I was surprised to see three Great Egrets on the rail when I walked through the covered bridge at the boardwalk entrance. I stopped and did not scare them away. I slowly backed away from the entrance and walked to the edge of the Landing House to view the boardwalk where I saw more Great Egrets! Two more Great Egrets were hunting at the feeding place; and one Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron stood near the edge of the rail with three Great Egrets. All were busily grooming as if they had a good breakfast. It was 6:55 a.m. and they were already finished with their breakfast.
Then, one Great Egret flew up to a tree located on the other side of the wetland and the bird started grooming. The tree was the territory tree of a Great Egret last summer; I instantly figured that this was the same bird. The bird brought other Great Egrets for breakfast. I was happy and wished that all the Egrets would stay in the wetland.
Regrettably, after all the Great Egrets had groomed and rested, one by one, they flew up and away toward the river. I was wishing that the resident Great Egret would remain, but the bird flew up from that territory tree and the followed after the others. I saw the Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron watching the Great Egrets flying away, but the bird remained on the rail.
I finally went back to the boardwalk to see the Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron. At once, I noticed that I was seeing a Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron that I did not recognize. Its feathers and beak were not as shiny and fresh as the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron, but it looked younger than the older Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron that I had seen in front of the Texas Rivers Center. The whiteness of the feathers on its cheeks and top of its head were much whiter than that of the older Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron. Also, the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron did not have a dot on the white forehead feathers, but I saw a single blackish mark on the right side of the forehead, and it had short blackish occipital plumes. Based on these markings, I identified a third Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron in this lake.
The one dot Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron saw something and flew down to the dead floating tree trunk, and caught a big crayfish in a lightning strike. It walked hurriedly behind the tall grass with the crayfish between in its beak.
While I was waiting for the Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron to come out from the grass I noticed the Water Horsetails that were transplanted last summer. The plants are protected in eleven individual meshed wire enclosures at the left side of boardwalk entrance, the favorite hunting place for the Yellow-Crowned-Night Herons and Nutrias, but they are not adapting well.
Last Friday morning, I saw that a bunch of Cattails had been chewed down, near the boardwalk exit. Close to the root of the leaves, the white parts of the stems were chopped several inches. This morning, I saw a big Nutria deliciously munching on a Cattail leaf. I saw more Cattails floating on the water surface on both sides of the boardwalk exit and more pieces of chopped white stems on the right side of the exit. It was painful to see the damage to the Cattails since they don’t grow like Algae or Water Hyacinths.
I stopped at the site where the Red-Shouldered Hawk dined on crayfish yesterday morning. There was only one claw on the grass and many ants were busily working on it. Where did the other claw go?
The flowers of the Century Plant are growing so fast. That fast growing pistils even at the top layers of the branches were easily viewed when I was walking toward the Glass Bottom Boat dock.
And, I saw the young Red-Shouldered Hawk perched on the electric line just above the Century Plant. The two together were a beautiful sight. I knew that it was the young Red-Shouldered Hawk as the Thrusher like small bird was perched facing the hawk on the next electric line. I was glad that the small bird was not crying this time.
June 27, 2010
All flowers of the Century Plant opened! Surprisingly, the long pistils of the flowers on the lowest layer of branches are growing much longer just like its majestic stock which is growing high toward the sky. The Century Plant demonstrates the power of nature. The pistils of flowers which bloomed on the second layer yesterday grew much longer in only one day, and the rest of the flowers on all branches were slightly open. It was high, but I could see the pistils were starting to show up from all flowers. Absolutely gorgeous!
Between the Landing House and the diving facility, a long and low concrete barrier runs along the edge of the water, stones inlayed on the top. The barrier creates an elegant atmosphere with two Bald Cypress trees on each side of a Mexican Plum tree at the edge of the water. The branches of these Bald Cypress trees and Mexican Plum are growing toward the water, extending their arms toward the water with grace. The trees produce nice shade on the lawn and water, making a hunting place for birds well as a resting place for the Chinese Domestic Geese.
This morning, the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron caught a small crayfish in the tiny inlet created by the stone inlayed barrier at the mouth of the kayak dock. I think that the water washed away some soil and made a tiny inlet at that the end of the barrier, and sometimes, it traps some fish or crayfish. After the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron gulped the crayfish, the bird flew toward the other end of the barrier, near the corner of the diving facility, stretched its neck and peeked down into the water.
It was cute to watch a Green Heron fly down from a tree beside the facility to the barrier, and stand close to the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron. Then, the Green Heron stretched its neck at the same as the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron, and started picking fishes.
