Caretaker's note: Central Texas summers are naturally very hot. This year the long drought added to the extreme heat, causing stress on both plants and animals. Even though watersto_jennystone has full access to the Blanco River, birds and animals benefit from a variety of watering sources scattered throughout the uplands. This water spray is simple and inexpensive. Set the water hose spray nozzle to a wide pattern, point upward and leave on for a few hours in the afternoon to water both plants and birds. Many species of birds frequent the spray, frolicking and bathing.

Caretaker's note: The Greater Roadrunner is in the Cuckoo family, able to run up to 15 miles per hour, and is rarely seen flying. It feeds on insects, snakes, lizards, rodents,small birds and some fruits and seeds. It runs on the ground in search of prey.

Caretaker's note: Leftover chunks of concrete from another project provides material to build a small dam across a wide draw. It is intended to direct large water flows through the middle of the draw, through and over the culvert instead of spreading out into new channels of erosion.

Caretaker's note: The Box elders are a native tree common along river bottoms. Like Juniper, however, they can become invasive. By thinning the small trees, there is now more sunlight and room for other species to grow. In this case, we are encouraging elderberries which are an important food source for birds.