Category Archives: Texas state parks

Texas School Break – Please End Soon

This is an interesting week, as thousands of schoolkids and their families overwhelm Texas State Parks. There are no sites available, nor have there been for months. The noise level is high, the bathrooms are oversubscribed, and even if you like kids, it is a good place to avoid.

We decided to hang out in New Mexico, which on the surface, sounded like a great plan. What we did not plan on is obvious now: Texas families and college kids who also can not find room in Texas drive here. So each RV with Texas plates usually offloads about four kids, their bikes, their energy, their noise.

When we first arrived, we drove past four sets of tents with flags flying. I thought, "oh, a contingent no scouts." A later walk with the dog unveiled that we had a contingent of Texas A&M guys, budding Tea Party members, who had a "Don"t Tread On Me" flag, an American flag, and this one:

The other item that we’ve forgotten about given the makeup of winter parks is: don’t pick a spot near the playground. As I listen to screaming and yelling kids playing, I remind myself that they will tire and slow down – and try not to be curmudgeonly. After all, kids are out with family, getting exercise and fresh air, and I’ve seen few, if any electronic devices in use.

The place we are going Sunday, Balamoreah State Park, is full this weekend but has a dozen slots open Sunday night. Tuesday we plan to head to one we’ve never visited, Lost Maples State Natural Area to try for the Golden-cheeked Warbler.

We’ll start heading back, slowly, about the first of April with an arrival time of about mid-month. We will see how snow melt and mud season goes before deciding on whether to bring the rig all the way home, or leave it on flatter/drier ground elsewhere. We’ll cross that Shady Rill bridge when we get to it.

Some Texas Birds

We have been staying at Davis Mountains State Park which is a picturesque high desert location with pretty good birding. The ongoing Texas drought is apparent: fewer birds, dusty trails, and beautiful sunsets. Here’s a picture I just took with the iPad, sitting in a grocery store parking lot.

Here are a few bird photos that I’ve taken recently. The first is the Greater Roadrunner – a bird that drives Penny nuts.

The Western Scrub-jay is a lot like our Blue Jay – smart, noisy, pretty.

Another noisy but colorful bird here is the Acorn Woodpecker. They are a delight to watch.

When you hear a "chip" down here, it may be a Northern Cardinal, but more often , a Pyrrhuloxia. Here’s a female.

We leave Saturday for Hueco Tanks State Park, just outside El Paso. Then to Arizona on Monday.

Wrapping up the Lower Valley birding

We had guys from a RV repair service out of Tennessee, who winter in the Valley, come by to size up the work on our sagging belly pan. I had devised a plan to fix it but it was a two-person job so when Casey showed up alone, I pitched in and we got it buttoned up fine in less than an hour. Mary and I leave for Falcon Lake State Park in a couple of days so it’s nice to have it done.

Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to pick off some birds I have missed. Let me share with you some of the diverse birds that make this place so special.

Perhaps my favorite is the Vermillion Flycatcher. They are my kind of bird – active in their flycatching and brilliant in coloration. Unlike their Least, Willow and Ash cousins who are impossible to identify without calls, these hotshots just put on a show.

Just as brilliant are the Great Egrets.

We see six doves here: White-tipped, White-winged, Inca, Mourning, Eurasion-collard, and Common Ground. These three young Commons were hanging out yesterday morning – begging for a caption.

One of the ineresting fishing birds here is the Anhinga, aptly known as "Snake Bird."

I’ll put up a few more shots in a day or so – the 4G system is completely overloaded here. We’re moving to the boonies next week so we will see how that works out.

A month from now, we’ll be in California. Time to start easing westward.

Southern Birding – Why We Travel

I think it was the dozen Eastern Bluebirds I saw as we drove in to Harrison Bay State Park in Tennessee, or else the flock of Pine Warblers at Clarko State Park in Missisippi, but about the turn of the year, it was obvious that "We are not in Kansas anymore." In the first four days of the year, I picked up 65 species, mostly birding as I walked the dog after the day’s travel.

