Diario de dirtnkids

As a Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter, many of our conservation partnerships allow opportunities for tromping and hiking on private properties ... like the Wharton Count gem owned by James B. Harrison Foundation known simply as 'The Burr Property.' With many watering holes, wooded and wetland habitats, oak and cypress hammocks, and wide open spaces with clear, up-high trails for walking and viewing, it is easy to log 100 species or more. Walked and counted slowly, social-distancing or masking intact.

At least fifty of animals logged for the day were birds -- the very reason for the trip -- and several species stood out for me. Getting out of the car, the call of Eastern Pewees were heard through the woods, as well as Great-crested Flycatcher and the familiar 'PEET-suh' of Acadian Flycatcher. Canada and Yellow Warblers were high in the Bald Cypress, and the birds of the day (for me) were the Wood Storks and Pectoral Sandpiper.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S73305877
https://ebird.org/checklist/S73310298

I changed my lens a couple of times as the insects were also out in great numbers! I had to take time to look down and collect some new species for my Life List of Earthlings: Flag-tailed Spinyleg and Wooly Rosemallow. Sometimes that meant missing other great shots (like the Wood Storks in flight!) since I had the wrong lens on. Oh well. Can't have everything!

Peace, Love, Prairie.

If there is ever a native plant that hosts too many species to take count of it's Eupatorium serotinum -- Late boneset. There are exactly two of these plants in my backyard pocket prairie, purchased from my friends at Morningstar Farms this time last year. It is a veritable bee, wasp, fly, and beetle magnet (among others). It is so fragrant, I like sitting and shooting wildlife right next to the plant.

Here is what the wildflower experts of Texas say about it:
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=euse2

And attached are the wildlife possibilities as of today ... with still two months of blooming yet to go.

Sunday's at BBSP are treasured now that the family is all back in school. Mom likes to shoot new species when she (when I) get the chance, and on this very muggy, semi-quiet day on the trail the wasps and flies were the stars.

We generally stayed off the beaten path since the park just opened up to 300 visitors morning and another 300 visitors in the afternoon. The 'bird-y' trails are also where all the people are. Soon, I will be volunteering again at the Nature Center and Gift Shop regularly, but for now, FAMILY and BUGS!