tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7145327553474846702012-01-16T14:57:52.312-06:00"In every walk with nature, one receives more than he seeks" - John MuirEaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.comBlogger871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-59786588315153896662011-12-16T11:54:00.001-06:002011-12-16T11:56:18.085-06:00

While looking for a particular picture (which I have yet to find) I found one of my favorites of the Hermit thrush at Inspiration Point.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-89254615961354456232011-12-13T15:10:00.000-06:002011-12-13T15:10:56.683-06:00

It is grey, it is humid, and we have had nearly a half-inch of rain since Saturday. Today it is blustery and feels and smells like Spring. This is the weather that is ahead of the next front, it feels like it's coming in from the Gulf, and it's quite pleasant. (Another day of this and everyone will be begging for sun.)

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-86169934085688001502011-12-09T16:27:00.000-06:002011-12-09T16:27:45.480-06:00

I haven't had a chance to sit quietly at Inspiration Point until a few days ago. It had been getting into the lower 20s-upper teens at night, so to make the rounds of the water features, I waited until the midday temperature warmed enough for my finally acclimatized thin blood. Apparently the Black-crested titmouse didn't much care that there was a skim of ice on the water at Inspiration Point.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-35292297878758138052011-11-23T14:42:00.000-06:002011-11-23T14:42:38.917-06:00

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-32761698060090376332011-11-21T12:27:00.002-06:002011-12-01T16:55:42.118-06:00

The lechuguilla plant is in the agave family (same family as our century plants). Its botanical name, Agave lechuguilla, reflects that relationship. Its beautiful green color and the way the leaves nest into each other and curl back in at the top are both reminiscent of leaf lettuce, hence the name, which means “little lettuce.” Actually, the leaves are thick and leathery and each leaf is tipped

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-15928308598998887202011-11-08T10:03:00.001-06:002011-11-08T10:22:55.194-06:00

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-80219688455840999612011-11-03T13:15:00.001-05:002011-11-04T21:36:14.632-05:00

Well, it happened. The natives have turned invader and some of them need to go. Those cattails that started as a few blades of grass-looking spears have taken over most of the surface and all of the bottom of the Wildfire Tank. We think they grew up from some fluff delivered a few years back by a visitng Belted kingfisher, because the plants showed up a few months after the visit. After much

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-22674622938987107902011-10-25T12:09:00.001-05:002011-10-25T17:01:52.101-05:00

 Striped whiptail lizard Southern leopard frog with Gambusia     12-Spotted skimmer dragonfly Scrub jay Roadrunner camo

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-734362432510067372011-09-22T13:29:00.001-05:002011-10-04T11:22:32.281-05:00

We like our Harvester ants, because Texas horned lizards (Horny toads) like Harvester ants. Although we see Horned lizards on Eaton Hill on occasion, they were once so common that children captured them, raced them, made thread leashes for them and paraded them around, and otherwise entertained themselves with the little guys. I had one woman tell me that as recently as ten years ago she had a

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-41295339178935887872011-09-09T14:05:00.001-05:002011-09-09T14:08:55.770-05:00

It has cooled off some, at least at night and in the morning. We are still seeing temperatures in the 90s but the nights are in the 50s and the cooler mornings smell like fall. The light is different, too, with dawn being later and the sun slower to shed its splendor on the Hill. We had a grey morning, too, which was quite a treat, offering as it did a different perspective on some things. The

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-25588932042839822512011-08-29T14:15:00.000-05:002011-08-29T14:15:05.951-05:00

It hit 100 degrees before 11:30 this morning.We do have a whiff of a breeze, which helps, and the Nature Center itself, the Eaton House, is shaded by live oaks. In spite of the heat we are seeing some signs of migration, having spotted a couple of Rufous hummingbirds and a Ruby-throated hummingbird. We are keeping the nectar feeders full and continue to put out watermelon and other fruits to help

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-56917031348904536952011-08-18T13:10:00.001-05:002011-08-18T13:15:54.130-05:00

Our summer has been hot and dry. We are in a drought year that has had less rain than any one of the years of the drought of the 1950s. In this part of Texas the 50s drought is remembered by old timers as a helpless time, when livestock starved and people lived on the edge of ruin while spending their days burning the spines from prickly pear cactus to allow cattle to have something on which to

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-75679959155991285302011-06-27T14:20:00.001-05:002011-06-27T14:23:16.282-05:00

