April 19

During the night, an Eastern Screech-owl was calling. In the morning we left the park in the rain and completely clouded skies at 8:30 a.m.

The Texas hill country is really beautiful. The wildflower are stunning, field after field of oranges, blues, yellows, purples, pinks, and whites all blending together. Along the way we saw some solidly planted fields of red and pink poppies, which were also beautiful, but obviously grown for commercial sales.

At one of the rest stops along U.S. 10, there was a whole tree full of Cedar Waxwings,

flying in and out like Flycatchers, maybe 50 in all. They are a gorgeous bird.

This part of Texas is big on growing peaches.

We stopped for lunch in a lovely little town called Sonora and at lunch at an old mercantile building, which has been remodeled.

About 20 miles from our destination, Big Bend National Park, in Texas, it started to rain

again. It didn’t let up, so we pitched the tent and got a little wet.

One life bird today, the Black-crested Titmouse, #565 for Elaine.

More from Big Bend tomorrow……

John and Elaine

April 20

Last night a Great Horned Owl was calling. We are in the Rio Grande Valley camp-

ground, at the far eastern end of the park. After a breakfast of instant oatmeal(ugh)

and peaches, we explored a little. Stopped at the store to check it out. Then stopped

at the Ranger Station/Visitors’ Center to get a park bird list.

After that we drove to Boquilles Canyon. At the overlook, we could see the Rio Grande

River and the Mexican village across the water. Young Mexican men, were coming over

on horseback and leaving items like jewelry and walking sticks, which were for sale.

Then they would go back across the river. It is technically illegal to purchase these items. It says so right in the park brochure. You can only purchase them legally at the

Visitors’ Center at Chisos Basin. We haven’t been there yet. After this we drove the other fork, and John hike up to the mouth of the canyon.

Next we drove to Dugout Wells, which is an old ranch area. All that is left is a working

windmill. This provides water for this little area, so there are a couple of huge cotton-

wood trees and lots of vegetation. It is a little desert oasis, so there were several birds

hanging around. We had lunch at only of the picnic tables there. I bird watched while

John hiked the Chihauhaun Desert Nature Trail, which was marked with signs telling

about the various plants growing there.

We then drove to Hot Springs. This was an old ranch area also with a couple of the

buildings still standing. John decided to do the 3 miles hike back to the picnic area by

the campground. I drove the car back around and birded until he got there. It took him

1 1/2 hours.

Came back to the tent to catch up on John’s journal and the blog, though there is no

internet here. I am typing the blog into pages and will copy and paste it later. After

dinner we are going to walk the nature trail to the boardwalk on the pond. Thinking

about leaving here tomorrow morning early in order to try and get a campsite at

Chisos Basin, which is much smaller than this one.

More from Big Bend....

John and Elaine