Friday, September 17, 2010

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park - Bio Blitz - Park Still Closed

I had the opportunity to go into Bentsen September 9 as part of a bio-blitz. Special permission was required to participate in the event, and permission was only for the one day. Bentsen is still CLOSED due to flooding, but the Headquarters including the coffee shop and store are open.

Here's some pictures of the park after the flood. I am hoping that the flood will rejuvenate the riparian forest, which has been starved for nutrients since Hurricane Beulah, shortly after the construction of Falcon Dam.

The park was extremely birdy with lots of migrants, water birds, and resident species. My group saw tracks of Collared Peccary and Raccoon. Herons and egrets were flying over much of the day.

Here's the entrance road looking south near the maintenance yard.
And the drainage canal on the entrance road, full of water.
The Resaca Vieja Trailhead - the trail is still nearly blocked by a downed tree.
You can see the water level on the vegetation here, looking south to the Ebony Grove.
One of the feeding stations on the entrance road.
Kingfisher overlook.
The picnic pavilion - again, note the water line on the building.
Kiskadee Trail
Trailer loop - Acacia Loop
North end of the Acacia Loop
Roadrunner Crossing at the north end - still a lot of water over the road!
A lot of the brush was flooded, and the invasive guinea grass was dead. Northern Waterthrushes were enjoying the wet spots!
Northern Beardless Tyrannulet nest with young - note that the adult has food for the chicks in the ballmoss nest.