Sutton County Days moved from August to June and our main community-wide event of the year is now past. It includes a parade and Eaton Hill entered its first float, a stock trailer with a giant bird nest, a bunch of kiddos in bird wings and head feathers that they made themselves, and some bird watchers. The birdies and their watchers threw small plastic bugs and snakes and spiders to bystanders

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-70564682225582664602011-06-16T14:02:00.001-05:002011-06-16T14:39:56.378-05:00

The Black-capped and Bell's vireos are back. Also the Scott's oriole, the Hooded oriole, Black-chinned hummingbirds, Painted buntings... This spring and summer have brought with them more than flowers, bright greens gone to scorched, and birds...they bring developments. Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuary is working toward being a stand-alone non-profit organization. We will be officially known as the

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-52550206873515945232011-02-08T11:59:00.000-06:002011-02-08T11:59:08.076-06:00

In 1973, what was then Sonora Junior High became the keepers of the Orville G. Babcock geology collection. Dr. Babcock, whose degree was in entomology (insect study), collected rocks, minerals, and fossils wherever he went. He carefully recorded everything he collected by date, description, type, who collected it and where. He built three cabinets of twelve drawers each to hold his collection.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-77175135310629763942011-01-26T14:13:00.003-06:002011-01-26T14:17:40.382-06:00

Whenever cold overnight temperatures are in the forecast, how cold is important. If the temperature spends too many nights below 25 degrees, we have water valves that can freeze. Our water lines are "freeze line"--expandable--but all the valves are metal and unless they are open, the slight expansion of freezing water will split the metal. And that's a mess I don't care to deal with... On my way

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-60397478852348752242011-01-16T15:46:00.000-06:002011-01-16T15:46:42.331-06:00

It does not seem as long ago as Thanksgiving when I last posted a blog entry. The people of Eaton Hill (the Director and I) have succumbed to the oh-my-where-did-the-time-go syndrome. It is pretty common around December/January of each year... We have had visitors--both regulars and travellers (I looked it up. Either way. You'll know why the older style soon enough)--and we have been gone some,

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-8541302229115149502010-11-28T15:20:00.001-06:002011-02-04T12:25:03.303-06:00

We had a chunk of cold weather hit us as people were leaving town Thanksgiving morning. Knowing we were expecting 20 degree weather, I was draining the water lines to the water features so the valves wouldn't freeze. I was in a long-sleeved lightweight cotton shirt and wishing I had not worn sleeves. Within 15 minutes the temperature dropped almost 10 degrees and by the time I was ready to head

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-1055065476248819712010-11-12T10:53:00.000-06:002010-11-12T10:53:22.232-06:00

Finally, we have a camera! We replaced our broken Canon Powershot with a later model of the same. Some features and settings are a bit different and I will need to practice. Day before yesterday we had a visitor from Kerrville, a woman who used to live in Sonora. She is a fine photographer so we took a camera practice hike. Walking up to the flag we saw something disappear behind a rock. Assuming

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-19692822324627323452010-10-22T13:32:00.001-05:002010-10-22T14:18:42.144-05:00

I haven't been over here for a while and I really needed to be, as the cattails are taking over. I was smacked in the face by a real life/real time example of the following fact of nature: Just because something is native doesn't mean it will not be invasive. I spent this morning cutting cattails down below the surface of the water. I read that this kills them, to cut them so there is nothing

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-32355005886412355632010-10-19T10:17:00.001-05:002010-10-19T10:21:20.810-05:00

Yesterday afternoon I spent time observing the tadpole pile in the Round Tank. It started breaking up and the jelly-looking cloud became part of the algae. This is what I saw: Within moments, I spotted this little guy at the water's edge where the rocks at the water inlet meet the tank itself. After the new tadpoles use up the yolk from the egg, which is stored in their stomachs, they feed on

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-61879196007059807452010-10-17T16:49:00.006-05:002010-10-19T09:56:36.910-05:00

An event-filled month has passed. Although the school year is well underway, we are not yet into the season of Sonora school visits. We have, however, seen some home-schoolers. One group is participating in the Monarch Watch (www.monarchwatch.org/) butterfly migration count and delighted in shouting out numbers as they observed the area around the Eaton House and the nearby hen house. Journey

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-90703085578142256992010-09-12T11:31:00.004-05:002010-09-16T13:10:53.059-05:00

