A hike in Government Canyon

My big sister Raquel, her daughter Lilia (my junior birder), and I went to Government Canyon State Natural Area west of San Antonio. We didn't see too many birds, but we did see some interesting things:
a beautiful flower I'd never seen before, Phlox drummondii (identified thanks to this site)

a little daisy-like flower I couldn't find in the purple or white flower listings but which came in both purple and white varieties

a flower I couldn't find in the white flower listings but which looks like lantana

a poor little barrel cactus who chose a rough life by growing right on the hiking path

a Red Admiral

the bone-dry creek bed -- surprising, given all the rain we've had lately

dinosaur footprint, or dinosaur rude hand gesture? You decide.

Probably the coolest thing that happened all day was when I suggested to Lil that maybe we should pish to attract some birds. She began pishing softly, and wouldn't you know, a little House Wren, an Orange-crowned Warbler, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet all showed up? I was so proud of her budding abilities as a birder!