After almost five months since the foot surgery, Mike’s post-op boot was removed last week, and we were ready to get out of town for a bit. So, this week, we have taken a three night trip to the Blanco State Park:  About 40 miles west of Austin, Blanco State Park was constructed in the early 1930s by CCC crews who damned the Blanco River and built the basic park structures. Although designed as a state park, it is only about 4 blocks south of the old courthouse and right in the middle of town. Nevertheless it feels very rural and is surrounded by farms and wildlife.

It’s an easy getaway for us and a very nice little park. We wanted something nice and easy. 

 Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

 Male Painted Bunting and a female Cardinal

Gray Fox

 Gray Fox after eating

 Three Baby Turtles

 Old 24

 Mother and child

 Mexican Hats

 Black Throated Hummingbird

 Eastern Pondhawk Dragonfly

 Queen Butterflies

 Black Swallowtail Butterfly

 Engelmann Daisies

 Dennis

 Mike

 Egyptian Gosling

Egyptian Goose

 SNAKE ! ! !

 Black-crested Titmouse flying off the handle

 

It has been four months since surgery was performed on the broken bone in Michael's foot. During that time he has had limited mobility. After his best effort at being patient and several weeks of physical therapy, we went on a trial camping trip this week. The purpose was to see if he is ready to be released into the wild. We had a great trip, but he still needs more time to heal before we will be ready for a major road trip.

We spent two nights at South Llano River State Park in Junction, Texas about 100 miles west of Austin in the Texas Hill Country. The park is one of our favorite nearby getaways. It was full of birders from around the country taking in the Spring migration. We were fortunate to see both Painted Buntings and an Indigo Bunting.

We hope you enjoy the photos.

 Nothing quite like getting up in the darkness and watching the sunrise.

 Mike with walking boot

 Dennis

 White Winged Dove (Please don't let him drive the bus.)

 Chipping Sparrow

 Indigo Bunting

  Painted Bunting

  Painted Bunting Bathing

 Hybrid Painted Bunting and a Female Cardinal

 Summer Tanager

Male Black-chinned Hummingbird

 Female Black-chinned Hummingbird

 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 Black-throated Sparrow

 Lincoln's Sparrow

 Field Sparrow Bathing

 Orange Crowned Warbler

 Male Verdin

 Female Verdin

 Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

 Great Crested Flycatcher

 Mule Deer

 New Growth on a Prickly Pear Cactus

 Chinaberry Blooms

 South Llano River

We had intended to post a few more photos from Big Bend right after we got back home. It's been a busy week, but we've finally gotten back to the task. We were in Big Bend for 5 days. It was cold at night but beautiful every day. (Our only regret being that we left before they had 8 inches of snow this week.)



The most surprising sighting of the trip: A Lotus Evora in the desert.

 Mike trying to estimate how many bites he would have been for a T-Rex.

 White Winged Dove

 Our camper in campsite #15 - Chisos Basin Campgrounds

 Mules Ears.

 The most irredescent clouds we had ever seen.

 The last phone booth in America.

 Sunset view from our campsite.

 Us at the Mule Ears trail.