Palmetto State Park, Texas

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

I arrived at Palmetto State Park much later than I planned. There was a construction traffic jam after passing through San Antonio. It happens. It took three hours to cover a six-mile section of road.

I stayed at the "Tent Campground" this year. It is a different setting and environment compared to the "RV Campground" last January with Laura Butterworth. Campsites are spread out more, and most of them are unoccupied. I did a walk on a trail across the San Marcos River, which happens to separate the two campgrounds, and I was blown away surprised when a large group of birds, which I thought were hawks, appeared over me. They seemed to be moving downstream. There must have been 50, 75, maybe even 100 of them, as if swarming like bees. I also thought of the photos of bats leaving the Caverns at Carlsbad. They circled above me. Like they were dancing. They appeared like magic, and within a few minutes, they were gone, out of sight ...

(NOTE: In reading up on this, I believe they were a type of vulture. I later learned from a camp host they are Turkey Vultures.)