Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 615 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 11:16 am Post subject: PINS 9-26-16
Well, they tell us the first official cold front of the year just arrived. And with cold fronts...comes BTD expeditions! Been a long long while now since I could get behind the duneline, and to be honest, enough with all this beachfront foolishness. Time to get on with more important things than catching hardheads and sunburn!
The first stop was at the HQ pond. And it was surrounded....by none other than Padre Island Mistflower. Thankyou so much Jim for the vegetation guide. I study it constantly, but I got a loooong way to go!!!! One of the things about this flowering plant that makes me laugh...well, they say the Indians used it as a tea to treat alcoholism...but they also put whole plants in their enemies liquor flasks to poison them! It functions as a major food source for the butterflies.
Onwards!
Been a while now for me to head on out into Indian land in my snake busters!!! Roll OUT!
And adios beachfront!
And I deftly avoided some pretty substantial thundershowers! And this legume is one of the most common encountered on the seashore, and is also a major larval food plant for several butterfly species. I believe it is called partridge pea. The Indians used this plant to treat urinary tract infections, mixed as a tea.
But somewhere in the back of my mind I heard Louis Rawalt's old Model T just a chugging along....
And the grasses were so vibrant and thick with all the rain we've had. Silky bluestem? I tell ya'll what, I thought the flowering plants were hard, the grasses are a bear to ID!
And a white tailed hawk prowled relentless, gliding effortlessly high above, searching for prey....
Looks like the Conrad Blucher institute put in one more!
Sure did.
Onwards.
And at first, I thought...Mesquite. Well, big dummy-it's Huisache. And there's one extremely similar down at Yarborough that's in everyone's way coming in on the driver's door side. And the Indians used every part of this plant, including chewing the gummy roots for a sore throat.
And then I came across a Runyon's sunflower, standing alone. This one stands much lower than the other sunflowers on the Island. The Apaches used this as a snakebite remedy-by crushing up a poultice of the plant and applying it to the bite area.
And then this one...Charles tells me it is called Plains Wild Indigo. This mature specimen has broken away, as they do when mature, and is now dispersing seeds with wind assistance. Also called False Wild Indigo.
We'll be seeing these everywhere from now until after the new year, dead on the beachfront just rolling and rolling south during every norther that blows....
And then more Padre Island mistflower! Butterfly heaven!
And the footprint of another. And I had backtracked in and out of the dunes by my truck just because I can, and anyone looking to see where I went in would never be able to find my trail unless they're very good. Lol. But because of being so far on the north end of the park, I guess we won't get any Guatemalan/Nicaraguan/etc fun today. Prolly just another visitor. And it took me a minute, but I finally found this fella's tracks coming in, as this one was headed out.
Such a pretty place...
And there we were. The big pipeline confluence at the upper end of the Island.
All bankrupt and out of operation...
What to do? PUT THOSE SNAKE CHAPS TO GOOD USE!!!!
And as I headed on back into Indian land...Golden Monarch!
Feeding on the Mistflower.
Did you know these guys are known for their annual late summer/fall migration from Canada/United States down to Mexico? They cover thousands of miles we're told-and have actually been documented over the last ten years as having experienced a ten-fold population decline. There are those in the scientific community worried about them becoming quasi-extinct over the next twenty years...
Adios.
But those waist high sedges aren't going anywhere!
Bite some of this Kevlar, getcha some!
And I've never actually traversed a cat tail pond but there's a first time for everything in the book of ME
And they were well over my head, thicker than all get out, and I ended up having to navigate via GPS for about 15 minutes.
And one of the largest Mesquite patches I've seen on Island came into view, and I stood surprised. Was this Huisache or Mesquite? Wow! The north end of Padre is way more vegetated than I had thought!
And I wound my way around obstacles, more or less following the pipeline that headed towards the Laguna Madre.
And a small buck stood up and trotted into the Huisache.
And then....