It was the first time I witnessed the Green Heron actively fishing there. The area is becoming higher than the water surface, and the bird has to stretch his neck to catch the fish. The Green Herons usually stand like a statue in the shallow water or on the Algae and wait for fish to come nearby; its fishing strategy is quite stoic. One fish was a little big for the Green Heron. I could see its neck bending down low toward the surface of water, and the bird had to bring its neck back up to swallow it. It was a peaceful and beautiful scene to watch that the two birds, a Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron and a Green Heron hunting near each other with the same posture on that barrier.
The Chinese Domestic Geese crossed the concrete path to other side of the lawn. The mother goose was noticeably limping. I thought that her right thigh might have an injury; and also, I saw her right foot is slightly inward. After she crossed the path and picked some grasses, the mother goose sat on the grass again.
I saw a Red-Shouldered Hawk flying toward the Swiss Sky Ride and fly down under the tree near the meshed wire fence. The bird holding something, but I could not figure out what it was. The bird put it down on the grass and just watched it. From the reaction of the bird, I could tell that it was moving, but the movement was very slow. The bird was just watched it without doing anything. After for a while, the bird started eating it deliciously.
After the Red-Shouldered Hawk finished, I went to the site that the hawk was eating curious what it had caught. I was surprised to see two big claws of s crayfish left on the grass. That red color of two claws on the corner of green grass under the shade of a green tree produced an atmosphere of severity and lonesomeness. I just stood there for a while. And, I wondered again. How the Red-Shouldered Hawk caught the crayfish? I saw once that the Red-Shouldered Hawk caught something on the feeding place in the wetland, but I have not seen the Red-Shouldered Hawk try to hunt the crayfish like the water birds do. Anyway, this morning, I found that the diet of the Red-Shouldered Hawks includes aquatic foods in their menus.
Between the Landing House and the diving facility, a long and low concrete barrier runs along the edge of the water, stones inlayed on the top. The barrier creates an elegant atmosphere with two Bald Cypress trees on each side of a Mexican Plum tree at the edge of the water. The branches of these Bald Cypress trees and Mexican Plum are growing toward the water, extending their arms toward the water with grace. The trees produce nice shade on the lawn and water, making a hunting place for birds well as a resting place for the Chinese Domestic Geese.
This morning, the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron caught a small crayfish in the tiny inlet created by the stone inlayed barrier at the mouth of the kayak dock. I think that the water washed away some soil and made a tiny inlet at that the end of the barrier, and sometimes, it traps some fish or crayfish. After the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron gulped the crayfish, the bird flew toward the other end of the barrier, near the corner of the diving facility, stretched its neck and peeked down into the water.
It was cute to watch a Green Heron fly down from a tree beside the facility to the barrier, and stand close to the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron. Then, the Green Heron stretched its neck at the same as the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron, and started picking fishes.
It was the first time I witnessed the Green Heron actively fishing there. The area is becoming higher than the water surface, and the bird has to stretch his neck to catch the fish. The Green Herons usually stand like a statue in the shallow water or on the Algae and wait for fish to come nearby; its fishing strategy is quite stoic. One fish was a little big for the Green Heron. I could see its neck bending down low toward the surface of water, and the bird had to bring its neck back up to swallow it. It was a peaceful and beautiful scene to watch that the two birds, a Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron and a Green Heron hunting near each other with the same posture on that barrier.
The Chinese Domestic Geese crossed the concrete path to other side of the lawn. The mother goose was noticeably limping. I thought that her right thigh might have an injury; and also, I saw her right foot is slightly inward. After she crossed the path and picked some grasses, the mother goose sat on the grass again.
I saw a Red-Shouldered Hawk flying toward the Swiss Sky Ride and fly down under the tree near the meshed wire fence. The bird holding something, but I could not figure out what it was. The bird put it down on the grass and just watched it. From the reaction of the bird, I could tell that it was moving, but the movement was very slow. The bird was just watched it without doing anything. After for a while, the bird started eating it deliciously.
After the Red-Shouldered Hawk finished, I went to the site that the hawk was eating curious what it had caught. I was surprised to see two big claws of s crayfish left on the grass. That red color of two claws on the corner of green grass under the shade of a green tree produced an atmosphere of severity and lonesomeness. I just stood there for a while. And, I wondered again. How the Red-Shouldered Hawk caught the crayfish? I saw once that the Red-Shouldered Hawk caught something on the feeding place in the wetland, but I have not seen the Red-Shouldered Hawk try to hunt the crayfish like the water birds do. Anyway, this morning, I found that the diet of the Red-Shouldered Hawks includes aquatic foods in their menus.
June 26, 2010
I was surprised to see four deer and three fawns at the parking lot in front of the Texas River Center this morning. A beautiful light brown fawn was away from the herd. Its innocence and curiosity were exhibited, as it ran up to the trees almost touching them with its nose then approaching and inspecting the trucks parked there. Other deer were gathered close by, alert. I turned off my car’s engine and headlights to avoid scaring them away. Then, a car drove down the hill between the Golf course and the Texas Rivers Center, and the deer walked away to the hill.
