March 11, 2020 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Late Winter and Early Spring on the Upper Texas Coast

American Avocets

Carolina and I have made three separate trips to the Upper Texas Coast year – one each in January, February, and March. In January we rented an AirBNB in Galveston with our good friends James and Erin Childress. We’ve really come to like this way of finding accommodation, and have stayed in some great places for very reasonable prices. But I digress.

The weather was generally gloomy and gray during out visit. This doesn’t make for a fun trip to the beach, however it’s usually pretty good for photography. So while Caro and Erin combed the beach, James and I got down on our bellies and started looking for things to point our cameras at.

One of the first subjects was a banded winter-plumaged Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). Initially a victim of market hunting, this Federally Threatened species continued to experience significant population declines after the practice was outlawed, as the shorelines it depends on have rapidly disappeared to development. Thanks to legal protections and various conservation initiatives, populations appear to be slowly rebounding.

Piping Plover

We were also lucky enough to observe several Long-billed Curlews (Numenius americanus) foraging along the surf. The beaks on these guys are otherworldly. They use them to probe tiny burrows in the earth in search of hidden invertebrates. The curlews are winter residents along the coast. They nest primarily in shortgrass prairie and meadows in the intermountain west. Their breeding range barely enters Texas in the extreme northwest corner of the Panhandle, where Caro and I were lucky enough to see them last year.

Long-billed Curlew

In a remote stretch of undisturbed beach I came upon an avian extravaganza that I won’t soon forget. Thousands upon thousands of American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) had congregated on a narrow spit of sand just offshore. The faintly sweet smell of uric acid greeted my nostrils, and a cacophony of bird chatter filled the air. To my surprise, they were not wary and allowed a close approach. I enjoyed playing with various compositions. I was happy for this rare opportunity to create images that were more artistic than diagnostic.

American Avocets

American Avocets

The avocets seemed indifferent to my presence, so I was surprised when through my viewfinder I saw that they all suddenly took flight with a deafening roar of alarm calls. Surely I hadn’t spooked them. The culprit responsible soon revealed itself, as a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) shot into the undulating sea of feathers like a bullet. The falcon worked the avocets, pushing them farther out to see. Eventually, the avocets returned, but the falcon soon struck again. The scenario repeated itself several times, yet for all its speed and brawn, the Peregrine was unsuccessful in capturing one of the avocets. Perhaps with such a huge group of birds moving as one, the confusion is too much and focusing on a single target is too difficult. Then again, perhaps the raptor wasn’t really hungry, and just felt like messing with the poor shorebirds.

Peregrine Falcon

The next day we spent the evening exploring the Saltmarsh. While I was slowly creeping toward some ibises foraging in the incoming tide, I heard James call out “Nelson’s!” He had found and successfully photographed a Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni), an elusive lurker that tends to remain hidden in the grasses. I was admittedly jealous as I rushed to his location. We waited for some time, but the sparrow never gave us another clean look, and the best I could manage was a shot through the tangle of saltmarsh grasses.

Nelson’s Sparrow

I wasn’t aware, but Galveston has a crane festival, of sorts, celebrating the annual return of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) to the island. We missed the festival, but we were lucky enough to see a number of cranes. I generally see several large groups of Sandhill Cranes each winter, but have thus far been unsuccessful in obtaining a shot I was happy with. It has been my experience that they are either foraging in a heavily modified pasture or they are too skittish to approach. Last weekend while on a birding trip to the coast we spotted a small group in a little coastal prairie remnant. I was able to utilize dense vine cover along the fence to creep closer to the birds until i reached a gate that I could shoot through. In the end I was happy with my images of this incredibly elegant species.

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

Watching the cranes, I immediately drew similarities to Ornithomimidae, a family of therapod dinosours that bore a striking resemblance to a number of long-legged, long-necked birds. Perhaps the most famous of these are members the genus Gallimimus which were featured in the movie Jurassic Park. Something about the pose I captured below reminded me of those prehistoric creatures.

Sandhill Crane

Carolina and I returned to Galveston in late February. While driving through one of my favorite marshes, Caro spotted a little gathering of Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata). These common yet elusive shorebirds have long been a nemesis of mine. On their northern breeding grounds they can often be seen displaying in the open from fence posts, shrubs, and other elevated perches. On their wintering grounds, which include Texas, however, they stay hidden in the grasses of wet prairies, marshlands, and the margins of various water bodies. 95% of my snipe encounters consist of me getting to within 15 feet of the bird and not realizing it until the snipe explodes from the grass and flies off out of reach.

The difficulty of capturing them on film (card?) has drawn me to this species. After Caro spotted them, I was able to park, and use my truck as a bit of a blind as I got out and crept toward them on my hands and knees. Once I got within range I sat and waited. I took the image below as one of them began moving about in search of prey. To me, this provides a sense of how I normally see the species (those rare times when they don’t fly off): superbly camouflaged and well hidden among the senescent brown leaves of Distichlis or some other grass species deep in the marsh.

Wilson’s Snipe

Shortly after I captured the image above, the snipe actually moved out to forage in the open of the mudflat. The light was improving and things were looking good for capturing the snipe image I’ve always dreamed of. Unfortunately due to my position I was unable to get to the angle I wanted, and some vegetation along the ditch was obscuring my view, despite the fact that the bird was out in the open. I captured a few images I was relatively happy with, and then made the foolish mistake of slowly trying to move into a better position. As I did I spooked this snipe as well as several others, who all flew well out of reach behind a fenced pasture. Satisfied with our snipe encounter, we went to eat at our favorite local restaurant and spent the afternoon at the beach.

Foraging Wilson’s Snipe

In the evening we returned to find the snipes once more. I was able to capture a few more images before we pushed deeper into the marsh.

Wilson’s Snipe

In one of the numerous tidally influenced pools I spotted a pair of Mottled Ducks (Anas fulvigula). The male was kind enough to pose in the open for a shot that showcased a bit of the surrounding habitat.

Drake Mottled Duck

Where the marsh met the bay we found a group of White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) coming into breeding plumage. It’s always a joy watching these goofy wading birds probe their decurved beaks into the mud.

White Ibis

On the other edge of the marsh, where it met pasture that was once coastal prairie, we spotted a lovely male American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) perched on an old sign post. It was a lovely way to end a great day on the coast.

