There's Irony In Mother Nature's Guardian Time Keeper USNO

Currently, we are experiencing the coldest mornings of the season with a hard freeze in the mid to low twenties. Yet, as I go about my route routine, I find all kinds of new shoots that are breaking out into beautiful green leaves.  Usually, our trees show buds and growth around the first of March and our flowering trees begin to show white and red and pink blossoms all over by the end of March. The grasses have come out of their winter's sleep, rolling back their brown dry color for beautiful greenish color and growth.

My potted trees on the porch are beginning to show their swelling buds this season, I'm afraid that I will have to start to trim them back. If I put them out on the sidewalk, then the lawn crew's big mowers have a hard time maneuvering and they don't like that. So, I might have to look for someone who wants three free trees this fall that can plant them this time next year.

The irony, of course, is that while one bush has seed pods still hanging from last fall, it also has new growth popping out at the same time.  While I don't like to push things but rather take it as it comes, there is one (which is really 4) times a year when I do choose to push some.  That's the difference of an astronomical start vs. a meteorological start of the seasons.

Astronomical    Spring:     March 20 at  5:58  pm EDT
Meteorological   Spring :     March  1

Astronomical    Summer:   June  21    at 11:54 am EDT
Meteorological   Summer:   June   1

Astronomical    Fall:          September 23 at 3:50 am EDT
Meteorological    Fall           September 1

Astronomical  Winter:        December 21 at 11:19pm EST
Meteorological  Winter       December 1 

Nesting Season Has Begun

Blooms have started in ground cover plants

New grown shoots with old seed pods still hanging  on.

Quickly, it's easy to understand why I choose to go with meteorological rather than Astronomical dates.  First, the days are always going to vary because of the lunar cycle. Second, the time will vary as well for the same reason. Third, note eastern daylight times and one eastern standard time with the daylight savings scheme in play. It's just plain easier to go with the meteorological dating of when the sun will cross the various boundaries on its way north in the spring and its way south in the winter with the equator being crossed in spring and fall. The months don't change it's still March, June, September and December, you just don't have to spend a lot of brain cell time  with all the details involved for four days of the year. Spring is still going to happen just as it really does in March.

Now, not to lessen the importance of the U.S. Naval Observatory that brings us all this information. They have use for specific time tables, but me---I really don't need that information beyond the month and neither does Mother Nature when the new shoots and buds blossom. They are not just sitting there waiting for March 20th at 5:58 pm EDT to bring forth new growth. It's already happened where I live. And when I lived in the Great Lakes, I could always count on the trees having new grown from their opening buds by Income Tax Day (April 15th).

Do You See What I See?

Electronic devices interest me to some degree, especially the ones that are constantly changing on cell towers and light poles. Ever since the Tex Dot guy mentioned during the upgrades to I-635 LBJ that now was the time to install the tracking stuff that people just right off as part of the upgrade to the construction that make their little drive to work a whole bunch better. So, when the cameras starting appearing with Dallas Police on them, it wasn't a total surprise, nor were the difference in camera look- a-likes that are license plate readers and not cameras at all. Then, came the cell towers that can ping your cell phone and triangulate your location using GPS without you even knowing it just by having you cell phone with you. In short, where you go and how often you go is now archived in databases.

It doesn't bother me because the only privacy a person has today is in their heads and even that is being researched and developed in ways that are far more invasive that you really want to know about. They already have your DNA from the people who swab so blindly because they want to know "where I came from"  family tree thing to pleas of  "swab for matches for organ transplants" on open wholesale scales. Now, don't get me wrong. People who need organs enters into a whole  different ball game of sports. There are better ways to protect a your DNA---the very vault holds of all that you have as an individual. The "where did I come from" game really is over before it begins, especially if you believe in the bible where it already proclaims that trying to trace your origin is 'game over' before you even start because it's not happening according to the ancient scrolls that were part of the early bible.

So, here we are back to just the privacy issue of electronics! Hence, a more realistic look into the secret world of data bullies that use your data as an income generator, keeping only the real stuff that matters for their own use or until technology opens up the next frontier that will use that collected data as fuel for push sale of the technology and that is just the cover page. The behind the scene stuff is really where the dirty, grubby and bully-tactic work is really taking place.

Now comes the 5G sell! The gotta have it crew. Yes, even the cry that is all bull---to protect you and keep you safe. Of course, a large majority still believe that and that's what is being counted on. Oh did I mention that the collection of data would then grow exponentially?

