Texas State Parks 1: Brazos Bend

Currently in Dallas for Shabbos. But earlier in January -

Brazos Bend State Park. We came for 1 night and stayed for 3. It was a wonderful introduction to Texas State Parks. See for yourself:

This picture doesn’t properly show what a lovely campsite this was. It was in a serene meadow dotted with live oaks with no other campers nearby.

Fishing Dock

The trail along 40 Acre Lake to the observation tower provided excellent birding! Birder friends, help me out here if I mislabel.

Whistling Ducks (next 3 photos)

Synchronized Upside Downs

Synchronized Sleeping

Scarlet Tanager! I don’t think I ever saw one before!

Coopers Hawk

Koots

Little Blue Heron?

The labels mark past floods. See the one Bob is pointing to? That was the flood of December 1913. This entire area is totally flat for miles and miles. I can’t imagine the amount of water in the Brazos River to flood all this land up to that height.

On the White Oak Trail, Red Buckeye Trail to the Brazos River and Big Creek, and Creekfield Lake Woodland Trails...

A Vulture Condo. There were lots more on this tree!

Birder friends?

This trunk was at least several feet across. The tree had fallen and blocked the trail.

Interesting Stuff (it's a technical term) and Pretty Views

This trail was full of Dangerous Banks

The observatory was closed, but we walked over anyway and talked to the guys trying to fix the telescopes

The Nature Center

This Great Horned Owl makes her nest right behind the park office every year, then glares at everyone who comes to see her

Technically these Whooping Cranes were not in the park. But because they were in fields 10 minutes away, I have included this photo. My first time seeing a whooping crane. We (me) had seriously considered going 400 miles (round trip) out of our way to the Whooping Crane Festival near Port Aransas, TX and we (me) regretfully decided it wasn’t worth it. But I got to see them anyway!

Fun Fact: Although I have not been posting bird pictures, I have tons of great ones from other places. Maybe a future blog post?