Habitats of the Llano Estacado
Alkali Soils
Photoessay – Tahoka Lake - July 16-August 4, 2009
Tahoka Lake is a large salina (salt lake) set deep into the Llano Estacado. The bottom of the salina is over a hundred feet below the surrounding plains. Cliffs of limestone, alkali seeps, draws with springs, sandy ridges, and freshwater pools create an amazing diversity to the location. Mrs. Clyde May, the owner of the western side of the lake is working to preserve the location as a non-profit education facility that educates folks on the history and ecology of the salinas of the Llano Estacado. Dr. Eileen Johnson, of the Lubbock Lake Landmark archaeological site, led an archaeological field school there to examine a pastores camp and stone fence, as well as to survey the site of American Indian use. Several researchers have studied the use of the salinas by shorebirds and other birds during visits to the lake.
Debi Cates and Donna Chafin were asked to photograph the site for a year by the Sibley Nature Center staff. Debi was only able to do it for a few months, but Donna continued contributing through the growing season and beyond.
The following photos were taken by Donna Chafin. The Sibley Nature Center is deeply appreciative of the immense amount of photography done by Donna Chafin. She has allowed the world to see the changing flora and fauna at the lake throughout 6 months, and has found a number of things that were not expected. We love her sometimes unusual perspectives, and her careful and frequent visiting of the hawk family until the young fledged.
Related 2009 photoessays: Feb 7 | Feb 21 | Feb 28 | Mar 7-8 | May 1 | May 12-13 | Jun 17 | Jul 6
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Wind pushes water across the lake. One day the water will be at the south end, the next day at the north end.
Engelmann daisy curls its ray flowers by noon.
Yellow spined thistle will cause welts on bare skin if it is brushed against.
Chara begins to form a mat on the surface of the freshwater pool, and turtles make trails through it.
A huisache daisy almost never blooms in July.
A roadkilled javelina lay on the road, its mouth agape and bloody.
Javelinas have moved north over the last 30 years, and can be found east of the Llano Estacado in the upper Brazos River breaks, but it was a surprise to find that they had made their way to the Tahoka Lake area.
Old plainsman usually blooms in May, not July.
A hen turkey walked along the road, and...
...was joined by three others,
and then wandered into the pasture...
...where it watched a grasshopper fly away.
A lady bug rested on a Mentzelia leaf...
...which can stick to fabric, so its Spanish name is buena mujer, because it sticks to you like a good woman.
Nothing seems to move on a hot summer day.
Cattle egrets loafed in mesquite.
Is this an American Raven, or a Chihuahuan Raven...both are possible at the Lake.
Widow’s tears always blooms for a few days after a rain in the summer and fall.
The young Swainson’s hawk, about to fledge, panted in the hot afternoon.
Just how does Mom fly…hmmmm.
The pistil and stamens of the widow’s tears are wondrously delicate.
A black widow found the hunting good on a fence post.
Is the down all over the nest tree the young hawk’s down feathers, or that of prey brought to the nest?
This is probably a Boopedon nubilum grasshopper.
A trapped possum from Lubbock was released at the ranch.
The young hawk finally left the nest on a short flight.
A wolf spider with babies ran across some concrete.
Tahoka daisies have the typical puffball of seeds like most other daisies.
A variegated fritillary liked the tahoka daisy.
I guess Mom’s not coming back!
Where is mom?
Aaaah… mom is sitting about a half mile away…
Sleepy daisy often blooms in the summer after rains.
Mourning doves become plentiful by late summer.
A dragonfly was trapped inside the ranch house.
A lark sparrow rested during the hot afternoon.
Water collected in the north end of the lake.
Sunflowers always have insects.
A crematogaster ant investigated a saw tooth daisy bud, gathering the sticky sap the plant puts out.
Unfortunately, the second ant species was out of focus.
Sibley staff does not know what this caterpillar becomes.
Arizona cottontop grass, bristlegrass, and sawtooth daisies lined a fence.