A Clapper Rail, Kite Surfing at Port Aransas, and lots of Dolphins

After lots of pictures of the Flamingo, another birder told us about the two clapper rails. He had spotted them earlier and if we could see one it would be a new life bird! As he was talking the clapper rail walked out from under the boardwalk and put on quite a show.

The low tide had concentrated the fish and crabs in a very small tidal pool. The birds were having a feast, and the clapper rail was enjoying the smorgasbord. At one point we watched as it waded into the shallow pool and caught a small blue crab!

It carried the crab onto the mud flat, dropped it, and then proceeded to kill it before finishing off a fresh blue crab feast. We also watched as the snowy egrets, a little blue heron, black necked stilts, and even the grackles were gobbling up small minnows.

After our own lunch we went to the beach front and watched as three kite surfers enjoyed the strong winds and launched themselves high into the air. I asked if Renita would like a kite, harness and surfboard for Christmas, but she responded by wondering aloud if I was trying to get rid of her. It looked like so much fun and we are only seventy-three, what could go wrong?

Our last stop was at Browne Point where a pod of dolphins was eating their lunch and enjoying the day as dolphins always seem to do. Renita and several others were taking pictures with their cell phones. It was too cold and windy for me and I stayed put in the car, taking a picture of the sand sculture wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. It was a good end to the busy day. Clear skies

Another American Flamingo at Port Aransas

We hadn’t been to Port Aransas since last spring. It is one of our favorite places to bird. Having heard that an American flamingo was present, Renita looked it up and read that the three flamingos from last winter had left shortly after we headed north.

Then a single American flamingo appeared and took up residence at the Leorna Turnbill wetlands, (near the sewage waste plant). So, we headed across the ferry to Port Aransas hoping it was still there. There were two cars with us, Dave, Jane, Betty were in their white Ford truckalso drove along and Barb and Dan in their bright red jeep.

When we arrived, we walked to the start of the boardwalk, I immediately looked for a clapper rail. It’s common there but we had never spotted it, The clapper rail feeds and then hides out in the thick swamp vegetation. Not seeing it Renita spotted the flamingo, (I have such tunnel vision that I hadn’t noticed the large pink bird! It was as close as we have ever been to one and so all thoughts of the clapper rail disappeared, it was flamingo picture time.

The bird was almost surrounded by a flock of American White Pelicans, and they seemed to shun the bright pink bird. As it feed they moved in mass away from it. The flamingo fed by extending its long neck so that its head was in the water and then moving it back and forth in the soft mud.

It. flew to the other side of the marsh and rested for a bit, so we turned around, walked back to a busy flock of feeding birds and looked for a clapper rail. Another photographer told us it had just disappeared below the boardwalk and sure enough it graced us with its presence. But that is for another post! Meanwhile the flamingo decided it was still hungry and flew back to the waiting group of fellow birders. Turning back to it we both took more pictures and watched as it moved across the exposed mud flat. It again put its head into the water, and we decided to leave and meet at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Port Aransas. A flock of roseate spoonbills joined the feeding frenzy and Renita was able to take pictures of the flamingo and roseates in the same frame!

Another birding enthusiast later remarked that the day was just like an early Christmas, and we all agreed! Clear skies

Oyster Boats in Aransas Bay

The Oyster boats are out in force in Aransas Bay! We decided to check out the Fishing at Goose Island State Park and as we crossed the Copano Bay Bridge, we counted thirty-one boats. Each boat drags a small metal cage which scrapes up the oysters off their oyster bed.

The boats turn in hard circles and every so often lift the cage and dump it on the working table. There the deck hands pick up the oysters and chop off, (using a small hatchet), old shells along with any under sized oysters. These are returned to the sea. If a boat is caught with over twenty percent of undersize oysters the boat has to dump all their sacks of oysters into the sea, is given a large fine, along with fines for the deck hands.

The oystering was closed for two years due to the overharvest that took place and has just recently been reopened.

Let’s hope that this does not happen again!