Well I'll be doggoned....I have NEVER seen a tick on Island. Sure haven't. And as I looked down at my shirt hanging out over my belt not tucked in I knew what was up. Growing up in south Georgia, us kids were no stranger to banana spiders, black widows, ticks, chiggers (red bugs), cottonmouths, rattlers, you name it. When you see one tick on ya, first thing you need to do is as follows. Find a low vegetated spot, and pull your pants down. Nope, I ain't kidding! Because it's a lot easier to pull them out of your "area" before they burrow under your skin than later. Trust me. And the first thing they do is RUN up your pants, hit your waistline, and head for a warm and moist area. And if you tweezer them out, the head will break off in you, and then you have a major problem. I can still hear my middle brother crying when we were about 12 as daddy did what he could to remove one from one awful area of his body.
But what this fool DIDN'T know, is you done met your match! Been there before and done that with all you little buggers! And you won't be coming on home on me! And down went my pants, and there were about 15 of them little devils all over my stomach. But not in the vicinity of "the package," which was most appreciated.
Turn back now? Or reach the bay as planned? NEVER GIVE UP! As I pondered it, I pulled some more ticks off my arse, and got to steppin.
And a while later, and many ticks later, I was being followed.
I just couldn't believe it. What a day of firsts! This gal was actually coming closer and closer to me and following my trail!
And with me standing up! I normally sit down when I want animals to come close for a picture, but this gal was fearless!
I just couldn't believe it.
6 feet!!!!
Look at that tongue! Looks like our pug's!
Hey there ole gal...
And by that point, me and my companion were at our destination.
The Upper Laguna Madre.
And I turned around to say goodbye to her, and noticed something on her ears? Anyone know what might be? Other than that, she looked healthy.
And as I looked back, I knew-you bought this cup of tea-now you get to drink it. I quickly checked my water, and realized it was quite low. My hips were on fire from bush-whacking stomach high sedges-and the cold chill in my arms told me I was very close to heat exhaustion.
So I made the call to follow the pipeline back, as it runs as the crow flies.
And as I made that call, a sip from my camelback came up dry and a chill ran down my spine. This was gonna hurt and you asked for it....The backside ain't nothing to play with, your bones will bleach out before you're found back there...
And then I got to see what I do believe was a cloudless Sulphur butterfly!
And that would be some seaside saltwort, which funny enough-grows on the Laguna shoreline. It's full of potassium and sodium and can be eaten in times of extreme heat to replenish the body. Kinda like....you made it clear across Padre, now here ya go...
And I tell ya'll what. I turned the camera off and put it away. And that mighta been the longest hump outta the bush I've had in a while. With no water. Lesson learned? Don't be ignorant and pack enough water!!! But I'll admit this is a little early in the year even for me to be hiking on the backside.
And about a thousand ticks later, and still picking them up off the grass in the middle of the road, I saw a really cool antline...
And my goodness did that truck look good by the time I got to it.
And that was a wrap. Boy, did I have a blast. It's a little early to be behind those dunes with the heat and all, but there's nothing better than experiencing the REAL Padre, not just some crummy fishing trip. There weren't any Indians this go round, but I know they were watching, and I know I'll be back soon, and I won't let 'em down. If I've got any of these plants wrong ya'll please let me know. Only way to learn! Ya'll take care, and thanks.
--Colin _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
And as I made that call, a sip from my camelback came up dry and a chill ran down my spine. This was gonna hurt and you asked for it....The backside ain't nothing to play with, your bones will bleach out before you're found back there...
If I've got any of these plants wrong ya'll please let me know. Only way to learn! Ya'll take care, and thanks.
--Colin
LOL! it's a different kind of workout, isn't it? I'm old as you know, and my mid-20's coworkers were falling out during August the last job we had wondering around the backside like that....
nah, you got most of your plants right keep studying that book, and when you think you're ready, there will be a test
study up...
becky _________________
Central Scrutinizer wrote:
Thanks for the Memories, Ranger Rick.
ziacatcher wrote:
However I bet if you were fishing naked Ranger Rick would have a problem with that
Didn't know i was going to school today! Glad I did though, interesting stuff!
That doe is crazy cool. She apparently doesn't see a bunch of folks back there. Great pictures and an experience to remember, thanks for sharing! Made my afternoon!
I hope your keeping all this stuff for your baby girl. I bet she will cherish reading it one day! I still say you should wright a book!