American Kestrel

The next week, Caro and I returned to Galveston. We saw many birds, but photo opportunities were few and far between. That is, until we returned to my favorite marsh. Here a Solitary Sandpiper provided me with some incredible photo ops as it foraged in the shallow brackish water at the marsh edge. Initially I spotted a Great Yellowlegs in this roadside pool. I thought I had spooked all the birds in the area when I approached, but shortly after laying in the shallow water of the ditch, this Solitary Sandpiper crept out from behind a big clump of mud, and I watched it forage for nearly an hour.

Solitary Sandpiper

The Upper Texas Coast is right at the extreme northern end of the wintering range for this species. I only occasionally encounter them, much less frequently than most other shorebirds in the region, so it was a real treat to get such a good photo op. Solitary Sandpipers breed in the taiga and tundra of Canada and Alaska. I read up a bit on the species after photographing it, and learned that it is one of the only shorebirds to nest in trees. Pretty interesting, if you ask me!

Solitary Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

The next day we went with my mom to visit Anahuac. I always enjoy birding with my mom, and the trips I took with her to the coast all those years ago helped to forge my love for birding and coastal ecosystems. The day was cool and fairly slow, however a notable highlight was observing a pair of Northern Crested Caracaras (Caracara cheriway) near their nest.

Northern Crested Caracara

Over the past few weeks I spent a lot of time laying in marsh muck, taking in my surroundings. Coastal marshes, especially the saltmarsh, are magical places. Among the muck, stabbing needlerush, and squadrons of mosquitoes, one can find a unique cast of plant and animal characters that are found nowhere else in the world. The Mottled Ducks, Solitary Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipes, and other species pictured here share the marsh with Saltmarsh Snakes, Diamondback Terrapins, Seaside Dragonlets, Clapper Rails, Seaside Sparrows, and a whole host of other interesting species. Northern Harriers and White-tailed Kites patrol the air and hermit and blue crabs scour the shallows. In my book, that makes for pretty good company.

April 16, 2019 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Spring in the Desert Part 3: The Marathon Basin

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An hour or so north of Big Bend National Park, nestled between the Stockton Plateau and the Eastern Front Ranges of the Trans-Pecos lies a unique geoecological area with floral and faunal associations that seem out of place in the otherwise semi-arid desert scrub that surrounds it. The Marathon Basin, at is is commonly described, is surrounded by a series northeast trending ridges known as the Marathon Uplift, which contains a unique geology important to a suite of endemic, endangered species.

The Basin’s most dramatic feature just might be a vast remnant patch of short grass prairie that appears like a vast sea of refuge from the surrounding desert scrub. I always look forward to seeing this prairie and its residents. This spring we were fortunate to see a group of Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) among the undulating grassy ridges.

Pronghorn Buck

The star attraction of the Marathon Grasslands, however, is the massive prairie dog town. Here a thriving colony of Black-tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) entertains visitors to their prairie realm with their inquisitive nature, comical antics, and high-pitched alarm calls.

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

South of the town of Marathon exist a series of ridges with conspicuous exposed layers of multi-colored rock known as Caballos Novaculite. Primarily composed of chert, this formation is the same as the Novaculite outcrops in the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas, located hundreds of miles to the east, and both exposures originated from a collision of the land masses Gondwana and Laurentia in the Late Paleozoic. The quartz present in the Caballos makes the rocks extremely hard and often sharp.

Caballos Novaculite Outcrops

The Caballos Novaculite is home to three species of endemic cacti, all of which are entirely confined to this small portion of Brewster County. Two of these species, Nellie’s Cory Cactus (Escobaria minima) and Davis Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus davisii) are Federally Endangered. Both species have suffered heavily from over collection and as a result are now entirely confined to private land.

We were fortunate enough to observe several Echinocereus davisii plants in bloom. This is one of the smallest cactus species in the world, rarely reaching heights greater than an in and a half. They are almost entirely hidden beneath grasses and other vegetation growing among the Novaculite, rendering them practically invisible. Only when the small yellow-green flowers emerge in early Spring to they become visible.

Davis Hedgehog Cactus

The Marathon Basin and Uplift are bordered to the northwest by the Glass Mountains. The lower slopes of this range are dominated by typical Chihuahuan Desert Scrub, where we observed a number of interesting plants in bloom, including Woolly Locoweed (Astragalus mollissimus), Feathery Dalea (Dalea formosa), and Downy Paintbrush (Castilleja sessiliflora).

Woolly Locoweed

Feathery Dalea

Downy Paintbrush

Downy Paintbrush

In my humble opinion, no trip to the Big Bend Region is complete without a stop in the Marathon Basin. It serves as a reminder of the staggering diversity of the Trans-Pecos, and a humbling exposure to the wide open spaces that West Texas is famous for.

August 10, 2018 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Spring in the Pineywoods

Kentucky Lady’s Slippers – A Gift of Spring

As I sit here typing, we are in the height of August, which has the misfortune of traditionally being our most miserable month – at least climatically speaking. So as the dried grass crunches beneath my feet and my skin bakes under triple digit temperatures, it’s easy to escape back to a day over four months ago.

It was the last day of March. There was a definite chill in the air as I set out into the forest. The gray of dawn was made darker by the the canopy of beech and oak towering one hundred feet above my head. I worried for a moment that I may not see them – my elusive botanical quarry. But despite the dim light of the understory, the yellow egg-sized blooms of the Kentucky Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium kentuckiense) caught my eye like a beacon sent out to some wayfaring sailor, and drew me to them with a siren’s song of its enigmatic beauty.

A few days prior my friend Peter Loos had called and told me that the slippers were out early this year, a full two weeks early. He also told me that one population, which typically has only a plant or two in flower, was displaying six perfect blooms this year. If it weren’t for his call, I would have likely missed out on a very special experience.

The soil was cold and damp as I sat, saturated from a previous day’s rain. It was still to early for photography, the forest too dark to properly render the color of the scene. So I sat and waited in the company of the forest. I admired the slippers and the ferns that grew around them. I listen to the familiar songs of Red-eyed Vireos, Summer Tanagers and Hooded Warblers, and the distant trill of a Northern Parula. After some time I could see hints of dappled sun in the highest leaves in the canopy. The forest grew brighter, its colors warmed. In this new light I could see distant azalea blooms lining the creek downslope.

I had to pay close attention to the light. There would only be a brief moment for me to capture the image I was after. That time when the ambient light early morning sun illuminated the forest, but before its rays penetrated the canopy, casting sun spots and uneven light on the forest floor. Finally the moment was right, and I captured the image above.