The daytime temperatures are cooler and we have had some rain. One closing-in-on-fall surprise--yesterday we had two Scissortail flycatchers on the overhead wires near the House. Scissortails are not uncommon in Sonora but they are less common on the Hill, as we do not have the best wide-open spaces for spotting flying insects. Their peachy-colored flanks are similar in color to the peach of the

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-79171687694120209552010-08-17T11:04:00.004-05:002010-09-11T13:46:55.330-05:00

We had a great time and we kept busy for three days. 25 kiddos 1st-5th grades. We had three helper-campers going into 6th grade and a helper 7th grade.  Five adults, four each day, and the administrative assistant for the Economic Development Corporation kindly arrived midmorning each day to be the snackmaker. So Grand Central Station had nothing on the Eaton House office and Nature Center last

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-76797769863553155902010-08-08T18:19:00.001-05:002010-08-08T18:19:58.991-05:00

It has been a super busy summer! We are one day past our first outdoor movie evening--a benefit to help support our programs such as the Nature Camp that is starting this Tuesday. First through fifth graders and a whole lot of what we will be doing is based on how people used to use what grows here. We will be making twine like archaic people used to do from sotol, sewing with "needles" and

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-37485363998492549702010-07-01T11:56:00.005-05:002011-01-18T16:41:46.100-06:00

Over three days--June 28-30--we had 3.3" of rain. The water tanks have not needed to have water added to them, there is enough mud around to make the weekly mopping of floors pointless, and parts of the trails are pretty goopy. Since the hummingbirds (lately only Black- chinned) continue to eat I continue to fill the feeders. There is a trail below the Eaton House that is a spur to the Lower

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-55719671879967228742010-06-29T11:22:00.013-05:002010-07-01T10:56:59.269-05:00

After finding out at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center that our narrow-leaf cattails are native but invasive, we started looking at other native water plants. We need them for algae control, as competition for food. The cattails have done this brilliantly in the Wildfire Tank but did I mention they are invasive?  While working at the nearby Boy Scout camp that has a river running through it

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-34022730792067324742010-06-04T11:07:00.001-05:002010-06-04T11:10:23.493-05:00

Goldfinches come three varieties: the American goldfinch and two different types of the ill-named Lesser goldfinch.   Now is the summer of our many, many Lesser goldfinches. The slightly larger, beautifully striking American goldfinch is only a visitor to our area; you can see Lesser goldfinches year-round. Whether the colorful black-backed version or the slightly less vibrant green-backed

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-5466857456156489562010-05-24T14:03:00.001-05:002010-05-24T14:04:25.204-05:00

We just had three visitors, two were grade school-age boys, and we went to the Wildfire tank because frogs and tadpoles and snakes sounded like just the thing for a leg stretch on the way from Austin to Alpine. As we came around the bend in the trail, the older boy spotted this porcupine sipping from the pool at the base of the "birdbath." S/he ambled off as we approached but slowly enough to get

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-32764461834526462072010-05-24T11:35:00.004-05:002010-05-24T11:41:26.560-05:00

The last couple of weeks have been busy ones. The 2nd Annual Photo Contest and Open House was well-attended. We opened early, as some people were attending the High School's performance of its one-act play from the statewide competition and we wanted folks to be able to see both the play and the pictures. The pictures will hang for a few more days. Last Thursday was the final session with the GT

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-41634686282785415852010-05-24T10:15:00.004-05:002010-05-24T11:54:24.034-05:00

We caught a picture! Black-necked garter snake, 16-18 inches long (just under 1/2 meter), not the 14 inches that I originally estimated.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-40572635301529284092010-05-15T14:06:00.002-05:002010-05-15T14:41:55.060-05:00

We had quite the wind last night. And lightning and thunder and 1.3" (3.3 cm) rain. The wind moved a few things around but nothing that couldn't be moved back except it partially snapped off a branch of the Desert willow that shades the water feature by the house. The branch is about 1.5" (3.8 cm) in diameter and is now draped over the rock wall to the left of the water feature. It hangs on by a 

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-44336952491862656852010-05-09T15:27:00.000-05:002010-05-09T15:27:57.501-05:00

Still no camera... And some of the cattails in the Wildfire tank are developing their cat tails! I will be very very happy when the Eaton Hill camera is repaired. Until then, my description relies heavily on the assumption that the reader has seen cattails. The leaves of these are fibrous and narrow, less than an inch wide, and tall--four to five feet above the water's surface. They grow in