Last edited by deputydawg on Tue Sep 27, 2016 2:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
Nice! Tyler should hire you to teach a one day course on how to post pictures and do write ups. =) I never have the patience to put in the photos, but they make the difference. Good on ya for showing the island and having the stones to go where few ever even THINK of trying! _________________ Fish ON!
Well, they tell us the first official cold front of the year just arrived. And with cold fronts...comes BTD expeditions! Been a long long while now since I could get behind the duneline, and to be honest, enough with all this beachfront foolishness. Time to get on with more important things than catching hardheads and sunburn!
The first stop was at the HQ pond. And it was surrounded....by none other than Padre Island Mistflower. Thankyou so much Jim for the vegetation guide. I study it constantly, but I got a loooong way to go!!!! One of the things about this flowering plant that makes me laugh...well, they say the Indians used it as a tea to treat alcoholism...but they also put whole plants in their enemies liquor flasks to poison them! :lol: It functions as a major food source for the butterflies.
Onwards!
Been a while now for me to head on out into Indian land in my snake busters!!! :D Roll OUT!
And adios beachfront!
And I deftly avoided some pretty substantial thundershowers! And this legume is one of the most common encountered on the seashore, and is also a major larval food plant for several butterfly species. I believe it is called partridge pea. The Indians used this plant to treat urinary tract infections, mixed as a tea.
But somewhere in the back of my mind I heard Louis Rawalt's old Model T just a chugging along....
And the grasses were so vibrant and thick with all the rain we've had. Silky bluestem? I tell ya'll what, I thought the flowering plants were hard, the grasses are a bear to ID!
And a white tailed hawk prowled relentless, gliding effortlessly high above, searching for prey....
Looks like the Conrad Blucher institute put in one more!
Sure did.
Onwards.
And at first, I thought...Mesquite. Well, big dummy-it's Huisache. And there's one extremely similar down at Yarborough that's in everyone's way coming in on the driver's door side. And the Indians used every part of this plant, including chewing the gummy roots for a sore throat.
And then I came across a Runyon's sunflower, standing alone. This one stands much lower than the other sunflowers on the Island. The Apaches used this as a snakebite remedy-by crushing up a poultice of the plant and applying it to the bite area.
And then this one...Charles tells me it is called Plains Wild Indigo. This mature specimen has broken away, as they do when mature, and is now dispersing seeds with wind assistance. Also called False Wild Indigo.
We'll be seeing these everywhere from now until after the new year, dead on the beachfront just rolling and rolling south during every norther that blows....
And then more Padre Island mistflower! Butterfly heaven!
And the footprint of another. And I had backtracked in and out of the dunes by my truck just because I can, and anyone looking to see where I went in would never be able to find my trail unless they're very good. Lol. But because of being so far on the north end of the park, I guess we won't get any Guatemalan/Nicaraguan/etc fun today. Prolly just another visitor. And it took me a minute, but I finally found this fella's tracks coming in, as this one was headed out.
Such a pretty place...
And there we were. The big pipeline confluence at the upper end of the Island.
All bankrupt and out of operation...
What to do? PUT THOSE SNAKE CHAPS TO GOOD USE!!!!
And as I headed on back into Indian land...Golden Monarch!
Feeding on the Mistflower.
Did you know these guys are known for their annual late summer/fall migration from Canada/United States down to Mexico? They cover thousands of miles we're told-and have actually been documented over the last ten years as having experienced a ten-fold population decline. There are those in the scientific community worried about them becoming quasi-extinct over the next twenty years...
Adios.
But those waist high sedges aren't going anywhere!
Bite some of this Kevlar, getcha some!
And I've never actually traversed a cat tail pond but there's a first time for everything in the book of ME
And they were well over my head, thicker than all get out, and I ended up having to navigate via GPS for about 15 minutes.
And one of the largest Mesquite patches I've seen on Island came into view, and I stood surprised. Was this Huisache or Mesquite? Wow! The north end of Padre is way more vegetated than I had thought!
And I wound my way around obstacles, more or less following the pipeline that headed towards the Laguna Madre.
And a small buck stood up and trotted into the Huisache.