Though the end of March may have been the height of the season, spring itself had begun nearly two months prior, when the first of the spring ephemerals pushed their way through the leaf litter. Perhaps my favorite of these is the Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), so named for the red sap of its roots that has long been used for a wide range of medicinal purposes. Bloodroot is now rare in Texas, where it hold on in a few remnant patches of mature hardwood forest.

Bloodroot – An Ode to Spring

Like the Bloodroot, the White Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum) is one of our first harbingers of spring. White Trout Lily can be found throughout the Pineywoods. Though it is common nowhere, it is more frequently encountered in the northern and western portions of this forested ecoregion. Elsewhere in the state it can be found in some Post Oak Savannah and Cross Timber woodlands.

Trout Lily

It is not just the rich woods that experience a flush in early spring activity. In mid February the wetland pine savannahs of East Texas appear bleak, their grasses turned brown by the short days and biting cold of winter. But it is in that time that the Woolly Sunbonnet (Chaptalia tomentosa) emerges, opening its blooms in the midday sun.

Woolly Sunbonnet

Though the forest floor may be coming to life, early spring still finds the trees leafless and dreary. I captured the haunting scene below as a fog rolled in over the Angelina River on a cold day in mid February.

The Angelina River looks to be a dismal place in early spring.

Even in early March the forest still seems gripped in winter. At least from a distance…

A rare waterfall in one of the last patches of old growth forest in East Texas.

A small stream flows, fueled by spring rains

But closer examination shows that by early March the forest has come alive. The scene below was captured at our friends Susan and Viron’s land. Under their stewardship, a spectacular patch of rich mesic forest has persisted. Here nearly all of the plants that have become exceedingly rare elsewhere in the states, still thrive. Their forest contains colonies of Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium rostratum) that cover acres!

Yellow Trout Lilies – Ephemeral

Yellow Trout Lilies

Their land is also home to one of only two known populations of False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum) in the state.

False Rue Anemone

Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica) flourish here as well. They are one of our most common spring ephemeral, but that in no way diminishes their beauty.

Spring Beauty

One of the more unexpected denizens of early spring is the Wrinkled Festive Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scutellaris rugata). Unlike most tiger beetles, which are most active during the summer, the Wrinkled Festive Tiger Beetle is active in the early spring, and by late May are almost impossible to find.

Wrinkled Festive Tiger Beetle

This jewel-like beetle is restricted to eastern Texas, western Louisiana, and extreme southwestern Arkansas and southeastern Louisiana. Here it occurs in areas with vast expanses of bare sand such as xeric sandhills and sand “blowouts” in the Pineywoods and Post Oak Savannah.

Wrinkled Festive Tiger Beetle

By mid-March most of the woodlands in the southern Pineywoods had begun to leaf-out. The scene below was captured in a vast floodplain adjacent Big Sandy Creek in the Big Thicket.

Vernal

As the freshly emerging leaves hardwoods begin to turn the slopes and floodplains green, a different explosion of color is occurring in a precious few longleaf pine savannahs in the Big Thicket. At the few sites where it still occurs, the Federally Endangered Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis) reaches peak bloom in mid-March.

Texas Trailing Phlox

Around the same time, a very different phlox species blooms in the shade American Beech and other hardwoods of rich forested slopes. Though common throughout much of its range in eastern North America, Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) is rare in Texas. The combination of pale blue blooms, feathery fern fronds and a gnarly old hornbeam created a scene that seemed like something more suited for a Tolkien novel than the Pineywoods.

Mirkwood

While we’re on the topic of phlox, one can’t drive the backroads of the Big Thicket without admiring the recently described Texas endemic Big Thicket Phlox (Phlox pulcherrima), a member of the Phlox pilosa complex.

Big Thicket Phlox

With March in full swing, color was coming to all of the vegetative communities of the Pineywoods. Wright’s Lily (Schoenolirion wrightii), a rare species of glades and barrens came into bloom over deposits of Catahoula Sandstone.

Wright’s Lily

And expansive drifts of Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) turned the forest floor blue in this woodland in the northern Pineywoods.

Rebirth

One afternoon, as we were exploring the longleaf pine savannahs of the Angelina National Forest, Carolina spotted a splash of yellow in the distance. It turned out to be a small flatwoods pond decorated with the blooms of thousands of Floating Bladderworts (Utricularia radiata). These plants are carnivorous, and I couldn’t help but think that below the surface was something akin to a minefield for the unfortunate aquatic invertebrates that dwell within.

Floating Bladderworts – Minefield

Not all of spring’s palate is painted on the forest floor however, and a multitude of trees and shrubs put on an impressive display as they come into flower. In the picture below White Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) flowers in the foreground while Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) blooms in the distance.

White Fringetree – Old Man of the Woods

By late March the Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) have taken over the forest floor. One of my favorite spring ephemerals, Mayapple is still quite easy to find in certain parts of East Texas, unlike so many other species of rich woods that have become increasingly rare.

Mayapple – Sea of Green

The large umbrella-shaped leaves of Mayapple are actually toxic. Only the ripe fruit is edible. The downy white blooms hang beneath the leaves. Non-blooming plants always sport a single leaf, while those that bloom have two.

Mayapples

Along the bluffs lining the Angelina River, Carolina and I found a large colony of Wild Comfrey (Cynoglossum virginianum). These wildflowers, with their downy basal leaves and tiny sky-blue blooms have become quite uncommon in Texas. They often occur in the company of the Kentucky Lady’s Slipper, and I couldn’t help but wonder of the enigmatic orchid once called these hills home.

Wild Comfrey Hills

Wild Comfrey Blooms

Another uncommon species often found in the presence of the lady’s slipper is the Bigleaf Snowbell (Styrax grandifolia). It’s easy to see how this species gets its common name, as thousands of small white blooms may dangle from its branches in early April.

Bigleaf Snowbell

In the vast floodplain of the Neches River I spotted a large colony of Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana), and I stood in the flood waters to photograph its delicate blooms in the evening light.

Eastern Bluestar

Every spring I look forward to the emergence of the trilliums. This year I found this large colony of Sabine River Wakerobin (Trillium gracile) in a rich hardwood forest in Sabine County.

Sabine River Wakerobin

By mid-April many of the spring ephemerals have already faded, and a new cast of floral characters appears on the scene. Clasping Milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) emerges from deep sands and displays its bizarre blooms for all the pollinating world to see.

Clasping Milkweed

Deep in the forest a very different milkweed was blooming. By mid April the White (A.K.A Redring) Milkweed was beginning to come into flower.

