Seminole State Park

I want to call it Semolina State Park. It backs on to the Rio Grande, the river that separates the USA and Mexico. It is semi-desert for most of the year but due to higher rainfall this autumn, the Park Rangers tell us it is greener than usual. Seminole canyon runs into the Rio Grande. 

The camping pitches are large and well spread out, overlooking open countryside. This is our site and camper (the replacement). We also get a shelter with picnic bench, the roof of which you can see, that looks towards Mexico about three miles away. So we get a great view of the wildlife and the illegal immigrants.

The park is all about wildlife, especially birds. We have a cactus wren nesting in the picnic shelter. It’s bigger than UK wrens, about thrush size.

Some creatures that look ordinary are anything but. The desert snail living in a bush on our pitch survives by sealing the entrance to its shell in dry periods and reappearing when it rains.

 Most of the park is dirt path hiking trails, but on one short walk the native plants are labelled. Some of these are quite unusual: the candelilla for example. Its stems are covered in wax which helps to retain moisture in desert conditions. The wax has traditionally been harvested to make candles, and during WW1 and 2 was used to waterproof military tents. The plant itself hardly merits a second glance.

On our walk to the canyon overlook we notice a stick insect, almost invisible on a purple sage bush. Well camouflaged.

 Jane is at the overlook, absolutely gutted that she’s forgotten her hang glider.

Both there and on the way back we walk through clouds of butterflies. This is a migration route. We also see them in groups on the floor, as in the photo. As you walk past they rise up and flutter around like confetti. Beyond my photography skills, unfortunately, to capture the moment.

Then wonderful sunsets to round off the day, just the kind the traditional cowboys would ride off into.

A remote and lovely place. But it has another dimension, coming next blog.