Bush Park Vistas in the Cold Season

Winter landscape inside George Bush Park 

Noble Road Trail 

Wetlands restoration area in Barker Reservoir - Noble Road Trail 

Powerline crosses the reservoir and provides perch for vultures  

While there is little green on the ground now, there is
more blue in the water because of the absence of the foliage

The hues vary with the seasons 

The trail is periodically impassable due to flooding, and
sometimes it is submerged entirely when the reservoir is called upon to
perform its purpose - retain flow-off after heavy rains
to reduce flooding downstream in Houston  

Barker Reservoir Dam with heavy clouds seen
from the East at Noble Road / Briar Forest 

Winter Landscape with Water Tower in West Houston

Water Tower on Eldridge at Westpark - Fiorenza Park 

View of the lake from the top of the hill (which has swings to enjoy the vistas)
Water tower on Eldridge Parkway in the distance across the water 

Flood control basin between Highway 6 and Eldridge Parkway at Westpark 

Water Tower at Arch Bishop Fiorenza Park on Eldridge 

Sunset at the Park looking West 

Houston Skyline across the Detention Pond 

Trail Rules posted at foot of the hill 

Wild and captive birds at Bear Creek Pioneers Park

A couple of Crested Caracaras 

Don't fee the Birds 

Emu in the company of vultures 

American vulture in the grass 

Fence-sitting black vultures 

Parrot working the wire mesh

Foraging for edibles on the ground 

Inflated Santa at the Emergency Room

All for a good cause ... Toys for Tots 

Emergency Room on Eldridge Parkway near Briar Forest 

Seasonal cheer: Pizza with pumpkin on top

Roof-top pumpkin at Marco's Pizza 

The inflatable pumpkin is hiding behind the big tree 

Different roof-top creature on an earlier occasion:  

 Marco's Pizza 1315 S. Dairy Ashford, Houston, TX 77077 

New Pizza Place on Eldridge Parkway at Parkway Village

Crespo Pizza & Italian Grill

1809 Eldridge Parkway #140, Houston, TX 77042

Parkway Village Plaza
with space posted for lease 

CRESPO PIZZA & ITALIAN GRILL 

ashford community church pumkin patch

Phonetically faithful: Pumkin Patch [sic] 

at Ashford Community Church on Eldridge Parkway 

P. F. Chang's sends its war horses into battle against breast cancer

P. F. Chang's war horse with pink sash for breast cancer awareness 

War horse sent into battle against breast cancer 

P.F. Chang's 11685 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77077

On the merits of re-purposing mattresses

Downstream ingenuity, turtle-style 

Pair of turtles on a float at the storm water detention pond 

Yes, you can see white pelicans in the wild in Houston

Here is the proof: The pelicans are back at the "water hole" between Highway 6 and Eldridge at West Park. Built for flood control purposes, and recently enlarged, this man-made lake has become popular with local residents for walking and biking shore-side, but also with birds. Their favorite spots are the little islands where no humans bother them. As was true in the Spring, though, great white egrets and ibises are more common than pelicans. You will need a powerful zoom lens to get close-up shots. 

Detention pond island birds: White egret, American white pelicans, more egrets 

Detention pond islands in the late afternoon (Sep 2015)

Great white egret strutting in shallow water 

Sunset at the detention pond