Saturday the lady and I tried something new and spent the better part of the day in the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch near San Antonio.

This 400-acre wildlife park is a drive-through adventure with hundreds of native and exotic animals.


With pellets provided by park, many of the animals come right up to you. Read the rest of this entry »

A killer whale (Orcinus orca) waves to a crowd Saturday during a performance at SeaWorld San Antonio.

Animals are capable of many amazing things. That talent was on full display Saturday when the lady and I took a trip to SeaWorld San Antonio. Read the rest of this entry »

Seek the hidden

March 29, 2011

The sound of scurrying lizards is pretty unique. For a while on Saturday, it was all I heard. As I walked the trails in San Antonio’s McAllister Park, I heard the noise near every tree, but the creatures remained elusive. And then there was this guy.

Meet the Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus). This little guy was a model subject. Granted, it got a little freaked out when I kept staring at it through a lens, but I can’t say I blame it. Read the rest of this entry »

In San Antonio, one of the first natural places that I’ve begun to explore is McAllister Park. Featuring miles of trails through varied environments, both paved and otherwise, it gives a nice mixture of scenery. The trails accommodate hiking, jogging and biking.

And if it’s your thing, it also features recreational areas for soccer and picnics.
Read the rest of this entry »

Update from down south!

March 21, 2011

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? The last time I blogged was in August of 2010. Hopefully I can start making up for that.

A lot has happened since last summer. I’ve left the beautiful state of Virginia and now live in San Antonio, Texas. To say the scenes are different would be an understatement. The days are longer, the air is drier, oh – and have you heard – Texas is a little warmer than Virginia. Read the rest of this entry »

Several weeks ago I was visiting a friend in Rockingham County and was surprised to learn that she likes birds. A lot.

This crafty little lady has converted her backyard into a sort of bird haven. I’m sure many people do the same thing, but I wanted to point out a few clever things she’s done in case anyone wants to try it in their yard. Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier this week I had a great outing in Huntley Meadows Park. Among the highlights were another green heron, adorable beavers and un-photographed raccoons/fox.

Recent rains have replenished the water supply in the park and the boardwalk area was active with a variety of life. Read the rest of this entry »

Well friends, my apologies for the delay in posting. I’ll be rolling out new posts soon, but here is a short one to tide you over.

The photos from this outing in Huntley Meadows, predictably, are a bunch of herons navigating slowly in the downpour.

As I fled, I noticed that the toads came out in mass along all the wooded paths. I’m not sure if they liked the rain, or just couldn’t hide for fear of drowning.

As humans we don’t think about what it takes to grow. It just happens. For animals that molt, there is a very different process.

Over the weekend I watched this curious behavior with a cicada in the Shenandoah Valley. Read the rest of this entry »

Saturday I was able to make a run on the JMU Arboretum in Harrisonburg.

It was great to be back. In the past, I’ve had luck at the venue with birding, and this weekend didn’t disappoint either. Read the rest of this entry »