White Milkweed

The Zigzag Iris (Iris brevicaulis) can be found on the margins of wetlands in the Pineywoods.

Zigzag Iris

Flowering Dogwood is one of the most familiar small trees of East Texas. Lesser known are the other species of dogwood that occur here. This spring we found several Roughleaf Dogwoods (Cornus drummondii) in bloom along a small stream in Houston County.

Roughleaf Dogwood

The Rose Pogonia (A.K.A. Snakemouth Orchid) (Pogonia ophioglossoides) is always a crowd-pleaser. I found several blooming in late April with my friend James Childress in a remote seep on private land.

Rose Pogonia

One evening in April I received a call from my friend, and author of The Wild Orchids of Texas, Joe Liggio. He told me that while returning home from a long day of botanizing, he spotted an uncommon wildflower along a remote road in Liberty County. It was the Foxglove Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis). Shortly after photographing the plants at Joe’s site, I found it growing in similar remoteness in Sabine County. This penstemon has a fairly broad distribution in the eastern third of the state, occurring in scattered populations in rich, open woodlands and their margins. There is some debate as to whether it is native outside northeast Texas, while others question whether or not its native to the state at all. The plants that Joe and I discovered were, in my opinion, unlikely candidates for escapees from cultivation. This leads me to believe that is in fact native to East Texas.

Foxglove Penstemon

Also in April, my friend Scott Wahlberg and I visited a site in the Big Thicket where last year I was able to track down Wild Blue Lupine (Lupinus perennis). I went into some detail on this species in a blog post last year, so I won’t say much here, save to mention it’s striking beauty.

Wild Blue Lupine

Another species that I pursued last year was the Green Adder’s Mouth (Malaxis unifolia). Carolina and I found them again this year, and I photographed them to the sound of the thunder of a rapidly approaching storm.

En-route to photograph the adder’s mouth, we spotted a striking little purple legume flowering alongside the road. It was a patch of Sampson’s Snakeroot (Orbexilum pedunculatum), a plant I only occasionally encounter in the Pineywoods.

Sampson’s Snankeroot

Though it’s pushing the limits of late spring and flirting with early summer, late May still has a lot to offer, botanically speaking. One warm evening in late May, Caro and I drove out to Walker County to photograph the Bush’s Purple Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa var. neglecta). This puzzling population was found growing in a calcareous prairie remnant by my friend Eric Keith. Echinacea paradoxa is a species of coneflower found in the Ozark Plateau and isolated populations in southern Oklahoma and southeast Texas. While typically yellow, E. paradoxa var. neglecta range from pale purple to deep pink. The population here in southeast Texas is disjunct from other known populations by hundreds of miles.

So it was that the Spring of 2018 came to a close and gave way to summer. It was hard to say goodbye to the cool, gray days of Spring, but as a naturalist I find some joy in each of our seasons. Soon the sun would be blaring, the cicadas would be trilling, and a whole new cast of plants and animals would make themselves known.

April 24, 2018 by mattbuckinghamphotography

The Biodiversity of the Rio Grande Valley Part 3: Las Estrellas del Sur

It was of the utmost importance that we keep our eyes firmly fixed on the ground – scanning among the stones and parched earth. Important, because we were in the realm of the Star Cactus (Astrophytum asterias), a very rare, Federally Endangered cactus of the Tamaulipan Thornscrub. The plants themselves are often flush with the ground, look like little more than some stone or anomaly in the soil. Their flowers, however, announce their presence to the world in spectacular fashion. Carolina and I had looked for the Star Cactus in 2017 during a trip with my family. While we found several plants, we did not have the good fortune to find them in bloom. This year, however, would be different.

This year we were visiting with our good friends James and Erin Childress. Having developed a search image during our previous trip, I began noticing a few plants scattered about. My attention was soon diverted, however, when James and I spotted the brilliant magenta blooms of a group of Fitch’s Hedgehog Cactus. It was in that moment, as we admired a very different cactus, that Carolina called out that she had found one in flower. Barely able to contain my excitement, I rushed to her. It soon become evident that we had timed this visit perfectly, as the floor of the Tamaulipan Thornscrub before me was decorated with dozens of bright yellow and orange blooms.

Though few known populations exist, where it does occur the Star Cactus can be quite abundant. Today most of the state’s populations are protected and some are thriving. We would be telling a very different story, however, if it weren’t for The Nature Conservancy in Texas. Through the acquisition of land and partnerships with private landowners, The Nature Conservancy has ensured that Astrophytum asterias will not disappear from our state’s diverse flora. In all, the Nature Conservancy through their Las Estrellas Conservation Cooperative has been able to protect over 2,500 acres of Star Cactus habitat, providing safe refuge for thousands of individuals.

Though it is promising, these successes do not mean that the Star Cactus does not still face threats to its existence. While speaking with Sonia Najera, Grasslands Program Manager of the Nature Conservancy in Texas, she informed me that continued development adjacent to protected land is threatening A. asterias populations that have no protection. A. asterias is also under threat from poachers who may collect plants for its popularity in cultivation, and for its resemblance to Peyote, which is extensively collected for its psychoactive properties.

Despite the many threats that they face, I am optimistic for the future of the Star Cactus in Texas, thanks in large part to the Nature Conservancy and dedicated professionals like Sonia.

The day we spent among Las Estrellas in bloom was really the experience of a lifetime. We observed and photographed so many spectacular plants in bloom that it was nearly impossible trying to narrow them down to decide what to post. Below is a small selection of favorites from an unforgettable day in the field.

March 1, 2018 by mattbuckinghamphotography

One in the Hand, Two in Tobusch

Tobusch Fishhook Cactus

This past weekend I spoke at the Native Plant Society of Texas Spring Symposium about photographing the biodiversity of Texas. The symposium was in Austin, and happened to occur during the blooming period of the Federally Endangered Tobusch Fishhook Cactus (Sclerocactus brevihamatus ssp. tobuschii). Though the cacti do not occur particularly close to Austin, it was the closest we would get for the foreseeable future, so Carolina and I decided we would stay an extra night in the Hill Country and try for the cactus the day after the symposium.

We arrive in Austin on Friday afternoon and took the day to explore the city. While big cities are certainly not my thing, I really enjoyed visiting the Texas State Capitol building. Plumes of Cedar Waxwings danced and buzzed among the many trees that decorated the capitol lawn and the redbuds were just coming into bloom. Inside we marveled at the architecture and artwork, and took in the history of the place.

