Volksmarching Day and Evening - Tues., Dec.17

At the crack of 1:00 p.m., I started a 5K Volksmarch at Mitchell Lake Audubon Society. When I arrived in the visitor center, the volunteer told me that a long-eared owl had been spotted on the weekend. During the day it had been sitting in a tree on the Native Plant Trail by the Bird Pond.

Thinking I might get to spot this rare bird, I detoured off my route to look for the owl. I went to the exact spot where the owl had been seen on the weekend and looked and looked, but I could not find the owl. Bummer.

Today I did see a new bird (which is my goal every time I go). I saw a bird way across the Bird Pond that looked different from the rest. I zoomed in on it. When I got home, I found it was an American Wigeon. This is a new bird for me on my bird list. Click to enlarge and look at the pretty coloring on its head.

The day was beautiful and warm with swirled white clouds.

Trail along the Bird Pond.

Bird Pond.

Cool cloud formations. If you enlarge this, you can see
rainbow colors coming straight out the top of the center cloud.

There are two little popcorn-shaped clouds in the center.

Other birds were the usual suspects at Mitchell Lake...

Cinnamon teal (dabbling duck)

Double-crested cormorant

Can't tell what this bird is.

Killdeer and three male Northern Shovelers

????

Spotted sandpiper

Spotted sandpiper

Black-necked stilt.

So graceful (black-necked stilt)

The turtle was enjoying the sun.

A gorgeous bright-orange butterfly.

I spent 2-1/2 hours walking about 3-1/2 miles. It's relaxing and enjoyable to watch the birds.

This evening, the Randolph Roadrunners Volksmarch Club had their Christmas party at River City Seafood & Grille in the Stone Oak neighborhood of San Antonio. About 45 people were there for dinner and a gift exchange.

A room full of Volksmarchers

One of the unwrapped gifts.

The dinner and party were fun. We had plenty to eat and a gift exchange that wasn't too cutthroat, although the chocolate, alcohol and a warm, fuzzy blanket were the most stolen gifts. I ended up with a Mini Countertop Grill, just right for cooking two burger patties or two chicken breasts. Susan and Darren were at the dinner. It was nice to know some of the people in the room, plus I met new people.

Yesterday, Bob and his son Randall drove from San Antonio to Houston to pick up a bounce house that had been ordered from China. Random wanted to have their own bounce house rather than renting one all the time. They were gone all day and into the night. Houston is about 3 to 3-1/2 hours each way. They had a care package of Christmas cookies from the cookie exchange on Sunday. Those were popular!

That's the way our days are looking. We will be busy right up until New Year's!

Tomorrow, Snelling is sending me out on to a new job which will be once per week, two to six hours each time I work. I will be working in a doctor's office for traveling physicians, opening up in the morning, checking in patients, setting up paperwork, changing paper on the exam room table between patients, and cleaning up and closing when all patients for the day have been seen.

Travel Bug out.