Birder’s Lounge

This is the second in a series I am writing about Camp Fire USA’s Camp El Tesoro, in Granbury, Texas. As I was looking through the photos from my visit there, I noticed that many of the photos showed evidence of wildlife in residence. I usually focus most of my attention on wildlife itself, but it was very interesting to photograph and really take notice of the habitat.

First of all, I would like to know WHAT kind of animal lives in there! I could stick my whole head in there! Not that I’d want to. I wonder how animals with less scary homes feel when we DO stick our faces in their living rooms?

This is a smaller example of a tree cavity. I am going to guess that it is home to a bird - but what kind…I have no idea. Cavities like this are used and re-used by many species of birds to raise their young. Because our forests are dwindling due to development, the value of prime real estate - such as this cavity - is skyrocketing. Thank goodness there are many individuals and organizations who provide nest boxes so that animals who need cavities to survive, have an alternative. As I am writing this, Purple Martins (Progne subis) come to mind, who have come to rely almost 100% on man-made housing. Yikes!

This is one of my favorite pictures of my visit to El Tesoro! I am ashamed to say that in all my wanderings through forests, I have never noticed a Funnel-Web Spider’s web before! What are the chances there just weren’t any? The link that I have provided is to bugguide.net, and they offer a wealth of information about this family of spiders. It is good to know that the types of funnel-web spiders found in America are pretty harmless! Still, I didn’t feel like sticking my face in THIS for a closer look!

This picture shows tree sap that has oozed, then solidified, in holes drilled by a woodpecker. Neat! I am going to venture a guess that these holes were drilled by a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), because I know that this type of pattern is typical of their species. Maybe the bird that drilled these holes lives in the cavity nearby?

There is something very special about a place where both people and wildlife coexist in harmony and mutual respect. El Tesoro is that kind of place.

Please keep an eye out for the next article in my series on Camp El Tesoro!