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-36963046342624219082010-05-07T08:31:00.007-05:002010-05-07T12:22:46.033-05:00

I sat, camera-less, on the limestone slab that slopes into one end of the Wildfire Tank, my eye on a Leopard frog tadpole, waiting for him to move into the shallow water. What I saw was a snake, swimming straight for the line where the water meets the limestone, less than a foot from my booted feet. So many thoughts raced through my mind--after thinking "snake!" I thought "no camera," "beautiful

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-49616015488213564732010-04-29T16:07:00.006-05:002010-04-29T16:15:41.635-05:00

Finally, I and the camera and the tadpoles all together at the same time. I counted at least ten of the economy-sized ones, looking more and more like Leopard frogs every day. Here is a gang of three or four (or five?) nibbling on algae or something in the algae. Almost there...

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-13702498746654437402010-04-22T17:58:00.002-05:002010-04-22T18:02:48.560-05:00

Two middle school gifted and talented classes had their second visit to the Hill today. Since it is Earth Day, and the last time they were here it was pouring down rain, it seemed a good idea to change our plan and go for a hike. So much changed with the rain! Flowers and green are everywhere.   In honor of Earth Day we told the story of the evolution of our very own Wildfire Tank ecosystem. In

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-55500801316896059962010-04-09T15:15:00.003-05:002010-04-09T15:19:33.018-05:00

Often Sonora and Sutton County will have warm weather in February. In March people start talking about spring. I moved to Sonora on a May 2nd, so I had a whole summer and winter to go through before I had a spring. My first winter in Sonora was mostly mild, with a couple of freezes and some snow. Then came March with some spring-like days. This is when I learned a few things about spring in this

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-32003787348254034402010-04-07T16:51:00.004-05:002010-04-07T17:01:11.902-05:00

On April 2nd we had our first sighting of our Black-capped vireo! He was cruising the branches above the water feature right next to the Eaton House. I say cruising but that really isn't the best word to describe the way Black-capped and Bell's vireos flit about between leaves and around branches--downright manic might better evoke a sense of his movement and explain why the following are the two

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-87098481064086551772010-04-04T08:44:00.001-05:002010-04-04T08:46:02.697-05:00

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-8218169220951423742010-03-25T13:45:00.011-05:002010-04-09T13:57:49.456-05:00

Lately, our entries seem to be bird after bird after bird... We do have other critters, we have insects (watching for the Monarchs, now) and we have plants, and the first bluebonnets have shown blooms on the sunny side of the Hill, but we are on the Central Flyway and migrating birds abound. As of last week we have our first female Black-chinned hummingbirds--it seems the males always precede

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-18379137437524173472010-03-20T14:33:00.002-05:002010-03-25T13:06:05.649-05:00

We have a small water feature at the base of the dry rock wall near the house, under a desert willow with some vines--Virginia creeper and wild clematis, and ferns. Yesterday was the first time I'd ever seen a Roadrunner there. He saw me...                           And left. Today it is cold--lower 30s--windy, and it actually spit snow this morning!

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-39305472610391559522010-03-14T19:19:00.003-05:002010-03-14T19:26:49.436-05:00

We have been busy here on the Hill. It has been winter, then spring, then blustery spring, back to wintery, rainy--all since the last post! We have hosted a sparrow identification workshop, mapped out a potential disabled access trail, had many visitors, and now it's Spring Break for Sonora, as well as for many other communities. So have a good break and we hope to see you on the Hill. 

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-24332610549505286592010-02-24T11:02:00.002-06:002010-02-26T12:38:41.486-06:00

First, snow! Then, a Dark-eyed junco, in the desert willow at the edge of the Eaton House yard, waiting out the snow.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-33849401580609406252010-02-15T15:37:00.003-06:002010-02-26T12:39:33.401-06:00

I was squatting on the foot-wide edge of the Wildfire tank, facing away from him, catclaw and hackberry branches on three sides, when this Ruby-crowned kinglet appeared less than 18 inches from my left foot. I almost fell in.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-88789148822153676892010-02-14T21:51:00.001-06:002010-02-14T21:52:36.114-06:00

As a gusty wind blew the beautiful upper 50s sunny weather away and the temperature began dropping into the 30s, a Ladder-backed woodpecker made its first recorded appearance at the Wildfire Tank.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-74905190548682475932010-02-04T16:11:00.001-06:002010-02-04T16:12:54.998-06:00