And then.... :shock:
Well I'll be doggoned....I have NEVER seen a tick on Island. Sure haven't. And as I looked down at my shirt hanging out over my belt not tucked in I knew what was up. Growing up in south Georgia, us kids were no stranger to banana spiders, black widows, ticks, chiggers (red bugs), cottonmouths, rattlers, you name it. When you see one tick on ya, first thing you need to do is as follows. Find a low vegetated spot, and pull your pants down. :D Nope, I ain't kidding! Because it's a lot easier to pull them out of your "area" before they burrow under your skin than later. Trust me. And the first thing they do is RUN up your pants, hit your waistline, and head for a warm and moist area. And if you tweezer them out, the head will break off in you, and then you have a major problem. I can still hear my middle brother crying when we were about 12 as daddy did what he could to remove one from one awful area of his body.
But what this fool DIDN'T know, is you done met your match! Been there before and done that with all you little buggers! And you won't be coming on home on me! And down went my pants, and there were about 15 of them little devils all over my stomach. But not in the vicinity of "the package," which was most appreciated. :lol:
Turn back now? Or reach the bay as planned? NEVER GIVE UP! As I pondered it, I pulled some more ticks off my arse, and got to steppin.
And a while later, and many ticks later, I was being followed.
I just couldn't believe it. What a day of firsts! This gal was actually coming closer and closer to me and following my trail!
And with me standing up! I normally sit down when I want animals to come close for a picture, but this gal was fearless!
I just couldn't believe it.
6 feet!!!!
Look at that tongue! Looks like our pug's! :lol:
Hey there ole gal...
And by that point, me and my companion were at our destination.
The Upper Laguna Madre.
And I turned around to say goodbye to her, and noticed something on her ears? Anyone know what might be? Other than that, she looked healthy.
And as I looked back, I knew-you bought this cup of tea-now you get to drink it. I quickly checked my water, and realized it was quite low. My hips were on fire from bush-whacking stomach high sedges-and the cold chill in my arms told me I was very close to heat exhaustion.
So I made the call to follow the pipeline back, as it runs as the crow flies.
And as I made that call, a sip from my camelback came up dry and a chill ran down my spine. This was gonna hurt and you asked for it....The backside ain't nothing to play with, your bones will bleach out before you're found back there...
And then I got to see what I do believe was a cloudless Sulphur butterfly!
And that would be some seaside saltwort, which funny enough-grows on the Laguna shoreline. It's full of potassium and sodium and can be eaten in times of extreme heat to replenish the body. Kinda like....you made it clear across Padre, now here ya go...
And I tell ya'll what. I turned the camera off and put it away. And that mighta been the longest hump outta the bush I've had in a while. With no water. Lesson learned? Don't be ignorant and pack enough water!!! But I'll admit this is a little early in the year even for me to be hiking on the backside.
And about a thousand ticks later, and still picking them up off the grass in the middle of the road, I saw a really cool antline...
And my goodness did that truck look good by the time I got to it.
And that was a wrap. Boy, did I have a blast. It's a little early to be behind those dunes with the heat and all, but there's nothing better than experiencing the REAL Padre, not just some crummy fishing trip. There weren't any Indians this go round, but I know they were watching, and I know I'll be back soon, and I won't let 'em down. :lol: If I've got any of these plants wrong ya'll please let me know. Only way to learn! Ya'll take care, and thanks.
Well, they tell us the first official cold front of the year just arrived. And with cold fronts...comes BTD expeditions! Been a long long while now since I could get behind the duneline, and to be honest, enough with all this beachfront foolishness. Time to get on with more important things than catching hardheads and sunburn!
The first stop was at the HQ pond. And it was surrounded....by none other than Padre Island Mistflower. Thankyou so much Jim for the vegetation guide. I study it constantly, but I got a loooong way to go!!!! One of the things about this flowering plant that makes me laugh...well, they say the Indians used it as a tea to treat alcoholism...but they also put whole plants in their enemies liquor flasks to poison them! :lol: It functions as a major food source for the butterflies.
Onwards!
Been a while now for me to head on out into Indian land in my snake busters!!! :D Roll OUT!
And adios beachfront!
