The Fastest way to get to Texas was by spaceship.

Prickly Pear were flowering and fruiting

Note to self: Don’t just grab a ripe looking Prickly Pear fruit.

It might not look like it has tiny spines, but it does.

Also, don’t just take a bite out of it raw, because, you know, the spines

Spines in your tongue and lips leave a longer reminder than taste does.

4/5 would try slightly differently next time.

This butterfly made me legitimately angry

Angry of how easy it was to take a photo of

How cooperative it was.

It was the first little animal I saw in the yard

Am I missing obvious beauty in Oregon

Or does Texas have something we don’t?

Black Crested Titmouse was surprisingly loud

It came to greet us when we arrived at the Airbnb

HEY! HEY! HEY!

Look! Look at me!

Welcome to Texas!

The orange eye on this curved-bill Thrasher

Looks like a delicious candy

Rio Grande Birding was hard to adjust to

The birds were so loud

but the thicket was so thick

This guy was right on top of me and I couldn’t find him

Ducks on a Log

Sounds like a tasty kid snack

I’ll get to work in my test kitchen

Hey kids? Ready for a bird test?

Northern Shoveler, Mottled Duck, Blue Wing teal, and Green Wing teal.

Missing anything?

Shake that booty

Lesser Yellow Legs can’t resist the urge to dance

Cinnamon Teal and Little Blue Heron

They said we were an abomination

but our love knows no bounds

Species, size, interests, none of this matters

We love being in each others presence

Everything was beautiful.

Even this dumb flower

Couch’s Kingbird

He’s got a good head on his shoulders

In fact, he seems to be mostly head

They say the camera add 10 pounds

It is weirdly allocated in this situation

Estero Llano Grande State Park did not disappoint

Bird Highway Trail

Speed Limit: 80

Birds Seen: 45

Plain Chachalaca

Huge Bird/Dinosaur

Moves invisibly, unless out in the open

Sneaks up on you

Intermitant Screaming

We are in tick/chigger/giant spider country

I itch every time I look at this photo

Tick found: 1

Chiggers found: Me

Still itchy

Turtle Time:

Left to Right, Top To bottom:

Red-eared Slider

Texas River Cooter

Spiny Softshell

Turtle names are little self contained jokes

Least Grebe

Cutest little Grebe

Another bird in the Yellow-candy-eye-club

Or maybe I’m Just hungry

My Bird Crew rolling deep

On the look out for some invisible birds.

You can play along too

There is a bird here

It is called a Common Paraque

Not so common to Me

Here is a hint:

Hiding in bottom Right quadrant

Here is a closeup.

These guys are nap-masters

But they stay up late partying

So I guess it makes sense they are so good at sleeping

Even with all of us birders watching

Golden-Fronted Woodpecker

Fill an interesting ubiquitous bird niche

They seem to be everywhere

but only as a pair

Texas’s Song Sparrow is a Woodpecker

How lucky is that?

Feathers Blowing in the Wind

Lores painted in Green

Great Egret is ready for date night

Roseate Spoonbill

Providing the landscape with a splash of pink

A goofy wading bird

Goofy and beautiful

Its an endearing mix of characteristics

I think this is an Anole

I don’t know about lizards

But I know I like them.

Buff Bellied Hummingbird

Lounging in the Shade

The sun is hot

Time for a well deserved break

You work too hard lil guy.

One of my dream birds

And my dreams have come true

I made the group pull over so we could bask in their coolness

Scissor-tail flycatcher

If running with scissors is dangerous

Flying with them is deadly

If you are an insect

The first day was more than I could have hoped for

I was lucky to be able to go.

Really lucky.

Not tired of me yet?

Check out Day 2