Nalle Bunny Run Group Walk 2016-09-17

This morning 11 folks joined me for the monthly group walk on Hill Country Conservancy's Nalle Bunny Run Wildlife Preserve. 5 of those folks were girls aged 9-11, and they were interested in seeing and identifying everything they could! It sure was fun showing them birds and plants and insects and one turtle this morning.

Our summer resident birds are on their way south, but there were still a few Summer Tanagers on the property. This one was singing in the early morning light before anyone arrived:

Summer Tanager

In general the birding was a little slow, and we heard more birds than we saw. But a few nice looks we got at songbirds were at a White-eyed Vireo that responded to a recorded song I played, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Both are summer residents that are probably on their way south. And by the water we were lucky to see an Osprey leave its perch across the lake, fly around a bit, and take a fish!

Some neat insects we saw were a couple Great Spreadwing damselflies and a pretty good-sized praying mantis. Here's one of two Great Spreadings:
Great Spreadwing

And here's the mantis:
Praying Mantis

Probably our most fun observation was of a newly hatched tiny Texas Map Turtle that Camile Knight found on the gravel road by the houses. Several of us got to hold it and photograph it, and then the girls took it down by the water and released it.

Texas Map Turtle

Here's our complete eBird list.
Here are a few more photos on Flickr.
And attached are our iNaturalist observations.
What a fun morning!

Posted on September 17, 2016 08:25 PM by mikaelb mikaelb

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

September 17, 2016 09:59 AM CDT

Description

Taken during the monthly group walk on Hill Country Conservancy's Nalle Bunny Run Wildlife Preserve.

Photos / Sounds

What

Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

September 17, 2016 09:38 AM CDT

Description

Taken during the monthly group walk on Hill Country Conservancy's Nalle Bunny Run Wildlife Preserve.

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

September 17, 2016 08:40 AM CDT

Description

Taken during the monthly group walk on Hill Country Conservancy's Nalle Bunny Run Wildlife Preserve.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

mikaelb

Date

September 17, 2016 09:43 AM CDT

Description

Taken during the monthly group walk on Hill Country Conservancy's Nalle Bunny Run Wildlife Preserve.

Photos / Sounds

What

Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

September 17, 2016 07:47 AM CDT

Description

Taken during the monthly group walk on Hill Country Conservancy's Nalle Bunny Run Wildlife Preserve.

This Summer Tanager was singing in the early morning light before anyone arrived.

Photos / Sounds

What

Texas Map Turtle (Graptemys versa)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

September 17, 2016 10:05 AM CDT

Description

Taken during the monthly group walk on Hill Country Conservancy's Nalle Bunny Run Wildlife Preserve.

Camile Knight found this tiny newly hatched Texas Map Turtle on the gravel road by the houses. We took it close to the water and let it go.

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