The Littlest Falcon

It was 76 degrees today. The down side was a 20-25 MPH wind gusting to 35. While the wind came from the southwest, it still had a bit of a chill at times because the humidity was only 25 percent. Quickly, I made my rounds and discovered the second Kestrel Hawk. Three days ago, I ran across the first one to have actually seen. Some of the bird photographers had talked about the little Kestrel being here or there, but I had never seen it myself. The reason why I call this one the second one is that miles in another direction I had again seen one perched in a tree. Then across the park on the other end, here was this one. My distance was to far for a really good closeup but I did get a couple of fairly clean shots enough to identify it as a Kestrel and  another first happened. That's two first in three days this season already. This one was not something that you really aim for, although, as it turned out, just as I was about to click the shutter, the darn bird pooped and as Murphy's law would dictate, the image was crystal clear! All I can say is Amazing! Simply amazing or the luck of the Irish since St. Pat's Day is  a week away after today. Where is my gold clover pin??
 
Then, as I was on the way home, I was buzzed by the old buzzards again. Now that's unreal to have that happen not only the first time but to have it happen again within three days. They are almost as evasive  as egrets to shoot. Never did get a clear shot, but the best one that I was able to get today was through the sunroof as he flew over head.

In between those two bird excursions  I have long joked about there not being a tulip on Tulip Lane or an Iris in Iris Hollow---and there isn't. But, I found a bunch of isolated daffodils on a hillside and went into the parking lot closest to the patch and then walked the road for a fair distance with the high wind. I got only a couple of shots that would work here and that sent me to KFC to get dinner and home bound I headed, tired, hungry and  wind blown. I've been a bit in a less than creative mood lately.

Kestrel Hawk or Sparrow Hawk

A cluster of daffodils on a hill side

The Ole Buzzard Is Back!

Things I See On The Way To The Doctors

Just the other day, I was wondering why I travel the particular streets that I travel. I know why I go left after backing out of the driveway some times and at other times, I go right.  There was an article on the AAA or some such that said you should do that because wear on your tires is caused by mechanics of driving some of the time, but our driving habits play an even more role in keeping tires in shape longer. Yes, I know, "why don't you just rotate them more," you say? Well, one, it cost money generally unless your tire store offers free rotations. That's not the point. The point is....our habits control how we shorten the life of things like tire wear etc.,etc.

So, I have been doing that for some time now and it does cut down on wear. But the point here is the original wondering question that popped up in the ole brain last week...why do I go down the same streets that I do all the time? Habit. Pure and simple. There again, some time back, I started going to the doctors a different way there and a different way back. The things that I saw!!

Seldom, do I go down Greenville of up Greenville in this case. Downtown Plano is the old section of Plano where the beautiful Victorian homes are located with  three floor turrets and wrap around veranda-type front porches. Greenville becomes Avenue K in that part of Plano and becomes SR 5 again north of Allen and McKinney east of Central Expressway (that is also known as US75.) Plano Road merges with Greenville just north of Campbell Road on this side of President George Bush Turnpike before the wicked one-way streets begin.

The construction going on has added a few thousand more apartments in a hot spot to live. It's hot because the rent is so high it burns just thinking that people make house payments and car payments for that same amount of money. New stage is going up along the DART rail at 15th Street. And, going west from there, new art work is up and an awkward to read sign that simply spells out the word PLANO stacked on top of each letter with abstract art at the top. To get the full effect where it sits, one needs to photograph it backwards and then short the actual display closer up..  If you haven't been in the traffic lanes at 75 and 15th for a while....it's suicidal to even try to cross the street there. But, hey, you work with what you got and try your best to make it as positive for the effort and money put up to get it done. I understand that concept. I have no problem with it either.

But, back on point, that's why I travel the streets that I travel. Traffic. And more Traffic. My doctor's office is on 15th and I usually go up Coit to 15th. Today, I went Greenville to 15th .If we pay attention to what we do sometimes, we answer our own questions. Mom was great at pounding that point home early on. Thank goodness that she did.

New Sign for Old Plano Downtown

One of several new art pieces along 15th

I am amazed at the number of pairs of  shoes that I see along the roads like this. 

I guess that they have not heard of DMG--drop off stations for clothing where it DOES  MOST GOOD.

Buzzed By A Buzzard!

Well, a lot of thing have haven't to me over the years, but nothing like what happened this afternoon. I was sitting at  a picnic table down from the Mockingbird bridge on the south side of the foot bridge watching the seagulls, cormorants, and pelicans drift on the water's currents. There was a strong breeze and the seagulls were having a hard time landing on the water. Even the masters, the pelicans, were having a rough time of it landing.

