Migration winding down

I think the oasis performed well during migration. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it, including myself. There'll still be birders, and a few straggling migrants, but no more back-to-back groups until August.

Today it threatened to rain, but not a drop. Typical for May.

But worse than the false promise of rain, is no hope of rain, so not complaining. Every day lately has been triple-digit temps. At least it cooled things off a bit. The oasis is not in dire straits over water, thanks to that new above ground tank that birders so generously made happen.

It's exciting to see the Texas Pinyon* (Pinus remota) trees starting to make cones. I think this is the first time, although the Mexican Pinyons have been doing it for some time now. The latter were planted 5-10 years before I was able to locate a source for Texas Pinyon trees.

I'm not sure what these things on the Mexican Pinyons are, but they're not cones. They look like Christmas tree lights. Not that either.

The downside to the upcoming cone crop is, of course, bears. Bears have snapped in half at least one tall Texas Pinyon, one mature native juniper (with cones), and several Live Oak trees, beside many large limbs that leave cypress and other trees deformed.

In my imaginary world, Pinyon Jays, or other rare birds, would find the cones before bears find them. 

This is the only plant of the Bromiliad family that we know of on our properties. Texas False Agave (Hechtia texensis). We're delighted to have it.

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* Also known as Remote Pinyon or Papershell Pinyon.