And I deftly avoided some pretty substantial thundershowers! And this legume is one of the most common encountered on the seashore, and is also a major larval food plant for several butterfly species. I believe it is called partridge pea. The Indians used this plant to treat urinary tract infections, mixed as a tea.
But somewhere in the back of my mind I heard Louis Rawalt's old Model T just a chugging along....
And the grasses were so vibrant and thick with all the rain we've had. Silky bluestem? I tell ya'll what, I thought the flowering plants were hard, the grasses are a bear to ID!
And a white tailed hawk prowled relentless, gliding effortlessly high above, searching for prey....
Looks like the Conrad Blucher institute put in one more!
Sure did.
Onwards.
And at first, I thought...Mesquite. Well, big dummy-it's Huisache. And there's one extremely similar down at Yarborough that's in everyone's way coming in on the driver's door side. And the Indians used every part of this plant, including chewing the gummy roots for a sore throat.
And then I came across a Runyon's sunflower, standing alone. This one stands much lower than the other sunflowers on the Island. The Apaches used this as a snakebite remedy-by crushing up a poultice of the plant and applying it to the bite area.
And then this one...Charles tells me it is called Plains Wild Indigo. This mature specimen has broken away, as they do when mature, and is now dispersing seeds with wind assistance. Also called False Wild Indigo.
We'll be seeing these everywhere from now until after the new year, dead on the beachfront just rolling and rolling south during every norther that blows....
And then more Padre Island mistflower! Butterfly heaven!
And the footprint of another. And I had backtracked in and out of the dunes by my truck just because I can, and anyone looking to see where I went in would never be able to find my trail unless they're very good. Lol. But because of being so far on the north end of the park, I guess we won't get any Guatemalan/Nicaraguan/etc fun today. Prolly just another visitor. And it took me a minute, but I finally found this fella's tracks coming in, as this one was headed out.
Such a pretty place...
And there we were. The big pipeline confluence at the upper end of the Island.
All bankrupt and out of operation...
What to do? PUT THOSE SNAKE CHAPS TO GOOD USE!!!!
And as I headed on back into Indian land...Golden Monarch!
Feeding on the Mistflower.
Did you know these guys are known for their annual late summer/fall migration from Canada/United States down to Mexico? They cover thousands of miles we're told-and have actually been documented over the last ten years as having experienced a ten-fold population decline. There are those in the scientific community worried about them becoming quasi-extinct over the next twenty years...
Adios.
But those waist high sedges aren't going anywhere!
Bite some of this Kevlar, getcha some!
And I've never actually traversed a cat tail pond but there's a first time for everything in the book of ME
And they were well over my head, thicker than all get out, and I ended up having to navigate via GPS for about 15 minutes.
And one of the largest Mesquite patches I've seen on Island came into view, and I stood surprised. Was this Huisache or Mesquite? Wow! The north end of Padre is way more vegetated than I had thought!
And I wound my way around obstacles, more or less following the pipeline that headed towards the Laguna Madre.
And a small buck stood up and trotted into the Huisache.
And then.... :shock:
Well I'll be doggoned....I have NEVER seen a tick on Island. Sure haven't. And as I looked down at my shirt hanging out over my belt not tucked in I knew what was up. Growing up in south Georgia, us kids were no stranger to banana spiders, black widows, ticks, chiggers (red bugs), cottonmouths, rattlers, you name it. When you see one tick on ya, first thing you need to do is as follows. Find a low vegetated spot, and pull your pants down. :D Nope, I ain't kidding! Because it's a lot easier to pull them out of your "area" before they burrow under your skin than later. Trust me. And the first thing they do is RUN up your pants, hit your waistline, and head for a warm and moist area. And if you tweezer them out, the head will break off in you, and then you have a major problem. I can still hear my middle brother crying when we were about 12 as daddy did what he could to remove one from one awful area of his body.
But what this fool DIDN'T know, is you done met your match! Been there before and done that with all you little buggers! And you won't be coming on home on me! And down went my pants, and there were about 15 of them little devils all over my stomach. But not in the vicinity of "the package," which was most appreciated. :lol:
Turn back now? Or reach the bay as planned? NEVER GIVE UP! As I pondered it, I pulled some more ticks off my arse, and got to steppin.