Ruby-crowned kinglet at the tank on Wildfire Run  Stare down. He won.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-70720288880397241582010-02-02T16:50:00.000-06:002010-02-02T16:50:18.851-06:00

The Inspiration Point Hermit thrush talks back: And we have some better pictures of the Cedar waxwings--they showed up two days later in the same tree at about the same time of day: One of Eaton Hill's friends just east of town reported a tree so full of Cedar waxwings that he at first thought the tree had magically, overnight, acquired leaves. They make me smile: Especially when I can see the

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-49094462059774273552010-01-28T12:28:00.002-06:002010-01-28T12:58:13.558-06:00

Eby's Art Wall with a hail background:  and our porch:

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-30537462777449279772010-01-28T11:48:00.003-06:002010-01-28T11:52:11.168-06:00

It's raining! Big drops--the kind that to my ear sound like hail for a split second until I tune in and hear the slight splat. Hail to me has a "bounce" to it. Yesterday evening was this same grey, with almost rain, a heavy mist that hung a veil over everything. Of course, this was when the mesquite tree in the yard filled up with Cedar waxwings, the first ones I've seen since fall, and it was

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-64879513237250870202010-01-26T13:43:00.001-06:002010-02-26T13:09:28.348-06:00

Yellow-rumped warbler pair at the Wildfire tank. The male is starting to change into his migrating outfit, a less intense version of his breeding clothing of black, blue-grey and yellow.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-12073266185387222032010-01-23T07:57:00.000-06:002010-01-23T07:57:22.861-06:00

Yikes! Signs of spring, already! A surprise anemone on the short trail down to Inspiration Point And the Agarita shows tiny red buds that will become bundles of fragrant yellow flowers. A regional pronunciation of Agarita is “algerita,” sometimes with a hard “G,” (like “golf”’), sometimes a soft one (like “germ”). A way to remember the correct name is to remember that agarita (with a hard “

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-44321251944309134562010-01-19T13:32:00.000-06:002010-01-19T13:32:11.732-06:00

I am very excited to find some products that look like they'll take care of our algae problem with a minimum of unintended result! The tank on Wildfire has the least algae of all the tanks and I now know why--there are plants. (D'oh). Plants compete with the algae for food and they are bigger so they don't necessarily win but they sure make the algae work for its supper. I did not make the

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-80297697884004238592010-01-16T13:44:00.001-06:002010-01-16T13:46:15.266-06:00

After checking on the tank I sat on the nearby concrete bench, camera at the ready, peering past the Evergreen sumac and watching for whomever might want a drink or a bath. I heard a rustling sound and glanced down the trail to my right just in time to see a Sharp-shinned hawk following the trail, headed right at me. He passed within two feet of my knees and kept right on going up the trail. I

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-82858401622044186122010-01-09T15:44:00.011-06:002010-01-16T12:41:42.855-06:00

We have our winter weather! 11 degrees F this morning. The small water feature at Inspiration Point has frozen over but I was delighted to see that the solar-panel-run impeller pump is still circulating, running water through the small pools, along the rock and concrete edge and under the ice. You can kind of see how the water is going in the picture to the left. The water outlet is in the dark

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-89112725290254619782010-01-08T12:06:00.001-06:002010-01-08T13:41:17.442-06:00

We had a visit from Scott Jordan, the Texas Pecos Trail Region Coordinator. Well, we actually had two visits but only one to the nature center/office where I had the good fortune to be when Scott arrived. He asked a lot of questions about the Wildlife Sanctuary, the trails, the animals and birds, and graciously gave me a lot of room to be excited about everything we do up here. We look forward

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-32688444348375853342010-01-06T14:09:00.002-06:002010-01-06T14:11:47.682-06:00

We are headed into a stretch of cold weather and when the temperatures are forecast to get well below 20 degrees F the Hill's water valves can freeze. The water to the Wildfire Tank can stay on because it runs all the time and therefore won't freeze. (At least that's the theory--it hasn't yet, anyway). For the other side of the water system, we turn the water off and drain the lines. While

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-10271396578933102842010-01-02T16:25:00.004-06:002010-01-04T16:32:48.160-06:00

