An afternoon at Buffalo Lake Wildlife Refuge. March 20, 2009
During the migration, The ecosystem at the BuffaloLake Wildlife Refuge supports many varities of waterfowl who use Buffalo Lake as a stop along the Central Flyway Corridor. The waterfowl rest, feed, and renew themselves before moving on to their winter or summer home. The Birding trails are well marked and well maintained.
ecosystem- An ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit.
The plant life is abundant and thriving during the late spring and summer months. They provide a wonderful food source for the herbivores in the refuge. The grass variety shown here is a common form in the Texas Panhandle and is our State grass, Side Oats Gramma. It is obvious why it is called side oats in the picture you see me holding a dormant stem.
The habitat created by the Buffalo Lake Wildlife Refuge is important for many animals that make their home here in the Texas Panhandle. Many animals that I observed on my one day hike was Mule deer, prairie dogs, squirrels, cattle, and a variety of bird species.
habitat-The area or type of environment in which a particular kind of animal or plant usually lives.
habitat-The area or type of environment in which a particular kind of animal or plant usually lives.
animals- Any member of the kingdom Animalia, comprising multicellular organisms that have a well-defined shape and usually limited growth, can move voluntarily, actively acquire food and digest it internally, and have sensory and nervous systems that allow them to respond rapidly to stimuli:
During the migration, The ecosystem at the BuffaloLake Wildlife Refuge supports many varities of waterfowl who use Buffalo Lake as a stop along the Central Flyway Corridor. The waterfowl rest, feed, and renew themselves before moving on to their winter or summer home. The Birding trails are well marked and well maintained.
ecosystem- An ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit.
The plant life is abundant and thriving during the late spring and summer months. They provide a wonderful food source for the herbivores in the refuge. The grass variety shown here is a common form in the Texas Panhandle and is our State grass, Side Oats Gramma. It is obvious why it is called side oats in the picture you see me holding a dormant stem.
plant-Any member of the kingdom Plantae, comprising multicellular organisms that typically produce their own food from inorganic matter by the process of photosynthesis and that have more or less rigid cell walls containing cellulose.
I was lucky enough to witness on this day a variety of bird species, along with a herd of mule deer and some adorable prairie dogs. However the wildlife community was limited. I'm not sure if it was the wrong time of year, or if it is because Buffalo Lake was originally closed because of DDT contamination to the water. I did not see any rabbits, squirrels, or many burrowing animals in the base of the canyon, but I did see the prairie dogs on the rim of the canyon and a rare domesticated animal at the entrance to the refuge, a buffalo.
community- A group of plants and animals living and interacting with one another in a specific region under relatively similar environmental conditions.
In the photo below with the abundant brush, hidden in the brush and below the distant tree is a herd of mule deer. I was startled when the buck, the male deer, began to snort a warning at me because I was too close. I took a photo as fast as I could, but digital cameras like to focus too much. I hope you can make it out. There were about eight of them in the cover and two are under the tree. It was so exciting and wonderful.
