Author: Justin Case

  • Slow but steady…

    Slow but steady…

    contributed by Roberto Gaitan Thanks to the crew that helped out on Saturday. It was our first start at 7:30 am and it was worth it! The temperature was perfect…as was the morning view! The crew worked hard all morning. Thanks to Noemi for taking photos of our work crew. We continued the war against…

  • Attacking guinea grass

    Attacking guinea grass

    contributed by Roberto Gaitan After a rain-out on Saturday, we met to pull guinea grass from the top area of the fish trails. We mowed the grass we had trimmed last week…until Molly broke the mower. I was thinking the area underneath the ebony will make for a great spot for a pollinator garden. We’ll…

  • Cleared upper area

    Cleared upper area

    contributed by Roberto Gaitan With the sun still beating down on the area we worked on last Saturday, the crew yesterday began clearing off the upper area, the area at the end of the parking area. The debris pile from Saturday had been taken away so we started a new pile. The debris that was…

  • First work day

    First work day

    contributed by Roberto Gaitan Thanks to the volunteers that came out on Saturday (4/24) to discuss our plans for helping creating nature trails at the Fish Hatchery site. These volunteers then began the long journey to create a unique nature site for the RGV. We learned the levee between ponds 6 and 7 is as…

  • The Black Skimmer

    The Black Skimmer

    by M. Kathy Raines A slowly curving line, like the groove of an ice skate, invisibly traced the nighttime resaca. A glance upwards revealed the artist—a strange night bird, its massive lower beak slicing through surface waters.  This handsome, distinguished fellow was a black skimmer, the only skimmer in our hemisphere and one of three…

  • The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, our Beautiful Guest

    The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, our Beautiful Guest

    by M. Kathy Raines The striking bird—its white chest seemingly splattered with crimson paint—hopped about with his female companion in the grass at the South Padre Island Convention Center last April, eating its fill, undaunted by ardent photographers.  These rose-breasted grosbeaks, fatigued and famished, stop off here in April and early May to rest and…