Home Is Where You Park It!: Spring Migration 2015

We left Laguna Atascosa NWR on March 31. We opted for a new route than in past years.

We picked up Hwy 281 in Edinburg, then headed north through Falfurrias to I-37 just south of San Antonio.

At a rest stop parking area between George West and Three Rivers I discovered a wonderland.

An acacia type shrub, not Huisache, filled the air with a sweet perfume.

Stork's Bill

Flax and Bluebonnet

Several yellow and white composites

Primrose, verbena, mustard, and I don't know what else created a riot of colors.

We spent the night just South of San Antonio, then resumed our journey early next morning. But not too early to avoid rush hour in the city.

The first rest stop was a picnic area just north of Boerne where a Common Raven feasted on discarded flour tortilla.

Primrose and Paintbrush

Bluebonnets by the thousands

Shirley calls these my "Cecil B DeMilles" (moving pictures)

Is this a Redbud Tree?

We stopped for the night at South Llano River SP, Junction with a stop first at Lum's BBQ - the best in town.

After cooling off we visited Juniper Blind

Chipping and Field Sparrow side by side,

not to be outdone by the very handsome Black-throated Sparrow. His tail isn't really green, that's mesquite.

The turkey roosting area is fully open and the massive pecan trees are beginning to bloom although so many have died during the prolonged drought.

Lark Sparrow

Namesake South Llano River

A visit to Agarita Blind on Thursday morning produced another Spotted Towhee.

After getting a safety inspection for Clyde, we headed north once more planning to nest overnight at San Angelo SP, Bald Eagle Creek Unit.

Our usual spot was taken so we opted for #8.

This gigantic pecan tree just beginning to leaf out, but the massive trunk provided shade.

After a cooling shower, I opted to set outside to wind blow my hair dry and enjoy the butterflies.

a field of Shepherd's Purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris, attracted Black Swallowtail.

Taking a tip from Seth Patterson, I used a white board for background to make close ups of Shepherd's purse. A member of the mustard family with avery interesting story.