WILDLIFE AT LAGUNA ATASCOSA

                  LAGUNA ATASCOSA

This refuge is one we frequent. Each time we visit, we see something different. Even the area changes. With recent rains, this time there was plenty of water in the formerly dry creeks, and small lakes.
We were so pleased with the wildlife on this visit. It was a cloudy, cold day (cold for here). I like touring this refuge during various weather conditions, thinking I'll be witness to something new.
This cloudy, cold weather brought out unexpected visitors/no wait/we were the visitors!

Upper left~~a Crested Caracara sitting majestically in the field on the way into the refuge. I saw this bird in Mexico, at a distance. In Texas I see it often sitting in the fields, waiting for small animals or cleaning up the carrion.

Seeing Ospreys is common, and always entertaining. This Osprey caught his days food, but was being taunted by other birds. Finally, the osprey had enough, trying to protect it's catch, and took off fish in talons. It landed down the beach and continued lunching on the fish.

The highlight of this trip to Laguna Atascosa, driving the Bayside Drive, sudddenly, coming out of the long grass - a coyote!


It was so healthy looking. I've seen coyotes by Green Lake, WI -they did
not look this pretty! This one spotted us, as you can see in the pictures,
but it kept walking on the road, coming toward us. Probably curious to see
what was in it's area! It went into the tall grass, came out again, and then
took off into the flowery weeds. Enjoy!

So pretty in the flowery grass! The light seems to shine on the coyote's fur, bringing out it's beauty. We saw another coyote, on the road, on the way out of the refuge, not as brownish and pretty as this one.

         

          Beautiful Green Jay

The greenjays were abundant. They are so beautiful up close. The orange, in the picture is to attrack the Hooded Oriole. The Baltimore Oriole is a year-round resident to the Rio Grande Valley.