entrance Road. Below is a road that has been blocked off because of hurricane damage, but you can park at the barricade and walk down the road to view flora and fauna of the island. This road is located about 9/10 of a mile south of MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barricade blocking hurricane damaged road.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo shows some of the damaged to this section of road. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoreline and debris along hurricane damaged road. </td></tr>
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I did not see any wildlife along the road on this trip, but there are plenty of places for that would attract wildlife. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lantana</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackberry in bloom.</td></tr>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=ee2b52a9-db3d-42b7-b0b4-6ad2ab528c93" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Port Arthur, TX 77640, USA29.834389851221903 -93.95027160644531229.806845851221905 -93.989753606445319 29.861933851221902 -93.9107896064453tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-72489926427919756832012-02-26T09:13:00.000-08:002012-08-30T23:13:15.625-07:00Beach Evening PrimroseWhile doing a little bird watching on McFaddin Beach, I came across this <a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/oenothera-drummondii.html" target="_blank">Oenothera drummondii</a>. Beach Evening Primrose is a Texas native perennial, that usually grows in the protected areas behind and between sand dunes. Beach Evening Primrose is a good plant for attracting butterflies.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbT_9SO-1HvzkQrDR1r2053VZ9nRdLx0Y4bsgsnKlvWRPrVqPcKOkqUfgKlokPlKqjJEPIhOL2mOjOqHyLFSeEQelwaRM7kOyIMRKvW3bUeMG5zxmD6-9JNnH3-dnsxaHOzgAjq5fQ7bR/s1600/mini-Sabine+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbT_9SO-1HvzkQrDR1r2053VZ9nRdLx0Y4bsgsnKlvWRPrVqPcKOkqUfgKlokPlKqjJEPIhOL2mOjOqHyLFSeEQelwaRM7kOyIMRKvW3bUeMG5zxmD6-9JNnH3-dnsxaHOzgAjq5fQ7bR/s640/mini-Sabine+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Beach Evening Primrose </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rD5RBwU3yuHmD9izqfRDUaAlXyR00DcMlqE2X2h0BJw2UHM_PZJ77iTExNQuINwyM6vZMaKoU7eVCyQu1Fpkg0hvum7nAmI2fBkrLsD8YtH_6fK-YB-UNopGP3nCrICvddJ5kmcvjQiR/s1600/mini-Sabine+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rD5RBwU3yuHmD9izqfRDUaAlXyR00DcMlqE2X2h0BJw2UHM_PZJ77iTExNQuINwyM6vZMaKoU7eVCyQu1Fpkg0hvum7nAmI2fBkrLsD8YtH_6fK-YB-UNopGP3nCrICvddJ5kmcvjQiR/s640/mini-Sabine+015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oenothera drummondii was named after Scottish naturalist <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Drummond" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Thomas Drummond">Thomas Drummond</a>. Drummond came to America to collect specimens in 1830. He arrived in Texas in 1833 and spent 21 months collecting specimens in the state.</div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=d78b43c6-3b8b-46d3-818d-bc39ed4585ae" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Clam Lake Rd, Sabine Pass, TX, USA29.6566794 -94.105568829.6290814 -94.1450508 29.684277400000003 -94.0660868tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-8173907945153898262012-01-22T18:01:00.000-08:002012-03-18T20:38:40.393-07:00Pleasure Island Part 1<br />
