Signs of spring in Texas

Signs of springtime in Real Texas

There are just some constants in life and many of us have grown up with those constants.  The constants are those things that give reassurance to us in our lives.   The sings of springtime in Texas contain some of the constants rooted no doubt in the observations over generations.

In some of the lesser states,  there are ground hogs that predict the weather, tell us how many more weeks of winter there will be, and give grown men a chance to wear funny looking hats.  Pretty much hokey stuff in my book.

On the other hand, here in Real Texas, we base our weather on more stable references such as mesquite trees budding out, buzzards arriving back to patrol for roadkill, bluebonnets in the Hill Country, and scissortails darting through the air.

All those signs have been observed in Texas as of this date.  To some folks the definitive sign is that of the buzzard.  The scissor tails have been some of the last hold outs and they are back and active.  While most Texans love seeing the signs of mesquite blooms and buzzards circling, it is the return of the scissor tails that make it official for me.  By the way, yes we know buzzards are really vultures and that scissor tails are actually scissor-tailed flycatchers.    But as I explained to a professor one time,  a buzzard is a buzzard to me even if he is a vulture.

My first recollection of scissor tails was observing the scissor tails over across the street at the Havenhill residence.  I would sit on my front porch, especially in the evenings and watch the scissor tails work the street light while Mr. Havenhill watered his patch of St.Augustine grass. It was the only St. Augustine grass in the world as far as I knew.   The scissor tails would be dipping in and out of the lights capturing bugs of various kinds along with the bullbats or nighthawks.

The scissortails across the street were very territorial and would attack Sandy and Pam Havenhill’s Siamese cat.  They dive bombed that poor cat until it ran for cover.  Never did see the cat catch a scissortail.

My part of the Spring Creek must be prime scissor tail area.  I counted 18 birds dipping in and out of the trees over the creek catching their meals and chattering.  They have a distinctive sound that ratchets up into a finale crescendo only sung by a scissortail.

There are other birds that make distinctive sounds like the owl or the dove.  Lots of young boys like Joe David and Tom Ben, could mimic the dove sound to a T.  But the scissor tail is unique among the bird sounds of the world.  And when you see the scissor tails,  there will be no more freezing weather until late fall.  Yes, you can take that to the bank.

It has an almost all white head, throat and breast.  The wings are brown with an edging of white, and a black and white tail that gives it its name with two feathers forming a fork in the tail section.  That tail opens and closes like scissors.

I’ve seen scissor tails in nearly all parts of Texas except in the driest regions.  I’ll be you have them where you live too.  Just be sure to warn your cats.

I’m David out in Real Texas

Lovin’ the signs of a new Spring in Texas

Tagged as: david werst, Real Texas, Real Texas Blog, scissor tail, Texas Lifestyle