Oranges and Orange

I started birding and sight-seeing in south Texas. I see my first roadside citrus stand (ORANGES for sale!) outside Laredo and stop for a 10lb bag of oranges. A daily dose of 2 fresh squeezed oranges (tree ripened orange color not dyed) is one reason why I go south to Texas.

As I move south along the Rio Grande valley, I am amazed at the blooming shrub with light orange-yellow flower stems and learn that this is Black brush or Catclaw, an acacia shrub.

It's everywhere, in full bloom, at Falcon State Park.

The first evening at the park I see an Altamira Oriole at another camper's site. So, I sacrifice one of my precious oranges to attract the oriole to my campsite. (sacrifice = fortfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value.)

I was rewarded with visits.

An Altamira Oriole found my orange in the early morning gray mist.

The Altamira Oriole came back in the late afternoon sunlight and he (yes, this is a male) is so orange.

Also a visit by a pair of Hooded Orioles. The male (no photo, sorry) was even a deeper orange color than the Altamira male.

A flock of Cedar Waxwings look orange late in the setting sun. I am glad Texas offers many kinds of doses of orange.

On The Road

I am on the road again, heading south as fast as my old RV will go. Even though I have travelled some of these interstates many times, there is always something different or new to see. I like best to watch for birds and make a list for each state through which I travel. (yes, I am a lister)

Birds are hard to identify while traveling at 60 miles per hour. Rest areas and re-fueling stops (food or gas) are the hot birding spots but surprises do happen.

Just a few miles from home at a gas stop, some Horned Larks searched the snow covered field for food. I checked The SIBLEY Guide to Birds and saw that the larks are at their northern edge of their winter range.

(Photo by John of a lark without snow)

My second surprise was a Red-shouldered Hawk at a rest stop in northern Indiana. This bird, too, is at the northern edge of its winter range. (I have learned a new birding detail)

As I travelled south, I can't wait for signs of spring. Sure enough, at my first rest area in Illinois (there are so many), there was a flock of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings eating crabapples, probably not their favorite fruit but good in late winter.

Its good to be on the road again and birding along the way.