Saturday we rose early and made our way to the symposium. We thoroughly enjoyed the event. I saw some old friends and met a lot of friendly, interesting people. The symposium was over by 3 or so, so Carolina and I took some time to explore the area. Early spring wildflowers were just coming into bloom and Texas Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus olivaceus) were out basking on the limestone, though they did not take kindly to our approach.

In one of the many tributaries of the Colorado River we spotted a pair of Texas Map Turtles (Graptemys versa). The Texas Map Turtle is one of a number of species of turtles endemic to central Texas. This beautiful, fascinating species is restricted to the Colorado River basin. The females are significantly larger than the males, and each sex has specialized head morphology to utilize different food sources. Males feed primarily on aquatic insect larvae and other invertebrates, while adult females feed primarily on mollusks, shell and all. We spotted the pair basking on some rocks, but the tiny male soon sank into the cool clear water. The female allowed a slow approach as she took in the warmth of an early spring afternoon.

Texas Map Turtle

That evening we made our way to San Antonio. I wanted to show Carolina some of the old Spanish and German architecture of the city, and we would be closer to the cacti. We spent some time exploring downtown, and grabbed a hotel on the outskirts of town. The next morning we slept in. Generally speaking, cacti flowers open midday in order to take advantage of the peak of pollinator activity. Our destination was an hour and a half or so west of the Alamo City. The path took us through the scenic country of the western Edwards Plateau, over oak and juniper hilltops, and down through rocky river valleys, where crystal clear water cut through limestone.

We finally arrived at a Tobusch Fishhook Cactus population that I had access to. We began exploring. It wasn’t long until I spotted the first cactus, and it was in bloom! They were smaller than I had expecting, most being only a few inches across. This cryptic species is extremely difficult to spot when not in bloom. In late winter/early spring, however, they bloom, and their striking, albeit tiny, yellow flowers make them ever so slightly more conspicuous.

Tobusch Fishhook Cactus

The story of the Tobusch Fishhook Cactus is an interesting one. In the late 1970s there were only four known populations in two Texas counties. In 1978 a flood hit and wiped out half of these populations in one fell swoop. Fearing that S. brevihamatus ssp. tobuschii would soon be lost forever, the government afforded them protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1979, designated them a Federally Endangered Species. At the time that it was listed it was believed to be restricted to limestone ledges and gravelly stream terraces adjacent to streams in just two Texas Counties.

Tobusch Fishhok Cactus Flowers

Once it was listed, survey and conservation efforts were undertaken in earnest. In the following decades several new populations were discovered, including many on protected land. It also became evident that its habitat preferences were not as narrow as previously thought. Today we know that it also occurs in shallow soils over slabs of limestone within clearings within a broader matrix of oak-juniper and oak-juniper-pinyon woodlands. Many of these areas are well away from streams and their associated floodplains and terraces.

Tobusch Fishhook Cactus

Armed with the knowledge that this diminutive cactus is doing better than previously thought, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to downlist the Tobusch Fishhook Cactus from Endangered to Threatened in December 2016. While this Texas endemic may be more common than initially thought, it still faces very real threats, and a number of historic populations have become extirpated, including the original populations at the time of listing. Even in the face of these threats, today the future for this subspecies looks promising.

Tobusch Fishhook Cactus

That day we would see many Tobusch Fishhooks, most of them in bloom. In the sunny warmth of that spring afternoon the pollinators were out in force. We watched as a variety of butterflies and bees bounced from flower to flower in search of the sweet nectar within. Perhaps my favorite of these propagators were the metallic green sweat bees (Agopostemon sp.). Their brilliant metallic sheen added the perfect compliment to the greenish yellow blooms of the cacti.

Metallic Sweat Bee

The title of today’s blog comes from my good friend Toby Hibbitts. Many of my friends enjoy a good pun as much as anyone should. Last year after a friend posted a photo of the Tobusch Fishhook Cactus, Toby commented that he had always heard that “a bird in the hand is worth two in Tobusch”. He was undoubtedly, and understandably pleased with himself. I can only hope that this species persists for future generations of cactus lovers, naturalists, pollinators, weevils, and bad pun lovers to enjoy.

July 10, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

June Recap

Eastern Featherbells (Stenanthium gramineum) bloom in a mature pine-hardwood forest.

June got off to a slow start, but I finished strong, checking four more species off my list:

Saltmarsh False Foxglove (Agalinis maritima)

Velvetleaf Milkweed (Asclepias tomentosa)

Correll’s False Dragonhead (Physostegia correllii)

Starry Campion (Silene stellata)

2017GoalsJune

In early June I photographed this pair of ox beetles (Strategus antaeus) with my good friend James Childress. We have two species of ox beetles in East Texas. Strategus antaeus is smaller, with proportionately longer, pointed horns. Strategus aloeus is much larger, with blunt tipped horns. S. antaeus is primarily a species of the coastal plain, with East Texas marking the southwestern limit of its range. It occurs in open, sandy woodlands, savannahs, and prairie openings. The large horns of the male are used in combat to with other males to win the favor of a female.

Strategus antaeus

In mid June I visited one of my favorite vegetative communities: the herbaceous hillside seep. This particular site is on private land that is managed by a combination of fire and mechanical clearing. Historically these communities would have been kept free from woody vegetation through a combination of frequent lightning-ignited fires and poor, saturated soils. These communities are home to a variety of rare and interesting species including carnivorous plants and a variety of orchids. Pictured below are Pale Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia alata) and blooming Pinewoods Rose Gentians (Sabatia gentianoides). I hope to highlight this community more in a future blog entry.

Herbaceous Hillside Seep

One of the herbaceous seep’s most striking summer displays comes from the Bog Coneflower (Rudbeckia scabrifolia). This rare plant is confined to extreme eastern Texas and western Louisiana. Here it’s habitat has all but disappeared over the past century and a half.

Bog Coneflowers bloom in a herbaceous hillside seep.

Similar to the herbaceous hillside seep, but occurring in areas where fire historically did not penetrate is the forested seep. These areas are locally known as “baygalls” in reference to two typically dominant species: Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) and Tall Gallberry Holly (Ilex coriaceae). Like the herbaceous seep, baygalls are home to many rare species. Pictured here are the blooms of the toxic Virginia Bunchflower (Veratrum virginicum). These handsome plants may reach a height of 7 feet.

