EAST TEXAS — After another too-short night, I met Spence and Courtney in the Thomas lobby at 7. On our way out of campus, we stopped by Shroud and Bev’s apartment to check on the House Finch nestlings.

The three surviving nestlings continue growing quickly.

As we began our walk down the iron bridge road, the scent of honeysuckle was heavy and sweet in the cool morning air. Spence and Courtney had both worn long sleeves, but all I had on was a T-shirt. That cool morning air was stirred by frequent breezes, and I soon began to think I was going to freeze.

We heard a few birds singing, but most of them were not interested in being seen. And I was freezing.

By the time we had crossed the bridge and walked up onto the railroad tracks, the sun was beginning to warm things up. We noticed an open gate across the tracks. A square sign on the bars said simply “29.” I thought it sounded ominous (like a some secret testing facility), but Spence and Courtney were ready to investigate. “We have to see what’s around that bend,” Spence said.

The gate was open — Gate 29.

So we took the road. It wound through open, upland habitat. Dozens of swifts and swallows swarmed over a small creek. Indigo Buntings were plentiful, and we heard several Yellow-breasted Chats but never got good looks at any of them. Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons flew overhead. I heard two Prairie Warblers, but we didn’t get to see much of them.

By late morning, the sky was rich blue, the air was balmy, and it was a perfect day to be outside in the sun. On the way back to the car, we had a wonderful look at a Prothonotary Warbler who sat out near the end of a branch, singing his chorus with gusto.

ydhttmwfi: The iron bridge road

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