Recalling again the conversation with the Tex DOT guy who made a bold statement that really turned out to be more truth than fiction, "Dallas, is asleep at the wheel."  For example, the cell tower at my neighborhood Kroger store has long been a black briefcase cell tower. With that said, we don't even have to assume that the time frame would put that technology in its infancy. A lady was at the service counter and was having problems with her debit card a couple of days ago. I've had that same problem of late, but on the drive to my friendly K-Roger's store I noticed the addition of this new 5G that was just outside the store (5G also transmits your financial data from the store to the banks). On the way home, I spotted several more on utility poles (aka telephone phones) They are the newer version of cell towers. Even your local Dart bus will be able to swipe soon if not already. New technology called 5G covers the five main purposes of communication distribution. I think back to the days in the mid seventies when we were being told that computers are going to make our life easier. Never has marketing lied more to the general public than with that statement except when they tell us that it makes us safer.

5G Technology antennas and other unknowns

Two Trees That I Like---Alright. Three!

Within 60-feet of each other, two of my most interesting trees that I visit and practice shooting from various angles and light are like a magnet. It could be that they are on a hill top. It could be because they are unique in their own right, or it could be that they have some biblical reference---well, at least one that I know of. And since I went there, I might as well mention that the second tree with a biblical reference is ---you know already that I am going to say---Sycamore! and it is just another 60-odd feet away from the first two originally mentioned.  Now. What are the chances of that?  The sycamore's pure white bark makes it a perfect tree to shoot year round.

There are not many pine trees in the Metroplex but there are a few. Most of the pine trees in Texas are in the eastern piny woods along the Louisiana and Arkansas border. In fact, found one this very day, but will have to go back and shoot it when traffic is still. Hey, trees are interesting creatures. We take them for granted way to much for the good that they do on this planet. Respect them!

I'm still researching the DNA of this tree. It's pretty badly scared from  lightening strikes.

A real live Cedars of Lebanon. It is a beautiful tree.

No, This Blog Is Not Turning Into A Bird Blog.

Pelicans Seek New Spots

Today's outing generated two more images of birds at White Rock. It's nesting season--give me a break, please. From the trip today, the wrap around cloud cover of a very strong low-level low returned more clouds today, although, there were a few brief patches of blue sky about the size of a frying pan on a world scale. At one point there was one spot on the lake's surface seen from one of the high roads that lends a view of the entire length of the lake and a skyline view of downtown.That  spot of sunshine was absolutely amazing. At the time, I was driving from one of the broken section to the next and recall thinking that I should get a shot of that. When I got onto the second section of roadway, the spot was gone. It's like the old rule at Costco----when you see it you had better buy it because when you go back to get it, it's going to be gone. Well, I didn't get the shot and when I got to where I could shoot a better advantage point, the spot was gone. Hence, the Costco story in illustration.

To back up the story from yesterday about the pelicans being displaced and seen in spots where I have not observed them before, today, I found three that were on an inlet pretty far from the main shoreline of the lake. One, was even bathing, which means that they were pretty far into their daily routine and might even have spent the night there last night. While it may be interesting for the pelicans, it's not a good thing for the people who like seeing the ole pelicans in their normal spots.

And, while the weather will change from this below average temperatures we are having at the moment, shooting up to sunshine and 73 by Thursday when an Arctic air mass is heading this way and will give us 30 MPH north winds and 20 degree F temps driving the wind chill into the very low single digit to mid teens. Things like this can also cause a sudden movement in the migrating visitors that could change their home-away-from-home base as well. It is something that needs to be watched and monitored.

 I'm anxious to ride the new TexRAIL on it's 27-mile trip from T&P station in Ft. Worth to Terminal B at DFW Airport. The train got approved after a couple of days being  delayed because of the government shut-down and is now active, live, hot and rolling. Theoretically one could start at terminal A on DART's light rail and ride it into Union Station in Downtown Dallas, change to either Trinity Rail Express or Amtrak there and then riding it into T& P in Ft. Worth. Finally, change to TexRAIL and ride it into Terminal B at DFW, then walk from Terminal B to A or ride the airport's tram from terminal B to terminal A to complete the circle. That trip, would be more than the 27 miles from Ft. Worth into DFW Terminal B, but boy would it be fun for a train and plane geek!! Least we forget the Cotton Belt Train from Plano across the north sector of the city to DFW Airport Train Hub has been given the go ahead also. THEN!! grab hold of this!