Virginia Bunchflower blooms in an East Texas baygall

Another impressive summer bloomer is Physostegia digitalis, one of the false dragonheads. They can reach heights of six feet or more and bear dozens of pale pink flowers. Like the Bog Coneflowers, they are a species endemic to the West Gulf Coastal Plain, and are limited to East Texas, western Louisiana, and extreme southwestern Arkansas. They are quite common in East Texas, existing in open sandy woodlands and highway right-of-ways.

Physostegia digitalis

Ongoing survey efforts for the extremely rare Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni) on private land produced this Northern Scarlet Snake (Cemorphora coccinea copei). Though they may be locally common in appropriate habitat, their preferred habitat, which includes sandy longleaf pine savannahs, xeric sandhills, and similar habitats has all but disappeared. Scarlet snakes are specially adapted for burrowing, and they spend most of their time below ground. In East Texas their greatest periods of surface activity seem to coincide with the peak season for reptile nesting. During this time they seek out their favorite prey: reptile eggs.

Northern Scarlet Snake

I photographed this jewel beetle (Acmaeodera sp.) as it went about unwittingly pollinating Woodland Poppymallow (Callirhoe papaver).

Acmeodera sp.

This has been a good year for Eastern Featherbells (Stenanthium gramineum). I prefer landscape shots that showcase their whispy blooms over detailed shots of individual flowers. Eastern Featherbells is one of a suite of species typical of the eastern United States that reaches it southwestern limit in the Pineywoods of East Texas. It seems to be uncommon to rare throughout most of its range.

Eastern Featherbells in a dry-mesic forest.

A number of milkweed species bloom in the height of summer. One of the more easily overlooked species is the Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata), whose tiny flower clusters hardly look like blooms from a distance.

Whorled Milkweed

The Federally Threatened Neches River Rosemallow (Hibiscus dasycalyx) occurs in just a few East Texas Counties. It can be differentiated from the similar Halberd-leaved Hibiscus (Hibiscus laevis) by the dense hairs on its calyces.

Neches River Rosemallow

As the Texas summer wears on, spending time outside becomes more and more unpleasant, however some of our most interesting species are most active and easiest to see in these sweltering months. I look forward to seeing what July has in store.

April 17, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

The Flora of Weches Glades

Target Species: Widow’s Cross (Sedum pulchellum)

Widow’s Cross

Weches Glades are unique communities in the Pineywoods that occur where the underlying Weches Formation reaches the surface. Here lie exposed iron rocks and soil that are rich in glauconite, a greenish mineral composed primarily of iron and potassium. Weches Glades occur in a narrow band stretching across Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and Sabine counties and are home to a unique flora, including species that are found nowhere else on the planet.

The coarse soil of the Weches Glades are often saturated in the spring and summer, occasionally forming shallow pools in small depressions in bare rock. The heat and sweltering sun of summer quickly evaporates these pools, and leaves the soil dry and brittle. In the spring the boulders at some of the few remnant glades turn light pink, awash with the blooms of the Widow’s Cross (Sedum pulchellum).

Widow’s Cross is a species of the South-Central states, from extreme Northeast Georgia, Tennesse, and Kentucky in the east to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas in the west. It is generally limited to glades and outcrops, communities where little else can grow. It thrives under shallow, harsh soil conditions. As these communities are often limited across the landscape, Sedum pulchellum is generally uncommon to rare throughout its range. In Texas it occurs in just a handful of counties in the northern and central portions of the state. In the Pineywoods it is limited to Sabine and San Augustine Counties.

Widow’s Cross

Widow’s Cross owes much of its success in these environments to its succulent leaves, which can quickly absorb and store water from fall and winter rains in order to put on a spectacular spring show. It’s easy to see how the plant gets its name. It’s actually named for the cross like shape of the four-petaled flowers, however the inflorescence also often forms in the shape of a cross.

Widow’s Cross

Though Weches Glades were likely always infrequent and highly localized, a great deal have been lost to glauconite mining. This mineral which seems critical for some species has long been used for soil enhancement and road filler. As result small scale surface mining operations have destroyed many of these unique communities. The vast majority of those that remain are on private land and site unprotected to this day.

Widow’s Cross

While I had previously photographed this species, I captured it on the tail end of its blooming cycle and the plants were past their prime. This year I aimed to capture them at their peak. While they generally bear 3 or 4-pronged racemes, I found some with 5 prongs.

Widow’s Cross

Weches Glades are also home to 2 endemic, Federally Endangered plants: The Texas Golden Gladecress (Leavenworthia texana) and the White Bladderpod (Lesquerella pallida). Leavenworthia texana is endemic to Sabine and San Augustine Counties. Here it occurs almost entirely on private land. These diminutive plants bloom in early spring, ad by the time Widow’s Cross blooms they have already dispersed their seeds. I photographed the individuals below in mid-February. In the second photo the developing stems of Sedum pulchellum can be seen.

Texas Golden Gladecress

The White Bladderpod is restricted to a handful of Weches Glades in San Augustine County. It is named for its spherical seed pods, which can be seen adjacent to the blooms on the photo below. It was in full bloom at the same time as the Widow’s Cross. Curiously, the bladderpod and gladecress generally don’t occur at the same outcrops.

White Bladderpod

White Bladderpot

While photographing the flora of the Weches Glades, one will immediately note the strong smell of mint that fills the air. This is a result of dense populations of the Limestone Calamint (Clinopodium arkansanum).

Limestone Calamint

There are many other interesting species that can be found blooming in Weches Glades. I leave you with a few of them.

Comanche Daisy (Astranthium ciliatum)

Drummond’s Stitchwort (Minuartia drummondii)

Pitcher’s Stitchwort (Minuartia patula)

April 11, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

March Recap

Due to a combination of changed plans and other factors, March was not as productive in terms of 2017 biodiversity goal species as I was expecting. I was able to check off three species:

Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima)

Blue Curls (Phacelia congesta)

Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus coccineus)

I spent most of the month of March exploring outside my home turf of the Pineywoods. From the South Texas Plains to the Edward’s Plateau, I observed an incredible diversity of habitats and species, which are highlighted in previous blog posts. I did however get to spend some time in the field around here. To follow are some of March’s highlights from East Texas.

This year has been good for Luna Moths (Actias luna). I observed several freshly emerged males. Males utilize their feathery antennae to pick up subtle pheromone cues from females and may fly miles to find a mate. Adult Luna Moths lack feeding mouth parts, and live on average about a week. As adults they really are driven by a singular purpose: to breed.

Luna Moth

March is a great time to enjoy flowering trees and shrubs in East Texas. This year most species put on a decent show. The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) seemed to peak in late February, however several were still in flower in early March.