Once in the park we drove to the fishing pier and were surprised to see how close the boats were to the pier’s end. We have never seen them this close before. In one of the pictures, you can see a colored flag attached to a piece of PVC pipe stuck in the oyster bar. Before I took the picture there were ten more boats but all but three soon left. In another of the pictures you can zoom in and see lots of boats in the distance. WE look forward to holding an oyster Happy Hour this winter! Clear skies and Happy Thanksgiving

War Birds over South Texas Air Show, Rockport, Texas November 2024

We are near the airport, in Fulton, Texas, and so we get a lot of airplanes flying over. The local newspaper had reported that the air show, War Birds over South Texas was on for three days and we started to see biplanes, several bombers including a B25, and many other vintage planes. S

ome were quiet but the sound of the B25 shook the ground as it thundered over us! Saturday morning Renita and I went to the airport to take pictures of the many different planes, most being flown and maintained by the Commemorative Air Force, (formerly the Confederate Air Force). My main interest was in the plane Named the Southern Cross.

It is a WWII C47 that was one of the pathfinder planes that led the 101st Airborne to Normandy on D Day.

Another plane one named the Devil Dog, a B25 bomber flew by the Marines on raids against Japanese shipping, and a Dauntless SBD Dive bomber.

There were so many planes and so much history, including Chuck Yagers P51 Mustang, which was painted with thirteen kills.

We loved the colors of the five Biplanes and at one point the air show conducted a mass fly out where plane after plane took off. The last planes to take off were four of them. It helped me to picture what must have been like to see a flight of biplanes leaving their base during World War 1.

Rides were available in many of the planes, a Navy Transport advertized fly like an admiral and cost seven hundred and fifty for a family of five.

While I probably would have enjoyed it, the sound inside the airplanes probably would have finished off whatever hearing I still have left. We also have a rule that we should not fly in a plane that is older than we are! This is the second Fly in we have seen here in South Texas and definitely the the most historic Warbirds. It fit in well with our previous post of Sea Wolf Park! Clear skies

Whooping Cranes in Lamar, the no trespassing signs are up!

We are finally getting settled in Texas and we took a drive to Lamar looking to see the whooping cranes. On the way we passed the Linda S, Carver Bird Sanctuary, which is part of the Aransas Pathways. Our friends Barb and Dan go there often and it’s a nice place for a quick visit, looking for migrating birds, As usual, we had difficulties with the wading birds, Each year we spend time refreshing our memories on the types of shorebirds, (we often make mistakes so please feel free to correct us) Our first stop was at the covered observation deck. There Northern cardinals landed in the trees and popped in and out of the dense foulage,

We did spot a tufted titmouse and perhaps an immature painted bunting, (lousy picture). Before we left a forester tern flew over the pond and got a shot of it in the air.

Down the path we did notice the huge fire ant mounds which are sonneting every Texas visitor needs to learn how to stay away from. Successfully avoiding them we took a few pictures of what I first thought were lesser juvenile yellow legs.

Mottled ducks swam by along with some green wing teal, and others, (time for the bird book) A great blue heron and a snowy egret were also present, but I couldn’t get a decent picture of the snowy. Returning to the car we did spot an eastern kingbird. Our next stop was across Copano Bay to the town of Lamar. We looked but didn’t see any scissor tails, but a deer did burst out of the thick woods and eagle eye Renita missed it. Driving along the Beach we passed the point where alligators reside, but we didn’t see any. The bird/deer feeders weren’t working yet as apparently no one is filling them. Turning up Eighth Street we saw cars stopping and there were three whooping cranes.

It was a family group with a new colt, which is a name for the brown spotted young bird, (they are called colts because of the their rambunctious behavior. We noticed several sandhill cranes and it was obvious the young whooper was staring at them, whoopers do not like to share their feeding areas with other large birds and the male will often chase them away, Even getting into fight when other whooping cranes that land in their territory, (each whooper family claims an area of about one to two miles).

As we watched Renita spotted a flock of about ten rosette spoonbills, a great white Heron

, and I got a shot of a reddish egret in the background. The next bird we spotted was an American Kestral, perching on a wire.