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Pleasure Island is an 18.5 mile long man-made island on the Texas coast. It was constructed by the U. S. <a class="zem_slink" data-mce-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers" rel="wikipedia" title="United States Army Corps of Engineers">Corps of Engineers</a>, using deposits that were dredged during the construction of the Port Arthur Canal, and the Sabine Neches <a class="zem_slink" data-mce-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intracoastal_Waterway" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intracoastal_Waterway" rel="wikipedia" title="Intracoastal Waterway">Intracoastal Waterway</a>. Port Arthur Canal was completed in 1899, and the Sabine Neches Intracoastal Waterway in 1908. The island is connected to <a class="zem_slink" data-mce-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur%2C_Texas" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur%2C_Texas" rel="wikipedia" title="Port Arthur, Texas">Port Arthur, Texas</a> by the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge and to Louisiana by the Sabine Causeway. According to <a data-mce-href="http://www.pleasureislandtx.com/" href="http://www.pleasureislandtx.com/" target="_blank" title="Pleasure Island">Pleasure Island Website </a>, there are about 14,000 acres of which only about 2,200 acres are usable. This leaves about 11,800 acres of natural area.<br />
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There are several areas of interest for naturalist that I will cover in future post. The North and South Levees, the south end of the island around the causeway , and the shoreline on the channel side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8WCslhEY9wLUE_y0vAOkDuTcTBBTUB9geQQ5nCEbWoHdD8xVO6LLpBVGRSLp7ByQokZ5GFIY6S7fUiAnbeXUUrW5RwnPUOpG_HTSZ50BuQBO9Yubu1KLJ5r6CLgQlbl0pcJGfuvpwcua/s1600/mini-Sabine+Causway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8WCslhEY9wLUE_y0vAOkDuTcTBBTUB9geQQ5nCEbWoHdD8xVO6LLpBVGRSLp7ByQokZ5GFIY6S7fUiAnbeXUUrW5RwnPUOpG_HTSZ50BuQBO9Yubu1KLJ5r6CLgQlbl0pcJGfuvpwcua/s640/mini-Sabine+Causway.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabine Causeway Bridge between Pleasure Island and Louisiana</td></tr>
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The above photo shows Causeway bridge and fishing pier on the south end of the island. Birds can usually be found around the pilings, boat ramp and the pier. The pier is part of Walter Umphrey State Park.<br />
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Here are a few photos I took last week in this area.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFH3sFLZSA_UgGnW2d_bJuU_9bQRnFjOPVpm_ai_3yOl6yd7Q2SPDIYAx84M6LRMyoVFN8Q58BzOjE7p0L767AxoD9vYS5n_u16lVGi8ElWuknQdiVkIUQXqseAgEBBZ_jImgnYrMVE8_/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFH3sFLZSA_UgGnW2d_bJuU_9bQRnFjOPVpm_ai_3yOl6yd7Q2SPDIYAx84M6LRMyoVFN8Q58BzOjE7p0L767AxoD9vYS5n_u16lVGi8ElWuknQdiVkIUQXqseAgEBBZ_jImgnYrMVE8_/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+168.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Pelicans lined up along boat ramp rail.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgat-dofdhl1qhQUzg1K6go3nE5q1HnQvWEj8Pxdk5wgolnkbBiKr0SIcgqbbkN2-jjvBBRY3JmG1o_WUEbFRWVQVeYI-zUECqyzdfA0jMYk7kgse9jg8bTJHG-viqPtwF5vkrXDdLcyYe_/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgat-dofdhl1qhQUzg1K6go3nE5q1HnQvWEj8Pxdk5wgolnkbBiKr0SIcgqbbkN2-jjvBBRY3JmG1o_WUEbFRWVQVeYI-zUECqyzdfA0jMYk7kgse9jg8bTJHG-viqPtwF5vkrXDdLcyYe_/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+171.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Pelicans</td></tr>
