Estero Llano Grande State, Park

                                       Wednesday 3/29/2013

While still in Harlingen, Texas we went to the Estero Llano Grande State Park. There are so many wildlife refuges in southern Texas.

It cost us $5 each to get in.

As we walked in I noticed the flowering bush I had seen in a previous refuge. The last flowering bush was red though.

These flowers were orange.

Path to the Visitor Center.

Visitor Center with viewing deck and scopes.

View from the viewing deck.

Looking to the left.

Northern Shoveler and an American Coot.

This is a map of the 200 acre park.

The Rio Grande Valley sits at the intersection of 4 different zones, making birding excellent there.

It was a beautiful day for a walk in the park.

We started on the Wader's Trail.

Dowitcher Pond

The trail took us past Grebe Marsh.

Not much in the pond except a turtle,

and American Coots,

and more turtles.

Our trail took us next to Alligator Lake.

Across the lake we could see some big birds in the trees.

Cattle Egret above and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

I think this is a Little Egret

Joe spotted a small alligator across the lake.

More turtles in Alligator Lake.

Across the lake we spotted a large alligator. Looks like it had ate something recently by the size of it's stomach.

We walked around the lake to Scenic Overlook  on Alligator Lake.

We watched a large alligator swim in the middle of the lake.

A little Egret stupidly flies over a alligator.

Another very large alligator along the shore of the lake.

Snowy Egret

Greater Scaup

Blue-winged Teals

Male and female Blue-winged Teals

Stilt Sandpiper

Joe checking out our map, making sure we are on the right trail.

We saw a hill (which is very uncommon in this very flat landscape),so we decided to climb it to see what we could see.

The Llano Grande River below,

with 7 Roseate Spoonbills.

We brought Mallery this day, because dogs are allow on a leash.

A bush with yellow buds.

Spring is here.

                                                     

Good thing we brought the stroller, because it was a hot day.

She wants to walk, but with all her panting, I knew it was best that she rides or we would have problems with her trachea collapsing later, during the night.

The grasses are very dry, but the trees have roots that go deeper.

This park is very well maintained.

Almost back to the Visitor Center.

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks ( the ones with the orange bills)

and Northern Shovelers,

and Stilt Sandpipers.

Northern Shovelers

Green-winged Teals

White Ibis

Green-winged Teal

A lot of buts and a Common Moorhen ( with the red/orange bill).

Glossy Ibis and immature White Ibis.

Least Grebe

Butterfly Milkweed near the Visitor Center.

Northern Shovelers

The list of birds seen on that day.

Continue of the list of birds seen that day.

Me and Mallery

On the way home we stopped at Granny Clare's Citrus

We were told this place had the best oranges and orange juice. Orange season was on it's last days, so they didn't have fresh orange juice, but we got a bottle of frozen orange juice for $5. The best orange juice we have ever had. They had grapefruit, so we got some of them also. The fruit is so juicy in this part of the USA.

On the way home Joe stopped for gas. As he got gas I walked over to the corner where a farmer was selling his goats. The white and brown goat is a Boer goat, which is a meat goat.

This baby black goat is a Nubian goat, which is a milk or meat goat. It is only a few weeks old.

Our resort had started to close the gate at 3:00 PM since so many snowbirds had already headed back north, making the park very quiet.

We are currently in Canyon Lake, Texas, which is just a few miles NE of San Antonio. We will be here until Tuesday.