The water level is high from coastal flooding and in a normally dry spot sanderlings and a willet, shared the bonanza of the rarely flooded area. It was a short trip and so we headed back to our fifth wheel. It’s quite a bit smaller than our Cavco Park Model, but like any small space, quite livable, with air conditioning, the temps and humidity are too high for us to enjoy afternoons outside, (it usually cools off for happy hour. Clear skies

Seawolf Park and the Trip from Springfield, Illinois

We left from Springfield Illinois and headed South by Southwest. The drive in Northern Arkansas was filled with heavy smoke and even some falling ash. Stopping at the first rest area the person there told us that the farmers were burning their rice fields. We spent an uneventful night in Arkansas and then Marshall, Texas before reaching Galveston, Texas. In Galveston we spent two nights as we wanted to do some sightseeing, including visiting Seawolf Park. You can see the small park from the ferry, its north of the west ferry landing. The park is named for a submarine but not the Cavalla. The two ships on permanent display were the Gato Class Submarine Cavalla and the USS Stewert, a Destroyer Escort. This is one of the only two destroyer escorts built in the shipyard in Houston. Both survived WW II but the sister ship to the USS Stewert was cut up for scrap. The USS Stewert is one of only two destroyer escorts on display in the US. Its 306 feet long and has a beam of 36 feet.

Climbing up the stairway/ships ladder we reached the stern. Besides several antiaircraft guns, and a three-inch gun it contained two racks of depth charges. Eight depth charge projectors were along the port and starboard sides.

It also had a hedgehog which shot smaller depth charges away from the ship. Entering the stern hatch, we passed the galley, which prepared food for the 200 seamen. The officers had separate eating quarters. Climbing down into the hold we saw the crowded bunks. A little further were the bunks for the petty officers. Climbing another set of stairs, we reached the officers’ quarters and the Captain’s Cabin, which only had one bunk. Reaching the front of the ship we saw the radar displays and sonar areas behind the wheelhouse.

You had to watch your head as you climbed through the ship’s doors and hatches. We enjoyed the display of a ship that hunted submarines in the Horth Atlantic. Carefully going down the stairs we walked over to the USS Cavalla. During the Batlle of The Philippines the submarine sunk the Japanese Carrier Shokaku, (Which had taken part in the attack on Pearl Harbor).

Entering the Bow Hatch we climbed down the steep stairs. It was the forward torpedo room and contained two torpedoes and some bunks The submarine is three hundred and one feet long and the spaces inside were cramped, The watertight doors were much smaller than the ones in the Stewart. We both had to be very careful as we passed each bulkhead and door were extremely small.

As you would expect the galley and bunks were all crammed. The dining area for the enlisted men was one of the larger spaces in the sub. Past the conning tower ship the ship was driven by two men who controlled the diesels and electric motors. Further back we reached the stern torpedo tubes, four, and also the escape hatch, (the men would use a Munson Lung to try to reach the surface if the ship had been sunk, (seven men actually used one to escape when their sub was sunk at a depth of one hundred and eighty feet.

The sub had a crew of sixty-five enlisted and four officers. At times the sub would pick up airman and it would have been even worse crowded conditions. The exit stairs were in the stern and we carefully climbed out up the steep and narrow space. The sub is not for anyone who suffers from claustrophobia. We enjoyed the self-guided tour and would recommend it for anyone who is interested in naval history! Clear skies A special thenks to all who served and to those serving today.

Rest In Peace 399

It was reported two days ago that our favorite grizzly bear, 399, was hit and killed. She was hit by a drvier going the speed limit at 10:30 pm. Luckily the drive was not injured an drepored the accident.

I am posting a few of the hundreds, perhaps thousands that we have taken of her over the years. The last was taken when her cub Spirit was looking at her with a mouth full of flowers.

Clear skies and a special thanks to 399 The U s Fish and Wildlife annpunced that 399 was creamated and her ashes were scattered at Pilgrim Creek. Its where she denned and made so many appearences with her cubs.

