Birding Nature Center :: Other Things

The other things we saw on our nature hike at Matagorda County Birding Nature Center (MCBNC) included creatures both great...

An American Alligator slides stealthily into the water without making a sound.

and small...

An American Bullfrog sits on a log in a pond covered in duckweed.

And one creature with with long ears and a fluffy white tale that can swim if need be...

A Swamp Rabbit, one of the largest members of the cottontail family, crosses the trail.

I know, I was also surprised when I read that, too!

We also saw beautiful scenery, so diverse, you might not think that all of these photos were taken in the same park, but they were.

Swampy Wetlands

Colorado River View

Pretty Pond

And finally, I was delighted to see a few wildflowers hanging on.

Faded Texas Bluebonnets

Wild Daisies

Thistle

I know you won't be surprised to learn that after our nature hike at MCBNC, we purchased a family membership pass. Who knows what kinds of things we'll see the next time we visit?

Texas Roadside Garden

Some of the best gardens, in my opinion, are the wild ones—the ones that grow along the Texas roadsides in the spring.

We drove down Old Gulf Road in Matagorda last Saturday to see what was blooming.

There were patches of yellow coreopsis

and stands of peachy-pink Indian paintbrush

— the typical color of Indian paintbrush in Matagorda—

and sweet blue flowers that I think are called blue-eyed grass.

The wildflowers flowed along the roadside like a little stream and I stopped many times to take pictures.

I found a lone yellow coneflower growing among a patch of pink evening primrose

and a pretty lantana that was nearly as tall as the fence post.

One of my favorites, thistle, was just starting to bloom.

There were other flowers too—like winecup, Indian blanket, spiderwort (blue flower above), and more—making it a good year for this Texas roadside garden.