Biker Chick in the Park

The weather has sent the temps into the 80's all week.   People have been out and about enjoying the occasional sunshine.  Here is Karen as she is about to launch into one of her daily bicycle trips around the RV park.  Note the clean truck behind her that Bill spent one recent morning washing and waxing.

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A Kayak Trip in the State Park

Twice a week our RV park here in Mission, Texas offers  small kayak trips for any guests who are interested.  Bill signed up and joined a group of five others on Wednesday.

For the last four days the temperature has risen into the mid-80's but the skies have been cloudy.  Wednesday was no exception with lots of wind as well.  The lake is surrounded by plenty of Palm trees so the wind was not a problem for the kayaks.

These trips come with little fanfare, rules or instructions.   Our guide just pushed each of us out and said be back in two hours.  The lake (or Resaca) is about a mile long.  The water was murky but full of fish and turtles with plenty of birds in the air above.

Two unusual birds that Bill saw were a Neotropic Cormorant and a Green Kingfisher.  Neither bird ever makes it to Michigan as far as we know.  All the boaters made it back to the launch site  safely, and on time with no complications.  It was a fun morning to paddle and explore.

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The Critter Under the Feeder "Ain't No Bird"!

The Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park has numerous bird feeders and bird blinds for bird watchers and nature lovers.

However.....

Does that black object near the tree look like a bird to you?

Let's take a closer look.

Pretty short and stout for a song bird.

so...

a closer look tells us...

Hint..

"Here piggy-piggy......"

It is a Peccary or Javelina in Spanish.

They enjoy all this extra bird feed that falls to the ground.

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Inside the State Park Next Door

The Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park is called a World Birding Center for good reason.  It is a winter retreat for many birds and  along the migration route for many more.  The park has numerous bird feeder stations and bird blinds for visitors to sit and watch which feathered creature shows up.

If you look closely at the picture above you  can find two Green Jays.  They are a bright, greenish Jay related to our more dull Blue Jays up north.

On our first bike ride into the park we also saw an Altamira Oriole but we were not quick enough to snap a photo.  It is a brilliant orange bird closely resembling our Northern (or Baltimore) Orioles back in Michigan.

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A Reason to Love This RV Resort

Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort is small compared to where we were staying in Yuma.  Our previous resort there had approximately 1200 sites while this one has about 250.  The recreational facilities here are few compared to the mega parks.   For example, we only have one pickle ball court compared to 10 in Yuma.  Likewise,  we must settle with only one swimming pool and hot tub.

But,,,

Here is one of the reasons we came back here.  Right next door is the Bentsen Rio Grande Valley Texas State Park which is a World Birding Center.  There is a reciprocal agreement that allows residents of our park to get a pass to enter and use the State Park whenever we wish.  Besides great wildlife viewing opportunities, the park has about six miles of paved hiking and bicycle trails.

More to come on that later.

Have a Great Super Bowl Sunday

New England Patriots vs Los Angles Rams

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Laredo to Mission - We Arrive at our Destination

The weather in southern Texas continued to be damp and overcast as we completed the last leg of our journey to a different RV park.  

We arrived at Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort in mid-afternoon on February 1 for a month's stay.  We had stayed here before and got one of the only two sites available for the month.  Note the Mockingbird at the top of the post.

We knew we were at the right place when we saw this sign out front on the fence.  In Florida people like us are "Snowbirds"  down here in the Rio Grande Valley we are "Winter Texans".

This is our site (on the right) from the road behind us.

 This is what our home site looks like for the next month.

The weather is warming up - now if we could just see the sun.

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A Stopover Near Laredo, Texas

Thursday morning we left Del Rio and headed south along the Rio Grande River on Highway 277.  We had lunch at Eagle Pass and ended our drive at a Texas State Park near Laredo.

Lake Casa Blanca State Park is on Lake Casa Blanca (no surprise there).   The State park has about 200 camping sites and is noted for its fishing.

Friday morning was overcast but a few fishermen had gathered on the fishing dock.

This Heron was waiting for the sun to show up out in the lake.

In the middle of the state park was this old mission that is now boarded up.

Note the bell still in the tower.

Texas has excellent state parks that are quiet and clean with hookups.

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