Ned and Fay Dudney Nature Center

Today I visited the Ned and Fay Dudney Nature Center which is about a 20 minute drive from  my place. This is either a Carolina Chickadee or a Phoebe. I saw 50 red winged blackbirds, 3 Northern Cardinals, 6 American Robins, and flocks of Carolina Chickadees flying through the picnic shelter where I ate my lunch. By the way I had Manchurian Tofu from an Indian restaurant and it was spicy and delicious. I couldn't even finish it all.

Somebody put pumpkins in the water next to the picnic shelter, feeding the birds I guess. The weather was in the low 50's, the sky was party cloudy with a light breeze. I had zero  mosquitoes! There were many tree limbs on the path from yesterday's tornado.

This nature center has a 2 mile concrete path with spurs to bird blinds.

This is a Great White Heron. I saw it fishing. I watched it swallow 3 fish. I also saw a cluster of a dozen birds that I thought were terns but turned out to be gulls. I believe they were Bonaparte's Gulls. They were way out there. Sometimes Whooping Cranes are found here. But not today. I think the bad weather and cooler temps today had something to do with it. I would definitely come back to this place. After ten years of excellent service I decided to retire my giant sun hat. The time had come. Fibers had come loose and were poking me in the ears every time I wore it. That was a good hat though. I wore it many places. I even wore it wrapped in a trash bag when we painted the barn. I untied the string and took off the doohickey where you can pinch it and slide it up and down the string to make it tighter. Otherwise the rest went in the trash. Adios giant hat!

After spending 3 hours walking around I decided to try a H.E.B. grocery store because five people recommended this store to me. This is a Texan chain of grocery stores similar to a Super Target. I could buy furnace filters, giant meat smokers on wheels, books, expensive jewelry and of course food and flowers. I bought these because I love the smell.