Mission, TX - 1st Week - 3rd Month

Mar 5th (Monday)
Went to Butterfly Center a couple miles up the road today. After registering at a very nice facility , you take a short walk down a nice shaded lane until you come to an area with lots of flower gardens to attract the butterflies. They tell us that there are more varieties of butterflies here than anywhere else in the USA. To me they sort of all look the same, but there are literally hundreds of varieties of them. Also in conjunction with the butterflys there is a good bird feeding station, with comfortable tables and chairs. We must have spent a couple of hours there just watching the various birds. Most we had seen before, Kiskadees, Green Jays, Orioles, Cardinals, Thrushes, Doves, Chachalacas, plus a bonus of a rare Leucistic Gold Finch and a small Sceech Owl sitting in a football shaped hole in an old tree. To explain the Leucistic Gold Finch. It is somewhat the same as an Albino, but does not have the Red Eyes Albinism is a genetic mutation that prevents the production of melanin in the body, whereas leucism is a genetic mutation that prevents melanin from being deposited normally on feathers. There you have it!!


After a couple of hours there returned home and were treated to a nature event. A water snake, and not a very large one at that, grabbed a small catfish, about an 8 incher, by the nose, and the battle was on. There was no question who was going to win, since once started the snake has no way of releasing the fish, so over the next half hour we watched him just spread his mouth over the poor little guy, just slowly swallowing him whole. We took a lot of pictures, and although it was rather gross, it was Mother Nature just doing what comes naturally.
Mar 6th (Tuesday)
Was going to have a wash / wax job for ELTORO, but the guy that was going to do it was late arriving, and the wind had come up, so finally when he called back we cancelled until a calmer day. A couple of days ago the group who are all next to us invited us to join then at a Bar-B-Que place for group supper. We had accepted, so about 4:00PM we all piled into cars, and headed off th "492 Bar-B-Que for ribs, chicken and what ever else. Ended up there was a total of 30 of us, and we had a great dinner, before returning home for the evening.
Mar 7th (Wednesday)
Went to Selineno, about 60 miles north along the Rio Grande to another bird watching area.  Then from there to Falcon Lake State Park and had a picnic there, then to Roma Bluffs,  The day started at 8:00AM when we headed north. Arrived at Salineno in an hour or so. It is a neat site supported by your donations and The Valley Land Fund.  The site is part of Natioanal Wildlife Refuge System. It has lots of feeders and two couplesvolunteer their time to explain and identify the various birds that feed there. Our thrill of the day was to view a Brown Jay. As far as they know, it is the only one in Texas, and the first one here in the last 5 years. The Jays usual home is in Mexico. In early spring they had an adult as well as a juvenile, but after a few weeks the juvenile disappeared, and now only the adult remains. We also say scads of the usual Kiskadees, Green Jays, Audobon Oreoles, Altimira Oreoles, one hooded Oreole, Cardinals, various kinds of Doves, a spotted Towhee, a Grey Blue Knatcatcher, a Black Headed Grossbeak, two kinds of Thrashers, curved and long billed, a Black Crested Titmouse, and another new one for us, a Pyrrhuloxia. Rather than try to explain that last one it is easier to just add a picture of him.  After spending a couple of hours here we left and headed to Falcon Lake. This is a 60 mile long dammed lake on the Rio. According to all reports it is rather natorious for Mexican Drug Cartel Operations, with a lot of reports of robbings and shootings along the Mexican side of the waters. The US Border Patrol stronly advise you if boating, to stay on the American side of the lake. The two big Patrol Boats that I showed on a previous blog are based here to protect these waters.. There is a nice Texas State Park along the shore and we stopped in a shelter and had our picnic lunch. Once finished lunch we drove down to the dam and went looking for a site identified as site 83 on our birding map. We could not find it and ended up driving up to the American Customs, and asking where site 83 was. As often is the case Denice was interferring with my explanation, and the border guard cut her off, asking what her career choice had been. Denice added that it was to be the "Boss"  or "Nagging Wife". He just laughed, and then I showed him the map blurb about site 83. He read it and stated it was in the center of the dam at the spillway, also at the Mexican / US border point. He suggested we go there and take pictures with one foot in the USA and one in Mexico, but only if no Mexicans guards are there, Then he asked if we had our drivers licence to return to the USA, We stated, we did, Canadian ones, but now we had a problem. US citizens only need a drivers licence, Canadians need their Passport, and as we had not planned on going through a border had not brought ours along. Oh well, I guess another day. These USA Customs guys were really helpful and we enjoyed chatting with them, I think we broke up a very menotinous day for them, we tuened around and headed  back. Next stop was the Roma Bluffs, an overlook area in Roma looking down on the Rio Grande and Mexico across the River. Only stopped here briefly to enjoy the view and take a few photos, and then headed for home. One short stop at a DQ in Rio Grande City for Ice Cream and then home.
Mar 8th (Thursday)
Very strong winds through the night, registering often above 20MPG on my weather station. We got up at about 1:30 and talked about putting the awnings down. Procrastinated until 2 and finally just decided we had better or possible face some damage. It was extremely warm out, even at that time of night, at about 75 F. We had the awnings strapped down well, but even so, thought that they might be damaged. Really only took about 15 minutes to get them stored away. Soon after putting them up we had a gust over 30MPH. I was wide awake now so read for an hour or so before getting tired again and going to bed. While I was up putting ours to rest I walked down the line of motorhomes adjacent to us to see if anyone else was up or needed help to put theirs down, but saw no action. I the morning one on a big motorhome had broken its support arm and was hanging down. I talked to the owner, John and he said at 2:45 a big gust did the trick. That would be the 30MPH one my weather station recorded. Now he has a big bill to repair, that could have been avoided. I have none! For once, I was smart!!


"Pot Luck Supper" tonight. Dennis and Denice were hosts, but only about a dozen people showed up - A lot have left and are starting their trecs northward already, so participation is waning. Also one of the site units was hosting a birthday party for someone. We don't know who. So with only a dozen people we had lots of food, and surprisingly a good variety!
Mar 9th (Friday)
Thunder, rain, and wind overnight, and quite cool this morning at only about 48 F, and only got up to about 52 F during the day. Was warmer at home in High River today!! So with the cold spent the entire day indoors. Denice called it a "House Coat Day". Just read, computed, stitched, ate, etc, etc.
Mar 10th (Saturday)
Another cool night at 44 F this morning, but at least the wind is down.  Little to report for today --
Mar 11th (Sunday)
Denice Birthday