East Texas THS April 2023

April 10

Diana and I left Camp Wood at 9:00 am. We spent the the first night with Joni, Philip, Mason, and Madison in Lewisville. We visited and played games until bed time.

April 11

Up early with Joni and family. They had to get ready for work and school. We left for McKinney to visit my brother, Max. After visiting for awhile, we headed for Cooper Lake State Park. We set up at camp site #1. I walked around especially down a high line right of way and fence line away from the camp site and also a pond away from the main lake. I saw a few odes, birds, and other things to photograph.

Common Green Darner

Swamp Darner

Stream Cruiser female

Stream Cruiser male

Double-striped Bluet

Mantled Baskettail

Orange Bluet

Baskettail

Blue Corporal

Citrine Forktail

Oklahoma Clubtail

White-eyed Vireo

Silvery Checkerspot

Red-eared Slider

Silver-spotted Skipper

Plain-bellied Watersnake

April 12

I over did myself yesterday, so today I birded near our camp site.

Cooper Lake State Park camp site

Cricket Frog

Mediterranean Gecko

Baby Crows

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Eastern Phoebe

Neotropical Cormorant

Female Baskettail

Male Baskettail

Red-banded Hairstreak

April 13

We left Cooper Lake State Park about 10:00 am and headed for Titus County Park. It had been permently closed so we headed to Bob Sandlin State Park Lake instead. We had eaten lunch in town on the way (pizza). Diana fixed hamburger helper for supper. Anyway we got sick from something we ate. We had a rough night. I had found a fishing pond away from the main lake that looked good for odes. I had to check it out. A few odes and birds were photographed.

The back end of Bob Sandin Lake

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Eastern Kingbird

White-breasted Nuthatch

Tufted Titmouse

Red-spotted Purple

Green Anole

Stream Cruiser

Skimming Bluet

Orange Bluet

Eastern Pondhawk

Vesper Bluet

Blue Corporal

Oklahoma Clubtail

Red Buckeye

April 14

We left the park early and headed for Pittsburg to look for a laundry mat. Our destination was the Texas Herpetology Society spring field trip at Couch Mountain Ranch in Camp County at Flannigon Lake lodge. Talked to some the members and searched for herps and odes. Toby's herp class did not arrived until about 10:30 pm.

Couch Mountain Ranch, Flanagan Lodge

Couch Mountain Ranch, Flanagan Lodge

Couch Mountain Ranch, Flanagan Lodge

Couch Mountain Ranch, Flanagan Lodge

Red-eared Slider and Map Turtle

Red Buckeye

Phlox

Green Anole

Blue-tipped Dancer

Stream Cruiser

Swamp Darner

White-throated Sparrow

Yellow-rumped Warbler

April 15

First full day of field trip was spent searching for herps with members at various locations. I have a few photos of the herps collected by some of the members.

Couch Mountain Ranch from the high point of the ranch.

Flannigan Lodge

Marbled Salamander

Small-mouthed Salamander

Mississippi Map Turtle

Plain-bellied Watersnake

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Swamp Darner

April 16

I visited with THS members and looked at what had been found. I also photographed specimens and people. Diana and I then headed for Martin Creek Lake State Park for the night.

Showing others what he found

Officers of THS

Flower's Toad

THS Members

Western Ribbon Snake

Texas Rat Snake

Racer

Eastern Coachwhip

April 17

We stayed another full day at Martin Creek Lake. Nice campground but the power plant across the lake was very loud. There were a couple of good trails along the lake shore.

Green Anole

Red-bordered Hairstreak

Orange Bluet

Rambur's Forktail

Martin Creek Lake State Park campground

Bluejay

Eastern Cottontail

Satyr

Robberfly

Hooded Warbler

Buckeye

Blue-fronted Dancer

Ebony Jewelwing

April 18

After eating breakfast at a roadside store restaurant, we headed for Indian Mounds Recreation Area on Toledo Bend. On the way we stopped at visitor center of Sabine National Forest to get map. We got to our campground around 2:00 pm. We got a good look at a Bald Eagle in the distance. Photographed odes, turtles, and birds.

Camp site at Indian Mounds Recreation Area on Toledo Bend Lake

Scenitive Plant

Pileated Woodpecker

Oklahoma Clubtail

Oklahoma Clubtail

Cyrano Darner

Little Wood Satyr

Map Turtles and River Cooters

Map Turtle and River Cooter

Big Bluet

 

Big Bluet

Bald Eagle

April 19

After leaving Indian Mounds, we ate breakfast at another gas station resturant. Good food. I was wanting to search for sites in southern Sabine County for spiketails. We drove down several roads but nothing really looked right. We did have a Bald Eagle fly up from the road and land a tree beside the road. Great photo opportunity. I decided to check out the Bleakwood and Sandridge Cementary for darners. Nothing was observed. On the way out, also stopped at Jesse J. Lee County Park on Big Cow Creek. Search around the park for about an hour. Saw a few things to photograph. We then headed for one of our favorite places, Boykin Springs Recreation Area. I looked at the pitcher plant bog on the highline right of way. Not much flying.

Bald Eagle

Oklahoma Clubtail

Eastern Fence Lizard

Jesse J. Lee County Park on Big Cow Creek

Blue-tipped Dancer

Sparkling Jewelwing

Sparkling Jewelwing

Pitcher Plant bog

Sundew

Ornate Pennant

Yellow-sided Skimmer

Seepage Dancer

Yellow-sided Skimmer

Attenuated Bluet

Southern Sprite

April 20

We started heading for home. Stopped at Bouton Lake and another pitcher plant bog on the side of the road. There were a few orchids blooming. At Beeville, we stopped to eat lunch at the city park. There was a pond there. I had to see if anything interesting was there. We got home around 9:30 pm.

Orchid near Bouton Lake

Orchid near Bouton Lake

Turquoise Bluet at Bouton Lake

Cocoa Clubtail at Bouton Lake

Desert Firetail at Beeville city Park

Orange Bluet at Beeville city Park