Beautiful day! Sunny, into the 50s (F). No wind. It has been windy and although invigorating, the birds were somewhere not out eating or bathing. I had the opportunity to take a break between fish checking, water tank filling and bird feeder filling and sat for about 30 minutes on the concrete bench at the Indian Village. This particular bench is tucked into an evergreen sumac and birds splash

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-44938704733478705982009-12-25T15:11:00.003-06:002010-01-09T16:01:18.405-06:00

I've been asked...no, Eaton Hill did not have snow for Christmas. It just seemed wrong somehow not to post something seasonal and my sister and I built this guy while on a walk near our mother's house in the Midwest.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-53452547171388437152009-12-11T17:29:00.002-06:002009-12-17T14:03:59.415-06:00

After the Director and I discussed the presence of dead gambusia we decided the best thing to do is to net the dead fish and dispose of them. I am researching fish diseases but oh, my goodness is there ever a lot of material to look through and I still have no clue. The good news is, my first netting brought me two deceased gambusias and a tadpole! I quickly returned Tad to the tank. I never

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-90357242436302354872009-12-09T17:34:00.001-06:002009-12-10T14:12:03.642-06:00

It's been cold. Getting below freezing and we had snow last Friday. I checked the Wildfire tank minutes ago and sad day there are about fifty dead fish, all lying on the bottom, from the tiniest to the biggest. It's a mystery...If it had been the cold I'm guessing the dead fish would all be little. In past years when it's been cold the fish hunkered down in the rocks and went into some sort of a

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-86443745131011447022009-12-02T13:30:00.003-06:002009-12-15T17:04:27.786-06:00

Yellow-rumped Warblers are grey-blue with black, with bright yellow on their heads and throats. At least that's how they look in all the pictures in all the books. But that’s their breeding coloring and Sonora is their winter stomping grounds; they don’t breed here. Here, they are little brown birds with eye rings, white wing bars and yellow on their rumps and the sides of their breasts. I

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-79524373740559931322009-12-01T16:29:00.012-06:002009-12-02T12:42:05.875-06:00

Today is cold by Sonora standards and it is getting colder by the hour. When I left home for the Eaton House this morning it was 48 degrees (F) and it is now 41 degrees. One cannot tell by watching the sky what time of day it is, as there is no sense of where the sun might be behind the dull pewter with patches of tarnish that is today’s sky. The rain that started during the night turned into a

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-13200068374074806762009-11-21T14:55:00.003-06:002009-11-22T15:10:15.983-06:00

One of our Wildfire tank gambusia, in the shallow water near the trail. I've finally sort of mastered getting the camera to focus below the surface of the water. This particular Mr. (or Ms.) G. is about 2 1/4" (just under 6 cm) long.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-20350978855190101802009-11-16T10:40:00.002-06:002009-11-17T12:08:29.465-06:00

Mexican Buckeye in golden phase Can you spot the other Buckeye in the pics below? Although I often think each season is the "most spectacular", this fall has truly been exceptional in comparison to the norm for West Texas.  The extended cool weather has granted vegetation the opportunity to leisurely complete the cycle of drawing in for the winter - displaying the full gamut of color in

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-68495337212759254362009-11-10T14:54:00.003-06:002009-11-21T14:41:16.376-06:00

More evolution... On 09-22-2009 I wrote: After the small turtle it seems important to document changes as they are observed, with the date of the observation. With the exception of the introduction of the gambusia, this tank is evolving purely on its own and should be allowed to continue to do so, without introduction by us of any other critters or plants. On 09-24-09 I wrote: No turtle.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-32970811098127684512009-11-04T13:03:00.002-06:002009-11-04T13:11:40.625-06:00

It was no longer necessary to check the tank more than once a week, as the water in and the water out were nicely balanced. Once when I checked the two shallow puddles they had tiny fish in them—“newborns”—and I scooped them out, put them back in the tank, and packed small rocks into a fissure in the corner of the tank. Next day more babies were in the puddles so I wedged screen and rocks into

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-42467400344716116822009-11-03T15:51:00.000-06:002009-11-03T15:51:36.652-06:00

Morning hike yielded tens of butterfly species!  178 photos and 2 very sore feet later, I am working on identifying the colorful creatures.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-39576534100253626022009-10-29T21:32:00.000-05:002009-10-29T21:32:40.008-05:00

