Stalking Pollinators

Fairies with gossamer wings,
Bring forth beauty, grace and joyful things.
Fairies of the earth are caretakers of our soil, water and trees,
They watch over beautiful creatures such as bears, bunnies and bees.
Fairies ask that you breathe in and appreciate the vantage point from which you stand,
Then trod carefully and respectfully with each intentional step 

you make across this beautiful land.  

~ Molly Friedenfeld 

Texas Sage is blooming.

I needed to get out of the house today. I had been too long resting and nursing this virus. So I almost overdosed on "outside" - walking dogs at the park, visiting Mankins Crossing, checking gardens along State 29, and taking one (maybe two) trips to the ponds on Witter Lane.

The Monarchs are all but gone (only one observed), but there were plenty of other butterflies, moths, flies, birds, spiders, and beetles. So this will be mostly photos. It's the best I can do today.

It was humid to start. Dew clung to the spiderwebs - disclosing almost a carpet of webs (it is a good thing most arachnophobes do not see this).  

~The spiders will be at the end after the "NOTES" section so don't say I didn't warn you!~

We saw 2 Great Blue Herons and 1 Red-shouldered Hawk. It also appeared that the cliff swallows were back and making new nests. I'm not sure if that is normal behavior.*

We were talking and did not even notice this GBH at first. It was fishing below the footbridge.They are such beautiful birds.

This heron (#2) was fishing beneath the Penelope Street Bridge.

I'm not sure what's up with its wing.

The Red-shouldered hawk we have watched all summer continues to hunt along the creek at Yettie Polk Park. Today it flew low near the path and then perched in a  pecan tree less than 25 feet away from us. Not startled by people (and dogs) the bird posed as I tried for a good photo (changing angles, lighting, and "modes" a few times).

What?

You looking at me?

The park cats were on the scene.

This is where they are fed each day.

One of the black kittens "all grown up."

We don't see this cat too often.

Texas sage is blooming again on the cliff high above the creek. The golden-eye provides another pop of color in the landscape.

Since I had to go to Georgetown anyway, I timed it so that I could visit the crossing and a couple of pollinator gardens.

Few birds today at Mankins Crossing - just one vulture and a couple of escaped domestic ducks. The river remains high here and it's flowing fast (No green algae or "scum" as we say, but no water birds either).

Folks were fishing under the Highway 29 bridge. The river is close to the top of the causeway.

My kingdom for an inner tube!

There's a vulture circling pretty high. By the time I headed back north, the fluffy white clouds had gone dark and I could see a few showers forming ahead of the cold front.

I so want to see a woodpecker at this tree.

There were a few interesting things at the edge of the paved area to the north of the crossing.

I've seen a number Buffalo Gourd plants with flowers this year, but few gourds. They grow from a large taproot, so they will survive - seeds or no seeds.

Most of the time I see little, if any damage. Here the gourd plants that survived a mowing were quite eaten up.

Asters with a few pollinators.

Tievine.

There is one of the culprits - a milk snail.

One of the "drive-by" photos. I didn't see these until I was about to leave and they were behind the barbed wire fence.

Moths and weevils

The ladybug is just traveling through. I think most of the damage on the Buffalo Gourd leaves was from snails.

After leaving the crossing I headed back up 29 to Berry Lane that will then take you to Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery.** The gardens there are lovely and I expected they would lure a few bugs. It was amazing indeed. [I know, I know. Too many flutter-by photos. Tough. It will be winter soon enough.]

The garden was in it's last stages of bloom before the cold weather. It was full of butterflies, moths, and bees.

Variegated Fritillary

Queens - There was one lone Monarch (but it looks like I already deleted that photo).

Common Checkered Skipper

Southern Dogface

Fiery Skipper

Ceraunus Blue (?)

I think something might be going on here with the Great Purple Hairstreaks.

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Southern Carpenter Bee

Grey Hairstreak

Pearl Crescant

Bordered Patch

Vesta Crescent

The final trip was to check the ponds on Witter Lane. I knew I was too late for much, but then THERE IT WAS - something in the road. It was a turtle! I hustled to park and see if someone had hit it. No, it was only sheltering in place so (for the third - maybe 4th - time along this road) I moved the turtle to the side of the road in the direction it was traveling. I drove by about an hour later - just to check. The turtle was gone. I imagine it safe in a nearby pond.

I don't have any idea what kind of turtle it is, but I've seen Texas Cooters, Common Sliders, and Red-eared Sliders here. I rely on experts to identify. Since this one won't "stick it's neck out" to let me see if there is a red mark, I will just wait.

Checking the claws in the back. Nice tail showing too.

Serious claws, folks.

I needed these short trips to the wild. The wild heals.


NOTES:

*Heck, I only recently discovered they were cliff swallows and not some other swift/swallow variety.

**I had see the sign and wondered about this cemetery. It's newish. I would find no great grandparents there, but did find some amazing art and plantings. I later discovered some of the local "masters" care for the gardens. 

*** I checked - it's 4 turtle rescues.

SPIDERS~SPIDERS~SPIDERS~SPIDERS~SPIDERS

This leggy spider was on the railing under the bridge.

It appears to be floating, but it actually on its orb. There were two of these orbweavers.