Our first morning at Brazos Bend State Park--
Lovely. Noisy, with crows, woodpeckers and a red-shouldered hawk making a lot of racket about nothing. Crowds of small birds kept coming through, driving me crazy. Blue-gray gnatchers, chickadees, titmice, downy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, a small, wing-flicking bird that was probable ruby-crowned kinglet, and a mystery bird I never could identify. It seemed to have white spectacles, an olive-colored back, and yellow wingbars. Which is impossible.
Then we went to 40-Acre Lake in search of alligators.
We left the dogs behind, which was a mistake because Molly would have loved the walk. Not far out we saw people clustered by the trail, taking pictures with an enormous camera (it really looked like a spotting scope.) What in the world?
Baby alligators! With Mommy floating in the lake nearby. She never ruffled a feather, even with us standing right by the trail and practically leaning over them to watch. We were told later that if all the babies had started "pipping" at once, she'd have been up there in a flash. Per the volunteers at the nature center, alligator mothers are vigilant.
As you see in the picture, the babies are well camouflaged. But the black and white striped tail is distinctive. I guess they were on shore to sleep overnight in a warm den, because i don't see what they could have been eating up there. Need to research that.
Then on to the observation tower, where I saw an Anhinga! And another. And another. See:
Just a grebe, but what species? Dunno.
Also White Ibis, Coots, Gallinule, and Blue-Winged Teal.
It was a lovely walk all around 40-acre Lake. It was one o'clock by the time we went back to get the dogs, so we took a little break and went out again later. We checked out the Nature Center first, but it was closed. The volunteers manning it had a choice between keeping it open and facing a stream of people here in Texas where no one has to wear masks, or going outside to welcome people there. It was lovely weather outside and they made the sensible choice.
The volunteers had a small alligator to show us. They have a distinct sort of croaking noise they make to get the mother's attention--I hope I will recognize it if I ever hear it again...in time to make a quick departure to higher ground before Mama arrives.
They were really cool people. We talked about places we'd been and all, plus where they were planning to go next. Wish I could be friends with them. But some other people came up and we had to move on.
We went on to walk around Creekfield Lake, then we went to the fishing pier at Elm lake. Then we went to the fishing pier at hale Lake. I liked Hale Lake best and after we were done, took Molly for a walk from the campground to it and halfway around it. I wish I'd gone the whole way around, but I didn't have the map and didn't care to take a chance I couldn't find my way back.
Such a superb place! And so many big, broad, well-marked but wildlife-full trails
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