One of the birds I see at every stop is the Eastern Phoebe – this is a Mississippi bird:

As a pilot, I was trained to keep a continuous scan pattern going, and I try to apply it driving. Check the road, the mirrors, the speed, and the fields and air for birds. I know the dangers of texting or talking on a phone – it is obvious when I see speed changes or lane weaving. Birding can be just as distracting if you are the driver so I stick to stuff in front of us. On a stretch on I-10 through Louisiana, I got Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret that flew up in front of us, several Red-tailed Hawks, some Black-crowned Night Herons, and some Great-tailed Grackles at the rest stops.

We are in Goliad State Park in Texas and leave Monday for a two-week stay in Mission, where we will join some birder friends and immerse ourselves into the special place of the Valley. We have been without wifi for a week and our working off the iPads with crappy 4G coverage – but here, if I can upload them, are some bird shots from the last few days.

While birding with Penny on a trail at Village Creek State Park in Texas, I heard an unfamilier call and then this Eastern Towhee popped up:

Here at Goliad, there are many Ladder-backed Woodpeckers. The size of a Downy, they move a lot and are hard to photograph. This one is on the move:

Early Sunday morning, I saw this Red-shouldered Hawk before it saw me, and I got a great look – until the dog spooked it. I was able to get a long-range shot although it was watching us like a ….. hawk:

There are hundreds ot Turkey Vultures circling all day – right out of a Hitchcock film. In the morning, the trees are draped with them. Here are some getting ready for bedtime:

One of my favorite southern birds is the Great Kiskadee. They are noisy, colorful, and rather plentiful along the Rio Grande, and after a while, easy to take for granted. I hadn’t seen one in two years and didn’t expect them up in Goliad – so it was quite a pleasant surprise to hear their call and then see a pair. This one waited patiently for a long-range photo op.

The park ranger warned us this afternoon that it was going down to freezing tonight and that we might want to let our water hoses drip. There is a cold snap (for South Texas) coming but we are moving southward in the morning and should be ok. I stored my winter stuff in the truck today – Mary, who is wiser, is keeping hers close by for another few days.

The Rare Roadside Hawk (from the archives)

As part of my preparation for our SW trip, I joined birder email groups in Tennessee, Louisiana, and Texas. One of the big deals for the last ten days has been the roadside hawk, a rare species from Mexico, that showed up at Falcon State Park.

I’m not that serious a birder, but getting more serious, and that sort of locked in our next destination from Goose Island State Park. This place is right on the Mexico border, next to a big international reservoir, and full of birds and birders. People drive here just to try to see the hawk.

Yesterday was our first day here (it’s a nicely laid-out park filled with Canadians and folks from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and elsewhere north. Very few New Englanders.

I was out walking Penny just after dawn (which comes here late so far west in the Central time zone) when a car stopped and asked me if I knew where the roadside hawk was. I passed on some news I’d heard about possible locations and returned for breakfast. Later that morning, they drove slowly by again — still no hawk.

A little later, I was talking with our Oklahoma neighbors (who have been coming here for 23 years) when the same car stopped, rolled down the window and reported, “He’s down by the recreation area in the top of a tree.”

I grabbed my binoculars and walked down in that direction. Passing the recreation hall, a young man asked me if I had heard of any hawk sightings and soon he and his parents were walking with me down the road, where up ahead, we saw a small group of birders set up. (It turns out that my companions had driven over from Louisiana just to get to see the bird — every day a bunch more show up.) Sure enough, the young hawk was sitting in full view in a big bare tree, easily visible by binoculars. I could make out the striping and coloration but when I had a chance to look through a spotting scope, it was even more remarkable. He posed for ten minutes or so and then flew off, not to be seen the rest of the day.

