Day Three Rio Grande Valley--Saturday, May 19

Today we headed to the Coast. The ride wasn't bad at all, we had a few scissor-tail flycatchers and loggerhead shrikes along the way. We arrived at Laguna Atascosa NWR mid-morning to travel their 15-mile drive. Without enough gas in the car to make the drive, we headed off to Port Isabel to find a gas station.

In Port Isabel, we could see South Padre Island. It looks like a fabulous place to spend a week, on the shore, reading books and bathing in the sun. We decided to grab lunch at the Pirate's Cove. By far, the best skrimps I've ever eaten. Afterwards, we headed back to Laguna. We had so many cool species; Caracara, Willet, Green Jays, Black-billed cuckoo, Ibis, Reddish Egret, Tri-color Heron, Roadrunner (meep meep) and Roseate Spoonbill. In addition to the birds, we saw a coyote, a wild boar and a tarantula. It was quite a day.

Javelina and his buddy the Green Jay

Green Jays

Ibis

Western Pygmy Blue (actual size=dime)

Tarantula

Day Two Rio Grande Valley--Friday, May 18

Wow, this morning we went to the Estero Llano Grande State Park. The park is filled with a series of wetlands. It was incredible. I didn't take many photos as most of the stuff was viewed through binoculars. In the afternoon, we attended a guided dragonfly hike at Bentsen State Park. During this hike we saw Roseate Skimmer, Coral-fronted threadtail, and Caribbean Yellow Face, to name a few. The tour took us the International Butterfly Sanctuary. This is the site in which we found the swimsuits left behind by the illegals that use this site to enter the U.S.A. They pack up their belongings into garbage bags, swim across the Rio Grande, change into their dry clothes and leave their swimwear on the ground. It was incredible how many suits we saw!

In the evening, I had the best Enchiladas Mole I've ever had. Delicious. I highly recommend Casa de Taco in McAllen.

Black-backed Whistling Ducks

Familiar Bluet

Larry, Judy & Jay

Mexico! Rio Grande River

Day One Rio Grande Valley--Thursday, May 17

Today we went to the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. What a day. After spending a few hours in the freakin' parking lot (JAY!), we finally got into the park. We saw so many super cool things. The best were Green Jay and Greater Kiskadee! I, of course, had no good shots of either, but I'm sure Jay and Judy did. Here's an abbreviated list:

Chacalaca
julia butterfly
gulf frittillary
zebra longwing
White-winged Dove
Buff-bellied Hummer
Hooded Oriole
cane toad
ribbon snake
Altimira Oriole

In the evening, we ventured to Bentsen State Park. This was the BEST of the best. Joshua Rose (aka JR) took us on a night hike. Well no one found it necessary to tell me to wear freakin' pants? After the hike, I had to go in for a blood transfusion. Regardless, we saw the coolest stuff. For me, the best were the javelinas and the Ferruginous Pygmy-owl. We saw a family of 14 javelinas! At the end of the night, we saw the hugest tarantula. Even though the tarantula had a "hitch it its giddy-up", it was so cool. We also saw a pauraque, mediterranean geckos, and Mexican free-tailed bat.
Tropical-checkered skipper

Spanish moss

Cane Toad

Grassland Whiptail Lizard

The cactus that attacked Jay

Rototilling Sunday

Last Sunday, we rented a rototiller from Home Depot to churn the soil so we could seed our front yard! Jules compared using the rototiller to walking two pit bulls. He did a wonderful job. We also laid a stepping stone path along the front of the house. Once grass grows, I'll take more pictures. We seeded our tree lawn the week before and we have lots of baby grass in it.

Dragonfly Days in Texas

I'm off to McAllen, TX on Wednesday. McAllen is the Square Dance Capitol of the World. Remember this little jingle from Bugs Bunny...

Step right up, you're doin' fine,
I'll pull your beard, you pull mine.
Yank it again, like you did before,
Break it up with a tug o' war.

Grab a fence post, hold it tight,
Womp your partner with all your might.
Hit him in the shin, hit him in the head,
Hit him again, the critter ain't dead.

Wop him low and wop him high,
Stick your finger in his eye.
Pretty little rhythm, pretty little sound,
Bang your heads against the ground.

The Temps are Rising

It's starting to warm up in NE Ohio. Muffs is shedding and doing anything to cool off. Last night's pose was not pretty.

In Today's Mail

I'm happy to inform diligent didymops blog readers that the City of Cleveland returned my appeal money (59 smacks) in today's mail! I thought it would take a minimum of 3 months and as it turns out it was less than one. Could this be because Frank is our new mayor?