There was a tent set up under the Pecan Grove, and a Red-Shouldered Hawk was there. I heard the voice of another Red-Shouldered Hawk from behind the hill. I thought the parent’s birds were busy hunting. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk caught something on the path beside the grove, and started eating it, then flew away toward the Aquarena Center.
I saw a Red-Shouldered Hawk perched on a stalk of the desert plant beside of the Century Plant. Its slim and elegant leaves are beautiful, but each leaf has sharp spikes. The plant produced two slim stalks, though their heights were not comparable to the majestic stalk of the Century Plant. The slim stalk could not hold the weight of a Red-Shouldered Hawk. After the Red-Shouldered Hawk flew away, I saw the tip of the stalk bend nearly 90 degrees.
When I was on the boardwalk, the waterway between the Texas Rivers Center and the river was busy with traffic. I saw a Great Blue Heron fly in and out three times. After I sighted the bird for the third time, I walked back to the Glass Bottom Boat dock area, but I could not see the bird there.
At 7:00 a.m., cars started parking in front of the Pecan Grove for a gathering. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk flew up toward the lake, and perched on the blue colored viewing deck that is located on the opposite side of the lake, in front of the Glass Bottom Boat dock.
At the short path between the Swiss Sky Ride and parking lot, a medium sized moss covered turtle was trying hard to dig a hole to lay her eggs. There were tire tracks on the muddy path, and she decided to use that dent as her nest. The ground was hardened by years of parked cars or used as a turnaround spot, but she was determined to use the deepest rut as her nest.
First, she cleared the rut with her front paws, and then used her mighty strength to dig a hole with her hind legs. She looked frustrated about the hardness of ground. Then, I saw that the place where she was digging was becoming wet. At first, I did not pay attention to it. The turtle kept using her mighty strength to dig. Then, I saw water come out her rear end, wetting the ground and she continued digging hard. She discharged water four more times and continued digging.
I realized that the mother turtle was discharging the water to soften the ground. How did the turtle know the water would make the hardened soil softer? I was amazed that the turtle used the water as a solution, or a tool to ease the problem. It was a wild, medium sized turtle, able to reflect and resolve the problem using water as a tool. She discharged four more times but finally gave up that spot, but was still determined to use the same tire track. She moved about one foot and started digging again. I was sad to watch her as two divers turned their cars after they dropped off their gear, on the short path where the turtle was trying to lay her eggs. If I was not standing beside her, they might have run over her.
I saw Mrs. Wassenich, from the San Marcos River Foundation, SMRF, bring out her tools from the storage place. Today is the volunteer day, but I saw she had only one lady volunteer. I was wish more people would come to help these beautiful wetlands and the lake. The wetlands are covered with Algae, Water Hyacinths, Elephant Ears, etc. I remember that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints came to cleanup the part of wetlands in the Golf course that was covered with Algae and Water Hyacinths under the direction of Mrs. Wassenich a couple weeks ago. This beautiful wetlands and lake need help from all the people
not only employees of the Aquarena Center.
There was a tent set up under the Pecan Grove, and a Red-Shouldered Hawk was there. I heard the voice of another Red-Shouldered Hawk from behind the hill. I thought the parent’s birds were busy hunting. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk caught something on the path beside the grove, and started eating it, then flew away toward the Aquarena Center.
I saw a Red-Shouldered Hawk perched on a stalk of the desert plant beside of the Century Plant. Its slim and elegant leaves are beautiful, but each leaf has sharp spikes. The plant produced two slim stalks, though their heights were not comparable to the majestic stalk of the Century Plant. The slim stalk could not hold the weight of a Red-Shouldered Hawk. After the Red-Shouldered Hawk flew away, I saw the tip of the stalk bend nearly 90 degrees.
When I was on the boardwalk, the waterway between the Texas Rivers Center and the river was busy with traffic. I saw a Great Blue Heron fly in and out three times. After I sighted the bird for the third time, I walked back to the Glass Bottom Boat dock area, but I could not see the bird there.
At 7:00 a.m., cars started parking in front of the Pecan Grove for a gathering. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk flew up toward the lake, and perched on the blue colored viewing deck that is located on the opposite side of the lake, in front of the Glass Bottom Boat dock.
At the short path between the Swiss Sky Ride and parking lot, a medium sized moss covered turtle was trying hard to dig a hole to lay her eggs. There were tire tracks on the muddy path, and she decided to use that dent as her nest. The ground was hardened by years of parked cars or used as a turnaround spot, but she was determined to use the deepest rut as her nest.
First, she cleared the rut with her front paws, and then used her mighty strength to dig a hole with her hind legs. She looked frustrated about the hardness of ground. Then, I saw that the place where she was digging was becoming wet. At first, I did not pay attention to it. The turtle kept using her mighty strength to dig. Then, I saw water come out her rear end, wetting the ground and she continued digging hard. She discharged water four more times and continued digging.
