Nature Along the El Camino Real
Blog of the El Camino Real Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists, Milam County, Texas
by Catherine Johnson
The heat and weeds are a challenge at the Wildscape now.
Patricia and Rosie accomplished some chores as have the Reks.
When it is cool, more natives will be planted and next year will see a lot of blooms. Birds are enjoying the Wildscape and have been raising their young in mailboxes, bee hotels and native trees. Kim and I recently spent a windy afternoon moving sprinklers and relaxing with sweet drinks, cake and Fritos!
by Sue Ann Kendall
Today was a happy day for this blog. We have a new member of the blogging crew. Let’s welcome Terri Brickey to the team! She’s an experienced blogger who just needed a refresher course in how WordPress has changed since she last worked on her own blog. Now when I’m unavailable, we have a helper! And she’s going to contribute more blogs of her own nature observations. We had a fun afternoon looking at the nature where I live and planning future activities.
In nature news, I saw a spider today. It was one of the largest bold jumping spiders (Phidippus audax) I ever saw! Look at those charming green eyes!
These spiders are often kept as pets, but I enjoy them in the wild. They have nested in our mailbox many times. They’re solitary and carnivorous. Their ability to move quickly and see extremely well makes them quite successful native species. They have iridescent chelicerae, which is one reason I enjoy them so much.
by Catherine Johnson
Chapter members’ work is paying off with blooms in the new barrels with signage.
The budget approved by H-E-B included funds for last minute strenuous labor which Mitchell Henderson has been doing. He has been shoveling gravel and landscaping the upper pathway for easy access and greatly reduced weeding.
New construction will enable people to get close to Pollinators and native plants they are connected to.
The Pollinators for Texas project is a collaborative effort with H-E-B and the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Program focused on enhancing native pollinator conservation across the state by promoting awareness, conservation efforts and creating sustainable pollinator environments. The initiative aims to engage communities in supporting pollinator-friendly practices through funding TMN chapter-led projects and programs.
By Sue Ann Kendall
All the preparations have paid off for our pollinator project at the Milam Wildscape. Our grant from the H-E-B Pollinators for Texas is going a long way toward creating just what our target species need.
Starting early on Saturday morning, volunteers got their hands dirty and planted many interesting native grasses and ground covers in the new prairie area.
This new section isn’t covered in plastic, because the grasses and ground covers should quickly fill in the space and eliminate unwanted volunteers.
All the different textures and colors of these grasses will provide a beautiful background for other annual and perennial natives.
There are various new plantings elsewhere, thanks to all the creativity and hard work of our team.
Of course, a visit to the Wildscape isn’t complete without some pollinators. We hope their descendants enjoy all the new plants.
There’s another workday next week, then the plants will settle in next month.
The Pollinators for Texas project is a collaborative effort with H-E-B and the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Program focused on enhancing native pollinator conservation across the state by promoting awareness, conservation efforts and creating sustainable pollinator environments. The initiative aims to engage communities in supporting pollinator-friendly practices through funding TMN chapter-led projects and programs.
By Sue Ann Kendall
Our chapter is putting our H-E-B Pollinators for Texas grant to good use. Many hours of hard work, along with materials purchased from the grant have transformed the former jumble of natives and volunteers into a fairly orderly setting for the new native plants that will go in soon. It’s a Wildscape, so it has to be a little wild, right?
In the past couple of weeks, much plastic has been laid down to discourage some of the more vigorous volunteers from taking over before the new plantings get established. All the paths have new crushed gravel to make the area easier for visitors of all ages and abilities.
There’s still a lot to do—there always seems to be another batch of plants to thin or remove. I wish I’d gotten a photo of all the Turk’s cap getting thinned. That was some effort!
There were a few bees and butterflies around last Saturday, but I think they’re also waiting on the new sources of sustenance. But not all the flowers are gone!
Hard work is much more fun with cheerful volunteers. Come join our merry band some Saturday! The Milam Wildscape is adjacent to Bird and Bee farm—look us up!
The Pollinators for Texas project is a collaborative effort with H-E-B and the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Program focused on enhancing native pollinator conservation across the state by promoting awareness, conservation efforts and creating sustainable pollinator environments. The initiative aims to engage communities in supporting pollinator-friendly practices through funding TMN chapter-led projects and programs.
Nature Along the El Camino Real 