Author: Justin Case
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The Red-tailed Hawk, a Welcome Winter Visitor
by M. Kathy Raines A vanilla chest rippled with chocolate and an intense glare alerted me to this red-tailed hawk scrutinizing mesquite and yucca-dotted grasslands—and, incidentally, bicyclists and joggers— from a 60-foot pole along Brownsville’s bike trail this November. Now I see it here often, as I did last winter. Could this be the selfsame…
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January Advanced Training
The information below is only a subset of AT opportunities available. If you find something on the list and wish to make sure it qualifies for AT, contact Teresa Du Bois. Follow the links below for more information to register or attend the meeting. Bentsen Birds January 14, 15, 16, 21, 22,23,28, 29, 30 2022…
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Be Our Guests, Northern Harriers!
by M. Kathy Raines Suddenly, from a tranquil ocean of grasses and brush, explodes an astonishing athlete—a low-cruising, long-winged harrier that deftly weaves under, over and through foliage, its yellowish-brown hues dazzling in the sunlight. With this element of surprise, no wonder it’s dubbed “the gray ghost.” This engaging winter guest, the northern harrier (Circus…
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Our Native Javelinas
by M. Kathy Raines A javelina is not a pig. It’s not even in the same family. Though the rather pig-like javelina (Pecari tajacu)—a lean, compact native creature with a bristly salt-and-pepper coat—inhabits the same local brushlands as the invasive feral hog, the two certainly differ. And the javelina, mainly a fan of prickly pear…
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December Advanced Training Opportunities
The information below is only a subset of AT opportunities available. If you find something on the list and wish to make sure it qualifies for AT, contact Teresa Du Bois. Follow the links below for more information to register or attend the meeting. Saturday, December 4, 11, 18 2021 (virtual) Join a ranger on…
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The Vital and Prolific Eastern Cottontail
by M. Kathy Raines The big-eyed cottontail, crouching amid a bed of purples, mimicked a garden statue. A four-foot bull snake sprawled nearby, alert to the slightest motion. Neither budged. I watched for twenty minutes, rooting for the rabbit, but never saw how the drama played out. Snakes can be mighty patient. Like other ready-to-eat…