I realized that the mother turtle was discharging the water to soften the ground. How did the turtle know the water would make the hardened soil softer? I was amazed that the turtle used the water as a solution, or a tool to ease the problem. It was a wild, medium sized turtle, able to reflect and resolve the problem using water as a tool. She discharged four more times but finally gave up that spot, but was still determined to use the same tire track. She moved about one foot and started digging again. I was sad to watch her as two divers turned their cars after they dropped off their gear, on the short path where the turtle was trying to lay her eggs. If I was not standing beside her, they might have run over her.
I saw Mrs. Wassenich, from the San Marcos River Foundation, SMRF, bring out her tools from the storage place. Today is the volunteer day, but I saw she had only one lady volunteer. I was wish more people would come to help these beautiful wetlands and the lake. The wetlands are covered with Algae, Water Hyacinths, Elephant Ears, etc. I remember that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints came to cleanup the part of wetlands in the Golf course that was covered with Algae and Water Hyacinths under the direction of Mrs. Wassenich a couple weeks ago. This beautiful wetlands and lake need help from all the people
not only employees of the Aquarena Center.
June 26, 2010
I was surprised to see four deer and three fawns at the parking lot in front of the Texas River Center this morning. A beautiful light brown fawn was away from the herd. Its innocence and curiosity were exhibited, as it ran up to the trees almost touching them with its nose then approaching and inspecting the trucks parked there. Other deer were gathered close by, alert. I turned off my car’s engine and headlights to avoid scaring them away. Then, a car drove down the hill between the Golf course and the Texas Rivers Center, and the deer walked away to the hill.
There was a tent set up under the Pecan Grove, and a Red-Shouldered Hawk was there. I heard the voice of another Red-Shouldered Hawk from behind the hill. I thought the parent’s birds were busy hunting. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk caught something on the path beside the grove, and started eating it, then flew away toward the Aquarena Center.
I saw a Red-Shouldered Hawk perched on a stalk of the desert plant beside of the Century Plant. Its slim and elegant leaves are beautiful, but each leaf has sharp spikes. The plant produced two slim stalks, though their heights were not comparable to the majestic stalk of the Century Plant. The slim stalk could not hold the weight of a Red-Shouldered Hawk. After the Red-Shouldered Hawk flew away, I saw the tip of the stalk bend nearly 90 degrees.
When I was on the boardwalk, the waterway between the Texas Rivers Center and the river was busy with traffic. I saw a Great Blue Heron fly in and out three times. After I sighted the bird for the third time, I walked back to the Glass Bottom Boat dock area, but I could not see the bird there.
At 7:00 a.m., cars started parking in front of the Pecan Grove for a gathering. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk flew up toward the lake, and perched on the blue colored viewing deck that is located on the opposite side of the lake, in front of the Glass Bottom Boat dock.
At the short path between the Swiss Sky Ride and parking lot, a medium sized moss covered turtle was trying hard to dig a hole to lay her eggs. There were tire tracks on the muddy path, and she decided to use that dent as her nest. The ground was hardened by years of parked cars or used as a turnaround spot, but she was determined to use the deepest rut as her nest.
First, she cleared the rut with her front paws, and then used her mighty strength to dig a hole with her hind legs. She looked frustrated about the hardness of ground. Then, I saw that the place where she was digging was becoming wet. At first, I did not pay attention to it. The turtle kept using her mighty strength to dig. Then, I saw water come out her rear end, wetting the ground and she continued digging hard. She discharged water four more times and continued digging.
I realized that the mother turtle was discharging the water to soften the ground. How did the turtle know the water would make the hardened soil softer? I was amazed that the turtle used the water as a solution, or a tool to ease the problem. It was a wild, medium sized turtle, able to reflect and resolve the problem using water as a tool. She discharged four more times but finally gave up that spot, but was still determined to use the same tire track. She moved about one foot and started digging again. I was sad to watch her as two divers turned their cars after they dropped off their gear, on the short path where the turtle was trying to lay her eggs. If I was not standing beside her, they might have run over her.
I saw Mrs. Wassenich, from the San Marcos River Foundation, SMRF, bring out her tools from the storage place. Today is the volunteer day, but I saw she had only one lady volunteer. I was wish more people would come to help these beautiful wetlands and the lake. The wetlands are covered with Algae, Water Hyacinths, Elephant Ears, etc. I remember that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints came to cleanup the part of wetlands in the Golf course that was covered with Algae and Water Hyacinths under the direction of Mrs. Wassenich a couple weeks ago. This beautiful wetlands and lake need help from all the people
not only employees of the Aquarena Center.
