Walking Continues

I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it. ~ William Shakespeare, As You Like It  This place is never a waste of time - even when half of the ponds/swales are dried-up. Today was no exception.  It was hot. I was irritated. So after a visit with a friend I headed out to the ponds for a little peace - to calm the irritation of plans and schedules going awry. Here's who was home: These three. I love the look on the face of the cow. I call this the turtle pond, although it is a manmade tank. There's still some water on the far side of this pond and something was in that tree. One of the "resident" Bald Eagles was perched above the pond and calling intermittently. A Great Egret just beyond the fence line. A closer look. As I approached the turn-around, a hawk swooped down near the edge of another dry pond. It had briefly joined another Red-shouldered Hawk on this limb, but flew just as I arrived. This hawk stayed for the photo. I thought the Scissor-tailed

Sunsets at this park are amazing. Nights can never be real and enjoyable  without the croaking of frogs  and the chirping of crickets. ~ Michael Bassey Johnson, Song of a Nature Lover  It's my anniversary. Tonight I was reminded that I've been hunting amphibians (and more) in Texas and elsewhere for seven years - starting in September, 2016. Here's my proof: Copy of a Facebook post Anyway, we made the monthly watch this past Saturday. We had hoped recent rains would activate the frogs and toads. Unfortunately Berry Springs had only gotten 1.5 inches. It was enough to leave two puddles on one path, but not enough to leave even a little mud in creek bed or bottom of the ponds.  The temperature was in the 80s, but the humidity made it a bit oppressive. By the end of the evening I had sweated through my clothes, my glasses were fogged-up, and sweat was dripping in my eyes.  I don't do heat well.  No frogs or toads were calling. We saw a herd of deer, a giant armadillo, and