Prairie Agate Rock Shop, Crawford, Nebraska

As we travel, besides wildlife, we also keep an eye out for rock shops. So, when we passed one in Crawford, Nebraska I told Renita and of course we had to turn around and check it out. The door was open, and the proprietor was sitting in an easy chair enjoying the sunshine. Parking, we saw that the yard was full of the usual. Piles of rough rocks and rows of bins containing slabs.

Gary, the owner told us that he had lots of fossils, polished slabs, and high-quality rough inside. He told us of the titanothere skull his son had dug out and prepared and that it was enclosed in a glass case. It was a perfect two horned specimen and other large skulls were nearby. One case contained wooly mammoth teeth and teeth from other Pleistocene mammals.

All of his specimens had documentation that showed they had been legally collected and Gary showed an incredible knowledge, one of the most knowledgeable we have ever met. I asked him if he had any blue agate and he proudly told me all about the Nebraska State Gemstone, Nebraska Blue, Its found in the White River Formation which is the rock that that Crawford rests upon. As he told us about it he took out a UV flashlight and explained that much of the agate emits a strong green fluorescence.

We both decided we had to have some for specimens and for making jewelry. He handed us each our own uv light and then showed us piece after piece. Now not all the agate fluoresces only that which contains adamite. That mineral will then only fluoresces if it also contains some Uranium Oxide. Uranium is in almost all the petrified wood and fossil dinosaur bone out west. One storey goes that the first atom bomb partially was made from uranium collected from such fossilized wood. As he showed us piece after piece, we grabbed each one and he suggested we should go into his Ultra Violet Dark room where he had many specimens on display. All were for sale, and we left the room with more exquisite pieces. We now have so much Nebraska Blue that we probably have a lifetime supply. When we return to Wyoming next spring the first order of business will be to make a case full of cabochons for our summer shows! If you are ever in the town of Crawford, Nebraska be sure to stop in and enjoy the rocks and fossils! Clear skies, and of course rock on! Ps I am having trouble taking pictures of the green color as my uv light overpowers the green fluorescence with the strong visible purple that the light emits. Arrgh!

Making Apple Cider

Arriving at Hamilton we started the day right with Eric and Jenny hugs. It had been a long two days of driving from Salt Lake City, where Renita had a yearly exam. From there we drove six hundred miles to Hamilton, Montana. Upon arrival Jen told us it was a special weekend, Apple Days. The next morning we went downtown and arriving early were able to buy two homemade apple pies. Taking them back to their house we ate a quick lunch and then went to one of their friends farm where their huge extended family had gathered to make apple cider.

There were quite a few people there but after being shown around we found spots at the cutting tables. Our job there was to inspect the apples for worms and cut the wormy portion away. Apparently, worms give the cider a bad taste. The apples were first giving a bath in a weak bleach solution before moving to a rinsing blue tub. From there they were rinsed a second time in another tub before they were scooped out and moved to the cutting tables, (Eric was the main scooper).

If the apples had a worm hole Renita and I would cut them in half before chopping them into smaller pieces, ( it reminded me of my career as a teacher where I sorted good and bad apples). Next, they were taken to the cider press which used an electric drill powered press to force the juice out of the apples. Even though there were four tables of cutters this was the slowest part of the operation and we spent four hours chopping apples.

The juice was then carried to the bagging station where Jen filled each bag with a gallon of cider and then placed each bag in the sun. Meanwhile another person asked us to guess how many gallons of apple cider would be made. Renita and I were not even close as the actually number was 297. Luckily it was cool and many of the stations had tented roofs, so it was bearable. Tired and sore we left before they distributed the cider and Jen brough back the gallon of cider we were given for our stint at the cutting table, (my lower back was sore for the next two days). It was really neat to take part in the cider making. As we worked for at least two hours we were given glasses of apple cider to spur us on! Most of the apple grown around Hamilton are Macintosh but some brought other apples from as far away as Washington State. Thanks for the opportunity to join in making Apple Cider! Clear skies