If that isn't exciting enough, just wait. The bullet train from Houston to Dallas and then  Ft. Worth T&P is nearing the horizon for construction. The Tube from Dallas to Ft. Work from Elan Musk is also on that horizon to travel from Dallas to Ft.Worth in 7 minutes or so and of course, the Lyft or Uber Air Taxi from Bell Helicopter's films are just absolutely awesome with prototype models coming soon.  Transportation in the Metroplex is going to make George Jetson seem like he was riding a bicycle all those years ago. I might even still be able to draw a breath on this planet and see this all working---that's how close to completion all this is approaching. We are not talking years as in decades, but within a decade or sooner. It's time to Get Excited About Transportation in Dallas and Ft. Worth. The time is at hand and it's going to be another big shot in the arm like DFW was 40-odd years ago. So don't be caught sleeping behind the wheel or you might miss all the excitement.

Great Blue Heron

Red Shoulder Hawk Take Flight.

Water Levels Are Changing Birds Patterns

If you visit the lake almost daily, one begins to see changes, however subtle, more rapidly than others. What I have noticed since before Christmas is that the patterns and habits of the birds that migrate to White Rock have changed. It seems to be caused by two factors. One, the higher level of the lake's water and the displaced logs for a longer period of  time, and the increased traffic  on the water and bikers racing through normally quiet stretches of roadways.

Logs in the lake have long been a staple for the birds---especially the waterfowl--- that like to sun themselves on the logs. Several years ago, the turtles had the same problem. The high water displaced the big logs and swept them down to the dam and over onto the spillway. That has happened this season for the pelicans which have been displaced from their little island that is on the north side of Sunset Bay. They have moved on to other locations and a few that I have talked with say that they have noticed an increase in pelican at Lake Lewisville dam and even Lake Ray Hubbard. I'm not surprised. Birds are creatures of habit just like the human factor and after a while, they tire of being disrupted and move on. Actually, I have been afraid of that for the past several years. If  you like and enjoy wildlife like I do, then the last thing you want to see is the waterfowl leaving and not coming back.

It isn't just the waterfowl, either. The hawks are restless. The owls are restless. The coyotes are becoming more aggressive and less timid as in the past. It's always been a solid fact that White Rock has so much to offer that it is a jewel of a park. With it's old trees that are dropping in more visible numbers, its waters that have seen increased boat traffic, kayak traffic, paddle boarders, no wonder the animal are getting nervous. It's stressing them out. That is very much more visible.

Even the common geese that once walked from the lake up onto the lawn of Sunset Bay cottage, don't cross the road as often as they once did. The racing bikers have upset that routine more than most would think. If you sit and watch the traffic, you see people in numbers whereas beforehand it was maybe one or two here and there, going the wrong way on the roadways where the signs plainly indicate "Begin One Way". It's a new generation of people that come now  not to enjoy the park, but to use it as their personal exercise gym outdoor style.

Last week a truck pulled up, got out a bag 25 or 30 maybe even 50 pounds of grain and spread it out for the waterfowl in front of the sign that said, Don't feed the birds with a reason why not to do so. The grain is by far better than bread for their digestive systems. But the point is not the guy that dumped the bag of grain---it was the people that walked down to the grain to get pictures and drove the animals back into the water.

What had been an amazing shot for any photographer was to see the ducks, the geese, the pigeons, the coots and low and behold a couple of squirrels right in the middle of all that. It was cute, comical and photogenic--- that is until this group of adults, some with kids, came rushing toward the animals driving them to retreat to the safety of the water. Things like that will drive animals away quicker than anything.  An hour later, the birds had not returned. The grain had been trampled down and kicked about . I'm thinking as I watch this--how would these people like for someone to rush their table as they sat down to a holiday meal? How would they like people to tramp across their table where the food had been laid out?

People are ignorant of how to approach wildlife. You don't let your kids run down the length of a dock like a thundering herd of mustangs and expect to see the animals up close in a native wild setting. But they do.  I've seen two Park Rangers in the last six months. The cops do more PR than the Park Rangers. When they first came back on board after City Council refunded their jobs, there was all kinds of talk about the good that they would do. Ironically, the crown jewel of the Park Systems Parks do not even have one in the park on a regular basis.

King of the Ball Diamond. This is his watch tower.

Hawk on a wire is not the same as bird on a wire.

