April 15, 2006 - Ft. Davis, Texas
Submitted by woodstrehl on Sat, 04/15/2006 - 3:14pm.
This Saturday afternoon finds us in a "wireless internet" coffee shop opposite the historic Hotel Limpia in downtown Ft. Davis. At dawn we drove a few miles to high country in the Davis Mountains where we found and saw for the first time one Hutton's vireo, a wisp of a bird with a varied and persistant song. Though it announced its presence continuosly, it did not really want to be seen. We pursued it for some time across the parkland until clear views revealed its identity and gave us the pleasure of appreciation of the fine beast.
Later, we visited and walked back trails through the box canyon and up onto the bluffs above the fort itself. A fresh breeze brought us back to camp to secure our motor home awning before lunch. This is our last full day here. We will miss the low humidity and chilly nights of the Davis Mountains and the beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert. Near this small town is the Desert Museum with native plant gardens, trails, and a fine little museum. Some twenty miles north is Balmorhhea State Park with a large (24 million gallons per day) spring whose basin has been converted into a huge swimming pool. That provided a pleasant chill one afternoon after a morning of walking in the desert heat.
The spring water irrigates fields and partly nourishes a Lake Balmorhhea that is an oasis for water birds and fishermen. We saw our first Clark's grebe on its surface.
Tomorrow we will turn east and drive to Lost Maples State Park at the edge of the Edwards Plateau. In this area are found two rare endemic species of birds, the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo. We hope to find them there. The first should be easy.
The males of this colorful and lively species should be singing up a storm as they endeavor to establish and define territories and lure a lady or two to share it with them. The vireos will also be singing, but these birds tend to stay within the brush. We will have to be patient and diligent to catch good looks at these "spectacled" and black-capped little birds.
Happy Easter to everyone from the Trans-Pecos.
This Saturday afternoon finds us in a "wireless internet" coffee shop opposite the historic Hotel Limpia in downtown Ft. Davis. At dawn we drove a few miles to high country in the Davis Mountains where we found and saw for the first time one Hutton's vireo, a wisp of a bird with a varied and persistant song. Though it announced its presence continuosly, it did not really want to be seen. We pursued it for some time across the parkland until clear views revealed its identity and gave us the pleasure of appreciation of the fine beast.
Later, we visited and walked back trails through the box canyon and up onto the bluffs above the fort itself. A fresh breeze brought us back to camp to secure our motor home awning before lunch. This is our last full day here. We will miss the low humidity and chilly nights of the Davis Mountains and the beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert. Near this small town is the Desert Museum with native plant gardens, trails, and a fine little museum. Some twenty miles north is Balmorhhea State Park with a large (24 million gallons per day) spring whose basin has been converted into a huge swimming pool. That provided a pleasant chill one afternoon after a morning of walking in the desert heat.
The spring water irrigates fields and partly nourishes a Lake Balmorhhea that is an oasis for water birds and fishermen. We saw our first Clark's grebe on its surface.
Tomorrow we will turn east and drive to Lost Maples State Park at the edge of the Edwards Plateau. In this area are found two rare endemic species of birds, the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo. We hope to find them there. The first should be easy.
The males of this colorful and lively species should be singing up a storm as they endeavor to establish and define territories and lure a lady or two to share it with them. The vireos will also be singing, but these birds tend to stay within the brush. We will have to be patient and diligent to catch good looks at these "spectacled" and black-capped little birds.
Happy Easter to everyone from the Trans-Pecos.
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