More help arrives

Three more volunteers pulled into the pads today.  Bob and Dorothy were here last year, so I enjoyed seeing them again.  Later in the afternoon, Cindi also set up her rig.  They all knew each other from volunteering at Aransas NWR.  Cindi will join me at the VIS tomorrow afternoon so I can train her in, and she can relieve me in case eight hours is just too much for my back.  It also means we’ll have a good group here for the holidays.

Emma and I hopped into the car this afternoon to take a ride on some of the refuge roads.

In the past week or so, thousands of snow geese have arrived to spend the winter here.  Two strong cold fronts from the north have persuaded them to head down here.  Clouds of geese fly over the volunteer pads every morning and evening for our enjoyment. 

There are also plenty of ibis around.  The marshlands are alive with life.

We also came across a merlin perched in one of the dead trees along the road to frozen point.  Before hurricane Ike, these trees were strong and well.  Each year since then more and more of them topple to the ground.

Because of the drought in Texas, many of the moist soil units are as dry as a bone.  Only a few of the channels still have water in them.  After working in the VIS this weekend, I’m hoping I’ll be up to hiking the Skillern Tract.  Because there is an abundance of water there, it is just loaded with birds.  I’ve got my fingers crossed.

I leave you with tonight’s not too shabby sunset on the refuge.  Safe travels to several bloggers that will be hitting the roads and heading south in the next few days.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy