Tuesday at Davis Mountains State Park

 March 16, 2021

I believe it was Tuesday morning when I finally saw birds at the RV park--a Canyon Towhee

 and a Curve-Billed Thrasher. Both were so gray and dull that the camouflage made them nearly invisible on the dusty ground.

After that we went to the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and then to Davis Mountains State Park.  The nature center was superb! But the building was closed to the public, the park was very crowded and the bathrooms were out of order. We left the dogs in the Jeep and speed hiked to the bird blind--no birds--then walked quickly through the plant exhibits back to the Jeep. As were were getting close, I discovered two things--(a) porta-potties, and (b) a dog poop station.  So all our haste was pointless. We could have relieved our bladders, taken the dogs, and walked at leisure to enjoy the plants.

But instead we watered the dogs and gave them a walk in the parking lot, then meandered through the mining exhibit. It was a recreation of an old-time copper mining operation with all kinds of cool rock samples.

Anywhere we went, we could see the McDonald Observatory in the distance:

After that, we got back into the Jeep and went on. It was still unpleasantly  windy even though the cold front should have pushed through by then. Interesting thing about the nature center--when we arrived at about eleven o'clock, the parking lot was packed. But when we left, it was clearing out. We could have spent a couple more hours there.

Some random scenery:

So on the to the State Park. There we drove the Skyline Drive and stopped on the top of the hill to see the view:

It was nice, but way too windy to enjoy contemplating the horizon. The chin strap on my hat got a good workout.

And then back to the bird blind. Awesome!

I saw:
Woodhouse's Scrub Jay

Lesser Goldfinch

Dark-eyed Junco (pink sided race)

Acorn Woodpecker

Pine Siskin

Field Sparrow, I think

Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Black-Crested Titmouse
White-Winged Dove
Bewick's Wren
House FInch
Northern Cardinal
American Robin

And while I was watching, some non-bird visitors came to rob the suet:

I could have stayed there a lot longer, but the day was winding down and it was time to go back to Hasta La Vista RV Park. Lovely day, despite the wind.