We are seeing some amazing birds — most of whom never get up our way. Green jays are spectacular as is the vermillion flycatcher. Today we saw all three orioles resident here: altimira oriole, Audobon oriole, and the hooded oriole. Visiting a sanctuary filled with golden-fronted woodpeckers, Great Kiskadoos, and orioles reminded me of the first time I snorkeled in tropical water. It was sensory overload.

So, Mary and I have given up snow for Lent. But we are reveling in the wonders of this part of our country. Originally published – 2/18/10

Roadside hawk photo by Wagner Machado Carlos Lemes
Green jay photo by JunCTio

Salineño – Get it on your birder bucket list

I fell in love with birding about four years ago and one of the reasons was a trip we made to Salineño, Texas.  Driving there, we were stopped by a pleasant Border Patrol officer who was exiting the rutty dirt road that goes down to the site. A Vermont couple with a dog did not interest him — we essentially just exchanged greetings.  It was our first encounter with the sensitivity of the area where you can essentially wade the Rio Grande.  (And people have for decades, and still do.)

Salineño is just north of Roma on Route 83.

Salineño is just north of Roma on Route 83.

Entering a tract, which has been a famous birding spot since the 1970’s, we encountered a small group of birders sitting in lawn chairs watching the many bird feeding stations.  And what an array of great birds Mary and I saw: Green Jays everywhere, Great Kiskadees, and all three orioles (Altimira, Hooded, and Audubon’s.)  It was an immersion into a new world of color and activity, just amazing.  The Hooded Oriole was the first of ten life birds I’ve gotten there during a half-dozen visits.

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Salineño is a must-stop on any birding tour of the area.  The parking lot, right on the river, is a great spot for all sorts of birds.  We were there in 2012, arriving just as a large tour group came out of the woods, excited about some of their observations.  They had seen Red-billed Pigeons in the trees far up the river.  As they were just about to stow their gear and head to their next destination, their leader yelled, “Ducks – Muscovy’s” as a flight of four came right over us.  It was a lifer for me and I’m sure, many of the group members.  They piled happily into their cars to hit their next destination.

A predominantly Mexican bird, the Audubon's Oriole reaches the United States only in southern Texas.

A predominantly Mexican bird, the Audubon’s Oriole reaches the United States only in southern Texas.

For many years, the little tract of wooded land were we visited the feeders was owned and maintained by Pat and Gail DeWind who then sold it to the Valley Land Fund, a non-profit that protects over 10,000 acres of land up and down the Rio Grande Valley.  Volunteers, led by Cheryl Longton of Massachusetts, have maintained the feeders each winter, relying on donations from birders and others.  Last winter, the site was closed and the feeders moved just north to Fish and Wildlife land but it is expected that the original site will re-open this winter.

Merle and Lois, two of the long-time volunteers, fill a feeding station.

Merle and Lois, two of the long-time volunteers, fill a feeding station.

The Altamira Oriole is a bird of Mexico and Central America whose range just reaches into southern Texas. They are often seen at Salineño.

The Altamira Oriole is a bird of Mexico and Central America whose range just reaches into southern Texas. They are often seen at Salineño.

The woodland along the River at Salineño is an excellent spot for finding Valley birds such as Audubon’s Oriole, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani (summer is best), Long-billed Thrasher, Green Jay, and (now infrequently) Brown Jay. The parking lot is a great gathering spot for birders and a favorite spot to wait for fly-by kingfishers (all three species), Muscovy, or Hook-billed Kite. While standing at the River, you may see such waterbirds as Least or Caspian tern, Black Skimmer, various large waders, and Ring-billed Gull. During spring, Bank Swallows, Indigo Buntings, and Dickcissels stream across the River from Mexico. In winter, the River may be filled with both dabbling and diving ducks. Mergansers and (rarely) scoters occur as well. Check the boulders in winter for Black Phoebe and Spotted Sandpiper.