There was a tent set up under the Pecan Grove, and a Red-Shouldered Hawk was there. I heard the voice of another Red-Shouldered Hawk from behind the hill. I thought the parent’s birds were busy hunting. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk caught something on the path beside the grove, and started eating it, then flew away toward the Aquarena Center.
I saw a Red-Shouldered Hawk perched on a stalk of the desert plant beside of the Century Plant. Its slim and elegant leaves are beautiful, but each leaf has sharp spikes. The plant produced two slim stalks, though their heights were not comparable to the majestic stalk of the Century Plant. The slim stalk could not hold the weight of a Red-Shouldered Hawk. After the Red-Shouldered Hawk flew away, I saw the tip of the stalk bend nearly 90 degrees.
When I was on the boardwalk, the waterway between the Texas Rivers Center and the river was busy with traffic. I saw a Great Blue Heron fly in and out three times. After I sighted the bird for the third time, I walked back to the Glass Bottom Boat dock area, but I could not see the bird there.
At 7:00 a.m., cars started parking in front of the Pecan Grove for a gathering. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk flew up toward the lake, and perched on the blue colored viewing deck that is located on the opposite side of the lake, in front of the Glass Bottom Boat dock.
At the short path between the Swiss Sky Ride and parking lot, a medium sized moss covered turtle was trying hard to dig a hole to lay her eggs. There were tire tracks on the muddy path, and she decided to use that dent as her nest. The ground was hardened by years of parked cars or used as a turnaround spot, but she was determined to use the deepest rut as her nest.
First, she cleared the rut with her front paws, and then used her mighty strength to dig a hole with her hind legs. She looked frustrated about the hardness of ground. Then, I saw that the place where she was digging was becoming wet. At first, I did not pay attention to it. The turtle kept using her mighty strength to dig. Then, I saw water come out her rear end, wetting the ground and she continued digging hard. She discharged water four more times and continued digging.
I realized that the mother turtle was discharging the water to soften the ground. How did the turtle know the water would make the hardened soil softer? I was amazed that the turtle used the water as a solution, or a tool to ease the problem. It was a wild, medium sized turtle, able to reflect and resolve the problem using water as a tool. She discharged four more times but finally gave up that spot, but was still determined to use the same tire track. She moved about one foot and started digging again. I was sad to watch her as two divers turned their cars after they dropped off their gear, on the short path where the turtle was trying to lay her eggs. If I was not standing beside her, they might have run over her.
I saw Mrs. Wassenich, from the San Marcos River Foundation, SMRF, bring out her tools from the storage place. Today is the volunteer day, but I saw she had only one lady volunteer. I was wish more people would come to help these beautiful wetlands and the lake. The wetlands are covered with Algae, Water Hyacinths, Elephant Ears, etc. I remember that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints came to cleanup the part of wetlands in the Golf course that was covered with Algae and Water Hyacinths under the direction of Mrs. Wassenich a couple weeks ago. This beautiful wetlands and lake need help from all the people
not only employees of the Aquarena Center.
June 24, 2010
The Pecan Grove was quiet when the sun was not in the horizon this morning. I parked my car at in front of the Pecan Grove and walked toward the Glass Bottom Boat dock to observe the Great Blue Heron. There was no sighting of the Great Blue Heron; I thought that it was too early.
At the boardwalk, Nutrias were already busy having their breakfast. Those two juveniles were chasing each other as sometimes they do, but they displayed an interesting act this morning. One young Nutria quickly dove and sprung its tail high in the air making cool splashing sounds to escape from the chase. The other young Nutria which was chasing also flipped up its tail high in the air, making cool splashing sounds and dove into the water continuing to chase the other. Three older Nutrias nearby did not care about that acrobatic play of the young ones, and continued with their breakfast.
When I walked toward the exit, I saw the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron perched on the rail looking down at the water, but the bird flew away toward the Golf course.
I heard voices of Red-Shouldered Hawks and other birds after things gradually became visible. I went back to the Glass Bottom Boat dock to see the Great Blue Heron. I concentrated on looking toward the bushes on the other side of the lake, but I did not realize that the Great Blue Heron was on the fence near the Glass Bottom Boat gate. When I approached the boat gate, a Great Blue Heron flew up graciously and flew away toward the river.
I was happy to see that flowers of the Century Plant finally bloomed! It was only the lowest layer of the branches, but light green buds finally opened, and I saw a bee collecting honey from them. Each of the long pistils was growing high toward the sky just like the stalk itself adding elegance in that gorgeous plant.
At the Pecan Grove, a Red-Shouldered Hawk flew back from the Golf course and perched on a picnic table. I thought that it was the young bird. A Thrusher like bird appeared and started to fly closely to the hawk harassing it. One more Red-Shouldered Hawk flew back from the hill, and perched on near Pecan tree branch, but the Thrusher like bird did not care for the other hawk either. The bird cried “Jee! Jee! Jee!” and flew closely around the young hawk, but the young hawk did not respond to the harassment and just stood still. The other hawk, which I thought was the parent hawk, was just quietly observing the two. The young hawk flew up to the branch of the Pecan tree, and the small bird cried “Jee! Jee! Jee!” following the young hawk. It was a puzzle to me why the small bird kept harassing the young hawk.