This evening was the perfect fall night for an evening stroll on Eaton Hill.  The air is crisp and chilly after a coldfront came through earlier today.  Tonight was definitely a mammals walk.  On the hill I saw a large group of white-tail  deer does.  It seems like they are more concentrated on the hill during hunting season, and maybe it is due to the hunting pressure outside of town.  I also

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-32653442971546519322009-10-27T23:11:00.000-05:002009-10-27T23:11:08.572-05:00

The temp dipped down into the thirties this morning but hit near seventy by afternoon, with awesome clear skies and that cool, clean, crispness of early fall air.  Hummingbirds and monarchs have moved on it seems, but last Friday we saw a parade of other butterfly species out in large numbers.  They were especially drawn to the little leaf sumac. I was thrilled to document a new species for Eaton

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-52068068010431958552009-10-22T17:02:00.001-05:002009-10-22T17:02:32.135-05:00

Last night an awesome system came through bringing great saturating rains and cool weather.  Tonight it might even dip down into the thirties.  Along with the cool weather have come some incredible groups of migrating birds and animals.  One of the most recently noticed has been the Turkey Vulture headed south for the winter.  Spotting their large swirling groups is great fun for everyone, but be

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-34628194185611165472009-10-21T13:07:00.000-05:002009-10-21T13:07:12.741-05:00

Yardwork today! I brought the "big guns" from home--an exceptionally strong pair of loppers (anvil type--the Hill owns the bypass type) and an eight-foot long tree pruner with a cutter and a pruning saw. Time to give the live oaks a trim, a chore I postponed until the hummingbird visits backed off a bit. Right now the weather is unsettled: breezy, damp, trying to sprinkle, grey. The hummingbirds

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-79855062005074148172009-10-20T09:51:00.000-05:002009-10-20T09:51:29.501-05:00

Update Up on Eaton Hill Mild temperatures and sporadic rains have combined to create an outstanding autumn experience up on Eaton Hill. Trees are fruiting, wildflowers are blooming, hummingbirds are buzzing, monarchs are adrift on the breeze, songbirds are migrating and all manner of creatures are feeding on the bounty of the season – before it’s gone. Recently, Russell Dempsey and I had the

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-33623981073456287332009-10-16T08:56:00.003-05:002009-10-16T09:00:19.192-05:00

We found this video by the Docubloggers from Austin about a favorite annual occurrence, the nesting Bald Eagles just East of Llano, Texas.  During the winter Bald Eagles come to our region to nest and breed.  This nest is in an incredible spot, because you can get a great shot of it from the highway.  Most of the land in Texas is private, so an opportunity to observe a nesting family from such

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-9920869215257857632009-10-15T08:28:00.000-05:002009-10-15T08:28:38.784-05:00

Earlier this week the a Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus) decided to strike a pose on a cactus for our cameras.  These lizards range from Oklahoma through Texas and into Mexico.  They are one of the many reptilian species represented on our Eaton Hill.  Enjoy the pictures and enjoy the beautiful day! The Spiny Lizard can easily maneuver on the face of a prickly pear cactus He seems

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-76675539264883790752009-10-13T09:41:00.000-05:002009-10-13T09:41:40.952-05:00

On Saturday, the sky was partly cloudy, and cleard completely by afternoon.  Monarchs were counted in flight on Eaton Hill at the rate of 200 per 15 minutes.  The photos are taken at the bottom of Eaton Hill, near the Community Prayer Garden.   The garden is stunning, due to the maturing trees and plants as well as the blooms brought forth by recent rains and modereate climate. Today,

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-31382849641732495332009-10-12T12:54:00.004-05:002009-10-14T11:13:12.888-05:00

Monarch Butterflies roosting by the Lillian M Hudspeth Memorial Hospital in Sonora, TX.  All pictures were taken on 10/2/2009 by Tori, an 8th grader from Sonora Middle School :-)  Great Shots! Monarchs at Roost! As the monarchs make their way through our area they congregate in groups of thousands on a single tree. Great profile shot of a monarch! I believe we have a new picture of the

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-56444226811132017502009-10-12T10:50:00.001-05:002009-10-12T10:51:34.791-05:00

Last Thursday Delyse and I had the great opportunity to visit Ms. Love's 8th grade class to speak about the monarch migration and Eaton Hill.  The students were incredible and had some great questions.  Let's hope we get some submissions posted for our Monarch Bonanza challenge!  Happy trails and stay warm out there today.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-10787293472866490682009-10-08T13:20:00.001-05:002009-10-08T13:23:17.229-05:00

