After my visit to Hornsby Bend yesterday, I had a few minutes before meeting R for lunch.
I parked at Auditorium Shores, which is a good place to walk around and look at the ever-changing skyline except for the fact that the whole area smells like dog crap. Why can’t people just pick up after their dogs?
Avoiding the mines, I walked to the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue where I took this obligatory Austin photo.
Hard to believe I’ve been here longer than that statue and I’m only just now doing the Stevie-Ray-and-skyline shot. Maybe there’s something to be said for leaving things for oneself to do.
After the statue, I followed a small flock of Red-winged Blackbirds west for a few yards trying to get a closer shot of one.
I was pleasantly surprised to see them as I had hoped to see more than just the one at Hornsby.
Then one came right at me!
Aside from the red-wings, I also saw some Gadwalls, American Coots, Great-tailed Grackles, Rock Doves, and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron fishing on the far shore.
High above the night heron, one of the new condos was also visible.
Not bad for 20 minutes waiting around.
James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.
We took our Stevie statue a few years after arrival in Austin – having Flat Stanley visit is a great incentive to go out and take photos of Austin icons. (Also took the Pennybacker Bridge and Elisabet Ney Museum for Stanley.)
We used to have lots of redwinged blackbirds in IL but I haven’t seen them here, James. You caught some nice photos. Guess we need to walk by the lake. Wearing washable shoes.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Redwinged blackbirds are the birds of my youth! Their calls can take me back to the porch of my grandparents’ west Texas lake cabin, smelling red clay and fried chicken. Those pictures are wonderful. Keep posting them!!!
Annie, I used to see the red-wings often at our old house in Pflugerville. Since we moved I hadn’t seen them at all until last summer.
Milaka, Thanks. I will.