Government Canyon 09/10/10

[stingrey]

Well, what can I say... I've never seen so much wildlife @ Government Canyon State Natural Area here in San Antonio... And I only wish I could take better nighttime pictures. I have no clue what I am doing when it comes to nighttime shots or believe me, you guys would have been in for a treat! On the flip side, at least I got SOME shots of SOME of the critters in action:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40461&id=124123460932334&ref=mf

As usual, share the link if you want! Far as the outing, Kim & I planned to head out to G.Canyon after we got out of work yesterday. Everything went according to plan with the exception that there was nothing to be seen for the most part. So we headed back on a whim and went up another trail to see what was going on as the sun set. Wouldn't you know it, a great horned owl was in a tree just off the trail (and just out of range of my built in flash)!

So that was the beginning of the real action... The rest of what we saw was great, don't get me wrong... But then there were TWO great horned owls in a tree screeching, clicking, and hooting at each other (or at us, not sure which). Watched those, SHOULD have gotten some video of the action... Kept trying to pull off pictures without much luck.

Left when the owls left and drove around just a bit and spotted a skunk, lots of little frogs, a big toad, and then a fox in the road. The fox stayed put so we stayed put and turned off the truck and tried to get some shots. The fox was so comfortable waiting up ahead just at the edge of the reach of the lights that it flat out laid down and closed its eyes for a bit while I clumsily attempted to take some pics.

The ONLY pic that came out worth the darned is the one that you see in the mix. Anyway, we saw plenty more. A scorpion, tons of lizards (the large lizard is my favorite next to the skink? in the bunch). If you look closely at the large lizard, it is pretty much in sharp focus if you look at his eye... But then looking at the lizard and his scales you can see how they diffuse his whole body against the background he was on.

Again, this was the MOST wildlife I've ever seen @ G.Canyon. Before that it was only squirrels and vultures and random bird sightings with the rare rabbit while lizards and spiders and butterflies were the ONLY thing I'd ever seen there. Guess I need to hang out a bit more at nightfall and in my secret spot where we got to see the owls!!!

:)

[chisos muse]

I thought the park closed at sunset? One time Jon and I got yelled at by the ranger because we got off a 9 mile hike around sunset and we were the only ones left in the park and the ranger was waiting for us...

Anyway, glad y'all had fun!

[stingrey]

I think they changed their hours not long ago... This is from the website, but it still doesn't seem right:

Open Friday-Monday and closed Tuesday-Thrusday. The front gate is open from 7AM-10PM.

Either I've just accidentally never gone when they were closed, or they are actually open each day now. Regardless, I've only been kicked out once... It was on 4th of July and they closed early. Probably because they were having trouble w/people setting off fireworks, but I was there to see what came out after dark and I was pretty sad that they kicked me out.

[chisos muse]

Well I'm glad they're finally open later! I haven't been there in a while. Perhaps tomorrow!

[Casa Grande]

what a treasure in our own backyard...Rey, we need to get together soon for anther Hike!  Nice pics...as usual.