Critters in Texas

FLYING THINGS While traveling along the gulf, we saw a variety of birds -the area is a birdwatchers paradise with many refuges and preserves.  Sitting in the campground in Port Lavaca (waiting for our appointment) we were able to see regular visits from one of the most colorful, the Roseate Spoonbill.  Walking out the raised viewing pier over the estuary, I got as close as 10 feet while they were busy feeding and paid me little attention. Roseate Spoonbill Now we are in the Houston suburb of Katy, staying at the lovely Stephen Austin State Park.  Our first view of a red flying bird revealed a cardinal, a real treat for Westerners. Cardinal While these are are real treat, the most common flying critter here in the park is the mosquito.  I had no idea but found the following about the area. Locking Mosquitoes out of Houston, TX Houston mosquitoes are considered to be some of the worst in the United States. Of the 2,500+ mosquito species throughout the world, 80 of the most aggressive live in Texas. Houston, therefore, is affected by many mosquito-borne illnesses that affect both humans and pets, including: West Nile Virus Encephalitis Malaria Yellow Fever Filariasis Dengue Fever Elephantiasis Dog Heartworm In addition to these health hazards that can be caused by Houston mosquitoes, nobody likes swollen, red, itchy bug bites all over their body. And nobody likes smelling like over-the-counter insect repellent of questionable efficacy! Houstonians have been installing mosquito misting systems in their homes and businesses in growing numbers, with excellent results in repelling our Houston Mosquitoes. Using natural insecticides extracted from chrysanthemum flowers, these houston mosquito control devices are the solution for keeping biting insects at bay. A simple, one-time installation and regular maintenance are all it takes to keep mosquitos, gnats, no-see-ums and other pests away from your home and yard. We seem to be the only people who prefer to hang out in the coach rather than sit outside, getting bitten.  They must be covered in repellent or genetically immune as are not covered in clothing,  netting nor are they constantly swatting.  No wonder Houston is a major medical hub with all those dreadful mosquito borne diseases.  Fortunately the boys (not BD) are on heart worm meds.  A quick Internet search revealed what everyone  else seemed to know.   FOUR LEGGED CRITTERS My late cocker, Boogerman, was an unforgettable dog.  I had him for 17 years and never got tired of the spirit of that boy, right to the end.  The camp host had a young pup who, but for a much lighter color, very much resembled Boogs as a young dog.  Of course, I had to inquire about the dog and wrangle an invitation to visit.  Mandy is full of life and is one of only a few cockers that are lucky enough to have kept her tail. Adorable Mandy She was full of piss and vinegar and I told the BD that he was lucky she wasn't up for adoption.   Speaking of dogs, Max was at his usual dashboard observation post when he went nuts.  I looked out only to see a huge black critter.  While I first thought it was a cat, it seemed to lumber without the usual graceful feline movement.  It disappeared into the brush and I proceeded to look up pictures of baby black bears-NO,-black panthers-NO, black cougars-NO.  We stopped at the ranger station to register to  this important sighting.  The ranger laughed and said it is a huge black feral cat and that she worries about the safety of her dog when it is around.  So much for exotic animals. Camel Corps Texas experienced an interesting experiment in the mid 1800's when Jefferson Davies was faced with supplying the increasingly populated and traveled southwest with military protection.  Efforts to create a transcontinental railway failed due to politics (can you even imagine) and so Davies dispatched Major Wayne to the middle east to study the feasibility of using dromedaries to transport military supplies.  In 1856  33 disembarked at Indianola, TX, along with their Greek and Turkish drivers.  The next year 41 more we shipped. During the early summer of 1856, the Army loaded the camels and they were driven to Camp Verde via Victoria and San Antonio. Reports from initial tests were largely positive. The camels proved to be exceedingly strong, and were able to move quickly across terrain which horses found difficult. Their legendary ability to go without water proved valuable on an 1857 survey mission led by Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale. He rode a camel from Fort Defiance to the Colorado River and his team used 25 camels on the trip. The survey team took the camels into California, where they were stationed at the Benicia Arsenal. During an 1859 survey of the Trans-Pecos region to find a shorter route to Fort Davis, the Army used the camels again. Under the command of Lt. Edward Hartz and Lt. William Echols, the team surveyed much of the Big Bend area. In 1860, Echols headed another survey team through the Trans-Pecos that employed the Camel Corps. With the outbreak of the American Civil War, the Camel Corps was mostly forgotten. Handlers had difficulty with their camels spooking the horses and mules. Beale offered to keep the Army's camels on his property, but Union Secretary of War Edwin Stanton rejected the offer. Many of the camels were sold to private owners; others escaped into the desert throughout the West and British Columbia. Beale's favorite, the white camel "Seid", fought with another camel during rutting season and was killed by a crushing blow to the head. Seid's bones were sent to the Smithsonian Institution. Feral camels continued to be sighted in the Southwest through the early 1900s, with the last reported sighting in 1941 near Douglas, Texas. Hi Jolly (Hadji Ali), an Ottoman citizen, came to the US as the lead camel driver. He lived out his life in the US. After his death in 1902, he was buried in Quartzsite, Arizona. His grave is marked by a pyramid-shaped monument topped with a metal profile of a camel. Hi Jolly Grave in Quartzsite EATING CRITTERS Texans love their meat.  Fried or BBQ'd is best.  Really good BBQ places range from shacks selling take out to large restaurants, complete with choices of southern style sides.  There are not too many green veggies and those offered are never al dente.  Salad means macaroni, potato or maybe bean. If it isn't meat it is fried catfish, shrimp or mud bugs-otherwise known as crayfish.