With the summer heat rapidly approaching, we decided to take a trip to the west to see my brother and his family. So if I miss a day it will be because the signal may be too poor. 🤷🏻♀️
Indeed the deer at our house were up early! Yes, this video was from yesterday, but it was neat with the fog.
The wildflowers were spectacular in the right of way. Except for the silly people that insist on mowing in front of their properties like on the left side of the road. How anyone can call that pretty is beyond me? However the paintbrushes, basketflowers, coneflowers, and thistles to mention a few are doing fabulous this year!
Also it looked like TXDOT contractors have started their mowing season. Sigh 🙁
Our first stop was at Abilene State Park. And this was the first animal, a Red Admiral!
A walk was needed by me. So off I went.
Never having traveled west at this time of year, the plants will be different. The Purple Clematis or Leather-flower (Clematis pitcheri) was not open yet, but certainly a nice find!
Recent rains means water in the creek. Additionally, along the roads today we saw puddles in the ditches and driveways.
A Common Whitetail stopped for a moment on a wooden bridge.
A new 10mm nymph Praying Mantis (Mantidae) was on the railing.
A red bolete seemed to shout at me. LOL
Fish and turtles were the only thing that made ripples in the pond water.
Someone left a vulture feather along the path. 🙂
A White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata) caterpillar left some frass.
A cooperative Bluet damselfly! Correction: a dancer of the genus Argia. Thanks Claire!
Final shot, a big Leaf-footed Bug (Acanthocephala terminalis -tentatively ID) landed in front of me! And how big was it? So I estimated about 3.5 centimeters. Impressive!
It was certainly a great start to the trip today!
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.
7 Comments
Abilene State Park is very nice and full of cool CCC structures. And did you see their yurts?
Abilene State Park is very nice and full of cool CCC structures. And did you see their yurts?
I did not walk pass the yurts today but we have walked most of the trails on a previous trip. And saw the yurts thenn did you stay in a yurt?
Not yet but I’m contemplating it.
Looks like a good start to the trip – happy exploring!
Thanks!😊
I was just about to ask what all is at Abilene SP. Thanks Suzanne. I love the old CCC rock structures.
Great video of deer in fog!