Eastern Redbud

Among my favorite spring displays is that of the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). This small tree ranges throughout much of the eastern United States. To me it is one of the emblematic spring blooms of East Texas. Christian accounts claim that Jesus was crucified on the wood of a dogwood tree. Story goes that they were once tall, stately trees that Jesus, following his crucifixion, morphed to their current gnarled form – presumably so no others could ever again be crucified upon their wood. Their “flowers” now appear as crosses each spring around Easter.

In reality the white “flowers” are modified leaves called bracts. The flowers are the yellow structures at the bracts’ centers. In the late summer the tree will bear red fruits that are cherished by wild turkeys. I also think that their growth form only lends beauty to this already stunning species.

Flowering Dogwood

Flowering Dogwood in the understory of a longleaf pine savannah

The Fringetrees (Chionanthus virginicus) seem to hit their peak as the dogwoods are beginning to fade. Their wispy, whitish green blooms light up the forest edge and the understory in open woods.

Fringetree

Dangling like little snowdrops are the blooms of the Two-winged Silverbell (Halesia diptera). These attractive little trees are often found along streams and in moist stream bottoms.

Two-winged Silverbell

Azaleas are a favorite of gardeners and nature lovers alike. In East Texas the Hoary Azalea (Rhododendron canescens) reaches the southwestern extent of its range.

Hoary Azalea

I couldn’t resist photographing a particularly large Sabine River Wakerobin (Trillium gracile). This lovely trillium is endemic to rich forests in the Pineywoods of East Texas and western Louisiana.

Sabine River Wakerobin

Another springtime favorite of mine is the Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). This characteristic spring ephemeral of eastern forests can form large colonies in East Texas, often carpeting the forest floor. The fluffy white blooms hang below the large umbrella like leaves. Occasionally, as pictured below, the flowers may have a pink tinge to them.

Mayapple

Though I photographed a few in February, I couldn’t resist stopping to photograph some roadside populations of Birdfoot Violets (Viola pedata) in early March.

Birdfoot Violets

Birdfoot Violet

Also common along roadways and dry, open woods is the Plains Wild Indigo (Baptisia bracteata).

Plains Wild Indigo

I photographed this Yellow Star-Grass (Hypoxis hirsuta) with fresh morning dew still clinging to the bloom.

Yellow Star-Grass

Another characteristically eastern forb that reaches its southwestern extent in East Texas is the Lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis). Most of the flowers in Texas are yellow, however I have occasionally observed them with hints of maroon. Lousewort is reported to provide a plethora of medical uses. It’s roots have long been used to brew a tea that helps treat digestive and stomach problems and ulcers. Its leaves can also reportedly be ground into a poultice that helps alleviate swelling, muscle pain, and several skin conditions. Drinking its leaves in a tea is said to sooth sore throats, coughs, and headaches. It is also said to act as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Lousewort

The beautiful Big Thicket Phlox (Phlox pulcherrima) is endemic to the forests of East Texas. Like so many other species in this area of significant habitat modification by man, it is now most common along roadsides.

Big Thicket Phlox

The Nodding Penstemon (Penstemon laxiflorus) is also common along roadsides. It is so common that I never gave it much thought as a photographic subject, however this native has truly unique, beautiful flowers when viewed up close.

Nodding Penstemon

During March I also made a few visits to the Big Thicket to check on a species that I checked off my list in February: The Federally Endangered Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis). The plants were looking healthy and were still blooming mid-March.

Texas Trailing Phlox

Growing near the phlox I saw several Dollarleafs (Rhynchosia reniformis), a species of the coastal plain of the southeastern United States.

I’ll close out this March recap with a beautiful scene from a longleaf pine savannah near one of the few known locations of Texas Trailing Phlox. Here Rose Mock Vervain (Glandularia canadensis) thrives following a fire. These showy blooms are a testament to fire’s ability to maintain and vitalize certain vegetative communities.

With March of 2017 behind us, it’s time to move into April, where I hope to really start get going on my 2017 list of biodiversity goals.

March 28, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

South Texas Part IV: Star Hunting

Star Cactus

The Star Cactus (Astrophytum asterias) may be the rarest, most unique cactus in the country. It is known from only a handful of sites in the Tamaulipan thornscrub of extreme southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. It is so imperiled that it has been listed as Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is severely threatened by land use conversion and habitat loss. Fortunately The Nature Conservancy in Texas acquired the property that may have the largest remaining Star Cactus population in the country. Here they undertake conservation measures and reintroduction efforts to ensure that this iconic cactus remains for generations to come.

I have donated a number of photographs to The Nature Conservancy in the past. When we decided on traveling to South Texas I reached out to them to see if I could arrange a visit to see and photograph these imperiled cacti. They graciously approved my request, and we met with volunteer Paul Bryant, who gave us an excellent tour of the property. Having previously worked for a non-profit land trust similar to the Nature Conservancy, I know how heavily we relied on our volunteers. I also learned to recognize the good ones, and I had no doubt that Paul was a valuable asset to the Nature Conservancy.

Star Cactus

Though many were growing in the open, the star cactus was extremely difficult to spot. When its not flowering, it is inconspicuous, blending in with the scattered rocks covering the gentle slopes where it grows. Also known as the Sea Urchin Cactus, Sand Dollar Cactus, and False Peyote, it is a spineless cactus that lies relatively flat against the surface in times of drought. Following rains, however it swells with water and can appear quite plump. I had hoped to photograph the bright yellow blooms, but it was not to be. We saw a number of plants that had recently blooms, and others that were preparing to, but we weren’t fortunate to catch any in the act. That was ok though, it was a wonderful experience just to get to see them in their element. The plant itself is beautiful, and made for some interesting photographs even without its bloom.

Star Cactus

There were several other cacti growing in the vicinity of the Stars. The most conspicuous was the aptly named Glory of Texas (Thelocactus bicolor). In Texas this species only occurs in the extreme western and extreme southern portions of the state. Though the populations are disjunct in Texas, they are more or less connected through Mexico. We saw many of their bright pink blooms, both in the open and at the base of nurse plants.

Glory of Texas

We also saw a few of the formidable Horse Cripplers (Echinocactus texensis) in bloom. Looking at these beasts, its not hard to see how they got their name.

Horse Crippler

I only saw one Runyon’s Pincushion Cactus (Coryphantha pottsiana) in bloom. Though not as scarce as the Star Cactus, this species is also rare in Texas, where it is known from only three counties along the Rio Grande.