The air is cooler, with a breeze, perfect for more yardwork. The Eaton House has a backyard that is bounded on one side by a dry rock wall that has been taken over by sumac, prickly pear cactus, and the ubiquitous hackberry saplings. The other side of the yard, bordering the paved back porch, is Eby's Art Wall. The third side is a small water feature at the base of another dry wall, sheltered

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-52265051727999636202009-10-07T10:14:00.003-05:002009-10-11T18:00:46.944-05:00

Today on Eaton Hill is a day for enjoying one of our greatest seasonal joys and for working hard to get ready for our Sonora Economic Development Corporation board meeting.  SEDC along with volunteers and donors make Eaton Hill possible.  We enjoy showing them our appreciation every chance we get for creating a place to experience nature for our friends, families, and visitors. Concurrently we

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-21978803072915972422009-10-06T13:51:00.006-05:002009-10-14T11:45:23.984-05:00

WILDFIRE TANK EVOLUTION I use the term “evolution” to mean “change over time.” The beginnings of this history are from my memory; Until I saw the turtle I did not think that we may need to document the conversion of a concrete and rock tank with a stone “birdbath” to an aquatic/wetlands ecosystem. When I started my employment at Eaton Hill in June of 2006 the tank on Wildfire Run was a long

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-55236875967700400122009-10-05T09:33:00.003-05:002009-10-05T09:33:06.962-05:00

Don't be fooled!  There are black and orange butterflies masquerading as monarchs but don't be fooled by the clever mimicry of the Queen butterfly.  I fell for the ruse but you don't have to! Having heard reports of Monarchs in the area, I was excited to see half a dozen Monarch-like butterflies in my yard and a dozen more along the highway.  Something wasn't quite right so I looked up the

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-81574337952438892622009-10-01T09:52:00.002-05:002009-10-01T10:05:35.999-05:00

What a wonderful morning on Eaton Hill.  Not only do we have cool temperatures with a good chance of rain in the forecast, but Texas Parks and Wildlife has graciously awarded Eaton Hill with a $16,160.00 grant (see news release)! This will help us to add our first ADA accessible trail to the hill.  The trail will lead from an expanded parking area at the Eaton Hill Nature Center to the picnic

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-1166761416691152092009-09-30T09:28:00.000-05:002009-09-30T09:28:22.538-05:00

Ok... this is an older post from May on the AMA PEEPS Blog, but we just discovered it today courtesy of Google Search so we were excited.  Delyse Jaeger our big cahuna of Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuary was mentioned in a post on PEEPS for photographing the Green Violetear on Eaton Hill.  Congrats to Delyse and good luck on continuing to build your life list! You never know what you will find

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-72712421198831373532009-09-29T10:17:00.000-05:002009-09-29T10:18:52.353-05:00

Rounding the turn around 9:00 pm, my headlights illuminated the insect-like movement of a large black mass crawling across the caliche road. The size, color and shape suggested a tarantula, but the gait was all wrong. After maneuvering the truck to light up our mystery bug, my son and I jumped from the cab to find one of nature’s horror stories unfolding before our very eyes. There was a

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-78215734225644148512008-09-30T13:00:00.006-05:002009-09-17T10:48:14.888-05:00

Yesterday a Scott's oriole showed himself in the trees behind the house. He seemed such a brilliant yellow in the evening light; his white wing bars reflected his body and showed as pale yellow. Scott's orioles show in books as being here all summer and we do see them but the sightings become more frequent as their fellow-Scott's start travelling south from their summer ranges farther north.A

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-11885420722745152632008-09-30T12:53:00.003-05:002008-09-30T12:59:57.033-05:00

The electrical project continues...We have a couple of working outlets, thereby allowing us to be flashlight-free in the evening. The electrician's first "hot" switch operating a light fixture allows us to use the window-free bathroom without hanging up said flashlight.Our office on the Hill is almost a reality!

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-714532755347484670.post-67840784544643154132008-07-09T10:46:00.003-05:002008-07-16T15:56:06.717-05:00

Electrical Work Begins & Painting is UnderwayYolanda Sanchez and Kory Humphrey have made great progress on the first room to be renovated for our new Nature Center. Preparation, painting and a little repair work brings us to an "almost finished", ready to show state.

Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300974227411402985noreply@blogger.com2