At the headwaters of the river in front of the Texas Rivers Center, two young men in light green diving suites were busy preparing for a dive. They were busy strapping oxygen tanks on their back, putting on flippers, and then slowly went into the water. Under the water, their green suites became shinier in the greenish/bluish clear water then disappeared from my sight.
Then I saw a Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron flying toward the wooden raft that the two divers had parked in front of the Texas Rivers Center. The Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron walked slowly around the edge of the concrete, the same as the Great Blue Heron did yesterday morning, and came toward the steps that were painted in blue. The bird saw me, but did not care about me, and stopped on the blue steps in front of me. The bird was looking into the water. I was glad that I could see the Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron so closely. I saw at once that the bird was not the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron. The bird’s feathers and beaks had lost their shine, which indicated the bird was older. The clear identification of this bird was the blackish dots on the white feathers of the head and forehead. The bird also had longer white occipital plumes than the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron. The young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron doesn’t have dots on the white feathers on the head and forehead. I was glad to know that there were at least two Yellow-Crowned-Night Herons on this lake now. The bird could not find any crayfish from that area and flew away toward the river.
June 23, 2010
Yesterday, I received a note from Deborah Lane who informed me that she and Arielle would be the editors of my diary. Thank you very much Deborah Lane and Arielle!
The young Red-Shouldered Hawk was alone in the Pecan Grove at 6:30 a.m. The bird was on the picnic table as if it was waiting for its parents to come back. There was no voice of hawks and I thought that the parents were hunting.
When I through the bridge to the boardwalk, I saw a big puddle of water and some Algae on the boardwalk, then, another puddle and a third puddle near the exit on the boardwalk. Something happened on the boardwalk in the early morning; however, three Nutrias were busy munching the Algae as if nothing was happened on the boardwalk, and Green Herons were standing in shallow water patiently and waiting the fish to swim by.
Under the Cypress tree at near the Landing House, the mother Chinese Domestic goose was putting her head in its feathers and sleeping, and two other birds were busy eating the grasses, heading toward the site for the biological experiments. The two geese were further and further from the sleeping mother goose. It was my first case to see that one bird was left behind from the other two. I tried to see whether the mother goose was all right and I started walking slowly toward the mother goose. I thought that the other two geese were busy eating, but the offspring saw my move. At once, the young goose made a sharp warning quack. The mother goose brought up her head and stood at once and made a quack, and the mother goose slowly walked toward the other geese.
I hurried toward the Glass Bottom Boat dock and checked the other side of the lake. I was glad to see a Great Blue Heron walking on the concrete edge along the lake. The bird was looking into the water, and slowly toward the concrete steps, which are painted blue. The bird stopped there and looked into the water for a while. The blue steps go under the water, but not many fish or bird’s favorite crayfish could be found there. The Great Blue Heron does not dive like the Double-Crested Cormorants, either. I felt a little strange about the behavior of that bird, and I thought that it might be the offspring of the Great Blue Heron.
I went to see the Red-Shouldered Hawk at the Pecan Grove again. I was glad to see that one of the hawks was holding something with its legs, and pulling the meat with strong beaks at under the Pecan tree, and another hawk was stood beside of it. I thought that the parent bird brought the food for its young. I heard a voice of another hawk from behind the Texas Rivers Center. After the bird finished its breakfast, two hawks flew up on the picnic table as if they were full and relaxed.
Then, one of Red-Shouldered Hawks flew down to the ground. It was cute to watch the hawk as it found something moving on the ground. The bird was concentrating, observing it, and with one leg, the bird tried to step on it. I could see from the reaction of the hawk, the thing was still moving. The bird walked along with it for a couple steps and stepped on it again with one leg. The bird stepped on it three more times and then let it go. I thought it was the young hawk, and the bird was playing the game just like human children do.
June 21, 2010
Yesterday, Arielle sent me the blog site and I read the diary for June 18th. She skillfully edited my writing, and I appreciate her efforts as the editor of my diary. Thank you very much, Arielle!
One juvenile Nutria had a good stroll this morning. Its footprints started at the left side of boardwalk leading to the covered bridge, went through the covered bridge to the outside bridge with handrails, and to the cut stone area that is the beginning of entrance to the boardwalk. The cute footprints gave me a smile as I imagined the young Nutria’s adventure in this morning.
