By Brandt Mannchen

We arrived at the 2,500 acre Indian Grass Prairie, on the Katy Prairie, ready to go.  I had postponed this service trip last week due to frigid, wet, and windy weather.  As a result of the postponement the number of people who had volunteered to come had dropped precipitously.  People are busy and always have other plans.  I was prepared to go with our three people and do what we could.  I needed to get out on the prairie and see its immense vistas, waving grasses, and diverse bird-life.  It had been a long week and going outdoors rejuvenates me.

As we signed in and got ready to hit the prairie here came some more cars.  I counted them, one, two, three, four.  Hotdog!  We had more volunteers.  Allen and Jaime were present from the Katy Prairie Conservancy (KPC) to give us advice, provide water and tools, and take some photos for social media.

Soon we were walking on the trail to the northern part of the prairie to take apart native grass hay bales that held precious seeds to reconstruct this part of the prairie.  The KPC used old aerial photos to determine where prairie potholes (small wetlands found scattered across this prairie) used to exist before they were filled and land leveled out of existence.  At the precise location where each pothole existed, the KPC dug out an appropriate hole about three years ago and since that time has been seeding the planting the area with native grasses and wildflowers.  The birds had responded almost immediately, particularly after it rained.

We saw some of those birds as we went, Greater Yellow-legs, Eastern Meadow Larks, Savannah Sparrows, and a solitary Great Egret.  Now we were walking with a wagon full of tools to break apart and spread the native grass hay bales and infuse this prairie with with more seeds of life.  There we Sierrans were, David, Lynn, Ginger, Andrea, Alison, Bob, Michael, Sara, and I.  We spread out into two and three person teams and began our task.

Anthony, a young, strong, spry, smart, and energetic volunteer with KPC joined us and with several others rolled out the hay bales.  With pitch forks and rakes we began the spreading.  And we spread, and spread, and spread.  Nine bales in all!  When we stopped for a water break, we were rewarded with the sounds of Sandhill Cranes and a V-shaped flock of Snow Geese flew right overhead.  That's what I'm talking about!  Wild and wonderful, this Katy Prairie.

After working about three hours we headed to the Field Office to enjoy a potluck lunch.  We had many goodies to share, dried mangoes, Bolillos, celery sticks, hummus, couscous and tomatoes, Greek salad, Cantaloupe, a hearty bean soup, canned ham, and for dessert, brownies!!!  We ate like kings and queens and enjoyed friendly banter and talk.  

Some folks had to leave and we wished them well.  Before we left to head out onto the Katy Prairie to enjoy more of its welcome arms, we used Jaime and Bob's spotting scopes to view a huge flock of White Pelicans (probably about 60 birds) and various ducks and cormorants at a next door pond.

Off we went to Warren Lake.  We wound around the Katy Prairie and arrived at the observation platform.  We met several people who had already visited the platform as we walked toward it.  I always enjoy this short walk because of the native grasses that I see.  Like old friends I call out their names, Eastern Gama Grass, Little Bluestem, Switch Grass, Long Spike Tridens, and more.

We spent about an hour and a half scanning the lake, enjoying the mild winter wind and overcast sky.  Our friends, the White Pelicans were present (Could these be the same birds we saw at Indian Grass Prairie?).  Juvenile Red-tailed Hawks sat like sentinels on power poles.  Mocking Birds flitted from thicket to thicket.  American Coots and Northern Shoveler Ducks paddled through the flooded vegetation and played hide-and-seek with our binoculars and spotting scopes.  A lone Pied-billed Grebe swam and dove in the lake.

On the far side of the water, a Great Blue Heron circled and then alighted in a Black Willow tree.  Rafts of ducks, Pintails, Northern Shovelers, and what appeared to be Ring-necked or Scaup Ducks, floated and howdy-dooed their neighbors.  It was a peaceful and tranquil scene that our minds and hearts soaked up, which calmed and uplifted our spirits.  It truly felt like I was a million miles from Houston.

I felt like floating back to home.  That is why I will return to the Katy Prairie.  It is my home away from home.

Brandt Mannchen
January 15, 2017