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The juvenile <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Pelican/id/ac" target="_blank">Brown Pelicans</a> in the photo below remind me of the pushmi-pullyu from Dr. Doolittle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3LubmbHICFy2YE_zMOshMCUrvXeKVyDJhmmj11qqBI9jJXLDbLINexstYxVhPXId64MKORYe9J7TPcq6PJt6iarQZ3wvAGGa8NlX2px2WoRVbevjSNpTYMW_JTkd71uMlIC61lexXACt/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3LubmbHICFy2YE_zMOshMCUrvXeKVyDJhmmj11qqBI9jJXLDbLINexstYxVhPXId64MKORYe9J7TPcq6PJt6iarQZ3wvAGGa8NlX2px2WoRVbevjSNpTYMW_JTkd71uMlIC61lexXACt/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+175.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Brown Pelicans </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_l_Kp4i0QRG3huIbo6EgYH-UvfuMVop06ATy5UNPB5Ca-NNw5ZF6c6zKl4-9Ba8wKQm7aAPtOGQbwl3RqS9WpOIwItOFCwP4tcVRX5jmPRao6XvYoaJrvQ1ehW6j6OvryxlZLuN0Ufotl/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_l_Kp4i0QRG3huIbo6EgYH-UvfuMVop06ATy5UNPB5Ca-NNw5ZF6c6zKl4-9Ba8wKQm7aAPtOGQbwl3RqS9WpOIwItOFCwP4tcVRX5jmPRao6XvYoaJrvQ1ehW6j6OvryxlZLuN0Ufotl/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+174.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Gulls on boat ramp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqf1TXS-aMZK-w9lbeFMGpTid5TasBgHEYrqXdsqG-npWCQrwnUyFmDTyAq5s0QBNIUTdVDKGwj9oKsmEC1qOhNq3tfLFLye2H0FO5hCy4FEVbbCHM3EWrPqP1y5-wrD7Zztkrl8t7tBC/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqf1TXS-aMZK-w9lbeFMGpTid5TasBgHEYrqXdsqG-npWCQrwnUyFmDTyAq5s0QBNIUTdVDKGwj9oKsmEC1qOhNq3tfLFLye2H0FO5hCy4FEVbbCHM3EWrPqP1y5-wrD7Zztkrl8t7tBC/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+178.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_Egret" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Snowy Egret">Snowy Egret</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgOge4YGb9jODy4nEf_ZzqxXMzVdnhxy4HEEH8GOoVGO69LTgqqI6IUegW21jyskvxBPkk0rbPODd1zHjQktThp7bbVqO-d-SuVD9UiG10BCv5dknBwkPkzWgSZTQGFud6itGOjvHduMC/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgOge4YGb9jODy4nEf_ZzqxXMzVdnhxy4HEEH8GOoVGO69LTgqqI6IUegW21jyskvxBPkk0rbPODd1zHjQktThp7bbVqO-d-SuVD9UiG10BCv5dknBwkPkzWgSZTQGFud6itGOjvHduMC/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+183.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Neotropic_Cormorant/id/ac" target="_blank">Neotropic Cormorant </a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In the photo below, from front to back are an <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Tern" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Royal Tern">Royal Tern</a>,
<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Laughing_Gull/id/ac" target="_blank">Laughing Gull</a> , <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Herring_Gull/id/ac" target="_blank">Herring Gull</a>, and a Brown Pelican.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfkpQHZfcvWA24f7dU2ZMnbEIRioipANheIp903wzoTd0RxQQE3Uf7zaIG_1wWp5G2U81GBF7PHK7plPDacQWA48xSFT54ysigTxX3aAKFmzhANewhvLH2UqPY2pw3nG0LgUmYMlevKzu/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfkpQHZfcvWA24f7dU2ZMnbEIRioipANheIp903wzoTd0RxQQE3Uf7zaIG_1wWp5G2U81GBF7PHK7plPDacQWA48xSFT54ysigTxX3aAKFmzhANewhvLH2UqPY2pw3nG0LgUmYMlevKzu/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+184.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All lined up on the fishing pier.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfuJq2Ca37mTg0MecET15hk7nqXX0mCi8C4uDqP39gcaKALhNzb1X70INyhUPsjLOOZSvc_A2pfCLQk45DIdkrs9z_KdGOKZtal-DDK7KcMx9hDz8lzKH1lw_GMEXEv13zZig5DWCpq2A/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfuJq2Ca37mTg0MecET15hk7nqXX0mCi8C4uDqP39gcaKALhNzb1X70INyhUPsjLOOZSvc_A2pfCLQk45DIdkrs9z_KdGOKZtal-DDK7KcMx9hDz8lzKH1lw_GMEXEv13zZig5DWCpq2A/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+185.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herring Gull</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviRr4wXG-P2uDomLHF1wHacQryrPUni6xyobAPyQkzhi-1FLtRcGvPDJ4NT-wdRUYQPkuGI_ClNHxK5AKOnvYUvZlCIiyfDWAm_ha5kgEbj6tOo2LR_6rqTb1SGjo8CeaKV0eQvw0bHa7/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviRr4wXG-P2uDomLHF1wHacQryrPUni6xyobAPyQkzhi-1FLtRcGvPDJ4NT-wdRUYQPkuGI_ClNHxK5AKOnvYUvZlCIiyfDWAm_ha5kgEbj6tOo2LR_6rqTb1SGjo8CeaKV0eQvw0bHa7/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+188.