Six Nutrias were in the middle of breakfast feast at left side of the entrance. The young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron did not mind these Nutrias. Just as I went through the covered entrance, I saw the bird carried a big crayfish between its beaks, coming up in a hurry to the bank from the water. I saw the crayfish was wiggling and moving claws, but the bird carried the crayfish high to the top of bank where a tub of the sick Snapping Turtle was once placed.
That young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron suffered from choking while trying to swallow a big crayfish yesterday morning. This morning’s catch was big, and I was curious how the bird would handle that big crayfish.
The bird held the crayfish in a horizontal position and turned the crayfish with its beaks several times. Every turn the bird made with its beaks, I heard cracking sounds from the shells of crayfish. Then, with its beaks, it changed the position of the crayfish vertically, and amazingly, the bird swallowed that big crayfish in one gulp. After the bird consumed the crayfish, the bird walked down to the water, sipping the water as usual, and started hunting again.
The three American Coots were swimming peacefully along the boardwalk to their hunting place and the three Chinese Domestic Geese were resting near the kayak dock, under the Cypress which carried many green cones. Geese are eating their breakfast much earlier these days.
I saw one Red-Shouldered Hawk flying toward the wetland and I followed the bird. The hawk was perched on the handrail to the entrance. As I was watching the bird, a squirrel started coming down from the electric pole next to the entrance. The hawk flew down to the root of electric pole and looked up at the squirrel. The squirrel noticed, but didn’t show any fear toward the hawk. It slowly kept coming down in front of the hawk which was just watching the descending squirrel, and walked toward the Swiss Sky Ride structure slowly. It was anything special, but I felt as if I saw a beautiful harmony of nature.
June 20, 2010
The Pecan Grove was empty, and the lake was quiet when I arrived this morning. At first, the wetland did not have many activities as if breakfast was over. Even, three Chinese Domestic Geese were resting on the lawn at the side of Swiss Sky Ride. The mother goose was putting her head between her feathers sleeping, but the father and their offspring were alert.
I was glad to see Arielle! She was opening the facilities for today’s activities. Usually divers come in early to prepare for their dive. She let me in the Landing House and showed me some photos on exhibit that were taken under water by a scuba diver who used to work here. It must be a different world to see the lake 20 or 30 feet below the surface than seen from the water surface. I thought that the photographer/scuba diver knew the value and beauty of this lake as a whole.
After I came out from the Landing House, I saw a Red-Shouldered Hawk on the cable of the Swiss Sky Ride. It was looking around with its sharp eyes. Then, the bird flew toward the wetland. When I got near the boardwalk entrance I saw the hawk carried a whitish long shaped thing with its legs. From that shape, I thought that it was a lizard. As I slowly approached I saw the bird on a rusted iron beam was holding the prey with its strong feet, and started eating it. I thought that it was the young Red-Shouldered Hawk; the bird was learning to hunt.
Then, I saw a Great Blue Heron hunting to the right of an enclosure near the entrance to the boardwalk. Because of the tall grass, I could not see what it was, but could see the bird was stretching its neck and its beaks toward some prey and following it slowly. The bird almost got it. Regrettably, the targeted thing escaped. The Great Blue Heron brought up its neck, composed its posture, and flew into the water near the feeding area for hunting.
I heard another Red-Shouldered Hawk from the other side of the woods, near the territory a Great Egret had kept all last summer. On the rusted iron beam, the Red-Shouldered Hawk ate its catch quickly, and responded to the other hawks call. They responded to each other a couple times when the young bird flew up toward the voice. On the way to the other side of the woods, the bird flew low on the feeding area that scared a couple of Green Herons. They flapped their wings and flew up from the feeding area with strong scared voices, and the Red-Shouldered Hawk made a quick upward flight and disappeared into the woods.
When I went thought the boardwalk entrance to see the young Red-Shouldered Hawk, I saw the young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron on the rail and the bird had a problem in its throat. The bird was doing the motions of “opening and closing its beak very wide ” many times as if the bird was choking. I sensed at once that the bird had swallowed a big crayfish, and it had not gone down its throat. For a few minutes, the bird kept doing the same motions then flew down to the edge of a dead floating tree trunk. I thought that the bird needed to drink water, but the bird finally discharged something that plugged its throat, and started hunting more crayfish.
Last summer, the Yellow-Crowned-Night Herons brought the crayfish to land, tried to separate the big claws from the crayfish, not caring to eat the claws. I used to see pairs of red claws left on the boardwalk often. However, this Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron was different; the bird was determined to eat the whole crayfish at once. I could see the strong power from that beautiful young Yellow-Crowned-Night Heron.
I saw the Great Blue Heron caught a crayfish in a near feeding place deeper in the water. When I was watching the Great Blue Heron, I heard voices of the Red-Shouldered Hawks go toward the Old Main Building. Later, I heard voices toward the hill that indicated they were circling the area on the hill behind the Texas Rivers Center. The young Red-Shouldered Hawk was expanding its active areas.
