Day 8: A bird in the bush.....

AnniePie's taking a sick day at home with the flu or something like it, which allowed me to get out on the trail for Day Eight a good hour earlier than normal for a week day. With this heat continuing like it is and no change for the cooler in sight, this old rider needs all the early I can get!

Discovered the little guy pictured above upon returning to The Cave. He was on the ground, begging sunflower seed kernels from mom. With my arrival, mom and the other birds took to the trees. This guy did the fledgling ground shuffle some six feet to the woodpile I keep at the very back of the yard, and within mere moments was all but invisible.

A word of caution here, dear readers. 'Tis the season for fledglings to be leaving the nest, so it is not uncommon for young birds who have not yet learned their wings to be grounded. Trust me, it is part of the natural order of things, and a parent bird undoubtedly is within pecking distance, keeping an eye on the trainees. As soon as junior here was safely in the woodpile, Mama Jay immediately lit on the old lamp post beside me and proceeded to explain why my presence was neither required nor appreciated.

Of course, no way I was leaving without pictures!

So if you should happen upon a young bird on the ground and looking sadly in need of a feather makeover, please leave him be unless the bird is obviously injured or otherwise exhibiting signs of physical injury. Nine times out of ten the little guy is fine and going through that adolescent awkward phase. If something about the bird does strike you as wrong, however, leave him alone and call Wild Bird Rescue at 940-691-0828. You and the bird will be glad you did.

Sunday Morning

The last thing my butt wanted to do at 7a this morning was straddle the saddle, so we--my butt and I--settled on a short ride not venturing too far from The Cave.

Beneath the Hampstead Bridge offers ready access to the Holliday Creek native communities, not to mention ample opportunity for voluntary maintenance along the H&B Trail.

Freshwater mussels and crayfish are two of the delicacies that attract raccoons and other mammals to the Holliday Creek buffet. Mallard ducks and cliff swallows have set up housekeeping under the bridge, while scissor-tailed flycatchers and kingbirds compete for airborne insects.

 

These Asian clam shells are fairly abundant at the water's edge. My thanks to Texas Master Naturalist Penny Miller (no relation) at Wild Bird Rescue for making the I.D. on these.

Life along the creek is challenging at best, as this eggshell attests. Prolonged, chronic drought isn't helping. How much longer will water continue to run through the creek bed if significant rain does not come soon?

After exploring a short stretch of creek and taking these pictures, two wallyworld bags (wwb) of liter were collected for removal. City Parks & Rec is tasked with H&B Trail upkeep, but their extremely limited dollars would stretch much farther and accomplish greater improvements if all of us helped keep the trail system clean and looking presentable. It is our city and our parks, right?

Dumping two wwbs before heading back to The Cave.