Our Favorite State Park

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Saturday morning we headed down for another visit to Brazos Bend, our favorite state park. We couldn't have chosen a better day, because it was warm and sunny but neither hot nor humid.

Our first stop in the park was Creekfield Lake, which seemed to be even more beautiful than usual. Or perhaps it's just that you can appreciate nature better when you don't constantly have sweat trickling down into your eyes.

There were plenty of bugs around but, luckily, mosquitoes were totally absent.

Red-eared Sliders were everywhere, sunning themselves on convenient rocks and logs.

There were several alligators, too. As it is now fall, they weren't looking to eat and were quite content to share their resting places with the turtles.

The only sound came from Common Moorhens working the lake and occasionally squabbling with each other.

It was good to see that American Coots had returned. 

The center of the lake had a Great Egret and a Mottled Duck, while the edges had several groups of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.

A Tricolored Heron was sharing a log with some more Whistling Ducks while a Green Heron prowled nearby.   

We stopped to watch a couple of White Ibis that were foraging through the reeds.

Then we stopped again to watch an Eastern Phoebe flycatching from a treetop.

While we were watching the Phoebe, a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron flew in and landed on the railing of the small bridge where we were standing.

The heron seemed unconcerned by our presence. We all stood there only yards apart for several minutes, enjoying the view and the noonday sun.

Then we said goodbye to Creekfield and moved further into the park.

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