June 18, 2010
The Red-Shouldered Hawks were not in the Pecan Grove this morning, and I didn't hear them. I thought that the young hawks were hunting with their parents.
At 12:00 noon I met with Arielle, the Aquarena graduate fellow, Curriculum Coordinator, and assistant to the Coordinator of Instructional Programs, Mrs. Sonja Mlenar. Arielle took me to her office and talked about editing of my diary and told me about the online web blog. I appreciate that she took her time to correcting my English. I was glad to see her well-organized office was. It contained the educational tour materials for students of all ages, which were neatly stacked and labeled. Afterwards, I took a special Glass Bottom Boat tour with Arielle as my driver! She pointed out the gushing springs in the lake. I thought about how every drop of water in Spring Lake had traveled such a long way to get to Spring Lake, and how it will continue to travel down the San Marcos River and into the Gulf of Mexico. How precious to see those springs in action!
At 12:00 noon I met with Arielle, the Aquarena graduate fellow, Curriculum Coordinator, and assistant to the Coordinator of Instructional Programs, Mrs. Sonja Mlenar. Arielle took me to her office and talked about editing of my diary and told me about the online web blog. I appreciate that she took her time to correcting my English. I was glad to see her well-organized office was. It contained the educational tour materials for students of all ages, which were neatly stacked and labeled. Afterwards, I took a special Glass Bottom Boat tour with Arielle as my driver! She pointed out the gushing springs in the lake. I thought about how every drop of water in Spring Lake had traveled such a long way to get to Spring Lake, and how it will continue to travel down the San Marcos River and into the Gulf of Mexico. How precious to see those springs in action!
Looking at the lake from the land was very different than looking at it from the boat. From the shore, I saw the water as a whole, but I had not thought much about how active the lake actually is, and how much life (plants, fish, and animals) is found there. However, looking deep down into the lake bottom from the boat, I felt a feeling of appreciation for the water and its unfathomable power. How beautiful it was to see the aquatic plants swaying gently from the spring flow. Hundreds of tiny oxygen bubbles rose from the plants and the white Cabomba flowers (which had bloomed underwater.) The bubbles hit the glass bottom of the boat and then gently disappeared. The aquatic plants were gorgeous and had grown much thicker than I saw last year.
How happy I was to see plenty of fish! Since Algae took over the wetlands, I had not many chances to see the underwater activities of the wetlands. I think it is currently spawning season and wonder whether or not the fish are using the aquatic plants as there nesting area. There are more safe areas for eggs and young fish in the lake than the wetland.
How happy I was to see plenty of fish! Since Algae took over the wetlands, I had not many chances to see the underwater activities of the wetlands. I think it is currently spawning season and wonder whether or not the fish are using the aquatic plants as there nesting area. There are more safe areas for eggs and young fish in the lake than the wetland.
Last summer I enjoyed observing fishes during their spawning season at the wetlands. There were hundreds of small holes on the lake floor, which I assumed were created by the springs. Each fish used a hole as a nest, in which they laid their eggs and guarded them from predators until they hatched. There were hundreds of small holes on the lake floor. Amazingly, the fish could identify their own nest in that open lake bottom, and circled around it to guard the eggs. I often witnessed a small fish attack a much bigger fish, just like a torpedo, to defend its nest from invaders. I could not identify which fish was male or female, but I heard that the male fish guarded the nests and the females swam away. Interestingly, the male fish changes color in order to scare off other invading fishes. I wondered what kind of habit these fishes had in the deeper water.
Looking at the wetland from boat, I felt as if the wetlands hold a different lifestyle than the lake. It is the same river, but there are differences between the running water in the lake and the still water in the wetlands.
During the boat ride, I heard the call of the Red-Shouldered Hawks from behind the Texas Rivers Center. I asked Arielle what was behind of the hill, because the hawks often fly towards that area. I was hoping there would be a wooded area. Arielle mentioned to me that behind the hillside there is a wooded residential area. As far as I know, there are two pairs of the Red-Shouldered Hawks, along with a young one. Expansion of the residential area means that the hawks have a decreased chance of survival.
Looking at the wetland from boat, I felt as if the wetlands hold a different lifestyle than the lake. It is the same river, but there are differences between the running water in the lake and the still water in the wetlands.
During the boat ride, I heard the call of the Red-Shouldered Hawks from behind the Texas Rivers Center. I asked Arielle what was behind of the hill, because the hawks often fly towards that area. I was hoping there would be a wooded area. Arielle mentioned to me that behind the hillside there is a wooded residential area. As far as I know, there are two pairs of the Red-Shouldered Hawks, along with a young one. Expansion of the residential area means that the hawks have a decreased chance of survival.
I had a wonderful experience during the boat tour and appreciate the thoughtfulness of Mrs. Mlenar and Arielle regarding their arrangements for me.
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