Texas: Bobcat in South Texas

Bobcats are one of the most common wild cats in South Texas — you just rarely see them.

They’re perfectly adapted to the brush country: thick, tangled habitat that gives them cover to hunt and move without being spotted. In places like the Rio Grande Valley and coastal plains, they’re basically everywhere there’s enough prey and shelter.

Even though they’re widespread, most people only know they’re around from trail cameras, tracks, or the occasional quick flash of movement in the brush.  

This juvenile bobcat was quietly sitting in the brush besides a watering hole.  And when he heard us, as I got excited to snap photos, he disappeared and none of my friends were able to get a photo of him fast enough.  

Texas: Caracaras chilling on each other

Although the caracara is fairly aggressive and opportunistic when looking for food, they are also fairly tolerant of each other.  Below is one here resting on top of another caracara.

Texas: Quails mating dance

The male bobwhite turns into this tiny, frantic showman in spring—calling, puffing up, doing these stiff little half-circles around the female like he’s trying to convince her he’s both harmless and impressive at the same time. It’s not graceful.

Texas: Javelinas!

I was walking on a trail out to La Sal Del Ray and spotted a pig-like thing behind the trees.  I went on ChatGPT and described what I thought I saw - and it informed me it was not dangerous, but also not necessarily friendly either.  It advised me to act big and unafraid and it would probably leave me alone.  I was walking alone on the trail at mid-day so me acting big and unafraid looked somewhat ridiculous.  I think I said aloud, "I'm big and un-afraid!" on repeat.  Anyway, these are the javelinas.  

Texas: Caracara head-tipped back

In South Texas, seeing a caracara perched on a fence post with its head thrown back, looking almost like it’s laughing, is a very recognizable sight. They’re sometimes called “Mexican eagles,” but they’re actually falcons — just a very unusual, ground-loving, scavenging kind of falcon.  Here is a caracara about to start shouting as he tips his head back. 

Texas: Caracaras dancing through the air

Although they are kind of vicious, the caracara caught my eye as such striking birds.  They look as if they are dancing together as they fly and fight and act aggressive towards each other.  

Texas: Harris Hawk

The Harris’s Hawk is one of South Texas’ most fascinating birds of prey — a social, intelligent hawk often seen perched on fence posts, cactus, or low trees while scanning the brush for prey. Unlike most raptors, Harris’s Hawks are highly cooperative hunters: family groups may work together to flush and capture rabbits, rodents, lizards, and birds. They were top of the food chain against the caracara and vultures - neither of which would mess with the Harris Hawk.