And a while later, and many ticks later, I was being followed.
I just couldn't believe it. What a day of firsts! This gal was actually coming closer and closer to me and following my trail!
And with me standing up! I normally sit down when I want animals to come close for a picture, but this gal was fearless!
I just couldn't believe it.
6 feet!!!!
Look at that tongue! Looks like our pug's! :lol:
Hey there ole gal...
And by that point, me and my companion were at our destination.
The Upper Laguna Madre.
And I turned around to say goodbye to her, and noticed something on her ears? Anyone know what might be? Other than that, she looked healthy.
And as I looked back, I knew-you bought this cup of tea-now you get to drink it. I quickly checked my water, and realized it was quite low. My hips were on fire from bush-whacking stomach high sedges-and the cold chill in my arms told me I was very close to heat exhaustion.
So I made the call to follow the pipeline back, as it runs as the crow flies.
And as I made that call, a sip from my camelback came up dry and a chill ran down my spine. This was gonna hurt and you asked for it....The backside ain't nothing to play with, your bones will bleach out before you're found back there...
And then I got to see what I do believe was a cloudless Sulphur butterfly!
And that would be some seaside saltwort, which funny enough-grows on the Laguna shoreline. It's full of potassium and sodium and can be eaten in times of extreme heat to replenish the body. Kinda like....you made it clear across Padre, now here ya go...
And I tell ya'll what. I turned the camera off and put it away. And that mighta been the longest hump outta the bush I've had in a while. With no water. Lesson learned? Don't be ignorant and pack enough water!!! But I'll admit this is a little early in the year even for me to be hiking on the backside.
And about a thousand ticks later, and still picking them up off the grass in the middle of the road, I saw a really cool antline...
And my goodness did that truck look good by the time I got to it.
And that was a wrap. Boy, did I have a blast. It's a little early to be behind those dunes with the heat and all, but there's nothing better than experiencing the REAL Padre, not just some crummy fishing trip. There weren't any Indians this go round, but I know they were watching, and I know I'll be back soon, and I won't let 'em down. :lol: If I've got any of these plants wrong ya'll please let me know. Only way to learn! Ya'll take care, and thanks.
Joined: 16 Aug 2013 Posts: 150 Location: Old San Patricio
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2016 6:48 pm Post subject:
Man I LOVE your posts! I usually go to the back side of the dunes and look around a little, but I haven't had a chance to really explore yet. I saw a piebald deer around the 11 one time. I have noticed south of the 11 and north of the 13 there looks like there is an old cattle or horse ranch fence line back in about a half mile or so. Any idea what that is?
Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 615 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:51 pm Post subject:
Transplanted wrote:
Man I LOVE your posts! I usually go to the back side of the dunes and look around a little, but I haven't had a chance to really explore yet. I saw a piebald deer around the 11 one time. I have noticed south of the 11 and north of the 13 there looks like there is an old cattle or horse ranch fence line back in about a half mile or so. Any idea what that is?
You were likely looking at the old Black Hill line camp. It was a mirror image camp to the Novillo site more or less, which is around the Bird Island Basin road. Louis Rawalt had a cabin there, but vandals kept destroying everything in it after the causeway was put in. There was running water there, pens and traps for the cattle, and a few cabins for Pat Dunn and a visitor. The vaqueros slept on the ground. They had a road to the beachfront as well. Today what remains after it was burnt by the NPS years and years ago is the old loading chute and traps which were used by Dunn to load the cattle into a big yellow truck they had to transport them to the head of the Island for market.
Thanks for the tick sore thought, and CastnBlast those cabins looked like a lot of fun, too cool! Ya'll take care! _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 234 Location: SAN ANTONIO
Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 6:44 am Post subject:
Man you always show an awesome, different perspective of the island. As a teenager when we were out at our cabin located at the most southern end of the Landcut close to Marker 23 where it opens up to Redfish bay, I would take long walks in the direction of the gulf. Amazing what you will find and see. It's like being on another untouched planet. Can't wait to get back down there. I want to go see that cabin you had posted awhile back. _________________ Shallow Sportn' it
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It functions as a major food source for the butterflies.
Roll OUT!
