Richard Moore Outdoor Report: Morning Magic

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — As dark of night retreats to the rhythmic ritual of twilight, the magical promise of a new day beckons.

Sunrise cicadas reach crescendo, ceding to the dawn chorus of birdsong and the primal howling of prowling coyotes.

As golden hues flow across tranquil waters far from the clamor of city strife, sentinels of death stretch their wings to the morning light.  

Turkey vulture pirouettes above black brethren, adjusting wings to capture the sun’s warmth before taking flight. 

Waterbirds gather along the shore, preparing to disperse on breakfast errands…great egrets, black-necked stilts, avocets, and others mingle placidly in avian harmony. 

A Snowy egret probes glassy waters, while dabbling ducks scour the surface for sustenance. 

Towering above egret and avocet, a wood stork stoically surveys the morning flock before stalking off on exceptionally long legs. 

Grebes are early risers and early divers, popping up across the pond and then quickly disappearing.

As this peripatetic grebe emerges, a majestic waterbuck appears along the shore, and a diminutive grebe pauses momentarily to admire the exotic antelope.

These large African antelope are becoming increasingly common in the wildlands of southernmost Texas, as they have spread from game ranches where introduced decades ago. 

While this imposing male patrols his territory, across the pond, a female waterbuck nurses her calf. As she contentedly chews her cud, the little rascal occasionally peers out from under mom to see what might be happening.

Nearby, a whitetail buck savors a morning drink before moving off toward the imposing waterbuck. When the two are close together, the 500-some-pound waterbuck dwarfs the resident whitetail.

Meanwhile, Junior, having finished his breakfast, is feeling quite frisky, coaxing Mom to rise and do some exploring.

You just never know what may appear on a magical morning at a secluded oasis in the South Texas ranch country, from an exotic African antelope to a native “brasita del fuego.”