Horse Crippler

And then there were more Lady Fingers (Echinocereus pentalophus). Though these proved to be fairly common during the trip I never tired of seeing them, and could not resist every opportunity to photograph them.

Lady Finger Alicoche

I found one particularly robust flowering specimen growing among a clump of Varilla (Varilla texana). I came to learn that where Varilla grows, there are usually other interesting things to be found.

Lady Finger Alicoche

We also observed several Strawberries Pitayas (Echinocereus enneacanthus), Fitch’s Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus fitchii), Heyder’s Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria heyderi), and a few Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) on the property, however these weren’t in bloom. I had hoped to photograph Peyote this trip, but a suitable opportunity did not present itself.

There were plenty of other flowering plants to admire, however. Perhaps the most striking was the Berlandier’s Nettlespurge (Jatropha cathartica). It seemed to prefer the same gravelly slopes as the cacti.

Berlandier’s Nettlespurge

While on my knees looking for Peyote I spotted a group of tiny yet striking blooms. The Glandular Milkwort (Polygala glandulosa) occurs in only a handful of South Texas Counties.

Glandular Milkwort

It was hard not to stop and admire the Guayacan (Guaiacum angustifolium), which was blooming throughout the thornscrub.

Guayacan

After arriving at the property, we split up to scour the area. Seth soon came to find me. He had an excited grin and told me that he had something to show me. He led me to a large Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) that had crawled halfway down its burrow. I wanted so badly to photograph it, but despite waiting for some time, it refused to show its face, and we had to continue our hunt for the Star Cactus. I was luck enough to photograph another South Texas Treasure, the orb-weaver Argiope blanda. A. blanda occurs in the United States only in extreme southern Texas.

Argiope blanda

Though I did not get to photograph the Star Cactus in bloom, it was a day full of natural wonder spent in good company, and I left with a real sense of contentment, both in the things I had seen and photographed, and in the knowledge that organizations like the Nature Conservancy exist to protect our planet’s great biodiversity.

February 20, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Gem of the Pinewoods

Target Species: Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis)

The Federally Endangered Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis)

The day broke to a bleak, gray scene. Dense clouds blotted the sun and a gentle spring rain had begun to fall. It was not exactly the scene I was hoping to wake to, as I was planning to stop to look for one of my 2017 targets on the way down to visit my parents in Houston. But it was hard to be disappointed. Despite the problems they pose to photography, these are my favorite kind of spring days. Warm and gray, they gift a cool, nourishing rain to the earth – one that the plants will no doubt make good use of in the days to come. Despite the dreary conditions, we were not deterred. Carolina and I packed up and began heading south. The further south we traveled the lighter the sky became until slivers of sun began to filter through the gray.

phlox-nivalis

To me, including this beautiful little phlox in my 2017 biodiversity goals was a no brainer. Though I had seen the plant before, I had never seen it in bloom. Phlox nivalis is primarily a species of the Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain, where it can be relatively common in some areas. The disjunct population in Texas, however is anything but. Recognized as a subspecies of the broader ranging Phlox nivalis, Texas Trailing Phlox occurs in only three counties, where it is known from only a couple of sites. Here it can be found on deep sands in longleaf pine savannahs and certain open longleaf pine-hardwood forests. It is evergreen and fire-dependent. Though the above ground portion of the plant may be scorched by a passing fire, the plants thrive from the flames’ affect on opening the understory and providing rich nutrients to the soil. This plant is so rare and its habitat in such peril that it has been listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Texas Trailing Phlox Flower Detail

We stopped first at one of the very few remaining extant natural populations. I did not know what to expect in terms of phenology for this species, other than accounts that I read claiming they bloom primarily in March and April. With everything being so early this year, I was 50/50 as to whether or not there might be a few blooms. We had reached the population, which is located within the Big Thicket National Preserve. Though the leaves are distinctive, when not in bloom the plants themselves can be very difficult to detect. We spent several minutes scouring the area to no avail, until I finally caught sight of a few bright pink blooms. After regaining my composure I excitedly began photographing them, a task made difficult by the fluctuating light conditions and sporadic wind gusts. In all I counted 6 plants in the area, only 2 of which were in bloom. Another was in early bud.

After admiring the natural population, we set out to explore an area within the National Preserve where the phlox had been reintroduced. By now it had began to rain again, and the air was filled with the fresh, rejuvenating scent of the woods on a wet spring day. The reintroduction site was large. It consisted of at least a couple of acres, where we counted hundreds of plants. Though only a few were in flower, I left feeling very satisfied that the efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and other conservation groups was paying off, helping to save this Endangered Species from the brink.

Texas Trailing Phlox. Note the needle-like evergreen leaves.

Texas Trailing Phlox is only a small part of these interesting communities. We observed many other natural wonders during our afternoon in the Big Thicket, including Texas Woodsorrel (Oxalis texana) which occurs in sandy woodlands primarily in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, with a rare, disjunct populations in Alabama and Florida. The bright yellow flowers of Oxalis texana are very large compared to other woodsorrels, and are decorated with red lines near the center of the corolla.

Texas Woodsorrel

A habit I am trying to break myself of is my tendency to pass over the most common botanical subjects. Take Rose Mock Vervain (Glandularia canadensis) for example. In the spring it is one of the most abundant wildflowers along forest roadways in East Texas. I suppose that for this reason I take it for granted and never really took the opportunity to photograph it. However this day I could not ignore the many clumps scattered about recently burned patches within the longleaf pine savannahs. Here they literally seems to be rising from the ashes.

Rose Mock Vervain

While exploring an open spot within the forest that I thought might harbor some interesting flora, I heard my wife excitedly call out for me to come to her, quick. As usual her keen eyes found an incredible sight. A mating pair of Pipevine Swallowtails (Battus philenor) in one of the patches of Glandularia. Rightfully thinking that this find would be hard to top, we decided to call it a day and continue our trip south to spend some time with family. Yet I must confess, that as soon as the longleaf pines disappeared in my rearview mirror, I was already contemplating the next species on my list.

Copulating Pipevine Swallowtails

A Naturalist's Journey

My Quest for Biodiversity

Endangered Species

Late Winter and Early Spring on the Upper Texas Coast

Spring in the Desert Part 3: The Marathon Basin

Spring in the Pineywoods

The Biodiversity of the Rio Grande Valley Part 3: Las Estrellas del Sur

One in the Hand, Two in Tobusch

June Recap

The Flora of Weches Glades

March Recap

South Texas Part IV: Star Hunting

Gem of the Pinewoods