First 'City Nature Challenge' for Houston Area

Inspired by my naturalist friends and edcucators, I participated in the Houston area's City Nature Challenge as a Texas Master Naturalist of the Coastal Prairie Chapter.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/texas_nature_trackers/naturechallenge/

Being at home with my family all weekend, most observations were made from my yard and neighborhood. Stats for me:

• Total species: 160 (top # was 350+)
  -Total observations: 189 (top # was 600)

• Favorites: Swainson's Thrush, Cerulean Warbler, Phaon Crescent
• Wished to have seen / expected to see, but didn't: Swainson's Hawk, Coral Snake
• Wished to have shot: Swallow-tailed Kite
• Best viewed: Mississippi Kites in the act of copulation (camera was down!!)

I noticed that several participants were shooting domestic/captive species as well as wild. I stuck with wild species only, and stayed away from my own pocket prairie that was intentionally planted, though with Coastal Prairie native varieties. Had I known ...

For the away-from-home, I choose a rarely used, generally ignored 'pocket prairie' patch that I'd been dying to walk for weeks in the Telfair area. I put on my boots on the last day of the challenge and logged these species listed below. Bonus find: V. xutha in an over-grown field.

Posted on 29 April, 2020 16:04 by dirtnkids