We made one last trip to the Milam Wildscape after the freeze.
Evergreens Wax Myrtle, Gardenia, Sumac, and Iceplant looked pretty with the Fall colors. We accidentally trapped a cow in a fenced area but were able to free it without letting the sheep or Scruffy the donkey out!
Kim planted blue Salvia and Rock Rose, and Rosie started a Bluebonnet patch. Mexican Plum and Arroya Sweetwood are the next additions.
The Boy Scouts have installed bee houses and plan to construct a grape arbor.
Come visit in the Spring when baby plants and Mason bees emerge and Nature’s cycle starts all over again.
Is it December? Maybe I missed something somewhere. This warm weather is not only messing up my trying to figure out whether I wear sweatpants or shorts, but it has a real effect on the wildlife and plants.
I have hundreds of Gulf Coast Fritillaries coming awake when they should be over wintering snug in their chrysalis forms.
So… Why is this not good for them? Look outside, there are very few, if any, nectar plants for them. Hardly any wildflowers are in bloom and our own gardens have gone to sleep as they should. All we can do is watch, learn, and wait for Mother Nature to do her thing.
The birds that are here in Central Texas are also wondering, hello, what is going on?
While warm weather helps them have more insects to eat for this time of the year it also causes them to think about mating and producing a new family.
Bad idea. If they do that, the cold weather will finally arrive and kill the eggs.
Confusing for sure.
Now, let’s also not forget as we prepare for the winter to come, that we can do a few things to help our friends out.
Extra seeds, mealworms, water, and shelter like old limbs and falling leaves are some things that we can provide.
And of course, leaving some land natural, as it was originally, is what they need.
I have included some photos I just took this week showing some of the chrysalis on our front porch. I see them daily emerging into beautiful butterflies.
Remember the wildlife every day. Nature gives us her best every day.
Birds of different species gather outside this frozen window. They gather around water fountains and various feeders filled with a variety of seeds. On this cold, winter day, they gather in larger numbers as the frigid winds blow and frozen water falls from the sky.
Many birds make your home their homes too. Singing melodies in the trees, reproducing their species, maintaining a balance of insects around your garden. Some of these birds take up residence at your home the entire year. One such bird in the Cardinal. Others migrate to your homes at various times of the year, like the Pine Warbler.
Last year in February, a catastrophic winter event occurred in Texas that brought Arctic-like weather to a place that does not see this type of weather. The Polar Vortex was very intense and unstable, causing cold air to shift unusually far south. In February 2021, several days of Arctic cold and deep snows paralyzed the way of life for all animals and birds. Many animals froze to death in the wild.
Cold Northern Cardinals
I remember venturing outside with our family during that event to find hungry birds. Birds that became unusually friendly to gather food. Many Pine Siskins would land on our shoulders and hands, feeding on seeds that we had to feed them.
Today’s winter event is a very brief taste of that time. Many birds visited the feeders today as the ground is covered with ice and sleet. The following are birds we saw feeding today :
Cardinals
Chickadees
White-wing Doves
Tufted Titmouse
Various Sparrows
Warblers
Purple Finches
This is one of the two window feeders. They were installed to stop birds from hitting our windows. This has worked. The view is excellent. These are photos of a Cardinal with a Purple Finch, a Cardinal looking in, and a Chickadee.
I’d planned a fun nature walk with my family for Christmas, but thanks to COVID, I ended up on a solo walk. I explored a part of the woods that’s near the house, but not often visited. It was warm and sunny, but still a winter wonderland to me. I thought maybe some of my Master Naturalist friends would enjoy a walk along with me.
A dream in green
The green you see is a mix of rye grass and chickweed.
And mushrooms!
I went over to the tank/pond on the other side of the woods from the one behind our house. It’s the most attractive one and is always full of life.
Cows love it, but they haven’t pooped all the life out of it.
It’s often hard to get to from our place, because there’s a fence marking a property line that ends in a place that stays damp for a long time after it floods. But, the recent tree-killing knocked it down in a spot, so I could explore the pond while it’s full.
We only have a couple of months when the trees have no leaves. You can see more!
This pond has lots of aquatic plants in it. Some are blooming. I forget what they are, but it’s pretty.
The water looks brown, but there are lots of fish.
It always smells nice and earthy around the pond when it’s wet. Admittedly, some parts smell more cattle-y. It smelled fresh today.
Looking towards the dam.
The highlight of my little walk was checking out where the water comes into the pond, which I’d never seen from this side while the stream was flowing.
Coral berry lines the little stream.
The stream had dozens of minnows in it. It was fun to watch them dart around. In the photo you see their shadows better than them! I also figured out that the stream comes out of a spring at the base of our pond. It doesn’t seem to drain our pond, or if it does, it’s slow.
I felt like an explorer in my own back yard. I found a freshly dug hole where some animal lives.
And I encountered an ant swarm on a log. Probably fire ants but still cool to watch. I didn’t stick my fingers in there to check.
Can you see the ones with wings?
It is always refreshing to hang out in nature, no matter what time of year. It’s healing and reminds you of the big picture. None of us is alone. Please enjoy more images of our small, green wonderland.
Shadows. The whole streamNear where the stream bubbles up. Not sure what makes it orange. I believe I was trying to photograph a spider. More trees. Cedar elms. More plants. Pond from my part of the woods. Wood nymphThese always look like breasts to me. Dead trees make nice homes. We still have grasshoppers, but not many. Shiny fungiCarlton wants me to come home
Nature Along the El Camino Real 