His mate was in the tree across the roadway near the Katy Trail Extension at White Rock Trail

Spotted 5 of the Hawks Today But Not Before This Accident

Before eyes fell on the first of the five hawks that I saw today, I saw an accident that was just the strangest thing. A big box type van had it's box completely torn off the frame of the truck and came to rest against a telephone pole at a major intersection. Normally, I would have submitted to the live news feeds but just didn't feel like the effort that it was going to take, so after watching the cleanup and seeing two wreckers and their workers with chain saw, sledgehammer,an ax, I was just amused watching the box being further

The Truck and what is left of the box cover. This is wrecker # 1

reduced so that it could be safely loaded onto the second wrecker and hauled away. The cargo was yet, another mess that was being handled to the side and I didn't get any shots of that situation other than the initial shot of the mess it caused on the ground.

Like I said, I just didn't have the energy today to do the full scope of submitting to a live feed. So, I didn't. I have long been able to feel deep low pressure systems in my back as the storms approaches. Today is just that type of day. I haven't felt this as strongly since the blizzard of '78 in the Great Lakes. But, location means nothing other than that the storm system is close enough to me for me to feel it in my back and today it is radiating throughout my entire body as it did during the blizzard that is mentioned above. Ironically, for lunch, a couple of days ago, I got out of the freezer, a meal that was frozen especially for days like tomorrow's forecast. Cold. Rain. Misery. So, another one will be enjoyed tomorrow for lunch should I be lucky enough to be able to get out of bed. That makes me sound almost old. Well, I'm not that bad. But, the weather has really taken a toll on me mentally, this year already. But, there has been good new on that front already this

The box that once resided on the bed of the truck behind the first wrecker. This is wrecker #2

year, as well, so I really can't complain---even begin to complain, just yet! I'll try to get a second post of more of these pictures and some of the big red boys of White Rock. One was sitting on a wire. I have never seen a hawk on a wire. Not their style and there was a medium wind. He was having a problem keeping his balance but gave in to sit in his favorite tree a bit later.

The box at the edge of the intersection with its cargo that was inside the box.

                    

The Big Thicket Raptor Is Back Surveying The Tree Damage

Today, finally, I spotted the ole boy high atop his favorite tree in the Big Thicket. After a bit, he took flight over the hillside ticket east of the tennis courts and points south. I could see him diving low and then come up and ride the updrafts then back down in a swooping dive. He most likely was hunting. I could hear the crows squawking  then saw five of them doing their, "this is my ground buddy!" squawks. As I drove from Buckner up the hill at Peavy and made the loop down into the park, over W. Lawther to the cottage at the Big Thicket. I parked and walked over to the edge of the grove where the Red Shoulders and the Owls have shared for a couple of years without fail. I was about to give up and walked up closer to Buckner, finding the tree that I had seen from Buckner earlier. Sure enough, there sat the ole boy eating lunch. What a welcomed sight that was.

There was a fairly large group of people sitting on blankets. Nothing wrong with that, but they had dogs--maybe three---and the ole boy was quiet uncomfortable with the barking and the kids chasing the dogs so close to the big nesting tree. That has been one of the things that is a concern, especially at this time of year when nesting and mating are close to happening. The last thing I want to see is for the ole boy to relocate at such a critical time. Or worse yet, the increased pedestrian traffic would cause the pair to abandon the nest with eggs. That would be disastrous.

Still, there is hope that nesting will take place as in the past without any trouble. The guys from Parks
and Recreation are aware that it's nesting time there, especially with the big tree being down for a couple of months. The guys have so much work to do  this time of year and with the past two floods already this year, there is tons of wood on the floor. They are going to give it their best shot to get the tree removed before much longer and I, for one, greatly appreciate all their work. The guys are two great crews--one for West Lawther and one for East Lawther. The do such a great job helping to keep the park in order.

In fact, there was a guy today that was shooting the pelicans and finches, from Delaware who commented about the trash in the Dixon. He was surprised to hear that there are volunteer groups that work picking up trash and were even out today in large numbers with the bill board date of January 12th not until this coming weekend, it shows that people do care and were working in support groups even today. They are much appreciated, too!

Cited from Buckner Road

Mr. Squirrel with a very high post to observe and take in sunshine.

Just finished his lunch, He's back at has normal spot when the mate is on the nest--although that hasn't happened yet at the old nest. But, he's back in the neighborhood. That's a good thing.