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Gulls, Royal Tern, and a juvenile Herring Gull</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJhMDb5KesC7d2YAMIOPOH3SU26lbYFTovACfqFVkc-o_W_snGkhQYi30ucWQXzvByTb4YEIVyBwqpfT7oSKfUFWX0CvTCZPryRJrKIAm2l2waCBHDwUf13-A6bmhI0_TceGGHouTjcOB/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJhMDb5KesC7d2YAMIOPOH3SU26lbYFTovACfqFVkc-o_W_snGkhQYi30ucWQXzvByTb4YEIVyBwqpfT7oSKfUFWX0CvTCZPryRJrKIAm2l2waCBHDwUf13-A6bmhI0_TceGGHouTjcOB/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+197.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Brown Pelicans feeding near the fishing pier. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_a.png?x-id=ee2b52a9-db3d-42b7-b0b4-6ad2ab528c93" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0T B Ellison Memorial Pkwy, Port Arthur, TX 77640, USA29.764004837409168 -93.898687362670929.757112837409167 -93.9085578626709 29.770896837409168 -93.8888168626709tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475099446234907895.post-14777420544943788002012-01-13T20:03:00.000-08:002012-08-30T23:13:15.619-07:00Pleasure Island<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> I made a couple of trips to Pleasure Island, on Sabin Lake to try and photograph a few birds for my <a href="http://texas-nature.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Texas Nature Blog</a> and was pleasantly surprised to find a few blooming plants. Here are a few photos of what I founds.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">This Bushy Seaside Tansy ( <a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/borrichia-frutescens.html" target="_blank">Borrichia frutescens</a> ) was mostly covered with dry seed heads, but a managed to find this one with a couple of boom left.</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzZ7wJglp34Ulx3O-ocXaG_dfZ3Y30HGFtA6x6POk8Ph2jtnL3WODYFEOVdX00uB40mx7JUmA3CqW-8YgquLHR1DVDQDDcmTgeqZ4M-azJeFmOLJrKo1z-gIpvHb84nwpuwJs88tx6jkV/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzZ7wJglp34Ulx3O-ocXaG_dfZ3Y30HGFtA6x6POk8Ph2jtnL3WODYFEOVdX00uB40mx7JUmA3CqW-8YgquLHR1DVDQDDcmTgeqZ4M-azJeFmOLJrKo1z-gIpvHb84nwpuwJs88tx6jkV/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+008.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Borrichia frutescens - Bushy Seaside Tansy </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsm4sTwTXf7MnczlHUBYoDY71-QR_fG8Z1gLrSFYd1DScXctHZUTZd6uvtPLVOGyoKuPlPNrfd4ZWMtdYH4kIq7JqFKIaIoaQuBuw5Aq7KOiZ2YhPrNs32jylsjqMxP2SNKSFcW6pOLjX/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsm4sTwTXf7MnczlHUBYoDY71-QR_fG8Z1gLrSFYd1DScXctHZUTZd6uvtPLVOGyoKuPlPNrfd4ZWMtdYH4kIq7JqFKIaIoaQuBuw5Aq7KOiZ2YhPrNs32jylsjqMxP2SNKSFcW6pOLjX/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+015.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Borrichia frutescens</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The <a href="http://www.wildflowersoftexas.com/rayjacksonia-phyllocephala.html" target="_blank">Camphor Daisy</a> was fairly plentiful along the south levee.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivetuwz1UZ76SAB9e-15lmavFHWw-5Y_9eZIq3LFICu3zPcvc4V0-DS-gwLvrcB_J1r8U2kATcszUEOWEXA1kLwzpu9h_W0N10fWdG_YHOSAS3THP5MrYZpz7DXYK2SIAnd0_rK9kE_wpj/s1600/mini-Pleasure+Island+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivetuwz1UZ76SAB9e-15lmavFHWw-5Y_9eZIq3LFICu3zPcvc4V0-DS-gwLvrcB_J1r8U2kATcszUEOWEXA1kLwzpu9h_W0N10fWdG_YHOSAS3THP5MrYZpz7DXYK2SIAnd0_rK9kE_wpj/s640/mini-Pleasure+Island+049.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rayjacksonia phyllocephala - Camphor Daisy </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0S Levee, Port Arthur, TX 77640, USA29.821582720575016 -93.92829895019531229.766479220575015 -94.007262950195312 29.876686220575017 -93.849334950195313