23 – 26 Nov Big Thicket Preserve

Big Thicket and Village Creek

 

Many shops were shut on Thanks Giving Day, but a bit like Xmas in UK the day afterwards is the Sales rush which they called Black Friday – Black because it is putting the shops accounts into the black.  However we pack up and move on.

We were doubly glad that we decided to stay on in New Braunfels another couple of days when we heard the news of a fatal accident, on the I10 near Beaumont, on the Thursday which involved 150 cars and trucks. The I10 is the route out of Texas into Louisiana.

However on the Friday we travel up to Big Thicket Preserve staying at Village Creek State Park, just north of Beaumont.  We have some lovely weather and the park is very peaceful.  This area is part of the Texas Paddling Trail and we had thought to rent a canoe and spend an afternoon paddling down the river but Texas has very low water levels and the Village Creek river is really too low and neither of us fancy tackling the logs and sand bars that we can see.  Texas has had two very dry years and an agreement has been signed with Mexico to buy water from them.

Walking around the State Park we saw a little Opossum.  He was busy cleaning himself and quite oblivious to us approaching until we were within about 6 ft.  Then he looked at us, finished cleaning himself  and then ambled off into the bushes with his pink rat-like tail.  



Hornet's Nest

About 500 yds later we walked around a bush and there, within a few feet, was a hawk eating his latest catch – a snake.  He was so busy enjoying his meal that we stood for nearly a minute watching him before he became aware of us and flew off.  Of course all this happens when you don’t have the camera on you …!! 

When we walked back that way 40 minutes later the snake remains had gone so we guessed the hawk came back for the rest of his dinner.

 

However we did have the camera with us when we spotted a hornet's nest up in the trees.