Lost Maples

March 22
Last visit to TX I did the Rio Grande Valley, so this time it's the Hill country 

                

and Lost Maples State Park 

 the Sabinal River and Canyon provide the perfect habitat for the Golden Cheeked Warbler nesting.  Another rare to find but not so rare in Lost Maples is the Black Capped Vireo. so with those 2 hopefuls on my list we stopped at the campground and I paid for one night.  We got in late I was tired and mostly we just did lots of dog walks and resting...In the morning got up to a heavy misting of rain with a blowing wind! Great

March 23

It takes forever to do anything in the rain...

especially when you have to walk 3 dogs before breakfast!  But some how we managed to get through camp chores and I went down to the office to inquire about the weather forecast.  Rain with showers in between basically, OKAY then! 

So I paid for one more night and headed for the bird blind where some feeder birds were hanging out...

This park is beautiful even in the rain..it is small mostly its a backpackers dream with lots of trails and back country campsites..

At the blind I was scanning the trees across from it because I heard a Vireo.  I'm familiar with the calls of some but this one sounded a bit off so maybe...Scanned with foggy binoculars, and sure enough there it was! The Black Capped  was right there raised my camera and it just didn't want to focus I snapped anyways and although this sucks you can def tell it's the Black Capped Vireo.  Fantastic reward for birding in the rain!

Would have liked a nice clear shot better of course! But if you look this bird up you will see it's all there the black cap, the bluish back, green wings with white wing bars! I got a pretty good look with my binoculars! I was surprised to even get a shot at it...The camera just wanted to focus on the misty rain...and not what I aimed at but I kept on....it let up a little and I was told to hike the East-West Trail so I headed for that.. 

So pretty with the spring colors in the forest and low shallow flow of the Sabinal River sure made for a pleasant hike even if I struck out!  I crossed the river and just as I did I saw a yellow flash drop and sail across the river right in front of me, and he landed in some cedars...

I got 2 not so good but good enough shots of the Golden Cheeked Warbler...lifer #3 for the trip.  How lucky can you get?

                                     east west trail 

Later on the day cleared with some wind to help push it out and I spent most of the rest of the afternoon in the day use area walking the dogs and  watching the Black Crested Titmouse feed in the trees. 

 

                                         mossy trees

                                                              play time

                                                         early bloomer the red bud

                                              no Casey you can't get out right now but in a few minutes I promise!

Here we are in site #1 This was  in the afternoon the first day we arrived when the sun was out. 

The campground filled up quickly...unfortunately the next morning Saturday started out the same way! Drizzle, wind, and not so good!  So I loaded up had breakfast in the day use area and left...taking Hwy 83 South to Highway 90...then turning due west.  The rain cleared off about mid day I enjoyed stopped to see roadside wildflowers like the Texas Blue Bonnet..and yellow Poppies. 

Pine Siskin...

One rest area stop for the "kids" to get out and stretch their legs we saw a bright House Finch and a cactus growing up on a tree!

I wanted this to be a Trogon, but....to be honest Im not sure what it is I went with weird house Finch. 

we passed this the Breaking Bad fans will know the significance of it...

And the Famous Kincaid Hotel...in Uvalde, TX

We continued West to our camp for the night and that will be up next...

In real time I have arrived in Colorado and spending my days with MOM..she is doing excellent although her mind is not as sharp as it once was she still is strong and has her sense of humor intact...Hope to share some photos of her later...

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.