One of the target birds on our last trip was the Brown Jay.  One had been seen fairly reliably before we got into the area but on several tries at Salineño (you just missed it!) and up the river at another spot, we finally waited it out at the feeders and watched as a juvenile ate his heart out.  Birders from all over the country and Canada were snapping pictures.  As was I.

Brown Jays are resident of a short stretch of Rio Grande corridor from about Salineño to the woodlands below Falcon Dam

Brown Jays are resident of a short stretch of Rio Grande corridor from about Salineño to the woodlands below Falcon Dam

So, make Salineño a stop on a trip to the area.   Many birders also hit Chapeno, Falcon Dam, Falcon State Park, and work their way up to Zapata.  A list of potential birds is mouth-watering:  White-collared Seedeaters,  Pyrrhuloxia, Harris’ Hawk, Verdin, Scaled Quail, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Cactus Wren, Black-throated Sparrow, Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrasher, and Chihuahuan Raven.   Good Birding, indeed!

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My Latest Interest: Geocaching

I was out looking for a bald eagle’s nest at Fountainebleau State Park when a Texas auto pulled up. The driver asked if I’d found it and having been there before, helped me locate it through my scope. When I asked if they were birders, he replied, “No, we are geocachers from Biloxi.”

Well, I knew what geocaching was since our grandson, Mac, had just gone on a Cub Scout geo outing. When my new friend asked, “Want to see one?” I followed him up to a little path into the underbrush. He reached down and lifted up a root, showing me the drilled hole in the underside, with a small cylinder inserted. He showed me the rolled up log sheet inside – and I was hooked. I went to his website (Gulf Coast Geocachers)read up a bit, downloaded an iPhone app, and was off and running.

Here’s a little of what I learned (from Wikipedia):
Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, anywhere in the world.

A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook where the geocacher enters the date they found it and signs it with their established code name.

Larger containers such as plastic storage containers (tupperware or similar) or ammunition boxes can also contain items for trading, usually toys or trinkets of little value.


Geocaching is often described as a “game of high-tech hide and seek”, sharing many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure-hunting, letterboxing, and waymarking.

Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica. After 10 years of activity there are over 1,532,000 active geocaches published on various websites. There are over 5 million geocachers worldwide.

So, I’ve done some geocaching at Fountainebleau and Lake Fausse Pointe in Louisiana and at Village Creek annd Goose Island state parks in Texas. I find that it goes well with dog walking, biking, and birding and like the fact that it gets you outside. I also like the geeky aspect of gps and online record-keeping and tracking objects around the country and the world. I also like the inter-generational potential of it; kids love it.

So for now, it’s a “give it a try” activity to check out. When the birds are resting, it is a chance to get out the iPhone and see where the closest geocache might be. And perhaps, there’s a new bird waiting there as well.

Adios, Texas

After nearly a month in Texas, we just crossed the Louisiana line and are going to spend some time at Sam Houston Jones State Park in Lake Charles where there is warmth and wifi.

From Goliad State Park, we went back for a great stay at Goose Island State Park. We then traveled north to a little park at the City of Navasota which turned out much better than last year. It was windy but warm and aside from the fact that we had three dogs right next door on one side, and one on the other, things went well. We stayed hitched up and headed out in the morning.

Last night we stayed at Martin Dies State Park in Jasper, Texas. It’s spring break for Texas schools and all parks are packed with families. While it’s wonderful to see little kids fishing and biking, it seems like most Texans have little yappy dogs that just annoy the hell out of Penny .. and me. They would not even be a mouthful for her. Again, we stayed hitched up and made an early getaway for the short yank east and south to Lake Charles.

We’ve been here before and like the place. Louisiana parks have great wifi throughout the park — the first we’ve seen in over a month. There are some good birding places not far from here that I want to check out before we start wending our way home.

Watching the weather and not in a big hurry to trade 70’s for the 30’s. Off the take Penny on a hike before dark, although with the daylight time, it will be better. Saw two new birds yesterday — hoping to do the same this stop.

