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It was 61 degrees outside when we awoke at 6:30. We took advantage of electricity to keep the van cool for Sofie.
Paul and I walked the Desert and Woodland Trails at the Falcon State Park. Beautiful light on this Brown-crested Flycatcher.
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The next bird to pop up was this Pyrrhuloxia
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followed by this Cardinal and someone's idea of a cozy nest.
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This Northern Mockingbird was making quite a showy production, singing and chattering loudly and constantly, and every once in a while hopping straight up about 5 feet. He was definitely trying to attract attention, and probably not ours.
An Inca Dove enjoyed the early sunshine.
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Soon we were on the road again, our destination Mission 60 miles away.
We stopped to see the Rio Grande river from the Roma Bluffs World Birding Center. Strangely there are not many places to view the Rio Grande river or view across to Mexico. This was one.
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Roma Bluffs Observation Deck and World Birding Center
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The Mexican Flag flies across the river.
The ever-present Mockingbird gets in on the act.
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| Prickly pear blossoms at last! Ruins of a former grand hacienda in Roma. |
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The stately drive to the Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park--World Birding Center.
Paul at the Visitor's Center
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After arriving at the Bentsen-Rio Grande birding center we hopped on a tram for a ride around the park. Our first unusual sound and sight was the Chachalaca, a very large, tall, skinny chickenish bird.
First you hear it--LOUD. CHA-CHA-LA repeatedly and usually more than one bird. The male has a deeper voice so says Cha-cha-la and the female comes in on the second Cha with a higher pitched voice and finishes the whole Cha-cha-la-ca song.
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| It is a large and beautiful park, and the day was hot so we were happy to ride the tram. The tram roof also protected us from a long walk in the unexpected rain. |
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We saw Golden-fronted Woodpecker (life bird).
We had a quick and wonderful look at a Green Jay (sorry to miss a photo) and a Texas turtle (life turtle).
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This is the last living cactus in the park, barely existing in the top of a tree. These cacti formerly thrived in the area. Now, due to a variety of complicated issues, it cannot grow on the ground here. Our tram driver explained that originally hardwood trees populated the landscape along the Rio Grande. Then agriculture took over when the settlers moved in. Now it appears Mexico has the water rights and Texas along the Rio Grande can't use the water, so crops and agricultural economy has dried up. I have many questions and no answers. I will need to study up on how this all came to be, but clearly there are problems.
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We were ready for our camping spot by then, so checked in to our reserved-for-four-days RV park. We spent the next 3 hours trying to plug in (needed help to open the electric box), cool the van (the power did not inspire the AC enough for cool), to blog (had to sit by the pool in the wind but still internet did not come on) That did it! Even though they dragged their feet, they finally gave us our money back.
We drove down the road to another park we had seen. The gate was closed! I walked to the gate and called the HELP! number. A man answered. I told him I wanted reservations for 4 days. He said, "Starting when?" I said, "Now, I am at the gate". He said, "This is a 55 or over park. I said we fit right in. He let us in, said to pick any place and pay tomorrow. Nirvana!!!!
It is the most beautiful RV park we have ever seen and we are the only overnighter. Tile bathrooms and showers, trees, grass. I may stay here the rest of my life!
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Today Our Eyes Were On
Dry desert country, very poor small towns with some evidence of richer times past, not many trees except for the World Birding Centers
A visit across the river from our neighbor to the South, Mexico
And life birds for the day: Chachalaca, Green Jay, Golden-fronted Woodpecker.
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