Visit Blackland Raptor Center – A morning filled with nature: What a wonderful way to start a weekend.
Visit Blackland Raptor Center – A beautiful spring day, the dog insisting we walk before I go anywhere and the morning hours quickly slipping away; I almost didn’t go to first Saturday at the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. I’m glad I went, as always.
This time, they had a bird at every station, it was different then normal, they usually have them in the amphitheater and I’m always just a little late.
The first bird was the black vulture, didn’t get any shots, again, a little late. I did get to watch the Kestrel, a beautiful, jay-sized falcon and as always, I always come away with more knowledge. The blue on the head is more defined on the female. I also learned that the larger the bird the longer their life; they have a screech owl named Sweet Pea-19 years old.
There is a feeling I always get when I’m at the center, I am with my people-people who love nature. I had seen and photographed Sweet Pea on several of my trips to the refuge.
I have a whole portfolio of photos of the these birds-check them out. Every time, not only do I learn something new about them but I see something about them I hadn’t before. It never gets old. I also learned about Parkhill Prairie from talking with a guide on the Prairie Walk-ask them about Blue-Stem Grass and it’s importance to the Blackland Prairie.
Other articles about visiting the Parkhill Prairie and Blackland Raptor Center.
February 2016 Raptor Center- 10 things I learned
January 2018 A trip to the Raptor Center
A trip to the Prairie: My Secret Garden
The next thing I did was walk the trails along the pond and overlooking Lake Lavon. I found frogs and turtles, looked for snakes and rediscovered my peace and love of water.
When you study nature, you can’t help but realize the smallest details and learning where we fit into A
Artbygordon
I missed my son, who would be scrambling for fishing pole, as I watched the many bass that cruised through the shallows after small bluegills. This is what I used to do when I was very young and that same peace and calm came rushing back to me. How small our world is when we see the details in nature and for that moment, everything is okay.
I watched many near misses of bass chasing the bluegills but I believe they weren’t actually hunting but instead gaurding their nests on the flat rocks. When you study nature, you can’t help but realize the smallest details and learning where we fit into our environment.
