What the Truck! Blog
Blog 318: Life at Laguna
Habitat Tours
For five months we guided habitat tours at Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge in far southeast Texas, close to Padre Island and an easy hour from Mexico. What a difference a year makes! Last year we volunteered here during a drought with most flora a grayish-brown color and huddled critters hanging close to the few sources of fresh water. This year all plants and trees are different shades of green with a rainbow of colors popping out of flowers like champagne just uncorked.
Questions Galore
Depending on the day of the week, the time of day, and the phase of the moon, we addressed a variety of questions from guests—from visiting Winter Texans to lifelong Valley residents, students, biologists, geologists, sentimentologists, hydrologists, cardiologists (I just made that last one up) and on and on—science has a broad wingspan. We responded to questions about hydrological influence on bay salinity, wind generators’ impact on bird mortality, gestation periods of feral hogs, the eating habits of exotic nilgai, favorite diets of the Aplomado falcon, and how to best cook yucca blooms.
Different Kind of Place
This is a wonderful place for nature lovers, with birds and critters flying, scooting, running, landing, hiding, kiting, loping, crawling, and swimming that you won’t see elsewhere in the US, and in most cases on the planet. We also rekindled friendships from last winter, plus we met lots of good folks on the staff, other volunteers, interns, and Friends of the refuge. A close-knit community with common goals and a shared purpose is tough to beat.
Recommendations
Spend a month (or two or three) at South Padre Island in the winter. Note: Try, try to avoid Spring Break. Spend time at Laguna Atascosa and the other wonderful nature locations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Hang at the beach, watch the dolphins, visit Sea Turtle Inc., and enjoy great Mexican (and TexMex) food. On chilly days check out the museums and the historical sites. Go to the birding centers even if you are not a birder. Take a deep dip of nature to cleanse the soul, relax the body, and ease the mind.
Last Photos from the Refuge
Birds
The refuge has a well-earned reputation as a mecca for birders and those who just appreciate the beauty of color in flight and the voices of jubilation. Here is a photo of the stunning Altamira oriole, a female cardinal sparkling in pretty light, a glowing pink roseate spoonbill in flight, the petite but classy stilt, a longed-bill curlew that had just landed (I wonder why they call them “long-billed?”), some immature white Ibis hanging out (as teenagers do), and a chacalaca and a red-winged blackbird eying each other at a feeder adjoining the photo blind. Not all bird lovers have just two legs—here is Jack checking the birds out (he prefers watching rabbits, but birds will do).
Ocelot Day
There are only two breeding populations of the crazy-rare Ocelot, and you guessed it, one of them is at Laguna Atascosa. Every year Gladys Porter Zoo helps to sponsor the Ocelot Conservation Day in Brownsville. This year two ocelots from the Texas zoo in Victoria came down to put on a show for kids and adults. Wonderful event that just about everyone from the refuge participated in, with Jan painting ocelot faces and me with the fun and easy job of playing photographer.
Flowering Flora
Just about everything with roots in ground has been showing with buds and blooms and flowers.
Rescue Pup
Our good friend, and a ranger, rescued a pregnant female dog at the refuge. Shy, skittish, and afraid, with love, affection, and little attention (especially from Jack!), she has flourished into a beautiful female called Momma.
Critters
Finally, I end this blog with some critters. Here is a cute rattler, a sweet nilgai, and a wild hog.
Old Trucks
Meet Doris
Meet Esmerelda
Meet Desert Rose
Check out www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What the Truck! blog, and get a sweet gal in your in-basket once a week.
See you next time.
For five months we guided habitat tours at Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge in far southeast Texas, close to Padre Island and an easy hour from Mexico. What a difference a year makes! Last year we volunteered here during a drought with most flora a grayish-brown color and huddled critters hanging close to the few sources of fresh water. This year all plants and trees are different shades of green with a rainbow of colors popping out of flowers like champagne just uncorked.
Questions Galore
Depending on the day of the week, the time of day, and the phase of the moon, we addressed a variety of questions from guests—from visiting Winter Texans to lifelong Valley residents, students, biologists, geologists, sentimentologists, hydrologists, cardiologists (I just made that last one up) and on and on—science has a broad wingspan. We responded to questions about hydrological influence on bay salinity, wind generators’ impact on bird mortality, gestation periods of feral hogs, the eating habits of exotic nilgai, favorite diets of the Aplomado falcon, and how to best cook yucca blooms.
Different Kind of Place
This is a wonderful place for nature lovers, with birds and critters flying, scooting, running, landing, hiding, kiting, loping, crawling, and swimming that you won’t see elsewhere in the US, and in most cases on the planet. We also rekindled friendships from last winter, plus we met lots of good folks on the staff, other volunteers, interns, and Friends of the refuge. A close-knit community with common goals and a shared purpose is tough to beat.
Recommendations
Spend a month (or two or three) at South Padre Island in the winter. Note: Try, try to avoid Spring Break. Spend time at Laguna Atascosa and the other wonderful nature locations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Hang at the beach, watch the dolphins, visit Sea Turtle Inc., and enjoy great Mexican (and TexMex) food. On chilly days check out the museums and the historical sites. Go to the birding centers even if you are not a birder. Take a deep dip of nature to cleanse the soul, relax the body, and ease the mind.
Last Photos from the Refuge
Birds
The refuge has a well-earned reputation as a mecca for birders and those who just appreciate the beauty of color in flight and the voices of jubilation. Here is a photo of the stunning Altamira oriole, a female cardinal sparkling in pretty light, a glowing pink roseate spoonbill in flight, the petite but classy stilt, a longed-bill curlew that had just landed (I wonder why they call them “long-billed?”), some immature white Ibis hanging out (as teenagers do), and a chacalaca and a red-winged blackbird eying each other at a feeder adjoining the photo blind. Not all bird lovers have just two legs—here is Jack checking the birds out (he prefers watching rabbits, but birds will do).
Ocelot Day
There are only two breeding populations of the crazy-rare Ocelot, and you guessed it, one of them is at Laguna Atascosa. Every year Gladys Porter Zoo helps to sponsor the Ocelot Conservation Day in Brownsville. This year two ocelots from the Texas zoo in Victoria came down to put on a show for kids and adults. Wonderful event that just about everyone from the refuge participated in, with Jan painting ocelot faces and me with the fun and easy job of playing photographer.
Flowering Flora
Just about everything with roots in ground has been showing with buds and blooms and flowers.
Rescue Pup
Our good friend, and a ranger, rescued a pregnant female dog at the refuge. Shy, skittish, and afraid, with love, affection, and little attention (especially from Jack!), she has flourished into a beautiful female called Momma.
Critters
Finally, I end this blog with some critters. Here is a cute rattler, a sweet nilgai, and a wild hog.
Old Trucks
Meet Doris
Meet Esmerelda
Meet Desert Rose
Check out www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What the Truck! blog, and get a sweet gal in your in-basket once a week.
See you next time.