A pair of pigeons came flying over almost as soon as I sat down. One of the pigeons walked right up to me. I do talk to the birds and the squirrels---animals in general---and they are responsive so at least I can get a fairly good close-up shot. While all of this is happening, I'm also watching above Mockingbird Lane toward the woodlands along White Rock Creek for any of the vultures (buzzards). There are six that hang out there and I have some pretty good shots of them on light poles and even on the ground eating in a couple of locations. Then, almost on cue, I see one riding the thermals. But where are the other five? Turning back to a pelican coming in for a landing low to the water (less wind resistance) as he just drops and flop on the water, tilting forward as he comes to a stop.

About the same time, I hear an unusual sound overhead. Being an aviation buff, you learn to recognize the sound of various airplane engines, but because this one sounded different, I looked up. Forget the airplane---there are the other other five buzzards riding thermals over the lake. Without warning, out of the corner of my eye, I see this big black bird with  huge wing spans come sailing inland no more than three or four feet from me at eye level. I grabbed my camera and starting snapping images without thought of technique or anything else. All I wanted was to get some shots of what was happening at the moment. I watched the big bird sail across the road where he was diving into the tall prairie grasses, coming up, circling and doing it all over again. He must have seen a rat or rabbit or snake (one was seen crawling on the roadway a couple of days ago). Then, as if nothing ever happened, he is back over Mockingbird Lane riding the thermals again.

After sitting there for a while and thinking about what had just happened, the darn bird had buzzed me. So I was buzzed by a buzzard!! That's never happen before. It was a first.

The buzzard buzzing

He's after something in the grass.

Rough landing on a windy day.

My dude, the Pigeon!

Buds on My Trees And Elsewhere

It's been delightful since we have started to dry out and the sun comes out in the afternoons. Stratus cover in the morning last until the sun is high enough to burn it off.

The temps have been good. 65-80 and Sunday we could go beyond 80, yet a double cold front hit us today and the mornings will be jacket chilly with frost hitting again just north of us in Denton County. So, Spring is trying to take hold. The flowering trees have really popped in the last week. Today, I saw both red buds and tulips blossoms on tulip trees.

The half million tulips at the Arboretum's Dallas Blooms is underway until April 24th. I'd like to go but I really am balking at the price this year. The senior discount isn't anything to mention and parking (and that's self parking) is $15.00. Combined it would be nearly $50 bucks. Memberships have gone from $20 to $90 annually. The city owns the grounds but there is a private company that manages the memberships, parking and admission prices. It shows and people are not all in agreement with something that should be like the zoo and a city pride thing to celebrate with all citizens. Even the zoo prices have shot up through the sky but at least, I can ride the train and walk from the train right into the zoo. No parking and the savings with my senior card on DART is will worth having. And--their rates are getting ready to go up again, too. It's at the ticket counter where the Zoo (also run privately)  wants to grab big bucks to get inside. 

Here is a few shots of the flowering trees throughout Moss Park, a greenbelt that runs alongside   White Rock Creek for several miles.

Sprinkled through out the woodlands the flowering trees can be seen.

Here's one up close.

A V-bike "parked anywhere" 
 Dallas has more bikes from 6 companies than any other city in the US with a total of 18,000 Park and Leave Bikes. You scan the APP fill in your financial info and the bike unlocks. The tags say $1.00 but it's more like $10.00 on some of them as the buck is only for 15 minutes. And, some riders have forgotten to re lock the bikes when done and the meter keeps ticking. So, if  you rent one, make sure you lock it when you are done. Actually, the concept is great. Ride the rail get a bike pedal and leave. Ride a bike to the bus stop or rail station and repeat the process at the other end to your car or place of residence. 

What people don't understand is that even a web site like this or a bike company like the Ride and Park are commerce and when one is interfered with, that's a felony for interfering with Interstate Commerce.

A Strange Light In The Sky

This is the White Rock Creek Trail that passes under Skillman Road at Park Lane on it's way to White Rock Lake a couple of miles below this point. That would be to your right as the end of the bridge goes.

Trail Mile Markers (GPS) are great. If you need help on the trail or you are lost, they will locate you for rescue. If you are stranded by high water, yep, the high water rescue crew can still find you! Just hold onto that marker!

My love of Walgreens goes back 66 years. My grandmother would take me to the lunch counter at our Walgreens and we would have a tuna fish sandwich and a coke. Now, Starbucks and Panera Bread and a host of others have taken the fun out of lunch counters and the swirling on the red top stools.

Even the duck was perplexed as to what to do. It tried walking down the side to a stump and all the while giving the indication that, "I don't want to swim in this mess" so he stayed on the top perch. Funny, actually, while watching him negotiate his mind.

Yesterday, following my post, Walgreen's called to tell me that there most terrible inventory system actually had worked and I could pick up my meds that they could not fill because of their inventory system a few days back.  When I opened the door, I was meet with this strange light that had suddenly appeared. It was---sunshine! It had been twelve solid days without seeing that old friend and our natural source of vitamin D. The total rainfall at Love Field reported yesterday, had grown by 0.93 inches bringing the total to 8.36 inches with the 17:53 hour (5:53p.m.) reporting cycle of 6 hours, There is now a 60% chance of rain on both Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week. AARGH!! Also, I did forget to mention that just outside of Dallas, we have already had our first tornado of the season. It was on the grown for less than 2 miles but did serious damage.

