This Wild Poinsettia (Poinsettia cyathophora) was a bright surprise today at the Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary. At first glance, the flower appears to have red petals. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll find the actual flowers are tiny yellow florets surrounded by red-splashed bracts (modified leaves). Which makes Paintedleaf a very accurate common name. And yes, it is a native relative of the colorful plant that decorates many homes for the holidays.
My first week in Rockport I attended a talk about Oyster Reef Restoration efforts in Copano Bay (pronounced similar to Kokomo – the only #1 Beach Boys hit during the 1980s. It was released in 1988 which, unfortunately, coincided with my summer working in a pub in northern Wisconsin. Guess which ditty was the most frequently played on our jukebox? Take a wild guess as to which song made me wanna pull my hair out by the end of the day?).
But, I digress. The speaker outlined the financial impact of oysters, obviously for the oyster industry but also the indirect benefits of oysters (improved water quality, reefs providing safe refuge for the young of dozens of other commercially harvestable species, as well as reducing shoreline erosion).
In recognition of the value of oyster reefs, and to counteract their decline – primarily due to decades of harvesting and an oyster disease called dermo (Perkinsus marinus) – Texas recently enacted a law that requires oyster wholesalers to pay a fee or return an amount of oyster shell to the state. As I mentioned in an earlier post, most wholesalers are opting to pay the fee since they can sell the shells for a much higher price (a main source of calcium for health supplements).
The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies took it one step further by convincing a few local restaurants to separate used oyster shells from their waste stream to be used in a volunteer reef restoration program called Sink Your Shucks. The program began a reef restoration project at Goose Island State Park in 2012 and I was fortunate to take part in the ongoing effort this morning.
With roughly 75 of us volunteering we filled over 1,000 bags (averaging 5 gallons of shell per bag) and placed them in the bay. It was a bit of a workout but the weather was lovely and it felt good play a small part in this important work.
Sign Outside the Back Porch, Port Aransas, Texas April 2019
I beachcombed these toys during my daily walks along Rockport Beach over the past couple months. I found them in this order, from left to right, and it made me chuckle when I realized they formed a pretty accurate timeline of the modes of transit in my life.
I grew up with ponies and horses but my favorite was Pancho. After school and on weekends (basically, any chance I got) we’d meander trails through the desert. I preferred riding bareback as it was the fastest way to freedom. On our way home I’d drop the reins around his neck and lay back to watch the sky. I’d share my young cares and worries, as well as my farfetched dreams, with my sweet pony; my head lolling side to side on his rump as he’d carefully walk us home.
Later, as a teenager I spent one summer zipping around a small town in Illinois on a moped. Okay, so it wasn’t a motorcycle, but I still loved that feeling of the breeze flowing freely through my hair. I’ll admit the coolness factor of my moped was lessened by the basket up front but at least it came in handy. After I found a momma dog and her puppies at an abandoned farmhouse, most of my time was occupied collecting bottles along the roadside and redeeming them for the deposit so I could buy her dog food.
A few more years passed before I finally had my first car. The lure of the open road was (and remains) strong. I love that feeling of liberation when I open a map and follow a blue highway to anywhere. I’ve driven in all 50 states as well as through huge chunks of Canada. Along the way, I’ve logged 750,000 miles in ten different vehicles (yes, one of them was red and a couple were SUVs). Since I still love to explore, I have a shot at hitting a million in my lifetime.
Funny what you’ll find on the beach…
This was not the best of days for this Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus). But molting will do that to you. Poor baby, it looks like quite a painful process. I’m sure he will soon be rivaling the other handsome males. Their bright yellow eye is good trait to distinguish them from their close relative, the Boat-tailed Grackle which is also found along the Gulf Coast.
Great-tailed Grackle, South Padre island, Texas March 2019
Gafftopsail Catfish, Rockport, Texas April 2019
Don’t let the shiny surface of the Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus) fool you – this fish is adorned with long, venomous spines (hiding in the dorsal and pectoral fins). Fishing websites recommend caution when dealing with this species as one wrong move can send you to the emergency room in horrible pain. Interesting factoid, the male is a mouthbreeder, meaning after fertilizing her eggs (up to 55 of them) he carries them in his mouth until they hatch. He must forgo food for the entire 65 day incubation period. What a good dad!
I call bs on the phrase, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Setting aside my aversion to roses, anyone who believes that saying has never been called pulchritudinous. Instead of making me feel beautiful, the word gives me the creeps. Try saying it out loud, it sounds like someone hacking up a hairball. It should be a description for a nauseating odor. (Ed. Note: I’ve never been called pulchritudinous. This is just the kind of thing I think about while feverishly fighting a cold. So I thought I’d share it with you. You’re welcome.)
Prickly Pear Flower, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, Brownsville, Texas March 2019
Texas Spotted Whiptail, Estero Llano Grande State Park, Weslaco, Texas March 2019
When I glanced down to find the source of the rustling noise in the leaf litter I caught a blur of color. Intrigued, I followed my fast moving subject through the detritus. Finally, he paused and I snapped a couple photos before he zipped away.
A bit of online research helped me identify my speedy fellow as a Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidocelis gularis). The species sports an exceptionally long tail, roughly three times their body length, but I was too busy concentrating on the colorful stripes and spots on its body to catch the tail.
Gularis is Latin meaning throat which is an appropriate feature to focus on since the reddish throat is so prominent (females of the species sport a lighter pink throat). Here’s a better photo of the back:
Louisiana Waterthrush, Port Aransas, Texas March 2019
The Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) is found along wooded wetlands with flowing water. While actually a warbler, this bird’s streaky plumage resembles a thrush (hence the common name). The bright pink legs and white eyebrow are helpful identifying features of this fast moving bird. The ornithological term for that long, white eyebrow is supercilium (which is an awfully fun word to say, come on, try it). By the way, motacilla is Latin for moving tail and is used for the genus of wagtails. Though technically, the LOWA teeters its body, it doesn’t wag.
Name calling at its finest…
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