Our Natural Places

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Header Image: Sandhill Cranes Hoo-H-Hoo-Hoo-Hoo. Hoo-H-Hoo-Hoo-Hoo. Softer than one would expect for a relatively large bird. Distant. Distinct. “Great Horned Owl!”, Gini exclaimed in the darkness. It was now about an hour-and-a-half before sunrise and this was our fourth stop in an attempt to hear nocturnal birds. A bit later, a Barred Owl couple called to each other. The highlight of our pre-dawn foray occurred at a boat ramp. “Whip-whip-whip.” Whoosh! An… Read More

(Header Image: Pecan Tree) Great segments of the land were decorated in pink. Just for us. Narrow dirt roads had been given the color of the interior of a perfectly baked sweet potato. Just for us. Bright blue skies were punctuated with fluffy formations that were enlarged versions of the cotton which will bloom later this summer. Just for us. The pink in the landscape was due to thousands of peach trees… Read More

(Header Image: Roseate Spoonbill) A brand new year is in full swing and we are celebrating the fact that we are still able to enjoy exploring nature and will be seeking new adventures to share. As we glanced around the blog workshop the other day, we noticed several images awaiting insertion in a post. Events of the past several months seemed to derail my plans to adhere to some sort of blogging… Read More

Eight minutes. “Would it be okay if I go to the park in the morning?” “You know you don’t have to ask. Of course it would be okay.” “It’s just that I have this headache.” “You? Have a headache? That’s unusual!” “I think it’s a migration headache.” “Oh. C’mon, let’s go to bed.” She loves my witty repartee. Birders know the symptoms of the seasons, though. Each spring and autumn scores of… Read More

A review of last year’s records began as a search for early fall migration arrival dates. It soon devolved into a tragic tale of ancient Babylon, unfulfilled love and blood-soaked — I’m getting ahead of myself. The data indicated a few early American Redstarts might begin arriving as early as the last week of July. Where would be the most likely place to search for them? Several choices presented themselves. Wait. What’s… Read More