Adios, Texas

After nearly a month in Texas, we just crossed the Louisiana line and are going to spend some time at Sam Houston Jones State Park in Lake Charles where there is warmth and wifi.

From Goliad State Park, we went back for a great stay at Goose Island State Park. We then traveled north to a little park at the City of Navasota which turned out much better than last year. It was windy but warm and aside from the fact that we had three dogs right next door on one side, and one on the other, things went well. We stayed hitched up and headed out in the morning.

Last night we stayed at Martin Dies State Park in Jasper, Texas. It’s spring break for Texas schools and all parks are packed with families. While it’s wonderful to see little kids fishing and biking, it seems like most Texans have little yappy dogs that just annoy the hell out of Penny .. and me. They would not even be a mouthful for her. Again, we stayed hitched up and made an early getaway for the short yank east and south to Lake Charles.

We’ve been here before and like the place. Louisiana parks have great wifi throughout the park — the first we’ve seen in over a month. There are some good birding places not far from here that I want to check out before we start wending our way home.

Watching the weather and not in a big hurry to trade 70’s for the 30’s. Off the take Penny on a hike before dark, although with the daylight time, it will be better. Saw two new birds yesterday — hoping to do the same this stop.

Big Bend Adventures

As Big Bend State Park visitors know, it’s about 70 miles of desolation from Marathon down to the park headquarters, and then another 20 miles of desert to the Rio Grande Village campground. But what amazing vistas as you head south — just breathtaking. Photos don’t do the landscape justice. Geological features – incredible formations – give a real sense of the millions of years of history that precedes us.

Yesterday’s high was 96 degrees and we arrived, hot and dusty, and set up. There’s no air conditioning (no power or water) but we were doing fine — until I learned that I had set up on a site already reserved by someone else. So, it was stow things, hitch up once again, and move about 100 yards up the road to another site. I wasn’t a happy camper and Mary was overheated from the heat and dryness. Great start — Big Bend.

Once things cooled down, it was a lovely evening. It went down to 44 this morning and we ran the heater for a bit while having morning coffee. I found out that the little store here has WiFi (you can forget AT&T coverage for cell phones) so we could get email and post stuff. Still, with no electricity, battery usage for the computers needs to be monitored as well.

I took a little hike this morning on a short trail and saw a few birds, the Rio Grande, some cool rock formations, the Rio Grande, and Mexico. Above is an early morning shot of the campground and the scenery.

They warned us about wildlife here — particularly coyotes. Well, as we were leaving this morning to do some sightseeing in the truck, what should wander right in front of us, in the middle of the campground, by Mr. (or Ms.) Coyote. Took the picture through the windshield.


We drove up to the Chisos Basin which is just about impossible to describe. It’s high elevation for down here and has some spectacular mountains and vistas. I’ll get some shots next visit — we just took a “I’ve Been There” shot at the visitor center.

We have hung out reading this afternoon underneath the trailer’s awning. It’s about 88 degrees but there’s a nice breeze. I had Penny’s leash anchored by my chair leg. I left to fix a couple of seltzer drinks and from inside the trailer heard a bark, a yell from Mary, and a upsetting of the lawn chair. Mr. Coyote (or a sibling) had just crossed our road about 25 feet away and Penny was in attack mode. Fortunately, the leash got caught — or she got smart — and I grabbed her and all was well again — once Mary’s heart rate settled down.

This is a tough place from noon to five or so — you can see why siestas so popular in the Southwest. After May, things essentially close down here due to the extreme temperatures. However, we saw scenery today that just blows you away. Now, to keep the coyotes, mountain lions, and javelinas where they belong.

P.S. On guidebook we have, in talking how park animals have gotten too used to human foods, said that the crinkling of a potato chip bag opening can draw javelinas. I knew junk food was not good for you.