Out in the Wild Again - At Last

Find a part of yourself hidden in the twilight. 

~ Fennel Hudson 

Frogs prefer moonless nights, I understand. I don't remember many times we have been out without at least a sliver of moon.

We were called back to Devine Lake - called by the frogs and the wild. It is a long drive for us, but we needed to go. There are wonders at this place - people - amphibians - birds - plants.

The sun was just going down past this little bit of wilderness abutting the park.

Arriving early, Zelda and I headed to the water while DH "geared up." I got dog duty because I was still not balanced sufficiently to manage mud and muck (just looking down too long could be disabling).


We had seen two Great Egrets fly over as we exited the car (yes - we had binoculars!). More came as we walked across a field. I wonder if they were looking for a stopping place and decided against this lake. A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was fussing with some swallows. I was not clear on just what was happening, but it was loud. The flycatcher perched at the top of one of the oaks.

Like my old photos of "you see the whatever, don't you?" Do you see the flycatcher here? [I love this stand of oaks.]

Well, here it is. If you know birds, you know this one (even I know this one). I still remember my daddy pointing them out to me so many years ago.

I could hear the cricket frogs calling as I arrived at the water's edge. Children are drawn to Zelda. Her curly hair and windmill tail-wag lure them in (probably shouldn't describe it that way, but). I loved that children were asking their parents and me if it was "okay to pet the dog." And Zelda loved it all.

One family was originally from Sri Lanka. We spoke of the wonderful Williamson County Parks and travel and family. I explained why all the crazy people with buckets and nets, flashlights and waders were heading our way. [Amphibian watchers can be quite a sight.] They asked if they could contact me and I handed them my card. Zelda was patient as the small son (not yet 3) tried to feed her rocks and straws. He had been feeding bread to the ducks.

Sunset at Devine Lake Park - ducks swimming away.

Domesticated ducks - not sure where they came from. I have not seen them here before.

A few things continue to bloom. Frogfruit, Buttonbush, Honeysuckle and a few other things hugged the lakeside and grew in the bits of wild brush. This park is mowed and trimmed a bit, but it is not landscaped as some.

Frogfruit (Turkey-tangle to be precise) This is tiny and low-growing. The blooms are smaller than your little fingernail.

Buttonbush 1 (I have only seen this once before - at Hamilton's Pool. Or maybe I had seen it, but not noticed it before).

Buttonbush 2

It was a windy evening so I tried to still the plant for a better photo.

It was almost dark and the cell struggled .

This is a plant I should know, but will have to research. Marsh Fleabane (Thanks to iNaturalist peeps.).

A different view of the lake.

We heard some few cricket frogs and caught two. Loads (not a scientific word - how about 8) of geckos (Mediterranean House Geckos - non-native) were feeding around the bathroom building. A wolf spider had created a trap nearby. 

Documenting the Blanchard's Cricket Frog.

These are such weird looking creatures, these geckos

I took too many bad photos of geckos

See that spider in the hole (this was a large - between a quarter and fifty-cent piece sized hole)? I don't believe in bothering the creatures beyond adding some light, but I know some who would be holding this fellow for the photos (if you don't know it, don't touch it - and sometimes even if you know it).

Ultraviolet light disclosed a tiny scorpion - just big enough to fluoresce (babies don't glow).

Contented, we headed home after stopping for something to drink (it was a warm-humid evening and we were sweating). We commented on some of the wild drivers and came upon an accident just 10 or 12 miles from home. Lights were flashing and we could see traffic slowing ahead.

We exited the highway at the last opportunity before the scene and navigated our way home.

Part of the watchers. It's a great bunch of folks, fascinated by frogs, toads, snakes, lizards, geckos, spiders, birds.....