After leaving the drugstore, it was on to complete two new errands since the list has grown again. While out, I crisscross the White Rock Creek Trail  several times and the visible flooding was well pointed out with such out-of-place things like water! I pulled into a shopping center, parked and walked down the sidewalk to a bridge that crossed the creek. Dallas has plenty of bridges; some 5,000 at last count by TexDOT. There, I could see the where the tail was by the bridge on the trail and the mile markers.

It was rather hard to get the shots that I wanted. One, I didn't bring my canoe with me. Two, my glass is only a 150mm and trees blocked the view from the service road behind the shopping center. But, you will be able to get the view of what I mean from one ones that I did get. 

Spring Is Inching Its Way North Already

About a week ago, when coming back from the pharmacy, I saw the first flowering tree in full bloom. It took me by surprise with all the cold weather that we have had, but this tree traditionally is one of the first each year in my galaxy to show its colors.

Yesterday, while getting some of the most gloomy images the weather could serve up I was drawn to a hanging danger, then, I found a tree covered in little shining crystal balls of rain drops. It was then, upon closer inspection that I discovered that the buds had already opened and new leaves were already out.

Usually, around the first of March each year, if you live in the Metroplex, you can find real signs that Spring is beginning to happen with tree buds and leaves and flowering trees of white and red and pink blooms along the streets and golf courses. It happened  a bit more earlier than I had anticipated and can't wait until things dry out and good sunshine returns. I need to start walking again (I don't do Mall walks--sorry.) I like being out around nature where birds are building nest and changes are happening in flora.

Rain drops

Leaves!

A Widow Maker

The only thing holding it up in the tree is the one branch (rotten) that can break off with any wind movement in the trees. The butt end of the branch hanging about 12 feet down is about 12-18-inches in diameter. The weight (water logged included) is estimated at about 125 pounds.

Water,Water,Every Where

One might be hard pressed to find a canoe for sale. Just kidding, of course, but the 11th straight day of some measurable rain has fallen and the sun is almost just a faint memory. Tomorrow, the sun was to be out all day. That has now changed and we might see the sun  briefly Sunday and Monday, but come Tuesday, new ten day forecast advertises rain again.

The National Weather Service publishes for the landmark airports in the Metroplex, rain totals for the official gauge at DFW International. It also list Love Field, which is up stream from me. The total rain gauge amounts reported each 6-hour period since February 20th thru 11:53 A.M. today (24th) is officially 8.36 inches. Needless-to-say, we are OUT of the drought conditions that had returned from a year ago.

Yesterday, was my first day out in nearly a week. Cabin fever was pretty bad. With errands building up, it was time to get out for a bit. Knowing that I could get down Garland Road to the dam at the lake without hitting any areas that traditionally flood; looking at my list of errands was enough to set out for gas and the grocery store and stay dry. The bank and the pharmacy can wait until Monday and that is not carved in stone for need purpose.

Here are some of the images of the spillway flow.

From the upper spillway below the dam looking downstream to the tidal pool and the second spillway that turns left. There are two flows on either side of the island that forms the tidal pool. The flow that you see here is of the left flow right at the second spillways beginning.

The USGS official water level that is automated and located here as part of the reporting of the flow rate in the Trinity River Watershed on their website. There is another gauge that picks up where this one tops out. It is mounted on the side of the spillway. Both are satellite transmittable.

This is below the spillway that flows below the dam looking back up toward the dam and  into the tidal pool. It then is turning a sharp left into the lower spillway before discharging directly back into White Rock Creek, that flows into the Trinity, a few miles farther south of here.

This is the second spillway (the lower one) that steps down into White Rock Creek again. You can see the water forming downward and upward patterns that are a result of the steps under the water. This is about 20 feet deep where the white caps are forming. Also, keeping in mind that any water that is running off between the Red River and here is flowing into the Trinity through these creeks into the lake. So, the levels today are certainly higher than what you see here from yesterday. In fact, until today, I have never seen on my Yahoo home page a solid block in red that said, FLOOD WARNING. TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION until today. 

In spite of all this, there are trees that have open buds and I have seen one white flowering tree in full bloom already. I'll do an additional post with an image of rain drops on a tree with open buds that I shot on the walk up to the observation deck above the dam. I also found a dangerous "Widow Maker" and reported it to the Park Maintenance Office.Any wind could snap the rotten wood from the top of the "Y" that caught the branch and cause it to fall onto the trail. The size and the weight of the branch would be enough to cause a death if it fell directly on someone. The park guys are great about removing things like that. Last fall, I reported on in the parking lot above where the Kayak Rental is located and they removed it with an hour. The city doesn't want any law suits but these guys also know that most people walk around and never look above their heads at what might be a future Widow Maker.