Shiloh Ranch 2016-11

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

As I ate lunch I heard Sandhill Cranes. I got these shots directly over the main cabin. The cranes circled overhead, gaining altitude, before peeling off in V formations to the south.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

These sparrows were numerous on the ranch. They like the rocky inclines which make up much of the terrain here.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

I wasn't sure until I looked at my photos at home, but this is a juvenile Swainson's Hawk which soared over me, drifting south.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

These were numerous along the river, both at the edge of the water and over the water. You could see them feeding on small mayflies over the water, or chasing eachother over the land. They were flutting flashes of red when they flew.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

I think the bumble bee is American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus sonorus) based on the ID diagrams here: http://www.bumblebee.org/NorthAmerica.htm

Southern Dogface and skipper on the left, a fly bottom right.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

In one spot I saw three or four Black-throated Sparrows. Playing a little bit of their song on my iPhone brought them out into the open and I couldn't resist taking and keeping several photographs of this dapper species.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

Distinguished from Southern Leopard Frog by dorsolateral fold. See: http://frogcalls.blogspot.com/2015/05/central-texas-leopard-frogs-lithobates.html

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

Verdin was one of the western species I was excited to see on this trip. This one noisily but briefly perched nearby, allowing me just a couple shots. I wish its yellow face hadn't been in the shadow!

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

I watched a Verdin gather Old Man's Beard (Clematis drummondii) three times, and carry it into a nearby gorge. I followed it and tried to find out if it was building a nest. (It seems an odd time of year to be building a nest.) But following it would have meant crossing a property line without permission.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

In addition to a few Vesper Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows, I was excited to find this Grasshopper Sparrow in the grassland in the middle of the property. It's a less common grassland species and responded to a recorded song I played on my iPhone.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

Not too far from where I imitated a Screech-Owl, I flushed a real owl out of a live oak. It flew to another one nearby and I was able to get this photo before it flew further away. I was happy that no ravens or crows or jays saw it, so it didn't get harassed because of me.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.

Taken on a long weekend trip to some private property in Mason County on the Llano river.

At the southern edge of some woods on the north half of the property I picked a spot with the sun behind me and started imitating an Eastern Screech-Owl. It was quiet for a few minutes and then I noticed two beautiful male Spotted Towhees had silently come in to investigate. Soon afterwards many other birds came in, and they started to scold and actively hop and fly around me. It was so much fun! I captured a few photos here. In all of them the birds are looking rigth at me, trying to find the owl I was imitating.