High Gate Ranch Tour 2016-09-11
Last Sunday afternoon Hill Country Conservancy took its EPIC group on a tour of its first conservation easement property, the High Gate Ranch just south of Dripping Springs. What a beautiful property! The land was lush from the uncharacteristically wet August we've had. Here are a couple especially scenic spots:
From these high spots we got to see waves of American Snout butterflies migrating southeast-ish. I read that this species' migration is not so regular. It's often based on population explosions, and the migration is more often away from these high population areas than just south in the fall and north in the spring. I got this photo of one of them that stopped. You can see where the common name comes from!
Here's my eBird list.
Here are my photos on Flicker.
And attached are my iNaturalist observations.
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
Photos / Sounds
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American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
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Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
Photos / Sounds
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Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
See how on the right side this butterfly is advertising fake antennae. the actual head end is on the left.
Photos / Sounds
What
Ovate Maiden Fern (Pelazoneuron ovatum)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
Photos / Sounds
What
American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
At high spots on the ranch especially, we saw waves of these American Snout butteflies heading south or southeast. I read that this species' migration is not so regular. It's often based on population explosions, and the migration is just away from these high population areas. It's not always south in the fall and north in the spring.
Photos / Sounds
What
Bandwing Grasshoppers (Subfamily Oedipodinae)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
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Texas Madrone (Arbutus xalapensis)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
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Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Lithobates berlandieri)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
Photos / Sounds
What
American Water Frogs (Genus Lithobates)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
Does anyone know what this egg mass might be from? I'm assuming leopard frogs?
Photos / Sounds
What
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
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Checkered Setwing (Dythemis fugax)Observer
mikaelbDescription
Taken on Hill Country Conservancy's EPIC tour of the High Gate Ranch south of Dripping Springs.
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